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What the Heck Do I Do With This Kale?

May 4, 2021 by Misfits Market Leave a Comment

Welcome back to What The Heck Do I Do With This? In this series, we help you put a single ingredient from your Misfits Market box to delicious use. This week’s spotlight: Tuscan kale!

Tuscan kale is known by many names: dinosaur kale, black kale, black cabbage, cavolo nero, lacinato kale. And unlike the hardier curly kale, Tuscan kale is tender with a slightly sweet flavor, which makes it great for cooked dishes and raw in salads alike. (We especially love it in salads since the textured leaves are the perfect vessel for sauces and dressings.)

While cooking Tuscan kale brings out even more of its sweetness, if you’re hoping to add it raw in a recipe and find it a tad bitter, try blanching it first. Or, if the slightly tough leaves are a little, well, tough, cover the leaves with olive oil and massage them for a few minutes to make the leaves even easier to eat.

Still not sure how to prep kale? Watch our helpful video to learn how to prep and store Tuscan kale:

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Then, we have you covered with cooking inspiration and delicious Tuscan kale recipes.

Tuscan Kale and Sausage Stew with Cannellini Beans

A bowl of this Tuscan Kale and Sausage Stew with Cannellini Beans is like a soothing dinnertime lullaby. We used kale for this, you can use collard greens. We used pork sausage for this, you can use chicken sausage. You see where we’re going with this: Use what you have. The no-stress is the most important part.

Tuscan Kale Chips

These kale chips are crunchy, salty, and nutty. So flavorful that you won’t even care that you’re eating kale instead of classic potato chips. Plus, since you’re in charge of the baking, you can add whatever you want. Maybe a bit of nutty Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Tuscan Kale Pesto

The best part about homemade pesto is you can use whatever you have hanging out in your fridge. Spinach, carrot tops, and of course, Tuscan kale. Pine nuts, pistachios, almonds. Parmesan or Romano cheese. A bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon, and there you go. An easy weeknight meal is only a few blitzes in the food processor away.

Red Quinoa and Tuscan Kale

Have a box of quinoa hanging in the back of your pantry? Then you’re only a few steps away from a filling, warming salad chock-full of nutty cheese, hardy kale, and sweet red bell peppers.

Caesar Salad with Tuscan Kale

The standard Caesar we know and love includes romaine lettuce, croutons, and Parmesan cheese. But if you’re looking to shake things up, this recipe introduces earthy Tuscan kale and jumbo ciabatta croutons. Time to take this classic salad to the next level.

Tuscan Kale Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

You know what they say: you eat with your eyes first. No problem here. This salad is beautiful, with vibrant slices of watermelon radish that pop against the deep green of Tuscan kale. Top it off with a homemade creamy avocado dressing to marry all of the nutty and peppery flavors together.

Kale, Mushroom, and Cheddar Bake

When all else fails, throw everything together with some eggs and bake it. But this isn’t your average baked egg frittata. Ciabatta bread acts as a de facto crust that covers eggs, mushrooms, cheese, and lots of Tuscan kale. It’s hearty, filling, and a new way to use up that kale.

Tuscan Kale Salad with Grapes, Toasted Walnuts, and Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

In order to make Tuscan kale a bit more tender, it often requires a light massage in olive oil. Here, kale is soaked in a delicious marinade to make it even softer and tastier. Then, it’s added with toasted walnuts and fruity grapes for a surprisingly flavorful and filling salad.

Tuscan Kale and Potato Soup

This soup stars Tuscan kale, sweet Italian sausage, and potatoes. It’s also easy to convert into a tasty vegetarian-friendly dinner, which gives this recipe bonus points in our book!

Tuscan Kale Pasta

If you have some extra Tuscan kale lingering in the fridge and are craving an Italian supper, this recipe is sure to satisfy. Kale is sautéed with garlic, red lentils, and then tossed with bowtie pasta. It’s deliciously simple and pairs beautifully with an Italian white wine.

Bobby Flay’s Kale Stem Pesto

we challenged our chef-in-residence, Bobby Flay to help us fight food waste and make something delicious from those random bits and pieces of produce you might have lingering in the fridge. He came up with a genius use for kale’s hardy stem, which tends to go straight into the compost bin or trash in most households. Not anymore!

Quick-Pickled Kale Stems

Extend the life of any veggie with this easy-to-follow pickling recipe. We used Rainbow Swiss chard here, but this recipe works for any hardy stem. Kale stems, collard green stems. And any veggie, like blanched green beans, jalapeños, and of course, onions.

