bisque vegetarian recipes

In Case of Quarantine: Cook the Pantry

March 10 2020 Robin Robertson's Global Vegan Kitchen 

With a possible pandemic on the horizon, I’ve stocked up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer — just in case.  But I’ve also stocked up on enough food supplies to get us through the next couple of months, in case of quarantine. I’ve been using the tips and recipes in my book, Cook the Pantry, to dictate my grocery list and keep my pantry full if the situation worsens.  The quick and easy recipes in Cook the Pantry use mostly items from your pantry and freezer (along with some optional fresh produce, if you have it on hand). One of my favorite recipes from the book is the Artichoke Muffaleta Po Boys.  It’s the best of two popular New Orleans culinary icons joining forces to create the ultimate sandwich made with artichokes and a piquant olive relish. Here’s the recipe: Artichoke Muffaleta Po Boys Makes 2 servings Recipe from Cook the Pantry (C) 2015 by Robin Robertson. Photo by Annie Oliverio. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press LLC. - 3 scallions, chopped - 1 garlic clove, crushed - 1/­­3 cup pickled vegetables, well-drained - 1/­­3 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, well-drained - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, well-drained and halved - 1/­­2 teaspoon Cajun spice blend - 3 tablespoons Creole mustard - 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise - 2 small sub rolls - 1 cup shredded lettuce - 1 large tomato, thinly sliced - Pickled sliced jalape?os - Tabasco or other hot sauce, to serve 1. In a food processor, combine the scallion and garlic and process until finely minced. Add the pickled vegetables, olives, and pulse to make a relish. Set aside. 2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the artichoke hearts, season with the spice blend, and cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes per side. 3. To assemble the sandwiches, spread the mayonnaise and mustard on the inside top and bottom of the bread. Spread the lettuce onto the bottom of each sandwich, followed by tomato slices. Top with the relish mixture, a few slices of jalape?os, and the artichokes. Serve at once with Tabasco. In case you don’t already own Cook the Pantry, below is a list of the 100 recipes in the book. Check it out — you don’t need to be quarantined to enjoy these easy and delicious recipes. Cook the Pantry: Vegan Pantry-to-Plate Recipes in 20 minutes or Less Soup, Stew, Chili Tortilla Soup Chipotle Corn Chowder White Beans and Greens Soup Hot and Sour Noodle Soup Black Bean Soup with a Whisper of Sherry Shiitake Happens Mushroom Soup Pretty Good Gumbo Minestrone Soup Curry-Spiced Pumpkin Bisque Creamy Peanut Soup Pantry Plus Gazpacho Vegetable Bricolage Everyones Favorite Black Bean Chili Red Bean Chili Moroccan-Spiced Vegetable Stew Chana Masala Bowls Salad Savvy Five-Minute Couscous Salad Amazing Technicolor Chickpea Salad Moroccan Couscous Salad Tabbouleh Salad Pantry Pasta Salad Hearts of Palm Ceviche Composed Marinated Vegetable Salad Pinto, Corn, and Red Pepper Salad Threes a Crowd Bean Salad White Bean Niçoise Salad Taco Salad with Corn and Black Bean Salsa Southwest Salmagundi Asian Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing Zucchini Pasta Salad Suddenly Sushi Salad Asian Noodle Slaw Avocado Goddess Salad Three-Tomato Pasta Salad Sesame Soba Salad Sandwiches, Burgers, and Pizza Crab-Free Sandwiches Bean and Spinach Burritos Artichoke Muffaleta Po Boys BBQ Jack Sandwiches Homestyle Hash Burgers Black Bean and Walnut Burgers Samosadillas Artichoke Tartines Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas Chunky Chickpea Sandwiches Texas Caviar Wraps Artichoke-Spinach Pizza Pizza Nicoise Black and White Pizza BBQ Chickpea Pizza Cheeseburger Pizza Jalapeno-Hummus Pizza Pinto Bean Nacho Pie Stovetop Suppers Hoppin John and Collards Paella from the Pantry Cheesy Grits and Greens with Smoky Mushrooms Polenta Fiesta Quick Quinoa Pilaf Asian-Style Vegetable Pancakes with Dipping Sauce Dinnertime Scramble Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry Layered Tortilla Skillet Lemongrass Jasmine Rice Greek Freekeh and Spinach with White Beans Pantry Bulgur Pilaf Tuscan Chickpea Fritatta Red Beans and Quinoa with Chipotle Queso Chickpea-Artichoke Cakes with Dill Aioli Black Bean Picadillo Jerk Tempeh with Coconut Quinoa Top Shelf Couscous Pilaf Pantry Pasta Plus Giardiniera Mac and Cheese Capellini with Palm-Heart Scampi Sauce Penne and Broccoli with Red Bell Pepper-Walnut Sauce Kitchen-Sink Capellini Ramen Fagiole Pasta Marinara Puttanesca in a Pinch Rotini with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Penne with White Beans and Olivada Speedy Lasagna Rice Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Lo-Mein Artichoke-Cannelini Pasta Manchurian Black Bean Noodles Sweet Treats Rawklava Easy as Chocolate Pie Peanutty Energy Balls Almond-Cranberry Haystacks Coconut Lime Drops No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies Bananas Foster Dessert Nachos No-Fuss Chocolate Fondue Stovetop Peach-Blueberry Crumble Ginger-Walnut Rum Balls Chocolate-Almond Truffles Pecan Pie Squares Mangos with Pistachios and Cranberries Fudgy Brownie Mug Pastry-Wrapped Chocolate and Walnut-Stuffed Dates The post In Case of Quarantine: Cook the Pantry appeared first on Robin Robertson.

