Cucumber smoothie, anyone? By Jenny Pena

Cucumber smoothie, anyone?
How cucumber can add some benefits to your summer drink 

By Jenny Pena

Cucumbers were not my favorite growing up, it was that vegetable that I was almost forced to try by my parents and I hesitantly would bite just to please them. Now that I am an adult and adding more vegetables to my diet is a priority, I am seeing new vegetables as a way to be adventurous and as a challenge to find ways to have them as part of my diet while truly enjoying them.

For the summer, cucumbers are great! As a detailed article on healthline.com says, they have minerals, promote hydration and even help with sugar levels (link here - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumber#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9). I enjoy having them with hummus or as part of my salads, as well as in water with mint to infuse and give it a subtle twist; like those fancy jars you see in spas and offices that make water taste extra refreshing and look fancy at the same time.

As I explored what to do with cucumbers, I found different smoothie recipes incorporating cucumbers. I have known about cucumbers being used as part of green juices but this idea of adding it to a smoothie got my attention and I decided to try it.

While there are tons of options out there, I decided to go for the simplest recipe and made some changes. See link here the recipe that I used as a guide (https://goodfoodbaddie.com/pineapple-and-cucumber-juice-no-juicer-needed/#recipe). 

Picture from goodfoodbaddie.com

Ingredients
1 Large Cucumber
1-2 cups of chopped pineapple (You can use fresh pineapple which during the summer is available; if not, you can use canned pineapple in natural juice)
1 small piece of ginger
1 small piece of turmeric (or turmeric powder if not available, I added about ½ tsp of turmeric)
2-3 cups of cold water (I tried this with coconut water and it was delicious)

Take all ingredients and add to the blender. Drink with pulp or use a strainer if you want to remove the pulp. I would say, while it is a matter of preference, removing the pulp takes away some of the fiber.
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 

One-pot Coconut Rice with Chicken and Greens by Shannon Haas

One-pot Coconut Rice with Chicken and Greens

By Shannon Haas

I am a huge fan of one-pot dishes, especially ones that use up CSA ingredients. For this rice dish you’ll need a LOT of hearty greens of your choice - swiss chard, kale, beet tops, collard greens…to name a few. Any combination is perfectly suited to this dish. My personal favorite is chard - you can even chop up the stems in little pieces and throw them in with the greens towards the end of the recipe.

Varieties of edible leaves arranged on a wooden table, including kales, swiss chard, and radish tops

Picture by CSU-Extension (2016). Licensed by Pixaby.

Here are the ingredients:

• 1½ cups basmati rice

• 1-2 Tbsp. oil (vegetable, canola, or coconut)

• 1 large shallot, finely chopped (I often swap out for spring onions)

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs (6–8) OR 3-4 bone-in chicken thighs, bones and skin removed and cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 tsp. ground turmeric

• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk OR 1 ¾ cups from coconut milk carton (if you want it to be less rich)

• A bunch of handfuls of greens, cut into strips

• Store-bought sliced pickled red chiles (optional, if you have)

• Lime wedges (for serving)

First, rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Pour the rice into a bowl and add water to cover it by 2 inches, let soak for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a heavy pot with a wide base over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until golden. Add garlic and cook for a minute.

Add chicken, turmeric, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, turning and moving around chicken thighs as needed, until chicken begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Pour in ¾ cup water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, turning chicken once, until chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 20 minutes. (If using cut chunks of thighs, just brown in the pan and skip the last two sentences)

Drain the rice and add to pot with chicken and add coconut milk. Stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. (Be careful here!) Drape a kitchen towel over the pot and cover with lid. Bring corners of the towel up and over the lid and secure with a rubber band. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Then, add the greens in a layer on top and cover again for around 10 minutes, or until greens are fully wilted and a darker color.

Top with chiles and a few squeezes of lime juice. Happy eating!

Recipe adapted from: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spiced-coconut-chicken-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 

What's Fun about Fennel? by Jenny Pena

What’s fun about fennel? 

