This month Taylor Farms Foodservice in Yuma, Arizona donated some of our delicious fresh veggies to the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association’s Farm Fresh Forks. This program offers visitors an opportunity to taste the freshest and healthiest locally-grown products, with unique culinary twists created by talented area chefs. As the featured farm, we supplied the four participating restaurants our Just Beets, Cauliflower Pearls, and Kale & Beet Salad Blend – in turn the chefs created different vegetable tasting masterpieces! {You can find similar products to these foodservice items at your local grocery store – Cauliflower Pearls}
Hopefully these the Farm Fresh Forks creation will inspire you in your cooking endeavors this week!
River City Grill’s Raw Cauliflower Couscous with Kale, Beets, Carrots, Walnuts, and Cranberries
The Patio’s Sweet Beet Mousse with Toasted Cauliflower and Rainbow Slaw
The Garden Café’s Colorful Shredded Beet & Cauliflower Salad served with a Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
For more culinary inspiration make sure to visit the recipe section of our website and be sure to share your creations with us by tagging #TaylorFarms.
Ag Against Hunger recently hosted its 24th annual Agricultural Woman of the Year luncheon at Paraiso Vineyards by Smith Family Wines in Soledad, California. Taylor Farms was proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of this empowering award and attend the event to help celebrate the 2017 Woman of the Year recipient — Tonya Antle, Cofounder, EVP, Organic Produce Network.
Taylor Farms Team at Annual Luncheon
“One of the greatest gifts I can give is spending time with and helping to inspire young women in the produce industry,” Antle shared. “These bright and enthusiastic women reaffirm to me that the future looks bright for our industry. My mentor, Frieda Caplan, has done the same for me over my career, so I in turn, have paid it forward ever since.”
Tonya Antle, Cofounder, EVP, Organic Produce Network.
Ag Against Hunger is a nonprofit organization that works with local Monterey county growers, packers, and shippers (including Taylor Farms) to distribute more than 12 million pounds of surplus fresh produce to food banks each year.
Kacie Vieth Ragsdale, Director of Product Development, Taylor Farms Retail, has been on the Ag Against Hunger council for four years, and she helps select the recipient of this award.
“The Agricultural Woman of the Year is someone who embodies what Ag Against Hunger is as an organization, and someone who works tirelessly to promote, preserve, and protect agriculture in the Salinas Valley and beyond,” says Kacie. “This yearly award luncheon is one of the main fundraisers for Ag Against Hunger, and it raises awareness about the organization.”
We congratulate Tonya on being named 2017’s Ag Woman of the Year by Monterey County’s Ag Against Hunger.
Find out how you can get involvedinAgAgainstHunger.
I’m all about a quick, healthy, and easy one-pan meal. I’m definitely not the girl who loves to spend all night in the kitchen – as much as I love to cook, I like to be in and out of there in 30 minutes so I can relax and enjoy the rest of my night. Something I always talk about with my nutrition clients or on my blog is that healthy eating (and healthy living for that matter) doesn’t have to be so difficult. Sometimes it can feel daunting to start “eating healthy” but it can be as simple as throwing a bunch of ingredients into a single pan, adding some flavors and seasonings, and putting it all into a bowl and calling it dinner! And because no one will get super excited about eating fish and veggies every single night, we’ve gotta make healthy eating fun, too!
My favorite way to do that is by “upgrading” the meals that I crave by making them with healthy ingredients. For example, if you’re craving a cheesy pasta, it’s super easy to satisfy that craving with something like this Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. All of the tastiness without the carb overload and blood sugar spike. Same thing with Mexican food… rather than telling yourself that a type of food is off-limits because you’re trying to “be healthy”, find a way to incorporate your favorite meals in an upgraded way, like this Enchilada Casserole made with cauliflower rice. This “upgrading” method is exactly what was going on when this Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe came to life. I was craving Chinese food, but it was after a friend’s wedding weekend where I was already feeling the effects of a little too much indulging, so I experimented with making a healthier, lighter, vegetable-packed version of egg rolls. The result was so delicious and satisfying that I couldn’t wait to share it here!
Not only is this recipe super hearty and tasty, it’s also beyond quick to whip up, thanks to Taylor Farms veggies which are already chopped and shredded and ready to go. The base of this recipe couldn’t be healthier – it’s a half bag of Taylor Farms Organic Broccoli Slaw, which is a mix of shredded broccoli and carrots, plus a bag of coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage (Taylor Farms Tri-Color Coleslaw has the perfect mix of colors to brighten up this recipe!). Aside from that, you’ll just add your protein of choice – organic ground chicken, turkey, beef, or pork will all work well, and then you’ll pump up the flavor with some healthy herbs and spices and coconut aminos, my favorite swap for soy sauce! It comes together in a matter of minutes, and it’s delicious served as is, or over a base of coconut cauliflower rice that you can easily make with two ingredients, Taylor Farms Cauliflower Pearls and coconut milk, or you can scoop it into iceberg or butter lettuce for lettuce wraps! Ready for your new favorite weeknight dinner? Let’s get into the recipe!
