Stop ...it's Cobbler Time!

I follow a mostly plant-based diet about 70% because vegetables taste good and about 30% because they're healthy. True story: a few years back I had blood work done that revealed I was high in fiber. My response: "I eat a lot of spinach." Joining the Norwood CSA Food Co-op just made sense. Since then, the experience with John, my veggie share (and everything else) partner has been filled with experimentation and fun, since cooking and eating are two of our favorite things to do together.

cherry cobbler out of the oven. Mmm!

It's also been fruitful. Literally. This week's delivery yielded two huge helpings of cherries — yay! On the Fourth of July, John operated a genius and incredibly useful food prep tool called a cherry pitter, as I measured things like sugar and flour for this cherry cobbler recipe. Admittedly, I'm fairly liberal in the measurements department, so there may have been some heavy handedness on the white sugar. The end result was just, whoa. I'll say this: if I was adamant about baking real fruit into pies and desserts before, I am now in a class of my own. Greetings from Snobtown, USA.

cucumber and fava bean salad

This week's veggie share delivery included fava beans, which we received in bright green, cartoonishly large seed pods— they're huuuge! First I opened the pod, which contained thick, white seed covers that I boiled for 5ish minutes after learning that eating raw fava beans might be deadly. Then I got to work in peeling open the now-soft and bright green fava beans. The whole process reminded me of opening a Matryoshka doll. I added the beans to a cucumber salad with a few glugs of olive oil, white vinegar, salt and pepper and dill, and bam! Refreshing.

Christine eating cherry cobbler

For vegheads like us, the Norwood CSA Food Co-op is great. I'm a naturally curious person who loves cooking and the Bronx, so I always want to try new dishes and explore new 'hoods. My Wednesday pickups at the Bainbridge Avenue Garden have felt like visits to my own personal farmer's market, where I choose and bag my produce for the week. It's also convenient — right outside the garden is the Bx34 bus stop at Mosholu Pkwy S / Bainbridge Avenue. This is how I return to Woodlawn Heights, where my kitchen and couch are located.

Happy cooking, eating and sharing,
Christine

Summer Share 2019 is Here!

Just in time for the holidays. Start your new year off with a commitment to health and local business by joining the Norwood CSA.

How Does it Work?

A CSA is not like shopping at the supermarket. Your weekly share will be fresh organic vegetables and fruits grown in season and picked just prior to delivery. The quantity of food varies based on the harvest (there is risk involved), but we usually receive between 7 and 9 different items per week. Depending on the size of your household and/or cooking habits, the share may serve a supplement to your usual shopping. In an average year, the share prices reflect a savings of about 15-20% off what you would pay in a green market for a comparable amount of local organic produce. The season lasts from mid-June to mid-November (about 21 weeks). 2019 will be our sixteenth season!

Deliveries will begin in mid June and run for 21 weeks through mid-November.  The farm will deliver to the distribution site at the Bainbridge Avenue Garden (2974 Bainbridge Ave., between Bedford Park Blvd. and East 201st Street).  Pick-up time will be between 4pm and 7pm on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

Becoming a Member and Pricing

To become a member, you must purchase a share (includes an administrative fee). There are three size shares and different prices depending on when you pay. CSA shares are often used to supplement usual food purchases. View the registration form for more information.

Share Size	Pay by 1/18/19	Pay by 2/13/19	Pay by 3/13/19	Pay by 4/24/19	Notes
Single	$345.00	$360.00	$380.00	$410.00	The most common share for a household of 1 to 3.
Double	$680.00	$710.00	$750.00	$810.00	For a household of 3 to 6, also recommended if you plan to preserve.
Split Single	$180.00	$185.00	$195.00	$210.00	For a single person who prefers a smaller share.

Winter Share 2019

Missing the CSA produce? Try the winter share! 

Here are some reasons to join:

1. Organic produce to start the new year. Norwich Meadows Farm offers the same organic produce during the winter share. Expect to see winter veggies like turnips, beets, potatoes, radish, parsnips, carrots, winter squash, cabbage and kale. As well as dry goods like granola, flour and beans.
2. Affordable options. You will receive about 20 lbs of produce with each delivery including beef, chicken, eggs, and yogurt for only $50 a delivery. 

See what CSA members prepared with their shares Making the Most of the Winter Share and How to Make Your Turnips Instafamous

Sign-up Here

from https://www.petesgreens.com/good-eats/fall-winter-share

Loving This Bountiful Season!

Many reasons why I loved the bounty of this season...first let me begin by stating that we received plenty of apples.  I love apples and there are many ways to use them, in pies, sauce and just snacking.  Every week my son will ask for the list of CSA items for pickup, and every time after I stated apples he would sigh, “apples again!?!”  Then I would state that by mid winter we would be missing them, so we should enjoy them while we can. Preserving apple sauce is the best way to do this, then we won’t miss the sweet (or tart) deliciousness of this fruit. We also made apple ciders as well, and we froze some to save for later, and I even made apple cider popsicles which were really tasty, yum! The cucumbers were great, although I missed the opportunity to make pickles this year they were enjoyed in many salads this summer. The onions and garlic blended well with the tomatoes to use for pasta sauces, and the corn was so sweet and the taste was to die for! The many varieties of potatoes were enjoyed as well.

The other reason is that I feel grateful for the opportunity to join the CSA every season, especially since I became vegan in January 2017, it provides plenty of organic ingredients for my meals.   My son loves to cook (he is vegan also) so we create dishes and explore more options using local foods. I have become more healthy and lost weight, lowered my blood pressure and started to drink more water.  I eat out much less than I used to and by doing meal prep on the weekends I save money on lunch at work during the week (ordering out in midtown Manhattan is quite expensive lol). I am certainly looking forward to the next spring/summer season so l can continue on this path to good physical, financial and mental health!

Love me some Brussel Sprouts!

Brussel sprouts are by far my favorite vegetable. My Husband and I call them baby cabbage, just like a standard cabbage but bite-sized. I remember buying them for the first time 4 years ago at a farmer’s market telling myself to give them a try and I’m so glad I did! I look forward towards the last weeks of the CSA because that’s when Brussel sprouts are in season. I love that we get them on the stalk and straight from the farm!

Brussel sprouts are simply delicious when they are roasted. Below is a link to an easy recipe.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Besides loving Brussel Sprouts, I also love BACON! I decided one time to put them together and let me tell you how delicious they are!!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Wash the Brussel Sprouts and trim the ends

Cut the Brussel sprouts in half

Get a pack of bacon and cut them in half

Take each slice of bacon and wrap it around a halved Brussel sprout

Place them in a single layer in a baking sheet, no need to grease.

The bacon has enough grease!

Bake in oven for about 30 minutes (I check periodically, usually when the bacon looks like its cooked through, takes me about 30 min)

Cool and enjoy!

“The Versatile Vegetable” Cauliflower

Not a fan of Cauliflower? Don’t say no just yet!

I was never a fan of cauliflower until I recently discovered that it can be transformed in so many ways.

 You can roast it, mash it, steam it, make it into a pizza crust and the list goes on. On top of that, cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, high in fiber and rich in antioxidants. The Top 8 Health Benefits of Cauliflower.

When you have a picky eater like my 2-year old daughter you must find ways to sneak in those veggies. Therefore, cauliflower is so unique, you can literally make a dish and won’t even know you are eating it! Check out some awesome recipes I found that will make your tummy asking for more, click on the link below. Enjoy!

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Haven’t joined our CSA yet? It’s a great way to receive fresh organic produce. Check out and follow our Facebook and Instagram page!

Written by: Elizabeth Burgos