Bell Pepper Bisque with Giant Croutons

October 4 2019 My New Roots 

Hey friends! Im coming in hot, to drop this stellar soup recipe on you, while the weather is still fine and early fall produce is at its peak. The bell peppers in my region are bountiful and beautiful, and because I am the biggest sucker for roasted pepper anything, I came up with this dish to celebrate a seasonal favourite. But first, can we take a moment and please talk about how I just invented giant croutons? I think it might be my personal opportunity to break the internet. How is this not a thing yet?! Sure, I guess you could look at the cheese toast on French onion soup and say that is a giant crouton, but in my opinion, its merely an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich. Pfff. Not even close to this. My crouton is a cube of sourdough (important shape-distinction), kissed with garlicky oil and seared to toasty, golden perfection. The outsides are caramelized and crisp, while the center is fluffy, creamy and studded with nooks and crannies for the soup to slide in to. Guh. Too good to be true! Honestly guys, Im pretty proud of this. But I also need you to know that this soup is darn good too, even without the crouton. The recipe is loosely based on the North African Sun-dried Tomato Soup in my second cookbook, except I left out many of the warming spices, which felt prematurely winter-y. Its still t-shirt weather here, so the ginger and cinnamon had to go. Plus, I doubled the pepper count, added a teeny splash of balsamic (to round out the flavor), and made it bisque-y without the cream. Guess what I used?! Lentils!! Mic drop. But instead of bulking it up and putting the soup on legume-overload, I was conservative in my approach and just used half a cup. This made the soup rich and creamy without the cream, but in a very hush, hush way, so that you literally have no idea that theyre there. But their presence can be felt, because this soup is the real meal deal, not just a bowl of blended up veggies that will leave you hungry again in 20 minutes. With the bonus lentils, youre getting way more protein and fiber that youd normally expect from a pepper soup, and they will fill you up, and keep you energized for hours. This suddenly feels very infomercial-y. Did I mention there is a giant crouton? Moving on! Lets talk about peppers because they are in the nightshade family and that is a hot topic, if I ever heard one. Nightshade vegetables are a part of the Solanaceae family, and include tomatoes, peppers (and chilies), eggplant /­­ aubergine, and all potatoes except for sweet potatoes and yams. Originally cultivated in South America, nightshade vegetables were brought to Europe and Asia by Spanish explorers. Their name supposedly comes from the fact that they grow at night (as opposed to mushrooms, which grow in the shade). You may have heard rumors that Nightshade vegetables are toxic, that they can cause inflammation or that theyre linked to autoimmune disorders. While it is true that edible nightshades contain high levels of glycoalkaloids, specifically solanine, which at very high levels is toxic, it only seems to trigger reactions in individuals who are sensitive to it. Those with pre-existing inflammatory conditions may experience worsening of their symptoms when they consume these foods, but an elimination diet would be the only way to determine if nightshades are in fact, causing the issues. For people who do not suffer from chronic inflammatory ailments, enjoying ratatouille, a pizza, or a baked potato is likely just fine, and certainly not going to cause you to get these conditions. As far as autoimmunity is concerned, alkaloids from edible nightshades have been shown to irritate the gut, since solanine is effectively natural insecticide produced by this plant family. Gut irritation can contribute to intestinal permeability, which can set off an autoimmune reaction when proteins that should remain in the digestive tract leak into the bloodstream. The level of irritation depends on the amount consumed, and how sensitive the individual is. The highest amounts of solanine are found in green potatoes, and sprouted potatoes, but we should avoid eating those anyway.   Lets review: if you have an autoimmune disorder, leaky gut, or you exhibit symptoms of discomfort (digestive or otherwise) after consuming nightshades, try eliminating them from your diet for at least 6 weeks and see if you notice a difference. Then, re-introduce them one at a time and be aware of how you feel within a 24-hour period after eating them. If you dont have these issues, dont worry about it! There is absolutely no reason to limit your intake of these highly nutritious vegetables if they seem to do your body good. Bell peppers contain an astounding amount of vitamin C, high levels of A, and B6, with very good levels of folate, fiber, and vitamin E. They also provide flavonoids, and carotenoids. Remember to buy bell peppers that have fully ripened - anything other than the greens ones, which are typically unripe red, orange, yellow, or purple peppers. Their nutrient profile will be at its peak, and the natural sugars will be fully developed, easing their digestion. Let’s get to the recipe! If youre really pressed for time, skip