Jazz Up Your Salsa by Wendy Myers-Jennings

 Jazz Up Your Salsa

by Wendy Myers-Jennings

Mixed vegetable salsa in a white bowl on a white tablecloth.  Photo by author.

 

One of the veggies we only get in our farm share is husk cherries. Biting into these always provides a confusing sensory experience: is it sweet? Savory? Do I like it??

In the past we’ve made baked goods with these cute little tomato/tomatillo cousins, but this year we mixed it up and made a delicious salsa! They’re a great addition to a salsa because they give mango salsa vibes but with less sweetness. We paired the husk cherries with our CSA cherry tomatoes, along with some red onion, black beans, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Yum!

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page: https://norwoodfoodcoop.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-join-norwood-csa.html

Kohlrabi by Jolene Halzen

 Kohlrabi 

by Jolene Halzen

I first participated in Norwood CSA in summer 2021. I was delighted that Nick’s weekly emails included a list of the vegetables we were likely to receive, so that when I unpacked my box, I could cross reference and work out the identity of any vegetables that were unfamiliar to me!

 

One of those unfamiliar-to-me vegetables was kohlrabi.

 

Four kohrabi on a table.

 

Now, kohlrabi is a welcome gift.

 

I’ve learned to trim the leaves from the bulb immediately as I arrange the veggies in my fridge. I’ve learned you can use the leaves as you would other greens.

 

The kohlrabi blub is fresh and reminds me of radish, though a bit sweeter. I most enjoy the kohlrabi bulb cut up, served raw, with ranch dressing or dip. I put it on a plate next to carrot sticks and chopped red pepper for a colorful veggie plate.

 

●      Remove the leaves

●      Use a peeler to peel the outer layer

●      Cut in half

●      Chop it into thick matchsticks

●      Serve with other raw veggies and dip

●      Enjoy

 

Last week, I did a quick pickle on my kohlrabi blub sticks, which I loved. Two tablespoons of salt with a cup of vinegar in a bowl. Put the kohlrabi sticks in, and wait for 20-30 minutes. Serve as a side with dinner. Fancier version below.

 

Another thing I love: if I don't use the kohlrabi bulb right away, it keeps for a few weeks in the fridge.

 

Links for continued enjoyment of kohlrabi from The Spruce Eats:

 

How to Prepare and Cook Kohlrabi Deliciously - https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-prepare-kohlrabi-1447265

 

Pickled Kohlrabi Recipe - https://www.thespruceeats.com/pickled-kohlrabi-5187731

 

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page: https://norwoodfoodcoop.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-join-norwood-csa.html

 

Snap Beans – More Vitamin C than Oranges? by Patrice Hall

 Snap Beans – More Vitamin C than Oranges?

By Patrice Hall 

I am on a search for foods which contain Vitamin C. I had a cold last week and the fall season is almost here.  Which means that I have to get my vitamins and mineral supplements stocked up in my kitchen, along with the usual herbs such as echinacea, reishi mushroom and astragalus.  However, I was also looking for foods to stock up on besides the usual oranges and lemons.  

So, I was looking through the Just Food Vegetable Tipsheets and found that snap beans are a good source of vitamin C, which is great because we usually get them in our boxes. 

We can preserve them by pickling. You can find the recipe here: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/vegetable-pickles/dilled-beans/ .  

Here is the nutritional information: https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/green-snap-beans.

If you want to compare the vitamin C content of different foods, here is the information https://www.eatingwell.com/article/2052728/6-foods-with-more-vitamin-c-than-an-orange/.  So, oranges contain much more vitamin C than snap beans.  You will have to eat about a pound of snap beans, which will make a great dinner, and you will be getting other nutrients such as Vitamin A, K, folate and fiber.  You can find a great recipe here: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/slow-cooker-green-bean-casserole ..

I think that my search for a veggie with a vitamin C punch will lead me to broccoli, kale, mustard greens or brussels sprouts.  It is great to experiment with different foods, especially since we have so much access to them in our weekly boxes. Enjoy!

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page: https://norwoodfoodcoop.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-join-norwood-csa.html

Fried Rice by Vaughan Myers-Jennings

Fried Rice

By Vaughan Myers-Jennings

 

Picture: vegetable fried rice inside a wok, sitting on a stove. Photo by author.

As the Summer CSA comes to an end, ideas start to run short on what to do with all these wonderful vegetables. One good way to use a lot of them at once is by making a New York staple: Fried Rice. That's right, why pay $7.00 to make one of your favorite comfort dishes, when you can make a more colorful (and healthier option) at home? When my wife and I made this dish recently, we used a mix of our CSA veggies and frozen veggies. Please keep in mind that the rice should either be cooked and cold, or a day old; it gives the rice perfect texture. Lastly, spice this dish up even more by making and adding your own sauce. Check out the recipe at https://www.recipetineats.com/egg-fried-rice/

 

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page: https://norwoodfoodcoop.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-join-norwood-csa.html

 

Using the Extra Plums from the Past 2 Weeks by Patrice Hall

Using the Extra Plums from the Past 2 Weeks

by Patrice Hall

 

Four sealed Ball jars containing plum jam on a white paper towel.  Photo by author.

We received a lot of plums over the past 2 deliveries, and I decided to do something with them.  So I looked in my Ball Blue Book and found a recipe for jam, however this time instead of using the hot water bath method to preserve it I left it in the refrigerator.  I still used the Ball jars though.  Here is the recipe:

Take enough plums in order to prepare 2 2/3 cups pitted and finely chopped (I used 6 small plums for this, I think I also cut off too much fruit when I peeled them). Combine chopped plums and 3 tablespoons of fruit pectin (I used Ball Classic pectin) in a large saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil which can’t be stirred down, do this over high heat while stirring constantly. Add 3 1/3 cups of sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw), stir to dissolve. Then return to a full boil, boil hard for a minute while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam from the top of the mixture. Ladle into jars then let cool, I usually leave them overnight. 

I canned some of the remaining plums, you can find that information in the National Center for Home Food Preservation website https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-fruits-and-fruit-products/plums-halved-or-whole/ , this is a great resource for preserving fruits and vegetables.

 

Three sealed jars containing canned plums on a white paper towel. Photo by author.

 

If you have a sweet tooth, you can make a stone fruit cobbler using the plums with the cherries and peaches we received in our past shares, here is a great recipe from Southern Living at this link.

Enjoy plums whichever way you choose!

 

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page: https://norwoodfoodcoop.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-join-norwood-csa.html

What’s sweet, tangy, and an amazing color? Pickled beets! by Wendy Myers-Jennings and Vaughan Myers-Jennings

What’s sweet, tangy, and an amazing color? Pickled beets!

by Wendy Myers-Jennings and Vaughan Myers-Jennings

In years past we’ve struggled to come up with different ways to use our beautiful CSA beets, besides our go-to method: roast. Last summer we had great success with beet brownies (see last year’s blog for more info!) but this year, we have tried another method twice with great success: pickled beets!

The great thing about pickled beets is that they are so easy to make and provide a delicious condiment for almost any dish. To keep the kitchen cool during the heat wave, we cooked the beets in our instant pot. The only other cooking required is to make the pickling juice. Once that’s done, you pour the pickling juice over the beets and pop it in the fridge! Just try not to spill any of that beet juice because you’ll have a beautiful magenta stain. 🙂

Recipe from: https://bellyfull.net/refrigerator-pickled-beets/

 

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page: https://norwoodfoodcoop.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-to-join-norwood-csa.html