Millet Pie with Greens & Feta

Leave a comment

Hello,

Here is a quick way to make a festive, vegetarian friendly meal with little more than greens and pantry staples. The recipe is based on one from Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way, which is a great resource for those who wish to incorporate more grains in your diet.

Millet is a small, typically golden colored grain that you can usually find in the bulk section of the grocery store. It is known widely in the US as bird food but the cooking properties and health benefits make it great for us, too. Check out this site to learn more about the heart-protective benefits and more that make this a great grain to integrate into your meals.

You can switch this recipe up in any number of ways: use various types of greens, use a different type of cheese, add more spices or different herbs, or use roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes. Play around and have fun!

Millet Pie with Greens & Feta
serves 4-6

Recipe notes: 1) you can use a different sized container depending on how thick you would like it to be; the end result is about an inch or so thick in a 9×13 baking dish. 2) use any type of green you have on hand but I would recommend pre-cooking sturdier greens as they may not cook down enough to be done when the millet is finished.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, cut into a small dice
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup hulled millet, rinsed
  • 6 ounces Swiss chard (about 12 medium leaves), de-stemmed and chopped (see recipe note)
  • 4 ounces crumbled feta (about 1 cup)
  • 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and dried if packed in oil, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped freshly parsley
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  • Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown and soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 3-1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  • Stir in the millet, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, until most of the remaining water evaporates, 5-8 minutes.
  • Continue cooking over low heat until the millet becomes very soft and the mixture is thick and porridgy, about 5 minutes more. Add the Swiss chard and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens are wilted and soft, another couple of minutes. If the mixture becomes dry before the millet is tender, add 1/4 cup boiling water at a time.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the feta, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth surface. Set aside to cool until set, about 1 hour.
  • To serve, cut into squares and serve at room temperature. For a bit more flavor and texture, pan fry the squares in a little oil until browned and slightly crispy on each side. Enjoy.

Weekly Farm Notes :: October 5th, 2016

Leave a comment

Hello,

We are offering new ways to pay starting this week – Apple pay, Android and chip! We hope you find this added convenience beneficial.

Also, don’t forgot we will attending the Nutrition World Farmers Market every Saturday from 10am-noon. It starts this coming Saturday so stop by and say hello!

See you at market!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

October 5th Produce

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

  • Summerfest & Hon Tsai Tai Asian Greens {M/CSA}: the Hon Tsai Tai is new this week so you may not be familiar with this green. It is from the mustard family but this chef describes it as a less bitter broccoli rabe (the link includes a couple of recipes). You can use the entire plant, flowers, buds, leaves and stems, so be sure to give it a try and let us know what you think!
  • Young Red Leaf Lettuce {M/CSA}: our Hemp Seed “Ranch” Dressing is still one of my all time favorite dressings. You really don’t need much else to make a satisfying salad – maybe just add some thinly sliced radishes and a hard boiled egg if you are feeling adventurous.
  • Pak Choi {M/CSA}: I hadn’t thought of using this vegetable in a soup before but I am not sure why. Take a look at this Chinese Pak Choi and Noodles Soup for an easy way to build a meal around this nutritious vegetable.
  • Kohlrabi {CSA}: I often turn to fritters when I need a quick, delicious weeknight meal. They can be made from so many different types of vegetables. This recipe for Indian Spiced Fritters is a great example – it calls for kohlrabi (along with the greens) and another root vegetable (you could definitely use the salad turnips here). You can alter the spices and the sauce to suit your needs.
  • Japanese Salad Turnips {CSA}: if you can’t find a use for your salad turnips, they can make a great pickle! This Lacto-fermented Turnip Pickle recipe, which adds mint, sounds like a yummy way to make use of this root vegetable.
  • Tender Collards & Kale {M}: Alice shares her 10-minute Pasta and Pesto Dinner ideas this week and we think adding collards or kale (or any of our other greens) to the pesto is a wonderful idea! We have a recipe for Super Greens & Sunflower Seed Pesto that you could use as a starting point.
  • Jalapenos & Habaneros {M}: I just saw someone mention adding hot peppers and lots of cheese to a bowl of grits and I think it sounds delicious! Luckily for us, Riverview Farms sells grits and Sequatchie Cove Creamery sells cheese at our market 🙂
  • Parsley {M}: here is an interesting way to consume the health benefits of this herb – Parsley Tea!

Weekly Farm Notes :: September 21st, 2016

Leave a comment

Hello,

Tomorrow is the first day of the “Fall into Greens” CSA pickup – yay! We have missed seeing you each week and look forward to the start of a great season.

Just a reminder: if you get your CSA box home but can’t remember what is what, take a look at our Produce Information tab. We have pictures along with attributes, nutrition, storage and recipe information! We are constantly updating to include new products to check back often.