roasting the peppers in the oven, and just dice them up, and add them to the pot along with the garlic in step 3. The overall flavour will be less rich, but still incredibly delicious. When Im in a crunch, Ill pull this move and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes. If you want to change things up, try orange or yellow peppers instead of the red ones. As far as sun-dried tomatoes go, I like organic, dried ones, instead of the oil-packed ones, but either would work here. With the canned tomatoes, go for whole, since they tend to be of higher quality than the diced ones. Lets talk bread. If you have access to a bakery where they make the real thing (sourdough), please use that. If you dont, find an unsliced loaf at your supermarket; bonus points if its made with wholegrain flour, organic, yeast-free, or all of the above. The bread should be cut into cubes with the serving bowl size in mind (youll want to see some of the soup around it), but if you have a huge bowl, go crazy and make that crouton as gargantuan as you want! And dont throw the offcuts away - I put them in the toaster and slathered them with hummus for my son. He was stoked about the oddly-shaped chunks.       Print recipe     Bell Pepper Bisque with Giant Croutons Makes 8 cups /­­ 2 litres /­­ Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee, divided 2 medium yellow onions, diced 1/­­2 tsp. fine sea salt 3 large garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 1/­­2 – 1 tsp. hot smoked paprika (depending on how spicy you like it) 4 large red bell peppers (stems, seeds, and ribs removed) 5 - 7 cups /­­ 1 1/­­4 – 1 3/­­4 liters vegetable broth 1 14.5-oz. /­­ 400ml can whole tomatoes 1/­­2 cup /­­ 45g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped 1/­­2 cup /­­ 100g dried red lentils, soaked for 1 – 8 hours, if possible 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar Directions: 1. If you have time, soak the lentils in water overnight, or for up to 8 hours. Drain and rinse very well. If youre starting from dried, that is okay too, just give them a very good wash and drain before using. 2. Preheat oven to 400°F /­­ 200°C. Prepare the peppers by cutting each of them in half, scooping out the seeds, and rubbing with a little coconut oil. Place peppers cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes until the skins are totally wrinkled and charred in places. 3. In a large stockpot, melt the remaining coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to slightly caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add a little broth to the pot if the mixture becomes dry. 4. Add the whole tomatoes and their juices along with the sun-dried tomatoes, lentils, and the rest of the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and break up the whole tomatoes with your spoon. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking to prevent sticking. 5. The peppers should be done by now, so take them out of the oven, transfer all of them to a bowl with a lid or plate over the opening, making sure there are no gaps (this technique steams the peppers so that the skins will just slip right off, without using plastic wrap). Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins from the peppers, and place the peeled peppers in a blender. 6. Remove the soup from the heat and take off the lid to let cool just for a minute. Transfer to the blender, and blend on high until completely smooth. Add balsamic vinegar, and broth or water to thin, until your desired consistency is reached. Season to taste. Transfer back to the pot and keep warm. 7. Make the croutons (recipe below). 8. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with fresh herbs, edible flowers, a drizzle of good olive oil, and of course place one giant crouton in the middle of each bowl. Enjoy! Giant Croutons Make as many as you want! Ingredients: 1 loaf of good bread (wholegrain sourdough is preferred) 2 Tbsp. expeller-pressed coconut oil (the unscented kind - very important!) or ghee, divided 1 clove of garlic, finely minced flaky salt, to taste Directions: 1. Cut the bread into 2 1/­­2 (6cm) slices - mine weighed 1.25 oz /­­ 35g per piece. Cut off the edges and make a cube (save the off-cuts for snacks). 2. Spread a little coconut oil on each side. 3. Heat remaining coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes, just until the garlic is starting to turn golden. 4. Lower the heat to medium-low, and add the bread cube. Rub each side in the oil to coat with some of the garlic and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let cook on each of the six sides for a couple of minutes until golden brown. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately. I hope that wherever you are on this earth, youre enjoying the seasons shifting and embracing the changes that come with that. When I started writing this post, it was a very hot day, and now, just 48 hours later, I can feel a significant shift in temperature and weather. Here we go, fall! Im happy youre here. Big thanks to my friends at Foragers Farms for letting me crash the greenhouse at the crack of dawn to get these pics. Love to all, happy fall! Sarah B The post Bell Pepper Bisque with Giant Croutons appeared first on My New Roots.

