** Check out this excellent list of 31 Things to Do with Confusing CSA Vegetables! It’s a wonderful guide for CSA-eating, and we make many of the recipes/dishes it suggests.

Also check out our Pinterest Page, full of delicious recipe ideas, organized by vegetable.

2018 Farm Share Week 31: Nov 28-Dec 1
Turnips – Make Honey Glazed Turnips and serve with protein and salad of your choice.
Napa Cabbage and Carrots – We love this Napa Cabbage Salad and this Asian Slaw recipe and serve it with noodles and protein. (This time of year, we leave out the summer squash and cucumber it calls for, we use raw garlic instead of garlic powder, and we use our frozen ginger in place of ground ginger.)
Radishes – We got the excellent reminder this weekend that Radishes are excellent on burgers (vegetarian or meat burger). This spice is an excellent complement to the protein and accompanying vegetables.
Salad Mix – We’ve been experimenting with making salad dressing that includes hard-boiled egg yolks. See this recipe calling it Salad with Deviled Egg Vinaigrette.

2018 Farm Share Week 30: Nov 20-24
Napa Cabbage – This style of Napa Cabbage Salad is delicious. We leave out the peas that it calls for and we use our red radishes in place of the daikon it calls for. Or – we like to sub in our Napa Cabbage for Brussels Sprouts in this Brussels Sprouts Salad. It works beautifully. Just slice the Napa very thinly.
Lettuce & Salad – We have a special place in our hearts for this Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette recipe. It’s great with our Salad Mix, of course, but we really love it with crunchy Romaine, for whatever reason. Give it a whirl! Stun your family and serve a big Salad for Thanksgiving!
Radishes – Remember that our Radish Dip is a fan favorite and very well may work itself into your Thanksgiving. Dice the radishes very small (ideally using a food processor). Stir into softened cream cheese with a dash of salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Penzey’s herb blend Fox Point. Voila! Or you can follow this Radish Dip recipe variation.
Turnips – Make a classic: Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar. That recipe calls for Carrots, Turnips, and Beets. We planned for Beets for you this fall, and the 800 row feet of beets that we planted were completely ruined by the extra fall rain. We are sad and sorry!

2018 Farm Share Week 29: Nov 14-17
Green Tomatoes – Our family made this Green Tomato Curry with Lentils recipe and it was very delicious. It’s a surprising combination of flavors and our oldest declared it “Tremendous!” No lie. We subbed Lentils where it called for Yellow Split Peas, and we used Honey where it called for a touch of sugar. It involves a long list of spices to make your own curry, but you could probably shortcut by using a Curry blend of your choosing.
Microgreens and Pea Shoots – These are both great mixed in with scrambled eggs or on sandwiches or on top of a larger leaf salad.
Turnips – Put these lovelies in soup, or in sandwiches, or on top of a green salad. Portugese Wedding Soup doesn’t call for them, but make it and put them in anyway. (Plus, use our cabbage in place of the celery it calls for.) Clearly, we don’t consider many recipes sacred.
Radish – Dip them in hummus! Layer them on sandwiches! Slice them on salad!
Cabbage – Two of our (related) Farm Share members lost a loved one in their family last week. Here is his yummy Pepper Hash recipe!

Head of cabbage 
½ cup sugar
1 small onion 
1 green pepper
6 or more green olives, cut in half
Dressing: 
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar 
½ cup oil
1 teas. Celery seed 
½ teas. Prepared mustard

Grate head of cabbage and small onion. Chop green pepper and cut up olives. Mix together with half cup of sugar.

Mix the cup of vinegar, cup of sugar, half cup oil, celery seed and mustard in pan and bring to a boil. Pour over the cabbage mixture, while still hot. Let set.

2018 Farm Share Week 28: Nov 7-10
Green Tomatoes – These sweeties just didn’t have time to ripen but we can still enjoy them! You can keep them in your warm home and hope they ripen (which they may), or you can embrace their tartness. We love Salsa Verde made with green tomatoes instead of tomatillos. See this Round Up of Green Tomato Recipes. Our favorite is the Curried Green Tomatoes.
Kale or Hearty Greens Mix – We made Sweet Potato Curry with Kale this week and it was very delicious. (We get sweet potatoes from Crumptown Farm and we think you should, too!) You can also make Sweet Potato Kale Soup. Or really, just add Kale to any and all soups. 🙂  Or, make our favorite Kale with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette Salad.
Radishes – A CSA member weighed in with a delicious recipe similar to this Radish Tzatziki recipe. Serve with pork or simply pita and other veggies.
Turnips – We like to make this Portugese Kale Soup and use Turnips instead of potatoes. Or, simply slice on salads or roast alone.
Arugula – We ate Arugula on top of Pizza this weekend, because it is amazing with the combination of crust, olive oil, sea salt, and all the other pizza toppings.
Pea Shoots – These are sweet and nutrient packed! Put them on larger-leaf salad or in sandwiches or in wraps or cook with something like Scrambled Eggs. You can certainly also put them in a smoothie.
Green Peppers – Though we really love the orange and red ripe versions of these, the green ones have a special place in our hearts for their crunch. We’re putting them on salads, in stir fry, and on pizza.
Carrots – Just enjoy them!!

2018 Farm Share Week 27: Oct 31 – Nov 3
Fennel – We made this Fennel Parmesan Dip and this Fennel Fronds Pesto and really liked both of them. Different kids of ours had preferences for one or the other, but both recipes are tasty. (Pssst…I added a small bunch of turnips to the Fennel for roasting for the dip [first recipe above], and then just pureed them together, so actually I made Fennel-Turnip-Parmesan dip. Our kids have been protesting Turnips recently, and they didn’t discover this secret and they loved the dip!) A CSA member recommended enjoying our Fennel this way: “Pear Salad with Fennel: pears, parmigiano, fennel, radicchio, lightly dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper. Proportions to your taste.”
Hearty Greens Mix – Remember to treat this like Spinach or Kale. We made Sweet Potato Curry with Kale this evening, and used our Hearty Mix…plus it us great with Cilantro, which is available for the share this week. (We get sweet potatoes from Crumptown Farm and we think you should, too!) You can also make Sweet Potato Kale Soup. Or really, just add Kale to any and all soups. 🙂
Radishes – A CSA member weighed in with a delicious recipe similar to this Radish Tzatziki recipe. Serve with pork or simply pita and other veggies.
Cabbage – We are real suckers for Asian Style Slaw  and for simple cooked Cabbage dishes like this “Southern Cabbage Recipe” (though our New England family members make this often). Cook it lightly with broth, butter, and salt and pepper. It’s so yummy. Add bacon if you eat that way. Add a dash of Caraway if you are into that (we are).
Cilantro – A Cilantro Pistachio Pesto dish was a big hit at our CSA Social. Or, just have weekly Taco Night like we do and mix it in with Yogurt (or sour cream) and Salsa & Pico Seasoning Mix to be an ahh-mazing Taco Topper.

2018 Farm Share Week 26: Oct 24-27
Mint – We have been making Mint tea daily in our home. Please do this and sip in the goodness of Mint! We like to add a splash of milk, but not honey. You choose your preferred way! Or – make Kale Mint Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing. Or make Tahini Mint Kale Salad – or serve the dressing on any other Salad
Turnips – Slice these cuties raw on top of a green salad, or add to soup (see the Kale soup recipe below – it’s great with Turnips), or make Roasted Turnips.
Fennel – This tasty plant is also packed with medicinal qualities. Enjoy it with someone else’s carrots in Roasted Carrots & Fennel or make Arugula & Fennel Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette or simply slice it thinly and add it to a green salad of our Kale. Use the fronds by adding them to salads or making Fennel Pesto. See other Fennel Fronds Ideas Here.
Kale – Colder weather is settling in! We really love Kale and White Bean Soup. We also sneak Kale into unsuspecting places, like in tomato sauce to be served on pasta. See this recipe for Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Kale or freestyle with your favorite tomato sauce.
Radishes – Delicious raw on top of green salads, or sliced and served on top of buttered toast with sea salt, or make Radish Cream Cheese Dip (we add some Sunny Paris herb blend from Penzey’s, and don’t usually add that much garlic).
Cabbage – Try Asian Chicken Salad with Cabbage, and modify to your preference. (Use tofu, or leave out some of the ingredients…and definitely use our cabbage instead of the bagged mix that recipe calls for!). Another great thing is this Chicken (Or Tofu) Salad But Add Cabbage. (We added that “Add Cabbage” to the title!)  We also love Cabbage Tomato Soup and don’t really use a recipe but that one is similar.
Peppers – Use these in a stir fry (use whatever protein you prefer), or Pad Thai, or sautéed for Taco Night (Taco Night happens weekly at our house, but never on a consistent night of the week, and the style of Taco we make varies widely based on what vegetables and protein we have on hand.) … or add peppers to your smoothie. (Just this weekend, we learned from a CSA Member that you can put peppers in smoothies! Why didn’t we think of that before??) 

2018 Farm Share Week 25: Oct 17-20
Fennel – This tasty plant is also packed with medicinal qualities. Enjoy it with someone else’s carrots in Roasted Carrots & Fennel or make Arugula & Fennel Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette or simply slice it thinly and add it to a green salad of our Kale. Use the fronds by adding them to salads or making Fennel Pesto. See other Fennel Fronds Ideas Here.
Baby Ginger – This tropical plant has been growing in our greenhouse all season and is now being harvested at the baby stage. (If growing in a warmer climate, it would mature and form the brown skin that you see on ginger sold in the grocery store.) At the baby stage, it has no brown skin and therefore does not need to be peeled. It also has more flavor and more tropical notes. It will store about 10 days or so in your fridge, so if you don’t use it within that timeframe, freeze it in a bag or container and it will last for up to a year. If using frozen, simply grate it – while frozen – into the dish you are making. Baby Ginger can be used in place of fresh ginger called for in any recipe.  Use it to liven up a stir fry recipe, or focus on a Ginger Veggie Stir Fry, or make Ginger Tea, or make real Gingerbread.
Arugula – Make Arugula Pesto and serve it on pasta or toast or crackers. We always use walnuts instead of pine nuts.
Radishes – Delicious raw on top of green salads, or sliced and served on top of buttered toast with sea salt, or make Radish Cream Cheese Dip (we add some Sunny Paris herb blend from Penzey’s, and don’t usually add that much garlic).
Kale – Colder weather is settling in! We really love Kale and White Bean Soup. We also sneak Kale into unsuspecting places, like in tomato sauce to be served on pasta. See this recipe for Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Kale or freestyle with your favorite tomato sauce.

2018 Farm Share Week 21: Sept 26-30
Non Spicy Jalapenos?!? What?!?  New members: Welcome to the world of Jalapenos with flavor but not heat/spiciness. We love Jalapeno Poppers, but our jalapenos were getting so spicy that our meals were getting dangerous. Enter in this variety that somehow has all the flavor and none of the blaze. So – enjoy these family friendly Roasted Jalapeno Poppers or if you’re bacon eaters, make these Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. 
Snack Peppers – If you don’t use them all in on top of salads or as a simple-and-delicious snack, please make Mini Stuffed Sweet Peppers. We will miss these little gems once winter arrives!
Okra – Slice into thin rings and saute with onion, garlic, and add salt at the end. They caramelize and become like silken gold for your mouth. 
Eggplant – Slice into 1/4 inch slices. Grill or bake on a grill press with butter brushed on the slices until soft.  Sprinkle with smoked sea salt and mozzarella and balsamic glaze. 
Shishito – If you want a shortcut to making aioli, purchase Organic Chipotle mayonnaise and dip the blistered Shishito peppers in that. It’s incredibly good.
Turnips, AND their Greens – The all-white and slightly sweet ones we grow are a Japanese variety and quite different than the purple-topped ones that too many of us were served “boiled and mashed.” Try these as Roasted Turnips with Parmesan or enjoy them raw sliced on top of green salads. Their greens are currently in really nice shape so please eat them, though give them a rinse as there may be some bugs clinging on. After washing them, make Spicy Skillet Turnip Greens and adjust the spice level up or down according to your preference.
Carrots – The large amount of rain has made the grand majority of our carrots rot in the ground. So, the only carrots we have been able to pick are baby ones. Enjoy these thin sweeties raw in salad, dipped in hummus, or saute them in a pan with butter and salt until cooked to your desired tenderness. We call these “Butter Carrots” and they are a family favorite. You can also follow this Butter Roasted Carrots Recipe.

2018 Farm Share Week 20: Sept 19-22
Non Spicy Jalapenos?!? What?!?
If you don’t get these this week, your pick up location will get them next week. (Unless our farm washes away in this rain. Just kidding. Sort of.) Returning members may remember these. New members: Welcome to the world of Jalapenos with flavor but not heat/spiciness. We love Jalapeno Poppers, but our jalapenos were getting so spicy that our meals were getting dangerous. Enter in this variety that somehow has all the flavor and none of the blaze. So – enjoy these family friendly Roasted Jalapeno Poppers or if you’re bacon eaters, make these Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. 
Sweet Peppers – Cowboy Caviar is a scrumptious combo of lots of things, including Sweet Peppers. Black Bean Quinoa Salad is a riff on that with two protein sources included. We love dishes like this featuring a rich mixture of flavors and textures. Or make Homemade Pizza with Peppers & Onions (you choose whatever crust you prefer). These types of dishes are the way to round out the last few weeks of real summer!
Sweet Peppers & Scallions – Saute both of these with garlic and make Tacos or Taco Salad. See Caramelized Onions and Peppers. Layer with protein and lettuces and olives and salsa and cheese and chips or tortillas as your heart desires. 
Summer Squash/Zucchini – We made this Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread and added our Mint (chopped finely) to give it some zing. (We used coconut oil as the vegetable oil, and we omitted the shredded coconut.)
Okra & Sweet Peppers & Garlic – We made Quinoa using vegetable broth and added our Okra that we had sauteed in small chunks with garlic, plus our Sweet Peppers diced raw, and mixed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Goddess Dressing Base from Penzey’s. 
Tomatoes & Garlic – We diced a big bowl of our Tomatoes and added our Garlic minced plus olive oil and salt. Plus, we made this Bean Dip but tossed in our diced Tomatoes plus Salsa seasoning by Penzey’s and used cheddar cheese instead of colby.
Scallions – We made this Cheese Dip using our Scallions and omitted the bacon. We served it with slices of our Bread.

2018 Farm Share Week 19: Sept 12-15
Shishito Peppers – We got the tip off this week that these peppers are also delicious dipping in hummus, after blistering the peppers in a pan. Or, check out this recipe for Blistered Shishito Pepper Hummus, where you mix the peppers in with the hummus. And this more complicated but yummy Shishito & Shrimp Skewers with Chimichurri recipe looks delicious. (Maybe you stocked up on propane this week. Turn on the grill!) 
Green Beans – Dan says, and we quote: “I just like Green Beans with Soy Sauce and Sesame Seeds.” There you have it folks. These farmers mostly eat them just one way. (Except we use Liquid Bragg’s Aminos instead of true Soy Sauce.) Saute them in a pan first, then sprinkle in the accessories. BUT – the other day we freestyled and made a Tomato-Green Bean-Feta Cheese-Kalamata Olive salad and it was very delicious. Our kids gobbled it down, and Dan enjoyed it and actually said he would make it again! This recipe is similar: but we used slicing tomatoes (not cherry tomatoes) and way more tomatoes than green beans. Also, we did not add lemon juice or oregano. We thought the olives carried enough flavor on their own. Make it the way you will like it!
Kale – Polling our kids about their favorite way to enjoy kale, their answers were: using it for this Hearty Greens & Lemon Honey Garlic Vinaigrette recipe (said our 6 year old), Scrambled Eggs with Kale (said our 11 year old), Strawberry Kale Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing (said our 9 year old), and in a Green Smoothie (said our 3 year old). No kidding. These were their quick and direct answers. Our veggie-loving hearts are swelling with pride. 
Snack Peppers – Slice them on top of salad and drizzle with Lemon-Olive Oil and Cranberry-Pear Vinegar from the Olive Oil Taproom. Grind a little sea salt and black pepper on top. Scrumptious. This morning our children are filling these snack peppers with cottage cheese and eating them for breakfast. 
Sweet Peppers & Scallions – Saute both of these with garlic and make Tacos or Taco Salad. See Caramelized Onions and Peppers. Layer with protein and lettuces and olives and salsa and cheese and chips or tortillas as your heart desires. 

2018 Farm Share Week 18: Sept 5-8
Sweet Peppers (large and Snack Size) – These peppers have more Vitamin C than oranges! What a fun and healthy fact. We eat many pounds per week as salad toppings, but they are also great in mixed grain and protein salads. Try this Quinoa Salad recipe, or Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Fennel and Bell Pepper. (No Fennel is ready here yet, but it is planted and growing for fall harvest.) Check out this Zesty Mini Pepper Salad. And this versatile Summer Pepper Salad. 
Green Beans – We really, really love Ginger Garlic Green Beans with Sesame Seeds and rarely prepare them any other way. We don’t get sick of these, but you can saute them with any oil (or broth) plus garlic and any additional seasoning.
Arugula – Arugula has a peppery taste. Some people enjoy it alone, others combine it with mild lettuces for a salad with less of a kick. Try Arugula Salad with Olive Oil & Parmesan or Apple, Pecan, Arugula Salad (and you can add goat cheese to that if you wish).  It’s also really delicious on top of Pizza, and adds some nutrients that many pizzas are lacking. 

2018 Farm Share Week 17: Aug 29-Sept 1
Shishito Peppers – If you’ve been on vacation recently and don’t know these yet… These are frying peppers and their flavor really comes out when you cook them whole – stem and all! – in a pan with your favorite oil (or broth if you don’t eat oil) and a touch of salt. Cook them this way until they blister, soften, and darken, and then enjoy their flavor. We hold the stem and bite up to the stem. They aren’t spicy – just wonderfully flavorful. See here for Blistered Shishito Peppers or Shishito Peppers with Soy Ginger Sauce or Blistered Shishitos with Smoky Paprika Aioli  You’ll want them to look like the picture below, once cooked. Our family decided this week that Shishitos are made for Aioli!

{photo from Epicurious}
Sweet Peppers (large and Snack Size) – These peppers have more Vitamin C than oranges! What a fun and healthy fact. We eat many pounds per week as salad toppings, but they are also great in mixed grain and protein salads. Try this Quinoa Salad recipe, or Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Fennel and Bell Pepper. (No Fennel is ready here yet, but it is planted and growing for fall harvest.) Check out this Zesty Mini Pepper Salad. And this versatile Summer Pepper Salad. 
Green Beans – We really, really love Ginger Garlic Green Beans with Sesame Seeds and rarely prepare them any other way. So maybe we don’t have many suggestions for these!
Okra – Stir-Fried Okra with Shallots, Chile, & Ginger hits the spot. (We sub onions for the shallots.) Or Fresh Okra with Tomatoes & Ginger. Or Spicy Roasted Okra with Peanut Sauce. We made this Peanut Sauce with optional spiciness on the side so that our kids would enjoy them. It’s really great with Okra.
Tomatoes – Our Roma tomatoes are excellent when you don’t want so much juice, such as in Salsa or on Pizza. Each pick up site will be getting these tomatoes in rotation with other types. Cherry tomatoes are also now in rotation between the pick up sites, and if you haven’t yet made Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, you really should. They taste like Tomato candy…which should be a thing. 

2018 Farm Share Week 16: Aug 22-25
Shishito Peppers – If you’ve been on vacation recently and don’t know these yet… These are frying peppers and their flavor really comes out when you cook them whole – stem and all! – in a pan with your favorite oil (or broth if you don’t eat oil) and a touch of salt. Cook them this way until they blister, soften, and darken, and then enjoy their flavor. We hold the stem and bite up to the stem. They aren’t spicy – just wonderfully flavorful. See here for Blistered Shishito Peppers or Shishito Peppers with Soy Ginger Sauce or Blistered Shishitos with Smoky Paprika Aioli Embrace the extra umpf provided by a tasty sauce! You’ll want them to look like this: 

{photo from Epicurious}

Sweet Peppers – Cowboy Caviar is a scrumptious combo of lots of things, including Sweet Peppers. Black Bean Quinoa Salad is a riff on that with two protein sources included. We love dishes like this featuring a rich mixture of flavors and textures. Or make Homemade Pizza with Peppers & Onions (you choose whatever crust you prefer). These types of dishes are the way to round out the last few weeks of real summer!
Carrots – We know our August Carrots aren’t the best, but we are still glad for their crunch and   Roasted Ginger and Garlic Carrots and White Bean Salad with Carrots and Tomatoes (a mediterranean style dish) and Healthier Carrot Cake III and One Pan Carrots Couscous and Chickendo these roots justice. (That last one is by Cook’s Country Magazine, which is our new favorite recipe source, but you may need a membership to see all recipes.)
Hearty Greens Mix – Think of this like Kale or Spinach. It’s great raw or cooked. Enjoy Hearty Greens with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette or see these instructions (not really a recipe) for Stir-Frying Any Greens (with Bacon…but you can omit that).
Green Beans – We really, really love Ginger Garlic Green Beans with Sesame Seeds and rarely prepare them any other way. So maybe we don’t have many suggestions for these!
Okra – Stir-Fried Okra with Shallots, Chile, & Ginger hits the spot. (We sub onions for the shallots.) Or Fresh Okra with Tomatoes & Ginger. Or Spicy Roasted Okra with Peanut Sauce (see this one pictured above, except we pan-fried the Okra instead of roasting it). So many options! (So much Okra!)
Tomatoes – We made these broiled Hassleback Tomatoes this past weekend. If you can’t see that recipe, this Baked Hassleback Tomatoes recipe is similar. Also, see above about Homemade Pizza.

2018 Farm Share Week 15: Aug 15-18
Shishito Peppers – Pictured below. These are frying peppers and their flavor really comes out when you cook them whole – stem and all! – in a pan with your favorite oil (or broth if you don’t eat oil) and a touch of salt. Cook them this way until they blister, soften, and darken, and then enjoy their flavor. We hold the stem and bite up to the stem. They aren’t spicy – just wonderfully flavorful. See here for Blistered Shishito Peppers. 
Carrots – These orange roots have eluded us over and over this season! Cross your fingers that these are as abundant under the soil as they seem. If you don’t just eat them raw in dip or on salads, you can enjoy Carrot Slaw, or cook them in a pan with butter and a touch of salt for our favorite “Buttered Carrots” dish. 
Tomato & Sweet Peppers – Combine these beauties for Tomato & Sweet Pepper Relish. We make this and leave out the vinegar and cilantro when we want to simplify it. 
Okra – We will keep pointing out that these lovely fruits are not slimy inside and do really well in any vegetable stir-fry, plus any curry dish: Cut and mix any and all vegetables together. Add a sauce that you make or buy, and serve with protein and a carb like rice.

