Baked Vidalia® Onions with Lemon Ricotta Filling

We lightened up traditional baked onions with a bright, lemony filling perfect for Vidalia® onion season (April - August).

Flavors: Creamy, Crunchy, Savory

INGREDIENTS

For the baked onions:
4 medium-sized Vidalia® sweet onions
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, separated
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the lemon ricotta filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh spinach, tightly packed Zest of one lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the herbed bread crumb topping:
¼ cup panko crumbs
3 tablespoons finely-chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon olive oil

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INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off the top and bottom of each onion, leaving the skin on to prevent the onions from drying out. Drizzle one tablespoon olive oil in the bottom of an 8-inch cast iron skillet. Place trimmed onions inside. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and remaining olive oil evenly on top of the onions. Season onions liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the butter into four small cubes and place one cube on top of each onion. Roast for one hour, then remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Do not turn oven off.

While the onions are baking, make the filling by thoroughly mixing together all filling ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until you are ready to fill the onions. Make the bread crumb topping by whisking together all topping ingredients in a different bowl. Set aside.

Once the onions have cooled enough to handle, hollow out the center of each baked onion to make room for the filling. (The removed onion can be saved for use as a sandwich or burger topping.) Spoon ricotta filling into a piping bag or gallon zip-top bag with one corner snipped off and pipe equal amounts of the filling into each onion. Alternatively, add filling directly to onion with a small spoon. Once all onions are filled, cover onion tops evenly with the herbed bread crumb topping.

Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the bread crumb topping is golden and crispy. Serve in slices, making sure to remove onion skin before eating. Enjoy! 

Smoky Persimmon & Butternut Squash Soup

Mood: “Cozy Night In”

Flavors: Smooth, Smoky, Savory

Perfect For: A Rainy Day

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Nature’s Partner Fuyu (chopped) or Hachiya (mashed) persimmons, approximately 3 cups
½ large butternut squash, peeled and chopped, approximately 3 cups
2 cups vegetable broth
Fresh chives and heavy (or coconut) cream, to garnish

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INSTRUCTIONS

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, sauté the chopped onion over medium heat with olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and garlic; toast for 30 seconds to open up the fragrance of the spices, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Add the persimmon, butternut squash, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes or until squash is soft.

Discard the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to blend everything to a silky-smooth texture, or blend the soup in batches if using a regular blender. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish the soup with fresh chives and drizzle cream and olive oil on top. Serve immediately.

Persimmon & Maple Cinnamon Chia Pudding

Mood: “Healthy Indulgence”

Flavors:  Sweet, Nutty, Creamy

Perfect For: On-The-Go Breakfast

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

For the chia pudding:
1 400-ml can light coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons chia seeds

For the pepitas coconut crumble:
1 teaspoon coconut oil
½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Pinch of cinnamon

2 Nature’s Partner Fuyu (chopped) or Hachiya (mashed) persimmons

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DIRECTIONS

Mix all the ingredients for the chia pudding together and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight) in an air-tight container.

Once the chia pudding is set, melt the coconut oil in a sauté pan; gently stir in the pepitas, coconut flakes, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Lightly toast until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Watch carefully to avoid burning. Assemble in a small jar or glass. Add one layer of persimmons, one layer of chia pudding, and another layer of persimmons. Top with pepitas coconut crumble and serve.

Persimmon & Burrata Salad with Za'atar

Mood: "Fresh & Fit"

Flavors: Savory, Crunchy, Tangy

Perfect For: Weeknight Dinner

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 small shallot, minced
¼ cup good quality olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the za’atar:
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sumac
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

For the salad:
8 oz. (250g) assorted leafy greens of choice (red romaine, green leaf, etc.)
3 radishes, thinly sliced
2 mandarins, peeled and separated
1 large or 2 small Nature’s Partner Fuyu persimmons
8 oz. (227g) burrata cheese

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INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the salad dressing. Dressing may be stored for up to one week in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. In a separate small bowl, mix together all za’atar ingredients and set aside.

Lightly dress greens, radish slices, and mandarin segments with salad dressing. Lay the persimmon slices on top of the dressed greens, arranging them in the middle. Dot entire salad with torn burrata pieces.

