Hy-Vee Recipes and Ideas

When you see the Hy-Vee Homegrown logo, that means your produce was grown by a local farmer within 200 miles. 

While some grocery chains have discontinued selling the "ugly" produce, Hy-Vee is not giving up on the so-called imperfect produce. Hy-Vee Misfits are perfectly edible and a great way to help offset the 6 million pounds of fresh produce that goes unused each year.

When ripe, pears are sweet and juicy with an irresistible aroma. To ripen hard pears, place them in a paper bag that's loosely closed and keep them at room temperature. Check daily for ripeness. 

Taste a variety of different types to find the ones you like best. Then try them roasted on toast, poached for dessert, or tucked into a pear crisp.

There are thousands of varieties of grapes in a range of different colors. Some have seeds; some don't. Some are grown for wine; others for snacking and roasting. Yes, roasting. 

Try adding roasted grapes to your next cheese or charcuterie board.

These tart little gems are easily transformed into some of our favorite sweet cranberry treats. 

In addition to being low in calories and loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, cranberries also contain something called proanthocyanidins, which are great for oral health. 

Despite "winter" in the name, these squash are harvested late summer and early fall, but hold well through the winter.

Most winter squash can be prepared by slicing the squash in half, scooping out the seeds, and roasting or microwaving. Squash with thinner skin, such as butternut squash, can be peeled, seeded, and cubed. 

Not a fan of prepping squash? Check out our ready-to-cook Short Cuts.

The florets of this trending cruciferous veg are an excellent source of vitamin C. We hope its popularity never goes out of style.

When finely chopped, it can be used like rice for stir-fry, pizza crust, or even "risotto" and "oatmeal."

Broccoli is a go-to vegetable for many weeknight meals, and good thing, too. It's an excellent source of vitamins C and A and a good source of folic acid.

Use broccoli to make broccoli cheese soup, cheesy dip, and casserole.

Parsnips have a sweet, earthy flavor similar to carrots. They can be roasted or mashed and are excellent in hearty stews. 

To prep, trim the ends, peel with a vegetable peeler, and cut into whatever shape you need for your recipe.

Ranked as one of the most nutritious veggies, sweet potatoes are a favorite among our dietitians. Like regular potatoes, they can prepared in a variety of ways, including tucked into chocolate pudding! 

From cakes to kimchi, is there anything carrots can't do? They can even help your eyes, help prevent cancer, and promote healthy skin. If buying whole carrots, rinse under cold water, cut off the greens, and peel just before eating or cooking. 

If you want to get adventurous, consider a veggie pancake, carrot fries, or even a carrot pasta. 

With its pinelike, woodsy flavor, rosemary is more potent than most herbs, and its flavor is not subdued by cooking. Since it can be on the overpowering side, a little goes a long way.

While it's great for seasoning roasted vegetables in the fall, we especially like it in tea and bourbon.

If you've ever made a stew and thought it was missing something, it was thyme. It has a flavor that's earthy but almost citrusy. To remove the leaves, hold a sprig at the top and slide your fingers down to strip off the leaves.

Add thyme to dinner rolls or garlic bread, spaghetti or spaghetti squash, and cocktails.

You might know it as a garnish, but we love to use parsley to flavor soups, sauces, salads, omelets, and stuffings.

Interestingly, the stems have an even stronger flavor than the leaves. Soaking both the leaves and stems in oil and lemon juice can improve it's taste-enhancing properties.