Kale and Corn Pakoras

Fried always mean something good. Crispy, satisfying, delicious, usually. But these pakoras, Indian-style fritters, offer so much more. Filled with fresh veggies including corn and kale; delicately spiced with cumin, turmeric, and ginger; and extra light and crispy thanks to a combo of rice and chickpea flour. We like to serve these as an appetizer with lots of condiment options: a cucumber yogurt dip, a sweet mango chutney, and something spicy, like harissa, or even just sriracha.

Garlicky Warm Kale Salad

Because it can be bitter and a little tough, kale needs a simple sauté in garlic and oil to help to cut some the sharp taste and soften the leaves. You’ll be left with garlic-infused kale, the perfect flavorful base for any autumn salad. We like this one with thinly-sliced beets and onions.

Quick-Pickled Rainbow Swiss Chard Stems

April 27, 2021 by Misfits Market Leave a Comment

Pickled Rainbow Swiss Chard Stems

Author: Misfits Market

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Description

This recipe makes enough pickling liquid for two, 1-quart jars.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups vinegar: white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
5–6 cups raw vegetables, cleaned and sliced into like sizes: kale stems, Swiss chard stems, radishes, onions, cauliflower florets, carrots, green beans (blanched), asparagus, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and/or jalapeños
8–12 cloves garlic, slightly smashed
3 tablespoons dried spices: whole peppercorns, red pepper flakes, dried red chilies, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and/or celery seeds
Fresh whole herbs and spices: dill, ginger, rosemary, and/or thyme
2 one-quart jars

Instructions

In a medium pot, bring vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Layer in half of the raw vegetables, 4-6 cloves of garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons of desired dry spices, and a handful of fresh herbs into each jar, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
Divide pickling liquid evenly between both jars. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then cover with an air-tight lid and transfer to the refrigerator for 6-8 hours before eating.
Enjoy alone as a snack or add to sandwiches, tacos, salads, pizzas, soups, or pastas. Pickles will last 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

27 Weeknight Dinners When You Just Can’t Think About Cooking Anymore

April 6, 2021 by Misfits Market

Here’s the thing. It’s totally fair to love cooking, but not love spending all your time doing it. Dinner-making fatigue is real. Especially during the week. Especially right now. To help you keep it up in the kitchen (while keeping it easy), we’ve rounded up the most ingredient-swappable, mix-and-matchable, use-what-you-haveable recipes we’ve developed. Hopefully these make you feel a little less stressed about what’s for dinner.

And when all else fails? Put an egg on it.

One-Pot Pantry Pasta

It doesn’t matter what onions you have, or if you have grape tomatoes not cherry tomatoes. The most important thing here is letting it all simmer together. Everything happens quickly, but taking the 10 minutes to reduce the sauce down is key to make this pasta so fragrant and filling. Missing the meat? Add in pre-cooked, chopped chicken.

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Fricassee and Spring Salsa Verde

Is this recipe quick? No. Is this recipe worth all the work? Absolutely. It has three components—the chicken, the stewed mushrooms, the herbaceous salsa verde—and if you make extra of each, the rest of your week will be a lot easier. (Tastier, too.) Shred the chicken for salad. Have the mushrooms with a fancy dinner omelette. Slather the springy salsa verde on roasted veggies or with pasta.

Simple Skillet Hash with Eggs

Breakfast for dinner is a pro move. You keep it simple. You put an egg on it. You can’t really go wrong. For the hash, don’t feel like you need to stick to spuds. Root veggies like chopped beets or carrots are awesome alternatives. Optional: Adding sausage or corned beef.

Vegetarian-Friendly Spaghetti Bolognese

This vegan sauce has all the classic bolognese flavors with none of the beef. You likely have most of the ingredients either hanging out in your pantry or right in your Misfits Market box. Make a big batch, freeze it, and reheat when you just can’t bother with cooking.

Chilled Green Bean Pasta

Satisfy your need for greens with your need for pasta. Arugula, kale, spinach—it all works. You can also swap in snap peas, broccoli, or cauliflower for the green beans.

One-Pan Quinoa Skillet with Black Beans

Start by picking your base. Quinoa? Rice? Farro? Then, what veggies came in your box? There’s a good chance you have potatoes, squash, or peppers. Raid the pantry for a can of beans and spices like cumin, cayenne, and paprika. You can make this recipe a little different each time.

