Getting more bang from your box

Some of you may be old hands at using vegetables to their fullest in your kitchen.  Some of you may not have seen carrot leaves before this season of CSA and farmer's market shopping.  I keep finding new ways that I'm underutilizing the veggies that I bring home, and most of what I don't eat is fed to my chickens and turned into eggs!  Here is a short list of tips and tactics to get more bang from your box (and for several items you might not have seen yet but that you might have brought home from the market).

* Compost it.  If you don't already have a compost bin or don't have room, but you do have a flower or garden patch, try burying your veggie scraps in strips between your plants.  Bury a little, then move over six inches and bury the next batch.  Your soil will improve.

* Soup stock it.  The bottoms of lettuce, peels of carrots, ends of bok choy, wilted but not liquified spinach leaves, outsides of onions, and general leftovers from chopping things up have a lot of flavor and nutrients in them.  Save them in a bag in the freezer until you have several big handfuls, then boil them for half an hour or so in water to cover.  Strain it, salt it, and freeze it in baggies, and you'll have flavorful stock that beats a bouillon cube any day.

* Drink the broth.  Any time you've blanched or steamed a veggie, a significant portion of the nutrients have gone into the water.  Drink that as a clear soup, or use it to start a soup stock (see above), so that you're not losing all those healthy bits.  At the very least, let it cool and water your houseplants.  (This is one of my guiltier items -- I always get lazy and just drain the veggies so I can eat them.)

* Eat the tops.  Beet greens are a lot like chard -- be sure to cut them off before storing the beets, and you can simmer, sauté, or turn a soup red.  Carrot greens are remarkably tasty and hold up well to all kinds of treatment -- soup additions, mixed into a stir fry, or tempura battered and deep fried.  Onion tops are just as edible as leeks and scallions, though they get a little sunburned and thick late in the season.

* Freeze it.  Squishy or bruised fruit isn't a pleasure to snack on, but it eats all the same because it is just very ripe.  Freeze apricots and berries that arrive too ripe and put them into muffins or smoothies later.

Do you have any tips or ideas?  Post them in the comments!

Real Food: what to do with the bugs, dirt and other residue

Photo Courtesy of Men's Journal

Hello There...

 As you read through the list, there are some things we won't need to worry about with our sustainably grown produce. However, it is a great guide for the bugs, dirt, and other organic residue.

How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables


•Start by keeping your kitchen countertops, refrigerator, cookware and cutlery clean.
•Always wash your hands before preparing meals and handling fruits and vegetables.
•Keep fresh greens, fruits and vegetables away from uncooked meats to avoid cross-contamination.
•Choose healthy looking, ripe fruits and vegetables when you shop. Avoid bruised, moldy and mushy produce.
•Wait until just before you eat or prepare your fruits and vegetables to wash them. Fruits and vegetables have natural coatings that keep moisture inside, and washing them will make them spoil sooner.
•Wash all pre-packaged fruits and vegetables, even if the label claims they are pre-washed.
•Wash all parts of your fruits and vegetables, even if you don't plan on eating them. Bacteria can live on the rind of an orange or the skin of a cucumber, for example. Though you may peel them away and toss them in the trash, the bacteria can be transferred from the outside of the fruit or vegetable to the knife you use to cut them, and then onto the parts you will be eating.
•Gently rub fruits and vegetables under running water. Don't use any soaps, detergents, bleaches or other toxic cleaning chemicals. These chemicals will leave a residue of their own on your produce.
•Commercial sprays and washes sold for cleaning vegetables really aren't any better than cleaning thoroughly with plain water, so don't waste your money on them.
•Firmer fruits and vegetables, such as apples and potatoes, can be scrubbed with a vegetable brush (buy direct) while rinsing with clean water to remove dirt and residues.
•Remove and discard the outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage heads, and thoroughly rinse the rest of the leaves.
•Rinse berries and other small fruits thoroughly and allow them to drain in a colander.

Remember that the fruits and vegetables you buy may look clean when you pick them out at the grocery store, but you can't see bacteria or chemicals. Your fruits and vegetables still need to be washed before you eat them or serve them to guests or family members. This is especially important for produce and greens that are eaten raw.

