Happy Back to School Everyone!
Ok, maybe it’s happier for the parents sometimes, but I suppose the structure of school makes the freedom of summer all the sweeter for the kids. Here is what will be greeting you on your porch this week:
Half Share
-field tomatoes
-campari tomatoes
-eggplant
-red cabbage
-carrots
-romaine
-red leaf lettuce
-black kale (York and Toronto) and Swiss Chard (Durham and Pickup)
-yellow beans
-green peppers
Whole Share
-field tomatoes
-campari tomatoes
-eggplant
-red cabbage
-carrots
-romaine
-red leaf lettuce
-black kale (York and Toronto) and Swiss Chard (Durham and Pickup)
-yellow beans
-green peppers
-okra
-saladette tomatoes
-beets
-spaghetti squash
-red watermelon
So, what to do with your veggies this week? The peppers are just starting to turn, so we have mostly green peppers with only a few coloured ones. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy them is in fajitas or sweet and sour chicken or pork. Also, green peppers are great for dipping…and may I recommend baba ghanouj (which will find a use for that big and beautiful eggplant as well). Consequently, they are perfect for lunches, along with carrot sticks and mini tomatoes. Consider also how a rather blase sandwich is elevated by a slice of fresh, organic and local tomato and the crunch of fresh lettuce.
You might wonder about apples since it is indeed apple season. Sadly, the warm snap in March followed by the heavy frost has spoiled most of the apple crop. So, likely we will only have enough apples for the whole shares this year. However, it has been a treat to have beans this late in the season and they are looking lovely. We are hoping for another crop of raspberries soon- hopefully they will bear well and we’ll have enough so all can enjoy their sweet-tart deliciousness.
Super Simple Baba Ghanouj (no scouring the grocery store for tahini required)
from www.straightfromthefarm.net
Ingredients
-1 ½ lbs eggplant
-3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
-1 clove garlic, finely minced (I’m sure you could add more if you are a garlic fanatic!)
-1 tsp. Coarse sea salt
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees f. Wash and dry eggplant and prick all over with a sharp knife (to let steam escape). Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Lay eggplant (s) on a single layer on the sheet and place in the oven to roast for about 45 minutes or until eggplant is soft and looks deflated.
2.Allow eggplant(s) to cool completely. Cut the stems off and slice lenthwise. With a spoon, scrape out the flesh (like you do for squash) and place in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend on high until creamy. Serve with raw veggies, pita bread, or as a spread for a sandwich. Makes 1 cup.