Freestyle Fried Rice Skillet

Keyword: freestyle. As long as you have soy sauce, you can use this fried rice technique with pretty much any grain, any veggie, and any garnish.

Cauliflower Grain Bowls

You can’t make grain bowls without veggie toppings. Well, you could, but they wouldn’t be as good. We like to roast a big batch of spiced cauliflower to keep on hand for such occasions. Cauliflower soaks up strong flavors, while still being mild enough to blend in with whatever else is going on.

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

About that extra cauliflower… Have yourself a veggie-filled taco night. Or skip the tortilla and make taco bowls over crunchy romaine lettuce instead.

Butternut Squash Tacos

While we’re on the subject of tacos, how do more tacos sound? Any hearty squash like butternut, acorn, or kabocha would work here as the filling. Time to think about the toppings. You know, the best part.

Carrot Top Pesto Pizza

There’s nothing wrong with the classic basil and pine nut pesto. But there’s nothing wrong with breaking with tradition, either. If it’s leafy, green, or herbaceous, you can probably use it for pesto. The leafy tops from carrots, beets, and turnips? Yep, even those.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

You’ll see lots of stuffed acorn squash recipes out there. But butternut and delicata work just as well. So does mixing up the stuffing. Slice in half, remove the seeds, and bake.

Seasonal Veggie Frittata

This simple veggie frittata was developed in the spring when herbs were abundant, but you can swap in veggies like beets, onions, green beans, and even tomatoes.

No-Cook Chickpea Salad

We created this Mediterranean-inspired recipe as a side salad, but adding grilled chicken or poached fish quickly makes it the main event. Not a meat eater? Stuff this light, summery salad into pita for a filling, veggie sandwich.

Sesame Veggie Stir-Fry

You can make this takeout-inspired dish in less than 20 minutes. If you don’t have quinoa, use rice instead. We had snap peas for this, but any crunchy, green veggie works.

Oatmeal Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is delicious. But it’s also time consuming. And who has arborio rice in their pantry at all times? Not us. Rolled oats on the other hand… Not only does this recipe use inexpensive oats, it also comes together in no time at all.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chili

Our Marketplace has new grains and beans on a weekly basis, so we’ve become pros at easy, one-pot chilis. Adding ground meat is optional. Pairing with a slice of homemade cornbread and a huge dollop of sour cream is highly encouraged.

Fish Tacos with Pomegranate Citrus Salsa

Save this recipe for the citrusy salsa alone. Spicy, sweet, and delicious on all types of tacos.

Seasonal Squash Galette

You’ve likely seen a galette with a fruit filling, right? It’s sort of like a pie, but more rustically wrapped together. We find this wonderfully misshapen pastry is ideal for all sorts of wonderfully misshapen veggies.

Beet Pancakes

We never get bored of beets over here. You can do so much with them. Don’t believe us? We thought you might say that. So we made a hybrid crepe-pancake—out of beets! We like to fill them with fresh ricotta and ham, but really you can get creative here.

Vegan Poke Bowls

Though poke bowls are traditionally made with raw fish, the term “poke” simply refers to the way the fish is prepared—it translates to “slice or chunk” in Hawaiian. In our vegan-friendly version, we swap raw cubes of fish for cubed squash and keep all of the classic, umami-forward flavors. For more protein, add boiled eggs or seared tofu.

One-Pan Chicken with Roasted Veggies

Experimenting in the kitchen is fun, but there’s one dish we go to time and time again: a simple, one-pan dinner with fragrant, roasted chicken and lots of Misfits Market veggies.

Savory Squash Tart

A tart is sort of like a galette, just much tidier. This simple tart calls for nutty yellow squash and lots of herbed cheese. Not in squash season? You can substitute the veg with onions, tomatoes, red potatoes, or thinly sliced beets.

Potato and Egg Breakfast Burritos

Just ignore the word breakfast. This egg-filled, potato-packed burrito is what’s for dinner. What toppings are you going to use? Tomato? Red onion? Cilantro? All of the above? Good thinking.

Eggplant “Steaks” with Leek Puree

If you’re looking for a way to seriously impress with a plant-based main, this is it. Thick cuts of grilled eggplant topped with roasted radishes and served with a leek sauce. Fire up a few extras for leftovers because you’ll want this in a sandwich tomorrow.

