We have a few extra dozen eggs in our CSA store this week. If people with an egg subscription put their share on hold, you will see a dozen pop up for sale in the store. The chickens are happy as ever. We are harvesting a huge amount of dandelion greens fresh from the field for them today. There’s not a better feeling to me than to see those ladies running around, pecking at insects, enjoying fresh farm greens and getting fat on grain! I apologize if the blogs are short and emails aren’t answered in the most timely manner. We are making a big move up to Buellton over the next month and I’m getting in a new groove of juggling tasks.
Cindy Dollar is cooking up some delicious granola this week. Coconut Seed is the flavor this week and it’s loaded with healthy pumpkin seeds. Mildly sweet and crunchy, this granola is a perfect addition to your weekly snacks. Grab yourself a bag, the more you buy the more you save.
We’ve also added a few more items from Deux Bakery. No better way to keep your dollars in the community than shopping small, local business! And on that note – thanks for being a part of our CSA!!!! It’s truly a labor of love and I look forward to all the new things to come with our big move.
CSA for week of Feb 25th includes:
ROMAINE LETTUCE
RED BEETS
FENNEL
ARUGULA
CARROTS
CAULIFLOWER from TUTTI FRUTTI FARMS or BROCCOLI
LACINATO KALE
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
BUNCHED SPINACH
CILANTRO
BIG BOX ADD: GREEN CABBAGE, SALAD MIX, CARROTS, RAINBOW CHARD, STRAWBERRIES from FRECKER FARMS
Fruit Expansion includes: Fuji Apples from Haas Farm and Strawberries from Freckers Farm
Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad
Ingredients:
3-4 cups cauliflower floretes
olive oil
one bunch of kale, destemmed (about 5 packed cups)
a few squeezes of lemon
a few squeezes of orange
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt & pepper
1/4 cup hemp seeds, toasted chopped almonds or pine nuts
a few add-on ideas: (choose 1 or a few)
◾crumbled feta cheese
◾shaved parmesan cheese
◾dried currants or cranberries
◾chickpeas (or a protein of your choice)
◾roasted sweet potatoes (roast w/ the cauliflower)
◾a scoop of hummus or cashew cream
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.On a baking sheet lined with parchment, toss the cauliflower with olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread cauliflower evenly on the baking sheet and roast until golden brown (usually 20-30 minutes).
3.Tear your kale into pieces and place it all into a large bowl. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper and use your hands to massage the leaves until the kale becomes tender and wilted (the volume in your bowl will reduce by about half). Add a big squeeze of orange, a big squeeze of lemon, a bit of dijon mustard, and use your hands to work it all together. Taste and adjust – if it’s bitter add orange, if it’s bland, add more seasonings. What you add will depend on the bitterness of your kale (I find that I add different amounts each time). If it’s still too raw-tasting, let it sit for 20 or so minutes (at room temp), and the flavors will develop a little more.
4.Toss in the roasted cauliflower, a sprinkle of hemp seeds and some freshly cracked pepper. If the kale is still too raw-tasting, add some of the suggested add-ons to offset the amount of kale in your salad.
5.Store extra kale salad in an air tight container in the fridge (it’s great for lunch the next day).
**If you’re new to kale salad, or if your kale is especially tough or bitter, try mixing in a few handfuls of softer baby salad greens.
(Recipe and photo from Love and Lemons)
Roasted Beet and Farro Salad
Ingredients: Serves 2-4
1 cup farro
3 1/2 cups water
Pinch of salt
3-4 medium beets (classic red works, but chioggia and golden beets are striking)
1-2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For vinaigrette:
1/2 cup plus a tablespoon olive oil
1 small or 1/2 large shallot, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup peeled chopped roasted beet
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine farro, water and salt in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until farro is tender (about the texture of al dente pasta) and most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain if necessary and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Trim the beets and wash them well, then coat with 2 tablespoons or so of olive or grapeseed oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil, place the beets on it, then cover with more foil. Roast until the beets can easily be pierced with a knife–depending on your oven and size of the beets, this might take a couple of hours. Cool the beets.
The above steps can be done ahead of time.
Peel the beets, and coarsely chop about half of one–you’ll need roughly 1/4 cup for the beet vinaigrette.
To make vinaigrette, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the shallot, and saute gently until soft and translucent, then transfer to a blender. Add the chopped beets, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, then blend to puree. With the blender running, gradually add the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a steady stream. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if you’d like.
Slice or quarter the rest of the beets, arrange them on plates over cooked farro, and drizzle with the vinaigrette to serve.
(Recipe and photo from The 10th Kitchen)
Roasted Fennel Salad
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve (over arugula!!)
(Recipe adapted from Food Network)
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower 7 – 8″ wide
1 egg, large
1/2 cup Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, grated/shredded & not packed
1 tsp Italian (or rosemary, basil, parsley) herb seasoning
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line round pizza baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.Rinse cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and separate into florets with a paring knife. Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and process until “rice” texture. Some coarse chunks are fine.
3.Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 mins.
4.Remove cooked cauliflower from the oven and transfer to a bowl lined with a double/triple layered cheesecloth (or a fine kitchen towel).
5.Then squeeze the liquid out of the ball, cauliflower inside the cheesecloth, as hard as you can. Be patient and do this a few times until barely any liquid comes out. Muscle work.:)
6.Increase oven temp to 450 degrees F. Transfer cauliflower to a mixing bowl along with egg, cheese, herb seasoning, salt, black pepper and mix to combine. Transfer cauliflower mixture onto the same baking sheet you used to roast the florets (I used the same parchment paper but you can swap it for a new one if it gets too soggy), and flatten with your hands until thin pizza crust forms.
7.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes and remove from the oven.
8.Top with your favorite toppings and bake again until cheese on top turns golden brown. Slice and enjoy.
Storage Instructions: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the crust tightly wrapped in plastic, for 1 month.
(Recipe and photo from IfoodReal)
JUICE FEAST INCLUDES:
ROMAINE LETTUCE
RED BEETS
FENNEL
CARROTS
LACINATO KALE
BUNCHED SPINACH
CILANTRO
GREEN CABBAGE
RAINBOW CHARD
FUJI APPLES from HAAS FARMS or STRAWBERRIES