Category: Onions (Yellow, Red, Sweet, & Shallots)

This root vegetable pot pie is a cook-with-what-you-have twist on a classic dish. It’s savory, delicious comfort food chock full of veggies. Use whatever combination of root vegetables you have on hand or prefer.  Serves 5-6  ... Read more »

These are quick to make and seasonings and type of meat can be varied to suite your taste/what you have on hand. Lamb, beef, pork are all suitable and while I haven't tried ground chicken or turkey that would certainly work too.  This recipe includes neither breadcrumbs nor egg--breadcrumbs do help absorb the fat and keep them tender and light but sometimes you don't have either on hand and they're still delicious, see variations below. [caption id="attachment_21545" align="aligncenter" width="660"] A summer meal of meatballs, zucchini basil frittata and kale salad.[/caption]... Read more »

This soup features two of the most abundant late summer vegetables: corn and summer squash. It’s creamy, slightly sweet and full of flavor for quite a simple ingredient list.   Serves 4-6 ... Read more »

This is a satisfying main dish that’s reminiscent of mac n’ cheese, although slightly lighter thanks to all the veggies. This would also be delicious with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage or greens in place of the summer squash. If you have an oven-proof skillet, it can all be made in one dish.  Serves 4  ... Read more »

These quesadillas are a great lunch or simple dinner option, with a little extra savoriness and nutrition from the mushrooms and shallots. Get creative, these can be a template for all sorts of veggie add-ins.    Variations: Use corn tortillas and make 4 smaller quesadillas Add chopped spinach or other greens to the mushroom mixture  Substitute half an onion for the shallots    Serves 2... Read more »

This soup is a simple collection of ingredients that transforms into a rich, flavorful soup. The vibrant green color comes from pureeing a portion of the soup and stirring it back in. Kale or even spinach stirred in at the end would probably work in place of the chard.    Serves 4... Read more »

This soup is simple and comforting. The sunchoke flavor shines through, but the cauliflower mellows it just slightly. Potatoes or another mild root veggie would do the same thing. The pesto is optional of course, but it adds a nice zing to the soup.   Variations: Swap a few potatoes or parsnips for the cauliflower Use leeks or shallots in place of the onion Omit the optional cream for a vegan soup Top with any pesto or bright, herby sauce you have on hand ... Read more »

This elegant but simple tart is savory, sweet and spicy and the crust is very flaky and easy to work with. It's the same crust used for this leek galette and really can be filled with most anything.   In this version all I had was delicata squash so I didn't peel it and it worked just fine. I've also taken to not peeling butternut squash so feel free to skip that step if a little (tender) skin doesn't bother you.   --Inspired by smittenkitchen.com ... Read more »

This dish is a lovely balance of middle eastern spices, sweetness from the squash and raisins, and a little brightness from the preserved lemon. You can of course use lemon juice instead, but preserved lemons are quite simple to make and add a unique, tart flavor with more complexity than lemon juice.  ... Read more »

This is adapted from a recipe in Toast & Jam by Sarah Owens, the queen of sourdough and beautiful, seasonal food. I've simplified her version (which has a few extra steps and elements) and it makes for a supremely satisfying cold-weather snack or light meal paired with a salad.... Read more »

This dish is savory and comforting, and the barley makes it a bit heartier than a typical risotto. I used a mix of chanterelle and cremini mushrooms because that's what I had, but most any type of mushroom would work. Feel free to use this recipe as a template and use different vegetables- greens, winter squash, root vegetables or eggplant would all be delicious.   Serves 4 as a side  ... Read more »

This vegetarian shepherd's pie is hearty and comforting, even without the traditional ground meat. There's a bit of prep and chopping involved but it makes a lot and is delicious as leftovers, so it's worth the effort. Feel free to get creative with the veggies you add to it.   Variations To make vegan, leave out sour cream/yogurt in the potatoes and use vegan butter or oil and an milk alternative If you'd like meat, substitute in ground beef or lamb for the lentils and add a dash of worcestershire sauce Get creative with your veggies - add in sweet potatoes, winter squash, chopped greens, green beans, corn, etc. ... Read more »

If you want to use cooked (or canned) beans to make a savory dish, more or less fleshed out with vegetables, meat, herbs, spices, here's a template. Since the beans are already cooked this kind of dish comes together quite quickly. Quantities are flexible and totally up to you.   *Alternatively, if you want to just cook a pot of beans from scratch in the oven (recipe towards the bottom of the page) with some aromatics you'll get a delicious pot of beans in one step that takes a couple of (hands-off) hours.   Use a full pound of cooked dry beans and their cooking liquid (yields about 2 quarts for me) or make a small pot with a couple of cups of cooked beans or any combination of beans.... Read more »

While there are many variations of borscht, this version using beets is closest to a traditional Ukranian borscht. It’s a delicious and hearty soup with a nice tang from the red wine vinegar. The soup isn’t necessarily quick to make, but it’s not difficult. If you want it to have the characteristic deep red color, make it a day ahead of serving. -inspired by simplyrecipes.com   Variations Make vegetarian by leaving out the beef and using vegetable stock. Add minced garlic for more depth of flavor If you’d like to skip the roasting step, simply add the chopped veggies to the pot once the meat is cooked and simmer until tender Vary the vegetables or amounts of vegetables based on what you have/prefer   Makes 6-8 servings  ... Read more »

Roasting the tomatoes intensifies and concentrates the delicious flavor of peak season tomatoes. If you don’t feel like turning on your oven, you can most definitely sauté everything directly in the pot before blending, but the flavor won’t be the same.   Makes 4 servings  ... Read more »

This is a perfectly simple, summer salad.... Read more »

-Adapted from Dinner Illustrated   Variations Add additional protein like leftover roasted chicken, steak, tofu, or tempeh Substitute another hearty green like kale for the chard Use a different grain such as farro, rice, millet, etc.   Serves 3-4  ... Read more »

  This recipe is a template, so feel free to add in different vegetables or adjust amounts. Some veggies work better than others:   Vegetables to add Mushrooms Leeks Shallots Scallions Tomatoes Celery root Bell peppers   Vegetables to avoid Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy (can be bitter) Starchy vegetables like potatoes or squash (can make broth cloudy or gummy) Vegetables with overpowering flavors like beets or turnips  ... Read more »

Adding fresh berries, strawberries in this case, to a green salad adds sweetness and acidity. Just a handful of ingredients come together into a light, spring salad.... Read more »

Quinoa cooks quickly, has a pleasantly nutty taste and is nutritious. If you're in a rush and have random bits of vegetables on hand, even just a carrot and stalk of celery, you can have this on the table in 25 minutes. Round it out with a fried egg or any protein you'd like and/or a salad. You can easily scale this up and the ratio of quinoa to water is one to one and you can use whatever vegetables and/or meats you'd like so it's more of a set of guidelines than a recipe.... Read more »