Grilled Cauliflower “Steaks” with Corn Salsa

Like eggplant and portobello mushroom caps, cauliflower can handle the heat. We like to grill cauliflower “steaks” and top them with a simple salsa using cherry tomatoes and crunchy corn. The next day we’ll toss it with pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Pappardelle Pasta with Pan-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Capers

This dish offers maximum deliciousness for next to no effort. The juice from the tomatoes works as a light sauce, so that saves you a whole step.

What The Heck Do I Do With This Zucchini?

March 23, 2021 by Misfits Market

Zucchini is a true multitasker when it comes to cooking and can be used in anything from ratatouille to breads (sweet and savory!), pastas, sandwiches, and more. Its mild flavor and tender texture can be completely transformed depending on the cooking method—grilled, baked, steamed, sautéed, or used raw. Try it shaved into zoodles as a lighter, lower carb alternative to pasta, or let it take center stage on your plate and serve it baked and stuffed with any combo of veggies, cheese, and meat.

If you’re swimming in zucchini, great news: It can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Here’s how we recommend prepping and freezing zucchini.

Step 1: Thoroughly wash the squash to ensure there is no dirt or debris.

Step 2: Blanch zucchini. Blanching is a process of quick-cooking vegetables in boiling water and then transferring them to an ice-cold water bath to stop the cooking process. This process stops an enzyme action that can cause loss of flavor, texture, and color. (Science!)

To prepare the zucchini for blanching:

Cut the zucchini to your desired thickness of slices or cubes.
Fill a large pot with water, let it boil, and prepare a bowl of ice water.
Add the pieces of zucchini to the boiling water and cook for 60 seconds. Once those 60 seconds have passed, use a slotted spoon and quickly transfer zucchini to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Step 3: Dry off as much moisture as you can before freezing. Place zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze overnight. Then, place frozen zucchini into an airtight bag or container and store for up to three months.

However, if you’re looking to add more zucchini recipes to your rotation right now, check out our favorite zucchini dishes below.

Zucchini Noodles with Toasted Sesame Dressing

The zucchini noodle, aka zoodle, is one of those foods that may have been created as a substitute for a beloved item (pasta), but has since taken on an entire life of its own. Whether you peel, slice, or Spiralize your squash into luscious strands, zoodles are a great low-carb alternative when you want to pack more veggies on your plate. But, let’s be honest: A plate of zoodles is only as good as the sauce it’s tossed in. Half the time, it’s just a delivery vehicle for something more exciting.

Toasted Zucchini Pasta

Bobby Flay toasts zucchini in this recipe to bring out an almost nutty flavor and tender consistency. Pair it with your favorite kind of pasta to complete the dish.

Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

Spring is here with this zesty zucchini bread. The lemons give a pop of flavor to the classic spicy cake, and the glaze gives it just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Fresh Zucchini Wraps

These quick-to-make wraps use raw zucchini, bell peppers, and carrots to give you a filling way to use up any extra veggies in your Misfits Market box. The kale pesto is also a delicious touch in this recipe!

Grilled Zucchini and Stone Fruit with Lemon-Yogurt Dressing

Grilled stone fruit and zucchini pair great together in this salad. We top it off with a lemon-yogurt dressing to bring all the flavors together.

Mushroom-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

If you’re looking for a fun vegetarian entrée that’s stuffed with mushrooms and hearty tomatoes, these zucchini “boats” are a quick and tasty option. Just don’t skimp on the cheese.

Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

This salad is not only refreshing, but the zucchini ribbons make this dish look so inviting. Add some roasted pine nuts to give it some added texture.

Zucchini Feta Bread

We make our zucchini bread with feta, so you can have it either savory or sweet. Toasted and served with ratatouille and parmesan cheese, or battered, fried, and covered in maple syrup. In our professional opinion, you should have it both ways.

Zucchini Garlic Bites

Garlic and Parmesan are always a match made in heaven. Adding shredded zucchini to this side dish makes for a tender middle and crispy outside.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries

Who knew you could make zucchini fries even better? If you don’t have a spiralizer to make these magical zucchini curly fries, you can always run a vegetable or julienne peeler down the entire length of your zucchini to create noodle-like strips.

Grilled Zucchini with Lemony Garlic Tahini Sauce

Sometimes we’re swimming in zucchini but lacking inspiration on what to do with them. This super-quick side dish solves that issue with absolutely delicious results. Slender spears of squash are the perfect vehicle for this garlicky sauce that, frankly, you’ll want to slather on every seasonal veggie.

