Veg Out!
Farm Fresh & Recipe Ready
August 2020 Issue
by Lindsay Gifford
Recipes, Photography and Information provided by Pero Family Farms
Hot, steamy summer nights call for light and fresh when it’s time to sit down for dinner, and the bounty of seasonal vegetables are a delicious go-to. Whether you’re hitting the grill, or sautéing or roasting in the blissful air conditioning, Pero Family Farms is making sure you get the freshest quality vegetables to take your meal to the next level and with little to no prep. Little to no prep? Yes please, now we’re talking my kind of recipes.
Founded by Sicilian immigrant Peter Pero in 1908, Pero Family Farms began humbly as a small town farm in New York. Now the largest vegetable distributor in the Southeast USA, they are the epitome of an authentic American dream and farmer success story. After Peter’s passing, his wife Dea Pero and their sons followed in his footsteps and sustained the farming operation, continuing the solid foundation with arduous labor and dedication. Now in the family’s fifth generation and a move to the prime growing conditions in Florida, the company is a growing legacy with innovative techniques, a sophisticated delivery network and more than 30 premium products (including an organic line), Pero Family Farms still holds true to its deep roots and carries on the legacy of the finest quality vegetables grown on a family-owned and operated farm.
Recipe Ready is a key phrase around Pero Family Farms, as they provide convenient and creative ways for families to enjoy healthy and flavorful meals at home. Naturally nutritious, they offer a wide variety of high quality, plant-based foods that are prepared and packaged for you and your family to easily enjoy at every meal, special occasions included. With today’s lifestyle in mind, their simple packaging and prep can help you have dinner on the table in a snap. There’s no time like the present to reap the inherent nutritional benefits of vegetables that boost your immune system! In fact, just one serving (3 peppers) of their famous Mini Sweet Peppers contains 160 percent of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C.
Vegetables are way more than just your steamed side anymore... there are hundreds of creative combinations and cooking techniques to bring more flavor, color and freshness to your table! Are you ready to reap the benefits and yumminess of vegging out? Check out the recipes we just couldn’t resist, and log onto www.perofamilyfarms.com for hundreds more. Don’t worry, we won’t tell your mom you asked for a second helping of vegetables!
Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Prep Time: 5 mins | Total Time: 10 mins | Servings: 3-5
8 oz. Pero Family Farms Brussels Sprouts, sliced
½ cup Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Pepper Rings
1 cup Garbanzo beans, cooked
½ cup Cashews
½ cup Korean BBQ Sauce
¼ cup Vegetable stock
½ Tbsp Olive oil
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan to medium-high temperature. Add the cashews and cook for about one minute, toasting slightly. Mix in the Pero Family Farms Brussels Sprouts and Mini Sweet Pepper Rings, along with garbanzo beans and vegetable stock. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the Korean BBQ sauce and cook for an additional minute—or until the Brussels Sprouts are cooked to your desired texture.
Okra Summer Salad
Prep Time: 5 mins | Total Time: 10 mins | Servings: 5
2 cups Pero Family Farms Okra, sliced lengthwise
1 Red tomato, sliced
1 Yellow tomato, sliced
1 cup Arugula
1 cup Parsley leaves, chopped
½ cup Radicchio, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Olive oil
½ cup Corn, fresh
Salt and pepper
Sweet Onion dressing of choice, for serving
Drizzle the olive oil over the Pero Family Farms Okra and add salt and pepper to taste. Grill the okra for 2 minutes on each side. Place arugula, parsley, radicchio, corn, and tomatoes in a large salad bowl. Top with grilled okra then drizzle the Sweet Onion Dressing evenly on top, mix and serve!
Blueberry Peach Kabobs
Prep Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 20 mins | Servings: 6
1 (8 oz) bag Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers
8 Baby bella mushrooms
2 Peaches, cut into small chunks
1 small Red onion, cut into fourths
1 Zucchini squash, cut into small chunks
1 Yellow squash, cut into small chunks
1 oz Olive oil
Blueberry Thyme Sauce:
1 cup Blueberries
½ cup Water
½ cup Tomato sauce
½ cup Molasses
1 Tbsp Chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Arrange the vegetables, starting with Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers, evenly on 4-6 metal skewers. Preheat the grill to medium-high temperature. Lightly drizzle the olive oil over the Skewers then place on the hot grill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grill for about 3 minutes per side or until the vegetables reach your desired texture.
