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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

Fresh Lemon-Ginger Juice Shots 

  1. Peel about ¼ Cup of Fresh Ginger.  Roughly chop, then add to your blender with the juice of two Lemons, and the juice of one Orange. Add a pinch of Cayenne Pepper if you want some heat. Pulse until smooth. 
  2. Pour through a fine mesh strainer then serve immediately, or chill for a few hours. This is great for digestion and fighting off winter illness. Enjoy! 

Easy Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing 

Get a Taste of Summer in January with this Bright, Flavourful Salad 

Serves 4, as a side dish 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and chopped 
  • Juice of 1 Lime 
  • 2 tbsp Canola or Olive Oil 
  • 1 tsp Mayonnaise 
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard 
  • Salt and Pepper to taste 
  • 1 Bell Pepper 
  • 1 English Cucumber, or 2 small Cucumbers 
  • 1 Apple 
  • 4 cups Romaine Lettuce, chopped and washed 
  • ¼ Cup Sunflower or Pumpkin Seeds 

Directions:

  1. Add the lime juice, garlic, oil, mayonnaise, and mustard, as well as some salt and pepper to a small bowl or a mason jar, then whisk or shake to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. 
  2. Core, then thinly slice the bell pepper. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and thinly slice it into half-moons. Core the apple, then cut into matchsticks. Add the pepper, cucumber, and apple to a large bowl with the romaine. 
  3. Add the seeds and the dressing, then toss thoroughly to combine. Enjoy! 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce 

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Zest one clementine, then squeeze the juice into the saucepan. 
  2. Add two cups of fresh cranberries, along with the clementine zest, ½ cup of white sugar, and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes, until the cranberries have started to burst. You can mash them with the back of a spoon to help them along. 
  3. Stir into a sauce, and taste, adding more sugar if desired. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!  

Red Onion Gravy 

Red Onion Gravy 

Two Easy Dishes to Add to the Christmas Table 
Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 Tbsp Butter 
  • 2 Tbsp Oil 
  • 2 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 

Directions:

  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. 

Colcannon (Potatoes and Greens) 

This is a delicious and hearty traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and greens 
Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side dish 

Ingredients: 

  • 1.5 – 2 lbs Potatoes, washed and cut into pieces 
  • 1/3 lb Butter 
  • 4 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced 
  • 3-4 cups Cabbage or Kale, washed and roughly chopped 
  • 1/2 cup Milk or Heavy Cream 
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste 
  • 2 Green Onion, thinly sliced 
  • More butter for serving, optional 
Directions:
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and reduce to medium-low heat, then simmer until the potatoes are cooked, 15-20 minutes 
  2. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water in a measuring cup or mug. Drain the potatoes into a colander and set aside to continue steaming. 
  3. 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. 
  4. Add the cabbage or kale to the butter, with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook until it begins to wilt, 2-3 minutes for kale, 3-5 minutes for cabbage.  
  5. Move the potatoes 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. 
  6. Add the greens and butter, as well as the green onion, to the bowl of potatoes and stir everything together. Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed. 
  7. Serve onto individual plates, and add more butter, as desired. 
  8. *Note* Reserved cooking water retains the flavour of the potatoes. By using it to replace some of the milk or cream you’d traditionally use when mashing potatoes, you save money on the dairy without sacrificing on taste. 

Mixed Root Vegetable Hash 

This Simple Hash Recipe is Versatile; Try it With Any Combination of Root Vegetables 
Serves 4 as a side dish 

Ingredients: 

  • 3 tbsp Cooking Oil 
  • ½ cup chopped Onion 
  • 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced or crushed 
  • 4 cups mixed Root Vegetables, washed, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces  
  • 1 tbsp Paprika 
  • 1 tsp Chili Flakes 
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste 
  • 1 bunch Swiss Chard, washed 

Directions:

  1. Warm oil in a large high-sided frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until beginning to soften. 
  2. Increase heat to medium high and add the root vegetables, paprika, chili flakes, salt and pepper, as well as ¼ cup of water. Stir regularly and fry for 15-20 minutes. Once the water has evaporated make sure to stir occasionally so the roots can caramelize on the bottom of the pan, but not burn. If the pan gets too dry, and more oil, 1 tbsp at a time. 
  3. Meanwhile, separate the chard leaves from the stems. Thinly slice the stems, and roughly chop the leaves. Add the stems to the pan of vegetables for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add the leaves for the last minute and mix just so they start to wilt. Remove from heat and taste, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

    Enjoy! 

*Note* This recipe is great with fried eggs for breakfast, or alongside most meat or bean dishes for dinner. You can also use almost any root vegetables, potatoes, beets, rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, or sweet potatoes. Mix and match and have fun!