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

We have a theory that cream cheese frosting can take most desserts to the next level. This zucchini cake is no different. You can even make the cake layers ahead of time and freeze them for up to three months!

Zucchini Quesadillas

These quesadillas are a perfect way to use up shredded zucchini and frozen corn if you are trying to make room in your freezer for more Misfits Market goodies. Pair it with a spicy salsa to give it an added kick!

Zucchini “Noodle” Veggie Lasagna

If you have any veggie skeptics in your life, this lasagna is sure to change their mind. It’s perfect for Meatless Monday, and great for impressing friends at your next dinner party along with a simple salad.

What The Heck Do I Do With This Cauliflower?

March 16, 2021 by Misfits Market

Cauliflower is one of our favorite veggies, for good reason. It’s super-versatile, nearly always in season, and if you prep it correctly, you can get a few meals out of a single head of this cruciferous veggie. Packed with fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, it’s easy to roast and it plays a starring role in many vegan dishes (cauliflower nachos, anyone?). Don’t be intimidated by its size and unwieldy shape—in our latest Prep School, we break down how to cut, store, and use this multifaceted must-have.

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Roasted, shaved, fried, mashed, pickled. There are so many ways to cook cauliflower because this cruciferous veggie is a total chameleon. It takes on all the flavors you throw its way. Need a little more inspiration? Scroll through our 12 favorite cauliflower recipes and let us know in the comments your favorite way to enjoy cauliflower.

Vegan Cauliflower Nachos

If you haven’t had a nacho night in a while, here’s a very good reason to: our vegan cauliflower nachos. Not only do these use everyone’s favorite cruciferous veggie—the cauliflower, of course—but they also make good use of that extra can of beans you have hanging out in your pantry. Extra toppings? Go nuts. The sauce? We made ours with a vegan “cheese.” But if you want to drown yours in cheddar, you definitely have our full support.

Cauliflower Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce

These cauliflower skewers were inspired by the Southeast Asian satay technique, which includes a spiced coconut milk marinade and a sweet-and-salty peanut sauce. But instead of using a more traditional protein like chicken, we’re firing up cauliflower for a veg-friendly take.

Cauliflower Pizza

Substitute cauliflower to make a low-carb, gluten-free pizza crust that bakes to crispy perfection. Top with your favorite pizza toppings—cheese, sauce, fresh peppers and onions, whatever you have in your Misfits Market box!—to be rewarded with a guilt-free pizza any night of the week.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

With plenty to offer in both texture and taste, these baked cauliflower bites slathered in buffalo sauce are a delicious alternative for game day parties. If you can’t handle the spice—or want some more variety on the plate—simply swap in BBQ sauce instead. Just don’t forget the carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese!

Keto-Friendly Cauliflower Rice Pudding

You’ll often see cauliflower “riced” as a substitute for the popular grain in many dishes. Rice bowls, burritos, you name it. But since cauliflower is on the milder side, it can take on sweet flavors, too. Yes, you can even try your hand at sweet rice pudding using cauliflower.

Cauliflower Steaks with Corn Salsa

Toss these thick-cut cauliflower “steaks” on the grill—they’re a hardy veg, they can take the heat—for a smokey twist on a vegetarian-friendly main dish. Top them off with an easy corn salsa, or sub in other sauce. A fragrant chimichurri or herby sauce would be delicious.

Vegan Tikka Masala

There’s a reason why you’ll see cauliflower used as a meat substitute in a lot of classic dishes. It’s hardy, yet gets soft and steamy once cooked. Plus, it can hold its own against strong flavors and long cooking times. Here, cauliflower is used in place of chicken in a delicious one pot tikka masala. Even better: It’s ready in less than 30 minutes.

Easy Orange Cauliflower

These crunchy, breaded and fried, cauliflower pieces are covered in a homemade orange sauce that tastes better than takeout.

Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks

Like cauliflower pizza crust, this gluten-free recipe uses cauliflower instead of flour to make cheesy breadsticks. Dip them in pesto, tomato sauce, or eat them as is. A recipe to be enjoyed time and time again.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

Anyone else out there refuse to eat broccoli or cauliflower as a kid unless it was slathered with cheese? This one’s for you. The magic still happens when cheese meets cruciferous veggies, but instead of trying to disguise some limp, steamed veg, we’re enhancing the nuttiness of these amazing vegetables by baking them. (If you’re still in the anti-broccoli camp, pour the cheese sauce over cooked pasta instead for a tasty spin on macaroni and cheese.)