Blueberry Thyme Sauce: In a medium saucepan add blueberries, water, tomato sauce, molasses and chili powder and bring to a boil. Smash the blueberries with a fork and stir the mixture well. Cook for 2 more minutes or until the sauce reduces and starts to thicken. Drizzle finished sauce over grilled kabobs and enjoy!
Riced Cauliflower Poppers
Prep Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 20 mins | Servings: 6
10 oz Pero Family Farms Organic 
Riced Cauliflower
1 cup Marinara sauce
½ cup Spinach
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Flour
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Breading Ingredients:
1 cup Vegetable oil
1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup Flour, seasoned with 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
4 Eggs, whisked smooth
Preheat a sauté pan with 1 Tbsp of olive oil to medium high temperature. Add the Pero Family Farms Organic Riced Cauliflower, spinach, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes or until slightly soft. Add the flour and cheese and mix well. Once cool, make small balls out of the rice mixture. To coat the riced balls roll them in the seasoned flour mixture, then into the egg then finally into the breadcrumbs. Preheat a sauté pan with vegetable oil to medium high temperature. Carefully place the riced balls into the hot oil with a slotted metal spoon. Cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Top with your favorite marinara sauce to serve.
Read on for more great recipes from...
Huevos Rancheros
Prep Time: 5 mins | Total Time: 10 mins | Servings: 2
2 Eggs 
1 cup White rice, cooked
1 Tbsp Olive oil
½ Avocado, pitted and sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers, sliced into rings
1 cup seasoned Black beans, drained
Optional: Serve with Avocado slices and your favorite hot sauce.
Preheat a large sauté pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the sliced Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers and cook for 1 minute. Next, add the beans & rice and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. In a separate pan, cook the eggs to your desired texture. Place the heated rice, bean, and Mini Sweet Pepper mixture on a plate. Add the eggs on top. Serve with avocado slices and your favorite hot sauce.
Butternut Squash Spirals Peanut Pad Thai
Prep Time: 5 mins | Total Time: 20 mins | Servings: 2
1 pkg Pero Family Farms 
Butternut Veggie Spirals
½ cup shredded Purple cabbage
½ cup Red bell peppers, sliced
1 cup curly Kale, chopped
2-3 Tbsps unsalted Peanuts, halved or chopped
1 tsp Sesame oil
Optional: Fresh Cilantro and Peanuts, for serving
Peanut Pad Thai Sauce:
1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
½ cup creamy Peanut butter
½ cup Water, more for a thinner sauce
1-2 tsps Honey
2 Tbsps Soy or tamari sauce
½ Lime, juiced
1-2 Garlic cloves
½ tsp Sesame oil
2 tsps fresh Cilantro
Fresh Cilantro and Peanuts for garnish (optional)
Start by preparing the Pad Thai Sauce: Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender and blend until smooth. In a wok or large sauté pan, heat sesame oil over medium high heat. Add Pero Family Farms Butternut Veggie Spirals. Allow for the spirals to cook for 4-5 minutes. Once cooking add cabbage, red bell peppers, and curly kale. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir occasionally and allow the vegetables to cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon at a time of Peanut Pad Thai Sauce, coating all the ingredients evenly. Garnish with fresh cilantro and peanuts.
Asparagus Fries
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 4
8 oz Pero Family Farms Trimmed Asparagus
1 cup seasoned Panko bread crumbs
1 cup Flour
2 Eggs
Optional: your favorite Aioli sauce, for serving
Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Place Panko bread crumbs on one plate, flour on another, and in a separate bowl beat the 2 eggs. Dredge the Pero Family Farms Asparagus first in the flour, then coat in the egg, and finish by rolling in the bread crumbs. Arrange the breaded asparagus on a greased baking tray and bake for 13-15 minutes. Serve with your favorite aioli sauce for dipping.