Curry-Spiced Pumpkin Bisque

June 7 2019 VegKitchen 

If youre in the mood for a savory, creamy soup, this is as close as youre going to get from a canned-goods pantry. If you like the flavor combination of curry and pumpkin, like we do, youll make this treat even after they lights come on. Recipe contributed by Jon Robertson and Robin Robertson, from Vegan Unplugged. The post Curry-Spiced Pumpkin Bisque appeared first on VegKitchen.

Veganize It!

February 8 2017 Robin Robertson's Global Vegan Kitchen 

My new cookbook is called VEGANIZE IT! Easy DIY Recipes for a Plant-Based Kitchen.  It officially hits the shelves on March 7, so I wanted to give you a sneak peek of whats inside. My goal in writing this book was to provide the ultimate guide for making homemade vegan foods from everyday ingredients — and share great ways to use those ingredients.  Like all my cookbooks, the recipes are geared to busy home cooks who want to get a great dinner on the table but dont want to spend all day in the kitchen.  With VEGANIZE IT, you can be as DIY as you want to be, or not.  For example, if you want to make lasagna completely from scratch, there are recipes for homemade ricotta, a melty mozzarella-like cheese, homemade pasta, and a wonderful baked tomato sauce.  If you dont have time to make all the components, you can simply pick and choose what you want to make from scratch and what you prefer to buy ready-made - such as making homemade ricotta and tomato sauce, but using storebought lasagna noodles and vegan mozzarella. In that sense, VEGANIZE IT is really two cookbooks in one:  all the DIY vegan basics such as dairy-free sour cream, mayonnaise, butter, and plant-based meats and seafood made from wheat, soy, beans, and vegetables.  But what makes this book really special is that each chapter goes one step further to include recipes that incorporate one or more of those basic recipes, all made inexpensively, using simple cooking methods and easy-to-find ingredients — so, for example, you can use the cashew cream cheese to make Spinach-Artichoke Dip or Chocolate Cheesecake.  Make the andouille sausage, and youre just one step away from a great jambalaya. Im really excited about VEGANIZE IT and I hope you will be too.  Sample recipes (and a blog tour!) are coming soon.  For now, though, Id like to give you a brief tour around the recipe chapters with a list of just some of the recipes youll find inside along with a few of the gorgeous photos by William and Susan Brinson. DIY DAIRY-FREE AND EGGLESS... Cheesy Broccoli Soup Spinach and Mushroom-Bacon Quiche Chickpea Flour Omelets Breakfast Nachos with Smoky Queso Sauce Bacon-Topped Mac UnCheese  PLANT-BASED MEATS... BBQ Seitan Ribs Burmese Tofu Iron Kettle Chili Better Made Tacos with Avocado Crema Seitan Oscar with Béarnaise Sauce       FLOUR POWER... Cheesy Crackers Handcrafted Lasagna Perfect Pot Pie Cheesy Sausage Biscuits Benedict Pizza VEGAN CHARCUTERIE... Maple Breakfast Sausage DIY Jerky Banh Mi Sandwich Haute Dogs Wellington Join the Club Sandwich       INSTEAD OF SEAFOOD... Lobster Mushroom Bisque Clam-Free Chowder Vegan Crab Louis Fish-Free Tacos Tof-ish and Chips with Tartar Sauce       SWEETS FROM SCRATCH... Luscious Lava Cakes Strawberry Shortcake Lemon Meringue Pie Tiramisu Bellini Trifle         VEGANIZE IT is available for pre-order now…. The post Veganize It! appeared first on Robin Robertson.

