5 Easy and Fast Recipes
By now, some of you have picked up a copy of our recipe fold-out from visiting us at a BC Farmer’s Market. Salad dressing ideas such as Vegan Caesar, Classic French, and Thousand Island are just a few made-from-scratch ideas we put on the card. If you haven’t received one of these yet, make sure you come visit us this summer at a farmer’s market and we’ll be more than happy to oblige.
5 Easy and Fast Recipes using cold pressed oils
Yet, as addictive as Ostro's Universal Salad and Stir Fry Sauce is, or as delicious as the Feta-Watermelon Salad with Ostro Hazelnut Oil, I expect that not all of our customers want to blend that many ingredients together for a healthy meal.
Let’s face it! We have to pick up the kids from school and help with homework, or maybe you have a work deadline looming in the near future. So if you are in a hurry, here are 5 Easy and Fast Recipes using Ostro Organics culinary Oils.
These recipes save time because they don’t need to be measured out and can be just thrown together. If you like these recipes, do pick up our recipe card and look for the Italian Dressing recipe or the Raw Chocolate Coconut Bark which both take mere minutes at home.
1) Out-the-Door, Rice with Ostro Pumpkin Seed Oil
When I know I have a crazy week ahead of me, I’ll prepare some white basmati rice, enough for a few days’ portions so I can make a quick lunch on the fly. You don’t need to measure the dressing. Add the soy sauce and the Ostro Pumpkin oil in roughly equal amounts and to taste.
Rice ingredients:
Boil 1 C White Basmati Rice, rinsed
with 1.5 C water.
Bring to a boil. Then turn off the stove and let it sit with the lid on for 20 minutes.
Sauce ingredients:
Ostro Organics Pumpkin Seed Oil
Japanese Soy Sauce (Chinese soy sauce is too dark and salty. If Chinese soy sauce is all you have, go lighter on the soy sauce and heavier on the Pumpkin Seed Oil)
Dish 1/3 of rice into a Tupperware container and pour Japanese soy sauce and Ostro Organics Pumpkin oil over it (perhaps 1-1.5 tblsp of each). If you have a bit more time, add whatever is on hand - grated fresh carrots, grated fresh beets, tofu cubes, pumpkin seeds or almonds or cashews - use up what’s in the fridge and has to go. Make sure you bring a fork. This recipe is also good with stir-fried or otherwise cooked vegetables.
And go… RUN!! You will make it on time!
2) Fast Carrot Soup
Organic carrots are one of those things I always have in my fridge because they go in so many recipes such as curries, soups, and salads. Skip peeling them for this recipe! Simply wash any dirt off and trim off the green.
Ingredients:
6 large carrots, washed and green trimmed off
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried ginger powder)
water, just barely enough to cover the carrots
1 tbsp or to taste vegetable or meat soup stock; powdered or concentrate paste); if you only have a carton of regular non-concentrated soup stock, use it instead of the water)
Garnish:
Ostro Organics Habanero Chili Oil or Ostro Borage Oil in a swirl on top
You will need:
A hand blender
Place the coarsely chopped carrots and the ginger in a pot and add just enough water to barely cover the carrots so that the carrots are sticking out of the water a little. Bring to a mad boil until carrots are soft. Then add any brand vegetable or meat stock powder or concentrated soup stock to the water. (Use as much to taste or, as according to the instructions on the broth). Use a hand blender to purée the carrots into a creamy soup. Adjust the water and soup stock if you need to.
Pour in a bowl and finish the soup by swirling Ostro Organics Habanero Chili Oil or Ostro Organics Borage Seed Oil or both on top!
3) Warm Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of Cauliflower
2 tsp Cumin (not powdered, but the entire pods)
approximately 1 tbsp Ostro Organics Poppy Seed Oil or Almond Oil
approximately 1.5 tsp white vinegar
Cut cauliflower into course chunks add to a pot with the cumin seeds (you can steam it instead of boiling if you prefer). Boil for 3-4 minutes or until soft and tender. Drain. Place in a bowl and toss with Ostro Organics Poppy Seed Oil and white vinegar. Stir, taste and adjust oil and vinegar. It will be liquid-y at the bottom of the bowl. Serve warm.
4) Popcorn
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Ostro Organics Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup popcorn kernels
salt
doubles and triples nicely!
You will need:
a large saucepan or pot with a thick bottom and a tight fitting lid
Add 2 tbsp Ostro Organics Coconut oil to the pan. Turn the stove top temperature to medium-high. Wait for all of the oil to melt and use a spatula or flipper to cover the entire base of the pot. Then add 2 or 3 popcorn kernels only and wait until you hear them pop.
Now add the rest of the popcorn kernels and put the lid on tightly. Wait until you start to hear the popcorn popping. When there is more than a second between pops. Turn off the stove heat and keep the lid on. ……
Now find a great movie and enjoy the popcorn while still warm!
5) Swiss Chard
This is one of my favorite family Italian recipes from growing up. When Swiss Chard is in season, make lots and store it in the fridge in a casserole dish and transfer some every day to your Tupperware for lunches. This makes an amazing side dish. It’s also great on rice so you can take some of your white basmati rice and add it to this for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
2 large bunches (or more!) Swiss chard, washed (no need to dry them) and coarsely chopped
2 large tomatoes, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed and diced
For the pan:
Either 1.5 tbsp Ostro Organics Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is best or Ostro Organics Raw Sesame Oil or Ostro Sunflower Seed Oil as these handle the heat
Finish:
1 tbsp Ostro Organics Almond Oil or Ostro Organics Poppy Seed Oil or more Sunflower Oil
1 tbsp water
Add Ostro Organics Coconut oil to a large pan on medium-high heat. If using Ostro Organics Raw Sesame Oil or Raw Sunflower Oil, heat the pan to medium heat. Using a spatula, cover the entire pan with the oil. When warm, add the crushed garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add the Swiss chard in batches. Add more as it wilts and you can fit more in the pan.
Note: If ever the Swiss chard or garlic begins to stick to the pan, add a little water to stop it from sticking.
When all the Swiss chard is in the pan, add the diced tomatoes and cook until all Swiss Chard is soft (about another 10 minutes). Turn off the heat and add salt & pepper to taste and some more Ostro Organics Poppy Seed Oil or Almond Oil or Sunflower Oil. If there’s no water left at the bottom of the pan, add another 1 tbsp water. This should be a little juicy!
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We hope you enjoy these 5 Easy and Fast Recipes and if you would like more, check out our Farmers Market schedule here. We give out a recipe card with each purchase!
