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 :: May 11th, 2016

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Hello,

We have a couple new items at market this week: carrots, escarole and beet greens! See below for more information and tasty ways to use these items.

Alice O’Dea is following up her post on 2 ingredients cookies with 2 ingredient pizza crust! Making homemade pizza is delicious but I am often dissuaded by making the crust. Now I don’t have any excuses.

See you tomorrow at market!

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May 11th Produce

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

  • Sweet Baby Carrots {M/CSA}: if you are interested in lacto-fermenting but aren’t sure where to start, read through our recent post with tips and tricks to help you get started. Once you have the basics down, give these recipes a try: Carrot, Radish & Apple Ferment and Purslane & Carrot Ferment.
  • Ford Hook & Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: since you are saving so much time on the crust, why not spend a little extra and make caramelized onions for this Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Ricotta and Chard recipe.
  • Siberian & Red Kale Mix {M/CSA}: I love this Easy White Bean and Kale Hummus. It’s a fun change from chickpea based hummus and a recipe I come back to over and over.
  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: have you ever put collard greens in a smoothie? I haven’t tried it as I always think they need to be cooked to death. Why not try it with this Banana Orange Collard Green Smoothie?
  • Natacha Escarole {M/CSA}: aren’t familiar with escarole? Not to worry – it is versatile and can be used both raw and in cooked applications. Here is a good place to start.
  • Red Leaf Lettuce {M/CSA}: a salad is something I think one should be able to put together without a recipe. Check out our post on The Essential Elements to a Satisfying Salad to find out where to start.
  • Scarlet Salad Turnips {CSA}: I rarely using canning as a preservation method as I find so many other options that are easier. I think this recipe for Lemon-Pickled Turnips would work just as well as a quick pickle.
  • Red Kitten Spinach {M}: unless you have been hiding under a rock, you know that spinach is good for you food. But did you know it is this good for you? Seriously, we all need to eat more!
  • Beet Greens {M}: these greens can be used in so many ways, but I love the suggestions on this post: barley salad with lemon, goat cheese and scallions; mixed with ricotta to make a beet green crostini; and stir-fried and served with rice and a fried egg.
  • Edible Mild & Spicy Asian Flowers {M}: one of our loyal patrons, Jerri, posted a picture of lettuce cups topped with our edible flowers. She filled Bibb lettuce with kamut, edamame, corn, fresh herbs & the flowers and topped it with a kale tahini lime sauce. Yum!
  • Peppermint {M}: lemon and mint seem like a natural pairing, not to mention perfect flavors for spring and summer. Why not turn your mint into a Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette to use with all of the salad greens?

Weekly Farm Notes :: May 4th, 2016

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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 9th, 2016

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Hello,

We are in between CSA sessions currently with the “Walking to Spring” session starting March 16th or 23rd. It is currently full but we may open more shares so please check back with us if interested!

See you tomorrow at market!

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March 9th Produce

Here are the items you can expect at Market:

  • Toscano & Red Russian Kale: I am always trying to get my 2-year-old son to eat more vegetables. He is a good eater but plain sauteed greens are a bit much to ask. Smoothies are a great option but so is anything in bread form. Last week I made Vegetable Packed Pancakes and they were a big hit! They aren’t sweet so you can eat them as is, with a yogurt sauce or on the side of any number of main dishes.
  • Swiss Chard: if you are in a chard rut, check out this list of tasty recipes (Swiss chard taco wraps?! Yah, that’s happening). Remember, don’t throw away the stems!
  • Tender Collards: I love preserving seasonal produce but collards always seemed like a tough option. You could add them to soup or sauce but I wanted something a bit different. If this sounds familiar, you may like our Collard Green Relish recipe. It’s a great balance of sweet, tangy and spicy. It’s delicious with crackers a cheese!
  • Radishes: there is a great new recipe on the Main Street Farmers Market blog for Grains and Greens Salad. These are the type of recipes I love – a good base but with plenty of room for experimenting.
  • Peppery Arugula & Spicy Wasabi Arugula Flowers: with Spring right around the corner, it feels fitting to add edible flowers to our meals. If you aren’t sure how to use them, check out this link for more information.
  • Peppermint: basil isn’t the only herb that works well in pesto – mint is a great option, too! Check out the Mint & Pistachio Pesto recipe below.
  • Chickweed: there are lots of chickweed pesto and salad recipes out there but if you want something a bit different, try this Chickweed Pakoras recipe. It’s on my list for the week!
  • Dead Nettle & Henbit: if you look down as you walk around, I bet you will see a ton of Dead Nettle and Henbit growing (check out this link to identify both). I wouldn’t suggest picking any if you don’t know if it has been sprayed or not. You can feel rest assured ours is chemical free so pick some up and try this Dead Nettle and Henbit Pistou!

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Recipe :: Mint & Pistachio Pesto

  • Ingredients
    • 3 medium garlic cloves, skin left on
    • 1 cup (1 ounce) packed mint leaves
    • 2-1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
    • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) pistachios
    • Juice of one medium lime (2 tablespoons / 1 ounce)
    • 1/3 cup neutral oil (I used grapeseed oil)
    • 2 tablespoons of water (if needed)
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Directions
    • Heat a small traditional skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic cloves and cook, turning occasionally, until they are softened and the skins are charred, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and when cool enough to handle, remove the skins.  Mince and add to a food processor.
    • Add the remaining ingredients except the water and process until mostly broken down but still slightly chunky, about 10-15 one-second pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl when needed.  Thin with a little water or additional oil if needed.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

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Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? I love learning about new dishes, so was excited to read all about an Indian soup called rasam.