Local Food

We've made some new friends this year who grow their produce much closer to home than many of the sellers at the farmers' market. I love that I can order produce mid-week and pick it up at the farm (which ensures a continual supply of freshly made salsa!)

The girls and I drove over yesterday to pick up our order. We enjoyed chatting with Will and Keli who offered to let us drive around the farm. Well...I wasn't going to let such a generous offer pass me by. :)

This Week's Meal Plan

A telltale sign of seasonal eating is repetition. It's a necessity, really. If you find something you love, you better have it as often as you want because veggies come and go all too quickly!

This week's trip to the market yielded a nice surprise - garlic scapes! I discovered them last year and, due to house construction, wasn't able to put in my own garlic bed in the fall to ensure my supply.

Farmer's Market Finds

Here's what we bought this week and what we plan to do with it...

Black Bean Burgers
Broccoli-Spinach Omelettes with biscuits
Carrot Top Soup
Spinach Garden Salad with Pineapple Dressing
    and Chapati
Fresh Pea Soup
Nova Scotia Hodgepodge
Radish Top Soup (which we will undoubtedly eat at least once a week until radishes are gone. We love this soup!)





It might be hard to top our Memorial Day supper, though....

Burgers on these delicious, easy-to-make buns, lightly steamed veggies, deviled eggs, freshly-squeezed lemonade and these cookies for dessert.

Berry Pickin'

The recipe for the sugar-free jam (left) required added
pectin which, I think, is why it retained so much color.
(Or maybe I totally messed it up. This is my first foray
into the world of powdered pectin. I don't think I like it
very much...)

A couple of weeks ago, my best-est canning friend and I drove out to a farm outside town and picked gallons and gallons of strawberries.

We learned a valuable lesson, too. The week we went was the 'peak' time to pick according to the farmer. There was no shortage of large, perfectly ripe berries and every row had plenty. A trip out a week later meant a longer picking time as you had to search for good (though smaller) berries.

I made two types of jam, one being sugar-free for my dad. I also put two gallons in the freezer for muffins and smoothies. We're delighting in the freshness of the season right now but I know some strawberry bread in the dead of winter will be a lovely treat!

• • •

One random 'berry' note...

Berries of any kind always remind me of a board book my parents gave S when he was little. Called Jamberry, it's a super cute story of a boy and a bear frolicking through the joys of the season. I never tired of reading it to the kids which is more than I can say for a bunch of other kid books....

Farmer's Market Finds

Broccoli, sprouted lentils, summer sausage, radishes
asparagus, basil, lettuce mix, early peas, raw goat milk
cottage cheese and strawberries

Here's my meal plan for this week based on what the girls and I bought. I'm adding a page to my blog as an index for all the recipes I write about. It's going to take a few days to get them all listed but, hopefully, it'll help if something sounds yummy to you!

Supper...

• Radish Top Soup with Honey-Oat Rolls (Tessa has been stalking the farmers' tents on Saturdays in anticipation of radishes for this soup!)
• Black bean and corn fajitas, salad
• Salad with lentils, toasted baguette with pesto
• My Random Skillet Supper -- I came up with this Hamburger Helper-style dish one evening when I had little time and no game plan. It's easy to adjust to whatever I have on hand and is a family favorite. The general 'recipe' is a pound of ground beef or chicken, pasta (from our CSA which I'm trying desperately to use up), home-canned tomatoes or tomato juice and my homemade chili or taco seasoning. 
• Black Bean Burgers on wheat rolls, steamed broccoli

I split a pound of sausage for:

• Sausage-spinach-swiss omelettes with roasted asparagus 
• Homemade pizza with sausage and fresh basil

Lunch...

• Radish Spread sandwiches
• Honey-Oat Rolls with summer sausage and goat cottage cheese, blanched peas
• Leftover pizza (which is the kids' favorite lunch!)
• Egg salad sandwiches
• Fresh Pea Soup

Breakfast...

