Make-ahead meals packed with fresh vegetables and fruit can save you time and money.  Start with a visit to a Harvest Home farmers’ market in your neighborhood. Our farmers accept SNAP, WIC, EBT and offer NYC Health Bucks’. Choose from crispy lettuce, summer squash, juicy tomatoes, cauliflower, and green beans to mouth-watering melons.  All ripen naturally in local sunny fields, picked, and delivered directly to our markets by the farmers who grow them.

Try meals like Pasta Primavera, a summer pasta dish with a lighter taste or use black beans and rice with fresh corn and tomatoes (and whatever else you like) for a salad meal, filling for tacos, or even enchiladas. Quick and Easy.  Cook any ingredients you need in the morning when it’s cooler.  Serve these dishes cold or warm depending on the weather that night.

RECIPE: Black Beans, Rice, Corn, and Tomatoes:

• 15-ounce can black beans

• 1 cup cooked rice

• 2 ears of fresh corn cut from cob…either raw or cooked

• 2 ripe tomatoes chopped coarsely

• 1 cup fresh Pico de Gallo, or any fresh salsa you like

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon olive oil 

• Fresh cilantro if you want (for garnish)

To Make: Drain and rinse the black beans. Add the corn and rice in a bowl. Just before serving add tomatoes mix them with salt and olive oil. Mix in the Pico de Gallo or any salsa

Want to make your own Pico de Gallo salsa? See below

Ingredients

• 1 lb. tomatoes, (3-4 medium), diced

• 1/2 medium onion, (1 cup chopped)

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)

• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. lime juice, from 1 lime

• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

• 1/8 tsp black pepper

To Make:

• In a medium bowl, add diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper and chopped cilantro.

• Stir in 2 Tbsp. lime juice and lightly season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Primavera Season

RECIPE: Pasta En Primavera

Pasta and veggies cook at the same time. Cool as a salad or warm as a summer pasta. Low on calories

Ingredients: All in one pot.

• 12 ounces fusilli or other corkscrew pasta

• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, cut in half, or broccoli florets (or a combination)

• 2 carrots cut in small strips

• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips

• ¾ cup of broccoli

To Make: In a large pot of water of boiling water, add pasta and cook for the time given on the label

• Add veggies (peas and/or broccoli, carrots and bell pepper) to the boiling water during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

• Save ½ cup of pasta water. Rinse pasta and veggies under cool water

• Make the sauce for either warm or cool pasta dish (see tips)

• Sprinkle with ½ cup parmesan cheese

Cooking in one pot helps keep the nutrition

TIPS: pAsta sauce

For warm pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled or creamy ricotta cheese thinned lemon juice

• ¼ cup of pasta water

To Make

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet . Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

• Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and veggies.

• Add parmesan cheese or any other cheese you prefer.

For Cool Pasta Salad:

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes

• ¼ cup red onion

To Make: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and red onion. Add tomatoes. Pour over pasta & add parmesan cheese

Suggestion: Add sliced radishes and sliced cucumbers for a summery taste.