2018 Farm Share Week 14: Aug 8-11
Shishito Peppers – Pictured below. These are frying peppers and their flavor really comes out when you cook them whole – stem and all! – in a pan with your favorite oil (or not) and a touch of salt. Cook them this way until they blister and then enjoy their flavor. They aren’t spicy. See here for Blistered Shishito Peppers.

Green Beans – You can get fancy, like with Charred Snap Beans with Whole Lemon Dressing and Mozzerella, or simple, like with Sesame-Soy Green Beans, or in-between with Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing. Or you can simply break them into pieces and add on top of a green salad. With your Mint this week, you can make Green Beans with Mint and Lime.
Tomatoes – We made this Super Simple Tomato and Garlic Saucetwice this weekend because it was so good. It’s just Garlic, Oil, Salt, and Tomatoes, but it’s delicious. It’s caramel-y and garlickly and extra yummy. We served it over pasta once, and alongside a chunk of protein once, and beside cheese-stuffed roasted peppers both times. The second time we made it, we added in some diced Mint and loved the extra touch. Other Tomato ideas: Make Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Slices of Tomatoesbetween the cheese and the bread.
Mint – We diced up Mint and sprinkled it on top of some our cream-cheese stuffed peppers this weekend and were surprised that it was delightful! The next night we made cream-cheese stuffed peppers again and put Mint on all of them because we loved it so much. We also added it to our Tomato Sauce, as described above. You can also add it on top of a green salad, or make Mint Sun Tea (but we don’t add honey). (Add dried Hibiscus Flowers to make it pink, if you want!)
Sweet Peppers – You can make Chicken & Cheese Stuffed Peppers or copy our five-nights-a-week habit of making very, very simple Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers. Our younger kids are in charge of this on their own. They cut and take the seeds out of the peppers. They shmear a bit of cream cheese in each one. (It doesn’t take much. The internet always shows peppers overflowing with cheese, but we stretch it further than that.) They lay them out on a baking sheet. Then they sprinkle our favorite herb blends on top. You can also sprinkle Panko or other bread crumbs on top. And this weekend we fell in love with sprinkling diced Mint on top of all of them. Us adults would prefer diced garlic in this mix in the peppers, but the little kids haven’t graduated to garlic mincing yet. Soon!
Salad Greens – If you need a new dressing to sauce up your salads, try Lemon Cashew Dressing. Also, remember that you can really build up a big salad to constitute a full meal. Add protein and lots of vegetables. Here’s how our family likes to do it:

Okra – We put our Okra, sliced, in a basic vegetable and tofu stir-fry last week and topped it with a pad-thai-like sauce. We were – again! – surprised at how little slime this variety of okra has. It was very delicious in the stir fry. You can use chicken in a dish like that if you prefer, and you can make a simple sauce like in this Easy Pad Thai recipe.

2018 Farm Share Week 13: Aug 1-4
Green Beans – You can get fancy, like with Charred Snap Beans with Whole Lemon Dressing and Mozzerella, or simple, like with Sesame-Soy Green Beans, or in-between with Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing. Or you can simply break them into pieces and add on top of a green salad.
Lunchbox Peppers – These snacking delights are wonderful for lunchboxes, of course, and they are also a favorite to slice in half, fill with cream cheese (dairy or vegan), and enjoy raw or baked. See this simple Peppers Stuffed with Cream Cheese instructions, or get more complicated with this seasoned Fiesta Stuffed Mini Peppers recipe. Make it the way your family prefers!
Watermelon – If this cool and rainy weather has you eating less watermelon (on the porch, in bathing suits is our family’s preference!), then you can make Watermelon-Mint Slushie. (It’s good with our without the lime juice. You choose.) Or you can make Watermelon Basil Slushie. We made both last week and added no sweetener. We all loved it. AND – you can freeze it and enjoy it later – like when August is hot and we no longer have watermelons! You can also add alcohol to frozen watermelon slush if you are so inclined. We stubbornly grow only seeded watermelons, as we believe in the importance of fruits containing seeds, as they are meant to. We know this means you will likely want to pick out the seeds in order to make these slushies, and we hope you think it’s worth it. And we grow this yellow variety because it won our taste tests in previous years.
Tomatoes – If you aren’t eating them all on sandwiches or salads or as salsa or relish, then here are some fancier ideas: Buttered Tomatoes with Ginger. Quick Tomato Chicken Curry. Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie.  Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce. Peaches and Tomatoes with Burrata and Hot Sauce. Oven-Baked Tomato Basil & Goat Cheese Risotto.
Sweet Peppers – Most of the peppers we grow are bullhorn-shaped. We think these grow better organically than bell-shaped peppers and taste better, too. But it’s hard to find recipes online that feature them. However, see this Stuffed Bullhorn Capsicum recipe (capsicum = pepper family) and this 15 Minute Charred Capsicum with Baby Tomato Spaghetti. (This author appears to be based in Australia and so temps are in C and there are some units that we are not familiar with. Feel free to enlighten…What’s a punnet of tomatoes? A pint?)

2018 Farm Share Week 12: July 25-28
Okra – A CSA member recommended this Half Hour Chicken Gumbo recipe. Just ignore it’s recommendation to use frozen okra! Or – if you’d like to freeze okra for later use (and make Gumbo in the fall or winter), follow these Instructions for Freezing Okra (you have options! Blanche first or not.) Remember also Grilled Okra, Roasted Okra, Crunchy Oven Fried Okra, Pickled Okra, or enjoy it in a Vegetable Curry recipe: just choose your favorite jar of prepared curry sauce (or make your own) and add in a bunch of chopped vegetables, including okra and tomatoes, peppers, squash, and simmer.
Lunchbox Peppers – These snacking delights are wonderful for lunchboxes, of course, and they are also a favorite to slice in half, fill with cream cheese (dairy or vegan), and enjoy raw or bake. See this simple Peppers Stuffed with Cream Cheese instructions, or get more complicated with this seasoned Fiesta Stuffed Mini Peppers recipe. Make it the way your family prefers!

2018 Farm Share Week 11: July 18-21
Sweet Peppers – These are such a staple of our summer. We dice them to make a Tomato-Pepper-Garlic-Olive Oil-Salt salad. We roast them and build sandwiches/subs with them as one of the toppings. We cut them in half to be “Pepper Boats” and fill them with anything like salmon-salad (like tuna-fish salad, but with wild salmon), cream cheese dip, or tofu salad. We grow bull-horn shaped peppers because they taste better AND grow better under organic conditions than bell-shaped peppers. Think of them like red and orange bell peppers.
Potatoes – We don’t grow many, but we think the ones we grow are extra delicious. Most of this year’s potatoes are Purple. Our favorite way to prepare is to dice into large 1-inch-ish chunks, toss with oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees, 20-25 minutes, or different depending on the size of your potato pieces.
Watermelon – We hope your watermelons were delicious last week and that you are ready for another!
Eggplant – This is a commonly misunderstood vegetable. Meaning, many don’t understand how to best enjoy it. All pick up locations will be getting some eggplant over the next two months, but not a lot. We don’t grow very much of it because we’ve seen it to be not as popular as other vegetables, and we grow untraditional varieties that we have found to be most delicious. It doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own, so combining it with the right sauce or spices is critical. One of our amazing work-share members made this Baba Ganoush recipe for us last week with our eggplant. It is garlicky and delicious, and you can adjust the garlic up or down according to your preference. Some of our eggplant are miniature varieties. Slice them in half length-wise and roast or grill. Then scoop out the cooked innards and process into this dip. Pro tip: Kids will often eat vegetables that are made into a dip! See this Baba Ganoush recipe for instructions about how to broil rounds of eggplant instead of grilling it. You don’t need to over think this. Just get the eggplant “meat” cooked, then blend it with tahini and other ingredients to make a crowd-pleasing dip. We also love eggplant roasted (in slices of our round variety, or halved miniature eggplants) and then topped with either Balsamic Glaze or Tahini Sauce.
Okra – This vegetables is also often feared and misunderstood. We are growing a new variety this year that we really love. It’s tender (not woody) even at 12-15 inches long! And it has less goo inside than other varieties. Try it as Grilled Okra, Roasted Okra, Crunchy Oven Fried Okra, Pickled Okra, or enjoy it in a Vegetable Curry recipe: just choose your favorite jar of prepared curry sauce (or make your own) and add in a bunch of chopped vegetables, including okra and tomatoes, peppers, squash, and simmer. Serve with protein and carb of choice. We encourage you to try this veggie if you don’t know it or even if you’ve previously thought you didn’t like it. BUT if you are completely opposed to it and don’t want to give it to a friend, you are welcome to leave it in a white crate at the pick up site.

2018 Farm Share Week 10: July 11-14
Eggplant – {in boxes at the farm today} This is a commonly misunderstood vegetable. Meaning, many don’t understand how to best enjoy it. All pick up locations will be getting some eggplant over the next two months, but not a lot. We don’t grow very much of it because we’ve seen it to be not as popular as other vegetables, and we grow untraditional varieties that we have found to be most delicious. It doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own, so combining it with the right sauce or spices is critical. One of our amazing work-share members made this Baba Ganoush recipe for us last week with our eggplant. It is garlicky and delicious, and you can adjust the garlic up or down according to your preference. Some of our eggplant are miniature varieties. Slice them in half length-wise and roast or grill. Then scoop out the cooked innards and process into this dip. Pro tip: Kids will often eat vegetables that are made into a dip! See this Baba Ganoush recipe for instructions about how to broil rounds of eggplant instead of grilling it. You don’t need to over think this. Just get the eggplant “meat” cooked, then blend it with tahini and other ingredients to make a crowd-pleasing dip. We also love eggplant roasted (in slices of our round variety, or halved miniature eggplants) and then topped with either Balsamic Glaze or Tahini Sauce. 
Okra – (in boxes at Perk this week) This vegetables is also often feared and misunderstood. We are growing a new variety this year that we really love. It’s tender (not woody) even at 12-15 inches long! And it has less goo inside than other varieties. Try it as Grilled Okra, Roasted Okra, Crunchy Oven Fried Okra, Pickled Okra, or enjoy it in a Vegetable Curry recipe: just choose your favorite jar of prepared curry sauce (or make your own) and add in a bunch of chopped vegetables, including okra and tomatoes, peppers, squash, and simmer. Serve with protein and carb of choice. We encourage you to try this veggie if you don’t know it or even if you’ve previously thought you didn’t like it. BUT if you are completely opposed to it and don’t want to give it to a friend, you are welcome to leave it in a white crate at the pick up site. 
Summer Squash – We had forgotten about Summer Squash Fritters this summer until last weekend! They are so good! Even our squash-protesting kids ate them with smiles. Green or yellow, summer squash or zucchini, treat them all the same for making Fritters like these. They take some time to make, but we like to set aside time on the weekend for cooking longer dishes like this. 
Sweet Peppers – Oh my these are such a staple of our summer. We serve a plate of them sliced with any dinner. We dice them for our Tomato-Relish-Salad recipe that we shared last week. We roast them and build sandwiches/subs with them as one of the toppings. Our kids made a lunch today of peppers sauteed with onions and served with rice. We grow bull-horn shaped peppers because they taste better AND grow better under organic conditions than the bell-shaped peppers we’ve tried. Think of them like red and orange bell peppers. 
Chard – Slice into thin ribbons and saute with onions and fat or broth of your choice. Salt at the very end to encourage caramelization of the onions. Serve with eggs or protein of your choice. Think of this vegetable like Spinach. 
Potatoes – We don’t grow many, but we think the ones we grow are extra delicious. Most of this year’s potatoes are Purple. Our favorite way to prepare is to dice into large 1-inch-ish chunks, toss with oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees, 20-25 minutes, or different depending on the size of your potato pieces. 
Watermelon – We will say nothing about this, except that we prefer to grow yellow-fleshed watermelon because it’s yummier, and keep your fingers crossed!

2018 Farm Share Week 8: June 27-30
Cabbage – if you’re not up for American Slaw or Asian Slaw and you’re interested in pro-biotics, make an Easy Sauerkraut
Beets – We are loving their sweetness roasted and topped with Balsamic Reduction and goat cheese, but making Quick Beet Fridge Pickles is also a favorite of ours.
Basil – If you want to save some for later, blend with olive oil and freeze for later use.
Summer Squash – Marinating Summer Squash really brings fabulous flavor. Try Marinated Summer Squash with Ricotta and Hazelnuts…or modify that recipe to suit your preferences.
Cucumbers – As with Beets, a quick refrigerator Cucumber Pickle is wonderful. They are a summertime staple for us. Make Vinegar based pickles or Salt Brine pickles. (<– We use the Brine Chart on that website, and simply add a dash of pepper corns plus any other veggies we wish to pickle with the cucumbers, like onions and garlic and carrots.)

2018 Farm Share Week 8: June 20-23
Kale – Hearty Greens with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette is great using Kale in hot weather. Adjust the amount of honey up or down to suit your preference.
Cucumbers & Tomatoes –  Cool Cucumber Salsa may be the name of the game this week.
Broccoli – Roasted Broccoli is the favorite here (include the leaves in the roasting also! They get crunchy and delicious!), but remember it is great chopped very small and included in many salads like Crunchy Broccoli Salad.

STORAGE TIPS – 
Broccoli – Keep refrigerated and dry in an air tight bag or container.
Garlic – Garlic prefers dry and dark. It’s best kept in a mesh bag or basket in a dark pantry. But the Farm Share will include a bulb each week for the next few weeks, so you don’t need to store each bulb for very long.
Bunched Greens (Kale, Chard, etc.) – Keep refrigerated in a air tight bag or container. If they wilt, cut a fresh cut on the stems and put in a glass of water like a vase of flowers. They will rehydrate.
Cucumbers – Keep refrigerated and dry in a container, perhaps with a towel to absorb any liquid as they “sweat.”
Bagged Greens – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.
Herbs – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.
Bulb Onions – When fresh like the ones this week, refrigerate in a sealed bag/container.
Tomatoes – Keep at room temperature. Refrigeration compromises their flavor and texture.

2018 Farm Share Week 7: June 13-16
Scallions – Make Pho! A delicious Vietnamese soup, you can make it vegetarian or with meat. It’s best to make your own vegetable broth for it (with the veg scraps you’ve been saving in the freezer!) but you can certainly purchase broth. The vegetables that you can add to it are flexible and numerous. Try including our Napa Cabbage. See this Easy Vegetarian Pho recipe or try this simple Beef Noodle Pho. 
Cabbage – Cabbage is a staple around our home. We could eat it for months and months. Don’t be intimidated by the Chinese Napa version! It is just a different shape and texture than traditional smooth leaf cabbage. Make stir fry, chinese cabbage slaw, stuffed cabbage leaves (sub vegetarian protein as preferred), or simply cook it down with the fat or liquid of your choice to make Cabbage with Caraway seeds. More daring but very addictive is to make Kimchi (don’t tell a traditionalist, but you can leave out the radish!). Most of these recipes also include Scallions. These two veggies are great together. 
Broccoli – Note that sometimes there are broccoli worms within the florets! Break apart and soak in salt water for 20 minutes before preparing your meal if you’d like the worms to die and float out of the broccoli. (Thank you for prioritizing Organically Grown Broccoli!) Make Roasted Broccoli or Korean Broccoli (broccoli with asian barbecue sauce). And use the leaves! They are even tastier than Kale, in our opinion. Roast them, saute them, put them in salads, etc. Just use them like Spinach or Kale. 
Summer Squash – Have we mentioned how delicious this is grilled? Our grill is broken and we are contemplating getting a new one just because of how much we love Grilled Summer Squash. (If you are upgrading your grill – perhaps for Fathers’ Day – and want to hand off your old one to us, just let us know.) 🙂  We also love Summer Squash and Quinoa Salad (with or without Walnuts). We’ve also been relying on the veggie/grain bowl approach to meals recently, and thus recommend this Farro with Summer Squash Bowl recipe. Remember – you can sub out the grain and even the types of veggies and cheese. Or find another recipe with a sauce/dressing that resonates with you. 
Tomatoes – If you aren’t going to just eat them as a sandwich or like an apple, we recommend chopping the tomato and tossing it with olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and maybe also diced garlic (still have some Green Garlic around?). We call this our Tomato Relish and serve it alongside most meals during tomato season. 

STORAGE TIPS – 

Cabbage – Keep refrigerated in an air tight bag or container, or simply loose. They don’t lose their hydration very quickly.
Broccoli – Keep refrigerated and dry in an air tight bag or container.
Cucumbers & Summer Squash – Keep refrigerated and dry in a container, perhaps with a towel to absorb any liquid as they “sweat.”
Scallions – Keep refrigerated in a sealed bag or container. For any of the green part that you don’t use in a dish: include them in a batch of Vegetable Stock.
Bagged Greens – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.
Tomatoes – Keep at room temperature. Refrigeration compromises their flavor and texture.

2018 Farm Share Week 6: June 6-9
Salad Mix – We served salad to friends this weekend and got a follow up request for us to share our salad dressing recipe. It was actually no recipe, but what we did was this: Fill a quart sized jar approx 2/3 full of olive oil, 1/3 full of balsamic vinegar, and then added 2 teaspoons of Sunny Paris herb blend from Penzey’s, followed by a quarter teaspoon or so of sea salt. Adjust those to your liking!
Lettuce – These leaves are bigger and crunchier than our Salad Mix leaves, and our family prefers them for sandwiches, lettuce boats/wraps, and Taco Salad. 
Beets – Our kids are now wild about Beet Hummus. But simply roasting these beauties with a tad of oil and salt is very delicious. Serve with protein and carbohydrate of your choice!
Summer Squash – Our favorite way to prepare these is marinated and grilled! If you don’t have a grill, roasting them on a baking sheet in the oven is the next most delicious way for us. See this Marinated and Grilled Summer Squash. *Note: Some are yellow and green, some are all green. Treat them the same!

Cucumbers – Use cucumbers to make a sauce, in addition to enjoying them simply with salt and pepper. Make Tzatziki Sauce and serve on sandwiches, serve with crudites, as a sauce for meat or Falafel, or even as a white salad dressing for any green salad. 
Bulb Onions – Slice and enjoy with Cucumber Salad or saute with the fat of your choice and use as a base for one of many dishes: Eggs, Tofu, Beef, Pork, cooked greens like Kale or Chard. 
Kale – This weekend we steamed Kale lightly and made Kale and White Sauce pizza. It was delicious! (The white sauce also featured our onions.) 
Rainbow Chard – Our family is really digging grain bowls of various kinds right now. The fun is that you can riff on them as much as you’d like. Swap out the grains, greens, and protein as well as sauce/seasonings. Versatile, nutritious, and delicious! Try this Chard Orzo Bowl with Feta for starters. 
Tomatoes – We don’t feel the need to offer suggestions with these first precious ones! Eat them up. We’ll offer ideas when quantities increase.

2018 Farm Share Week 5: May 30-June 2
Salad Mix – Make (or buy) Goddess Dressing. It’s delicious! (Or – you can purchase Goddess Dressing herb mix to make your homemade version easier.) 
Cucumbers – These delights are finally coming into abundance, so you have more in your share this week. Make Dill Cucumber Salad (using dried dill also works in this recipe), or simply slice (or dice) and toss with salt and pepper to make a light salad. 
Garlic Scapes – In case you missed this lesson last week: These are the tender tops of the type of garlic that we grow. Saute or grill them with the fat of your choice and add salt. They are fabulous! We serve them as a side dish with anything. You can cut them into small pieces or cook them whole, which makes for a wild and slightly unrule presentation. In general, treat them like Asparagus. They bring the added benefit of mild (when cooked) garlic flavor.  This is the last of the scapes. They are fleeting!

Green Garlic – This is the last of our Green Garlic. If it’s too much for you to use during these few weeks, just cut and freeze, or freeze whole. Then use it when you are ready!  A favorite recipe of late is to slice a lot of this green garlic, saute with butter and salt, and combine with fettuccine noodles – plus wilted kale and/or beet greens. See this Spaghetti with Green Garlic.
Beets – Cube and roast with a dash of fat and salt. Or if you don’t really want to eat beets but instead want to eat chocolate cake, then make Red Beet Chocolate Cake. Saute the greens and serve with vinaigrette and goat cheese.
Summer Squash – Dice or shave and use raw in a salad with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, with nuts and/or cheese. See Shaved Summer Squash Salad. Or saute with garlic and/or onions and salt and pepper. Also delicious and easy to fool kids into eating squash: Summer Squash with Quinoa and Walnuts (dice the squash small to make easier for kids’ small mouths). 
Kale – We add Kale (and/or Chard) to recipes like the Summer Squash/Quinoa recipe above, but also really love Kale Chips. 
Rainbow Chard – As simple as Sauteed Chard with Garlic and Lemon or stepped up as Eggs Nested in Sauteed Chard and Mushrooms, Rainbow Chard is as beautiful as it is delicious. 

STORAGE TIPS – 
Bunched Greens (Kale, Chard, etc.) – Keep refrigerated in a air tight bag or container. If they wilt, slice a fresh cut on the stems and put in a glass of water like a vase of flowers. They will rehydrate. 
Cucumbers – Keep refrigerated and dry in a container, perhaps with a towel to absorb any liquid as they “sweat.”
All Root Vegetables (Beets and Green Garlic this week) – Keep refrigerated in a sealed bag or container, ideally with roots and tops separated in different containers, to prevent tops and roots from getting wilty. Most tops can be prepared/cooked in some way. If you are at a loss for how to prepare the tops, include them in a batch of Vegetable Stock.
Bagged Greens and Herbs – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.

