Weekly Farm Notes :: October 19th, 2016

Hello,

The notes below are a repeat from last week but still apply. We have LOTS of wonderful veggies available this week so check out our offerings listed below!

  1. The Awesome Asian & Lettuce Mix is back! If you aren’t familiar, it is a fresh, ready to eat mix with lots of different textures and flavors. It will become a new favorite if it isn’t already!
  2. Single shares will be available soon! You will get the same Powerhouse greens and veggies as our shareholders but you don’t have to commit to the entire season. Let us know if you are interested!
  3. Are you familiar with the ANDI (aggregate nutrient density index) score? It’s a scoring system that ranks food from 1-1000 based on nutrient content. So the the higher the score, the more nutrient dense and therefore, healthier for you! We have included the ANDI score next to the veggies below (that we could find) for your reference.

Also, don’t forgot we will attending the Nutrition World Farmers Market every Saturday from 10am-noon. Stop by and say hey!

See you at market!

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October 12th Produce

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

  • Napa Chinese Cabbage {M/CSA}: this is the perfect week to start a batch of kimchi! Not only can you get cabbage and radishes, but you can also pick up some hot peppers to use in place of the traditional Korean chile powder. Check out this recipe for more details!
  • Daikon Radish – 502 {M/CSA}: if you are looking for something a bit less involved than kimchi, why not try Do Chua, the traditional Vietnamese pickle? They are quick, easy and will add a great flavor boost to whatever you serve it with!
  • Green Leaf & Red Butter Lettuce {M/CSA}: since it still feels like summer, we might as well eat like it is too. Check out these Spicy Tofu Lettuce Wraps for a yummy way to hold on to summer eating.
  • Collard Greens & Kale – 1000 {M/CSA}: Alice O’Dea (one of our shareholders) posted a recipe for Greens Cobbler with a Cornbread Crust and it looks like a wonderful way to use up all these greens!
  • Rosemary & Variety of Herbs {M/CSA}: I love fresh rosemary but hate buying it the store when I only need one stem (those boxes always get buried in my produce drawers!). Instead, I have found that I can simply toss the stems in a ziplock bag and throw them right into the freezer. Pull them out when you need some and preserve the rest!
  • Bell (371), Jalapeno & Habanero Peppers {M/CSA}: from freezing to making Italian pickled peppers, hot pepper jelly, and decorative ristras, this blog post on preserving hot peppers has a little something for everyone!
  • Swiss Chard – 1000 {CSA}: smoothie bowls seem like something we will all make fun of 10 years down the road. I mean, if I want a smoothie, I will just drink it, thank you very much. But, if you want to jump on the bandwagon, this Immune Boosting Green Smoothie Bowl seems like a great way to use Swiss chard or any number of other greens.
  • Awesome Asian & Lettuce Salad Mix {M}: have you checked out our latest recipe, Fall Fattoush Salad with Awesome Asian & Lettuce Salad Mix? It is crunchy from the pita and kohlrabi, a bit sweet from the squash with lots of lovely flavor from greens.
  • Japanese Salad Turnips – 473 {M}: these simply cooked Japanese Turnips with Miso is a great recipe that uses both the bulb and the greens.
  • Baby Red & Green Romaine Lettuce – 510 {M}: yum, how good does this Mega Crunchy Romaine Salad look?! So fresh and great as a light meal or as a side dish to any number of items.
  • Spicy Asian Mustard Greens – 1000 {M}: cooking these greens will tame the heat, however, there are other ways to offset their affect if you want to consume them raw. You could try our A Sweetened Dressing for Spicy Greens recipe for starters. You could also add fruit or shredded coconut to the mix to help balance it as well.
  • Black Summer Pak Choi – 865 {M}: I love to stir fry pak choi; the stems stay crunchy and the greens wilt down in a minute or so. Simply toss it with rice and a fried egg and dinner is ready. If you are looking for a go-to stir-fry sauce, my favorite can be found here.
  • Bitter Melon {M}: did you know bitter melon is very medicinal for diabetes? It contains a chemical that acts like insulin to help reduce blood sugar levels. Not sure how to prepare it? Check out our recipe for Korean Lettuce Wraps with Bitter Melon (it’s one of my all time favorites!).
  • Summerfest Asian Greens {M}: have you tried our Green Coconut Soup Base yet? The color is beautiful and the flavor is even more amazing. It is easy peasy and can be altered in any number of ways. We hope you give it a try!

Weekly Farm Notes :: May 4th, 2016

Hello,

Mother’s Day is this Sunday! If you are celebrating your own mother or any other mother in your life, be sure to pick up some of our beautiful cut flowers. They’ll be a hit!

I am featuring Alice O’Dea’s weekly article up top this week: check out her 2-ingredient cookie recipe. I am sure my 2-year-old will love them (and who am I kidding…so will I)!

We will have lemon balm and mint infused water available in the booth for your enjoyment. See you tomorrow at market!