Optional: iceberg or butter lettuce to create lettuce wraps or a side of Coconut Cauliflower Rice (recipe below)… or just serve as is!
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
Add ground meat of your choice and cook, breaking up the meat as you sauté until it’s just barely pink and almost cooked through.
Add sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, broccoli slaw and coleslaw mix. Mix well to combine and continue to stir and cook until cabbage is wilted and meat is fully cooked through, about 5-7 more minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Enjoy as is, or optional, serve with iceberg or butter lettuce for lettuce wraps or over warm coconut cauliflower rice.
Coconut Cauliflower Rice
If desired, make this side while waiting for the egg roll in a bowl veggies to get tender.
In a large skillet or pot, warm 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high. Add the cauliflower rice.
Season cauliflower rice with salt and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then pour in the coconut milk and stir it into the cauliflower rice. Let it come to a boil and continue to cook until the coconut milk reduces and the “rice” thickens a bit, about 5 more minutes. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve with Egg Roll in a Bowl!
For more quick and healthy recipes and lots of nutrition and wellness tips, make sure to check out Lindsay’s Instagram and blog, Weeknight Bite!
Whether you’re making these chicken skewers fresh, or have a few leftover from your dinner last night, they make the perfect salad topper. Their creamy, nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the Taylor Farms Asian Chopped Salad. Plus, it’s an easy way to take your meal up a notch with the added protein.
I love Taylor Farms’ Chopped Salad Kits because they are fresh, quick, and easy, and so flavorful! From crunchy leaves and the tasty dressing, to the delicious toppings, it’s an all-inclusive meal that you don’t even need to think about!
I don’t think healthy meals need to be belabored and complicated. I like to make a double batch of these skewers to have ready to throw on top of my salads. Stocking your fridge with a good chopped salad, and topping it with your favorite leftovers can make healthy eating feel seamless.
Cashew Chicken Skewer Salad
(Serves 2)
INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken breast (about ½ lb)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons cashew butter
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 – 2 tablespoons agave nectar (honey or maple syrup works)
2 tablespoons cashews, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
1 package of Taylor Farms Asian Chopped Salad
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the chicken breast into six strips and weave them onto wooden skewers.
Place them in a grill pan over medium-high heat and cook them for 2 – 3 minutes per side. Transfer them to a separate plate and continue until all the skewers are cooked.
Place the coconut oil, cashew butter, hot sauce, garlic, and agave nectar in a jar with a lid and shake until completely combined and smooth.
Drizzle the skewers with the cashew sauce, sprinkle with chopped cashews and cilantro.
Spring has arrived and that means it’s time for lighter meals made with wholesome ingredients that are fun to prepare! Homemade tostadas made with recipe ready butternut squash and Taylor Farms Ginger Garlic Stir Fry Kit are easy to make and the whole family can join in. Perfect for Taco Tuesday!
I love the fact that the Taylor Farms Stir Fry Kit contains a variety of pre-washed vegetables like brussels sprouts, kale, carrots and bok choy which are all high in vitamins A and C. It’s great to know that convenience does not have to mean sacrificing time, freshness and quality.
Adding roasted butternut squash to masa for tostadas or tacos is a great way to introduce even more goodness into your diet and everybody will be begging for more! I often include other roasted or sautéed vegetables such as garlic, spinach or even carrots for various colors and flavors. The possibilities are endless!
A few tips:
The tostadas can be made ahead of time and popped into the oven right before serving to crisp them up for an even speedier process.
Grilled chicken may be left out or substituted for any other protein of your choice. Try grilling up tofu and brush with the some of the ginger garlic sauce for a burst of flavor.
If you prefer larger tostadas, simply divide the prepared dough into 8 equal portions before flattening and shallow frying.
Butternut Squash Tostadas with Ginger Garlic Stir Fry
Ingredients:
1 Package Taylor Farms Organic Cubed Butternut Squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin seeds or cumin powder
1 cup instant corn masa
2-3 tbsp water
1 Taylor Farms Ginger Garlic Stir Fry Kit
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup queso fresco
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
Cilantro to garnish.
Guidelines:
Preheat oven to 425F.
Add the Taylor Farms butternut squash to a roasting dish and toss with olive oil, sea salt and cumin. Roast for 15-20 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Add the cooled squash to a food processor with the masa and process on low until combined. Slowly add the water until the mixture comes together but is not sticky. Remove from the food processor and divide into 16 equal portions. Use a tortilla press or rolling pin to flatten the dough between two pieces of wax paper until they are fairly thin. Shallow fry in batches until crispy. Place on a baking sheet in a warm oven until ready to assemble.
Cook your Taylor Farms Ginger Garlic Stir Fry Kit as directed on the package. Add the cooked chicken and toss to combine.
Divide the stir fry amongst the tostada rounds and top with queso fresco, pumpkin seeds and cilantro.