2018 Farm Share Week 4: May 23-26
Salad Mix – We make homemade Ranch Dressing from time to time to change things up. Use Ranch Dressing version 1 or Ranch Dressing version 2.
Beets – We don’t ever peel our beets! We love to simply Roast Beets and serve them as a side or on top of a green salad, ideally with goat cheese. Or – Up your game slightly with Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze. This Arugula, Beets, & Goat Cheese Salad is pretty magical, and we see cranberries and avocado as optional. Remember to enjoy the greens! Use them like Kale. Or wilt them and serve with the roasted beet roots, goat cheese, and a Balsamic Reduction/Glaze.
Green Garlic – We don’t prefer to give you two garlic items in the same share, but the bulb onions aren’t quite ready, and so it goes. You can spread out this garlic love by storing this garlic over the next couple of weeks. Just keep it contained in the fridge so that it doesn’t dry out. Slice or mince and add to green salads, salad dressing, saute, or stir fry.
Kohlrabi – This spaceship looking vegetable is sweet, moist, and crunchy inside the bulb. Peel the fibrous outside of the bulb and slice the inside to eat raw or in any saute or roasted vegetable dish. We love it raw on salads (grate or slice) or sliced in rounds as “veggie chips” for dipping. The leaves are great to use like kale. Martha Stewart has Eight Delicious Kohlrabi recipe suggestions.
Garlic Scapes – These are likely new to any new CSA members. They are the tender and tasty, green curly tops of growing garlic plants. We pick them for two reasons: 1) To allow the plant to continue to direct energy toward the growing bulb that we will harvest in about a month, 2) They are delicious! With a mild garlic flavor, they are best enjoyed when you treat them like Asparagus: Grill, bake, or saute whole, with butter and salt and any other desired seasoning. You can cut them up or leave them whole. We prefer to leave them whole and saute them in a pan. They are sort of wild and unruly due to their circular shape which makes them extra fun for our kids to eat. See also this page for Seven Things to do with Garlic Scapes. They are only in season for about two weeks each year, so savor them while they are around.
Kale and Chard – Remember that these greens are great combined with protein and carbs. One delicious option is Pasta with Peanut Sauce and Kale (sub the chard with no apologies). They are both also great with eggs and cheese. Try Swiss Chard Onion Frittata, or just scramble the ingredients. 🙂 
Cucumbers – For whatever reason, our 11 year old prepared a bowl of sliced cucumbers for us the other night by simple sprinkling sea salt and black pepper on the cuke slices. This tasted amazing! We’d never done this simple and delicious little side dish. 

STORAGE TIPS – 
Bunched Greens (Kale, Chard, etc.) – Keep refrigerated in a air tight bag or container. If they wilt, cut a fresh cut on the stems and put in a glass of water like a vase of flowers. They will rehydrate. 
Cucumbers – Keep refrigerated and dry in a container, perhaps with a towel to absorb any liquid as they “sweat.”
All Root Vegetables (Beets and Green Garlic this week) – Keep refrigerated in a sealed bag or container, ideally with roots and tops separated in different containers, to prevent tops and roots from getting wilty. Most tops can be prepared/cooked in some way. If you are at a loss for how to prepare the tops, include them in a batch of Vegetable Stock.
Bagged Greens and Herbs – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.

 

2018 Farm Share Week 3: May 16-19
Salad Mix – We encourage you to try different salad dressings to change things up a bit. We love Shiitake Mushroom salad dressing. You can buy a variety at the grocery store, pick up a locally made one by Haas Shrooms at a Richmond farmers’ market, or you can make your own.
Radishes – If you are up for a break from our two standard Radish recipes (shared in the past two weeks’ emails) you should make Pickled Radishes. It’s simple: Slice and soak in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and salt. From that recipe site: “Serve these pickled veggies in place of dill pickles on burgers or brats, on a relish tray or appetizer platter, or as a snack along with crackers and cheese. They also make an ideal gift when packaged in a canning jar.”
Kale – Kale is a versatile Super Food. Treat it like Spinach and enjoy in a raw salad, saute or stir fry, mix with eggs or tofu, include in a green smoothie, or make Kale Chips. Salads can range from Kale Salad with Apples & Feta Cheese to Kale and Cucumber Salad with Roasted Ginger Dressing to Coconut Rice, Tofu, & Kale to Kale with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette (a Broadfork family favorite).
Green Garlic – This is young, slightly milder garlic, also called “Spring Garlic.” We plant garlic in the fall and it is fully mature in June, but in May we get this baby version of garlic. You get the garlic flavor but without the papery skin. Use the base of the plant after trimming off the roots. (The roots and the dark green leaves are both wonderful to use to make Vegetable Stock. Start a gallon-size bag in your freezer in which you put these Stock Ingredients until your bag is full, then make stock. It’s so easy and delicious!) Use this garlic in any saute, stir fry, salad dressing, with any protein, etc. Or make this simple Green Garlic Pesto. If you are an adventurous cook, make Spring Tarte with Bacon, Green Garlic, & Gruyere.
Romaine Lettuces – We like growing Lettuce heads because it provides large, crunchy leaves that our Salad Mix lacks. These are our preference for Taco Salad with Loads of Toppings or Taco Salad-Super Simple Version (use meat or beans or tofu for the protein) and Taco Lettuce Boats. (Or any Lettuce Boats!)
Baby Turnips – We like Roasted Baby Turnips with Mustard Parsley Vinaigrette. Halve the recipe to serve 4 and use 1 bunch of our Turnips. This recipe is so easy and tasty.

STORAGE TIPS – 
Head Lettuce – These will wilt if you don’t contain them in something in your fridge. Refrigerate it in a plastic bag or airtight container. If it does wilt, separate the leaves and soak in tepid water for a while until they re-hydrate.
Cucumbers – Keep refrigerated and dry in a container, perhaps with a towel to absorb any liquid as they “sweat.”
All Root Vegetables (Turnips, Radishes and Green Garlic this week) – Keep refrigerated in a sealed bag or container, ideally with roots and tops separated in different containers, to prevent tops and roots from getting wilty. Most tops can be prepared/cooked in some way. If you are at a loss for how to prepare the tops, include them in a batch of Vegetable Stock.
Bagged Greens – Keep refrigerated in the bag in which we pack them.

2018 Farm Share Week 2: May 9-12
Salad Mix – We like to eat Salad everyday, and one of the tricks for keeping it interesting is to rotate our homemade dressings. This week we are digging Horseradish Mustard Vinaigrette, loosely following that recipe link. Swap out different types of vinegar or adjust the ratio of the ingredients to your preference.
Spinach – For bacon eaters, Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Mustard Dressing is timeless and fabulous. For a vegetarian dish, Spinach Quiche is a standard around our home. That recipe link calls for 10 oz of Spinach, which is two of our bags. If you want to follow that ratio and you still have some Spinach or Hearty Greens Mix from last week, combine them.
Arugula – Arugula has a peppery taste. Some people enjoy it alone, others combine it with mild lettuces for a salad with less of a kick. Try Arugula Salad with Olive Oil & Parmesan or Apple, Pecan, Arugula Salad (and you can add goat cheese to that if you wish).  It’s also really delicious on top of Pizza, and adds some nutrients that many pizzas are lacking. 🙂
Radishes – We will keep sharing our go-to Radish faves that we wrote about last week: this Radish Cream Cheese Dip except we usually add a spoonful of Fox Point by Penzey’s instead of the garlic it calls for, but it’s super flexible. Add sliced Spring Onions if you desire. Or just salt and lemon juice. And this Marinated Radish Salad, except we sometimes use just lemon juice instead of the garlic and ginger, and we’ve never added Cilantro but we should.
Sweet Salad Turnips – These Asian white orbs are not the purple-topped roots of yesteryear. Also sometimes called Tokyo or Hakurei Turnips, they are delicious raw on salad or thinly sliced on crudite plates or with crackers and cheese. Or try this White Turnip Salad with Toasted Pecans and Bacon – which uses the greens in the recipe! They also roast up beautifully. See this simplest-ever Roasted Turnips recipe (from a farmer in Dan’s hometown, funny enough).
Spring Onions – As we typed last week: Slice and saute! Or, slice and eat raw like some of our family members do. (These are salad toppings for everyone in our family except Janet.) Some people dip them in salt and then bite them! We saute them in butter as the start of almost any recipe: soup, stir fry, curry, eggs, etc. They are very versatile. Use as much of the green portion as you would like. The green portion is certainly edible, it’s just not as tender as the white part.
Cucumbers – Chomp them up just as they are, or slice them on top of green Salads, or layer them on awesomely-loaded Sandwiches, or for a light and different twist on things, make Cilantro Lime Cucumber Salad (especially if you still have Cilantro from last week). {As an aside: We know not everyone can eat Cilantro! We love it, but for some people it tastes like soap. We don’t put it in the share very often for this reason, but it is planned for a few weeks of shares.}
The World’s Best Lettuce – We love this Speckled Lettuce a whole lot. Taste it and let us know if you can tell how superior it is! (And yes, we are a bit wacky about vegetables.) Make a big salad topped with protein for lunch or dinner (as in…just prepare a protein, be it beans, fish, chicken, pork, or tofu, and cook it in your favorite way, then serve it on top of a large bowl/plate of lettuce!). Or use the large leave to make Lettuce Boats, like these Mediterranean Quinoa Lettuce Boats (though we leave out the tomatoes until it’s tomato season, which will start in June).  

2018 Farm Share Week 1: May 2-5
Salad Mix – This is a mix of tender baby lettuces. Enjoy raw topped with any assortment of goodies: sliced Radishes and Spring Onions, Nuts, Tofu, Meat, Cheese, etc. We love to make our own Salad Dressing and recommend a reliable House Italian Dressing recipe to keep on hand.
Hearty Greens Mix – Think of this as a “Super/Power Greens” mix. It is baby kale, mizuna, and tatsoi. These are delicious raw or cooked in a saute or soup. They are also a wonderful addition to a smoothie. Mix with our Salad Mix, or slice thinly and cook with scrambled eggs. (Saute thinly sliced spring onions first, and maybe also some mushrooms, for a really great combination of flavors.) Treat this mix like Spinach. We enjoy adding a bag to a batch of red sauce for serving over pasta.
Spinach – Enjoy these greens exactly like the list above for Hearty Greens Mix.
Microgreens – These aren’t a common item in our Farm Share, but with how cold this spring has been, most of our root crops are ready to harvest yet, so you get these little delights. These are the babiest of baby leave of Kale, Mizuna, and Broccoli. Studies show that greens harvested at this micro stage are up to 40 times as nutritious, bite for bite, as their adult versions. They are mild, not spicy. Add to salads, sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, with flat eggs or omelets, on top of pizza, or just enjoy mouthfuls of these little greens. They are great cooked or raw.
Radishes – These red beauties of spring and fall are chock full of nutrients and great on top of green salads, tacos, burritos, wraps, and sandwiches. AND we have two magical Radish recipes that we love: this Radish Cream Cheese Dip except we usually add a spoonful of Fox Point by Penzey’s instead of the garlic it calls for, but it’s super flexible. Add sliced Spring Onions if you desire. Or just salt and lemon juice. And this Marinated Radish Salad, except we sometimes use just lemon juice instead of the garlic and ginger, and we’ve never added Cilantro but we should.
Spring Onions – Slice and saute! Or, slice and eat raw like some of our family members do. (These are salad toppings for everyone in our family except Janet.) Some people dip them in salt and then bite them! We saute them in butter as the start of almost any recipe: soup, stir fry, curry, eggs, etc. They are very versatile. Use as much of the green portion as you would like. The green portion is certainly edible, it’s just not as tender as the white part.
Cilantro – Add to Salads, sandwiches, and chopped fresh on top of any protein (chicken, tofu, beans, etc.). Or get a little wild and make a Cilantro Smoothie (calls also for banana, tropical fruit, and lime). Or make Cilantro Lime Chicken Flatbread with Mango and Roasted Jalapeno, or Thai Chicken Flatbread with Cilantro Lime Crema. We are digging dishes like that right now! Re: Chicken: We only buy whole chickens from our farmer friends (ask us if you want recommendations) and so when a recipe calls for chicken parts, we improvise. We usually roast the chicken whole and then add what we want to a dish. Easier recipe to tackle: make a simply Cilantro White Sauce to enjoy on top of salads, meat, tofu, etc.

2017 Farm Share Week 29: November 22-27
Cabbage – Cabbage with Caraway is our current favorite way to enjoy it, but Coleslaw with Miso Dressing is also a treasured dish, and you can use any type of Cabbage.
Watermelon Radishes – humble on the outside, these roots are stunning on the inside. Slice and serve on top of a green salad. You can also make a small portion of Roasted Watermelon Radish with Herbed Tahini Sauce.
Kale / Hearty Greens Mix / Spinach – Think Hearty Kale & White Bean Soup or Garlic Parmesan Kale Pasta (remember you can use one of many different types of pasta, and sub out the parm for vegan cheese if you are so inclined)
Scallions – Bump up your salad dressing by making  Scallion Vinaigrette Recipe

2017 Farm Share Week 28: November 15-20
Roasted Carrots & Red Onions with Fennel & Mint
Sweet Potato Baba Ghanoush (in case you haven’t used your Sweet Potatoes yet)
Cranberry Orange Relish with Mint (calls for Ginger)
Scallions – we simply chop and saute and add them to any and every dish. But you can get fancy and make your Scallions Crispy to top on Mashed Potatoes.
Roasted Cabbage & Onions
Oven Roasted Root Vegetables 

2017 Farm Share Week 27: November 8-13

2017 Farm Share Week 26: November 1-6
Kohlrabi – This spaceship looking vegetable is sweet, moist, and crunchy inside the bulb. Peel the fibrous outside of the bulb and slice the inside to eat raw or in any saute or roasted vegetable dish. We love it raw on salads (grate or slice) or sliced in rounds as “veggie chips” for dipping. The leaves are great to use like kale. Martha Stewart has Eight Delicious Kohlrabi recipe suggestions.

Broccoli – Our family loves a big batch of Vegetable Pad Thai, and we use whatever vegetables we have around. We use wide Rice Noodles rather than the fettuccini the recipe calls for. This weekend we made this recipe but used Broccoli, Carrots, and Sweet Peppers instead of the veggies the recipe calls for. **We leave Broccoli leaves attached to the stalk because we think they are even tastier than Kale. For easiest storing, break them off of the stalk and keep them in a bag or other sealed container. Use the leaves just like Spinach or Kale, or rough-chop them into large pieces and include them on a baking sheet when you Roast Broccoli with Garlic, or roast them alone: Roasted Broccoli Leaves. Remember: Fresh from the farm, Organic Broccoli sometimes has Broccoli worms tucked inside the florets. To remove them, chop the broccoli, soak in salt water for 20 minutes, then remove florets from water. Worms should have dropped to the bottom of the salt water bowl.
Kale – Think Hearty Kale & White Bean Soup (sub turnip greens for the spinach it calls for) or Garlic Parmesan Kale Pasta (remember you can use one of many different types of pasta, and sub out the parm for vegan cheese if you are so inclined)
Tokyo Turnips – Make Sweet & Sour Pan-Roasted Turnips (except we recommend adding the salt late in the cooking process) or enjoy them raw on salad or dipped in hummus.
Beets – We don’t ever peel our beets! We love to simply Roast Beets and serve them as a side or on top of a green salad, ideally with goat cheese. Or – Up your game slightly with Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze. This Arugula, Beets, & Goat Cheese Salad is pretty magical, and we see cranberries and avocado as optional. Remember to enjoy the greens! Use them like Kale.
Watermelon Radishes – humble on the outside, these roots are stunning on the inside. Slice and serve on top of a green salad. {pictured below is an actual salad made with our vegetables in a CSA member’s home. Wow!} We think a little goes a long way so we’re giving you just one big root. You can also make a small portion of Roasted Watermelon Radish with Herbed Tahini Sauce.

2017 Farm Share Week 25: October 25-30
Kohlrabi – This spaceship looking vegetable is sweet, moist, and crunchy inside the bulb. Peel the fibrous outside of the bulb and slice the inside to eat raw or in any saute or roasted vegetable dish. We love it raw on salads (grate or slice) or sliced in rounds as “veggie chips” for dipping. The leaves are great to use like kale. Martha Stewart has Eight Delicious Kohlrabi recipe suggestions. 

Broccoli – We leave Broccoli leaves attached to the stalk because we think they are even tastier than Kale. For easiest storing, break them off of the stalk and keep them in a bag or other sealed container. Use the leaves just like Spinach or Kale, or rough-chop them into large pieces and include them on a baking sheet when you Roast Broccoli with Garlic, or roast them alone: Roasted Broccoli Leaves. Remember: Fresh from the farm, Organic Broccoli sometimes has Broccoli worms tucked inside the florets. To remove them, chop the broccoli, soak in salt water for 20 minutes, then remove florets from water. Worms should have dropped to the bottom of the salt water bowl.
Pea Shoots – These are the Pea Plant version of our microgreens. We cut the young, tender growth to enjoy the pea pod flavor. Toss on top of any salad, soup, or sandwich to add flavor, nutrition, and visual interest. You can go as light as Crostini with Ricotta & Pea Shoots or go all-in with Pea Shoot, Pomegranate & Chevre Salad.
Tops of Turnips & Beets – These greens are delicious and nutritious! See here for Spicy Braised Beet & Turnip Greens, and remember that you can adjust or even omit the chili flakes to tone down the spiciness. There’s also Simple & Delicious Beet Greens recipe and these Five Favorite Beet Greens Recipes.
Beets – We don’t ever peel our beets! We love to simply Roast Beets and serve them as a side or on top of a green salad, ideally with goat cheese. Or – Up your game slightly with Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze. This Arugula, Beets, & Goat Cheese Salad is pretty magical, and we see cranberries and avocado as optional.
Cabbage – Make Roasted Cabbage Wedges or Buttered Cabbage with Caraway or Classic Cabbage Coleslaw (we only have green cabbage, not red, but note this recipe also calls for carrots)

2017 Farm Share Week 24: October 18-23
Broccoli – We leave Broccoli leaves attached to the stalk because we think they are even tastier than Kale. For easiest storing, break them off of the stalk and keep them in a bag or other sealed container. Use the leaves just like Spinach or Kale, or rough-chop them into large pieces and include them on a baking sheet when you Roast Broccoli with Garlic, or roast them alone: Roasted Broccoli Leaves. Remember: Fresh from the farm, Organic Broccoli sometimes has Broccoli worms tucked inside the florets. To remove them, chop the broccoli, soak in salt water for 20 minutes, then remove florets from water. Worms should have dropped to the bottom of the salt water bowl.
Fennel – We don’t grow much fennel and don’t put a lot in our Farm Shares because it is a less familiar vegetable. So we’re giving you just one bulb to add a touch of fennel to a dish. You can make Caramelized Fennel for just one person, or you can make Meatballs with Fennel or Orange Tofu Fennel Stir Fry or thinly slice the Fennel bulb and add to a green salad or any stir fry. Use the stems and fronds to make Vegetable Stock (also use Carrot Tops this way) or make Fennel Frond Orzo or Whole Grain Salad with Fennel and Arugula. See Food and Wine’s list of Favorite Fennel Salads.
Spinach –  Great raw or cooked. Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is a favorite. Spinach Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese is a big hit. Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Parmesan is a breakfast treat. And – you can a handful of greens into any smoothie for a nutritional boost.
Carrots – We mostly eat them raw but remember to add them to stir fry or make Carrot Muffins. Or Carrot Pancakes.
Radishes – If you eat cream cheese, please make Radish dip at some point: Dice the radishes (use a food processor). Stir into softened cream cheese with a dash of salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Penzey’s herb blend Fox Point. Also, Radish on Toast. Radish on green salads.

2017 Farm Share Week 23: October 11-16
Watermelon Radishes – humble on the outside, these roots are stunning on the inside. Slice and serve on top of a green salad. {pictured below is an actual salad made with our vegetables in a CSA member’s home. Wow!} We think a little goes a long way so we’re giving you just one big root this week. You can also make a small portion of Roasted Watermelon Radish with Herbed Tahini Sauce. 

Sweet Japanese Turnips – These Hakurei variety turnips are sweet enough to slice raw and serve on top of a green salad, use to dip in hummus or any other dip for vegetables, or make Sauteed Turnips & Greens (yes! you can use the tops! Or save them to toss in a pot of vegetables stock). This Glazed Hakurei Turnips recipe also calls for including the green tops.
Spinach –  Great raw or cooked. Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is a favorite. Spinach Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese is a big hit. Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Parmesan is a breakfast treat. And – you can a handful of greens into any smoothie for a nutritional boost.
Cilantro – Nuoc Chom sauce made with Cilantro is excellent on top of any protein of your choice. Cilantro Pesto is delicious. Pineapple Smoothie with Cilantro is promised to be great by the same CSA member who made the salad pictured above. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup with Cilantro gets great reviews, although we haven’t ever made it.
Rainbow Chard – Treat this like spinach and use it in any of the recipes listed for Spinach above.
Arugula – A peppery and super nutritious addition to any salad, Arugula is also wonderful combined with any protein, on top of any pizza, and also in Apple & Prosciutto Sandwich with Arugula & Goat Cheese.
Non Spicy Jalapenos – All peppers will be gone soon, as the weather turns too cool for them, so enjoy the last hurrah. Make kid-friendly Non-Spicy Pepper Poppers. Make Vegan Jalapeno Poppers (also calls for Cilantro). Make Mexican Meatloaf and use these peppers to add flavor but not spiciness.

2017 Farm Share Week 22: October 4-9
Fennels Fronds are the new and likely unfamiliar item in this week’s share. These are the tops of the Fennel bulbs. The bulbs themselves are a little ways away from being fully mature, but by then the tops may be of decreased quality. We pick them and offer them to you now so that you can make use of them: 1) Add to a green Salad for a touch of anise/licorice flavor. 2) Make Fish Roasted on Fennel Fronds. 3) Make Fennel Fronds Pesto. 4) Store in the freezer with vegetable scraps until you have enough material to make Vegetable Stock. Grown in properly managed soil, Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good of dietary fiber, potassium, molybdenum, manganese, copper, phosphorus, folate, and it is a good source of calcium, pantothenic acid, magnesium, iron and niacin.
Salad Mix – We served Salad this weekend with this “Perfect Homemade Italian Dressing” recipe and got rave reviews (and requests to purchase the dressing from us…but we don’t sell it. We just make it, serve it, and recommend it.)
Hearty Greens Mix – Reminder that this mix should be used like Kale, Spinach, or Chard. It is delicious in a saute, a soup, a stir-fry, or a smoothie. It’s also wonderful to mix half-and-half with our Salad Mix for a heartier green Salad.
Eggplant – As fall weather sets in, the comfort of dishes like (Easy) Eggplant Parmesan is welcome. We are also on an Eggplant Curry kick around here. It’s easy to adapt the recipes to what you have on hand and there are many options of Curry Pastes, Simmer Sauces, and Curry Powder blends to choose from.
Radish – Call on the French tradition with Radish Toast Version 1 or Radish Toast Version 2. Or, of course, simply slice and dip in butter, sprinkle with salt, and eat. They also zing up a green salad for taste, visual appeal, and nutrition.
Kale – To get new ideas, see this collection of Twelve Plant-Based Kale Recipes that you Should Try This Week.

