Staying In: Seriously Easy Recipes for Vegetable-Forward Side Dishes

The great thing about fresh, seasonal produce is that you don't need to do a whole lot to make it taste good. In many cases, salt, pepper and olive oil may be the only ingredients necessary to make fresh-from-the-farm vegetables shine. If you are looking to do something a little more sophisticated, however, Mike's Organic, an online marketplace that delivers straight from a network of local farms,  shared a few recipes with us that take advantage of what's fresh to eat right now.

Mike is delivering exclusively to Related residents in New York City; check the Related Connect App to find out if the delivery service is available in your building.

Roasted Carrots

roasted carrots, roasted carrots with dill

Ingredients

 

∙ 1 bunch carrots, cleaned

∙ 2 tablespoons good olive oil

∙ 1 teaspoons kosher salt

∙ 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

∙ 1 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley

 

Directions

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole. Slice the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so make the slices big.) Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and tender.

3. Toss the carrots with minced dill or parsley, season to taste, and serve.

 

Grilled Lemon Garlic Squash

grilled squash, grilled zucchini

Ingredients

 

∙ 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

∙ 3 cloves garlic, minced

∙ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

∙ Juice of 1 lemon

∙ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

∙ 3 medium squash, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices

∙ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

 

Directions

 

1. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, garlic, Italian seasoning and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

2. Brush squash slices with butter mixture.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Add squash in a single layer and grill until charred on both sides and just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes per side.

4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

 

Roasted Cauliflower

roasted cauliflower, roasted cauliflower recipe

Ingredients

 

∙ 1 head Cauliflower, broken into large florets

∙ 2 tablespoons olive oil

∙ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

∙ 1/2 teaspoon pepper

 

Directions

 

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Toss the cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Roast, turning halfway through, until golden and tender, about 20 minutes.

 

Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms

saueteed mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms

Ingredients

 

∙ 2 tablespoons olive oil

∙ Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

∙ 2 cloves garlic

Directions

 

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until softened. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 8–10 minutes.

2. Add 2 tablespoons water to skillet and cook, tossing mushrooms periodically, until water is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes longer.

3. Transfer mushrooms to a medium bowl and season to taste.

 

Garlic Scape Dressing

garlic scapes, garlic dressing

Ingredients

 

∙ 1 bunch garlic scapes, washed and chopped

∙ 10 basil leaves

∙ 1 cup olive oil

∙ 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

∙ 2 tbsp lemon juice

∙ Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

 

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until fully mixed.

2. Use with salads, or as an oil dip for fresh bread.

 

Easy Collard Greens

collard greens, collard greens cooked

Ingredients

 

∙ 1 bunch washed and chopped collard greens

∙ 4 strips bacon slices, chopped

∙ 1 tablespoon salt

∙ 1 tablespoon garlic powder

∙ 1 tablespoon onion powder

∙ 1 tablespoon white sugar

∙ 1 pinch cayenne pepper

∙ 1 quart water to cover

 

Directions

 

1. Combine collard greens, bacon, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a stock pot.
2. Pour enough water over the greens mixture to cover completely.
3. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer until the greens are tender, about 2 hours.

The Related Life is written and produced by the Related Life Editorial Team. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest events, news and announcements in your area, and tag us for a chance to be featured @therelatedlife and #therelatedlife.