Labor Day! Healthy Recipes for Your Holiday Weekend!

Good morning everyone!

I hope you’re enjoying your Labor Day weekend and getting excited for autumn! It’s nearly harvest time and the farmer’s markets are bursting with gorgeous vegetables and fruits, just waiting to be made into wholesome delicious meals. What an awesome time of year!

I am fortunate to live within walking distance of a large and lively market that gathers every Sunday. There I hit up Lani’s Market, whose produce is beyond organic and the best on display. Tables of multicolored heirloom tomatoes and peppers, eggplants, zucchini’s and varietals of herbs I never knew existed, are offered at reasonable prices and in beautiful bundles. My imagination is sparked as I taste the lightly sautéed shishito peppers, Japanese eggplant and stir-fried greens that Lani cooks up to best demonstrate the quality of their product. Visiting their stall is a visual and gastronomical treat and I always come away with something new.

This Labor Day I encourage you to support our farmers, for sure the hardest laborers in the land. Farming is backbreaking and time consuming work, offering marginal wages in return. Yet what an important contribution they bring to our collective table! Without them our sole source of nourishment would be supermarkets stocked with pesticide-laden, tasteless produce that takes forever to rot and tastes nothing like it’s supposed to. I recently spent $11 on two huge tomatoes at Lani’s simply because they reminded me of what tomatoes used to taste like when I was a kid!

While you’re perusing the stands of your local market, I offer up some inspiration to help you on your search. Here are some of my favorite recipes for an end-of-summer gathering. There’s something for everyone…. I hope you enjoy!

Wishing you a happy and safe weekend and a wonderful start to your Fall!
xo
B

Appetizers

  • Mixed Nut Sadheko: I ate this every chance I had while in Nepal. There, it’s made with peanuts but since they’re not as healthy as other nuts I used a mix of almonds and Brazil nuts.
  • Marinated Olives: Perfect to serve as guests arrive…
  • Sun-dried Tomato Pesto: Goes well with crackers or raw veggies:
  • Three Bean Salad: This dish is ALWAYS the hit of the party!

First Course

  • Vietnamese Spring Rolls: Still an all-time favorite. Can also be served as an appetizer
  • Beet Salad: I love this salad! It’s not only delicious but also amazing for your heart!
  • Middle Eastern Salad: This is great as a first course but also can be a side dish or an appetizer
  • Summer Gazpacho: I love this soup! It’s chock-full of goodness. Can be a first course or if you add some avocado, it’s hearty enough to be a main dish.
  • Spanish Salad: This is absolutely hearty enough to be a main course, but if shared with several people, it’s also a good first course.

Main Course

Dessert