2017 Farm Share Week 21: Sept 27-Oct 2
Salad Mix & Peppers – are likely always made better with high-quality homemade dressing, which is always better when it is very easy to make. See this Ranch Dressing recipe by Bon Appetit that gives a very simple description of how to make Ranch at home. Then pour it on your Salad and dunk your peppers into it.
Arugula – Sundried Tomato Pizza with Arugula topping is scrumptious, and Arugula on top of any Pizza makes it better. Plus, then you get pizza-and-salad-in-one. It’s a two-for. French Ham Baguette Sandwich with Arugula is tasty. (And we make fabulous baguettes. We bake only a few beyond what is pre-ordered on Wednesdays so if you would like one, you should pre-order through our Bread ordering page here.)
Kale OR Rainbow Chard – Remember these greens are interchangeable. Try Sauteed Kale with Garlic, Shallots, & Capers. (We will sub yellow onions for the shallots, even though some fine chefs will call that sacrilegious.) Spicy Tuscan Kale and Ricotta Grandma Pie will also be perfect with our Curly Kale or Chard. (The recipe even says so, thus assuring you that we’re not making up this substitution thing.) It’s a quasi-pizza recipe and you can adjust the spicy ingredient as your household prefers.
Beans – Add some zing to your Beans by making Blistered Green Beans with Garlic and Miso. This is likely the last week of beans for the season. Enjoy them! They are the crop that is the most laborious for us to harvest. This likely makes them taste even better to us, and the end to their season is bittersweet. Our knees and backs win, our tastebuds and stomachs lose. 
Radishes – We upped our Radish Dip recipe by making it this way: Clean and trim one bunch of radishes. Dice them up quickly by pulsing in a food processor. Mix them in a bowl with one package of cream cheese (softened), a dash of lemon juice, a few grinds of sea salt, and a couple of teaspoons of Fox Point seasoning from Penzey’s Spices. We served this at a work day we had here at the farm this past weekend. It was consumed before the delicious hummus we served.   
Turnips – This sweet variety of turnip (Hakurei is the name) usually gets prepared by us as Glazed Turnips, however we also slice them raw on top of salads or dip them in hummus or Radish Dip (recipe above).  
Shishito Peppers – Reminder: These are frying peppers. They are meant to be cooked, and cooked whole. Don’t cut them! Saute in a pan or cook on a grill with salt and oil until they darken/soften/blister. They are flavorful! Eat them whole, biting all the way up to the stem. Enjoy them as a side dish or as a topping on something, like a hot dog or tofu. See Epicurious’ Sauteed Shishito recipe. Here’s also a Collection of Shishito recipes.

2017 Farm Share Week 20: Sept 20-25
Kale, Chard, or Hearty Greens Mix – Leafy Green Lasagna and Rigatoni with Sausage, Beans, and Greens are both delicious. Feel free to adapt a recipe, subbing out your choice of protein. Hardy Greens with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette is a staple in our home. We use any of the above greens. We have never added cranberries.
Radishes – These crisp delights are delicious on top of green salads, but think beyond the green salad: Make Radish Toast, Two Ways. Dice them and add to Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad, Egg Salad, Pasta Salad, and/or Potato Salad. Make Radish Cream Cheese Spread(though we alter that recipe, omitting the butter and sometimes omitting the green onion).
Beans – We’ve been tossing these with a small amount of oil, garlic, and salt in a saute pan until just a wee bit cooked.
Peppers & Summer Squash – This Stuffed & Roasted Pepper with Goat Cheese recipe also calls for Summer Squash – referred to as “courgette” in this recipe.

2017 Farm Share Week 19: Sept 13-18
Peppers & Tomatoes – Vegetarian Chili is easy to modify based on your diet and preferences. Add meat and cheese if you eat those. Add different vegetables based on what you have on hand.
Arugula – Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula is our favorite way to enjoy this green (though our beets are not yet ready to harvest). Arugula Prosciutto Pizza is another stellar option. Or try Goat Cheese & Arugula over Penne.
Eggplant – Baked Eggplant is a simple recipe with slices of tomato baked on top of slices of eggplant. This works well with our larger, round, Italian variety. Crispy Baked Eggplant is another winner. It is a breaded version and works with the larger eggplant or the miniature eggplant.
Cucumber – One variety in some shares is a long and curly Asian cucumber variety. Its flavor is great – just a different outside shape and look.

2017 Farm Share Week 18: Sept 6-11
Rainbow Chard and Kale – You can use these greens interchangeably! Sub one for the other in any recipe. Try Garlicky Swiss Chard & Chick Peas or Ginger Noodle Soup with Swiss Chard.  Thai Kale Salad with Creamy Peanut Sauce (also uses sweet peppers) or Easy Kale Quiche.
Chard (or Kale) & Sweet Peppers – Try this Red Pepper, Chard, and Feta Frittata
Sweet Peppers – Add slices of our sweet peppers to Sweet and Spicy Peanut Noodles or make Cold Peanut Noodles with Tofu and Red Pepper (or substitute your protein of choice). Plus, please remember to layer these on sandwiches (great with our lettuce and tomatoes!) and dice them up with tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, and olive oil. Serve this on top of any green salad or as a cool side dish. Also, our stand by favorites: We slice them on top of every green salad, we stuff them like so many of these Stuffed Sweet Pepper recipes. We Roast Peppers with Garlic. We dice them and toss them with diced tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and sea salt, which we serve on top of green salads, in omelets and scrambled eggs, in frittata, and as a crisp side dish. And if you really can’t eat the peppers now, you can Roast and Freeze Sweet Peppers. (Our family eats quarts and quarts of sweet peppers each week.)
Eggplant – Try Eggplant & Tofu Curry (we are making this for dinner tonight…feel free to sub protein of your choice) OR Chickpea, Tofu & Eggplant Curry. Or – we made a way-simplified version of this Eggplant Lasagna recipe this week. Actually, our 10 year-old made it, and she followed no recipe. She said “I winged it!” layering marinara sauce, lasagna noodles, thinly sliced Fairytale eggplant (raw…not cooked in advance), and mozzarella. It was a big hit. (We adults sauteed onions and mushrooms to serve on top.)
Beans – One variety we are harvesting now is a “fancy” style, thin bean that is actually yellow. Another variety is called Dragon’s Tongue – it has purple streaks. Ours are so yummy raw as a snack that we rarely eat them cooked. When we cook them we saute them lightly in a fry pan with sesame oil, grated fresh ginger, and a splash of organic soy sauce/Bragg’s liquid aminos. We like them still crunchy so we don’t cook them very long – just a little.

2017 Farm Share Week 17: Aug 23-26
Sweet Peppers – Add slices of our sweet peppers to Sweet and Spicy Peanut Noodles or make Cold Peanut Noodles with Tofu and Red Pepper (or substitute your protein of choice). Plus, please remember to layer these on sandwiches (great with our lettuce and tomatoes!) and dice them up with tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, and olive oil. Serve this on top of any green salad or as a cool side dish. Also, our stand by favorites: We slice them on top of every green salad, we stuff them like so many of these Stuffed Sweet Pepper recipes. We Roast Peppers with Garlic. We dice them and toss them with diced tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and sea salt, which we serve on top of green salads, in omelets and scrambled eggs, in frittata, and as a crisp side dish. And if you really can’t eat the peppers now, you can Roast and Freeze Sweet Peppers. (Our family eats quarts and quarts of sweet peppers each week.)
Lettuce – Easy Caesar Salad because it is really wonderful with our crunchy lettuce. (And – we’d like to celebrate because we haven’t had a Farm Share this season without lettuce/salad greens! In the past we have missed a week or two because greens don’t prefer the summer heat. But we made it through the challenging part of the season with 100% salad greens representation! Your next share is in September, and then it’s greens in their prime.)
Green Beans – We have planted hundreds and hundreds of bean plants this season…and harvested a pitiful few beans until last week. We are finally harvesting good quantities. More shares will get beans this week if there are enough during harvest Tuesday morning.
One variety we are harvesting now is a “fancy” style, thin bean that is actually yellow. We prefer its flavor over regular green beans. Another variety is called Dragon’s Tongue – it has purple streaks. See photos below.
Ours are so yummy raw as a snack that we rarely eat them cooked. When we cook them we saute them lightly in a fry pan with sesame oil, grated fresh ginger, and a splash of organic soy sauce/Bragg’s liquid aminos. We like them still crunchy so we don’t cook them very long – just a little.
    
Eggplants: Our Italian Eggplants are this stunning variety:

We most love this eggplant roasted (or grilled) and then topped with a honey-garlic-balsamic reduction sauce. This Grilled Eggplant with Honey Balsamic Syrup recipe is very similar (but we include the oil and garlic in the sauce pan with the honey and vinegar). Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant is also really delicious, and we love their suggestion to peel stripes out of the skin to make it easier to bite. You can, of course, make Eggplant Parmesan. Roasted Eggplant Baguette Sandwiches are phenomenal, and though that recipe calls for Arugula (which we aren’t harvesting right now) we enjoy it with our lettuce. And you can order one of our Baguettes from our site between now and 7 am Tuesday.
Fairy Tale Eggplant – These miniature eggplants are very sweet in comparison to the usual varieties available in grocery stores. About Eggplant in general, from the website The Kitchn: “Most varieties {of eggplant] will take to stir-frying, grilling, and roasting in slices to be enjoyed as is (or roasting whole to be peeled and puréed). You can toss eggplant with pasta — excellent with tomato sauce, a touch of cream, mozzarella, and basil) or dredged in breadcrumbs and cornmeal and pan-fried or baked.” We slice in half length wise, roast in the oven at around 375-400 until tender. Drizzle with a Honey Balsamic Glaze and enjoy! Excellent served on top of slices of baguette or crostini…with parmesan and perhaps also a Tomato & Garlic Salad (though in our experience this salad is not better the next day as the author states….we think it is best eaten the day of…any leftovers are best the next morning alongside an omelet or scrambled eggs). Or see this Grilled FairyTale Eggplant with Garlic and Mint recipe. Everyone will be getting these Eggplants over the next few weeks.

Okra – Okra rarely features in our Farm Share because we know it’s not a favorite for many people. We really love it, and always serve it as Roasted Okra. It’s still gooey inside but crispy on the outside. It is also fabulous in Curry: Spiced Okra Curry or as Bhindi Masala. See also these 10 Best Okra Recipes.
Non-Spicy Jalapenos –  We love the flavor of jalapenos but our jalapenos were so hot last year that we (and some of our members & customers) weren’t able to enjoy the flavor. When we found this option for seeds for non-spicy jalapenos from our trusted seed supplier last winter we were very excited. Thus, we encourage various recipes that allow the flavor to be enjoyed. Whether your style is Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 1 or Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 2, or Bacon Wrapped/Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers, or Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos, we hope you enjoy these. (See photo below of one stuffed and baked version.) Feedback is welcome. We don’t think we can grow both spicy Jalapenos and non-spicy Jalapenos the same year (how could we be sure they didn’t get mixed up???) and we’d love to know which our members prefer that we grow next year.

2017 Farm Share Week 16: Aug 16-21
Tomatoes – We made this Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin for dinner this week. It took us a long time to find Puff Pastry in Kroger, but we finally found it in the frozen food aisle that we never visit. It’s not a very wholesome dinner ingredient that we are proud of, but the tart was delicious and involved three of our onions plus kalamata olives. You can use chunks of slicing tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes as the recipe calls for.
Sweet Peppers – We slice them on top of every green salad, we stuff them like so many of these Stuffed Sweet Pepper recipes. We Roast Peppers with Garlic. We dice them and toss them with diced tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and sea salt, which we serve on top of green salads, in omelets and scrambled eggs, in frittata, and as a crisp side dish. And if you really can’t eat the peppers now, you can Roast and Freeze Sweet Peppers.
Summer Squash – Our go-to summer squash recipe of late has been caramelized onions and summer squash. It is simple, naturally sweet, and a delicious side dish to any summer meal. We slice the summer squash in half or fourths lengthwise, then slice the lengths into half- or quarter-moons. Salt after the onions and squash have cooked. It is like this recipe for Caramelized Summer Squash and Onions except we didn’t add any sugar.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 15, Aug 9-14
*Non-Spicy-Jalapenos – What are these about? you may be wondering…We love the flavor of jalapenos but our jalapenos were so hot last year that we (and some of our members & customers) weren’t able to enjoy the flavor. When we found this option for seeds for non-spicy jalapenos from our trusted seed supplier last winter we were very excited. Thus, we encourage various recipes that allow the flavor to be enjoyed. Whether your style is Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 1 or Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 2, or Bacon Wrapped/Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers, or Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos, we hope you enjoy these. (See photo above of our stuffed and baked version.) Feedback is welcome. We don’t think we can grow both spicy Jalapenos and non-spicy Jalapenos the same year (how could we be sure they didn’t get mixed up???) and we’d love to know which our members prefer that we grow next year.

Fairy Tale Eggplant – These miniature eggplants are very sweet in comparison to the usual varieties available in grocery stores. About Eggplant in general, from the website The Kitchn: “Most varieties {of eggplant] will take to stir-frying, grilling, and roasting in slices to be enjoyed as is (or roasting whole to be peeled and puréed). You can toss eggplant with pasta — excellent with tomato sauce, a touch of cream, mozzarella, and basil) or dredged in breadcrumbs and cornmeal and pan-fried or baked.” We slice in half length wise, roast in the oven at around 375-400 until tender. Drizzle with a Honey Balsamic Glaze and enjoy! Excellent served on top of slices of baguette or crostini…with parmesan and perhaps also a Tomato & Garlic Salad (though in our experience this salad is not better the next day as the author states….we think it is best eaten the day of…any leftovers are best the next morning alongside an omelet or scrambled eggs). Or see this Grilled FairyTale Eggplant with Garlic and Mint recipe. Everyone will be getting these Eggplants over the next few weeks.

Okra – Okra rarely features in our Farm Share because we know it’s not a favorite for many people. We really love it, and always serve it as Roasted Okra. It’s still gooey inside but crispy on the outside. It is also fabulous in Curry: Spiced Okra Curry or as Bhindi Masala. See also these 10 Best Okra Recipes.
Summer Squash – Quick Summer Squash and Bell Pepper Gratin is a delicious dish. Sauteed Summer Squash with Thyme & Almonds looks delicious and is on our list for this week. Summer Squash Casserole is a real comfort food (though only 1 pound of squash is in your share this week and the recipe calls for 4 pounds…adjust accordingly). Summer Squash and Goat Cheese Custard has us intrigued and is now on our to-make list.
Shishitos – Reminder: These are the small, green, wrinkly peppers. They are not spicy. They are meant to be blistered whole and enjoyed with simply oil and salt or a sauce of your choice. Southern Living just posted this video of Charred Shishito Peppers. (That video has some great tips! But we still disagree that some of them are hot…we haven’t found a hot one yet.)
Sweet Peppers – Red or orange, they are not spicy. These are great raw as snacks, sliced and filled with hummus or cheese, or sliced and stuffed and baked. Pinterest has a bazillion Stuffed Sweet Pepper recipes.
Green Beans – Ours are so yummy raw as a snack that we rarely eat them cooked. When we cook them we saute them lightly in a fry pan with sesame oil, grated fresh ginger, and a splash of organic soy sauce/Bragg’s liquid aminos. We like them still crunchy so we don’t cook them very long – just a little.
Tomatoes – Panzanella is delicious. (And our bread is wonderful in it.) Tomatoes are amazing with just a little balsamic vinegar, feta cheese, and perhaps basil. We eat Fresh Salsa for days upon days this time of year. And…adding slices of tomato to really good Grilled Cheese sandwiches is just wonderful.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 14, Aug 2-7
*Non-Spicy-Jalapenos – What are these about? you may be wondering…We love the flavor of jalapenos but our jalapenos were so hot last year that we (and some of our members & customers) weren’t able to enjoy the flavor. When we found this option for seeds for non-spicy jalapenos from our trusted seed supplier last winter we were very excited. Thus, we encourage various recipes that allow the flavor to be enjoyed. Whether your style is Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 1 or Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 2, or Bacon Wrapped/Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers, or Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos, we hope you enjoy these. (See photo above of our stuffed and baked version.) Feedback is welcome. We don’t think we can grow both spicy Jalapenos and non-spicy Jalapenos the same year (how could we be sure they didn’t get mixed up???) and we’d love to know which our members prefer that we grow next year.
Cherry Tomatoes – If you can resist eating them all raw as a sweet snack, you can enjoy Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. They turn into a special sort of candy when roasted. Serve them alongside any dish.
Slicing Tomatoes – If you don’t eat them all up on sandwiches, salads, and as salsa/pico de gallo/tomato relish, then you can make and freeze sauce for later. See this How to Freeze Tomato Sauce in 6 Easy Steps for a simple recipe using 3-4 tomatoes – just the amount from our Farm Share that you may not eat right away.
Sweet Peppers – If you can’t enjoy all of them raw, you can freeze, dry, or can peppers. See here for Three Ways to Preserve Peppers.  Specifically, we like to Roast and Freeze Sweet Peppers. But we eat a ton of them each week this time of year. Diced raw with tomatoes and tossed with garlic, sea salt, and olive oil is a house favorite. We also love all peppers halved, stuffed, and roasted. Fill with cheese of choice, and/or tomato sauce and protein. We also enjoy them raw as boats for any sort of savory protein: cream cheese, humus, salmon/tunafish salad, etc.
Summer Squash (and Onions and Garlic and Sweet Peppers – Don’t tell our two squash-protesting kids that we have been sneaking summer squash into their dinners a lot recently. Dice quite small, along with our onions, garlic, and sweet peppers, they hide very well sauteed and then mixed with cooked quinoa. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus cheese (dairy or vegan) of your choice. We used parmesan. Plus add any fresh herbs you have on hand. This Summer Squash and Red Quinoa Salad is very different that what we have been making, but it’s a similar theme.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 13, July 26-31
Shishito Peppers –  These are likely new for new members. They are quite unremarkable if eaten raw. They are meant to be cooked, and cooked whole. Don’t cut them! Saute in a pan or cook on a grill with salt and oil until they darken/soften/blister. They should not be spicy. We haven’t encountered a spicy one, but some people say they find a spicy one from time to time. They are flavorful! Eat them whole, biting all the way up to the stem. Enjoy them as a side dish or as a topping on something, like a hot dog or tofu. See Epicurious’ Sauteed Shishito recipe. Each pick up location will be getting them in turn over the next few weeks. Here’s a Collection of Shishito recipes.

Sweet Orange & Red Peppers – They make great “boats” to fill with cream or goat cheese or other filling of your choice. They are great, of course, on top of green salads or make Pepper, Tomato, Cucumber & Grilled Bread Salad to really allow all of these ingredients to shine! (That recipe also calls for Onion and Basil.)
*Non-Spicy-Jalapenos – What are these about? you may be wondering…We love the flavor of jalapenos but our jalapenos were so hot last year that we (and some of our members & customers) weren’t able to enjoy the flavor. When we found this option for seeds for non-spicy jalapenos from our trusted seed supplier last winter we were very excited. Thus, we encourage various recipes that allow the flavor to be enjoyed. Whether your style is Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 1 or Vegan Jalapeno Poppers v 2, or Bacon Wrapped/Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers, or Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos, we hope you enjoy these. Feedback is welcome. We don’t think we can grow both spicy Jalapenos and non-spicy Jalapenos the same year (how could we be sure they didn’t get mixed up???) and we’d love to know which our members prefer that we grow next year. 
Lettuce – We love using our big, crunchy lettuce leaves as lettuce wraps. Fill the leaf with Egg Salad, Salmon Salad, Tofu Salad, Tunafish, Hummus, etc. Add diced tomatoes and or cucumbers. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and other seasonings as you prefer (celery salt, lemon pepper, Old Bay Seasoning…). Lettuce is also our favorite green for Caesar Salad – add protein of your choice. We prefer homemade Caesar Dressing or homemade Vegan Caesar Dressing (and homemade croutons!).
Onions, Tomatoes & Squash – Tomato Salad with Corn, Summer Squash, and Roasted Onions makes the most of these summertime favorites.
Tomatoes – If you are getting more tomatoes than you can eat fresh right now, you can make Freezer Salsa and enjoy it later.  Another great use is in Gazpacho. As the recipe says, it’s perfect for when it’s too hot to eat but you need cold, salt, and lunch all at the same time. Serve in frosty glasses.
Summer Squash – We’re continuing to encourage Grilled Squash and also the Summer Squash with Lime Cilantro Pasta (shared earlier this season resulting in lots of enjoyment). A new favorite for us is this Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo but we added lots of vegetables including Summer Squash and Sweet Peppers diced into very small pieces so our kids (who are griping about squash right now) didn’t even notice they were there!
Cucumbers – Cucumber Mint Soup is still refreshing and delicious.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 12, July 19-24
Shishito Peppers – these are likely new for new members. They are quite unremarkable if eaten raw. They are meant to be cooked, and cooked whole. Don’t cut them! Saute in a pan or cook on a grill with salt and oil until they darken/soften/blister. They should not be spicy. We haven’t encountered a spicy one, but some people say they find a spicy one from time to time. They are flavorful! Eat them whole, biting all the way up to the stem. Enjoy them as a side dish or as a topping on something, like a hot dog or tofu. See Epicurious’ Sauteed Shishito recipe. Each pick up location will be getting them in turn over the next few weeks. Here’s a Collection of Shishito recipes.

