Happy back to school everyone! I’m going to keep it brief but meaningful this week.
Half Shares • Spinach • Eggplant (or zucchini) • Buttercup squash • Grape tomatoes (great for lunches) • Romaine lettuce • Mini red romaine lettuce (a bonus item as it’s teeny) • Carrots • Parsley (if you are adventurous, you may want to try making tabouleh) • Chinese cabbage (tasty in stir-fries and soups) • Raddichio/chicory/turnips/turnip greens • Cantaloupe/watermelon
Whole Shares • Spinach • Eggplant (or zucchini) • Buttercup squash • Grape tomatoes (great for lunches) • Romaine lettuce • Mini red romaine lettuce (a bonus item as it’s teeny) • Carrots • Parsley (if you are adventurous, you may want to try making tabouleh) • Chinese cabbage (tasty in stir-fries and soups) • Raddichio/chicory/turnips/turnip greens • Cantaloupe/watermelon • Field tomatoes • Radish • Red swiss chard • Rhubarb • Zucchini • Green peppers • Beets
And a few ideas for you….
Stuck with zucchini you don’t know what to do with. Try slicing and using the zucchini instead of crust (could work for eggplant also, though you might want to salt the slices and let them sit to reduce bitterness)
Overwhelmed with another watermelon? It makes wonderful juice or smoothies, or can be paired with feta and fresh mint for a delicious salad.
I’m about to try a spinach, tomato and quinoa frittata tonight. Feel free to add your own recipes in the comments sections.
Now is a good time to pause and think- am I getting everything I can out of my Farm Share? Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help, and I will try to make it happen if possible. Are you struggling to use a certain item? Let me know and I can post some recipes for that particular item.
This week we have watermelon for one and all! Let me assure you that the dark flesh is normal for the variety and the insides are a nice juicy pink like the typical supermarket watermelon. However, our melons get to ripen on the vine, since they don’t have to be harvested before they are ready to get prepared for cross-continental travel. I am sure you will taste the difference! I discoveredsome marvellous tips for selecting a ripe melon from one of our Jamaican workers. Apparently they grow watermelon in Jamaica too, which I think is a little unfair considering they are also able to grow tropical fruits like pineapple. Nonetheless, he introduced me to the “knock test”. While a sizeable yellow spot and more visible pattern emerging on the skin are also clues, giving the melon a knock with your knuckes should produce a hollow sound in a ripe melon, reminiscent of coconuts. I will admit that I may have knocked out a few beats while testing the melons.
Stunning flowers of the okra plant- nice enough for a bouquet!
(Feel free to substitute based on what you have: I used an italian mixed cheese, added Italian seasonings and pepper, and substituted some of the eggplant with zucchini based on what I had in my fridge.)
Directions
In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the onions, garlic and Italian ground round. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the ground round is cooked through (about 5 minutes or so).
In the meantime, baste the eggplant slices with olive oil and broil until they are brown around the edges and soft in the center (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove from oven.
Lower the heat to 350°F/180°C
Layer the “lasagna” in an ovenproof dish as follows: • Thin layer of tomato sauce • Layer of eggplant slices • Thin layer of grated mozzarella • All the ground round mixture • Thin layer of sauce • All the ricotta, evenly spread over the sauce • Layer of fresh basil • Rest of the eggplant (I saved a few pieces for garnish) • More sauce • Lots of mozzarella • Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese
Bake for 30-40 minutes. The top will be golden and it will be bubbling around the edges. Serve with salad.
Beef, Beet and Cabbage Soup from www.yummly.com with some extra veggies.
Beef, beet and cabbage soup. Not the world’s prettiest photo, but it was easy, tasty, and satisfying.
I made this up to use leftover beets and other items in my fridge and have something to eat after a long day on the farm. I heated some fresh crusty buns that I had frozen in the oven, and they tasted like freshly baked bread, which made for a nice accompanyment.
Ingredients
2 tsps olive oil
1/2 lb. stewing beef, cut into pieces
1 onion (thinly sliced)
6 small beets cut into quarters
3 carrots, sliced
1-2 cups cabbage, sliced (I used Chinese cabbage)
1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
1 cup of tomatoes, chopped
bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 L of beef broth or veggie broth
Directions
1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil and add the beef chunks. Brown about 10 mins. and trasfer to slow cooker.
2. Add onions to pan and cook about 5 minutes. Add to slow cooker with remainder of ingredients.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Come home to a nice, hot, home-cooked meal and serve with fresh bread, or cheat and heat up previously frozen buns in the oven at 380 degrees. Remember to keep a close eye on them to prevent burning!