• Strawberry Bread
• Whole Wheat Waffles
• Strawberry-Cream Cheese Granola
• Banana Bread (because everyone suddenly stopped eating the bananas lying around...)

And, last but not least, this divine dessert...

Strawberry Shortcake with
freshly whipped cream - YUM!

One Window Closes As Another Opens

CSA yumminess from last summer

Today was the last delivery for the winter CSA season and we are not renewing our share for the summer season. I must admit I already feel a little unhinged from my usual food supply. (No comments, please, about my being unhinged in general...)

With a big garden in the making, my funds have been shifted to that effort. I know I'll miss the variety of things we've received but there's always the farmer's market to peruse!

Portugese Kale-Potato Soup

Living outside the city definitely encourages creativity in the kitchen. I loathe driving into town for just one or two stops. Yesterday was one of those days that I didn't think I could come up with anything for supper. But, alas, I was wrong.

I had some Russian kale leftover from our last CSA share so I made this soup. Served it with whole wheat buttermilk cornbread, it was one of the most deliciously filling meals I've made. Since I did not have the chorizo it called for, I added more veggies. Unfortunately, the lack of sausage rendered it very bland (note the recipe calls for no salt or pepper). We salted at the table but, honestly, that wasn't quite enough for my better half. Next time, I'll get the chorizo!!

Summer CSA - Week 18

I was delighted to find some early summer favorites in our share this week. Green beans, beets, greens - oh how I missed you!!

Summer CSA - Week 16

Here's what we got last week. I also scored at the farmer's market over the weekend -- I've made a habit of asking farmers if they having any canning tomatoes (slightly bruised or overripe) on hand that they'd sell to me. One man sold me fourteen pounds for $5!! I think he was as happy about the deal as I was since he was just going to throw them away. It wasn't enough to break out the canner for but it made for a nice batch of spaghetti!

Summer CSA - Week 15

This week's share included cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, peaches, okra, bell and hot peppers and eggplant.

Summer CSA - Week 13 & 14

Last week, we got tomatoes, peas, corn, melon, bell peppers, potatoes, squash and eggplant. This week (below), our share contained corn, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, okra, zucchini, blackberries, jalapenos, and bell peppers.

The Blueberry Farm

Earlier this week, the girls and I visited a pick-your-own blueberry farm and pick we did. Even though it was super hot, we picked sixteen pounds!!
It was a very nice farm with seven acres of non-sprayed bushes. We were told that there were several varieties of blueberries and that we could sample as we went. I never would have believed that blueberries could taste so different. There was one that, blindfolded, I would have guessed was a small grape it was so sweet.
I have frozen about half of them for muffins and breads this winter and will can my second batch of jam tomorrow. How many have I eaten? I really can't say...a lot but I've enjoyed every single one!!

Summer CSA - Week 11 (or Yes, I Do Know That I'm The World's Worst Blogger)

Well, I've made good progress on my kitchen project to the neglect of most everything else in my life. (Except running. This is week three back on the trails!!) I'm hoping to paint the walls this weekend so I can post a pic.

Last week's share included lots of deliciousness...corn, heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, pattypan squash and potatoes. With the kids gone all week, we didn't eat much of this until the weekend. Sunday, we grilled out and the girls made some skewered veggies. I chopped up the leftovers for tonight's pizza.

I'm gonna share an embarrassing little fact because it epitomizes the week I had last week. I just grabbed a bunch of stuff out of the refrigerator for the grilled veggies, not realizing one of them was a cucumber. I was so exhausted I took it for zucchini. Grilled zucchini? Delish! Grilled cucumber? Not so much. So check out my poor, little desecrated cucumber below and laugh...I am.

Summer CSA - Week 10

We had a great relaxing beach vacation last week with C's high school buddies. We were five families with eighteen kids ranging from 14 years to 2 months...never a dull moment, for sure. We shared a huge house on the beachfront which made things so easy. The kids could run back and forth for water and the restroom and it was easy to station adults to supervise both at the beach and the pool. The men cooked supper every night and handled all the cleanup. I really, really missed being in the kitchen but I know it was a lot easier for the mothers of the younger ones.  I got my fix by making breakfast a few mornings and desserts at night.