Sweet Orange Peppers – Make this Pepper-Tomato-Herb Salad
Lettuce – We love using our big, crunchy lettuce leaves as lettuce wraps. Fill the leaf with Egg Salad, Salmon Salad, Tofu Salad, Tunafish, Hummus, etc. Add diced tomatoes and or cucumbers. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and other seasonings as you prefer (our family is currently devouring Sandwich Sprinkle and Sate by Penzey’s).
Onions, Tomatoes & Squash – Tomato Salad with Corn, Summer Squash, and Roasted Onions makes the most of these summertime favorites.
Summer Squash – Another plug here for Grilled Squash and also the Summer Squash with Lime Cilantro Pasta (shared earlier this season resulting in lots of enjoyment). We also really enjoyed this Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo but added lots of vegetables including Summer Squash and Sweet Peppers diced into very small pieces so our kids (who are griping about squash right now) didn’t even notice they were there!
Cucumbers – Cucumber Mint Soup

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 11, July 12-17
Shishito Peppers – these are likely new for new members. They are quite unremarkable if eaten raw. They are meant to be cooked, and cooked whole. Don’t cut them! Saute in a pan or cook on a grill with salt and oil until they darken/soften/blister. They should not be spicy. We haven’t encountered a spicy one, but some people say they find a spicy one from time to time. They are flavorful! Eat them whole, biting all the way up to the stem. Enjoy them as a side dish or as a topping on something, like a hot dog or tofu. See Epicurious’ Sauteed Shishito recipe. Each pick up location will be getting them in turn over the next few weeks. Here’s a Collection of Shishito recipes.

Sweet Orange Peppers & Cilantro – Make this Pepper-Tomato-Herb Salad
Tomatoes – If you can handle turning on the stove or oven this week, make a Roasted Tomato & Meat (or sub veg protein) Sauce to serve over pasta or other carb of choice. Otherwise, make lots of cold Salsa/Pico de Gallo.
Onions – This week’s variety is called “Candy” and is known for being very sweet and non-stinging. However, that means it doesn’t store as well. (The compounds in onions that make them store are also the ones responsible for making them bring you to tears.) Sweet onions are ideal for on sandwiches and salads and also for pickling. Try this Pickled Onion recipe, or just put them in a jar with salt and garlic (and dill if you wish) and add a mixture of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water. Store the pickled onions in the fridge.
Carrots – Try Carrot Slaw with Lemon-Honey Dressing by Williams Sonoma. (It calls for shredded carrots. We’ve also made this with diced carrots.) Or this Carrot Raisin Salad by Martha Stewart.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 10, July 5-10
Lettuce – Our “Lettuce” is different than our “Salad.” The leaves are larger and more crunchy. This lettuce is a variety that we have success with growing during the hottest part of the summer. It makes a delicious salad and is also fabulous as part of a Tomato Sandwich.
Summer Squash – Try Summer Squash Salad by All Recipes or Shaved Summer Squash Salad by Epicurious (except that it calls for Arugula, which we find extremely challenging to grow this time of year…try subbing lettuce and/or some herbs). Or Herbed Summer Squash Salad. And then there is Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread and/or Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread. {Please don’t actually die.}
Cucumbers – One more plug for our family’s favorite pickle:  “Easiest” Fridge Pickle Recipe  Cucumber Salad ideas: Thai Cucumber Salad. German Cucumber Salad.
Tomatoes – New York Times’ Cooking’s Best Gazpacho Recipe (also calls for Cucumber, Garlic, and Onion). Plus: Sandwich Ideas to Take your Tomato Sandwich to the Next Level. And the Broiled Tomato Sandwich recipe. {May we add that we think our Bread makes the best sandwiches anywhere.}

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 9, June 28-July 3
Cucumbers – Simple Refrigerator Pickle Recipe (We like to slice some of them ‘sandwich’ style: cut cucumber in half and then again lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices, and some of them as spears for snacking.
“Easiest” Fridge Pickle Recipe (no sugar) (We pickled 20 pounds of cukes this past weekend with this recipe, as it is everyone’s favorite. Dan says he has recently eaten 20 servings of vegetables per day by consuming so many pickles.)
Canning Pickles Recipe (it’s easier than you think!)
How to Pickle any Vegetable by the Kitchn (including canning instructions)
Tomatoes & Basil – If you eat Mozzarella, it’s time for Caprese Salad. Simple, delicious, a meal in itself.
Tomato & Cucumber Salad/Relish – Dice Tomatoes and Cucumbers. Toss with basil sliced into thin ribbons or cut with herb scissors, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Tomatoes with Fresh Pasta – Stop by the Brandermill Green Market on Saturdaymornings and pick up some fresh pasta from the Bombolini booth. Follow their cooking instructions (just 60 seconds in boiling water!) and then toss with olive oil, our diced tomatoes, thinly sliced basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Perhaps with some feta cheese if you enjoy it. This is our go-to summer meal and we love it. Serve a green salad and protein on the side and savor.
Onions –  Pickled Onions by the Kitchn (it calls for red onion but it works well with our yellow onions, too) and Onion Jam (this recipe calls for Parsley, which we are also harvesting right now!)
Basil – Remember that herbs are wonderful in beverages (as well as with tomatoes and cucumbers in the recipes above.) See here for Basil Lime Cooler, Honey Basil Lemonade, Cucumber & Basil Slush, Pomelo & Basil Cocktail. Also: Blackberry Basil Mojito.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 8, June 21-26
Cucumbers – We love pickles! Here are some of our favorite recipes and methods: Simple Refrigerator Pickle Recipe (We like to slice them ‘sandwich’ style: cut cucumber in half and then again lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices)
Simple Refrigerator Pickle Recipe without Sugar
“Easiest” Fridge Pickle Recipe
Canning Pickles Recipe (it’s easier than you think!)
How to Pickle any Vegetable by the Kitchn (including canning instructions)
Kohlrabi – For new CSA members, this is the least-known vegetable. It looks like an alien spaceship. Peel the bulbous stem and slice and eat raw! Or you can peel, slice, and cook it but we prefer it raw.
Cabbage – Sweet & Sour Roasted Cabbage Wedges is a recipe that comes highly recommended from a CSA member. It calls for Napa but this week’s savoy (curly)-style heads will work well. We hear it works to replace the brown sugar with honey and the cider vinegar with white vinegar. (Thank you, Kathleen!)
Hearty Greens Mix – We keep hearing from members who love to put this mix in a smoothie. Another favorite way to enjoy these greens is to make Hardy/Hearty Greens w/ Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette.
Cilantro – We have become smitten with Cilantro Pesto. (We haven’t added the vinegar called for in this recipe, and we use sunflower seeds instead of nuts. Feel free to sub as your preferences suggest.)

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 7, June 14-19
Summer Squash – Have we mentioned Summer Squash/Zucchini fries enough times yet?? We don’t think so. They are crazy good. Or Zoodles? Try these Zucchini Noodles with Parmesan. (This recipe calls for fabulous fresh tomatoes or canned San Marzano noodles. Tomatoes from around here need a few more weeks before they are ready.)
Summer Squash, Basil, Garlic, Onions – Our 10 yr old made a free-style lasagna recipe last week that is very similar to this Summer Squash Lasagna recipe.  However, she used whole-wheat lasagna noodles, so it was also similar to this Vegetable Lasagna recipe. She mixed basil in with the Ricotta cheese, as well as topping the lasagna with thinly sliced basil after it was baked. It was so delicious that our family oohed and ahhed through the whole dinner, and all of the children ate lasagna leftovers for breakfast the next day.
Cucumbers – Tzatziki sauce is cool and refreshing and perfect this week. Cucumber salad round-up: Asian Cucumber Salad.  Marinated Cucumber Salad. Creamy Cucumber Salad. “Cold” Cucumber Salad by Trisha Yearwood.  {We heard Garth Brooks on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me say that Trisha is a great cook, so we’re trusting this one, though we haven’t made it yet.}
Broccoli – Remember the Salt Soak mentioned a few weeks ago if the chance of worms bothers you: submerge broccoli at least 20 min and up to 1 hour in a bowl of cold water to which you have added 1/4 c. of salt and 2 tbsp. of vinegar.  Broccoli Salad by Paula Deen. Nutty Broccoli Slaw {we sub the best quality ramen noodles that we can find for recipes like this}. Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad.
Beets – We love the lasagna and squash fries recipes listed above so much that we will turn on the oven again this week to bake them. But for all other meals we are keeping the oven off as much as possible. Thus: Cold Beet Salad. Chilled Beet Salad Recipe – this recipe also calls for basil. Beet Salad + Balsamic Honey Dressing.
Salad Mix – We are really enjoying Homemade Italian Salad Dressing and Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette (to which we add a teaspoon of Penzey’s Fox Point seasoning blend.)

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 6, June 7-12
Summer Squash – Whether you have the yellow or the green variety of summer squash that we grow, use them interchangeably. If a recipe calls for yellow squash, you can use the green one. If a recipe calls for zucchini, you can use the yellow one. Grilled Squash. Roasted Squash. Spiralized-Squash-Noodles with Brown Butter Garlic Sauce. We have enjoyed our squash each of these ways in the past week. We also love to grill or roast the squash in thin, long strips to then use as a panini sandwich filling. (Plug here for Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkle as a fabulous way to season your panini.)
Cabbage – American Slaw. (Ignore Tyler’s instruction to buy bagged “slaw mix.” Our cabbage has so much more flavor and nutritional value.) Asian Slaw. Curry Cabbage with Peas. (We will make this recipe this week with our new Curry from Penzey’s Spices and will sub our summer squash in instead of peas.) See also these: Recipes on The Kitchn Where Cabbage is King and AllRecipes’ Collection of Cabbage recipes that work as main dishes.
Kale – Kale Chips. Kale Pesto. (We made this last weekend, smearing it on slices of our Baguette. We subbed sunflower seeds for the nuts because it is what we had on hand. It is garlicky and delicious.) Kale & Gnocchi. (We made this the other day, eliminating the winter squash it calls for. It was great.)
Turnips – Caramelized Turnips. (This is how we prepare our turnips 95% of the time, then add them to various dishes. We love this caramelization process with our turnips.) Thai Green Curry with Turnips and Summer Squash. (Also calls for Cilantro, in case you still have some left from last week.)

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 5, May 31 – June 5
Salad Mix – We were recently gifted a bottle of “Sandwich Sprinkle” by Penzey’s Spices and our whole family has fallen in love with it sprinkled on not just sandwiches but also our salads. We drizzle olive oil on top of the salad, then sprinkle the Sandwich Sprinkle, and it’s super great.
Broccoli – As mentioned last week: we often have a hard time keeping worms out of the nooks and crannies of the Broccoli heads. So, if you want to minimize the chance for the worms to join your dinner plate, cut up the broccoli head, soak it in a bowl of water with about 3 T of salt, and wait  20 minutes. The worms should be killed by the salt water and drop to the bottom of the bowl. Then enjoy it! Roasted Broccoli is a big favorite here. Include as much of the broccoli leaves as you want – they become crispy and very delicious – like Kale Chips. Remember to peel the stem portion and cut as veggie sticks for snack/appetizer, or slice into disks and saute them with butter and salt. If you don’t roast the broccoli, use the stems like Kale – salad, saute, smoothie, or juice them.
Beets – We often hear from members that they wouldn’t think to purchase beets in the store and have to learn how to enjoy them as part of our CSA. Our favorite thing is to roast them, then serve with goat cheese, on top of a salad or on their own. See these: Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts & Honey Dijon Vinaigrette or Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Beets (add goat cheese for a bonus). Note: We don’t peel our beets, but some people do.
Napa Cabbage – also called Chinese Cabbage, these heads are long and the leaves are curlier and more tender than traditional smooth round cabbage. However, we tend to use them interchangeably.
Summer Squash – This recipe for Summer Squash with Pasta & Cilantro Lime Pesto looks great and we will make it this week. Or try Cilantro Lime Squash Fries, which are not battered. Or make Oven Baked Squash Fries, which are more laborious but really, really delicious.
Radishes – We love Radishes on Tacos. Try this Radish Slaw (with Chicken Tacos), or sub your favorite type of taco fillings.
Cilantro – See ways to enjoy it with Summer Squash, above, or enjoy it added to any and all salads, or use as topping on Fish Tacos with Radishes.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 4, May 24-30
Broccoli – First, know that we often have a hard time keeping worms out of the nooks and crannies of the Broccoli heads. So, if you want to minimize the chance for the worms to join your dinner plate, cut up the broccoli head, soak it in a bowl of water with about 3 T of salt, and wait  20 minutes. The worms should be killed by the salt water and drop to the bottom of the bowl. Then enjoy it! Roasted Broccoli is a big favorite here. Include as much of the broccoli leaves as you want – they become crispy and very delicious – like Kale Chips,  Simple Mushroom Broccoli Stir Fry Noodles, Sesame Noodles with Broccoli
Summer Squash – We really, really loved Grilled Summer Squash. If you aren’t going to grill it, make Oven Roasted Summer Squash with (or without) Parmesan. Or make Summer Squash Stir Fry with Sausage (or sub other protein).
Salad Mix – Tahini Goddess Dressing is a long time favorite dressing around here. Make it to put on your Salad, and be overjoyed to find it goes well on lots of different dishes.
Hearty Greens Mix – Some people have suggested that we re-label this mix of greens as Smoothie Greens Mix (try Smoothie with Greens & Strawberry) or even Juicing Greens Mix (see here for Juicing suggestions). Remember to mix it with our Salad Mix greens for a nutrition and flavor boost, and saute them with fat, garlic, and salt for an easy side dish.
Kale – Baked Kale Chips are a favorite. Kale, Strawberry, Avocado Salad is a big hit with our kids.
Green Garlic – We harvest some of our garlic at this “Green” – or immature – stage in order to get to eat garlic before the main garlic harvest of the season, which is in June. The advantage is that there is no peeling involved! The trick is to dice/slice it thinly. We saute it with butter or coconut oil and add it to most everything: Eggs, Greens, Stir Fry, etc.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 3, May 17-22
Garlic Scapes –  We got a lot of wonderful reports from CSA members who enjoyed the Scapes last week. Thank you! This week is likely the last week for their harvest – they are a fleeting delight! Reminder: They are the tender and mild tops of our garlic plants. Treat them like Asparagus and grill or roast with butter/oil and salt and any other seasoning desired.
Green Garlic –  This week’s share features two different parts of the garlic plant, as Green Garlic (bigger than scallion size now, but not by much) are the root of the garlic plant, not yet grown into full bulb size, and without the papery skin covered cloves. Green Garlic is more mild than fully mature garlic bulbs/cloves, but not as tender and mild as the Scape. Treat these like Onion Scallions but with the added bonus of garlic flavor. Slice/dice the white part finely. Most recipe suggestions in this genre call for Onion Scallions plus Garlic but know that you get to use Garlic Scallions as a “two-for.” Try Spaghetti with Green Garlic or  Garlic Scallion Noodles or Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Chinese Broccoli or Aromatic Wilted Greens with Coconut Milk (this can also use our Hearty Greens Mix, or your Kale from last week if you haven’t used it yet).
Hearty Greens Mix – Reminder to treat this like Spinach, or Kale. It is wonderful raw or cooked/wilted/in a saute or soup.
Salad – We hear from members that it’s easy to use these Salad Greens in Salads during the week, and we agree, but we also benefit from having different Salad Dressing suggestions from time to time. We prefer to make our own dressings. Thus: Homemade Thousand Island Salad Dressing, which doubles as a tasty sandwich topping. 
Cabbage – Cabbage is one of the vegetables that our family has said we wish we had available to eat every week, all year long. It is cool and crisp in summer salads, and it is hearty and warm in recipes for cool weather. Our standards in warm weather are American Cole Slaw (ignore the part about “bagged slaw mix”!), Asian Slaw, Quick Kraut (great as a sandwich or hotdog topping), and Easy Kimchi.
Radishes – We’ve heard from a few CSA members that this Radish Dip recipe we shared last year has become a favorite with family and neighbors. Hooray!
Sweet Salad Turnips – These are likely new for any new CSA members. They are not the tough purple-top varieties that so many of us were forced to eat boiled-and-mashed when we were younger. These are a delicious Japanese variety that are great raw or cooked. We slice them on top of green salads, and we saute them with butter on the stop top. (Hint: Don’t add salt right away. Let them caramelize first, then salt them at the end.) Use with any stir fry or saute, or add to eggs or any protein, or saute/caramelize them first and then serve on top of a green salad, or add to soup (best if caramelized first). Finally, try Glazed Turnips or Roasted Turnips – both wonderful. See our collection of Turnip recipes on Pinterest.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 2, May 10-15
Garlic Scapes are likely new to any new CSA members. They are the tender and tasty, green curly tops of growing garlic plants. We pick them for two reasons: 1) To allow the plant to continue to direct energy toward the growing bulb that we will harvest in about a month, 2) They are delicious! With a mild garlic flavor, they are best enjoyed when you treat them like Asparagus: Grill, bake, or saute whole, with butter and salt and any other desired seasoning. You can cut them up or leave them whole. We prefer to leave them whole and saute them in a pan. They are sort of wild and unruly due to their circular shape which makes them extra fun for our kids to eat. See also this page for Seven Things to do with Garlic Scapes. They are only in season for about two weeks each year, so savor them while they are around.
Spring Onions/Scallions – Someone recommended to us that we share this Slow Cooker Korean Barbecue recipe that calls for Scallions. We haven’t tried it yet, and it calls for Short Ribs, but we think this sauce will adapt well to various proteins, so you can sub as your diet and preference allow. We also love Scallion Pancakes. Plus, remember that you can saute them with oil and salt and add to any dish.
Arugula – This peppery green is enjoyed raw or cooked. It is wonderful mixed in with mild lettuces for a spiced-up green salad, or serve it on top of Pizza for a pumped-up, healthier pizza pie indulgence. (Perhaps with Prosciutto or on a White Pizza.) We also love to make Arugula Pesto, and you can use pine nuts, or walnuts, or sunflower seeds. Finally, you can eat an Arugula-only salad, which we think is best with goat cheese and a honey-balsamic dressing.
Hearty Greens Mix – Remember to treat this like Spinach. Think Salad, Soup, Stir Fry, Smoothie, Frittata…
Kale – Think out of the box with Kale, enjoying Spaghetti with Kale, or Chicken & Kale Fried Rice, or One Pot Curried Chicken and Rice with Kale.

2017 Farm Share CSA Week 1, May 3-8
Salad Mix – This is a blend of our favorite lettuces. It’s the best salad in the greater RVA area.
Hearty Greens Mix – This is a mix of Baby Kale, Baby Tatsoi, and Baby Mizuna. We know these greens are new to some of you. Know that they are wonderful raw or cooked. We love to make a salad with a combo of our Salad Mix and this Hearty Greens Mix. Many people call this our “Smoothie Mix” because it is lovely in smoothies. It is also perfect for any stir fry, saute, or soup. We also love to chop it thin and mix with scrambled eggs. It’s versatile, delicious, and nutrient rich. Treat it like Spinach.
Kale – We have three varieties growing this spring and different pick up locations will receive different varieties on different weeks. Some are curly kale, some are tinged with red/purple, and some are an heirloom flat leaf variety (Toscano/Lacinato). Kale is wonderful raw or cooked. See our collection of Kale Recipes here. Try it with pasta and parm in this Spaghetti Aglio E Olio With Lots Of Kale or make Kale Pesto and enjoy it on top of our Broadfork Bread, or make Asian Kale Salad. There are hundreds of ways to enjoy kale.
Radishes – These babies steal the show. The bright red color makes it clear it is packed with nutrients. See our collection of Radish Recipes here. Enjoy sliced on top of any and all salads. Slice them on toast and smear butter on top. (That’s how the french enjoy them.) Dice and toss with olive oil, rice vinegar, and sea salt. (This takes some of the spiciness out of them…our young children eat this dish in large quantities.) Roast them for a warm and mellow treat.
Scallions/Spring Onions – We aim to have something from the allium (onion/garlic) family in as many week’s shares as we can because these vegetables add so much flavor (and important nutrition!) to our meals. Just treat these like onions – enjoy them raw or cooked. Cut off the roots and the tough green parts. Use all of the white part and as much of the tender green part as you desire. Slice and saute and add to any dish. (Seriously.) Or slice and use raw in any salad (egg salad, green salad, asian salad, etc.) We saute them with mushrooms and butter multiple times per week and enjoy with eggs for breakfast or whatever entree we are having for dinner.
Sweet Salad Turnips – These are likely new for any new CSA members. They are not the tough purple-top varieties that so many of us were forced to eat boiled-and-mashed when we were younger. These are a delicious Japanese variety that are great raw or cooked. We slice them on top of green salads, and we saute them with butter on the stop top. (Hint: Don’t add salt right away. Let them caramelize first, then salt them at the end.) Use with any stir fry or saute, or add to eggs or any protein, or saute/caramelize them first and then serve on top of a green salad, or add to soup (best if caramelized first). Finally, try Glazed Turnips or Roasted Turnips – both wonderful. See our collection of Turnip recipes on Pinterest. (We enjoyed these turnips tonight diced, raw, and added to a rice noodle dish with sesame oil, soy sauce/Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, diced radishes, thinly sliced kale, and spring onions. We will try to get our oldest child to make a video of this recipe and put it on her YouTube channel. She made dinner this evening. We adults worked too many hours.)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 29, Nov 22-28
Korean Radish is a delicious and odd item in your Farm Share this Thanksgiving week. Have fun with having something different during a time of traditional foods! One traditional Korean way to enjoy this radish is to make Radish Salad, which is a combination of matchsticks of this radish plus vinegar, hot pepper flakes, sugar, scallions, garlic, sesame seeds. OR – make Radish Pancakes (savory…similar to latkes), Sweet & Sour Radish Salad, Korean Radish Soup, or Pickled Radishes. If you’re familiar with Daikon radishes, they are treated the same. You can also include this Radish in any root vegetable dish. It can be roasted, eaten raw as part of a vegetable tray, etc.

