Cook with Purpose: A Fair Trade Certified Recipe Guide for Farmworker Awareness Week

Fresh Summer Recipes Made with Fair Trade Certified™ Ingredients

Food connects us to each other and to the people who grow it. This Farmworker Awareness Week, we’re inviting you into the kitchen with a collection of recipes made with Fair Trade Certified produce. Choosing Fair Trade Certified produce helps support farmworkers through fair wages, safer working conditions, access to healthcare, and environmental sustainability. These recipes recognize the labor, care, and resilience behind every ingredient. 

Alongside our staff submissions, this guide also features a selection of recipes shared by Fair Trade partners who work every day to support fairer, safer, and more sustainable food systems. These partner recipes highlight the many delicious ways Fair Trade Certified ingredients can transform everyday meals while honoring the people who grow them.

Whether you’re cooking for family, friends, or yourself, this guide offers simple ways to turn everyday meals into moments of appreciation and impact. 

Recipes from our partners:

Lil’Ones™ Caprese Tortellini Skewers

From Wholesum

Island Kabobs with Tropical Fruit Salsa

From DOLE®

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Driscoll’s

Recipes from our team:

Sheet-Pan Salmon with Roasted Asparagus & Red Onion by Laura S.

Fair Trade Certified Produce: Fresh Asparagus from Whole Foods Market

Directions

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

1. Preheat Oven to 400°F (200°C). 
2. Season the Veggies Drizzle asparagus with olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional garlic. Place in foil packet and reseal loosely (leave some air space). Toss red onions lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 
3. Pat salmon dry. Season with salt, pepper, and drizzle of olive oil. Optional: add lemon juice or butter on top.
4. Arrange on Pan. Ensure salmon has space around it. Spread onions so they are not piled too thick. Keep foil packet sealed.  
5. Bake for 12–15 minutes depending on thickness. For more browning: open foil for last 5 minutes or broil 1–2 minutes. 

Side Options (So many side options!): sliced cucumber with vinaigrette, rice or quinoa, or roasted potatoes! 

Summer Grain Bowl by Teka N.

Fair Trade Certified Produce: Mini-watermelon from Super Starr, Persian cucumbers from Wholesum, and cherry tomatoes from NatureSweet

Directions

Servings: 2-4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

1. De-rind and cube your mini-watermelon and dice your cucumbers. Slice the tomatoes in half. Pit the peach and cut into 1 inch cubes or slices. 
2. In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, garlic, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add more olive oil and vinegar if needed. Set aside. 
3. In the serving bowl, add the cooked farro, and top with leafy greens. Add the watermelon, cucumber, peach, and chickpeas (optional). Top with the tomato mixture, feta to taste, and chopped mint. 
4. Enjoy! 

Avocado Toast by Cathy L.

Fair Trade Certified Produce: Avocado from GLC Cerritos & lime from Robinson Fresh

Directions

Servings: 1-2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

1. Half avocado and cut into thin slices
2. Toast slice of bread to desired toastiness
3. Poach or fry egg
4. Assemble – Place avocado on top of bread, squeeze some lime juice, place egg on top of avocado, and season to preference

Strawberry Lime Pie by Jordan R.

Fair Trade Certified Produce: Lime & Driscoll’s Strawberries

Directions

Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes (including dough chill-time)
Total Time: about 2 hours 

1. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water slowly and steadily. Pulse until the dough comes together without being too wet. If the mixture is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.          
2. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in wax paper, and refrigerate it for 1 hour. Once chilled, roll out and place in a pie plate, forming edges artfully. Line with parchment paper and add beans or weights, then bake until the crust is thoroughly cooked (around 20 minutes) and light golden brown throughout. Cool to room temperature. 
3. While the crust is cooling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, lime zest, lime juice and milk. Once thoroughly whipped, spread on the bottom of the baked pie crust. 
4. Wash, dry, and hull the strawberries. Cut in half or slice and artfully arrange on the filling. Add whipped cream on top as desired. Enjoy! 

Butter Garlic Shrimp with Orzo, Peas & Haricot Vert by Tatum R.

Fair Trade Certified Produce: Green Beans from Whole Foods Market

Directions

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes 

1. Cook orzo according to package instructions. In the last 2 minutes, add peas. Drain, then stir in butter, salt, and pepper. 
2. Sauté green beans in butter over medium heat until tender-crisp. Remove and set aside. 
3. In the same pan, melt more butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add shrimp, season, and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink. 
4. Return green beans to the pan and toss everything in the garlic butter. 
5. Serve over orzo and finish with Parmesan. 

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