Another thing I missed was our CSA delivery. The uncertainty of what we receive is a highlight of my week. Not sure what that says about the excitement factor of my life but oh, well...

This week our share included a sugar baby (I think) watermelon, tomatoes, patty pan squash, summer squash, cucumber, carrots, red potatoes, yellow cherry tomatoes, rattlesnake green beans and corn*. Would it be awful if I cooked this all at once for the yummiest feast ever?!? I bought some extras off the truck - two large watermelons, two cantaloupes, three pints of blueberries (one of which I ate half of for dessert--oops) and more cherry tomatoes. I forgot to buy green peppers which have become our new raw veggie of choice and should have bought more cucumbers. Those don't last long around here either.

*If you find a worm munching on the top of your ears of corn, count yourself lucky. Apparently, that's reliable indicator that your food hasn't been sprayed with pesticides. They normally only work their way through the tiny kernels at the top which are hard for us to eat anyway. So, bring on the worms!

NOTE: I'm having issues with transferring photos to my laptop. I'll update with the pic when I get that worked out.

Oven-Roasted Kale

My friend and blog reader, Steffany, sent me this recipe. I had heard people rave about kale chips before but had never made them. That was my loss - they are awesome! My son did all the work himself with the exception of adding the salt. Wouldn't you know that I messed up that tiny task...I put in too much. Oh well, they'll be fabulous next time! :)

Oven-Roasted Kale - serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

2 bunches kale
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rinse kale and pat dry thoroughly. Remove and discard thick ribs and roughly chop leaves. Pat leaves dry again. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Kale does not need to be in a single layer, as it will shrink in volume as it cooks. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so, until leaves are tender, crisp on edges and slightly browned. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Nutrition: Per serving (About 3oz/83g-wt.): 100 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 3g protein, 5g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 0g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium

Friday Challenge

This weekend, take your kids (or just yourself!) to a farmers market. (Go here to find one.) I can tell you it has really become a sticking point on our calendar. If your kids are picky eaters, please let them surprise you. Just as children love petting zoos, they will be charmed by the array of offerings and knowledge that is available. Wander, talk to people, taste samples if they're offered.


You might be surprised at what your kids ask you to buy. A powerful sensory relationship is forged when a child hand-packs a vegetable and then helps prepare it for eating. A green bean means something completely different to a kid who has dug his/her fingers into a basket and selected handfuls and then snapped them for cooking. When my youngest asked me to buy Shiitake mushrooms a few weeks ago, I thought silently that she'd never eat them unless they were smothered in a sauce of some sort. Shut my mouth because she loves them sauteed with garlic and olive oil! She looks forward to making that purchase herself every Saturday.

Creating a powerful connection with food and the people who labor to bring it to you, though, is only part of the benefit. When you trade your cash for food, know that you are literally voting for a better way of life for our culture. You are sending a message that paying taxes for subsidies on mass-produced, chemically-treated and genetically-modified crops is bad enough. But then paying taxes for the health care of those who get fat and sick on the products those very crops are turned into is preposterous. It's no way of life for anyone but the bigwigs who think patenting seeds makes sense.

Food is an undeniable component of a population's culture, no matter where it is geographically. What is America's, really? McDonald's? General Mills? Whatever is on sale? Seriously??? Look at the cuisines we borrow from around the world and realize they were born of what was in abundance in that region, not a year-around selection of low-quality versions of every fruit and vegetable known to man.

And, as for what's on sale, check out your local farmers market. Begin to build a food culture for your family. Your body, your budget, and, quite possibly, your kids will thank you. I know the farmer will!

(Don't forget to take your own bag/basket and a cooler if you plan to purchase dairy or meat.)

Summer CSA - Week 5

I love the weekly deliveries but I am beginning to learn just how much work this is. Now I really understand why housewives in the 40s and 50s jumped on new convenience foods as they appeared on grocery shelves. If only they had exercised a bit of restraint (or food marketers were idiots), that wouldn't be nearly all that's available anymore and our nation would be healthier.

