Weekly Farm Notes :: June 1st, 2016

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Hello,

The heat of the summer has set in so this week we are sharing lots of raw, fresh ways to enjoy our produce! Let us know how you like to prepare your veggies in the summer by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram – #tanthillfarm!

We are doing a Kraut Source demo to show you how easy it is to make sauerkraut. Stop by if you are interested in learning more! See you tomorrow at market!

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June 1st Produce

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

 

Beet & Chia Seed Smoothie

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Hi there,

This is a quick recipe that uses the entire beet – root, stems and leaves. Adding the other ingredients let the beet flavor shine through without it being too overwhelming.

This recipe is adapted from The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook. While I don’t follow an ayurvedic diet, I do like the simple, seasonal recipes it inspires.

Beet & Chia Seed Smoothie
makes 2 servings

Recipe notes: the baby beets I used were 1 inch to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. You can substitute 1 medium beet or 1/2 of a large beet.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup warm water + 1 cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 baby beets
  • 1 medium apple, cored
  • 1″ piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • A few ice cubes

Directions:

  • Add the warm water and chia seeds to a blender and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  • While the chia seeds are soaking, remove the stems and leaves from the beet root and wash all parts. Peel the beet root.
  • Add all parts of the beet, the apple, ginger, maple syrup, vinegar, salt an 1 cup of cold water to the blender. Process on high until fully broken down, about 1-2 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed and add ice cubes. Process until just broken down and serve.

Weekly Farm Notes :: May 18th, 2016

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Hello,

Nothing can brighten a day like fresh flowers. When you are picking up your veggies, grab a bunch of flowers from our pollinator habitat and brighten someone’s day!

Alice O’Dea is on a two-ingredient kick. This week she gives us Dairy-Free Ice Cream! I have made something similar with bananas and strawberries and I can attest to the creamy texture. Give it a try!

See you tomorrow at market!

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May 18th Produce

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

  • Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: I read about (but don’t have an exact recipe) for a soup that sounded delicious: Swiss chard, potatoes, white beans, pesto and Parmesan. Baby potatoes are available this week at market and if you have any pesto on hand, this meal could come together in a flash.
  • Toscano Kale {M/CSA}: for those of us trying to eat more salads, here is a great way to get started: Anything Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing. You can use a mix of kale and the red leaf lettuce from this week too.
  • Pak Choi {CSA}: I love pak choi in stir-fries as they provide such a great texture (quickly stir fry the stems so you don’t lose the crunch!). If you love stir-fry too but need some sauce inspiration, give our “My New Favorite” Stir-Fry Sauce a try!
  • Purple & White Kohlrabi {CSA}: last week I made Lemon-Garlic Kohlrabi Quick Pickles and they were really tasty. Here’s what you do: peel and cut about a pound of kohlrabi into matchstick sized pieces and pack into a quart canning jar. Heat 1 cup of distilled vinegar, 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1/2 of a lemon’s worth of thinly sliced zest, 2-3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a few crushed peppercorns in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then pour over the kohlrabi. Cool to room temp and refrigerate.
  • Baby Beets {CSA}: I don’t often see fermented beet recipes so I was intrigued when I found this one. I then went looking for more and found this one, which contains more spices, all of which I really like with beets. Let us know if you try either one!
  • Green Escarole {CSA}: we posted two escarole recipes last week: Quick Sauteed Escarole with Flavorful Breadcrumbs and Escarola Strascinata. Both are quick and flavorful and can be used as a simple side dish or as a dish of their own when paired with polenta or pasta!
  • Red Leaf Lettuce {CSA}: I am always looking for ways to use lettuce that don’t involve a salad. Here is a list of 10 ways to eat it in other ways!
  • Green Onions {CSA}: have you tried our Green Onion Yogurt Flatbread? My 2-year-old loves to eat it as is but I think it would make a great wrap for sandwiches.
  • Edible Mild & Spicy Asian Flowers {M}: I have been preserving various items in sugar lately and I think these would be a good candidate. Roughly chop the flowers and toss them with a good amount of granulated sugar. Allow them to sit for a couple weeks at room temperature and you will have candied flowers!
  • Parsley {M}: wow, did you know this?! Buy it up and preserve it for later!
    • All parsley is extremely high in nutrients, particularly Vitamin C, folates and Potassium, as well as beta carotene. In fact, a quarter-cup of raw chopped parsley has about as much C as a quarter-cup of orange juice and double the folates (more that one and a half times those, even, of raw spinach).
  • Lemon Balm {M}: serve this recipe as a tea or a popsicle!
  • Peppermint {M}: um, why haven’t I thought of this mint booze infusion before?!

