By Christina Martin
The hustle and bustle of the holidays are slowly fading and a new year is on the horizon. Whether you are hosting or visiting family and friends during this holiday season, many have made resolutions to eat healthy in the new year.
It is a goal that many have but with the convenience of processed foods it is often challenging. Whatever your definition of healthy food is, I think supporting our local businesses and farmers that grow our food in the South Jersey area is also very important.
I met many of these businesses and farmers this past summer while visiting our local shore towns’ farmers markets and writing about them. The one thing I took away from speaking with our farmers is that they love what they do, growing the best produce they can, taking care of the land and giving their customers produce that is good for them.
Some of the local farms had holiday markets. Places like Reeds Farm and Animal Sanctuary in Egg Harbor Township are still open and offer local produce.
One of the most important things to look at when it comes to healthy eating is where our food comes from. Foods that travel long distances often lose nutrients when traveling.
When you know your farmer you can find out firsthand their growing practices, such as no-till, no-spray, and pest management. Some farms even offer a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where you can purchase a box of produce from the farm for a set number of weeks.
Local farms such as Generous Greens in Woodbine, Potato Homestead in Woodbine and Nectar Flow Farm and Bridgeton all have options to purchase on their websites and are a few of the farms I love to visit at the farmers markets to get produce. Now is the time to look into CSAs and decide which one is right for you.
Farmers start at the beginning of the new year offering CSA shares to purchase. This gives them “seed” money to get planting. Another option is at Walking Bird Farm and Harbor City. They have a gift card program which is like a CSA but you go to the market to shop using your prepaid card. Start the new year with researching to see what options work best for you so that you can enjoy Jersey Fresh produce as it comes in season.
Below are some of my plant-based recipes that are favorites with my vegan and non-vegan friends and are perfect for a brunch.
Broccoli Quiche
Traditionally quiche is made with eggs but this recipe is plant-based and replaces the eggs with tofu. Select your favorite greens to add such as spinach, kale or arugula. They all work well. Check what looks fresh at the market.
Ingredients for filling
- 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (gives a cheese taste. Look in grocery it is not baking yeast)
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Handful of fresh greens, chopped
- Cherry tomatoes, chopped
- Arugula – garnish
- Pie Crust
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (look for unbleached flour)
- 1⁄4 cup oil (I prefer olive)
- 1⁄4 cup – 1⁄3 cup water (use as needed)
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For pie crust in a large bowl combine flour and oil, add the water as needed until the consistency of dough. Press into pie plate and set aside.
Combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper in a food processor and combine until smooth. Add the greens and cherry tomatoes and pulse just a few times to combine.
Spoon into prepared pie crust and bake for about 25 minutes or until set. Let cool. Top with fresh arugula.
Sweet Potato Hash
This hash has added protein with the addition of tempeh. Your vegan friends will thank you.
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes – peel if not organic, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium pepper, finely diced
- 8-ounce package tempeh, small diced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 to 6 leaves kale, stemmed and finely chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Green onion – thinly slice for garnish
- Sriracha or other hot sauce
Procedure
Dice the potatoes. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the pepper, tempeh and potatoes. Stir frequently.
Turn the heat up to medium high and continue to sauté until all turn golden brown. Add the paprika and kale. Continue to cook for 4 -5 minutes. If the skillet becomes dry add water just enough to keep from sticking.
Stir in the nutritional yeast and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm, you can top with a drizzle of Sriracha or hot sauce. Garnish with green onion.
“Crab Cake”
You will not miss the crab in this plant-based crab cake version. Make a perfect “Crab Cake” sandwich. Add some lettuce and tomato along with a drizzle of the aioli.
Ingredients:
- 14 oz can hearts of palm, rinsed, drained and cut in half lengthwise
- 14 oz can artichokes, rinsed drained and chopped
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Follow your Heart brand)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup sliced green onion plus some for garnish
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular) + more for breaded coating (I use gluten free)
- ¼ cup oil
Procedure:
In a food processor add the hearts of palm and artichoke together. Pulse just a few times to break everything up. Do not pulse too many times or it will turn to mush. It should have a crab-like consistency. You can also do this manually, just use a fork to shred everything up. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and all the dry seasonings. Whisk to combine well.
Add the breadcrumbs, green onion, and artichokes and hearts of palm. Gently fold to combine. Taste for seasoning, add more if needed. Pop the mixture in the freezer for 20 minutes. This helps the mixture stay together a bit better.
Place enough bread crumbs onto a shallow plate that will coat patties evenly. Take the mixture out of the freezer. Place about ¼ cup of mixture into your hands to form a ball. Then gently flatten to form it into a patty shape. Coat patty in the bread crumbs on each side.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat (about 2-3 minutes). Add about 2 tablespoons of oil and wait until it gets hot and shimmery before adding the patties. Another option is to bake in an oven at 350 and broil 5 minutes at the end to crisp up.
Place about 4 patties on your pan at one time, but make sure you do not overcrowd the pan. Pan-fry them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. When done, transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Add fresh oil as needed.
Serve warm with vegan aioli, a lemon wedge and top with chopped green onions or in a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and aioli.
Vegan Aioli
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon capers
Procedure:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Wishing you a happy and healthy new year, and may your plate be full of fresh, nourishing foods that support both your health and the farmers who grow them.
Chef Christina Martin is a dedicated chef educator, passionate advocate for healthy eating, and mother. Christina’s expertise has been spotlighted in Independent Restaurateur Magazine and she has been awarded 2024 Chef Educator of the Year from the Professional Chef Association of South Jersey.
