Valentine’s Recipes

Now there’s no need to worry if you missed any of Charlie’s 3-Course Valentine’s Meal demo at our Farmers’ Market yesterday! … Here’s your chance to watch whenever you like.

It’s a great How-To for a quick, easy and delicious meal:

• A Sweet & Simple Salad
• Chickpea Croquettes with Chard and Carrots
• Raspberry Champagne Float

Sweet and Simple Salad

This is a simple salad, using ingredients from the farmers market. The great thing about this is the flavors are so fresh, you know everything was picked yesterday or a couple of days ago and it’s so simple to throw together last minute. You can use whatever your favorite farmer’s market greens and veggies are to build your own version.

• Lettuce
• Radish, sliced
• Avocado, sliced
• Candied Walnuts

Honey Vinaigrette

• 6Tbl Olive Oil
• 2Tbl Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Good Pinch salt and pepper

Place the arugula in a bowl and toss with the dressing.

Place onto a serving plate and top with radish, walnuts and avocado

Chickpea Croquettes

• 2 cups cooked Chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
• 1 cup Wholewheat Flour
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
• 1 bunch Garlic Chives
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Parsley leaves
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive Oil

In a large bowl, mash the Chickpeas with a fork. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Season and taste! Form the Chickpea mixture into patties, about 1/2 inch thick (add a little water if needed).

In a large saucepan, heat some Olive Oil over a medium heat. Place 4 patties in the pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Flip the patties over, with a spatula, and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side, until that side begins to brown, too.

Transfer to a plate, and repeat with the remaining 4 patties.

Serve with Homemade Ketchup or Chutney (we recommend Sylvie’s from the market – they work together perfectly!)

Sauteed Swiss Chard

Simply wash and roughly chop a bunch of Chard (including the stalks). Mince a clove, or two, of Garlic. Heat some Olive Oil in a pan, sautee the Garlic with the chard. Add a pinch of Salt. Done!

Roasted Heirloom Carrots

In a bowl, toss the carrots with Olive Oil and Sea Salt. Place into a foil parcel, with 4 cloves of Garlic. Cover and bake at 375 degrees, for 30 minutes.

Raspberry Champagne Float

This doubles as a dessert and an after dinner drink, and will be sure to win your loved one over. It’s a dessert to share!

• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• ½ cup Agave
• Vanilla Ice Cream (from Help Yourself of course!)
• Champagne (or other sparkling white wine)

Blend the Raspberries with the Agave to make a syrup.

Pour a good swirl of the Raspberry syrup into a glass. Fill up with Champagne and add a spoon full of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Q: What was your favorite thing you ate on Valentine’s Day?