Organic Recipes For Everyday Cooking

Find More Organic Recipes

• Strawberry Sorbet

  I was away recently and on my way back home I picked up some organic strawberries. I've purchased from this grower before and was impressed with the quality of their organic produce. First, we all enjoyed a feast of fresh berries, we simply nibbled them off the caps without any preparation. The taste doesn't compare to anything in the supermarket, sweet and perfectly ripe though out and even the smell of the strawberries was sensational! Then, I got to work preserving the bounty as quickly as I could. I froze most of the strawberries, whipped up two batches of jam and saved enough for dessert the next evening.  This healthy strawberry sorbet is one of the things I like to make with my frozen berries, it makes a really quick and easy dessert or snack for a hot summer afternoon. 4 cups fresh strawberries1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1 pinch salt 1 tsp. Watkins Vanilla1/4 cup honey or to tasteDirections: Spread sliced strawberries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze, uncovered, until frozen solid.  Once the fruit is frozen, let thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Place in a blender with the orange juice, salt, vanilla and honey; process mixture until smooth. Serve immediately, store any left over sorbet in freezer.Note: I freeze the strawberries whole as I use a Vitamix to whip up this dessert, which has a more powerful motor than an ordinary household blender. - 3 weeks ago

• Swiss Steak Recipe

  Swiss steak is an economical dish and this recipe makes a nice, healthy low fat gravy with bits of vegetables hidden inside. 1 tablespoon all purpose flour1 teaspoon Watkins parsleyWatkins Black Pepper, to taste4 (4 oz.) lean cube beefsteaks½ cup chopped green onions1 cup shredded carrots1 cup chopped celery1 (15 oz.) can chunky tomato sauce¼ cup Watkins Mushroom soup and gravy base1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1 ½ cups waterWatkins cooking sprayInstructions: Combine flour, pepper and parsley flakes. Coat steaks with mixture. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and lightly brown meat on both sides. Sprinkle onion, carrots, and celery over meat. Combine tomato sauce, mushroom soup base, Worcestershire sauce, and water in a bowl. Spoon mixture over vegetables and meat. Lower heat, cover and simmer about 40 minutes until vegetables and meat are done. Makes 4 servings.Watkins Mushroom soup and gravy base and spices turn an ordinary dish into a gourmet one. You can find them and much more in the US catalog or the Canadian catalog. - 3 weeks ago

• Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe

  Here's an excellent creamy tomato soup recipe, it's great served with grilled cheese sandwiches, made with real cheese of coarse. Isn't that almost everyone's favorite comfort food combination?2 tablespoons Watkins grapeseed oil, original1 small onion, chopped2 celery stalked, chopped1 carrot, diced1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes1/2 small can tomato paste2 cups water2 teaspoons Watkins chicken soup base1 cup half and half or creamWatkins Sea salt and black pepper to tasteDirections: In large soup pot, heat oil over low-medium heat and cook vegetables until soft. Add tomatoes, water and chicken soup base and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove 1/3 of the soup to a blender, allow to cool somewhat, and puree. Add puree back into soup.  Stir in seasonings and cream, re-heat soup but do not boil. Makes 6 servings. Tip: this is wonderful made with fresh tomatoes when they are in season, substitute 6-7 cups of peeled, crushed fresh tomatoes for the canned ones. Dip fresh tomatoes in boiling water for two minutes, then in cold water, and the skins will slip right off.Tip: If you prefer a chunky texture, you may omit the puree process. If you prefer a smoother texture, puree all the soup,  one third at a time. - 4 weeks ago

• Easy No Bake Cherry-Berry Cheese Cake

  This Cherry-Berry Cheese Cake recipes beats instant, no bake cheese cake mixes hands down and it's very quick and easy to make. 1 graham cracker crumb crust1 can sweetened condensed milk1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened or yogurt cheese1 tsp. Watkins vanilla¼ C. lemon juice1 can cherry or any type of berry pie fillingDirections: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add milk and continue to stir until blended well. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Mix well. Pour into pie crust. Chill until firm, about 3 hours. Top with cherry, blueberry or strawberry pie filling. Refrigerate over night.Tip: If you use Yogurt Cheese it's a low fat version but a bit tarter than cream cheese so you might want to reduce the lemon juice by half. - 4 weeks ago

• Who Else Wants A Natural Bleach Alternative?

  Who else wants a safe, natural bleach alternative?  Did you know that chlorine bleach, the common household disinfectant that many people have come to rely on can make us sick? The fact is bleach, the chemical sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) can damage eyes, skin and lungs and it's registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an antimicrobial pesticide. That's right, a pesticide! Not only is bleach considered a pesticide, it also releases dioxins and mercury into the environment during the production of it. Research is showing that while bleach may whiten whites, it doesn't always disinfect surface areas like counter tops and fixtures. In fact, in order for bleach to disinfect these areas, it needs to sit on the surface for at least 30 minutes, and if the area is dirty or hasn't been cleaned in advance, it's really all for nothing! When we take into consideration the recent uprising in bacteria that are anti-biotic resistant, believed to be linked to the over use of bleach and other anti-bacterial products and it seems the risks are simply not worth it.To disinfect surfaces, first minimize dirt on hard surfaces with frequent mini-cleanings using a naturally derived cleaner, like Watkins Natural All-Purpose Cleaner. Not only will you limit bacteria accumulation and clean-up dirt, you will refresh your soul with the natural scent of Lavender, Aloe and Green Tea or Lemon.Have you noticed that many disinfecting products have  version that smells like lemons?  That's because lemons naturally have a fresh, clean scent and we associate that scent with "clean".  Instead of cleaning with lemon scented chemicals, why not try getting your fresh lemon scented home from a natural lemon cleaner? Tips to limit bacteria in your kitchen:Regularly wash your kitchen sponge in the dishwasher or zap it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and let it dry.Better yet, use a clean micro fiber cloth to wipe down your counter tops, appliances and other hard surfaces; using a sponge can just redeposit and spread around the bacteria you are trying so hard to clean-up.Before and after you prepare food on a hard surface, use a good all-purpose cleaner, like Watkins Natural All-Purpose Cleaner, and a clean cloth to wipe down the area.Tips For white laundry: The good news is you can remove stains, whiten whites and conserve the environment all at the same time with Watkins Lemon Liquid Laundry Detergent. It works great as a pre-treater for spots and stains as well as doing your regular washing. The three times concentrated power makes this detergent a fantastic "Green alternative" to many major brands of detergent and bleaches plus it reduces waste by using less than half the plastic of traditional 100 oz. bottles. Try this instead of adding bleach to your whites, add some real lemon juice!  You can also mix lemon juice with cream of tartar and rub into stains as a pre-spotter.  Sunlight is a wonderful, natural whitener, after washing, hang your clothes in the sun to dry and you'll see how white your laundry can be without the nasty smell and dangers of bleach.  Plus, you can use the same pre-spot mixture on your colors, just don't hang them out in the sun to dry as the sunlight may bleach out the area treated.  Tips to limit bacteria in your bathroom:Clean your toilet bowl regularly with Watkins Natural Lemon Toilet Bowl Cleanser. Clean your sink, tub, tile, shower stall and counter top with Watkins Citrus Tub and Tile cleaner, it contains tea tree oil which is a natural disinfectant. Again, use a clean micro fiber cloth to clean your fixtures, counter tops and other hard surfaces rather than a sponge.To purchase or learn more about all the safe, natural, yet effective bleach alternatives mentioned above, visit the US Store or the Canadian store. I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised and delighted by all the green living products you find! - 4 weeks ago