Hello Folks! Welcome to week 4 of your CSA! We hope you enjoyed your vegetables from last week, and were able to try some new recipes. I know the radishes have been in abundance and if there are any leftover from your previous box, try roasting them in the oven for an easy and delicious way to enjoy this great root vegetable. I just learned this myself, never thought to roast a radish!! I will also add an easy "Greens" slow cooker recipe, just in case yall have some greens left too. Make some room, because this week's box has some new and exciting items!
The farm has been quite enjoyable. The weather last week was awesome! Perfect and sunny days followed by crisp and cool nights. But It seems all good things must come to an end. We have a bad storm coming in and we are rushing to get all the winter squash out of the field and stored. Van has made some crafty storage bins out of old tomato stakes! Such a creative, resourceful farmer. Also, Van, thankfully, has had some help with the deer from a couple volunteers that have come out and hunted with him!
We are very excited to give you all a kabocha pumpkin next week. This guy can be cooked and made into a tastey pie or bread. I will include a recipe next week for one oh so yummy pie that I got from Leigh, owner of Salad Days. So keep that in mind when preparing for your festivities. We look forward to a big CSA pick up on Tuesday next week! With two location options, M7 in Ridgeland or at Two Dog in Flora. We hope that you can meet and mingle with other CSA members and talk about vegetables and recipes. This will be the ONLY day scheduled to pick up for the week of Thanksgiving. We hope this helps with everyone that will be traveling or busy with company. We will send out an email this week with further details.
We hope yall have a wonderful week, and are able to get in the kitchen, make some delicious meals, and enjoy with great company. Here are the contents of this week's harvest:
1. Broccoli
2. Cauliflower- a member of the brassica family. We love to roast this guy in the oven covered in some Frank's hot sauce. It's like an awesome healthy chicken wing. There are two recipes. One is vegan.
3. Green Head Cabbage- your classic head of cabbage. The recipe down below is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to eat your cabbage! I suggest giving it a try. And for the bacon lovers, it is so awesome to add a slice of bacon, cut in half on top of the cabbage slices. YUM.
4. Spaghetti Squash- roast this guy in the oven like any other winter squash. It really is a great substitute for noodles when eating spaghetti! Give it a try!
5. Tomatoes
6. Lettuce- a delicious head from our friends at Salad Days.
7. Yukina Savoy- this is an Asian green, with young tender leaves and stalks that are excellent for salad mix and stir-fry dish. It makes a great substitute for spinach and looks/cooks about the same.
8. Dinosaur Kale- also known as Tuscan kale, or lacinato kale. It is an incredibly hearty cooking green. Or try raw as well.
9. Puerto Rican Oregano- smells and tastes just like oregano. Found this interesting: Called Oregano brujo is a versatile plant with many uses. Nowadays the leafs are primarily used to season meat but traditionally they've been used to treat illnesses such as coughs, sore throats, indigestion and even infections. Because of its strong smell, the plant can also be used as an insect and pest repellant in your garden.
BUFFALO ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
YIELD: 2-4 servings
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 20-30 minutes
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup hot sauce
blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil, salt and pepper, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400F/200C oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
Toss cauliflower in the hot sauce and enjoy warm with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping and celery sticks on the side.
"VEGAN BREADED BUFFALO ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH "RANCH""
YIELD: 2-4 servings
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 50-60 minutes
1 head of cauliflower (approx. 4-5 cups of florets)
1/2 C unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond or soy work best)
1/2 C water
3/4 C all-purpose flour (can sub gluten-free rice flour)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp of paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp earth balance buttery spread
1 C frank's red hot sauce
Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 450 F.
Wash and cut cauliflower head into bite sized pieces/florets.
Mix all the ingredients (minus the earth balance and hot sauce, this is added separately!) into a mixing bowl.
The batter shouldn't be so thick that it doesn't drip, but also not so thin that it doesn't coat or stick to the cauliflower.
NOTE: if you're using rice flour you may need to add a little more liquid to get the batter the right consistency. It tends to be slightly thicker.
Dip each floret into the mixture and coat evenly. Tap off the excess a couple of times on the side of the bowl.
Lay florets in an even layer on the parchment lined baking sheet without over crowding.
NOTE: parchment paper or a silpat mat is essential in preventing the batter from coming off throughout baking! We've tried oiling the baking sheets and they tend to stick. You need parchment paper!
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown, flipping the florets over half way through to get all sides golden brown and crispy.
While the cauliflower is baking get your ranch dip and wing sauce ready. In a small saucepan on low heat melt earth balance and mix in hot sauce. Remove from the heat just as it starts to melt. Stir together and set aside.
Once the cauliflower is done it's first bake in the batter, remove them from the oven and put all the baked florets into a mixing bowl with the wing sauce and toss to coat evenly, or you can do this in smaller batches. Then spread all the florets in wing sauce out onto the same baking sheet. Bake in the oven for another 25 minutes, flipping the florets over half way through.
NOTE: using gluten-free rice flour may vary bake time and everyone's oven is different. Watch the florets at both stages and adjust bake time accordingly!
RANCH DIP INGREDIENTS
1 C wildwood zesty garlic aioli (or vegan mayonnaise of your choice)
1/8 C non-dairy milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp dill
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp chives
If you use a regular vegan mayonnaise without garlic in it, then you might also want to add 1 tsp of garlic powder.
Finely chop the fresh dill, parsley and chives. Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth.
Alternatively (and this is how I prepare the ranch) you can blend together vegan mayonnaise, non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt and ground pepper in a blender. Pour the dip into a jar or serving bowl and stir in the fresh herbs. Refrigerate before serving.
ROASTED CABBAGE SLICES
YIELD: 2-4 servings
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
1 head of cabbage
3 tablespoons (or more) of oil-coconut oil, olive oil, tallow, etc
Salt and Pepper to taste (I used about a tablespoon of each)
Optional: 1 teaspoon of favorite herbs like basil, oregano, caraway seeds, dill, etc.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Slice the cabbage starting at the top of the head so that the inner pieces for circles within the slices. Aim for ¼-1/2 inch slices.
Oil a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place the cabbage on the baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining oil. You may need to melt it if using a solid oil like coconut oil or tallow.
Sprinkle with desired spices (it is even delicious with just Himalayan salt !) and place in the oven.
Roast for 35-40 minutes or until tender in the middle and sides are just starting to turn golden brown. Remove and serve.
I enjoy this plain or topped with an over-easy egg for breakfast.
Enjoy!
SLOW COOKER GREENS
YIELD: 2-4 servings
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 4-6 hours
2 cans (10.75 ounces) beef stock (I used Chicken)
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 chop chopped onion
1 cup fully cooked ham, diced
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
various greens (collard, turnip, radish, braising mix) de-stemmed and finely chopped or roughly torn
Place beef stock, diced tomatoes with green chiles, onion, ham, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, seasoned salt, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf in a slow cooker. Add greens to slow cooker. Cook on “low,” stirring occasionally, until greens are very tender, 4 to 6 hours