Thank you About.com for this posting. Comments? Please email me at produce@zoegarden.com.

Jessica

Simple Ways To Use Your Share

Photo Courtesy of Terry Walters

There are so many advantages to investing your time and money into a CSA. I am sure each of you have a particular reason that resonates most with you. However, there is something very different when you are given particular items instead of picking out what you would like for that week from the market. Combine that with any time constraints and all of a sudden a fridge full of fresh produce is hard to transform into something satisfying. What I try to remember when I am in the middle of my week is that with fresh sustainably grown produce the simpler the better.

So…how can the food we receive in our shares translate to a simple, delicious breakfast, lunch or even food you would eat on a road trip? Here are some ideas.


Dressings and Dips

They are able to complement any fresh green or lightly sautéed green. Combine that with legumes or grains that you have prepared in larger portions, and you have a quick, satisfying meal.

Simple Dressings: Both of these recipes for dressings are from Clean Food by Terry Walters. Compare the ingredients and notice how with only one or two ingredients, such as a different fruit juice, you can have a new dressing.

Apricot Vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, minced
1 small shallot, minced
Juice of 2 Meyer lemons
1⁄4 cup apricot juice
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt


Pomegranate Vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
1⁄3 cup pomegranate juice
1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon zesty honey mustard
Sea salt

Simple Dips: There are so many recipes for dips, but here are a few ideas from Clean Food. Try dipping your radishes, peas or I am even going to try to julienne my baby kohlrabi to create a dish reminscent of cole slaw.

Lemony Artichoke Dip

Green Goddess Dip

Satisfying Breakfast Ideas

photo courtesy of Progressive Pioneer

Green Smoothies: Progressive Pioneer is a wonderful blog to get great ideas forsimple yet delicious recipes. For a variation to this recipe try blending any variety of frozen or fresh fruit with some beet greens, green amaranth leaf, or Buttercrunch lettuce. If you are using fresh fruit you may want to add ice cubes or frozen plain yogurt to achieve the consistency of a smoothie.

Salad for breakfast? Although I do not initially crave it, a fresh salad has always kept me satisfied throughout the morning. Experiment with different greens for your salads. Try beet greens (which are a little sweeter), cranberries, sunflower seeds and a little oil and vinegar. Or mix in a bit of your dandelion greens with some of the Buttercrunch lettuce. Adding any type of legume, nut, seed, or hard boiled egg makes it a little more filling.

Photo Courtesy of The Star

Sautéing for breakfast? In Clean Food by Terry Walters she has a delicious recipe “Bok Choy and Chickpeas with Cashews”. Try using any of the greens we recieve in our share as a substitute for the Bok Choy.

Food On-The-Go

Whether it is a road trip or lunch here are some alternatives to soup, salads and sandwiches.

photo courtesy of Simple Organic

Sushi: If you need something quick and portable for lunch why not put together a sushi roll with some shingiku or finely chopped scapes? Also, instead of sushi rice try using quinoa for extra protein and nutrients.

Summer Rolls: Follow the link for a vegetarian recipe for summer rolls. Terry Walters also has delicious ideas for fresh rolls in her book like "Summer Rolls with Lemon Basil Pesto" or "Pad Thai Summer Rolls with Tamarind Dipping Sauce". My favorite part about her recipes is that her sauces do not use sugar.

Wraps: Create a delicious wrap by spreading cream cheese or any dip onto a tortilla and then adding any combo of fresh lettuce, herbs, greens, and any other favorites you have like  green apple slices, meat, peppers, julienned carrots, etc.

Email me at produce@zoegarden.com with how you use your share when you don't have a lot of time.

Wishing you a quick, nourishing meal when you need one,
 
Jessica
 
What was with all of the mention of Clean Food? Not an intentional plug because there are so many books on the market for cooking with fresh ingredients, but Terry Walters has crafted a book that is rooted in seasonal recipes that offer options without sugar, eggs, dairy, wheat or meat, but are flexible enough to include those items if you choose.