See you at market!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 21st Produce

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

  • Daikon Radish & Greens {M/CSA}: if you want to use multiple items in one recipe, this is it. Pao Cai are preserved (here, they are fermented) Chinese vegetables that include daikon, pak choi and hot peppers. Pick up some scallions and garlic while you are at the market and you’ll have most of what you need!
  • Hakurei Japanese Salad Turnips & Greens {M/CSA}: I tend to eat these salad turnips raw but I bet they would be great in a quick pickle. If you aren’t familiar with this process, check out Alice O’Dea’s article “Pickling All The Things“. She mentioned adding jalapenos to the mix to pick some up this week to make a spicy version!
  • Joi Choi Pak Choi {M/CSA}: it is really still in the 90’s? Until it cools down, I am trying to eat as much raw food as possible. Our Raw Spicy Pak Choi Salad is an easy side dish for whatever else you have planned.
  • Parsley {M/CSA}: parsley isn’t the first herb I would think to add to a smoothie, but when paired with the right ingredients, I bet it would be great. Check out “How to Use Parsley In A Green Smoothie” for nutritional information and smoothie ideas.
  • Green Bell & Spicy Peppers {M/CSA}: I still haven’t made stuffed peppers this summer but there is still time! I plan to try a vegetarian version, similar to this one: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.
  • Summerfest Asian Greens {CSA}: this Asian green is similar in flavor to spinach and you can use it interchangeably in recipes. I am assuming we all love spinach and artichoke dip but it isn’t something we should indulge in often. This Yoghurt & Spinach Dip, however, is still creamy but much more healthful.
  • Cherry Tomatoes {CSA}: the transition from one season into another is the perfect time to preserve your favorite ingredients before they are gone. Tomatoes are that ingredient for me. My favorite way to preserve the fresh tomato flavor is to make this Cherry Tomato Miso Sauce and freeze it for later.
  • Basil {M}: speaking of preserving, what better way to preserve basil than in pesto? Traditional pesto can turn brown pretty quickly, but the addition of parsley can help slow that process without changing the flavor. Check our this Greener Pesto recipe on the MSFM blog.

Weekly Farm Notes :: May 18th, 2016

Leave a comment

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 :: May 4th, 2016

Leave a comment

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 :: January 6th, 2016

Leave a comment

Hello,

Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season filled with everything you love most.

We are looking forward to the start of the Deep Winter CSA session! The first pick-up will start either next week or the week after. Look for an email with more details soon.

Hope to see you at market tomorrow!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 6th Produce

Here are the items you can expect at Market:

  • Tender Collards: I love these Collard Green Falafel. They don’t take long to throw together and are a unique way to use your greens. Serve with hummus, pita and olives for a tasty meal.
  • Rainbow & Ford Hook Swiss Chard: Callaloo is a Caribbean dish traditionally made with amaranth greens (which are also called callaloo). The stew is quick and flavorful and while we don’t have the greens, Swiss chard makes a great substitute. Here is a recipe worth trying.
  • Siberian, Red Russian & Toscano Kale: if you need a little detox in your life after the holidays (hand raised), give this Vegan Detox Smoothie a try!
  • Spicy Large Leaf Arugula: cooking tames the spiciness of these greens. Check out the recipe below for a super simple, yet satisfying pasta dish with sauteed arugula. There are many ways to make this dish your own – use different nuts or cheese and add any additional seasoning you like.
  • Spicy Asian Mustard Greens: I love 1) Indian food and 2) finding ways to use whatever greens are left over in my refrigerator. This Indian Mustard Green Sauce with Potatoes fulfills both of these loves. I hope you like it as much as I do!
  • Wasabi Arugula: if you are in the mood for a salad, don’t let this spicy arugula scare you away! The trick is to balance it with other flavors, like this recipe for Fresh Fig and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese. The sweetness from the figs and the tangy, rich flavors from the cheese are a great compliment to the arugula. Check out The Essentials Elements to a Satisfying Salad post to come up with your own salad!
  • Chickweed: if you haven’t tried this nutrient dense, medicinal “weed” before, now is your chance! It can be eaten raw or cooked briefly, in which case it will be similar to spinach. Check out our Chickweed Power Salad recipe for a great way to make it into a meal!
  • Henbit: this edible “weed” is part of the mint family but it tastes more like raw kale. It is high in iron, vitamins and fiber and can be used in salads, smoothies or wraps.
  • Dead Nettle: another edible “weed”, is very similar to Henbit (see a comparison between the two on this link). It is called “dead” because it won’t sting you like the infamous stinging nettle! One blogger notes the fuzzy texture is not great for eating raw and prefers adding it to smoothies.
  • Parsley: use the parsley in the pasta recipe below!
  • Lemon Balm: shrubs are a fun way to preserve fruit and herbs. Here is a quick Lemon Balm Shrub recipe which can be enjoyed on its own or used in a cocktail.
  • Leaf Celery: gremolata is an Italian condiment usually consisting of chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Swap out the parsley for leaf celery and you will have an easy, delicious topping for any number of meals (I sprinkled it on a mushroom pizza but it would also be great swirled into soups). Find the recipe here!
  • Mint: the cold weather has me craving tea all day long. When I need a caffeine-free version, I turn to herbs. Simply steep fresh mint leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes, add honey and lemon juice to taste, and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recipe :: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Arugula, Walnuts and Ricotta Salata

This recipe is from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra virgin to finish
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • Several pinches of red pepper flakes
  • 6 or more cups of arugula leaves, large stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
  • Salt
  • 3 tablespoons parsley
  • 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
  • Thin shavings of ricotta salata

Directions:

  • Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a 12″ non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the arugula, season with a few pinches of salt, and saute until wilted. Stir in the parsley and walnuts and turn off heat. When the pasta is done, drain and add to the skillet. Toss well and serve with cheese and extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the top.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? Detox tips are always welcome this time of year!

Weekly Farm Notes :: Nov 11th, 2015

Leave a comment

Hello!

Thanksgiving is my favorite of all holidays and it is only 2 weeks away! You will see below that I have quite a few turkey day side dish suggestions using our beautiful farm fresh bounty. It’s not to early to start planning!

“Deep Winter” and “Walking to Spring” CSA shares are still available. Don’t miss out on powerhouse greens to get you through the dark and cold months ahead! Here is the link to our CSA information to find out more.

See you at market!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 11th Produce

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

  • Kale {M/CSA}: Thanksgiving isn’t complete without stuffing so why not try a Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing this year! Maybe gratins are more your thing – this vegan Kale and Mushroom Gratin looks tasty too!
  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: I recently tried cooking collards in my pressure cooker and they are the best I have ever tasted! I just cooked them with onion, apple cider vinegar and a little sugar. If you own a pressure cooker, I highly suggest you try this technique. Here is a vegetarian recipe for Pressure Cooker Balsamic Collard Greens that sounds amazing.
  • Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: I am working on a recipe for Orange & Swiss Chard Oat Muffins that I will publish later this week. You could make and freeze a batch this week, then pull them out for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving when you can’t imagine ever cooking again.
  • Cabbage {CSA}: I think a lovely winter slaw would be a great addition to Thanksgiving dinner!
  • Green Onions {CSA}: I have been dying to try this Shredded Tofu and Mushroom Stir-Fry recipe. It would be perfect this week as you can use our green onions and cilantro and then pick up mushrooms from Land Before Time Farm. For something quite different, check out our Green Onion Yogurt Flatbread recipe!
  • Lettuce Mix {CSA}: winter salads take on a whole different personality from those we consume during the warmer months. I love the heartier textures and tastes in salads during this time of year (although it still doesn’t even feel like autumn yet!). Here is a great list of colorful salads to help inspire.
  • Pak Choi {CSA}: here is another way to incorporate the lovely mushrooms you can find locally with our pak choi and green onions. Don’t forget about our Raw Spicy Pak Choi Salad also!
  • Spicy Large Leaf Arugula {M}: I am not a football fan but I would definitely come to your house to watch a game if you made the Feta and Arugula Guacamole recipe below!
  • Spicy Asian Mustard Greens {M}: have you ever eaten Sag Aloo? It is an Indian spinach sauce mixed with chunks of potatoes but I made it recently with kale and mustard greens. It is wonderfully satisfying and delicious but not something many people make at home. It really doesn’t take much time and the sauce can be made ahead and frozen. I will publish a recipe in just a couple of days so keep an eye out!
  • Parsley {M}: here is a completely different type of salad – Parsley and Onion Salad on Grilled Bread. I think this would be a lovely Thanksgiving day appetizer 🙂
  • Cilantro {M}: from hummus to pesto to compound butter, you can surely find inspiration here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recipe :: Feta and Arugula Guacamole

This recipe is from Cook’s Country. It makes 2-1/2 to 3 cups and serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1/2 cup chopped baby arugula
  • 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

Directions:

  • Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Add arugula, jalapeño, onion, lime juice, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and cumin and mash with potato masher (or fork) until mostly smooth.
  • Halve and pit remaining 2 avocados. Carefully make ½-inch crosshatch incisions in flesh with butter knife, cutting down to but not through skin. Insert spoon between skin and flesh, gently scoop out avocado cubes, and add to mashed mixture. Add feta and gently mash until mixture is well combined but still coarse. Season with salt to taste. Serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? It looks like I am not the only one deep into Thanksgiving preparations!