Contents of your meal kit:

mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery)
smoky tomato stock base
bay leaf & thyme sprigs
fingerling potatoes
white beans
mustard greens
lemon
manchego cheese

Cookware needed: large saucepan or stockpot with a lid

Finishing steps:

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a saucepan or stockpot over medium heat. When oil is hot, sauté mirepoix for 3-5 minutes or until softened.
2. Add smoky tomato stock base and water (see note). Drop thyme and bay leaf into the broth, increase heat, and bring to a boil.
3. While waiting for the broth to boil, slice fingerling potatoes crosswise into ¼-inch thick coins. When the water is boiling add potatoes, reduce heat to simmer, cover and set a timer for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse and drain white beans. Set aside.
5. After 10 minutes, check potatoes. When the potatoes are tender, remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Add white beans and mustard greens to the soup. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until greens are tender and beans are heated through.
6. To thicken the soup, use the back of a spoon or potato masher to crush some of the beans and potatoes.
7. Before serving stir a big squeeze of lemon juice into the soup. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed.
8. Ladle soup into bowls and top with manchego cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Note:

• When the recipe calls for water, add: 3 cups for 2 portions, 6 cups for 4 portions, 9 cups for 6 portions.
• Adding an acidic element (like lemon juice or vinegar) to a dish before seasoning is a great way to brighten the flavor. In turn, you’ll end up needing less salt overall.

Contents of your meal kit:

quinoa
cremini mushrooms
thyme
zucchini
onion
kale
tomatoes
garlic cashew “cream”
gruyere cheese

Cookware needed: small saucepan with lid, oven-safe nonstick skillet (see note)

Finishing steps:

1. Place quinoa in a saucepan, and add enough water to come ¼-inch above the quinoa.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting.  Simmer 10-15 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. When done remove from heat, keep covered, and let sit at least 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Continue with the next steps while quinoa is cooking.
2. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and slice into ¼-inch thick slices. Pull thyme leaves off the stem. Dice zucchini. Set everything aside. Preheat your oven’s broiler.
3. Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, mushroom, thyme, salt & pepper and cook until vegetables are softened and golden at edges, about 3-5 minutes. Add the kale and cook a minute or so until it just begins to wilt.
4. Add the tomatoes and allow to cook another few minutes until heated through. Add cashew “cream” to the skillet and stir to warm thoroughly and combine it with the vegetables. Stir in cooked quinoa and season with salt & pepper to taste. Spread evenly across the skillet and top with cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and melted.

Notes: Use a medium skillet for 2 portions, large skillet for 4-6. Most skillets are oven safe for a brief amount of time. If yours has a plastic or rubber handle, wrap foil around it to protect.

Contents of your meal kit:

butternut squash
apple
cinnamon balsamic vinaigrette base
mixed greens
red onion
goat cheese
toasted walnuts
pomegranate seeds

Cookware needed: baking sheet, salad bowl

Finishing steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450. On a baking sheet, toss butternut squash with olive oil and generously season with salt & pepper. Once oven has heated, roast for 10 minutes, then toss, and roast another 5-10 minutes, until tender and caramelized.
2. Meanwhile, core and thinly slice the apple.
3. When the butternut squash is ready, pour vinaigrette base into the bottom of your salad bowl and add an equal amount of olive oil. (see note) Whisk or mix with a fork to combine.   If this looks like too much dressing, remove some before adding the greens and sliced apple. Toss gently and season with salt & pepper to taste.
4. Divide salad between plates and top with warm butternut squash, onion, crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds.

Notes:

• Adding cinnamon to the vinaigrette base results in a slightly gelatinous final product. Don’t worry…it will thin once you add olive oil and will coat the greens nicely.
• This time, we’ve done the work for you….but if you decide to try your hand at removing the seeds (called arils) from a whole pomegranate, here’s a method we like: Carefully slice fruit in half, hold the cut-side down over a bowl and give it a few firm spankings with a wooden spoon.

Contents of your meal kit:

baby eggplant
bell pepper
zucchini
tomato
garlic
thyme
quinoa
herbed yogurt

Cookware needed: baking sheet, foil, saucepan

Finishing steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Give the eggplant, peppers, zucchini, and tomato a quick chop into large bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the garlic.
2. Place the vegetables on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, and give everything a good toss. Sprinkle with chopped garlic, and top with the thyme sprigs. Cover the entire sheet tightly with another piece of foil. Place in the preheated oven and set a timer for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a saucepan, and add enough water to come ¼-inch above the quinoa.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting.  Simmer 10-15 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. When done remove from heat, keep covered, and let sit at least 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
4. When the timer on the vegetables is up, carefully remove the foil from the top of the baking sheet, and discard thyme sprigs. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and broil vegetables about 5 minutes or until the edges begin to char. Taste and season with salt & pepper if needed.
5. Divide quinoa between plates and top with the oven-roasted ratatouille. Finish each plate with a dollop of herbed yogurt. Enjoy!

Notes: Ratatouille is a traditional French dish originating in Nice. Similar dishes can be found in other countries – pisto in Spain, briami in Greece, and caponata in Italy.