Weekly Farm Notes :: April 6th, 2016

Hello,

This is the third week of the “Walking to Spring” CSA session and we hope you are enjoying it!

We will have a variety of potted tomatoes and herbs available for sale. Please let us know if you would like to reserve any of the items below!

Tomatoes: Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, Brandywine, Sun-gold, Valencia, Matts Wild Cherry and Roma Paste
Herbs: English Thyme, Dill, Garlic Chives and Basil

See you tomorrow at market!

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April 6th Produce

Here are the items you can expect at Market {M} and in the CSA {CSA}:

Toscano, Red Russian & Siberian Kale {M/CSA}: have you purchased any fresh turmeric at market lately? It is a nutrition powerhouse and has been used medicinally for ages. If you pick some up, try pairing it with our super healthy kale in this Tropical Turmeric Cleanser Green Smoothie!
Tender Collards {M/CSA}: I eat plenty of collards but I usually fall back on the same old recipe (pressure cooked with some onion and a little sugar). I have been craving a new way to enjoy these greens and think this Ethiopian Spiced Collards sounds like just what I need!
Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: even if you don’t have broccoli stems, I think the combination of chards, apples and ginger in this Broccoli & Chard Stem Ferment sounds wonderful!
Spring Radishes {M/CSA}: if you haven’t done so yet, please check out our latest recipe – Radish and Green Onion Tzatziki! It is really fresh and zingy and pairs well with starchy, crusty and fried food.
Red Butter Lettuce {M/CSA}: if you aren’t a big fan of salads, here is a post on other ways to use your lettuce. I think the Lettuce Cups with Red Pepper Lentils and the Arugula, Apple and Chickpea Salad Wraps sound great!
Awesome Asian & Lettuce Salad Mix {M/CSA}: I made another batch of our Hemp Seed “Ranch” Dressing this past week and it was so good on this salad mix! The creaminess works so well with the bold flavored greens. You can switch up the herbs and make it your own.
Pak Choi {M/CSA}: Pao Cai, or Chinese Fermented Pak Choi, sounds so easy and delicious. As an added bonus, you should be able to find daikon radish and scallions at the market this week too!
Bold & Peppery Arugula {M}: I think any grain, from brown rice to farro to barley, would work equally as well in this Arugula, Dried Cherry and Wild Rice Salad.
Spicy Asian Mustard Greens {M}: wow, look at all of the vitamins and minerals these bad boys contain! Also, they are a great way to lower your cholesterol naturally: “The cholesterol-lowering ability of steamed mustard greens is second only to steamed collard greens and steamed kale in a recent study of cruciferous vegetables and their ability to bind bile acids in the digestive tract. When bile acid binding takes place, it is easier for the bile acids to be excreted from the body. Since bile acids are made from cholesterol, the net impact of this bile acid binding is a lowering of the body’s cholesterol level. It’s worth noting that steamed mustard greens (and all steamed forms of the cruciferous vegetables) show much greater bile acid binding ability than raw mustard greens.”
Mint & Peppermint {M}: parsley and mint soup many sound strange but they combine beautifully to create a fresh, invigorating tonic. Check out the recipe below!

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Recipe :: Parsley & Mint Soup

This is from The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld. It makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
- 3 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon white rice
- 4 cups gently packed flat-leaf parsley sprigs, large stems removed
- 1/2 cup spearmint leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions:
- Cook the leeks in the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until they begin to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and the rice. When the soup begins to boil, cover the pot and let the soup slowly simmer at low heat for 20 minutes, or until the rice is very tender.
- Stir in the parsley, mint and a few grinds of black pepper into the simmering soup and then remove it from heat. Puree it in 2 batches in a blender until very smooth. Be very careful when doing this: fill the blender no more than half full so that the hot soup does not splash out, and pulse it in quick spurts before switching it on continuously. Allow the blender to fun at least a full minute for each batch, or until the soup is golf-course green and the texture is very smooth. Pour the soup back in to the saucepan, stir in the cream and reheat it. Taste and add salt if needed.