Weekly Farm Notes :: Dec 2nd, 2015

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Hello!

This is the last week of our “Falling into Greens” CSA session. We are offering three separate pickups this week – 1st at market tomorrow, 2nd at Brainard Market on Saturday and 3rd on Main Street on Saturday. Please make sure you have prearranged your pickup with Mark & Gina.

In case you missed it, we have a new preservation post this week on Stem Jam. We get a lot of greens and a lot of stems! Stash them away in the freezer and make this jam at the end of the week.

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December 2nd Produce

Here are the items you can expect at Market (denoted by M) and/or in the CSA (denoted by CSA):

  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: I have been interested in making West African Peanut Soup for a while, but it is definitely on my list now that I found a recipe with collard greens added in!
  • Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: although the cold and rain makes us crave cooked, hearty food, don’t neglect getting a daily dose of raw greens! This article will give you lot of tips to make a Swiss chard smoothie taste great.
  • Red Russian & Toscano Kale {M/CSA}: noodles of any kind make for quick weeknight meals. Check out this Garlic Soba Noodles recipe and toss in any number of the greens suggested.
  • Spicy Large Leaf Arugula {M/CSA}: the spiciness of these greens is a great counterpoint to richer dishes. Add some to egg salad, pizza or mac’n’cheese!
  • Red & Green Mild Mustard {CSA}: check out our new Indian Inspired Green Sauce with Potatoes for a tasty way to use your mustard greens!
  • Beets {CSA}: have you tried beet kvass yet? I tried it for the first time a month ago and loved the results! I fermented mine a few days longer than is recommended in the link above so mine was probably a bit funkier. I used most of the juice and beets in smoothies but the juice is great straight, mixed with syrups or sparkling water or in a cocktail.
  • Daikon Radish {CSA}: although this Sweet Pickled Daikon Radish recipe was designed for canning, just store in the refrigerator to keep it easy.
  • Kohlrabi {CSA}: our Kohlrabi Hash Browns recipe is great for a quick weeknight meal or a lazy Sunday brunch.
  • Green Butterhead & Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed Lettuce {CSA}: looking for some salad inspiration? Take a look at The Essential Elements to a Satisfying Salad post and make a salad you’ll love.
  • Spicy Asian Mustard Greens {M}: check out our new Indian Inspired Green Sauce with Potatoes for a tasty way to use your mustard greens!
  • Jerusalem Artichokes {M}: have you tried these fried yet? I have made “chips” where they were thinly sliced and then fried but I haven’t tried them battered and fried. This recipe sounds great if you want to try your hand at it!
  • Awesome Asian Salad Mix {M}: sometimes, you just need to hard boil or fry and egg and call it dinner. Spice that idea up a bit and make this Mixed Green Salad with Egg, Avocado and Creamy Lemon-Dill Dressing.
  • Cilantro {M}: we all need quick, flavorful, make-ahead sauces that taste great on just about anything. Add this vegan Spicy Cilantro Sauce recipe to the list.

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Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? This week, she explores the wonders of making a pan sauce…if you haven’t made one before, you need this information!

Weekly Farm Notes :: May 19th, 2015

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Hello,

Now that we are close to the end of the Spring CSA, we wanted to give you a heads up on what to expect from us this summer. To start, we will have lots of beans! The list includes green beans, yard long beans, Crowder peas, Italian beans, October beans, and half white runners. To give you some insight into each variety, we will highlight a different bean each week. Up this week: Crowder peas! Check out the details below.

Hope to see you at the market tomorrow!

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May 20th Produce

Here are some of the items you can expect this week:

  • Kohlrabi: I have been daydreaming of kohlrabi fritters lately. You too? This recipe looks like a great place to start.
  • Beets: you HAVE to try roasting beets and combining them with kalamata olives, orange and goat cheese. It is one of the best flavor combinations I have ever tried. It’s great on a sandwich or as a salad. I wrote about it here – give it a try and let us know what you think!
  • Green Leaf Lettuce: the lettuce this week has turned a little bitter so we wanted to provide a salad dressing recipe that would stand up to it. See below!
  • Salad Turnips: I have loved adding these raw to my sandwiches this week. Today I sliced these thinly and added them to a sandwich with hard boiled eggs, avocado and Sriracha. Talk about good food, fast!
  • Tender Collards: don’t forget, you can dehydrate your greens! Check out more here.
  • Toscano & Beira Kale: I really love these little baked quinoa and kale bites. I have a feeling you will too.
  • Napa Chinese Cabbage: I posted this recipe last week for spicy raw pak choi but I think it would be equally as good with this cabbage. I served it along side a ramen noodle soup and it was perfect.

