My gosh! What an amazing turn out yesterday at my Farm to Table Summer cooking class at Williams Sonoma. I honestly felt like a little kid on Christmas, but enjoying everyone opening up the gifts of eating delicious organic produce, straight from the farm .

I was so excited to see how everyone would respond when I peeled the candy striped beets aka chioggia beets. Everyone was so happy excited to learn about all the organic farm fresh produce from Fry Farm.

Vicky Farm is a good friend of mine and she and her family own the 12 acre from in Bethlehem, Ga. Driving up the paved driveway to get her home is such a magical sight. There are potatoes, squash, berry vines, and all kinds of organic yummies, growing on each side of the rolling hills of her farm. Kristina and I took our best friend Andrea with us, she was excited as much as we were.

We were greeted by Vicky’s big beautiful smile and sun-kissed face. It was so good to see her. We did a walk of the farm and grabbed figs, blueberries and rhubarb to nibble on along the way. It was like coming home. I was back on my uncles farm in my spirit and it just woke me up inside. There’s nothing like farm fresh produce straight from the ground.

It was such a blessing to share Vicky’s labor of love with my guests yesterday and I so grateful for Willams Sonoma opening up the doors and giving me the opportunity to show people you can enjoy a delicious whole food diet and supporting local farmers.

Here’s some of the recipes we shard at our first summer Farm to Table cooking class.

Easy Pickled Onions for Avocado
Toast

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions: 
Whisk first 3 ingredients and 1 cup water in a small bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Place onion in a jar; pour vinegar mixture over. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover and chill. Drain onions before using.

Purple potato bites with kite hill cream cheese and basil and tomato

Ingredients:
6 or more small magic molly potatoes, halved
Olive oil
Thyme sprigs 
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions: 
• Heat oven to 400 F 
• Brush a large rimmed baking pan or roasting pan with olive oil or spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the prepared pan.
• Roast the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned and tender, occasionally turning.
• Allow to cool . Add Kite Hill Vegan Cream Cheeze, heirloom cherry tomato and chopped basil

Vegan Stuffed Italian Sausage Patty Squash

Ingredients:
• 4 pattypan squash stems removed
• 4 linked of cooked, crumbled Field Roast Vegan Italian sausage 
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup vegan cheeze Mozzarella and/or Pepperjack 
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup Italian panko crumbs
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds with a spoon, being careful not to tear through the squash. Lightly brush the insides of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 30-35 until squash is tender and golden brown. 

In a sauté pan with a bit of olive oil , add the cooked vegan sausage, vegan cheese, and parsley this will help melt the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cooked quinoa. Divide filling evenly among the baked squash halves, piling it up in the center.

In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and garlic until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the panko crumbs and stir until evenly coated for another minute or so. Sprinkle bread crumbs over filled squash. Garnish with more parsley and serve immediately. 

Candy Striped Beet, Apple and Zucchini Salad

Ingredients:
• 6 small candy-striped beets
• two small yellow zucchini
• 1 shallot
• handful of fresh parsley
• 5 basil leave
• Pickled red onions or raw shallots
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Juice from two oranges 
• good olive oil
• Bit of honey 
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instruction:

• Using a peeler, peel the skin off the beets. Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, shave the beets into very thin little rounds. Then slice diagonally to make matchsticks.
• Slice the zucchini lengthwise very thin. Then slice diagonally to make longs strips, and cut into half or thirds depending on length. Try to keep the same length as the beet matchsticks. 
  Finely chop parsley and basil and add to bowl with matchsticks
• Add Finely slice pickled onions or shallots. 
• In a small bowl or jar, add olive oil, honey, salt and pepper, and whip to emulsify the dressing. Pour over veggies, mix well and serve.