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Recipes

Category: Recipes

Hey there, food enthusiasts!  Looking for inspiration in the kitchen?  Look no further! The Cambridge Food Bank has you covered with a treasure trove of amazing recipes that are as easy as they are mouthwatering.

The best part? By using some ingredients commonly found at our Mobile Food Markets, you’re not only treating yourself to fresh, locally grown, delicious produce but also supporting our community-driven initiatives. It’s a win-win!

Click here to see what’s in this week’s market

Asparagus and Sweet Potato Salad 

This week’s mobile food market features potatoes. Here’s a delicious recipe to try.

Use Sweet Potatoes for a Fun Twist on a Traditional Potato Salad  
Serves 4, as a side 

Ingredients: 
1.5-2 Pounds of Sweet Potato 

½ Pound Asparagus 

¼ Cup Olive or Canola Oil 

2 tbsp White Wine or Champagne Vinegar 

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard, preferably Grainy 

Pinch of Nutmeg 

Pinch of Chili Flakes (optional) 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

¼ Cup Green Onions 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the sweet potato, then place on a lined cookie sheet and drizzle with oil. Cook for 25-35 minutes, until fork tender. This could take longer depending on the thickness of your sweet potato. Set aside to cool. 

  1. Fill a pot with 1-2 inches of water. Place a steamer basket on the pot of water, then bring the water to a boil. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch sized segments and wash them under running water in a colander. Add the asparagus to the steamer basket, and steam for 3-5 minutes, until bright green and tender. Remove from heat. 

  1. Combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chili flakes (if using) in a mason jar. Shake for 10-15 seconds to combine. Taste, and add more salt or pepper if desired. 

  1. Cut the sweet potato into bite-sized pieces. Add the sweet potatoes and asparagus to a large serving bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss everything together. Thinly slice the green onions, add to the salad and gently toss to combine. Serve, and enjoy! 

Click here to shop this week’s mobile food basket

Two Red Onion Recipes

Two Easy Ways to Use Delicious Red Onions

Red Onion Gravy
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Oil
  • 4 Red Onions, Peeled and Thinly Sliced
  • 1 Tbsp White Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1 Tbsp Flour
  • 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Cup Vegetable Stock
  1. Heat the butter and oil at medium-low in a large frying pan. Add the onions and stir to separate. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat the onions, then add the vinegar and stock and bring to a boil. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, until it’s thickened to your desired consistency. Pour into a serving dish.

Quick Pickled Red Onion

  1. Peel and thinly slice 2 Red Onions, then pack them into a mason jar.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine ¾ Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar, ¼ Cup of Water, 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey, ½ Tbsp Salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and whisk together.
  3. Carefully pour the vinegar mixture over the onions until the jar is full. Tightly screw on the lid, then shake gently. Set aside for at least an hour to marinate. This should keep in your fridge for at least a week. Enjoy!

Mixed Vegetable Mash

Squash and Carrots with Mashed Potato Makes a Beautiful Orange Thanksgiving Side

Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients:

  • 1 Buttercup Squash
  • 1.5 – 2 lbs Potatoes, washed and cut into pieces
  • 1 lb Carrots, trimmed and peeled and cut into pieces
  • 1/3 lb Butter
  • 4 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 cup Milk or Heavy Cream
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Bunch of Parsley, minced

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Wash the squash to remove any dirt, place on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  2. When the squash is almost finished, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrot and reduce to medium-low heat, then simmer until they are cooked, 15-20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool for ten minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut it in half and scoop out and discard the seeds. Peel off the skin then cut into rough 1-inch cubes.
  4. Reserve 1 cup of the potato cooking water in a measuring cup or mug. Drain the potatoes and carrots into a colander and set aside to continue steaming.
  5. Return the pot to the heat and melt the butter. Sautee the garlic in the butter until it begins to get fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
  6. Add the potatoes, carrots and squash to a large bowl. Add ½ cup of reserved cooking water and the milk or heavy cream. Mash thoroughly. If the potatoes are too dry, add more reserved cooking water.
  7. Add the garlic butter, as well as the parsley, to the bowl of mashed veg and stir everything together. Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed.
  8. Serve onto individual plates, and add more butter, as desired.

