bc greenhouse

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RECIPE: Chicken Shawarma with Fresh BC Greenhouse Vegetables 

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Chicken Shawarma
with Fresh BC Greenhouse Vegetables 
September 2022

Just over a week ago, I helped create a Middle Eastern themed feast with a few of my food blogger friends, using some fresh vegetables from BC Greenhouse.
I had a craving for a pita filled with delicious things, so I picked some turnips (a first), marinated some chicken, chopped some veggies and made a huge platter that everyone dove into.

Most of the prep for this one is done ahead of time, so it’s an easy dish for parties, or feeding a large amount of people!

Ingredients: 
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
 
For the marinade: 
- 3 tbsp olive oil 
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 
- 1 tbsp ground cumin 
- 1 tbsp ground coriander 
- 1 tbsp ground cardamom 
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional – this is the heat) 
- 2 tsp smoked paprika 
- salt and pepper 
- juice of one lemon 

Greek Yogurt Sauce: 
- 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt 
- 2 cloves garlic, minced 
- salt and pepper 
- tsp of lemon juice (more to taste/to thin) 
- pinch of cumin (more to taste) 
 
To Serve: 
- pita (your choice of kind) 
- lettuce, shredded 
- tomatoes, roughly chopped 
- cucumbers, chopped 
- pickled turnips (homemade is best and easy) 
- hot sauce (optional) 
- hummus (optional) 
- tahini sauce (optional) 
 
Directions: 
 
Mix the marinade ingredients together and place in a container of bag with the chicken, mixing until it’s completely coated. Let sit in the fridge for 24 hours, occasionally mixing it again. 

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl – adjusting seasoning to taste, and place in the fridge covered until ready to use. 
 
If you’re making the shawarma into a platter, you can pre-chop the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, turnips if using and place into individual bowls. 
 
To cook the chicken you can either do so on the bbq or in a hot skillet on the stove for about 4 minutes on each side depending on the size of the thighs. 
Once it’s cooked through, let it rest on a plate covered in foil while you prep the platter with the vegetables and sauces. 

Slice the pitas in half or leave them whole, and let your guests choose which fillings they want to fill it with! 
 
Enjoy! 

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RECIPE: Vegan Eggplant Meatballs

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Vegan Eggplant Meatballs 
 
I was asked to photograph some prepared dishes for the BC Greenhouse Growers Association, and in addition, I made some of my own for it! 
 
I’m not a huge eggplant person – I've TRIED to like eggplant parmesan, and will tolerate it in a curry – but these vegan “meat”balls are a perfect solution. 
 
Easy to make, and even freeze, get more veggies into your meal routine.

INGREDIENTS 
 
- 1 medium sized eggplant, cut into small cubes 
- 4 cloves garlic, minced 
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (possibly more if needed) - panko, regular, or gluten free 
- 1 flax egg 
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped (more for garnish) 
- ¼ cup basil, finely chopped 
- salt & pepper  
- olive oil 
 
OPTIONAL: 
- ½ cup nutritional yeast 
- tsp red pepper flakes 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 

Pre-heat oven to 400 (lower if your oven runs hot). 
 
In a large pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-heat, then add the minced garlic. 
Cook, stirring until fragrant, then add the eggplant, and about ¼ cup of water, and season with some salt and freshly ground pepper. 
Cook for about 10-15minutes until the eggplant is tender (add a bit more water if needed). 
In the meantime, make the flax egg, and let thicken. 
 
Drain the eggplant mix and set aside. 
 
Line a baking sheet with either a silpat, parchment paper, or spray it with cooking oil. 
In a large bowl, add the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and basil, and the nutritional yeast and pepper flakes if desired, and combine. 
 
Place the eggplant in a food processor, and pulse, add the breadcrumb mixture ¼ cup at a time and pulse, until everything is combined, then place the mix into the bowl. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, or herbs as desired. Add the flax egg, and stir until it is just combined.  
 
Form meatballs of your desired size - about 1.5 inch works well – and then place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, rotate the meatballs, and then bake for approximately another 10 until nice and brown.  
 
Heat your desired sauce, cook your pasta, mix, add your meatballs and serve with option vegan parmesan, and chopped parsley, on top. 
 
ENJOY! 

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RECIPE: Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers

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Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers
for BC Greenhouse
August 22, 2021

I was asked to photograph some prepared dishes for the BC Greenhouse Growers Association, and in addition, I made some of my own for it!

I’ve never worked with mini sweet peppers before, but my instant thought was to stuff them into little bite-sized treats. They might have ended up being my favourite dish from the day, especially with the bright colors and comfort-food style taste. Plus, they were simple and straight-forward to make, and only a little bit tedious.

INGREDIENTS

- 15-20 mini sweet peppers (multi-color)
- 1 block plain cream cheese, room temp
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 8 slices of cooked, crisp bacon, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Optional: cilantro, chopped for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375.
Slice the peppers in half (trying to cut so the sides are the flattest), remove and discard the seeds. You can remove the stems or leave them on for the aesthetics.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft, and then beat or fold in the green onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, non-stick aluminum foil, or spray with cooking oil.

The peppers tend to vary in size, so they will need a few teaspoons or tablespoons each. Fill the peppers and place on the prepared tray until all the peppers have been filled or you run out of filling.

Bake for 15 minutes - checking often as ovens can vary - until the peppers become soft, and the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Let cool slightly and then plate, sprinkling with optional cilantro, and serve!
ENJOY!

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