Root Vegetable Review of the Storage and Recipe Plans

One bag of carrots set me over my refrigerator root vegetable storage this week.  It was time to do some review of all my vegetables.  I do a good job of eating the smaller quantities each week, like kohlrabi.  It is the carrots, beets and yellow turnips that I still have waiting in my fridge.  Maybe you too have root vegetables that need attention and an eating plan?  Let me know your tips.

My first step was to pull all produce out of the shelf.  There were multiple pounds.  I looked through each bag to check individual items.  Root vegetables will store all winter, but some may have more wear and tear and could rot a good bag of food.  I sorted out beets that were softening.  Everything else looked good .  I combined bags, such as two half-eaten bags of carrots that can be grouped into one.  I found the white carrots and was surprised because I had forgotten about them.  This started my cooking mojo going for dinners this week.

Dena  provided a white carrot recipe below.  Wish that I still had a parsnip.  Below that recipe is my version of the root vegetable casserole that Kym posted in January.  I have talked to many members that made this dish from the rutabaga, parsnip and potatoes.  It is a good recipe.  I found that the potato consistency was a little more done than the harder rutabaga/parsnips so I altered the boiling.  Cheese is always good to add so my twist has two creamy cheeses.  Enjoy.

Caramelized White Roots by Dena

Peel and cut into 2″ julienne pieces
3 white carrots
1 large parsnip
Slice one large onion
Heat a large skillet; add 1 T oil and 3 T unsalted butter and all vegies.
Stirring often, cook over medium/medium low heat until onions are dark golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Turn off heat, season with salt and coarse black pepper. After one minute, add 4T Balsamic vinegar and toss.
Good hot or room temperature.

Winter Root Vegetable Bake from Amy

Adapted from Allrecipes.com that Kym posted in January

3 potatoes

2 parsnips

1 rutabaga

chicken stock to cover veggies

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tsps herbs provence

1 sweet onion

1 tblsp butter

Almond oil

A few chunks Gorgozola

½ to 1 cup goat cheese crumbles

Peel and chop potatoes, rutabaga and parsnips.  Place parsnips and rutabagas on stove with chicken stock, thyme and bay leaf and let soften for 20 minutes.  Cut the onion into slender strips and sauté in butter, almond oil and herbs provence.  Add the potatoes to the veggie mix and let all of them become tender, but not mushy.  Drain.  Mash together in a baking dish.  Add a little gorgonzola and goat cheese within the mix.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Celeriac- A Salad Recipe from Dena

Have you tried Celeriac, also known as celery root?  This is an item available only through special order.  It is #10 on the list and is $2.50 per lb.  You can order through the special order process at details@beneficialfarm.com. Click here for special orders

Celeric is a root vegetable with a celery taste.  Purees and mashes are a popular way to eat this in the winter.  It can be eaten raw, but oxidizes quickly so have a bowl of lemon water as you are cutting.  I see a lot of recipes that use fennel with it in soups and gratins.

Dena provides a simple salad recipe below.

Apple and Celery Root Salad

Cook whole celery root 45 minutes in water

(weight with a plate as it floats);

Cool, peel and cut into wide, fat french fry sized pieces.

Cut apples into julienned pieces; use both green and red

Dressing is cider vinegar, olive oil, German mustard and chives

Toss and serve.

More Unique Vegetables- Sunchoke

We have been excited about the more unique vegetables and fruits in the CSA shares.  Dena, Colleen and I have been gathering tips, recipes and nutrition information to share with all of you.  We provide these in flyers and all information is on the blog, FB and Twitter.  Let us know what questions you have about the food.  Here are some more recipes and tips.

Sunchoke Pickles from the Honest-Food Blog

Thank you to Colleen for sending this to me this morning.  What a lovely way to preserve the sunchokes.  I agree that eating fewer at a time will help with the digestion.

Click here for the recipe

Sunchoke Gratin from Free State Brewery

Rock Chalk!  I went to KU and really appreciate the level of food at this brewery.  Seriously, my sister lives an hour away from it and they plan trips to go for a special sandwich on Wednesdays.  These recipes make me hungry.

Click here for the recipes

A Mix of Fresh and Cool February Foods

We have a mix of fresh green sprouts and frozen blanched chard, showing the the wider variety of foods in February when there are fewer fresh local vegetables.  The creativity in gathering the food is a fun adventure for the cold winter days when we have the hints of spring sunshine.  I am drawn to the differences in the crisp crunch of sprouts and nourishing texture of the chard and went home to make lunch after picking up my share.