Healthy Chocolate Cake

Yep, you guessed it. This chocolate cake is not only delicious, but it holds a secret ingredient: cauliflower. Consider it the best way to sneak in a side of veggies while enjoying an indulgent chocolatey treat.

Cauliflower Rice Sushi Rolls

Once finely grated and squeezed of excess liquid, cauliflower takes on the consistency of cooked rice. That’s why we like to use it in homemade sushi. You get the nutritional benefits of cauliflower, fewer carbs, and all the delicious sushi flavors you love.

What The Heck Do I Do With This Eggplant?

March 12, 2021 by Misfits Market

Did you know, eggplants are fruit?! They’re technically classified as a berry because of their small, edible seeds, though they’re often used as a vegetarian-friendly meat alternative in savory dishes. When cooked, this soft, somewhat bitter fruit becomes mild in taste and rich and creamy in texture. Plus, it’s super absorbent, so it can take on flavorful sauces, and its versatility knows no bounds: Eggplant can be enjoyed stir-fried, roasted, baked, grilled, and even broiled.

At Misfits Market, we rescue eggplants year-round, so we’re always on the lookout for new ways to incorporate it into our meals. Try one of these 15 recipes and let us know in the comments your favorite way to cook eggplant!

Bobby Flay’s Eggplant Milanese

A classic Milanese uses chicken breast, but vegetarians can get in on the fun, too! Bobby has you covered with his go-to way of making a meat-free Milanese with the help of eggplant. It has a crispy texture, a little bit of tang from a balsamic glaze, a peppery flavor from fresh arugula, and a creamy finish from a healthy dollop of ricotta cheese.

Eggplant “Steaks” with Leek Puree

We’re not prone to exaggeration, so when we say that this recipe will change how you think about eggplant forever, we mean it. Thick cuts of this nightshade (another name for eggplant) are grilled to perfection then topped with nutty roasted radishes and a tasty allium-based sauce.

Roasted Eggplant with a Simple Almond Butter Sauce

Eggplant is often made better by one crucial technique: salting. Slice the eggplant into thin rounds, sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for an hour so it sweats out that extra moisture. It’ll be worth the wait—you’ll be rewarded with a sweet, creamy, and crisp eggplant round after roasting. (And the almond butter sauce has everything you like about sweet-and-salty peanut sauce, but it’s more allergy friendly.)

Miso- and Ginger-Glazed Eggplant

This roasted eggplant is halved, scored, and then covered in some of the most flavorful and fragrant ingredient combos around: soy sauce, ginger, honey, and rice wine vinegar.

Spiced Squash and Eggplant Bake

There’s no such thing as seasons at Misfits Market, since we’re able to rescue things like summer squash and eggplant all year long. So while this recipe is framed as a summer dish, you can definitely eat it as a precursor to spring to get you excited for the impending summer produce. A stunning bake that’s perfect on its own, but will complement hearty mains like steak or roast chicken, too. Finish with salty feta and enjoy outdoors, preferably.

Eggplant Fries

These gluten-free eggplant fries are baked to a crispy perfection on the outside, yet remain tender on the inside. Hello, guilt-free comfort food!

Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Sauce and Falafel Topping

We find roasted eggplant pairs beautifully with the savory flavor of tahini and its softness is complemented perfectly by a crunchy roasted chickpea topping. The pomegranate arils also give our recipe an exciting touch!

Eggplant Zucchini Bread

If you’re looking to use up an extra eggplant, adding it to zucchini bread not only ups the nutritional value, but the eggplant’s flavor blends so well it’s as if it was meant to be added all along.

Tomato Eggplant Tartines

If you love the flavors of a classic caprese but are looking to take it up a notch, then this is the dish for you. Smoky eggplant, creamy mozzarella, and tart tomatoes complement each other perfectly in this irresistible snack.

Eggplant Parmesan

You can’t talk about eggplant without offering at least one way to make a delicious eggplant parmesan. Roasting, instead of frying, also helps to give this traditional Italian classic a healthier twist.

Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

In ratatouille, eggplant is the star of the show. In our take on the classic French dish, we simmer diced eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers in a fragrant tomato sauce that goes right in the oven for a super easy dish. Use it as a dip, as a sauce, or eat it straight from the pot. We won’t judge.

Eggplant Donuts

Tossing eggplant into a dessert is an easy way to mask some of the eggplant’s bitterness. These donuts are a sweet and decadent treats are sure to be a crowd pleaser for the whole family.

Stuffed Eggplant

This comforting dish is perfect for those transitional season nights that aren’t too hot and aren’t too chilly. Eggplants are stuffed to the brim with meat, veggies, and cheese, and then topped with crunchy bread crumbs for a hearty dinner. Add a side of angel hair pasta or Misfits Market spaghetti squash to really bring this meal home.

Smoked Eggplant Dip

Grilling eggplant gives this dip a woodsy, earthy flavor, and gets it nice and soft so it’s easy to blend into a flavorful dip. If you like it so much that you want to use this dip on everything, adding more tahini will transform the dip into a tasty sauce you can put on pasta or salads.

Eggplant Rolls with Bell Pepper Sauce

Tender eggplant meets the creaminess of mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce in this low-carb vegetarian appetizer. Add some breadcrumbs (or not) on top before baking to give some extra crunch to an already inviting dish.

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Fava Bean Casserole

March 11, 2021 by Misfits Market

We’re finding ways to use our cabinet castaways—you know, those forgotten shelf-stable ingredients you thought you’d use, but never got around to? Even our team at Misfits Market has a few cabinet castaways lying around, like dried fava beans. So, we put together this super-tasty, slightly spicy casserole recipe to help you use up your favas. Bonus points: This dish works with pretty much any dried or canned bean you have lying around.

Fava Bean Casserole

★★ 2 from 1 reviews

Author: Misfits Market

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Ingredients

Scale

1 cup dried fava beans (we used Bob’s Red Mill Fava Beans), soaked for 6 hours and then drained
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 small white or yellow onions, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups vegetable stock
Parsley or dill (optional)

Instructions

Bring a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the cooking oil and onions.
Sauté onions for about 15 minutes or just beginning to brown. Add the celery and carrots and stir to combine.
Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder, then cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, stir again, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until garlic becomes tender and fragrant.
Pour in the fava beans, crushed tomatoes, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine.
Increase heat to a boil then reduce back down to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Serve with optional garnish of parsley, dill, or even use fresh carrot tops. Serve warm and enjoy!

What The Heck Do I Do With This Spaghetti Squash?

February 19, 2021 by Misfits Market

Despite its name, spaghetti squash doesn’t really taste like spaghetti. However, when paired with the right sauce and the right recipe, it can be a great healthy alternative to pasta. Once this yellow winter squash is cooked, the squash’s “meat” falls away from the skin, causing it to resemble spaghetti or thin angel hair pasta.

But spaghetti squash can be used for so much more than a pasta alternative. Here are 10 recipes we find fun if you’re looking for ways to experiment with this Misfits Market staple. (Pro-tip: Microwaving your spaghetti squash for 4-5 minutes makes it much easier to cut in half.)

Roasted Tomatoes Over Spaghetti Squash

In our own recipe, tender spaghetti squash complements roasted cherry tomatoes and salty mozzarella cheese. It’s one of the classic ways to enjoy the mild squash—with Italian-inspired toppings—without having to cover everything in sauce.

Spaghetti Squash Apple Fritters

Spaghetti squash works in more than just savory dishes. If you’re craving something slightly sweet, this recipe pairs spaghetti squash with apples and onions to make a fritter that’s grain-free, dairy-free, and Paleo-friendly. Sounds like a triple threat to us.

Smoky Squash Sliders with Pickled Onions and Sriracha Mayo

Whether you’re vegetarian, participating in Meatless Mondays, or just looking for a new way to enjoy sliders, this recipe has you covered. Spaghetti squash’s stringy consistency resembles pulled pork when combined with BBQ sauce and a bit of applewood smoked seasoning. These sliders will definitely be the talk of the party.

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

Here, spaghetti squash replaces pasta for a healthier alternative to macaroni and cheese. This makes for a fantastic way to get your little ones to eat more vegetables without having to hide anything green.

Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

Calling all Instant Pot users! We love a dinner that takes 30 minutes or less to make. Add spaghetti squash, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, and a few other key ingredients to be rewarded with a keto- and vegetarian-friendly meal. A great dish to make on those busy work nights.

