September 11th CSA contains:
YELLOW BELL & CARMEN PEPPER MIX*
CILANTRO
CELERY
AMBROSIA MELON
CUCUMBERS
LACINATO KALE
ROMAINE LETTUCE
CARROTS
BROCCOLI
RED TOMATOES
BIG BOX ADD: CARROTS, CHERRY TOMATOES*, STRAWBERRIES*, CONCORD GRAPES*, CANARY MELON
* If you’ve never had a Carmen pepper you are in for a treat. It’s a sweet red pepper that is a little sturdier and more flavorful than a red bell pepper.
* Cherry tomatoes and strawberries are from Goleta Grown this week. We will have them back on the farm here pretty soon.
* Concord grapes are from Vincent Farms about 5 miles away.
Ok! I know there are quite a few people out there not so fond of cilantro. I challenge you to use the bunch in your box. For me, it’s best kept in a cup of water on my windowsill as a reminder. Change the water every few days as it starts to darken. Try a new recipe and find new ways to fit cilantro in your life and your mouth. It’s a heavy cleanser and has a world of medicinal properties. Just check out what Dani, our local nutritionist has to say about it:
Heavy metals’ and ‘detox’ have become quite the hip terms in the nutritional media these days. But what’s the big deal with heavy metals and why does detox even matter? Well, unfortunately in today’s society nothing is what it appears to be and nothing is what it used to be. The air we breathe is now full of toxins, the food we eat is prayed with chemicals, the ocean contains heavy metals which accumulate in the fish we eat and sadly that is just the beginning. It can seem a little daunting BUT nutrition has a lot to offer us! Our bodies have natural, in built detoxification systems which when supported properly through diet will eliminate and protect our bodies from these damaging toxins! Cilantro is incredible for this. Specifically because heavy metals are the most damaging, mercury especially as it sneaks across the blood brain barrier and even into a new mother’s placenta. Lead, aluminum and arsenic follow close behind clogging our body’s nervous system and demanding all of our immunity. These metals are associated with Alzheimer’s, autism, cancer and autoimmune diseases. Avoiding and removing them are critical to a functioning brain and nervous system. A Japanese researcher found that cilantro had the ability to mobilize mercury from the body and increase the rate at which it was excreted through the urine. Cilantro also increased the excretion of others metal such as lead and aluminum. No other vegetable can boast such a thing! Used in large doses it’s often part of a detox protocol and is even used in my Detox Program. The daily use of a bit of cilantro can help ensure that a mercury or other toxic metal build up doesn’t occur, not to mention it’s delicious!
By Dani Rhoades, N.C., Nutrition Consultant, www.wholesomepractices.com
Sources: Therapeutic Nutrition by Ed Bauman, The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray
Tropical Cilantro Smoothie
(If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, don’t fret, it’s masked pretty well by the sweet fruit in this recipe.)
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup cilantro
1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup fresh or frozen mango chunks
Juice of 1/2 lime
A dash of Celtic sea salt or other high quality salt
The Add-ons:
1/4 avocado
1/2 cup fresh or frozen papaya chunks
A lot of grated ginger
Grated Turmeric
1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients into your blender and blend for 30-45 seconds or until the desired consistency is reached.
Chopped Kale Salad with Edamame, Carrot and Avocado
(A colorful chopped kale salad bursting with Asian flavors, including ginger, cilantro, Thai basil and soy. This salad is vegan and gluten free, so it would make a great potluck dish.)