Roasted Green Beans and Beet Salad
Prep Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 40 mins | Servings: 6
12 oz Pero Family Farms Organic Snipped Green Beans
½ cup Yellow beets, cleaned and cut
½ cup Red beets, cleaned and cut
½ cup Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Pepper Rings
½ cup Walnuts
½ cup Goat cheese
1 Tbsp dried Cranberries
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Cranberry Sage Sauce:
1 cup fresh Cranberries
½ cup Honey
1 cup Water
1 Tbsp fresh Sage, chopped
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
½ Tbsp Cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°F and place Pero Family Farms Organic Snipped Green Beans alongside beets in a roasting dish and sprinkle olive oil and salt and pepper over the top. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables reach your desired texture. While your vegetables are roasting, make your Cranberry Sage Sauce. In a small pot add cranberries, honey, lemon juice, sage, brown sugar, and water mix well and bring to a boil. Once the cranberries are tender reduce heat to medium and mash with a fork. Take 2 Tbsps of the sauce and in a separate bowl mix in the cornstarch and combine completely. Add the cornstarch mixture into the sauce pan and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top the vegetables with walnuts, goat cheese and cranberry sage finishing sauce.
Mini Sweet Pepper Cobb Salad
Prep Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 25 mins | Servings: 2
6 Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers, grilled
6 oz. Chicken, grilled
2 cups Mixed salad greens
1 hardboiled Egg, sliced into rounds
½ cup Corn
½ cup Grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup White crumble cheese
½ cup Avocado slices
1/4 cup of your Favorite dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat grill to medium high heat. Place chicken on the grill for 7-8 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for an additional 7-8 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees. While the chicken is cooking, toss Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place peppers on the grill, cooking for approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. Fill a large salad bowl with mixed greens, corn, tomato, cheese and avocado. Slice hardboiled egg, grilled chicken and grilled Pero Mini Sweet Peppers; add to top of salad. Toss with 1/4 cup of your favorite dressing and enjoy!
Mini Sweet Pepper 
Grilled Hawaiian Kabobs
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 11 mins
Servings: 4
8 oz Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers
½ cup Teriyaki glaze
4 oz Chicken breast, cut into 1½ in. pieces
1 Tbsp Olive oil
4 oz Pineapple, cut into 11/2 in. chunks
4 Kabob sticks
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. Build your kabobs by arranging the Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers, pineapple and chicken on the skewers. Grill for approximately 3 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through. Brush teriyaki glaze on the kabobs 1 minute before removing from the grill.
Zucchini Ribbon Roulades
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Servings: 2-4
1 Pero Family Farms Organic Zucchini
¼ cup Goat cheese
¼ cup Cream cheese
¼ cup Sun-dried tomatoes
Basil leaves, sliced thin
Salt and pepper, to taste
To start, slice your Pero Family Farms Organic Zucchini lengthwise, as thinly as possible. In a mixing bowl, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. Place ½ tbsp. of cheese mixture on one end of a Zucchini slice and roll over until completely wrapped. Repeat for each Zucchini slice. Top each roulade with basil. Serve cold, grilled, or baked in the oven.
Ambrosia Summer Salad
Prep Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 45 mins | Servings: 2
1 cup Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Pepper Rings
2 cups fat free Cool Whip
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup Mandarin oranges, drained
½ cup crushed Pineapple, drained
½ cup small Marshmallows
1 Tbsp toasted Coconut, shredded
Optional: 2 lime wedges and fresh mint sprigs, to serve
In a large mixing bowl combine the Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Pepper Rings, Cool Whip, Greek yogurt, mandarin oranges, pineapple, marshmallows and shredded coconut. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes before serving. Divide even amounts of salad between two small bowls and garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig.
BBQ Veggie Sliders
Prep Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 25 mins | Servings: 6
½ cup Onion, diced 
½ cup Black beans, drained
½ cup BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
2 Eggs
1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup Flour
¼ cup Water
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups Pero Family Farms Butternut Squash, grated
1 cup Pero Family Farms Organic Zucchini, ¼” dice
1 cup Pero Family Farms Organic Yellow Squash, ¼” dice
½ cup Pero Family Farms Mini Sweet Peppers, diced
In a large mixing bowl, add the following: Pero Family Farms vegetables: Butternut Squash, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Mini Sweet Peppers—prepared according to directions above. Add onion, garlic and black beans to your mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Next, add the eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, and water. Mix well and add salt and pepper, to taste. Form small, slider-like, patties. Lightly brush the burger patties with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray and place on a hot grill. Cook for about 3- 5 minutes per side. Baste evenly with the BBQ sauce right before removing from the grill.