I pick up on Wednesday mornings which means those afternoons are spent googling for recipes as well as washing, chopping and preserving what I can't use right away. The upside is that the kids and I have the most fun lunch of the week on Wednesdays!

This week we received red leaf lettuce, kale, broccoli, orange and white carrots, fennel, beets, peas and kohlrabi.

Farmer's Market and a Delight I Almost Missed!

After the craziness of the past month, we purposed that the long weekend would be one of recovery and time spent together for our little family.

I had planned a few things. Simple things like homemade ice cream, a trip to the climbing gym a cookout with grandparents and our first family visit to the local farmers market. I have frequented the downtown one in years past, not knowing that I was bypassing one half the distance from home!

It was a hit for all of us. We wandered about, asked questions, tasted things and left with three bagfuls of local sensory overload. When your kids pull you aside and ask if we could please buy some of those Shitake mushrooms and a shaker of bee pollen from that other man, it just confirms that kids have perfectly-working taste buds, too. Given a choice between Doritos and spreadable garlic-herb goat cheese, you don't need to tell them which one is healthier because their bodies tell them which is better (in every sense of the word.)

We left with salad tomatoes, mixed greens, garlic scapes, cucumbers, baby potatoes and the aforementioned mushrooms which are grown about 15 miles from us. We also bought some locally-made treats such as gazpacho, rolls, chicken black bean ravioli, goat cheese feta and the herb cheese mentioned above.


I'd recently read about garlic scapes and was thrilled to be able to talk to someone about ways to prepare them. Scapes are the plant portion of the garlic plant which is cut off to send more energy to the growing garlic bulb. (This explains why scapes are only available for a few weeks each year.) This trimming allows the bulb to become the plump little fellow we are accustomed to seeing. They are fanciful curlicues with a moderate garlic flavor.

I made a pesto out of them which I tossed with the handmade pasta we bought. Yum.

Summer CSA - Week 4

The only new thing we received this week is a different variety of lettuce. I'm not too educated on types of lettuces but it's green and yummy.

One month into our first CSA summer, I'm thankful to have learned so much. Last year, I read Carrie's CSA posts with feelings of great curiosity and possibly greater intimidation. I didn't know what a lot of it was and wasn't sure how she ever used those things! Would my gang even eat it???

As it turned out, though, I've found delicious and healthful uses for things I've never purchased before (kohlrabi, beets, kale, radishes) and discovered that I should throw out my opinions of what my kids will and won't eat. I told you yesterday about the radish green soup but not about the broccoli stalks (the florets were cut off for snacking/lunches) I steamed for myself because I couldn't bear to toss them out. Little did I know that everyone would eat stalks-only. Awesome!

Summer CSA - Week 3

Trying to catch up on these posts -- with food coming every week instead of every other, I can't keep up!

Our box this week contained swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, carrots, green onions, beets, radishes, cauliflower, kohlrabi, strawberries, bread and eggs.

The exquisitely odd-looking kohlrabi is new to us but was an instant favorite. A member of the cabbage family, it can be eaten raw or cooked. It's flavor is similar to a broccoli stalk but milder and sweeter. So far, we've just added it to the bin of chopped, raw veggies we snack on throughout the week. 

As for the greens, our share includes a LOT more than I normally buy. Fortunately, I love salad and I've been warming the kids up to it over the last few weeks with small side salads. So far so good on that front. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared to use so many greens the first week and some wilted before I got to them. After dreading throwing them out (and accompanying guilt), I had a flash of inspiration -- vegetable stock!

Among the things that had seen better days were...bits of bok choy, kale, swiss chard, celery and green onions. I washed and chopped them and added carrots, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. After simmering for a couple of hours, I removed the vegetables and seasonings and returned the broth to the stovetop to reduce further. In the end, I had two quarts of dark and delicious-smelling stock to stow away in the freezer. No waste, no guilt!