Sometimes things seem more complicated than they really are. We think eating delicious and healthy meals falls in that category sometimes. We really enjoy the way our family eats healthy, and we prepare very simple meals. We don’t use many recipes, and the ones we use are mostly for sauces/dressings to spice up our already-delicious vegetables. Here’s roasted vegetables (beets and squash) with wilted greens:
Another variation is roasted squash, turnip, and tofu on top of salad greens:
All that’s needed for these is to slice the vegetables, roast in the oven with fat of choice and salt, and season lightly with your choice of sauce/dressing/herb blend. If you’re not up for making your own, purchase a bottled or blended option. Add protein and greens. Add carbs/grains if you eat them. Done!
And how about those greens/stems/green garlic leaves? We keep recommending that you make stock, but we know that many people think that sounds like too-big-of-a-project. We’re here to convince you that it’s not.
This bag of vegetable scraps is non-intimidating. It’s easy. And it doesn’t take up very much room. This is how we like to prepare to make vegetable stock, which you can use to make soup or use as the liquid in making any cooked grain (rice, barley, farro, wheat berries, etc.)
Simply take any vegetable parts that you won’t be eating (see the list above) and stockpile them (no pun intended!!) into a bag or container in the freezer. When your container is full, or when you have two containers worth full, empty them into a big pot with water high enough to cover the vegetable scraps. Add some salt if you wish (this puts it in the “broth” category instead of “stock”, bring it to a boil, and then simmer for 45 minutes to 4 hours or more (different people have different preferences). Or – you can put this all in a slow cooker and let it roll in there for 8 hours or so. When it’s done, strain off (and hopefully compost) the vegetable material and use the liquid in the way that you choose. It can be put in a jar and kept in the fridge for about a week or so. Or – you can freeze the stock/broth and use it later.
Have we made it easier for you? We hope so. Let us know if you have questions. We’re happy to talk vegetables. And flowers!! Sunflower Bouquets are at market this weekend. We have loved picking them this week. We need some sun, even if its in the form of sunflowers.
Saturday’s Farm Share will most likely include:
Salad Mix, Cucumbers, Garlic Scapes, Green Garlic, Beets, Summer Squash, and Kale (at Brandermill) OR Rainbow Chard (at St. Stephens)
**We have a Facebook group for our CSA members. If you are new or simply haven’t joined yet, please join here. It’s a great place for menu inspiration, recipe sharing, and general question asking and answering.
On the horizon: Bulb onions. Cabbage. Broccoli. Tomatoes! {See below for the one picked today. Just one. Let’s hope the plants don’t die in this next onslaught of rain.}
Vegetable Notes & Recipe Suggestions…also cataloged on our Recipe Page and see our Pinterest Page
Salad Mix – Make (or buy) Goddess Dressing. It’s delicious! (Or – you can purchase Goddess Dressing herb mix to make your homemade version easier.)
Cucumbers – These delights are finally coming into abundance, so you have more in your share this week. Make Dill Cucumber Salad (using dried dill also works in this recipe), or simply slice (or dice) and toss with salt and pepper to make a light salad.
Garlic Scapes – In case you missed this lesson last week: These are the tender tops of the type of garlic that we grow. Saute or grill them with the fat of your choice and add salt. They are fabulous! We serve them as a side dish with anything. You can cut them into small pieces or cook them whole, which makes for a wild and slightly unrule presentation. In general, treat them like Asparagus. They bring the added benefit of mild (when cooked) garlic flavor. This is the last of the scapes. They are fleeting!
Green Garlic – This is the last of our Green Garlic. If it’s too much for you to use during these few weeks, just cut and freeze, or freeze whole. Then use it when you are ready!
Beets – Cube and roast with a dash of fat and salt. Or if you don’t really want to eat beets but instead want to eat chocolate cake, then make Red Beet Chocolate Cake.
Summer Squash – Dice or shave and use raw in a salad with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, with nuts and/or cheese. See Shaved Summer Squash Salad. Or saute with garlic and/or onions and salt and pepper. Also delicious and easy to fool kids into eating squash: Summer Squash with Quinoa and Walnuts (dice the squash small to make easier for kids’ small mouths).
Kale – We add Kale (and/or Chard) to recipes like the Summer Squash/Quinoa recipe above, but also really love Kale Chips.
Rainbow Chard – As simple as Sauteed Chard with Garlic and Lemon or stepped up as Eggs Nested in Sauteed Chard and Mushrooms, Rainbow Chard is as beautiful as it is delicious.
STORAGE TIPS –
Bunched Greens (Kale, Chard, etc.) – Keep refrigerated in a air tight bag or container. If they wilt, slice a fresh cut on the stems and put in a glass of water like a vase of flowers. They will rehydrate.
Cucumbers – Keep refrigerated and dry in a container, perhaps with a towel to absorb any liquid as they “sweat.”
All Root Vegetables (Beets and Green Garlic this week) – Keep refrigerated in a sealed bag or container, ideally with roots and tops separated in different containers, to prevent tops and roots from getting wilty. Most tops can be prepared/cooked in some way. If you are at a loss for how to prepare the tops, include them in a batch of Vegetable Stock.
Bagged Greens and Herbs – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.
Our harvest for Saturday’s farmers’ markets will include:
Arugula, Broccolini, Rainbow Chard, Cucumbers, Green Garlic, Hearty Greens Mix, Curly Kale, Kohlrabi, Microgreens, Mint, Parsley, Radishes, Salad Mix, Summer Squash, Sunflowers…plus our Organic Hearth Baked Bread (Sunny Greens, Whole Rye, Raisin, & Seed loaves for this weekend) and Tomato Chutney.
{Our farmstand is open Thurs & Friday with most of the above items…see here for updated inventory}
Anything remaining after CSA shares are distributed and our farm stand is shopped (plus the bread we bake Saturday morning)… we’ll bring on Saturday to the Brandermill Green Market or the Farmer’s Market @ St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the West End of Richmond. Keep an eye on what we have available via the online farmers’ markets: FallLineFarms.com and Local Roots Food Coop.
{Best we can do so far with the 2018 group of crew and friends!}
Enjoy ~
Janet, Dan, & the whole Broadfork crew
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