A Book Tour and a Full Heart

May 11 2015 My New Roots 

Hi. Its been a while. I guess I should have expected that touring with my cookbook would be more than just totally life-affirming and amazing - turns out its quite a time-intensive thing, and in between gigs I find it difficult to much other than feed myself and rest! But I am not complaining, just explaining my absence. I could actually fill this entire post with my overflowing gratitude for everything thats happened in the past few weeks. But I think some pictures would help tell the story - I once heard that each one is worth a thousand words. I will take a brief moment however to say thank you. Everyone who has been a part of and engaged in this tour in some way has really put it all in perspective for me. Its so strange how most of what I do is completely solitary, and even when I put a post out into the world, I cannot see who is reading, where, or that they actually cook the recipes. In a way, I like it this way - less pressure and responsibility for little ol me, because if I were to actually comprehend the scope of this I may feel slightly overwhelmed. But this project, my cookbook, finally being out in the physical world and me along with it, has shown me that My New Roots is so much bigger than I could have imagined. Meeting so many of you at book signings, lectures, cooking demos, and connecting through conversation across a dinner table, hearing your stories, how this little blog has touched you or changed your life in some way, feels like a miracle to me. And I am so, so humbled. Ive received boundless inspiration through these connections, and proof that this isnt just some teeny project anymore, but a veritable force. Much like literal roots this has grown silently under the surface, going deep and lateral and gaining enough life force before breaking through to where it receives the light it needs to thrive. That is what this tour is: a surfacing and a confirmation that we are building a powerful community of healthy people. I feel like every drop of energy Ive put into My New Roots from the first day has just hit me like a spectacular tsunami of love. A question I was asked a lot on tour was about the food blogging community, and whether or not I think it is competitive. Without hesitating, I always said heck no!, because my experience is quite the opposite. Among my peers I feel nothing but support, camaraderie, and celebration for one anothers achievements. When I asked fellow bloggers to review the cookbook, of course they said yes, because that is how we roll. I am honoured to post their gorgeous photos below, and share their perspectives on my recipes. So if you havent received a copy of the book yet, you can try out a number of the dishes from their posts! Thank you to everyone who participated. You are such an inspiring and talented bunch of people, and I am proud to share the blogosphere with you. Laura at The First Mess took a stab at making my raw vegan version of the Ben & Jerry’s classic and well-loved Chunky Monkey, and definitely one-upped me by adding a swirl of date syrup for a ripple effect. Nice one, Laura. You rock. Get the recipe here. Sara of Sprouted Kitchen tested and wrote about one of my favourite recipes in the book, Sunflower Sesame Seed Brittle, and one that I made many times on tour for readers to taste! You can read her post here. Emma from My Darling Lemon Thyme made my scrumptious Roasted Pumpkin on Black Rice with Tangerine Tahini Sauce. This sauce is boss, ya’ll. Pour it on everything! Check out the post and recipe here. Angela over at Oh She Glows made my scrumptious Banoffee Pie! A combination of banana, toffee, and coconut cream. Get the recipe here. Lane of Green Spirit Adventures made my Oyster Mushroom Bisque. Check out the recipe here. If you’re making recipes from the book and want to tag them, here’s what I’m using: #MNRcookbook And now for just a few highlights from the events in North America. Thank you again to everyone who helped put these together, and to all of you who came out to give me a high-five. It meant so much to me. A stunning dinner at Burdcok & Co. in Vancouver. The meal was all spring recipes from the cookbook. My interview and audio-only cooking demo – an interesting experience! – with the imcomparable Cherly McCay of CBC radio. Hear the program here, and skip to 35:45 to catch my segment. Enjoy! Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks hosted a My New Roots dinner right in the bookstore! A night to remember for sure. I did three televised cooking demos in Canada. Thanks to Global and CTV for their support! Book signing at the always inspiring Moon Juice in Los Angeles. I was high on green nut milk and all the love! Getting a tad silly with Jo and my Pi?a Colada Passionfruit Popsicles at Delish.com. I’ll post the video once it’s live. It’s a real hoot! Food52 invited me for lunch! I cooked my Ghee-Poached Radishes on Dandelion Greens with Smoked Sea Salt for lunch.  The Q&A and book signing at NeueHouse in NYC. Thanks to my gorgeous friend Pippa of Sous Style for the incredible night! Lastly, an interview at my all-time favourite station Heritage Radio Network in Bushwick, Brooklyn. And quite possibly the coolest recording studio of all time. I’ll post the podcast once it’s online!   So, I’m back in my kitchen now. A new blog post (a very rad one) is on the way and I know you’re going to love it. Stay tuned dear friends. xo, Sarah B