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats

Craving pizza but need to use up the rest of your Misfits Market box? Spaghetti squash makes for the perfect vessel for all of those classic pizza flavors. Plus, you get some extra veggies in an otherwise cheese-filled dish.

Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Personal spaghetti squash boats allows for each member of the family to personalize their lasagna in an exciting way. Plus, they’re customizable no matter what you have in your box.

BBQ Chicken Spaghetti Squash

We suggest adding some grilled pineapple to this recipe to give it that sweet and tangy combo.

Brown Sugar Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash, just like butternut squash, tastes great with butter and brown sugar. Adding a little cinnamon and nutmeg makes this a warming comfort food you don’t have to feel guilty about.

Curried Spaghetti Squash and Chickpea Toasts

We’re big fans of putting stuff on toast that you otherwise wouldn’t think to. Both spaghetti squash and chickpeas are pretty mild, so they can take on the strong curry flavors this recipe calls for. Top it on toast or eat it without the bread. It’ll be delicious nonetheless.

7 Party-Friendly Appetizers Using Your Misfits Market Box

February 7, 2021 by Misfits Market

Though Big Game celebrations are looking a little different this year, that doesn’t mean we can’t snack to our heart’s (and stomach’s) desire. Thanks to the variety of our winter Misfits Market boxes, we’ll be serving up big plates of nachos loaded with fresh veggies and vegan-friendly cheese, lots of sweet and spicy salsas, buffalo cauliflower bites, and blistered shishito peppers—all from the comfort of our couches, of course.

Read on to see what we’re cooking up this year. With treats like these, we just might start embracing “homegating” from now on.

Chipotle Skillet Nachos

For this Game Day version, we added jalapeños, diced onions, fresh cilantro, a vegan-friendly cheese sauce, and chorizo. But why stop there? Add carnitas or sofritos. Chopped lettuce. Or, take these in a sweet and spicy direction with diced mango. The options are endless—and good luck stopping after a few bites.

Bobby Flay’s Radicchio Lettuce Cups

Our chef-in-residence Bobby Flay makes magic out of radicchio with this spin on stuffed lettuce cups. The somewhat bitter leaves complement spiced chicken thighs perfectly, plus they’re sturdy enough to hold all of the fixings: Pickled peppers and a date and cashew relish, plus a much needed squeeze of lime.

Yogurt Beet Dip

When we’re looking for a low-stress app everyone will enjoy digging into, we make this beet yogurt dip. The vibrant color alone will get plenty of oohs and aahs. To prep a crudités platter, check out your weekly box and go from there. You’re on the lookout for crunchy carrots, peppery radishes, tender lettuces, or even a couple of apples.

Hearty Veggie Chili

Regardless of what bean or grain you grabbed, and regardless of what veggies you have in your fridge, as long as you cook everything down with smokey, spicy herbs and spices, you’ll have a filling vegetarian-friendly chili in less than an hour. Don’t forget the cheese and sour cream.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Buffalo wings are a classic game day snack, but if you’re trying to eat less meat or appeal to vegetarians at your gathering, consider serving this vegan-friendly version instead. With plenty to offer in both texture and taste, these baked cauliflower bites slathered in buffalo sauce are a delicious alternative for game day parties. If you can’t handle the spice—or want some more variety on the plate—simply swap in BBQ sauce instead. Just don’t forget the carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese!

Blueberry Mango Salsa

Haven’t strayed beyond the plain-old tomato, pepper, and onion salsa yet? We’ve got a challenge for you. Whip up this fruity version the next time you’re asked to bring a side to an event. We guarantee rave reviews, and maybe a repeat invite to their next party.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

We like shishito peppers pan fried—just a few minutes in a cast-iron skillet with a high-smoke-point oil, salt, and pepper—but they’re even more special with a tangy lemon pepper aioli.

What The Heck Do I Do with This Romanesco Cauliflower?

January 31, 2021 by Misfits Market

Romanesco cauliflower, also known as Roman cauliflower or romanesco broccoli, is one of the most artistic vegetables we’ve ever encountered. With an approximated fractal design, each bud in the spiral veggie is composed of a series of smaller spirals. Romanesco is very similar to cauliflower in both texture and taste, though it is a bit nuttier and earthier in flavor. While roasting is a great go-to way to cook this beauty, we have 10 knockout recipes for you to try—if your lucky enough to get your hands on one.

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