We were really excited to see rain coming this weekend. A lot of planning and work comes along with this much needed watering. We seeded radishes, cilantro, curly and flat leaf parsley, our last crop of red and gold beets and we planted our first crop of carrots up in Buellton on the new property. The farm somehow also squeezed in picking for 10 farmers markets this weekend. I see zucchini coming up fast and look forward to having it in our shares soon. It’s one of my favorite vegetables due to its excellent versatility and nutrient content. We welcome strawberries to our shares this week any many weeks to come! Enjoy them picked at their peak ripeness for the best flavor.
Cindy Dollar is cooking up some Raisin Pecan granola in Organic and Gluten free options. It’s made right here in Goleta and fresh to order. Grab your bag here!!!
CSA Shares Contain:
RED LEAF LETTUCE
CARROTS
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
RAINBOW CHARD
BUNCHED SPINACH
LEEKS
GREEN CABBAGE
RED BEETS
CILANTRO
STRAWBERRIES
BIG BOX ADD: ROMAINE LETTUCE, STRAWBERRIES, CARROTS, BABY SPINACH, KENNY GRAPEFRUIT from VINCENT FARMS
FRUIT EXPANSION INCLUDES: GRANNY SMITH APPLES from SMIT FARMS and STRAWBERRIES
Sugar Snap Pea, Cabbage + Cilantro Slaw
Ingredients: serves 4-6 as a side dish
about 3 cups of snap peas, sliced thinly lengthwise
about 2 cup of green cabbage, shredded
a large handful of cilantro, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup of vegan mayo (or regular mayo if you prefer)
salt + pepper
Directions:
Place the chopped snap peas and cabbages in a large bowl and give it a quick toss to combine. Then in a small bowl add the cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, mayo, and salt and pepper to your liking. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust any seasoning if necessary.
Then add the mayo mixture to the snap peas and cabbage. Stir until everything is combined. You can make this a day or so ahead of time and keep in covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. This will keep for a couple of days in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
(Recipe and photo from Whats Cooking Good Looking?)
Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
Ingredients: Serves 6 as a side, 3 as a main
3 medium sweet potatoes
3/4 pound (about 2 small) boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cups olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 whole chipotle pepper, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
salt and pepper
2 cups spinach
5 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
chopped cilantro, for garnish
greek yogurt, for serving
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash your sweet potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until fork tender. Place your chicken in a baking dish and rub with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and peper. Place in the oven with the potatoes and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and shred the chicken with a fork or your hands. When the sweet potatoes are done cut in half and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
In a medium size bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle peppers, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat and wilt the spinach (this can also be done in the microwave). Toss the spinach and shredded chicken together, set aside and keep warm.
Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Scrape the sweet potato out of the peel, leaving a medium size layer of flesh inside with the peel so that it can stand up on its own (I reserved the remaining flesh, for another use) and place in a baking dish. Brush the skins with with a little of the chipotle sauce and bake for 5-10 minutes until nice and crisp. While the skins bake mix the spinach, chicken and chipotle sauce together. Remove skins from the oven and stuff with the chicken mixture, top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the skins are hot and crisp. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and Greek yogurt if desired.
(Recipe and photo from Half Baked Harvest)
Curried Chickpea Salad Swiss Chard Wraps
Ingredients: Serves 2-4
2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned rinsed and drained)
2 celery sticks, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
4-6 large swiss chard leaves
For the Curry Sauce:
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/2 Tablespoon curry powder (start with this amount and add more if you like the heat)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare the chard leaves by shaving down the thick stalk. Set aside.
Combine all the ingredients for the curry sauce together and whisk until smooth. This works best with an immersion blender. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary. I added more curry powder!
In a large bowl combine the chickpeas, celery, carrots, parsley, raisins and sunflower seeds. Stir in curry sauce and place an even amount of the salad on each swiss chard leaf and wrap up like a burrito. Enjoy!
*Use this recipe as a guide
*Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary
*Always taste test as you go
(Recipe and photograph from Dishing up the Dirt)
The leaves of the beet are surprisingly mild and tender, making them a great addition to a salad
Beet & Carrot Bake
Ingredients:
6 carrots
3 large beets
2 leeks (you could also use scallions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
4 ounces of cheese – I’ve used chevre style goat cheese and feta cheese, both are wonderful!
Tamari
fresh black pepper
Directions:
Scrub your beets clean and cut the stems off. You can leave the roots while they steam, this actually makes them sweeter!
In a large saucepan covered with a lid, steam your beets whole until soft, about 10-15 mins. Check them regularly and add more water as needed. After about 10 mins, you can add your carrots to the same pan or use a different pan if you would like to preserve the individual flavors.
While your veggies are steaming, prepare your leeks. Drizzle olive oil a large sauce pan over med high heat, and add minced garlic and chopped leeks. Stir and cook for several minutes until slightly soft.
Once your veggies are done, layer them in a baking dish. Drizzle them with tamari, fresh cracked pepper, and crumbled cheese. Broil at 500 degrees until the cheese is golden brown. Let cool and serve!
You can also cover your dish with a lid or aluminum foil if you want a creamier, saucier consistency more similar to a casserole. Try serving over a bowl of quinoa for a filling meal.
(Recipe and picture from Linda Warger)
JUICE FEAST CONTAINS:
ROMAINE LETTUCE
CARROTS
KENNY GRAPEFRUIT from VINCENT FARMS
BUNCHED SPINACH
GREEN CABBAGE
RED BEETS
CILANTRO
STRAWBERRIES
BABY SPINACH
GRANNY SMITH APPLES from SMIT FARMS
Your apples this week come from SMIT FARMS this week. They are our neighbor in the Pacific Palisades farmers market. Located in Linden, California, Smit Farms supplies many of this state’s Certified Farmers’ Markets with organic tree fruit that has been growing since 1969.