Miniature Sweet Peppers are wonderful as part of any salad or vegetable tray, and also great stuffed with cheese and baked: Slice in half lengthwise, fill with cream cheese/goat cheese/your soft cheese of preference, and bake on a tray in the oven until desired tenderness. You can also sprinkle bread crumbs on top of them before baking.
Jalapenos are standard in our holiday-season pepper jelly and pepper sauce, and if you eat bacon, we strongly suggest you try jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped with bacon, and baked. Here’s the Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno recipe.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 28, Nov 16-21
Red Radishes – We are still lapping up our Radish Dip recipe around here: 2 bunches of radishes, 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese softened, 1/2 of a medium red onion, 1 tsp. dried dill, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. mayo. Put the radishes, onion, and garlic in the food processor and processes until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cream cheese, and rest of ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. OR –  Slice them and mix with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and add on top of any salad, sandwich, eggs, or any dish. Radishes are vitamin rich!
Green Peppers – We are big fans of stuffed peppers. Go ahead and stuff these with your filling of choice. Slice lengthwise and fill/top them. (No need for bell pepper shape for stuffed peppers.) Try Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers, or Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers, or Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (with Quinoa).
Scallions – Treat like Onions and add these to anything! Including the recipes listed above.
Watermelon Radish – These blah-on-the-outside radishes are stunning-on-the-inside. Slice them and enjoy (looking at and) eating them raw, or make Pickled Watermelon Radish (serve with baguette, charcuterie, and cheese), or Watermelon Radish and Arugula Salad, or Herbed Goat Cheese & Radish Tartines.
Green Tomatoes – The cold has set in hard now and thus only green tomatoes (not red) remain for this season. Embrace the crunch and tartness! Make Dill Pickled Green Tomatoes.  OR Cook them: Make Roasted Green Tomato Salsa, or Oven Baked Fried Green Tomatoes. OR go the sweet route and make Green Tomato Pie (tried by us! We love it!)
Kale – Stay warm with easy Kale Quiche.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 27, Nov 9-14
Broccoli: Remember to soak the chopped florets in salt water if you are wanting to have the little broccoli caterpillars fall out.
Swiss Chard: In general, treat this like Kale or Spinach. It’s lovely as a raw salad: Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, & Breadcrumbs. (Our bread makes wonderful bread crumbs.) To enjoy it cooked, try a simple saute with our Scallions, or saute with garlic & parmesan (and include our scallions). Combine Swiss Chard with Pasta and Pumpkin or Winter Squash in a modified version of this Pasta with Pancetta, Pumpkin, & Broccoli Rabe recipe. We subbed our Chard for the Broccoli Rabe it calls for.
Kohlrabi – This spaceship looking vegetable (pictured above) is sweet, moist, and crunchy inside the bulb. Peel the fibrous outside of the bulb and slice the inside to eat raw or in any saute or roasted vegetable dish. The leaves are great to use like kale.
Scallions – Use these like any onion, and use the all of the white and green parts. Great raw or cooked.
Hearty Greens Mix – This is a mix of baby kale, tatsoi, mizuna, and escarole. These are all hearty greens that are wonderful raw or cooked. Include this mix of greens in any smoothie, in any soup, and in any saute. We love it in our adaptation of Portuguese Kale Soup with root vegetables. We served it to friends this past weekend with our beloved Lemon-Honey-Garlic Vinaigrette. Slice the mixed greens in thin ribbons and massage in the dressing for best flavor.
Peppers & Tomatoes – are still gracing the tops of salads in our house, as well as in salsa for many a taco and taco salad. Dice and mix with olive oil, garlic, and salt and relish it.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 26, Nov 2-7
Beet & Turnip tops are now beautiful and delicious! (When bugs and disease are ravaging the plants during stressful times, the tops get ugly.) Enjoy Beet Greens sauteed with Garlic & Olive Oil. Enjoy Turnips (roots and greens) with Pork & Bacon Drippings… or substitute vegetarian protein and fat. 
Carrots are sweet and crunchy and delicious raw or cooked. The tops are great to use to make vegetable stock, or make Carrot Top Pesto (which also includes basil). 
Kohlrabi – This spaceship looking vegetable (pictured above) is sweet, moist, and crunchy inside the bulb. Peel the fibrous outside of the bulb and slice the inside to eat raw or in any saute or roasted vegetable dish. The leaves are great to use like kale. 
Broccoli – Remember to use the greens like Kale or just include them in your raw, roasted, or sauteed broccoli. We like how the leaves get crispy when we include them on our baking sheet to roast the florets. Also, remember to soak the chopped florets in salt water if you are wanting to have any little broccoli caterpillars fall out. 
Arugula – Stronger flavored vegetables, like Arugula, tend to bring more nutrition. Combine the arugula leaves with mild salad greens for a boost of vitamins and minerals, or let Arugula’s peppery taste shine in a dish with Beets, Arugula, & Goat Cheese. (This also adapts wonderfully to make Pizza.)Beet & Turnip tops are now beautiful and delicious! (When bugs and disease are ravaging the plants during stressful times, the tops get ugly.) Enjoy Beet Greens sauteed with Garlic & Olive Oil. Enjoy Turnips (roots and greens) with Pork & Bacon Drippings… or substitute vegetarian protein and fat. 
Carrots are sweet and crunchy and delicious raw or cooked. The tops are great to use to make vegetable stock, or make Carrot Top Pesto (which also includes basil). 
Kohlrabi – This spaceship looking vegetable (pictured above) is sweet, moist, and crunchy inside the bulb. Peel the fibrous outside of the bulb and slice the inside to eat raw or in any saute or roasted vegetable dish. The leaves are great to use like kale. 
Broccoli – Remember to use the greens like Kale or just include them in your raw, roasted, or sauteed broccoli. We like how the leaves get crispy when we include them on our baking sheet to roast the florets. Also, remember to soak the chopped florets in salt water if you are wanting to have any little broccoli caterpillars fall out. 
Arugula – Stronger flavored vegetables, like Arugula, tend to bring more nutrition. Combine the arugula leaves with mild salad greens for a boost of vitamins and minerals, or let Arugula’s peppery taste shine in a dish with Beets, Arugula, & Goat Cheese. (This also adapts wonderfully to make Pizza.)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 25, Oct 26-31
Carrots – We consistently hear that our carrots have much better flavor (especially in the fall when temps are cool) than those found in the grocery store. Enjoy these as a raw snack, on top of salads, or cooked in any dish. You can also use the tops! Include them in a pot to make vegetable stock, or make Carrot Top Pesto (which also includes basil). 
Broccoli – Ditto for Broccoli. If you need inspiration, think of Broccoli & Beef with Noodles, and remember you can always substitute vegetarian protein for the meat, and use any kind of noodle that you prefer.
Cabbage – We’ve been eating cabbage as Cole Slaw, on Tacos, and cooked with Sausage. Plus, this week a CSA member  recommended using our cabbage (and also lettuce) in a copycat recipe for Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad.  
Peppers, Turnips, Beets, Tomatoes – Garlic Roasted Vegetables with Pasta is a versatile recipe that can use any vegetables. 
Beets – We most enjoy beets when diced, roasted (in oven or pan), and then served along with good cheese and oil. This can be on top of raw salad greens or on top of any cooked greens. Use feta, goat cheese, or burrata. Combine with a good oil and vinegar.  While heirloom tomatoes aren’t abundant right now, you can improvise with this recipe for Tomato, Beet, & Burrata with Basil Oil. (Find our favorite Basil Oil @ The Olive Oil Taproom.
Turnips – We finally are getting a break from the bugs’ attacks on a number of our veggies, including our turnips. (They are still wreaking havoc on our cabbages and kale, however.) Regardless, if the turnips come up out of the ground Tuesday morning in consistently good shape, they will be of the quality that we can’t resist eating raw: Sliced on salads or simply for dipping into hummus, etc. Or, roast them (oven or stove top) with butter and salt for the simplest of cooked turnip enjoyment. This is eloquently described by Epicurious as Glazed Hakurei Turnips.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 24, Oct 19-24
The first three recipes were standouts at the CSA Social: (Dan’s Mom wins the award for making the majority of the requested recipes!) 
Cabbage: Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Garlic, and Caraway
Radishes:  Dan’s Mom’s Famous Radish Dip: 2 bunches of radishes, 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese softened, 1/2 of a medium red onion, 1 tsp. dried dill, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. mayo. Put the radishes, onion, and garlic in the food processor and processes until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cream cheese, and rest of ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
Kale: Creamy Kale Dip – follow this recipe, plus add a little nutmeg and some cheddar to make it taste just like CSA member Melissa’s, served at the CSA Social.
Bok Choy: One CSA Member told us this trick for enjoying fresh vegetables for dinner, like Bok Choy, and also navigating a busy schedule (such as multiple sports practices, meetings, etc., in the late afternoon/evening hours): “Purchase frozen organic wontons  and make a simple broth (you can use organic broth cubes), simmer bok choy in the broth until your desired texture (we like softened but still with some crunch), and add the wontons according to their directions.” We think this is great! No need for homemade wontons for a busy family, Bok choy can be chopped and washed while the broth is heating up, and everyone wins.
Turnips: See Real Simple magazine’s 5 Super Simple Turnip recipe suggestions. No ingredients lists, no drawn out instructions. Peel, cook, combine with something delicious like bacon, cream & leeks, ginger & honey, etc.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 23, Oct 12-17
Salad Mix is getting revived around here with rounds of homemade Goddess Dressing
Cabbage is a staple fall (and spring) vegetable because it can be turned into anything! From Thai Chicken Salad, to Sausage with Cabbage, to Cabbage & Beef Stir Fry, to a simple saute with butter, garlic, salt, & pepper, or one of many, many slaw options.
Kale also fits in the category of being able to turn into anything. This week we’re having Potato & Corn Chowder with Kale.  If this chill stays in the air, we are also having Gnocchi Soup with Kale & Sausage  Another favorite is Warm Kale Salad (with garlic, vinegar, & asiago) and also Kale with White Beans and Sausage.
Fennel is our new favorite fall flavor, and we have been sprinkling a little bit on top of every salad. Concentrate it in one recipe in order to enjoy a stronger flavor, such as in Cabbage & Fennel Salad with Dill.
Beets are magical in their ability to be such a deep, dark color. This color is what brings unique and important nutrition, as well as fabulous flavor. These earthy roots go well with a dressing that has a touch of sweet and some dairy. We pick them small and thus they don’t need to be peeled. Try this Beet Salad with Goat Cheese or simply wash, dice, and saute the beets until tender, then toss on top of a salad with your favorite dressing and cheese.
Radishes are best enjoyed (in our opinion) sliced on top of a green salad or diced and mixed with cream cheese or butter, plus a dash of sea salt. These babies are tasty and nutritious! They contain a surprising amount of Vitamin C as well as Folate, Potassium, and Manganese

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 22, Oct 5-10
Fennel – This may be new for you! We love the flavor of fennel and it can be incorporated in many meals in various ways. We are giving you each a large bulb, about 3-4 inches in diameter, with the tops/fronds still attached…you should make use of both the bulb and the fronds. Try: Shaved Fennel Salad (simple, and calls for Parsley), Shaved Fennel Salad with Arugula & Black Olives, Braised Fennel, Sausage & Lentils with Fennel, Roasted Fennel with Olives and Garlic , go the dessert route with Blondie Sundaes with Fried Walnuts & Candied Fennel,  if it won’t overwhelm you, check out these 33 Recipes That will Make You Fall for Fennel, and here are the Top 5 Ways to Use Fennel Stalks & Fronds.
Napa Cabbage – We love this cabbage! It is great cooked (in any recipe! Just saute it up with oil and garlic), or raw in any slaw recipe. Try: Crunchy Veg Bowl with Warm Peanut Sauce,  Coconut Vegetable Slaw (use our cabbage in place of the purple cabbage it calls for, and feel free to sub with the other veggies called for), Cabbage Wedges with Buttermilk Dressing, Parsley, Radicchio & Napa Cabbage Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Sweet & Spicy Pork & Napa Cabbage Stir Fry. 
Parsley – We grow flat-leaf parsley because it has the best flavor. Try the recipes above that include Parsley, or simply slice it thinly (we like herb scissors) and add it to salads for a nice zing, add it to smoothies for a vitamin and mineral boost, make Chimichurri and toss of little of that on top of any dish (especially meat), or be really wild and make Fried Parsley to serve on top of anything. (That recipe calls for a lot of oil for a sort of deep-fry, but you can also flash-pan-fry the leaves with scant oil.)  
Eggplant – Best Eggplant Parm, Easy Roasted Eggplant, and see our little (and rough!) video of how we roast eggplant here. 
Bok Choy/Pac Choi – (Some call it Pac Choi) This cooking green is unique because of its sturdy and crunchy stems. Savor the stems! We usually eat it in a simple stir fry or braised. Enjoy it as Stir Fried Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic,  Basic Bok Choy Stir Fry, Braised Bok Choy.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 21, Sept 27-Oct 3
Summer Squash/Zucchini Pizza Planks
Banana Zucchini Overnight Oats
Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan (this is our favorite way to enjoy broccoli but you can also simply steam it, saute it, or enjoy it raw on salad) NOTE Re: OUR BROCCOLI: It really shows the organic nature of our farm, as worms are commonly hiding in the florets. You can a) ignore them, or b) Cut the broccoli and soak in a bowl of salt water for about 5 minutes before using it. Worms will drop out of the florets and sink to the bottom of the bowl. Also, we include some ofthe broccoli greens with our broccoli heads. You can use them like kale and cook them, or you can put them in your smoothie.
Radishes: Enjoy them raw on salad, or sliced and topped with good butter and a sprinkle of salt. Or make Radish Cream Cheese Dip (we simplify this recipe and use just radishes, cream cheese, and salt) or serve them as Radishes with Creamy Ricotta
Turnips: These are our the vegetable most-often requested by area chefs. Make Garlicky Turnip Puree, which combines them with Potatoes, or you can omit the potatoes.
Hearty Greens Mix: A lot of people call this our “Smoothie Greens Mix.” Accordingly, add it to your smoothies, or slice it ribbon-thin and make a salad like Winter Salad with Ginger Dressing, using our Hearty Greens Mix in place of the kale. We also love these greens in this Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pecans. It calls for Goat Cheese but we have also enjoyed it made with Cheddar or Asiago.
Arugula: We think you should eat it on top of Pizza, as called for in Arugula Prosciutto Pizza orWhite Pizza with Arugula.  Arugula also shines in a salad when paired with some sweetness and dairy, like fruit and goat cheese or other comparable combination. Try Pear, Arugula, and Pancetta Salad. (And if you are looking for incredibly delicious pears, try the Asian Pears at the Agriberry booth at both the Brandermill Green Market and St. Stephen’s Farmers’ Market this Saturday.)
Collards: In general, treat this hearty green like Kale. It is thicker than kale, making it a really satisfying cooked green, especially with bacon…see Paula Deen’s Collard Recipe. Or use it to wrap a “sandwich” in these Rainbow Veggie Collard Wraps. Or enjoy them warm as Collard Green Wrapped Bean Burrito

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 20, Sept 21-26
17 Tips for Faster, Healthier, Easier Weeknight Dinners  – This is chock full of helpful suggestions, including noteworthy tips like keeping a bag of sliced, high-quality bread in the freezer. (Think our bread!!) Make big batches of great sauces, keeping a variety of proteins and grains on hand to combine with the vegetables that come into your life (and the above-mentioned great sauce.) Etc.
Greens & Cheese Vegetable Lasagna – (You can sub Kale for the Collards in this)
Creamed Swiss Chard & Lemony Bread Crumbs – (You can sub Kale for the Chard in this)
Beef & Chard Meatballs (You can sub Kale for the Chard in this)
Vegetable Paninis
Glazed Hakurei Turnips
Buttered Turnip Puree
Radishes with Creamy Ricotta
Pickled Jalapenos – super easy, really tasty, and makes a little bit of jalapenos go a long way and last for months. Cut this recipe down to pickle just a couple of peppers in a small jar and add a dash to meals. You can skip the boiling part and just mix the brine and pour in a jar over the sliced peppers

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 19, Sept 14-19
This week, more than any other week, we want to invite all of you into our kitchen and show you how to prepare simple, easy, and delicious meals all week using the vegetables in the Farm Share. But, our kitchen is pretty small. So, the best we can do is steer you toward the guidance and wisdom of Bon Appetit:
40 Salads for People Who Hate Salads – And we would add that these recipes are also great for people who already love salads (like us).
25 Weeknight Dinners – Recipe Not Required – This is a treasure trove of staple dinner ideas that don’t require following a recipe. We make a lot of meals similar to ones featured here. Best general rules: Almost always include greens (cooked or just mixed in raw). Combine with a delicious protein. Add a whole grain. Use an interesting sauce/spices.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 18, Sept 7-12
Arugula – We love mixing this with other greens (lettuces and/or hearty greens mix) to create a flavorful mixed greens salad. Top with sweet peppers, nuts, cheese, etc. Or – Let Arugula take the main stage with a dish like Arugula with Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese, or Arugula & Goat Cheese Pizza (with pesto – no red sauce).
Shishito Peppers – These frying/roasting peppers are a summer staple for us and our children (even the almost-two-year-old) eat them in great quantity. Try this twist of a recipe for these peppers that are simple to prepare and enjoy: Blistered Shishitos with Flavored Salts
Hearty Greens Mix – We welcome the return of this mix of greens that we haven’t seen since early summer. This mix of young kale, tatsoi, and mizuna is wonderful on its own as a hearty salad green, or put in smoothies, or wilted/used in a saute or soup. (With this week’s return of high temps, we are using it in salads and smoothies. We’ll save cooked dishes and soup for real fall.)
Eggplant – For a riff on Eggplant Parm, try Italian Breaded Eggplant with our slicing eggplants. For our mini eggplants (the variety called Fairy Tale, which goes this week to members picking up at Perk in Bon Air), try Grilled Fairy Tale Eggplants with Rosemary Garlic Oil, or Caramelized Fairy Tale Eggplant, or Grilled Fairy Tale Eggplant with Garlic & Mint
Sweet Peppers – This week’s peppers are a combination of traditional bell shaped orange peppers and elongated sweet peppers (red and/or orange). They both work for Sweet Corn & Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers.
Summer Squash – These summer beauties won’t be with us much longer, so enjoy them for their last hurrah. Summer Squash Shakshuka with Baked Eggs is delicious, or for a nice summer soup, makeSummer Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 17, Aug 24-27
Eggplant, Summer Squash, Peppers: Last week we made the most delicious warm sandwiches ever with our eggplant, squash, and peppers….so good that we made them twice and will make them again in a couple of days. We sliced and sauteed eggplants, summer squash, and sweet peppers (with oil, garlic, and salt, of course), and then topped slices of our bread mayo, those vegetables, slices of tomatoes, and smoked mozzarella. Grill/cook in pan/panini press to warm and melt the whole affair. Serve with a side of blistered shishitos or slices of cucumber or roasted potatoes or….the delicious possibilities are endless.
Eggplant alone: Pickled Eggplant just popped up on our radar and we are very excited to make it.  Eggplant Pasta Salad got nice reviews from CSA members last week. 
Cucumbers: We were fortunate enough to be served homemade Falafel this past weekend, and cucumbers are a perfect topping. These also incorporate cilantro, parsley, sweet pepper, jalapeno peppers, etc.
Shishito Peppers: If you were on vacation recently and missed the first appearances of these beauties, here is the scoop: These are likely new for most people. They are a sweet East Asian variety of pepper and our family really loves them. They are traditionally prepared as described here, which is to keep them whole, saute with oil and salt until their skin blisters, and eat hot and whole (except the stem, unless you want to munch it, too). Enjoy them as a snack, appetizer, side dish, or topping on any dish, sandwich, or hot dog.
Arugula: Temps are going down and greens are returning! Make Arugula Salad with Olive Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan Cheese, or Apple Pecan Arugula Salad, Arugula Salad with Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese, or make Arugula Pesto, or top your pizza with raw Arugula leaves.
Lunchbox Peppers: These are miniature and sweet and perfect for snacking.
Jalapeno Peppers: Use them to add a dash of spice to any of the above meals, or in Salsa, or add them to a salt water brine to preserve/ferment them and create a delicious and versatile flavor.  We’re only putting a pair of them in the Farm Share, but if you want to preserve pints of them, just visit us at the Saturday markets or the online market.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 16, Aug 17-22
Lunchbox peppers: These miniature sweet peppers are quite wonderful. They are enjoyed alone simply as sweet snacking peppers (just hold the stem and bite them!) or cut in half, fill with cream cheese or goat cheese and eat raw, or cut in half, fill with the mentioned cheese, place on a baking sheet, dust with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 until soft and slightly browned.
Shishito Peppers: If you were on vacation last week and missed the first appearance of these beauties, here is the scoop: These are likely new for most people. They are a sweet East Asian variety of pepper and our family really loves them. They are traditionally prepared as described here, which is to keep them whole, saute with oil and salt until their skin blisters, and eat hot and whole (except the stem, unless you want to munch it, too). Enjoy them as a snack, appetizer, side dish, or topping on any dish, sandwich, or hot dog.
Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers: We have been enjoying epic summer sandwiches with these veggies as filling. Add organic cheese and other sources of protein, some pickled onions, a dusting of sea salt, and perhaps some organic mayo. Channel Dagwood and chomp on deliciousness. (We highly recommend our bread for this.)
Tomatoes: Summer Gazpacho is called for in this weather. And lots and lots of cold homemade salsa with organic corn chips. (Make taco salad!)
Eggplant: This oft-misunderstood and feared vegetable is a champ this time of year. Lettuce plants are trying to die en mass around here and the proud and purple Eggplants stand strong and healthy. They just love this weather, and so we love them. Suffer through heating up your kitchen by turning on the oven and making Eggplant Parmigiana. Or if you are headed out for a picnic, make Eggplant Pasta Salad. Or make Curried Eggplant with Tomatoes & Basil.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 15, Aug 10-15
Shishito Peppers: These are likely new for most people. They are a sweet East Asian variety of pepper and our family really loves them. They are traditionally prepared as described here, which is to keep them whole, saute with oil and salt until their skin blisters, and eat hot and whole (except the stem, unless you want to munch it, too). Enjoy them as a snack, appetizer, side dish, or topping on any dish, sandwich, or hot dog.
Eggplant: We grow a few different eggplant varieties (miniature Fairy Tale, light purple Dancer, and traditional dark Galine) so that we have diversity. Not every kind lends itself to every recipe, but options abound, including Eggplant Pizza, Eggplant Cannelloni,Eggplant Bruschette, Curried Eggplant, simple Eggplant Tacos with Brie, and traditionalEggplant Parmesan.
Cucumbers: We are really in love with the variety that we are harvesting right now, combining tolerance for August heat and disease and also amazing taste and small seeds. Just slice them up and eat them.
Tomatoes & Garlic: A talented CSA member reminded us of Puttanesca. Or makeSummer Gazpacho (which also calls for cucumber and sweet pepper)
Summer Squash/Zucchini: Southern Baked Summer Squash, Summer Squash/Zucchini Fries, Garlic Parmesan Summer Squash Chips
Sweet Peppers: Our family says to tell you all that if you haven’t yet tried our sweet peppers (orange or red) cut into strips and topped with organic cream cheese, you really should try it soon.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 14, Aug 3-8
Garlic: Chicken & Onions Braised in White Wine & Garlic
Cucumber: Cucumber & Peach Salad
Tomatoes: Tomato Pie – by Bon Appetit or by Simply Recipes or by Food 52
Summer Squash & Sweet Pepper: Quinoa Salad with Squash, Herbs, & Nuts  (We made this recently and also added diced sweet pepper.)
Eggplant: Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic-Honey Reduction is a favorite of ours, plus we recently fell in love with Curry-Marinated Eggplant (these can be roasted in the oven or grilled, and can be made with any shape of eggplant). Roasted Eggplant Slices are delicious (and call for fresh herbs to be brushed on top). Roasted Eggplant Dip looks fabulous and we are excited to try it soon. You can also simply dice eggplant and cook it in a pan with oil and salt (and garlic) and combine it with any dish.
Summer Squash, etc: Summer Vegetable Tian comes highly recommended from one CSA member, and it features summer squash/zucchini (use them interchangeably), tomatoes, and garlic (plus potatoes and onions in case you still have any from a previous week)
Smothered Yellow Squash with Basil  is also a favorite

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 13, July 27-Aug 1
Parsley: This Goddess Salad Dressing recipe calls for fresh parsley. If this is too much parsley for you to eat this week, try drying it (oven, air dry, and dehydrator instruction found at that link) and then using it (even in the winter time!) to make homemade salad dressing, such as these Three Salad Dressing recipes (Chipotle Ranch, Ranch, & Italian). 
Summer Squash: Yes, you can pickle summer squash! See this recipe for Refrigerator Summer Squash Pickles. We also shred summer squash (in the food processor) and then use it in the fall/winter in bread, cake, etc. Favorite recipes (for fresh or frozen squash) are Lemon Summer Squash Bread, Summer Squash Cake, Summer Squash Fritters. 
Tomatoes: Swordfish Steak w/ Tomatoes & Capers (This calls for cherry tomatoes but you can also substitute rough chopped slicing tomatoes.) Here is an assortment of the 12 Best Tomato Salad recipes. To put up tomatoes: Roasted Tomatoes for the Freezer, Canning Crushed Tomatoes, Canning Salsa
Onions: Quick Pickled Onions (we made these last week and are now topping almost every dinner with them!) We make this recipe even more quick by using the food processor slicing blade to cut the onions very thin, very fast.
Sweet Peppers: We most commonly eat these on top of salad or sliced into long, thin strips and topped with soft cheese (goat cheese, cream cheese, pimento cheese…)
Basil: Freezing Basil Pesto is a summertime ritual here so that we can enjoy this herb with pasta and casseroles in January. (According to that recipe website, “Basil is high in antioxidants and is considered one of the most nutritious herbs. It is rich in vitamin A and C and contains potassium, magnesium, iron.” Also, we substitute walnuts for the pricey pine nuts called for in most pesto recipes.)
Eggplant: Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic-Honey Reduction is a favorite of ours, plus we recently fell in love with Curry-Marinated Eggplant (these can be roasted in the oven or grilled, and can be made with any shape of eggplant). Roasted Eggplant Slices are delicious (and call for fresh herbs to be brushed on top).

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 12, July 20-25
Canning Tomato Sauce
Tomato Chutney
Ketchup
Slow Roasted Tomatoes Preserved in Olive Oil
Grilled Bread with Ricotta & Tomatoes 
Fajitas with Peppers & Onions
Summer Squash with Onions
Caprese Pasta Salad
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Smothered Summer Squash with Basil
Pickled Onions (it calls for red…we do this with our white onions)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 11, July 13-18
Potatoes – Potato Salad by Bon Appetit, Best Hash Browns by same
Summer Squash – Slice lengthwise and marinate for an hour in olive oil with salt and garlic. Perhaps add shredded basil. Then grill or roast/bake in the oven. Bake at 375-425 degrees until desired softness (15-20 minutes).
Sweet Peppers – We dice these and add to tomatoes/garlic/olive oil/salt for a tomato salad/relish type dish, or any variation of salsa. We also slice them into long strips/boats and fill them with organic cream cheese, trying to prepare them as fast as the children eat them. Or, include them in any stir fry, roast in the oven, or grill (brush with oil and salt).
Tomatoes – If Caprese Salad, Tomato Sandwiches, Salsa, and Tomato Relish (described above) don’t finish off your tomatoes, try Bon Appetit’s Tomato suggestions: Grated Tomato Sauce, Roasted Salsa, Dried Tomatoes with Mozzarella.
Onions – First, add to anything (salsa, stir fry, etc.) Or make Easy Onion Dip by Bon Appetit, Charred Onion & Cucumber Salad
Eggplants – Smoky Baba Ghanoush by Bon Appetit, Curried-Marinated Eggplant by same (we had this over the weekend and it was wonderful)
…Now everyone knows our deep love for Bon Appetit recipes… (We do recommend a subscription.)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 10, July 6-11
Chard (& Beets): This versatile and delicious green boasts the ability to grow in the summer season much better than kale. Treat it like kale or spinach and enjoy its presence as a summer time leafy vegetable, as they are rare. It pairs well with root vegetables and cheese. We suggest Swiss Chard with Beets, Goat Cheese, & Raisins. Or Beet & Barley Salad with Rainbow Chard. To enjoy it without beets, try Swiss Chard with Onions, orSauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan.
Summer Squash: We love Squash Gratin, and you can add potatoes to it also if you’d like. And remember: Our favorite way to eat summer squash is Marinated & Grilled.  (Use the mustard called for in the recipe or omit.)
Potatoes: We really, really love making potato chips. If you’re willing to put in the time slicing or using the mandoline, it’s worth the effort. We always bake them rather than fry them. Try these Baked Potato Chips.
Salad Mix: If your summer salad routine needs a new zip, try topping your salads with this Buttermilk Dressing (you can ignore the cabbage base this recipe calls for and just make the dressing.)
Tomatoes: We love tomato-based salads in the summertime. Try Tomatoes with Buttermilk Dresing & Blue Cheese. (This also calls for Parsley, which you may still have some of. It keeps very well.)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 9, June 29-July 5
Carrots & Squash: Our 9 year old made a fabulous dish last week with diced carrots, diced squash, sausage, onions, garlic, and salt. It won over even her squash-averse siblings. Serve on rice or pasta or on its own. Our most favorite way to enjoy squash is grilled. We slice it lengthwise into 1/3 inch slices and marinate for a couple of hours in a container with olive oil, salt, garlic, and basil. Even the squash-averse younger kids of ours devour this.
Tomatoes & Cilantro: The natural marriage here is fresh salsa. Dice tomatoes and combine with finely chopped cilantro and garlic. Sprinkle sea salt on top to taste. Devour with organic corn chips or on tacos.
Cucumbers: We were reminded by friends of the Classic Cucumber Salad with onions, vinegar, and sugar. We wholly support trying honey in place of the sugar.
Green Beans: We most love preparing green beans (some of which are actually yellow in color) simply, such as String Beans with Ginger & Garlic
Lettuce & Tomatoes: These two wonderful crops are only in season at the same time during early summer and then fall. So, while the gettings good for these two, we have to suggest BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato) sandwiches. Hint: They are most fabulous on our bread. Choose a good bacon or vegetarian alternative, and soak in the deliciousness.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 8, June 22-27
Chard – Also called Swiss Chard and Rainbow Chard, this may be new for some of you. In general, treat it like spinach or kale. The multi-colored stems are edible. Feel free to chop them up and include them in your dish with the greens. We love: Eggs Nested in Swiss Chard & Mushrooms, Creamy Swiss Chard Pasta, Rainbow Chard & Orzo Bowls with Feta.
Beets – We prefer to harvest beets at the baby stage, so you’re getting one bunch of small beets. We don’t peel them – just trim the ends and prepare as you wish. We love: Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese, Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese & Walnuts & Honey Dijon, OR simply pan-roast them on the stove top (with oil, salt, garlic, etc.) and use as a topping on any green salad.
Garlic – Our garlic has just been pulled up out of the ground so it’s not completely dry. Peel as you normally would but the skins will feel different at this stage. Mince/chop and include in any/all of the recipes above and below.
Lettuce – We were reminded by friends this weekend that barbecue is wonderful in lettuce wraps/boats. Try Barbecue Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps or any variation on that theme.
Basil – Try it in salads such as Lemon-Basil-Wheatberry Salad (or substitute any grain). This also calls for Cucumber (also in the share this week) and Parsley (in case you have any left from last week). Of course, it’s a classic with Tomatoes, Mozz, & Balsamic Vinegar.
Green Beans – We eat a lot of these simply raw with dip or cut into pieces and put on a salad. To prepare them as a side dish, we love Wok-Seared Sesame Green Beans with our Garlic added. This dish also benefits from adding Carrots  (also in the share this week).

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 7, June 15-20
Broccoli – If you aren’t going to simply enjoy it raw (in salad or as a snack dipped in hummus or other dip), try Roasted Broccoli. (Try adding garlic, or parmesan, or crushed red pepper, or drizzle with aioli, etc.)
Tatsoi – This is one of the greens in our Hearty Greens mix. It was also bunched and alone in the Farm Share earlier in the season. Treat it like Kale or Spinach. We love it raw as a salad: Slice thinly, dress with a Honey-Balsamic Dressing, cheese (feta, goat cheese, Parmesan…your choice), pecans, and dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins, etc.). OR Saute it with butter, salt, pepper, garlic, etc. and serve as a side dish or on top of warm, open-faced sandwiches.
Parsley – This herb adds a wonderful freshness to salads. Simply chop and top any green salad for a crisp tasting treat. OR Combine with Cucumbers, onion, and lemon in thisCucumber-Parsley Salad.
Turnips – Try them with Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese & Sesame, or Slow Cooked Salmon with Turnips & Swiss Chard, or Chicken in a Pot with Carrots, Turnip, and Barley or see a plethora of turnip inspiration here.  This week is the end of turnips until the fall.
Lettuce – See a host of Lettuce Wrap Recipes here. Fill these tasty boats with just a few things from this list of delicious options to keep it light and tasty.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 6, June 8-13
General Eating Tips – It’s now summer, and the food is delicious but we all tend to get busy. Trust us – we know! Our family is now at swim team practice each night. How to eat well and not go crazy? Here’s our best suggestions:
1) Make lots of salads and prepare to travel with them! Whether in a mason jar or plastic container for pool-side, just chop up the veggies and make a salad for as many meals as possible. Your body (and those of your household) will thank you. 2) Top your salad well. (Think Crosby Stills and sing this to the tune of “Teach…the children well…”) Add as many toppings as you can:other vegetables, fruit, protein. Nuts, raisins, cheese, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds. Tuna, salmon. Use a variety of oils and vinegars. Try a type of oil and/or vinegar that you’ve never had before. Add a bit of honey if that will make you eat more salad.  3) Make sandwiches or wraps and fill them well. Use the same mindset suggested above for salads, and fill your sandwich/wrap with as much as you can. Remember that oil, vinegar, and salt (or some other sauce) can make a sandwich go from decent to great. 4) When in doubt, take any vegetable, slice it small, and toss with oil, vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Then perhaps combine it with a protein and a carb (rice, bread, farro, wheat berries, pasta, etc.) to make a vegetable-based meal without fuss. We’re not nutritionists or dietitians, but we have helped many people eat more vegetables over the years. 
Specific Recipe Suggestions:
Kohlrabi – This is the vegetable that you likely haven’t seen before. You want to peel the round part and eat the inside, raw or cooked. The leaves are also edible – treat them like kale. But the inside part of the round part is the main attraction. We mostly slice it into rounds and eat it raw like a “chip” to dip into things like hummus. You can also roast, saute, or shred it raw for a salad topping. See here for multiple recipes. 
Cabbage – Chop, top with oil, salt, and pepper, cover (with foil or oven safe lid) and bake for a full hour and a half at approx. 375 degrees and you will discover that the cabbage takes on a whole new, and amazing, flavor. 
Cilantro – See here for recipes like Cilantro Lime Shrimp, Cilantro Chimichurri (often served with lamb or steak but sub any protein), Cold Marinated Sirloin & Noodle Bowl (sub any protein),  Cilantro & Ginger Hummus, Cilantro Pesto, Chili-Cilantro Sour Cream (suggested to be paired with Sweet Potato Fries), and more. And remember to simply add some Cilantro leaves to any salad for a fresh and tasty twist.
Kale –Summer Kale Salad with Cherries & Balsamic Vinaigrette
Head Lettuce – Taco Lettuce Wraps
Sauces – to go on sandwiches with greens and scallions, etc: See this collection of sandwich sauces such as Garlic Aioli, Chipotle mayo, etc.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 5, June 1-6
Baby Bok Choy is likely unfamiliar for some of you. Use and enjoy the crunchy stems – they are part of what makes Bok Choy unique and delicious. It really shines as a stir-fry vegetable, such as in this Stir-Fried Sesame Baby Bok Choy recipe. Try also a simple Saute with Broth recipe, Braised Bok Choy (which is cooking it in a pot of broth, rather than with just a little liquid in a pan) , or see Martha Stewart’s tips for using Bok Choy.
Scallions continue to shine around here as a raw addition to salads, including asian slaw-inspired salads, massaged salads, or simple tossed salads. Even Janet, who does not at all like eating raw onions, enjoys scallions raw in salads…especially with some sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, salt, and ginger. Or, simply cook them as you would onions and include in any meal (fried rice, tacos, stir fry, casseroles, etc.)
Cucumbers:  Shares include multiple cucumbers this week, as our plants produced bountifully, though the plants are showing signs of a problem so we don’t currently know whether we will have many cukes to harvest next week. We love them sliced on sandwiches with cream cheese, added to any salad, of course, or we get more creative and make a Quick Cucumber Kimchi, which is addictive and also uses Scallions. Our other favorite cucumber recipe is with radishes. Read on for details…
Radishes…this Cucumber Radish Salad  is similar to what we make often. We also simply dice Cucumber and Radish and toss with Rice Vinegar, salt, pepper, perhaps some honey, and sometimes some oil (either Olive or Sesame). We really, really love this simple salad. All of our kids eat it up. Our favorite Radish stand by is Radish-Cream Cheese dip, because who doesn’t love Radishes mixed with Cream Cheese? Just dice the radishes, and stir in a bowl with cream cheese and a bit of sea salt to taste. Or follow this Radish Cream Cheese Spread recipe with a few more yummy ingredients.
Head Lettuce – We love head lettuces because the big leaves fit so nicely on sandwiches or in wraps or tacos, and the leaves also make their own little boat for toppings…as in  a Chicken Lettuce Wrap or an Asian Lettuce Wrap. (Feel free to sub tofu or seitan or any vegetarian protein). Or enjoy the lettuce leaves in a tossed green salad. Our recommendation for washing greens is a Zyliss Salad Spinner. Dunk the greens in a bowl of tepid water to rinse clean, then lift the washed greens into the spinner for the spin of their lives. The Zyliss really zings them around and gets them really dry! (No, we don’t receive commissions for the sale of them, but perhaps we should. It’s a great product.)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 4, May 25-30
Cabbage – Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Cabbage Saute with Chicken, or for the adventurous, try a recipe for Easy Kimchi
Scallions/Spring Onions – Use these just as you would onions. Use the white and green parts. Saute them with oil or butter and salt and use that as a base for any recipe, or include in a saute/stir fry with other vegetables, or slice on top of salad.
Carrots – We likely need not provide suggestions. Enjoy these tasty beauties! Great raw or cooked, shredded or sliced.
Radish & Cucumber – We are loving a salad of thinly sliced radish and cucumber (as well as any other vegetables you have, including carrots and/or scallions) tossed with olive oil, rice vinegar, salt, pepper, dill, tarragon, oregano, and if desired, sesame oil. Add a touch of honey if you want a bit of sweet with it.
Hearty Greens Mix – We really love these Hearty Greens and keep eating them every day. In smoothies, with eggs, massaged with our staple Lemon Honey Garlic Vinaigrette, combined with our Salad Mix and topped with any amazing Olive Oil & Vinegar from the Olive Oil Taproom (if you haven’t been there, you really should go! Our favorites are Garlic infused Olive Oil, Blood-Orange infused Olive Oil, Cranberry Pear Vinegar, & Napolean Herbs Vinegar…but our list could go on and on. Their oils and vinegar are incredibly tasty, and have no sugars or artificial flavors. Two locations: Bellgrade and Short Pump.)

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 3, May 18-23
Check out our Recipe collection on Pinterest, organized by vegetable.
Cabbage – Options abound! We love Cabbage braised in broth, with onions and garlic and served with any protein. Cole Slaw options include Classic American from Bon Appetit or Traditional from Fine Cooking, or Asian with Ginger Tahini Dressing,
Garlic Scapes – are the tender and tasty, curly, edible tops of garlic plants. (The garlic bulb will be harvested in late June.) Saute them alone with butter and salt or cook them on the grill for a unique and delicious side dish, or add to any recipe the way you would use onions or garlic. Use them for Pesto with Pistachio and serve with pasta, or see this list for even more ideas.
Turnips –  With the cool temperatures this week, we are enjoying rare May soups. ThisTurnip & Potato soup also calls for Radishes, if you have any left from last week. Feel free to sub turnips for any of the radishes called for in that recipe. As that recipe tells, radishes and these sweet turnips are mainstays for small CSA farms like ours and we hope you love them as much as we do. We also add turnips (cut into fourths) to a simple soup with broth and greens (kale, pak choi, cabbage, etc.) If you haven’t had them roasted yet, try Roasted Turnips & Carrots with Rosemary. (Feel free to improvise based on what you have. No need to include Parsnips or Sweet Potatoes if you don’t have them.)
Purple Pak Choi/Bok Choi – We know this is likely unfamiliar to most of you. It’s new for us this year and we are very pleased with the flavor and beauty of it. A few leaves of this was in our Hearty Greens Mix from a couple of weeks ago, but we like it so much we are featuring it alone this week. Make a raw salad to preserve the color, such as this Asian Pak Choi & Cucumber Salad, or cook it in a Stir Fried Bok Choi with Ginger & Garlic. Use it just like you would Spinach or Kale. We served it as a massaged-dressing salad this weekend, using our favorite Lemon-Garlic-Honey Vinaigrette dressing. Different shades of vegetables provide an importantly diverse nutritional profile, so enjoy this burst of purple!
Kale – As stated above, Kale can be used interchangeably in recipes for any hearty green or spinach. Remember to slip in vegetables for breakfast by including it in anomelette, or Quiche, or on toast with Ricotta & Mushrooms. Whole Foods offers a recipe for Roasted Kale. Or drink your kale in a Kale-Apple Smoothie
Spinach – Spinach Salad with warm Bacon Dressing is a favorite. Or mix it with ourSalad Mix and serve with Blue Cheese Dressing, or any of your favorite dressings.

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 2, May 11-16
Spaghetti with Braised Kale  (you can also use our Hearty Greens Mix here)
Massaged Kale Salad with Strawberries & Almonds  (any type kale works wonderfully here, and also our Hearty Greens Mix)
Roasted Radishes
Roasted Turnips with Parmesan
Homemade Greek House Salad Dressing 
Spinach Salad with Pecorino, Pine Nuts, & Currants
Mizuna Pesto

2016 Farm Share CSA Week 1, May 4-9
Kale, Spinach, and Hearty Greens Mix can all be treated the same: Enjoy raw or cooked with your favorite dressing or sauce. We love these hardier greens with the dressing massaged into them (literally squeeze the greens with your hands to allow them to soak in the dressing.) Our simplest go-to? Pour olive oil & balsamic vinegar and grind sea salt over the greens. Wash your hands well, massage in the dressing, and then wash your hands again. To cook them: We love them steamed with soy sauce. Chop into small bits to make these easy for young children to eat. They also can be cooked into any casserole or quiche. Combine with any protein as a saute/stir fry (chicken, tofu, sausage, etc.) Or top the steamed greens with nuts and/or cheese.
Salad Mix is a mix of tender lettuces that are best raw. (We don’t often cook these, but sometimes do) They are best served with a simple dressing and your choice of optional toppings. Our radishes and turnips are great sliced raw on the Salad Mix.  Add nuts, cheese, boil egg, etc, to make it a complete meal of veggies, protein, and fat.
Radishes and Turnips can be treated the same. They are both great raw – slice and top with butter or goat cheese and sea salt. Or slice on top of salad. Or cut in half and roast with butter, salt, pepper, and garlic. (Yes! You can roast radishes!) Or slice into rounds and saute with butter, salt, and garlic. OR Dice the radishes into small pieces and mix with cream cheese (or goat cheese) and sea salt and spread on toast or cream cheese. Kids go crazy for this!
Cucumber – You likely need no advice on this. Slice and enjoy straight, or top a salad.
Garlic Scapes – This is likely the unknown vegetable in this week’s share. This is the curly, tender, top of the garlic plant. It is harvested about a month in advance of the bulb. Think of them like onions or garlic, but even better. You can dice them and toss raw in a salad, or cook with any recipe like garlic. OR – They are so good they can be served alone. We rough chop them into 2-inch long pieces and saute with butter and salt and then serve as a side dish. They are only in season for about 2 weeks so relish them!