Sauteed Cabbage and Apples

Your New Favourite Oktoberfest Side

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 4 Cups shredded Cabbage
  • 1 Tsp Paprika
  • 1 Tsp dried Mustard
  • 2 Apples
  • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Serves 4, as a side dish

  1. Heat a large pot, or high-sided frying pan, on medium. Add the oil, then the onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until softened.
  2. Add the cabbage, paprika, mustard, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of water. Stir together and bring to a boil. Leave uncovered and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water has mostly evaporated.
  3. Meanwhile, core the apples and cut into matchsticks.
  4. Add the apple and continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, until the cabbage is softened. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and stir thoroughly. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
  5. Serve alongside sausages or schnitzel for a traditional German meal, or with lentils or beans for something substantial and vegetarian. Enjoy!

Squash and Pear Soup with Kale

This Slightly Sweet and Hearty Soup will get you in an Autumn Mood

Serves 4 with Leftovers

Ingredients:

  • 1 Butternut Squash
  • 3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 1 Leek, rinsed and finely chopped
  • 4 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 Tbsp Ginger, Grated or Minced
  • 2 Large Pears, washed, core removed and cut into quarters
  • Vegetable or Chicken Stock
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 4 Kale leaves, removed from the Stem and Roughly Chopped
  • 1/3 Cup Milk or Heavy Cream (Optional)
  • 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on a sheet pan and roast whole for 30-40 minutes, until it’s softened. Remove and set aside to cool. Once it’s cool enough to work with, cut in half, remove and discard the seeds and scoop the flesh out of the skin, into a bowl to reserve.
  2. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the ginger and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring regularly so the ginger doesn’t burn.
  3. Add the squash and pears, then enough stock to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Add some salt and pepper, reduce heat to leave at a simmer, and cook for at least 15 minutes, until the pears are tender.
  4. Let the soup cool slightly, then puree. You can either do this in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
  5. Add milk or heavy cream and maple syrup, if using, and stir to mix. Add the kale and bring the soup back to a simmer, cooking for another 10 minutes until the kale is wilted. Taste, seasoning further with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with fresh bread and butter. Enjoy!

Grilled Corn and Eggplant Salad 

A Delicious Summer Salad You Can Make on the Grill or in the Oven 

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

  • 4 Cobs of Corn, shucked 
  • 2 Jalapeno Peppers 
  • ½ Red Onion, peeled 
  • 1 Eggplant, cut in half 
  • 3 tbsp Canola or Olive Oil 
  • 1 Lemon 
  • 2 Tomatoes, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces 
  • Salt and Pepper to taste 
  • 1 Bunch of Parsley or Cilantro, roughly chopped 

Directions:

  1. Drizzle the vegetables with 2 tbsp of oil and sprinkle with the chili flakes. If you’re grilling, heat the grill to medium. If you’re using the oven, set the broiler to low and put the corn on one sheet pan and the other vegetables on a second sheet pan. 
  2. Grill the corn, or roast it under the broiler, for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and charred. Set aside to cool. 
  3. Grill, or roast, the pepper, onion, and eggplant, again turning as needed, until they’re charred and cooked, another 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. 
  4. Once the corn has cooled enough to work with cut the kernels off the cobs and add them to a large bowl with the tomatoes. Remove the stem and the seeds from the peppers, then thinly slice them and the red onion. Cut the eggplant into bite sized pieces, then add everything to the bowl of corn and tomato. 
  5. Zest the lemon over the salad, then cut it in half and squeeze over the juice. Add a little more oil, if desired, as well as the salt, pepper and either parsley or cilantro. Mix thoroughly, then serve and enjoy!