To finish, drizzle a couple more tablespoons of dressing over persimmons and burrata. Sprinkle salad with 2 tablespoons of za’atar and serve.

Sweet & Spicy Persimmon Avocado Toast

Mood: "Worth It"

Flavors: Sweet, Creamy, Spicy

Perfect For: All Day, Every Day!

Serves 1-2

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of good-quality country bread Olive oil or butter (optional, for toasting)
1 large Nature’s Partner Hass avocado
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 Nature’s Partner Fuyu persimmon, thinly sliced
Honey, for drizzling
Red pepper flakes, to taste

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INSTRUCTIONS

Toast the bread with some olive oil or butter, if desired. Meanwhile, gently mash avocado with salt and black pepper using the back of a fork.

To assemble, spread avocado mash evenly on top of the toasted bread. Place 2-3 slices of Fuyu persimmon on each piece of toast.

To finish, drizzle with honey and add red pepper flakes, to taste.

Mystic Treat® Grape Bruschetta

For your next party, try this bruschetta made with Mystic Treat grapes. The sweet and savory combination is seriously addictive! 

Flavors: Sweet, Herby, Savory

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pistachio or pumpkin seed oil
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

For the bruschetta:
3 cups of Nature’s Partner Mystic Treat grapes, washed, dried, and sliced  (approximately 2 lbs.)
½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
20 slices of baguette or bread of choice, toasted

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INSTRUCTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Gently fold in the sliced grapes, ensuring they are thoroughly coated with the vinaigrette. Marinate for 10 minutes.

Crumble Gorgonzola on top of the marinated grapes. Spoon the mixture on top of the toasted bread slices and serve. Enjoy! 

Fresh Blueberry Flax Hotcakes with Date Syrup

Hotcakes are a smaller, thicker version of traditional pancakes. This recipe perfectly highlights the flavor of sweet, fresh blueberries!

Flavors: Fruity, Nutty, Sweet

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
¾ cup flax milk (or other nut-based milk of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup flaxseed meal
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup fresh Nature’s Partner blueberries, rinsed and dried, plus more to serve
Non-stick cooking spray, preferably coconut oil for best flavor Granola, optional to garnish

For the date syrup:
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
2 cups water

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INSTRUCTIONS

To make the hotcake batter, whisk together the first four ingredients until foamy. Fold in the flour, flaxseed meal, and baking powder until just combined. Lastly, gently fold in the blueberries for about 10 seconds, being careful not to overmix the batter. 

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Use a large ice cream scoop to scoop out an even amount of batter per hotcake. Fry each hotcake for 1-2 minutes per side. The hotcakes are meant to be smaller and thicker than regular pancakes.
Meanwhile, to make the date syrup, blend together the dates and water until they form a syrupy paste.

To assemble the hotcakes, sprinkle more fresh blueberries on top with granola (optional) and date syrup to taste. Enjoy!

Build-Your-Own Avocado Bowls

Need to please a crowd? Bring out the avocados. These delicious, customized bowls with zippy dressing are sure to be a hit!

Flavors: Fresh, Creamy, Zesty, Spicy

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 Nature’s Partner avocado, halved and pitted
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt

For the sriracha tahini dressing:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
5 tablespoons water

Suggestions for bowl ingredients:
Red quinoa
Soft-boiled eggs
Sliced radishes
Fresh sprouts
Arugula
Cilantro
Seaweed flakes
Lemon wedges

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INSTRUCTIONS

To grill the avocado, heat a grill to high heat until almost smoking. Lightly brush the olive oil on the cut side of the avocado halves. Lay the halves cut-side down on the hot grill for about two minutes to char. Remove, let cool, and carefully scoop out the flesh from the shell. Sprinkle the lemon juice and salt on top of the avocado halves.

To make the dressing, mix all dressing ingredients together (except the water) to form a thick paste. Stir in one tablespoon of water at a time until you get a nice consistency that resembles heavy whipping cream. To assemble, add your desired ingredients to a bowl and top with the avocados. Drizzle on dressing to taste. Enjoy!

Note: Recipe may easily be doubled or tripled.