And how to prepare it

by Jenny Pena

 

Each vegetable delivery is like Christmas in the summer, because I love to discover what new or strange vegetable I may be getting and always enjoy researching information and recipes. For this week’s delivery, I used kohlrabi cut as sticks with some ranch dressing to enjoy as a midafternoon snack; I used peppermint to add some twist to homemade lemonade; Fresh herbs to season a whole chicken to cook in the air fryer and prepare chicken salad for lunches and bones to make homemade bone broth or stock. Now, fennel…I have to admit it has been a struggle for me to find ways to enjoy it. So, let’s explore what can we do with this not well appreciated vegetable (at least in my household).

 

According to Eating Well Magazine (see link here - https://www.eatingwell.com/article/2058781/what-is-fennel-and-how-can-i-use-it/), fennel is an aromatic vegetable related to carrots and parsley. It can be eaten as part of a salad but also part of stews and soups. This 47-seconds video from Marta Stewart on YouTube shows how to cut a fennel bulb (See link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XaV8OV3oI0), which surprisingly I didn’t know how to do. The great thing about fennel (besides its particular flavor profile) is that it is a three-part vegetable; fronds can be used for salads, dips and pesto while the stalk can be used for stocks and stews while the bulb is crunchy and versatile since you can eat it raw in salads or pan fried. 

 

Kitchen Stories has some great pictures as well as flavor pairing recommendations:

https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/everything-you-need-to-know-about-preparing-and-storing-in-season-fennel

 

Now what I ended up doing after searching for ways to incorporate fennel into this week’s meals, and since my beloved kohlrabi was my snack of choice with ranch dressing, I went for a sweet potato and fennel hash that was easy and quick to make and delicious even reheated. I had it as a side dish for dinner with some steak and leftovers were great as a hearty breakfast with eggs. See recipe I followed here - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229887/sweet-potato-and-fennel-hash/

 

Hopefully this post will give you enough motivation not just to join a CSA but to experiment with fennel whether it comes as part of your weekly delivery or if you stumbled across it at a farmer’s market or local store.

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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 

Cauliflower Pizza Crust by Patrice Hall

 

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

by Patrice Hall 

Since I have adopted a keto diet, finding recipes which are low carb has been daunting. This recipe from The Spruce Eats fits the bill for people who crave pizza but don’t want to eat too many carbs.  Cauliflower is the veggie of choice for keto dieters. It is used for a rice or potato substitute and is very versatile.  I have been on the keto diet for the past 2 months and as a result I experience less joint pain, more energy and feel more alert.  I used cauliflower, spring onions, some of the greens and eggs from my CSA share.  I made the pizza with ground beef. It tasted ok for my first try. I never made any pizza crust from scratch before.  So, I think I messed up on a couple of steps.  I’m sure I will do a better job next time! Enjoy!

Prep:

20 mins

Cook:

50 mins

Total:

70 mins

Serving:

1 serving

Yield:

1 10-inch crust

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 medium (2-pound) head cauliflower or 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen cauliflower rice

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

If using frozen cauliflower rice, proceed to step 3.

If starting with a whole cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and tough stems. Cut into florets. You should have 1 pound 8 ounces or 7 cups florets.

Transfer half of the florets to the base of a food processor. Pulse until cauliflower is finely chopped like rice, 4 to 6 pulses. Repeat with remaining florets.

Transfer the riced cauliflower to the prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake until tender and moist, about 20 minutes. Cool at room temperature until safe to handle, about 10 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 425 F. Transfer the cooked cauliflower to the center of a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Transfer the squeezed cauliflower to a large bowl and stir in the egg, cheese, herb blend, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Pat the parchment paper on the baking sheet dry and spray again with cooking spray. Transfer the cauliflower mixture to the center of the prepared baking sheet and form into a 10-inch disc, about 1/4-inch thick. Press the cauliflower firmly into shape.

Bake the cauliflower crust in the preheated oven until dry and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Carefully invert onto a new baking sheet. Bake until dry and golden on the other side, 5 to 10 minutes.

Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. The crust is now ready to be used; add toppings and cook on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 425 F until hot and the cheese is bubbly, about 5 minutes.

How To Store

You can make the cauliflower crust up to 3 days before topping and baking. Store it flat in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator.

