July 17th CSA contains:
CARROTS
SALAD MIX
STRAWBERRIES from GOLETA GROWN
CILANTRO
RED CHERRY TOMATOES
LEEKS
ZUCCHINI
NEW RED AND YELLOW POTATOES from ELLWOOD CYN
CUCUMBERS
PEACHES from GIVENS ORCHARD
BIG BOX ADD: STRAWBERRIES, CARROTS, HEIRLOOMS, SWEET CORN*, RED BUTTER LETTUCE
*Sweet Corn is from Hilltop & Canyon farms. I didn’t cut the worm off the top, but I recommend you doing it ASAP. And you can be rest assured it’s organic! Our corn is about a month out.
The farm is going wild with all this sunshine we are getting. The weeds tend to grow faster than we can keep up with and all the picking in the greenhouses have to be done early in the morning before it starts cooking inside. Those hot greenhouse produce some amazing tomatoes. I can’t get over how sweet our red cherry tomatoes have been. They are truly candy. Our purple peppers are just starting to come out and that means sweet peppers are on the horizon. We also have a lot of great winter squash that is curing on the ground as we speak.
The new potatoes in your box come from Ellwood Canyon farms, a smaller local organic farm down the street. New potatoes are freshly harvested young potatoes. They have paper-thin skins and lots of moisture inside, and they tend to be sweeter than older potatoes. They are great in potato salads! Check out what Dani, our local nutritionist has to say about them:
Potatoes have been used as a staple for centuries! There are actually about a 100 varieties of potatoes. New potatoes, as you will find in your box, are harvest early when they are still considered immature and therefore are smaller in size and more flavorful. They are full of nutrients, most notably potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, and pantothenic acid. Potatoes are an important part of a healthy diet because their high levels of potassium balance out the high levels of sodium in most diets. Studies have shown that high sodium, low potassium diets contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. While on the flip side, a diet high in potassium and low in sodium is quite protective against these diseases. Potassium is especially therapeutic for people with high blood pressure. A recommended balance of sodium to potassium would be 1:5 and potatoes have a ratio of 1:110! They are great for restoring a proper ratio of these two nutrients. Potatoes have been known for their high glycemic index, which is a measure of the spike in your blood sugar. While this is true, there are healthy ways to reduce this spike. Having potatoes with fat and/or protein slows the digestion process and therefore the absorption of sugars into your bloodstream happens gradually overtime. This ensures that you won’t be putting any stress on your blood sugar regulating hormones or organs. So yes, slab that grass-fed butter on your new potatoes this week and enjoy then with a roasted, free-range chicken.
By Dani Rhoades, N.C., Nutrition Consultant, www.wholesomepractices.com
Sources: Therapeutic Nutrition by Ed Bauman, The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray
Lemon Zucchini Slaw
(If you feel like you have become over run by summer squash, this recipe is for you. Eat it up and your vegetable drawer and your waistline will thank you for it!)
Ingredients: Serves 4
2-3 medium zucchini
1 medium carrot
1 tsp salt
3 green onions, sliced on the bias
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
a dash or two of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Grate zucchini and carrot coarsely or slice into a julienne on a mandolin. Place veggies in a fine mesh strainer and toss with salt. Let sit 30 minutes. Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, honey, dill, cayenne, and salt & pepper. Squeeze out excess liquid from the zucchini and carrot mixture. Stir the zucchini, carrot, and green onions into the dressing. Adjust the seasoning, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.
(Recipe from: http://www.culinaryadventuresinthekitchen.com/)
Curried Egg Salad
(I think this salad could use a few more vegetables with all the glorious flavors they have in their dressing. Green beans, peppers, leeks or carrots would be a great addition. Play around with it and make it your own. I definitely see eggs in the future of the CSA.)
Ingredients: Serves 4
4 large organic cage free eggs
2 cups small new potatoes (about 10)
Dressing:
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 celery stalks, trimmed and minced
1 small Granny Smith apple, minced
2 tablespoons slivered toasted almonds
1/4 cup raisins
Directions:
To hard boil eggs, place them on the bottom of a deep saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the saucepan and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 15 minutes. Drain and let cool water run over them to stop the cooking process. Peel. To boil potatoes, fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover them. bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool. Make the dressing: in a medium mixing bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, cilantro, lemon juice, honey, mustard, yogurt and curry powder. Chop the hard-boiled eggs and place them in a salad bowl. If the potatoes are larger than walnuts, cut them into halves or quarters before adding them to the bowl. Similarly, if the cherry tomatoes are larger than walnuts, cut them into halves or quarters before adding them to the bowl, too. Toss in the celery, apple, almonds and raisins. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently but thoroughly. Cover and chill before serving, about 2 hours.
(Recipe from: www.foodnetwork.com)
Zucchini Pizza Crust
(Yum! This crust is crispy/chewy and a perfect use of zucchini!)
Ingredients: Serves 3
2 c. zucchini, finely grated, lightly packed
½-3/4 c. almond meal (you can make this by grinding up raw almonds in a food processor)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T. avocado oil (or another high smoke point oil such as walnut or coconut)
½ t. oregano
¼ t. garlic powder
⅛ t. salt (you don’t need much because the zucchini will retain some)
Directions:
Place the grated zucchini in a strainer. Sprinkle the zucchini with some salt, toss it to disperse. Place the strainer over a large bowl, and let the zucchini drain for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the grated zucchini into a dry dish towel, and wring the towel over the sink until the water from the zucchini is squeezed out. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Add almond meal as needed to make a dough (not too wet, not too dry). On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread the zucchini mix out into an oval shape. I use a fork to do this, and I press it down to compact it as well. Place the pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then place the pan on the top rack of the oven for about 8 minutes, until browned. Remove the pan and flip the crust. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the crust. Turn the oven up to 500 degrees. Top the pizza with sauce or pesto, cheese, all sorts of veggies….whatever floats your pizza boat! Place the pan back into the oven on the bottom rack and bake for 3-4 minutes. Again, place the pan on the top rack for about 2 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes to let everything set. Slice and enjoy!!
(Recipe from www.oatmealwithafork.com)
JULY 17th JUICE FEAST CONTAINS:
LACINATO KALE
CARROTS x 2
CILANTRO
CUCUMBERS
PURPLE PEPPERS
RED BUTTER LETTUCE x 2
WATERCRESS
GRAPEFRUIT/ORANGE/LEMON MIX
PARSLEY
A tip from Dani, our local nutritionist:
Another juicing champion: Watercress! This wild green is another ‘bitter’ food, which we know now are so beneficial for our health because of how they move bile through the body. Bitter greens are a whole class of vegetables in themselves for their ability to stimulate digestive juices starting from the minute you taste that juice! Watercress is not only a digestive stimulant though, it also has a depurative effect on the body. Depurative means it has the ability to rid toxins and other forms of waste out of the body, similar to cleansing but specifically to the kidneys and liver. Depurative herbs like watercress also get the flow of blood moving and keep the lymphatic system clear. Watercress is part of the Brassica family, so it is also classified as a cruciferous vegetable. It contains sulfur properties and is therefore anti-cancerous. Though pungent and bitter tasting on it’s own, you can juice this green with lemons, carrots, and parsley to calm the taste! It’s clearly worth adding to your juice!
By: Dani Rhoades, NC, Certified Nutrition Consultant, www.wholesomepractices.com
Sources: Therapeutic Nutrition by Ed Bauman