Sprouts

I am a huge fan of Susan Higgin’s sunflower sprouts and we received a nice amount in today’s share.  Sungreen Living Foods provides different types of sprouts and we may see some pea shoots in future CSA shares.  They are a perfect snack.  Sometimes I can eat the whole bag, but I try to make them into salads and use them on sandwiches, with crackers or other side dishes.  For lunch it was a quick salad.

Sunny Salad by Amy

1 handful sunflower sprouts

1/2 handful chopped red pepper

5 kalamata olives, chopped

cherry tomatoes

scallions

oil and vinegar

hard cheese crumble

Frozen Swiss Chard

Easy is how I would describe this prepped vegetable.  It has already been chopped and is ready to use.  The texture will be different from a fresh chard so recipe selection is important.  Soups, stews and warm side dishes would be the best candidates.  The taste is amazing.  It is the real vegetables that we enjoyed from the fall crops. So much better than having a store-bought bag of frozen spinach waiting for a quick night meal.

Amy’s Dinner Plans

1/2 the bunch of frozen chard

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

1 cup mushrooms, quartered

sausage, grilled and sliced

1 cup or white beans

chicken stock to cover

oregano, thyme, red pepper flake

You can substitute the frozen chard in many recipes.  Here are a few that look good to make this week.

Mushroom, Barley and Swiss Chard Soup from Casual Kitchen Blog

Here is a vegetarian recipe.  This entry also discusses barley, which is a wonderful ingredient for soups in the winter.

Click here for the recipe

Curried Red Lentil & Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans from Bon Appétit

Click here for the recipe

Chard, Potato and White Ragout from NY Times

Click here for the recipe and more chard tips

Weekly Update from Steve for Feb 4, 2010

Dear members,

A repeat of the last few weeks opening message:  SNOW, SNOW, and MORE SNOW!  I have had a heck of a time this week staying ahead of the melting snow (and resulting muddy roads) while preparing for the next snowfall.  One result is that this week’s member message is late, and will be rather brief.  I apologize for that.  Winter stretches our stamina and our resources.

This week’s update on cheese value chain and Jim Miller Ayrshire projects:

We had a terrific meeting at La Montanita COOP Warehouse in which Old Windmill Dairy presented samples of a cow milk mozzarella (made from milk of the Mesa Top “family cow” Cassie).  Also the director and an inspector from the New Mexico Dairy Bureau, the regulators who work to assure public health standards are met from the beginning of the value chain at the milk house all the way through to the retail store, spoke to us about the opportunity we have before us to improve our traceability and identity preservation as we distribute, handle, and retail specialty cheeses.  Discussion focused on which varieties of cheese Old Windmill should make with the milk from the arriving Ayrshires.  All of the La Montanita Cheese buyers and related department heads were present to ask questions and learn more about the cheese-making value chain.  It was a useful and informative meeting.

The Ayrshire cows that will be returning to New Mexico, to set up house at Old Windmill dairy are getting their health certificates and brand inspection tomorrow.  The truck and trailer is ready to go.  But will the snow allow for safe transport?  We hope to have four to cows on the line being milked this next week.  We will see how THAT goes.

This week’s Veggie/Share Update:

We are in a “Gap” of thus far unknown duration on the Gard-n-hers fresh greens.  Last year we successfully filled in with locally grown sprouts, and this week you will see this substitution again.  Susan Higgins of Sungreen living foods is happy to supply us with sunny sprouts and later on with pea shoots.  We will be offering a modest bag of sprouts on weeks when no other fresh local greens are available.

This is the last week for Gemini Farm specialty roots veggies:  sunchokes!  We still have some beets and turnips and AMAZING tasty parsnips that are available on special order and available to some extent on the exchange tables at Kitchen Angels and Santa Fe Complex.

We still have local fuji apples again, and plan to continue to offer them weekly until they run out.

Mesa Top farm blanched and froze a pretty fair amount of greens early in summer 2009.  These are coming into your share now, as there are no fresh cooking greens currently available.  This week you receive chard, and in future weeks we will have white Russian Kale, Green kale, and broccoli.

You can expect the next couple of month’s shares to include more non-produce items, and possibly some fruit from Arizona and Texas.  This is the time when our local produce options are most limited, There is also some frozen local fruit to share.  We hope you will be patient with this process, and that you will enjoy the “wilder” mix of food that you will see for the next 2 to 3 months.