This crust can also be frozen. Par-bake the crust as directed, then freeze it on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. When ready to make pizza, bake the crust for 5 minutes directly from frozen, then top and bake to melt the cheese.

(From the Spruce Eats website: https://www.thespruceeats.com/cauliflower-pizza-crust-recipe-7104588)

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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 

Is This a Mega Scallion? by Jenny Pena

 

Is This a Mega Scallion?

Some facts about the Tokyo Negi Onions

By Jenny Pena

 

One amazing thing about joining a CSA besides supporting local farms and having more affordable access to organic produce is to be exposed to vegetables you may not find at the stores. It is great to add a variety of vegetable to tackle boredom and also get a good mix of nutrients in our diet.

For second week of distribution this Summer 2023 season, there is one vegetable that I have to admit I would not use but decided to truly research and incorporate it in some recipes this week. Let’s talk about Negi, also referred to as Welsh Onion or Tokyo Scallions. They look like a larger version of green onions or scallions, but they are quite different, like a middle point between a leek and a scallion. 

Image taken from: https://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/ippon-negi-japanese-bunching-onion.html

 

These onions are supposed to be a great source of vitamins A, C, potassium, calcium, vitamin K and B6 so surely this is a great vegetable packed with a good mix of nutrients.  (See link here - https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Tokyo_Negi_Onions_6650.php). It also mentions that it may have a bit a sweetness to the taste and that it is great to incorporate in clear soups.

After doing some searches, I found several clear soup recipes which sounded delicious, and most recipes included mushrooms, beef or pork. I decided to get inspired and ventured into preparing a soup to experiment with flavors. I just mixed the following ingredients with some beef stock, and it was a great light clear soup. Here is the recipe:

Summer Ramen Soup

1 Pack of Ramen Noodles – Beef Flavor

1 Negi onion (chopped and separating the greens from the white parts)

1 Piece of Ginger

1 Garlic clove

1 piece of steak sliced (I used leftover)

¼ Orange Bell Pepper

¼ Red Bell Pepper

2 Boiled Eggs

1 tsp sesame seed oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dash of sriracha sauce

• I sauteed the white parts of the Negi onion (keep the green to use as topping after) with ginger, garlic and sesame oil for a few minutes without burning.
• Added the ramen noodles and beef stock and allowed for it to cook.
• When noodles were almost done, I added the steak and the peppers and cooked for a couple of minutes.
• In separate container, boil eggs to your desired level then when cooked slice and place as topping for your soup.
• Have it as a clear soup with more liquid or with less liquid to have more noodles. Enjoy!

 

And if soup is not your jam because of the warmer weather, there is an amazing recipe from Teri Turner at @nocrumbsleft for a charred scallion dressing that I am going to use the Negi onions instead of scallions to top the greens I got this week. See link for recipe here - https://nocrumbsleft.net/2021/11/09/simple-creamy-charred-scallion-dressing-whole30/

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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  

Root* Greens by Chris Ekstrom

Chopped greens, radishes, and onions. Photo by Michelle Blackwood

What can you do with a leaf that’s bitter and dog eared?  My simple solution is to steam and add onion; cooking (steaming) greatly neutralizes the bitterness while onion complements the sharpness.  If that’s not convincing enough not to throw out those potassium rich, chlorophyll laden nutritional powerhouse leaves then try this recipe by Michelle Blackwood for Sauteed Radishes and Radish Greens…or take them to P.O.T.S.; they’re willing to take vegetables again now that Covid regulations have loosened.

Ingredients

1 bunch radish

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small red onion cut into slices

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions

• Cut the leaves off the roots* of the radishes, Add cold water in a large bowl, add the leaves and roots* and wash to remove the grits. Transfer leaves and roots to a colander, change the water if the water is dirty and rinse the radish leaves and bulbs again. 

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring. 

•  Add chopped radish leaves, sliced radishes and stir until wilted. Keep often and cook until the greens and radishes are tender, about 5-8 minutes.

*  A radish is technically a hypocotyl situated above the roots as are a few other “root” vegetables such as turnips and rutabaga.

 

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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