Tag Archives: plated color

Corn, Pepper and Black Bean Dip

August 18, 2015

Corn, peppers and tomatoes are overflowing at Delvin Farms. I picked up these colorful ingredients, hoping to hang onto the taste of summer and spend another evening outside. Many people are back to the swing of the school year and new “fall” schedules, but I’m refusing to let summer go. This dip requires little prep time in the kitchen so more time can be spent soaking in the last of August.

As summer would have it, I prepped this Corn, Pepper & Black Bean Dip amidst an afternoon thunderstorm. Hoping the clouds would clear away before guests arrived for an outside party just as quickly as the mess in my kitchen will disappear too.

Ingredients:
+ 8 mixed size bell peppers, variety of colors
+ 3 cups tomatoes, diced
+ 2 ears of corn, cooked and removed from core
+ 1 can organic black beans, rinsed
+ 1-2 jalapeños peppers
+ 3 medium sized shallots, diced finely
+ 4 tbsp. olive oil
+ 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
+ Dash/Pinch OF all-purpose spice (shown here with local, East Nashville Spice Co. spicy blend)
+ Tortilla chips

Method:

Toss all ingredients together into a large bowl. Pour over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with all purpose spice, salt & pepper. Fold together gently. Let chill in the fridge for a few hours to let all of the flavors blend together before serving with hearty, tortilla or pita chips.

This dip is very easy to make and would make an excellent side for grilling out or taco night.

— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

Mint, Lime, and Athena Cantaloupe Chiller

July 26, 2015

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Sweet, juicy, Athena cantaloupes are being harvested now at Delvin Farms and are perfect for a summertime mint, lime and cantaloupe chiller. Grown organically and enjoyable anytime of the day in summer, I wanted to try a different way to consume this delicious melon. Despite not having a great blender, I’ve been determined to make a fun chiller this summer. This was so quick to make and made a Saturday afternoon a lot more fun & refreshing. In the dog days of summer, this chiller is a treat!

Cantaloupe is naturally hydrating and helps with inflammation and digestion. Don’t you love knowing the benefits to simple fruits & vegetables?

+ 1 large cantaloupe from Delvin Farms
+ 1-2 handfuls of fresh mint leaves
+ 1/2 lime, juiced
+ 3 tablespoons honey
+ Sparkling mineral water

Dice cantaloupe and blend with lime juice and honey. Add in mint leaves at the end and pulse quickly. Pour mixture over ice, about 2/3 full in your glass. Top with sparkling mineral water and garnish with more mint, to your liking.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Squash Blossoms

June 25, 2015

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‘Bring a side dish’ means it’s officially summer. I think we can all step up our game in pasta salad and add a new staple to our summer plates. Starting with local ingredients in season helps add flavor and color, plus using a vegetable pasta made from quinoa grain keeps it healthy and packed with protein. When I saw the seasons first pint of heirloom tomatoes from Delvin Farms and squash blossoms, I knew the flavor was going to be out of this world.
Making this recipe will turn heads at the next cookout you have to attend. It would pair well with all of our summer favorites; veggie burgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob. Cheers to summer time!

INGREDIENTS:
+ 8oz Garden Pagoda Pasta from Ancient Grains
+ 1 large summer squash, diced into small cubes
+ 1 pint heirloom tomatoes
+ 5 squash blossoms, sliced
+ 2 tbs white onion, diced
+ 3-4 tbs purple basil, finely chopped
+ salt and pepper to taste
+ 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
+ 1 tbs red wine vinegar

METHOD:
Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside to cool in the fridge. While the pasta is cooling, cut squash, quarter the heirloom tomatoes, dice the onion, and finely chop the purple basil. Set aside half of the basil. Toss all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Slice the squash blossoms by removing the stem, and cutting it crosswise into thin strips.

To make the dressing, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil with1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and whisk together with ample amounts of salt and pepper. Add the remaining half of the finely diced purple basil.

Toss dressing & vegetables into the chilled pasta. Garnish with more salt, pepper, and basil to your liking.

Sweet Potato Fries with Dipping Sauce

June 12, 2015

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Summer time is here. Last week it rained while it was also sunny, creating a heavenly smell with humidity touching every pore. I love summer & the fresh produce it brings to the farmer’s market from Delvin Farms. Summer to me means fries and cookouts and veggie burgers and grilled eggplant. Potatoes are one of my favorite foods and in addition to roasting or baking them, I thought it would be fun to see if I could tackle the ole’ fashioned FRY in honor of summer! Sweet potato fries come to life in the sauce they are dipped in. Because I couldn’t pick between a basic garlic aioli sauce or a honey mustard sauce, I decided to make both.

The garlic aioli won my vote while the honey mustard won my husbands. The next time you make sweet potato fries, serve with a variety of dipping sauces. Why not?!

SWEET POTATO FRIES:

+ Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into long rectangles or wedges
+ Coconut oil
+ Black truffle sea salt
—Preheat the oven to 425. Peel and cut the potatoes into long rectangles or wedges. Coat in warmed coconut oil (coconut oil is a solid until it is warm). Season with black truffle sea salt and place directly on a baking rack. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, turning over the potatoes mid way through so they can get crispy on both sides.

GARLIC AIOLI CHIVE Sauce:
+ 4 to 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped. (Shown here are green garlic cloves from the Franklin Farmer’s Market)
+ salt & pepper
+ lemon juice
+ 1 cup mayonnaise
—Pound garlic cloves with salt and pepper until a smooth paste forms. Stir it into the mayonnaise and add fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste. Garnish with fresh chives, salt and pepper.

LOCAL HONEY MUSTARD Sauce:
—Whisk the following ingredients together and garnish with fresh basil leaves:
+ 1/2 cup organic mayonnaise
+ 1/4 cup mustard
+ 2 tbs local clover honey

Watercress Salad with Oranges, Cucumbers and Pomegranates

May 6, 2015

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I love trying new produce and watercress has been one of those leafy items I have yet to try in my own kitchen. It’s bright green color caught my eye at the Franklin Farmer’s Market last Saturday and I snatched up a bunch at the Delvin Farm’s table. After a brief consult with my trusty cookbooks, I quickly gathered that oranges and cucumbers pair well with watercress.

A salad can’t have too many ingredients, so to spruce it up, I included fresh pomegranate seeds, basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts. This spring salad leaves the promise of summer right on the tip of your tongue. It will work wonderfully as a first course to dinner or as a light lunch paired with some hummus & crackers.

(Serving size: 1)

+ 2 1/2 cups fresh watercress from Delvin Farms, large stems removed
+ Cucumber (about half of one) thinly sliced
+ 1 Orange, sliced with the pith removed, cubed
+ 2 tbs Pomegranate seeds
+ 10 basil leaves
+ 2 tbs Pine nuts, sautéed in a drop of olive oil
+ 2 tbs Olive oil
+ 1/2 tbs Champagne Vinegar
+ Salt & Pepper to taste

Remove the leaves from the stems of the watercress and slice the cucumber & oranges. Set aside. Heat a small skillet on low to medium heat and add a small drop of olive oil. Add the pine nuts and sauté slowly, until slightly browned.

For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, champagne vinegar, and a dash of salt & pepper.

Toss the pomegranates and pine nuts into the watercress, cucumbers, and oranges. Coat generously with the dressing & enjoy!

The above recipe comes to us by our guest blogger and food fan, Amanda Barnhart. Amanda can be found every Saturday at the Franklin Farmers Market foraging among all the local produce brought in by our Middle TN farmers. We love her photography and fresh look at food we grow on the farm.

Amanda is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

— Photos & Recipe by Amanda Barnhart of PlatedColor.com