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May 4th Produce

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

  • Red Kale Mix {CSA}: I have read that the longer you cook red kale, the sweeter it gets. Saute it in some olive oil over low heat for 30 minutes or so and add anything you like – olives, tomatoes, garlic, cheese or all of the above!
  • Ford Hook & Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: our Swiss Chard and Orange Oat Muffins are an elegant way to feature Swiss chard at your weekend brunch.
  • Purple Kohlrabi {M/CSA}: if fermenting foods seems a bit scary to you, read through the tips in our latest post on lacto-fermentation. We include a recipe for salad turnip and kohlrabi sauerruben, in which you grate the vegetables and toss them with salt and add a bay leaf. It’s an easy and delicious way to get started!
  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: have you guys jumped on the “savory oatmeal” bandwagon? I haven’t yet myself but I am tempted. Recipes like this Savory Steel Cut Oatmeal would be a great addition to a Sunday brunch. Sauteed collards would be a great substitute for the arugula!
  • Lettuce Mix with Red Kitten Spinach & Edible Flowers {M/CSA}: the weather is warming up and that means I want to spend less time making anything that involves the stove or oven. Spring rolls are a go-to in my house when it’s too hot to cook. I love this Thai Spring Rolls with Cashew Sauce recipe but I add lots of fresh lettuce!
  • Edible Asian & Arugula Flowers {M/CSA}: these will make a great addition to the spring rolls above!
  • Baby Red Romaine Lettuce {M/CSA}: did you know romaine lettuce is good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and folate? Start your meal with a simply dressed salad for a nutritional boost to your meal!
  • Red Leaf Lettuce {M}: these greens have a strong flavor this week due to the heat so be sure to toss with a dressing that can balance it. I love anything with miso (Miso-Ginger Dressing) or avocado (Avocado Lemon Dressing).
  • Green Butter Lettuce {M}: these leaves are perfect for lettuce wraps. Here is a non-recipe recipe for lettuce wraps – saute a mix of vegetables and mushrooms until softened and toss with an Italian style vinaigrette. Add to lettuce wraps and top with buffalo mozzarella and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. You won’t be sorry.
  • White Japanese Salad Turnips {M}: miso makes everything better. Try these easy Miso Glazed Turnips if you agree. PS – as an added bonus, you can use the greens in this recipe too!
  • Parsley {M}: here is a recipe you can use to incorporate all sorts of market goodies – Spring Tabbouleh. You can use our parsley, peppermint, salad turnips in place of radishes and kale or red leaf lettuce in place of arugula.
  • Peppermint {M}: this Roasted Lemon Chutney sounds like such a refreshing spread!
  • Lemon Balm {M}: here is a great roundup of fun things to do with this delicious herb – 12 Things to Do with Lemon Balm.


Weekly Farm Notes :: March 30th, 2016

Hello,

What a beautiful Spring week! We know you probably want to be outside as much as possible so below we have included lots of quick recipe ideas.

See you tomorrow at market!

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March 30th Produce

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

  • Toscano, Red Russian & Siberian Kale {M/CSA}: here is a really useful list of 50 Things to Do with Kale. I like how the author provides a list of ingredients that pair well with kale. Lots of options for you to consider this week!
  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: have you tried our Chickpea, Cashew & Collard Green Patties yet? They come together in a flash and can be eaten as is or used as a veggie burger. I love them topped with avocado and hot sauce 🙂 As an added bonus, you can make a big batch and freeze them for later.
  • Food Hook Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: I generally look upon vegan variations of classic recipes with suspicion. They may turn ok but they never really stand up to the original. However, I am more than interested to give this Swiss Chard with Vegan Bechamel Sauce a try. Traditional bechamel (which is the base for many dishes, including mac & cheese) is made with butter, flour and milk and can be very heavy. This sounds like a nice twist on the classic.
  • Spring Radishes {M/CSA}: have you checked out our latest post on Miso Pickles? Miso cured vegetables is an incredibly easy and flavorful way to preserve produce. I have seen a lot of recipes using turnips but radishes work just as well!
  • Red Butter Lettuce {M/CSA}: I think our Hemp Seed “Ranch” Dressing along with hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced radishes, green onions and edible flowers would make a lovely Spring salad!
  • Awesome Asian & Lettuce Mix {M/CSA}: The mix this week includes Asian greens, variety of lettuces, kale, arugula and edible flowers. If you don’t want to eat it fresh, try our Super Greens and Sunflower Seed Pesto recipe! As with all pestos, you can easily freeze it for use later.
  • Green Onions and Wild Spring Onions {CSA}: I have been eyeing a recipe for Quick Scallion Kimchee in one of my favorite cookbooks for a while. Check out the recipe below to preserve your green onions for the next month!
  • Pak Choi {M}: I return again and again to an old recipe for Triple Sesame Noodles with Pak Choi. The sauce is really yummy and so easy to make. You could easily top this dish with a fried egg to round out the meal.
  • Cilantro {M}: I am always looking for new salad dressings and this Cilantro-Lime Dressing sounds delicious. You can use it on greens or in a bean salad.
  • Edible Spicy Asian Flowers {M}: toss these on your salad or add them to a simple pasta dish. They say you eat with your eyes first so why not make your meal as pretty as possible?!

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Recipe :: Quick Scallion Kimchee

This recipe is from One Good Dish by David Tanis. It makes about 2 cups. It can be served with steamed rice or chopped and stirred into a bowl of brothy ramen-style noodles.

  • Ingredients:
    • 4 bunches scallions
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1 tablespoon raw sugar or dark brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
    • 1/4 cup Korean red pepper flakes
    • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
    • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • Directions:
    • Trim the scallions and cut into 3-inch lengths. Put them in a glass or ceramic bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 10 minutes.
    • Mix together the garlic, sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, sesame seeds, fish sauce, and rice vinegar. Add to the scallions and toss to coat.
    • Lay a plate over the bowl and leave in a warm place (at least 70 degrees F) for 24 hours. Or, for a stronger-tasting kimchee, let ripen for up to 72 hours. It will keep for a month, refrigerated.

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Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? Delicious yet easy homemade bread is a hard thing to come by but this week Alice shares a version you can make in just about 2 hours!