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Recipe :: Sesame-Miso Dressing

This recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated and will coat 10 cups of washed and dried salad greens.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons white miso
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and crushed
  • 1 scallion, sliced thin

Directions:

  • Whisk together miso, honey, soy sauce, and water in medium bowl; gradually whisk in peanut oil, then stir in sesame seeds and scallion.

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Summer Produce :: Crowder Peas

I had never heard of crowder peas so thought we would start here. Below are a few interesting tidbits I found on this site. I am really looking forward to trying these this summer!

  • The crowder pea variety gets its name from the way its peas crowd themselves in the pod.
  • Blackeye peas, crowder peas, field peas, and Lady Cream peas are varieties of the same species commonly called “cowpeas” or “Southern peas”.
  • It has a rich, hearty flavor and creates a dark pot liquor when cooked.
  • 1 cup (172 grams) of cooked crowder peas has only 200 calories, very little fat and 45% RDA of fiber.

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Other News

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s latest article? Check out her latest article on shrubs (which featured our recipe!).

Weekly Farm Notes :: May 5th, 2015

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Hello! Happy Cinco de Mayo! I have no personal affiliation with this celebration but I sure do look forward to enjoying a margarita tonight 🙂 Hope to see you at the market tomorrow.

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May 6th Produce

Here are some of the items you can expect this week:

  • Purple Kohlrabi: I am sooo excited for kohlrabi! You may not be familiar with this funky looking vegetable but now is the time to get acquainted. Kohlrabi is part of the Brassica family, along with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale and collards, so you know it is good for you. It takes a little effort to peel but you are rewarded with crunchy goodness that has a mild broccoli flavor. For those that love little health statistics – kohlrabi has more Vitamin C than oranges or red cabbage. I love to eat it raw but it can be steamed, roasted, pickled, or turned into a number of salads, fritters or soups. Here is a good place to start for inspiration.
  • Pak Choi: I broiled my pak choi last week and really liked the results! It takes a little prep but heres what you do – slice the entire head in half and carefully clean out each section under cold running water. Lay on clean kitchen towels and pat dry. Toss with a little vegetable oil and broil for a few minutes on each side. Remove from oven and trim leaves away (which should now be quite brown), slicing thinly once cool enough to handle. Place the lower section back under the broiler until browned, a few minutes longer. Allow to cool slightly and then slice thinly. Toss with rice and protein of choice for a great meal.
  • Romaine & Red Leaf Lettuce: if you need a go-to dressing for all your greens, look no further! Check out the recipe below and toss it with your lettuce, chard and Asian greens.
  • Rainbow Swiss Chard: don’t forget, you can dehydrate your greens if desired. Check out our recipe here.
  • Tender Collards: can you really ever have enough pesto in your life? I don’t think so. Add this recipe to your collection.
  • Summerfest Asian Greens: I still haven’t done anything fun with these greens yet – tell us how you use them!

Upcoming Produce

Below are some items that you can expect to see in the coming weeks:

  • Beets: I always tend to roast beets but here is a tasty boiled salad idea from our friends at Riverview Farm.
  • Salad Turnips: if you haven’t had salad turnips before, you are in for a treat. They are sweet and tender and will totally change your opinion of turnips! I just slice them to eat raw in a salad. We would love to hear how you use them!
  • Baby Red Romaine: do you guys follow the Main Street Farmers Market blog? They post great recipes. This is more of an idea than a recipe, but I think adding these greens to the Ploughman’s Lunch would be great.
  • White Kohlrabi: the white version tastes just like the purple version (to me, at least). For a quick feast, just peel, slice into finger length pieces, and dip into hummus.
  • Chinese Napa Cabbage: this is the main ingredient used in the most common type of Korean kimchi. I think a southern take on kimchi is in order!

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Recipe :: Balsamic-Mustard Vinaigrette

I love this dressing because it is flavorful enough to stand up to the assertive greens we receive each week. The recipe below makes 1/4 cup but I would double or triple it to make sure there is plenty on hand.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced shallot (I think green garlic would work great here too)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Whisk vinegar, mustard, shallot, mayo, thyme, salt and pepper together in a small bowl until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until emulsified. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.

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Events

May 16th: Wildwood Harvest is having an open house from 10am-2pm. I plan on bringing a picnic to enjoy on the farm – hope to see you there!

May 22nd: Crabtree Farms is hosting a “Buying Local on a Budget” class from 6-7:30pm.

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Other News

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s latest article? Check out her latest article on bean salads!