Garden Veggie Recipe

Clean and slice mushrooms into 1/4-inch slices. Core and seed bell peppers, then cut into 1/2-inch dice. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Dice tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Roughly chop garlic or mince. Rinse spinach and shake off excess water; leave whole leaves if baby spinach.

Measure and pre-shred cheeses (or grate if using blocks). Combine salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Sauté mushrooms

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil shimmers, add mushrooms in a single layer. Cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue cooking 2 minutes until golden and liquid mostly evaporated. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

Sauté aromatics & peppers

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to the skillet. When butter melts, add sliced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add diced bell peppers and cook 4–5 minutes until slightly softened but still vibrant.

Add tomatoes and combine

Add diced tomatoes and the reserved mushrooms back to the skillet. Sprinkle the measured seasoning mixture (salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes) over the vegetables. Stir and cook 2–3 minutes until tomatoes warm and begin to soften.

Wilt the spinach

Add the baby spinach in batches, stirring to wilt each addition (about 1–2 minutes). Once all spinach is wilted and evenly mixed, squeeze in lemon juice if using and taste; adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle shredded cheddar evenly over the vegetable mixture, cover the skillet with a lid (or a sheet of foil) for 1–2 minutes until cheese melts. Remove lid and sprinkle grated Parmesan on top.

Garnish with sliced fresh basil if desired. Serve hot as a side, over toast, tossed with pasta, or folded into eggs. Leftovers keep 2–3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.