Thank you again for your support!

Steve Warshawer

Tell Your World About the CSA

We are working on ways to better communicate CSA information to our community. Steve, Dena and Amy will be giving presentations at community gatherings and events, such as Green Drinks, February 24^th, 6:30 to 8:30 at the new Second Street Brewery in the SF Farmer’s Market Pavilion. Our Members are the best champions to create buzz about their passion for the food and the CSA.  We have created a new 4”x6” card to help get the word out.  These will be at distribution this week so you can take some and inform your world.  Growing Beneficial Farm CSA membership is the key to our sustainability and a major goal for us in 2010.  Please help us!

And here is the card!

A Poetic Breakfast Idea from Dena

Here is a warm breakfast idea for your quinoa from Dena.

Quinoa-Quince

to hot, cooked quinoa, add the following

chopped cooked quince

walnuts

agave syrup

dash of salt

butter

YUM!

Kohlrabi Recipes

I have been talking about kohlrabi all day.  It is a beautiful little vegetable with a more subtle taste of cucumber or cabbage.  Dena was excited to receive this vegetable and said, “I have loved kohlrabi since I was a kid; always ate it peeled/sliced/raw.”  It is that simple to start enjoying your CSA food.  Pattie submitted some recipes below and really enjoyed the kohlrabi and onions last night.  What is your favorite way to eat it?  Email me at blog@beneficialfarm.com or comment at the bottom of this blog entry.

Amy Hetager, CSA Blogger

Kohlrabi Salad Submitted by Pattie

I was looking in “The Green Thumb Cookbook” and saw the following recipe that uses several of the root veggies we’ve recently received from the CSA.  I think I’ll use arugula instead of the beet greens.

Confetti Salad from The Green Thumb Cookbook

4 kohlrabi, diced

1 parsnip, diced

3 carrots, diced

8 radishes, diced

1 cup beet greens, chopped

1 tablespoon yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine and mix vegetables in a bowl.

2. Stir together the yogurt, honey and vinegar and add to vegetables.

3. Chill several hours before serving.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Kohlrabi and Onions from Pattie

Peeled and thinly sliced kohlrabi

1 onion

1 tblsp butter

1 tblsp coconut oil

1/4 cup chicken broth

Braggs or tamari for seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the onion in butter and oil until soft.  Add the kohlrabi and saute for 15 minutes.  Add chicken stock and continue saute.  Season at the end and enjoy.

Kohlrabi Puree from the Farm Girl Blog

There are some interesting photos on this blog of huge kohlrabi in the field.  She always tells interesting stories so enjoy the post.  It is a simple recipe with kohlrabi, mushrooms and cream.

Click here for the recipe

The Gourmet Healer- Healthy Detox

Here is another post from Registered Dietitian, Angie King, aka: The Gourmet Healer.  This month she discusses a healthy way to detox.  She has also written posts on healthy oil and spice choices on this blog.  Her blog link is The Gourmet Healer and is also listed in the right-hand menu in BLOGROLL for more information throughout the month.

The Gourmet Healer, aka: Angie King, MS, RD, LD, lives, works and plays in Albuquerque and the surrounding area. The focus of her private practice, Gourmet Healer, is to empower individuals and families to take part in their own healing process by using Food As Medicine together with lifestyle and other therapies.  Angie earned her Master of Science in Nutrition as well as the credentials of Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian from the University of New Mexico. She also works part time for the UNM School of Medicine Nephrology Division as an outpatient Pediatric Clinical Nutritionist.  For more information, visit The Gourmet Healer blog.

Healthy Detox

The New Year is here.  Chances are, you’re thinking about detoxification and weight loss.  So what’ll it be? Perhaps the Grapefruit Juice Diet.  Or how about the Cabbage Soup Diet?  Let’s discuss your options to maximize your time and efforts toward a new and improved You.

First Things First

Up to 90% of all cancers are thought to be due to the effects of environmental carcinogens, such as those in cigarette smoke, food, water and air, combined with nutrient deficiencies that impair our detoxification and immune systems. Detoxification is a metabolic process performed by every cell in the body.  Efficient detoxification is the result of regularly making sure to get all the essential nutrients, water and fiber, as well as keeping environmental toxin exposure down.

Nutrients

Vitamins and minerals are key to ensuring production of Phase I and Phase II detoxification enzymes by the liver. These enzymes basically help to round up toxins, neutralize them and get them out (Phase III).