Saturday Six | Butternut Bisque, Thai Peanut Soup & Vegetable Korma

November 22 2014 Oh My Veggies 

Were rounding up some of our favorite recipes from this weeks Potluck submissions, including a creamy vegan butternut bisque, Thai Peanut Soup and a veggie-packed korma.

Weekly Plant-Based Dinner Plan, November 2 – 6, 2015

November 2 2015 VegKitchen 

With the shorter days suddenly upon us, this weeks theme will be vegan comfort food. Start the week with a big pot of 

Why You Should Eat More Ugly Fruits and Veggies

February 18 2015 Vegetarian Times 

Artwork: Lauthals/­­Ugly Fruits While it may not sound too appealing (no pun intended), the ugly fruit movement ?is flourishing in Europe. Intermarché, Frances third-largest supermarket chain, purchases unsightly fruits and vegetables--were talking pocked apples, three-tubered carrots, and lumpy potatoes that dont meet most industry quality standards--and ?sells them to customers at ?a discount; the chain has ?even unveiled a line of juices and soups to attest to the produces flavor. In 2013, a group of students in Germany launched the ?Ugly Fruits campaign to celebrate quirky produce with striking photography and snappy slogans. And Berlin catering company Culinary Misfits uses misshapen fruits and veggies exclusively to position the produce as art, ?not waste. The trend cant catch on soon enough here in the States. A 2012 report from the Natural Resources Defense Council notes that we toss more than 50 percent of the countrys fruits and vegetables each year. And according to a February 2014 study from the USDA, the estimated value of all food wasted in 2010 was $161.6 billion--or 141 trillion calories. While these amounts are staggering, they arent set in stone. We already swoon over heirloom tomatoes, and we pay a premium for them. We also have more and more farmers markets to choose from, where customers value local and organic over well-shaped and shiny. But the best thing we can do? Ask for it! says Dana Gunders, a food-waste expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council. If enough people e-mail their supermarket chains, companies will notice ?a trend. The power is in the hands of the consumers. Standard Issue In our industrialized food system, buyers cant inspect each item themselves, notes Gunders. Standards are set by the USDA, as well as by specific food industries, so if ?a retailer orders two pallets of extra fancy apples, she knows what shape, size, and condition of fruit shes getting. But no law or rule says retailers cannot order lower quality produce if they choose to--whether or not they do so mostly depends on what they believe consumers will buy. Tip Use ugly fruits and veggies in dishes where their funny looks won’t matter, such as juices, smoothies, soups, and pies. Here are a few of our favorites: Sweet & Spicy Carrot Bisque Rustic Apple Pie Blueberry-Beet Smoothie