CSA and Juice Feast for week of December 3rd

As the holidays draw closer don’t forget to give the gift of health. Each 6 week subscription purchased will come with a free loaf of sourdough or rustic country French bread, a gift certificate and a plantable card. Please contact me for more details.
We are gearing up for rain here on the farm. We are expecting several inches over the next few days. That means that tomatoes are probably going to be in short supply soon. The guys have been digging trenches, planting seed and salvaging crops that might not be tolerant to the rain.

Cindy Dollar is cooking up some Pumpkin Spice Granola this week. Made right here in Goleta, it can be ordered as Certified Organic or Certified Gluten free. Log into our CSA store and order them here. Super delicious and crunchy, locally made! What could be better?

CSA share contains:
BUNCHED SPINACH
CIPPOLINI ONIONS
RED TOMATOES
FENNEL
RED LEAF LETTUCE
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
RED BEETS
CARROTS
BUTTERNUT SQUASH
FUJI APPLES from CUYAMA ORCHARD
BIG SHARE ADD: PERSIMMONS, CARROTS, STRAWBERRIES, CILANTRO, CHERRY TOMATOES

FRUIT EXPANSION INCLUDES: Strawberries, Fuji Apples from Cuyuama Orchards and Persimmons from Regenerative Earth Farms

McKel, the author of nutrition stripped says this about fennel, “If you’ve never tried fennel or are new to using it, it tastes light and refreshing yet with a strong licorice flavor. It’s crunchy and is great to use sliced in raw salads, sauteed, or baked/cooked like it is in this dish. There are two parts to fennel, the bulbs and the stems similar to a carrot and it’s carrot greens, both are edible. Fennel is a great source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, copper, calcium, and a bit of iron. Besides it’s nutrient content, it also contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce cardiovascular risk. The fennel seeds have been used for centuries to help aid digestion along with the essential oil used for natural flavoring and scents.” Check out the link below to find out more.

Try out a delicious looking Butternut Squash Fennel & Apple Galette found at NutritionStripped.com.

Why do butternut, fennel and apples pair so well together? Check out this yummy soup recipe and keep warm this week while you figure out the answer to that question!

Butternut Squash, Apple and Fennel Soup

(I try and find a way to add turmeric into everything and this recipe would do well with a big tablespoon of it. To me, it has a mild taste that would be lost in this soup, but the health benefits would remain.)
Ingredients: 4 Servings
1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 tbsp walnut oil, plus more for serving
1 medium fennel bulb (stalks removed), chopped
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
4 cups roasted butternut squash (recipe below)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground sage
3 cups unsalted or low-sodium vegetable stock
kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
optional garnish: chopped walnuts
Roasted Butternut Squash
•2 butternut squash, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
•olive oil
•kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Roast the butternut squash
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the the squash in an even layer on a sheet pan, and toss with just enough olive oil to coat. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2.Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing half-way through, until the squash is fork-tender and just beginning to brown. Let cool.
Directions:
1.Heat the olive and walnut oils in a large pot over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally until just softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the apple and garlic, and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
2.Add the butternut squash, sage and thyme to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and combined. Add the vegetable stock and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low and let cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat, and using a traditional or immersion blender, blend until smooth. Serve warm with crispy bread, a drizzle of walnut oil and fresh chopped walnuts.
Note from the author:
Depending on the size of your butternut squash, you may end up with slightly more roasted squash than you need for the soup. The squash can be roasted up to a week in advance and kept refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
(Recipe and picture from Fork Knife Swoon)

Roasted Ginger Beets

Ingredients: Serves 6
1 pound beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
1/2 fennel bulb, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch spinach, chopped
◦Handful of walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the beets in a baking dish and drizzle them with half of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beets are tender. When beets are cool enough to handle, scrub off the skins using a paper towel, and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and fennel and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and golden. Season onion mixture with salt and pepper and add garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add maple syrup, mustard and vinegar and stir well to combine.
Add beets, parsley and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Place chopped spinach on a serving platter, toss beet salad and pour it over the spinach. Top with walnuts and serve immediately.
(Recipe and picture from She Knows)

Eat Your Greens Chickpea Medley

Ingredients: Serves 6
for the chickpea medley:
2 cups dried/uncooked chickpeas (makes 5.5-6 cups cooked)
1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
1.5 cups cilantro, large stems removed (or parsley)
3/4 cup red onion, chopped finely
for the dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
3/4 tsp kosher salt + ground pepper
Directions:
1. To cook chickpeas: Soak 2 cups dried chickpeas in a large bowl of water overnight (I find around 12 hours or a bit longer is ideal). Soaking beans makes them digest easier and it also cuts down on cooking time. Drain and rinse the beans in the morning and add to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, until fork tender, about 40 minutes (this will vary depending on how fresh your dried beans are). Feel free to set the timer, walk away, and go about your business!
2. Rinse and drain the spinach and cilantro (or parsley). Spin until dry in a salad spinner.
3. In a food processor, add the spinach and cilantro and pulse until chopped very small. You can do this in a couple batches if your processor is smaller. Add the processed spinach and cilantro, drained cooked chickpeas, and chopped onion into a large bowl and stir.
4. In a small jar, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, maple syrup, and salt.
5. Pour the dressing on top of the spinach chickpea mixture and stir well. Let stand for about 10 minutes (or overnight) to let the flavours develop. Will keep for a few days, or longer, in the fridge.
(Recipe and picture from Oh She Glows)

Juice Feast Contains:
BUNCHED SPINACH
RED TOMATOES
FENNEL
RED BEETS
CARROTS
FUJI APPLES from CUYAMA ORCHARD
STRAWBERRIES
LACINATO KALE
CUCUMBERS
CILANTRO/MINT

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *