My dear community,
Spring is here and we are welcoming strawberries and zucchini this week. Even though we planted zucchini a month earlier this year, we still didn’t receive any significant amount of squash until now. Although we try and test the boundaries of the seasons, surrendering to mother nature is really the way to go.
Friendly reminder veggie pro-tips: storing your veggies correctly will help them last one to two weeks in your fridge no problem. We are picking within 24 hours of you receiving them. That means the produce didn’t sit in a warehouse, on a truck and then on a store shelf. It’s coming straight to your kitchen from our farm. Wash your greens, spin them dry and put them in an airtight container. Removing the tops off your carrots, beets, etc. help keep the moisture in the roots. Strawberries can be lined between paper towels in an airtight container (if you can resist eating them that fast). If they’re not put away correctly in the fridge, however, they will start to wilt. I pulled a bunch of spinach out that I hastily threw onto a fridge shelf last night. It was pretty wilted and if someone else saw it they probably would have suggested tossing it into the compost.:) But I plunged it in a cool bath of water and within 30 minutes it was perky, beautifully green and good as fresh. If I bring a new box home and I still have greens in my fridge, I toss them in the freezer for a smoothie. Having my lettuce cleaned, chopped and ready to go helps me eat more salads as well. Prepping your veggies ahead of time makes a seamless transition to your mouth when time is tight. Hope you enjoy the bounty this week.
Be good to each other.
CSA Contains:
BUNCHED SPINACH
CARROTS
BROCCOLI
STRAWBERRIES
FENNEL
GREEN ZUCCHINI
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
LEEKS
LACINATO KALE
BOX ADD: CARROTS, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, SUGAR SNAP PEAS, GREEN LEAF LETTUCE, RED BEETS
JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
BROCCOLI
STRAWBERRIES
ZUCCHINI
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS
BUNCHED SPINACH
ROMAINE LETTUCE
KALE
FENNEL
BLUEBERRIES
PINK LADY APPLES
RED BEETS
STRAWBERRIES
FRUIT EXPANSION: BLUEBERRIES from OCCIPINTI FARMS and STRAWBERRIES
LETTUCE of the WEEK: GREEN LEAF
Green Goddess Vegan Broccoli Soup
Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 small yellow onion diced
1 leek cleaned and sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 head broccoli
2 cups vegetable broth
1 head of kale chopped and divided
3 tbsp flour
2 cups non dairy milk I used almond milk but coconut milk works too
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Pumpkin seeds for garnish
Kale chips
2 cups kale chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
(Find the full recipe and directions here at The Girl on the Bloor)
Simple Cheesy Zucchini-Kale Fritters
Ingredients:
2 cups zucchini, shredded
2 cups kale, shredded (or finely sliced), massaged, stems removed
1/2 a sweet yellow onion, diced
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp pink himalayan sea salt
3/4 cups blanched almond flour
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Daiya’s Non-dairy Cheddar Style Shreds)
Olive or avocado oil for cooking
Sriracha (to taste)
(Find the full recipe and directions here at Well is More)
Sugar Snap Pea and Fennel Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups sugar snap peas, tough strings removed, cut into thin strips
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into thin strips (reserve a few fronds for garnish)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup toasted walnuts
(Find the full recipe and directions here at Gourmade in the Kitchen)
Roasted Fennel with Garlic & Herbs
Ingredients:
2 large bulbs fennel
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/4 cup parmesan (omit if Dairy Free/Paleo/Vegan)
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Every Last Bite)
Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ghee, butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.
4 leeks, white parts only, sliced thinly
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 medium shallots, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Indian curry powder
1½ pounds broccoli florets (frozen works well, too)
¼ medium apple, peeled and diced small
4 cups bone broth or organic free-range chicken broth
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
(Fnd the full recipe and inspiration here at Nom Nom Paleo)
Paleo Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
½ to 1 cup dairy-free milk from a carton
2 cups curly kale
4 cups baby spinach
1 medium banana, , fresh or frozen
6 pieces strawberries, , fresh or frozen
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tsp hemp seeds, , optional
1 to 1 ¼ cups ice
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at I Heart Umami)