Norwood CSA Food Co-op: February 2021

Monday, February 22, 2021

The Unboxing

 by Matthew López-Jensen


“Is it snowing again?”

“No, it’s actually sleeting. You can hear it on the windows. It sounds like sand.”

“It was snowing earlier. Big fat flakes.”

“Should be done and the sidewalks cleared by Wednesday for the pick up.”

“We did sign up for it; for the winter walks.”

“So worth it, though.”

“For the greens alone.”

“I know. Eating a salad with these greens in the middle of winter in the middle of everything that’s going on. It almost feels wrong.”

“That’s just how tame we are. A salad feels illicit.”

“Not that kind of wrong. It’s just at what other time in history could you walk a few blocks and snag amazing organic veggies with organic baby greens grown in the middle of winter.”

“Maybe you just feel bad eating anything that has the word “baby” in it.”

“Could be. But there’s like five kinds of babies in there!”

“Are you going to make the same dressing you made last time?”

“Is there anything else?”

“No. What do you put in there again?”

“Half a lemon, three teaspoons of olive oil, squirt of Dijon mustard, pinch of salt, black pepper, and a bunch of the dill I dried in November. Dill tastes like summer.”

“That’s it? Why’s it so good?”

“Maybe it’s the dusting of lemon zest. The box this week came with a bunch of red onions. I think I’ll mince some, just a bit, and put them in the salad.”

“You can pickle some.”

“I will this weekend. Along with some of the radish. Faaa! These apples. It’s February but they look perfect, like Crispins.”

“Let’s eat one now.”

“The potatoes look amazing.”

“We’re having them tonight in rice and beans.”

“Yes, please.”

Monday, February 8, 2021

A Salad a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!

by Kathi Carter Rodriguez


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We’re almost a year into COVID and who hasn’t gained a few pounds while sheltering in place?  Well I have.  I’ve put on about 10 pounds and that’s why my two posts reflect a consistent theme…..recipes designed to help lose weight. 

I was excited to receive this week’s bounty because I was anticipating all the colorful veggies I’d add to my daily salad. Ah…. mesclun, carrots, beets, Jerusalem artichoke and onions…what a treat!

Before chopping and dicing starts, I clean everything with my ubiquitous spray bottle of white vinegar.  As my grandmother would say, “I went to town” cleaning and scrubbing my veggies.   

While sautéing the onions, I chop mesclun, carrots, beets and Jerusalem artichokes. I combine everything into a serving bowl and add protein.  Today, its leftover roasted chicken, but on other days, it might be turkey, boiled eggs, tuna, salmon, mackerel, chickpeas or lentils).  Then comes the fun stuff:  avocados, golden toasted flaxseeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and pitted Kalamata olives (I absolutely love them). 

Lastly, I dress my salad with Braggs apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Voila!  A guilt-free meal that’s satisfying enough to get me through till dinnertime.  


If Popeye Owned a Vitamix….

by Kathi Carter Rodriguez


My Dad turned 77 last week and credits his good health (no aches and pains whatsoever) to his juice fasts once a week.  So my Dad, Popeye, and this week’s goodies have inspired my second post about juicing.  Juicing is super easy; gives you a natural source of energy; and removes toxins from vital organs (liver, kidney, intestines, etc.).  What’s not to love about juicing? 

This is one of my favorite juice recipes because it’s simple and contains 4 powerful antioxidants------spinach, carrots, beets and apples (all items in this week’s share). 

Here’s the nutritional rundown:

  • Spinach is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable. It packs high amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.

  • Beets are a superfood that’s packed with potassium, iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin B9 (folate), manganese and fiber.

  • Carrots are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially biotin, potassium, and Vitamins A (from beta carotene), K1, and B6.

  • Apples are fraught with Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and folate (folic acid)

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • A handful of spinach 

  • 2 carrots

  • 1 beet

  • 1 apple 

Clean, peel, and place the items in your Vitamix or juicer.  Juice for about 15-30 seconds and drink immediately to reap the most nutrients.  If you need to store in the fridge, add about ¼ teaspoon of Vitamin C Crystals to preserve freshness. 

This recipe reaps about a cup or two. 

I’m sure my Dad and Popeye would give this recipe a thumb up. ☺