Ingredients for Salad:
•1 bunch lacinato kale
•sea salt
•1 cup chopped snow peas (slice off tough ends first)
•1 large carrot, peeled and ribboned with a vegetable peeler
•1 small red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
•1 heaping cup organic edamame (if using frozen edamame, defrost by tossing into a pot of boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes)
•1 avocado, pitted and sliced into small chunks
•1 large shallot, finely sliced
•handful cilantro, chopped
•handful Thai basil (or regular basil), chopped
Tamari-Ginger Vinaigrette
•1/4 cup olive oil
•2 tablespoons rice vinegar
•1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
•1 tablespoon tamari (or other soy sauce)
•2 teaspoons lime juice
•3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
Instructions
1.Use a chef’s knife to remove the tough ribs from the kale, then discard them. Chop the kale leaves into small, bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the kale with a dash of sea salt and use your hands to massage the kale by scrunching up the leaves in your hands and releasing until the kale is a darker green and fragrant. Toss the remaining salad dressing ingredients with the kale.
2.To make the vinaigrette, whisk together all the ingredients until emulsified. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve.
Notes:
•Yields 2 enormous salads or 4 medium.
•Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for a day or two.
•Tamari is a gluten-free Japanese soy sauce that has a flavor I love and is readily available at stores. If you want your salad to be gluten-free, be sure to pick a gluten-free soy sauce.
(Recipe from www.cookieandkate.com)
Thai Broccoli and Red Pepper Salad
(Broccoli is a miracle food. It packs a serious nutritional-punch and the list of health benefits are endless.)
Ingredients:
2 stalks broccoli, florets and stalks included
1 medium red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 scallions, chopped
½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds
For the dressing…
½ cup orange juice
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp ground ginger
Directions:
Peel the hard outer layer off of your broccoli stalks. Cut the broccoli florets and stalks into nice bite-sized pieces.
Bring 3 cups of water to a simmer in a medium sauce pan. Drop the broccoli pieces in for 1 minute and blanche them… but barely. Remove from the heat and strain. In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, red pepper, scallions and chopped cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for your dressing. Pour over the broccoli mixture and toss together until everything is lightly coated and serve at room temperature. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds to make the presentation. Pour yourself a large glass of lemon water over ice and enjoy with the salad!
(Recipe from www.thenutritionalepiphany.com)
September 11th JUICE Feast contains:
CELERY
ROMAINE LETTUCE
CUCUMBERS
BEETS (without tops)
CARROTS
CILANTRO
LACINATO KALE
FUJI APPLE & BARTLETT PEAR MIX
LEMONS & LIMES
RED PEPPERS
I know sometimes juicing can feel like a chore. But as you do it more and more it will get quicker and you will find your rhythm. I’m juicing about 4x per week making and drinking (2) 16oz bottles per day. They are a quick breakfast and an uplifting perk around 3pm. Not only do they feel good, but they are doing all sorts of cool things to my health. Check out what Dani, our local nutritionist has to say about regular juicing:
All disease can be said to start from within the cells. It’s there that the body receives nutrients to run its millions of tasks orderly! The cells are always regenerating, taking a hit from free radicals and attempting to make it out clear! The process of juicing extracts the fiber from the nutrients allowing your body to absorb the nutrients directly at the cellular level without working at all! The amounts of antioxidants you take in from even a small amount of juice could never be consumed any other way! No multivitamin or supplement, salad or green smoothie will ever compare to juicing. Though it can be timely and messy just REMEMBER, there is nothing like juicing in terms of the benefits it has to offer your body!
By: Dani Rhoades, NC, Certified Nutrition Consultant, www.wholesomepractices.com
If your juice is tasting bitter, add more sweetness to it. You want your juice to be something you can look forward to each time! Stock up ginger, tons of turmeric root, different varieties of apples at your house and let us do the rest.
Try these recipes that went really well for me this week:
Beet Vitality (makes aprox 2 x 16oz)
1 beet, 1 cucumber, 1/4 – 1/2 bunch dandelion, 1 lemon, 1 pear, 1 bunch carrots, 3-4 roots of turmeric
Cilantro Detox (makes aprox 2 x 16oz)
1 bunch kale, 1 cucumber, 1/2 ea lime and lemon, 1/4-1/2 bu. cilantro, 1/2 celery bunch, 1/2″ ginger and 3-4 roots turmeric, 1/2 head romaine, 1 apple and 1/2 pear, 1/4 bu. dandelion