Certain drugs can deplete nutrients in the body such as Oral Contraceptives, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Lasix, Prednisone and Statins.

Eating a high quality, nutrient rich diet is key to proper detoxification.  A high-quality multi-vitamin/antioxidant and mineral complex can pick up where even the best of eating habits leave off—especially when there are nutrient-depleting prescription drugs involved.  For a comparison of most of the multivitamin supplements on the market, visit Nutrisearch, and seek out the companies who received a 5 Star rating.

Before embarking upon weight loss, detoxification must be supported.

Residues from environmental toxins such as pesticides, fertilizers, detergents, cosmetics, microbial toxins, medications, alcohol, by-products of food preparation, BPA from plastics and dental sealants (ask your dentist what he/she is using) and DDT (yes it is still hanging around) are typically stored in fat tissue.  In fact, recent research shows that people who have a high toxin exposure actually put on fat to store toxins away from the rest of the body.  The body’s answer to pollution is dilution. Trouble losing weight?  Consider your toxin exposure.  Better yet, find a health practitioner who will take toxin exposure seriously and can help you to clear these from your life and your body.

It is important to understand that with rapid weight loss, the toxins stored in the fat cells are released and are now free to cause cell damage in the body.  This is typical of crash diets and surgical procedures that induce rapid weight loss. Additionally, there is not enough protein in these diets or just after weight loss surgery to support Phase I and II enzyme production.  The result is mediocrity of health, at best, which is not acceptable to those of us who are interested in maximal quality and enjoyment of life.

As for fasting, there are safe fasts, which can be undertaken, and I will be detailing an appropriate fast as Spring gets closer. Watch the blog for my monthly posts. The change of the season, especially Spring, is a particularly good time to do a short fast.

Leading up to the fast, improve your body’s detoxifying ability by enjoying more of the foods that increase Phase I and II enzyme production.  These include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, curries (Turmeric and Cumin) and all citrus except Grapefruit.

Increase your liver’s glutathione levels by supplementing with 500 mg of Vitamin C each day. Glutathione acts as a powerful antioxidant and also converts hard-to-clear fat-soluble toxins, like heavy metals, into easily cleared water-soluble forms.  Certain foods are rich in glutathione, including asparagus, avocado and walnuts—3 of my favorites!

3 Tips to Reduce Your Toxin Exposure:

1. Use gentle and environmentally safe cleaning products.
2. Discover your natural beauty and wear cosmetics less often. When you do wear them, make sure they’re free of Dirty Thirty ingredients. Click here for the website. Dirty Thirty
3. Stay away from chemical pesticides and fertilizers when tending to your yard, home, garden and food shopping.

For more commentary on reducing toxic burden, see my blog for Going Even Greener.

Blessings and Good Health for 2010,

The Gourmet Healer
Angie King, MS, RD, LD
gourmethealer@gmail.com
Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Unusual CSA Foods to Enjoy this Week

Dena and Pattie were excited when they saw kohlrabi on the food distribution list this week and have already contributed recipes.  Other people have asked me what is a kohlirabi?  This is one of the exciting things that the CSA can offer you…a chance to enjoy new foods.  This week we have four more unusual foods.  Kohlrabi, White Carrots, Quinoa and Quince.

Kohlrabi

This crisp, delicate vegetable is wonderfully nutritious and has high contents of vitamin C and also includes Iron and Calcium. It is from the Brassica Oleracea family, known as the cabbage family. This is one of the top families for healthy vegetables that include broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts. It is a more mild vegetable in flavor and many people describe it as a delicate hints of cucumber, broccoli or cabbage.

You can refrigerate for up to 10-days in a sealed package. If you have the stems, they can be steamed and eaten in stir frys. There will be more recipes on the blog later today.

White Carrots

These have the same nutrition as other carrot varieties, but because they are do not have pigment, they have more health-promoting substances called phytochemicals. Carrots are high in vitamin A and high in fiber.

You can prepare white carrots in the same way as other carrots by cleaning the skin and cutting in a variety of different ways. These carrots would look lovely in a raw salad.

Quinoa

An organic grain has been added to the shares and special orders for a limited time. There will be a flyer at distribution today with a few recipes and look for more recipes on the blog in the next few days.

Quince

We have received quince last fall and many of you have cooked quince applesauce, quince paste and jams. There is a lot of information on the blog if you use the search box on the right-hand menu. I will also post more recipes this weekend.