Recipes

Spring Lemon Tahini Pasta

If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner, this pasta fits the bill!  It comes together in about 15 minutes, it is hearty, healthy and most importantly delicious!  I used tahini and lemon to make a healthy creamy sauce, and combined it with a whole wheat pasta, broccoli and peas for a substantial fiber rich meal.

Entree Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Heart Healthy Pasta Vegan

Moroccan Spiced Spring Vegetable Salad

Not many people think of serving beets raw, but they are actually sweeter than carrots and quite good served raw if cut properly.  This salad combines them with other spring veggies in a sweet and tangy dressing with warming Moroccan spices. It is packed with nutrients and good for you!  So if you are looking for something easy to make, flavorful and delicious featuring spring veggies, give this a try!

Salad Side Dish Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Raw Salad Vegan Vegetarian

Spring Vegetable Oat and Bean Soup

Most people eat oats for breakfast, but did you know that steel cut oats are amazing in savory applications as well? Like adding them to a soup, instead of rice.  It is almost like rice when it is done cooking, but a little more texture. Steel cut oats actually have 6 grams of protein per serving and fiber so it is more nutritional bang for your buck than the rice.  This soup is hearty delicious and easy to make!  Give it a try this spring!

Entree Soup Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Heart Healthy soup Vegan Vegetarian

Vegan Strawberry Crisp

Spring is here, and it is the time to enjoy strawberries!  I love making desserts with them like this strawberry crisp!  It is gluten free, and easy to make but so good!  It is good on its own, or with some coconut milk ice cream or coconut whipped cream on the side!

Dessert Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian

The Perfect Easter Ham Dish

Looking for the perfect Easter ham dish? Look no further for this Lemon Rosemary Glazed Ham recipe.  It’s the perfect blend of citrusy lemon extract, balanced by the sweetness of honey and herby rosemary.  It’s easy enough for everyday and yet impressive enough for the holidays.

Here at Fresh & Natural our pork line is antibiotic, nitrate, and hormone free, and no chemicals thus providing great taste.  Our popular brand is our Beeler’s Ham that is very delicious and our Niman Ranch brand is also very good.  You will not be disappointed with either of these fine food products.

As an extra note, we do carry plenty of Rosemary leaves in our bulk section if you have a hard time finding it.  Enjoy this wonderful ham recipe for the upcoming Easter Holiday and for all of the yummy leftover meals to follow.

Vegan Cheesy Potato Casserole

Cheesy potato casserole was always an essential item at my family’s Easter brunch celebrations growing up!  So I have made a veganized version so that I can still enjoy it, and since several others in my family are trying to eat less dairy.  For the base of the cheese sauce I use sweet potatoes and cashew butter to give them richness, so this tastes rich without being heavy on your stomach.  This is easy to make, and so good!

Wheatberry Salad with Mango and Pecans

Now that spring is here, it is nice to enjoy lighter food.  This salad is substantial enough to be a meal, yet light and won’t weigh you down. If you haven’t cooked with wheat berries before, they are really nutritious, containing protein and fiber.  Here, I combine them with sweet mangoes, vegan feta, and crunchy pecans in a light vinaigrette dressing for a delicious combination.  This would be great for a vegetarian main dish or side for Easter!

Entree Side Dish Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Heart Healthy Salad Vegan Vegetarian

Strawberry Chocolate Eggs

I used to get really excited about Easter candy when I was little, and I still do as an adult. Mainly because I have fun making my own! I loved those berry cream eggs as a kid, so I now make my own home made version with better ingredients!  These are so delicious, and they are the perfect addition to your Easter basket!

Dessert Intermediate Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad

This salad is not only colorful and pretty, but good for you too!  It is packed with fiber and vitamins from the veggies, and it is so good!  Beets and carrots are about to come into season here now that it is spring, so it is the perfect time to make it!

Side Dish Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Salad Vegan Vegetarian

March 19th is National Poultry Day: The Benefits of Organic Chicken and New Ways to Season It

Chicken is one of the most important products to purchase organic according to a 2006 Consumer Reports study. Organic chicken does not contain the antibiotics, toxic hormones and pesticides that commercially raised birds do.

Organically fed chickens that are pasture-raised are free to peck at grass and bugs are the best birds to buy as their meat will be leaner and more flavorful.  In addition, pasture-raised chicken meat is higher in minerals, vitamins, and omega 3 fatty acids than its conventional counterpart.  Pasture-raised chickens also naturally produce rich, healthy eggs that are unmatched by anything sold at the grocery store.

While buying organic products may increase your grocery bill, the health benefits are worth it.  Here at Fresh & Natural, two of your customer favorites are Gerber’s Amish Farm Chicken and Larry Schultz’s Organic chicken.

Now that you have great chicken, what are some new ways to season it to add pizzaz to your meals?

Here is a brief summary of the many ways to prepare and season your chicken:

(for specific details go to:  wikihow.com/Season-Chicken)

Seasoning for Grilling

Barbeque rub

Moroccan rug (sweet and sour)

Lemon-herb marinade

Orange-lemon marinade

Herb marinated chicken

Basic Brine mixture

Seasoning for Frying

Blackening seasoning

Minced garlic for sauteing

Olive oil and spices

Chili flakes

Basic salt and pepper

Teriyaki marinade

Barbeque sauce

Seasoning for Baking, Broiling, and Roasting

Fresh herb rub

Brined chicken with honey, lemon and sage

Salt and sugar brine

Buttermilk brine

Enjoy trying some of these seasoning ideas and enjoying your delicious chicken this week!