2015 Fall Farm Share Week 5: Nov 4th
We think of ourselves as a humble bunch, but we really want to tell you what amazing produce you are getting this week: Yesterday we had the pleasure of participating in the Farmer Cook Off at Fire Flour & Fork (a celebration in Richmond for the “food curious”). It was a delight to get to spend time with some of our favorite fellow farmers while preparing meals from our respective vegetable harvests. For our cook-off entry, we made a mealthat is a typical fall meal in our home – peasant food, we call it. Simple. Flavorful. Hearty. Nutritious. Filling. We are thrilled that the judges enjoyed it so much that they declared us the cook-off winners! Now you get to receive most of the vegetable ingredients in your Farm Share box this week! For the amazing shareholders that pick up at our farm, you can get a few of the other ingredients we used (microgreens, tomato chutney, our bread) as they are available for sale in our Farm Stand. So, you too can prepare an award winning meal. Here’s what we made:

– Turnips: Diced, then simmered in broth, and topped with our Tomato Chutney, then our microgreens. No peeling the turnips. Simmer them until they are as tender as you prefer. We know you have been getting turnips most weeks lately, because our other root crops have had significant failures. We are sorry for the failures, but we know our turnips are very delicious and versatile. Try this simple recipe for any meal of the day.
– Hearty Greens with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette: Thinly slice our Hearty Greens and put in a bowl. Zest a lemon over top. Mince garlic and put on top of the greens. Drizzle olive oil and honey and lemon juice on top. Sprinkle salt. Massage it all with your hands to work in the flavors. Add more salt if desired. We added slivered almonds yesterday. You can also add dried fruit. Easy peasy. The judges called this salad “perfect.” And – our 8 year old child made it almost entirely by herself during the cook off. We adults simply zested the lemon and poured the liquids. Seriously. This dish also works perfectly with kale.
– Radishes, Pickled: The gorgeous pink disks on top of the salad are our quick-pickled radishes. We can hardly keep our fridge stocked with them because our kids eat them up so quickly. Pictured are our watermelon radishes, but we also pickle our standard red, round ones. In a mason jar, combine 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 cup of sugar (we use organic turbinado), and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir, shake, whisk etc, to dissolve. Thinly slice radishes and add to the jar. Ideally let sit for 30 minutes before serving but you can also serve them for a few days after making them. Eat on top of salads, eggs, sandwiches, or just straight from the jar. We will next be experimenting with using honey instead of sugar.
– Scallions, scrambled with eggs, butter, and salt, and also our Bread, sliced and toasted on a cast iron with butter and garlic. The judges called our meal “harmonious” and asked when they could come over for dinner. We said anytime. But if our house gets too crowded, we’ll send them on over to the homes of our CSA members, since you have the same ingredients to work with!
This week you also get:
– Arugula: Our friends at Shalom Farm contested right beside us and prepared Arugula with Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese, and Candied Pecans as an amazing salad. Give that a try and you may decide they should have been the winners. 🙂
– Cabbage: When it’s chilly outside, we mostly saute up our cabbage with protein, fat (butter, oil, lard…your choice), and spices. When it’s warm outside, we slice our cabbage very thin and mix with mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, rice vinegar, and honey. Serve with anything.
– Salad/Lettuce: We suggest a Honey Balsamic dressing or a Blue Cheese dressing.

2015 Fall Farm Share Week 4: Oct 28
Watermelon Radishes are the likely unfamiliar item in this week’s share. We grow these radishes because the flesh is remarkably sweet and also a beautiful, vibrant pink. See this page for a great primer/sales pitch about their wonderful qualities. The peel is remarkably spicy and fortunately separates easily from the inner flesh. We slice them and then remove the outer skin with our fingers. We prefer to eat them raw as vegetable slices in dip or as a salad topping.  To get fancier, try Radish Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette from Williams Sonoma, or Kale Salad with Quick Pickled Watermelon Radish. For a simple roast see Roasted Watermelon Radishes. Different food is fun, delicious, and nutritious! Radishes are a very good source of anti-oxidants, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber. The world wide web tells us that “Radish, like other cruciferous and Brassica family vegetables, contains isothiocyanate anti-oxidant compound called sulforaphane. Studies suggest that sulforaphane has proven role against prostate, breast, colon and ovarian cancers by virtue of its cancer-cell growth inhibition, and cyto-toxic effects on cancer cells.”
Arugula – Also super nutritious, high in Vitamin A, folates, and other necessary nutrition, Arugula is wonderful in salad, soup, or on top of pizza. Try Potato Salad with Arugula and Dill, or make Roasted Sweet Potato, Arugula, Goat Cheese Sandwiches. 
Sweet White Turnips – We diced and then simmered them in broth this weekend and served them soft and warm and broth-saturated for dinner. Our baby, as well as the older eaters, was thrilled. Super simple and delicious. (We aim for more root vegetable diversity in the fall Farm Shares but our carrots are later than usual due to crop failure [our first two plantings failed in August…our third planting was finally successful] and our beets were fairly well ruined after the late Sept heavy rains. Thank you for enjoying the abundance of these sweet turnips while carrots finish growing!)
Scallions and Bok Choy – We highly recommend preparing the scallions in a saute pan with butter and salt. Simmer the bok choy in broth, Serve the bok choy topped with the sauteed scallions and a protein of your choice. We love this dish! OR – we really love Bok Choy Kimchi. This is for the more adventurous culinaries, we know. As soon as our barn kitchen is completed, we will lead a class to help you make this. It’s worth it.
Sweet Peppers – Most of them are green at this point, rather than the sweeter, riper red. Still, we love them roasted, grilled, or blistered in a pan on the stovetop. This charring, combined with olive oil or butter, plus salt, is really delicious and works for the miniature (lunchbox) peppers or the long bullhorn shape peppers (Carmen variety).
Lettuce – We are in a delightful salad dressing rut enjoying a Citrus Vinaigrette.

2015 Fall Farm Share Week 3: Oct 21
– Portugese Kale Soup is one of our favorite ways to enjoy our turnips as well as kale.
– Our Turnips are really, really good eaten raw. Whole or sliced, plain or dipped in hummus or other dip. Or if you took us up on the suggestion to mix diced radishes with cream cheese and salt, our turnips are also great with that dip spread on slices.
– Kale is wonderful as a side dish when prepared as Kale with Caramelized Onions and Garlic
– Napa Cabbage is a fall staple for us and we hope you are enjoying it as much as we are. It serves as a raw salad with any dressing but especially as an American Cole Slaw, this Asian Slaw, or this Asian Slaw.
– Scallions make any vegetables even better. If you love them raw (like Dan does) add them to the slaw recipe above. If you love them cooked (like both Dan and Janet do) then saute them in butter with salt and incorporate in any meal. With kale, cabbage, turnips, etc…
– Peppers are wonderful sliced raw and then topped with the above-mentioned radish-cream cheese dip. Or make Baked, Stuffed Sweet Peppers – with small peppers they are Poppers or with large peppers they are ready to be served and then cut to bite-sized.

2015 Fall Farm Share Week 2: Oct 14
Arugula – With its strong, peppery flavor, a little arugula can go a long way. Our whole family (even our youngest who is not yet one year old) loves Arugula Pesto. Or enjoy arugula on top of pizza (seriously – it’s addictive) or simply with olive oil, salt, raisins, and feta cheese.
Bok Choy – This is likely the least familiar item in this week’s share. This asian green has a wonderful mild flavor, and the crunch in its stems is its unique draw. We love it cooked in a bit of broth, as in this recipe for Braised Bok Choy. Serve this with any protein or entree – it is delicious with mashed potatoes or turnip puree.
Microgreens – These are famous for being used in restaurants as a gorgeous and edible garnish on the top of salads and entrees. We grow them because they are highly nutritious and are great to eat in greater quantity than just a dainty topping. We use them liberally on sandwiches, larger leaf salads, on top of soups and pizza, and mixed in with scrambled eggs. They are shown to be up to 40 times as nutritious as their mature plant counterparts! Enjoy and be nourished.
Beets – We love them roasted and we don’t peel them. They are baby beets and tender and go well with any protein. If you are up for adding more flavors, try this recipe for Beets with Indian Spices.
Cabbage – You likely don’t need suggestions here, but our favorites are Cole Slaw and Cabbage with Sausage.

2015 Fall Farm Share Week 1: Oct 7
Kale or Hearty Greens – This weekend we fell in love with this recipe for Hardy Greens with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette. The photo on the recipe page shows the leaves with the dressing simply poured over top, but we prefer to massage in the oil and juice and flavors. Put your hands in the bowl and massage those greens! If you lose a ring in the process, retrieve it from the bottom of the bowl.
Salad – We are diggin citrus-based homemade dressings right now, like this Citrus Vinaigrette recipe. This allows all 5 eaters in our family to love salads for lunch and dinner, almost every day.
Turnips – We grow a sweet variety called Hakurei, which Bon Appetit magazine says has reached “hip” status. We’ve loved them since a fellow farmer handed us one, covered with earth, in a field in Wisconsin in 2008. We love them in soups, roasts, and a simple saute. Try Chicken in a Pot with Turnips, Barley, and Carrots or Turnips with Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese
Radish – We slice them on salad, Roast them, or dice them them into a Radish Salsa of sorts. (Even a simple variation of this salsa recipe is delicious – radish, oil, garlic, lime, and salt are wonderful together.)
Sweet Peppers – Roast them, slice them on salad, dip them in hummus, fill them with goat cheese…they are versatile and delicious.
Broccoli – Please remember that we don’t kill bugs on our broccoli plants and there are most likely small green worms hiding inside your head of broccoli. A simple salt-water soak easily takes care of the unwanted pests. This website orients you to the process very well. Our favorite way to eat broccoli is Roasted.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 22: Sept 30
These were all served at our CSA Farm Party yesterday, to rave reviews!
Radish Dip
Beet Hummus
Kale Apple Cake (don’t let the name fool you – this is crazy yummy)
Beet Chocolate Cake
Arugula Salad with Feta and Raisins (but organic red raisins were used instead of the golden it calls for)
Kale Salad with Raisins & Cheddar
Homemade Italian Dressing with Garlic added – Serve on our Salad mix
Tomato-Sweet Pepper Relish
Chinese Cabbage was the one item in this week’s share that was not featured at our Farm Party, but we most love it in a Cabbage Stir-Fry with your choice of protein, or Cole Slaw, either American or Asian

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 21: Sept 23
Arugula, Pear, & Pancetta Salad
Salad – with Candied Pecans and Maple Balsamic Dressing
Glazed Hakurei Turnips – The white roots in this week’s share are sweet and delicious Hakurei Turnips. You may remember them from the spring shares. We prefer them raw, roasted, or glazed. Also try Miso Glazed Turnips.
Kale with Ramen Noodles – you can substitute out ingredients to tailor this to your liking
Falafel with Kale – Mix Kale (or any green) into Falafel
Summer Squash Muffins – If you can resist grilling the squash, bake it into muffins (or a bread loaf pan, or call it cake…). This recipe calls for Zucchini but you can use any summer squash.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 20: Sept 16
We are continually inspired by the recipes and food ideas in the Bon Appetit magazine. Accordingly, today’s recipe suggestions are sourced from BA:
– Falafel-spiced Tomatoes on Flatbread.
– If the above recipe is too complicated for your life, use your tomatoes (and sweet peppers) in a simple and amazing dish like this Tomato Relish. We eat this dish multiple times per week, using our sweet peppers instead of the serrano peppers it calls for. All four of our children love, love, love this dish. (And it works for any meal of the day!) Feel free to sub out ingredients: We prefer garlic in it instead of onion. We often omit the parsley and instead use any other herb, or just savor the garlic flavor without an herb addition.
– Sichuan-Style Chicken with Rice Noodles is a great way to enjoy any type of kale, or use our Hearty Greens Mix, and you can sub any protein source of your choice, of course. This style of meal preparation is a great one to be familiar with. It is essentiallyseasoned protein + carbohydrate [noodles] + greens with a delicious sauce. It calls for a specialty seasoning (furikake) which we have not used. Instead, we substitute a combination of kelp, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. This adaptability makes it easier to prepare and enjoy a lot of vegetables.
– Head Lettuce: We love head lettuce because of it’s crunchy ribs and the big sweet leaves that work like boats for so many delicious toppings. They hold up well for a Classic Caesar Salad, Seared Steak Lettuce Cups, a Club Salad, or Greens with Horseradish-Creme Fraiche Dressing. Use any protein you prefer in any of these recipes!
– Sauteed Greens with Olives is an excellent way to enjoy any kale (or if you have collards left from last week) and also lettuce. (Trust Bon Appetit!)
– Radishes are back! Oh how we love them. If you can resist just slicing them in half, dipping them in salt, and eating them straight, we suggest you highlight their mild spice by making a Radish Salsa such as in this recipe for Steak Tacos with Cilantro-Radish Salsa. If you want to tame the spice, make Radish Raita, a sauce with yogurt and spices, to enjoy on any protein (or salad!).
– Beets have also made their fall debut this week, with wonderful greens on top. We swoon. This recipe for Roasted Beets makes use of creme fraiche and yogurt, plus a simple bit of oregano or marjoram, to highlight the beet flavor while enjoying a bit of smooth dairy. We also love beets roasted simply with olive oil and salt and pepper, then topped with goat cheese. This recipe for Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese also calls for fresh mint vinaigrette.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 19: Sept 9
These are from CSA members, tried and true:
Quick Braised Swiss Chard with White Beans and Chorizo
Schezwan Eggplant
Chickpea Flour Stuffed Peppers – use any type of pepper, even very small ones. We are told this is delicious without mango powder and to just slit the peppers and put the spiced-flour-paste inside. Then bake or shallow fry. Yum!
Our favorites:
Roasted Okra – simple and delicious!
Cucumber and Charred Onion Salad
Summer Squash Saute

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 18: Sept 2
*Today’s appetite inducing recipe suggestions are from Food & Wine magazine. Get inspired and enjoy the goodness.*
Tomato Soup with Feta, Olives, & Cucumbers
Summer Squash Salad with Pickled Currants [Raisins]
Kale Salad with Garlicky Panko
Swiss Chard with Sweet Garlic
Sweet Pepper Salad with Machego and Almonds
Lima Bean and Sweet Pepper Gratin
Braised Collard Greens
Collard Greens with Tomatoes and Garlic
Salade Nicoise (for lettuce, green beans, etc.)
Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 17: August 26
Recipe Suggestions: see these and others cataloged on our Recipe Page
Sweet Peppers – For those that receive the sweet and small lunchbox peppers, thisSweet Pepper Popper recipe is delicious. You can also simplify it and make it vegetarian by just stuffing with goat cheese and dusting with bread crumbs. (This is a favorite way to enjoy these peppers by at least one of our passionate CSA members!) For those that like spice, you can add the jalapenos to this dish for a handful of bites with a real zing. Here is another recipe for Stuffed Baby Sweet Peppers – 2 Ways, including a dairy-free option.
Green Beans – Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Lettuce – Our salad greens are returning! We are so happy. You likely don’t need any recommendations, but for those looking for salad dressing inspiration, see the above Mustard Vinaigrette or to make progress on moving past store bought salad dressing, see this list of 5 Salad Dressings to Know By Heart. Home made salad dressing takes some time to make, but less and less time as you get familiar with stand by recipes. You win with better flavor, more nutrition, and money savings.
Summer Squash – We still swear by grilling it as the tastiest way to eat squash this summer. Drizzle one of those homemade salad dressings on top of the grilled slices and savor it.
Carrots – For a diversion from our usual recipe suggestions, check out these Carrot Cake Power Bites. We haven’t made them yet, but are about to. Carrots with dates and almond butter? Yes, please! (Note: This recipe is best when the dough is chilled overnight.)
Chard – Try it this way: Tortilla Espanola with Rainbow Chard  You can sub kale for the chard that it calls for.
Tomatoes – In case you need recipe inspiration, check out this list of 13 Recipes that Make the Most of Fresh Tomatoes

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 16: August 19
Kale or Chard – While blueberries are still in season, enjoy them with your greens in this recipe for Summer Salad with Kale or Chard. (The recipe calls for kale but the greens are interchangeable.)
Sweet Peppers – In hot weather we love slices of these peppers with a dab of cream cheese inside. It is simple and delicious. If you are up for cooking, we love fajita-style tacos with our sweet peppers prepared in a saute with onions. Back to a cold option: Sandwich/Submarine night is a big hit around here and the same pepper-and-onion saute is a favorite sub sandwich topping for our family.
Microgreens – Add these to just about any meal or dish this week. Seriously. Eggs. Toast. Sandwiches. Sushi. Salads. Pizza. Your body will thank you.
Tomatoes – We are obviously encouraging Tacos and Sub sandwiches for dinner this week, which feature tomatoes beautifully as well. But if you are craving homemade ice cream, we want you to consider this collection of Tomato Ice Cream recipes. We admittedly haven’t made any yet, but the memory of the Tomato Basil Ice Cream from earlier this summer is heavy on our minds.
Carrots – We’re about to fire our farm cats because it seems they haven’t been on rodent-duty in the carrot rows. We have lost quite a number of carrots to these rascals. We will do our best digging them up for you tomorrow and hopefully you can make Anise Seed Carrots or this recipe for Carrots with Anise or Spiced Pilaf Roasted Carrots

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 14: August 5th
All Veggies! – We are on a fish sauce kick around here, loving it on many of our veggies. And we love the Bon Appetit magazine, so we will share this recipe: Grilled Vegetable and Rice Salad with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette  Use whatever vegetables you prefer in this montage recipe.
Eggplant and Kale – Grilled Eggplant and Greens with Spiced Yogurt
Summer Squash – Hands down, our favorite way to enjoy summer squash is still to grill it. We ate grilled squash both Saturday and Sunday nights this weekend. However, if you can resist grilling it, turn to this recipe: Summer Squash and Quinoa Salad with Walnuts
Tomatoes – We still can’t stop serving tomatoes with every lunch and dinner as a diced salad with minced garlic, salt, and olive oil. We hope you all aren’t sick of tomatoes yet – we can’t imagine that feeling. Regardless, if you can resist the simple raw tomato-salad just described, we have to share a recipe for Tomato & Cheddar Pie
Sweet Peppers – The long, red peppers in recent shares are a variety called Carmen. Completely sweet with no spice, these peppers are simply better than any bell pepper we have ever had. If you can resist eating them as raw slices with cheese or hummus, try the two recipes found here: Grilled Red Peppers with Garlic & Potato, Sweet Pepper & Fennel Salad (potatoes will be in the share again next week, but we don’t yet grow fennel…though we hope to in the future!)

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 13: July 29th
Eggplant – Stuffed Eggplant is on our list to make this week, Spaghetti with Eggplant and Tomato Sauce is what we enjoyed last week (with pasta from Richmond’s Bombolini Pasta).
Sweet Peppers – the long, red peppers available recently is the Carmen pepper. It looks scary spicy but it is all sweet, we promise. It’s an Italian Bull’s horn variety and we love it. Add it to salad, or slice it and spread goat cheese on the slices.
Chard – We will keep saying it: We love love love our chard scrambled with eggs, as in this Swiss Chard Scramble recipe.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 12: July 22nd
Peppers – This is the week for stuffed peppers! If you don’t already have your favorite recipe (we simply make a nicely-spiced medley of whatever we have around, plus rice), try a mexican-style vegetarian recipe, or a quinoa-stuffed vegetarian version.
Green Beans – we love our beans these ways: Wok Seared Sesame Green Beans,Sesame Tempura Green Beans with Soy Dipping Sauce, Green Beans with Sesame Vinaigrette.
Summer Squash – We haven’t yet tried Summer Squash Sloppy Joes but they sound delicious (it calls for mixing the squash with protein) and are on our list for this week’s meals. This Summer Squash Saute recipe is a way we really enjoy this vegetable.
Tomatoes – we will keep repeating that we love, love our tomatoes simply diced and put in a bowl with a minced clove of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Our kids spoon large amounts of this on their plate whenever it is served. The alchemy of the flavors is amazing.
Chard – We love love love our chard scrambled with eggs, as in this Swiss Chard Scramble recipe.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 11: July 15th
Tomatoes & Jalapenos – pair well in Pico de Gallo
Eggplant – Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Herbs is a simple and tasty way that we love to enjoy eggplant
Cabbage, Mini – Our cabbages did not do well this spring/summer…but the miniature heads that grew are crunchy and delicious. Sliced ribbon thin, one mini head is perfect as a topping for a meal of fish tacos (that is what we made for dinner last night). OR make a simple Cabbage Salad with Lemon and Garlic  OR this Chinese Cabbage Salad is a favorite (with or without the ramen noodles it calls for)
Cherry Tomatoes – Try them Roasted with Basil and Garlic...they become even more like bites of gold when roasted
Sweet Peppers – These also are amazing when roasted. Toss them on the roasting pan with the cherry tomatoes recipe above, or slice them and serve with Dill & Parsley Dip (the recipe calls for both herbs, either fresh or dry).

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 10: July 8th
Primavera Sauce – We have been loving a combination of vegetables similar to this primavera recipe involving carrot, parsley, basil, pepper, tomato, eggplant, garlic…It tastes like summer and is great on top of pasta or any grain of your choice.
Chard – We haven’t included this beauty very much in the Farm Share this year, but it is a favorite of ours. Slice it ribbon-thin for a raw salad and top it with goat cheese or feta and a honey-balsamic dressing. Or slice it into 1-inch-wide strips and steam it oh-so-lightly and serve with eggs. Or saute up onions and garlic and add strips of chard until soft. They are vibrantly colored, sweet, and delicious!
Beets – We always say roast them, or pan-cook them and serve with goat cheese/feta, walnuts, raisins, and our standard honey-balsamic dressing. But if you need to eat beets differently than we do, try these: Roasted Beets and Tomato Salad, or Lemony Beet Hummus
Sweet Peppers – They get served here most often chopped up with tomatoes and tossed with olive oil, salt, and garlic. Or simply sliced and dipped in hummus or any dip. But we try to save some for the primavera sauce above, or roasted and as a topping for tacos/burritos.
Eggplant – This summer beauty is the one garden product that is really hard to eat raw. It is delicious so many ways: In a primavera sauce as mentioned above, or simply cubed and saute with oil and salt and garlic. Or slice into half-inch thick slices and roast, or grill after a honey marinade.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 9: July 1st
Cucumbers are divine when topped with hummus and capers: Slice cuke in half, scoop out a bit of the center to make a ravine (eat the part you scoop out!), fill the ravine with hummus, top with capers. Devour!
Tomatoes and Peppers should become your new salad, replacing a lettuce/salad mix/green salad. The recent heat wreaked havoc on our lettuce/salad mix, but we are serving a tomato-based salad these days, dicing tomatoes and peppers and tossing with a bit of olive oil, sea salt, and garlic if you prefer. Also, finely sliced basil adds a delicious twist.
Summer Squash is dangerously delicious when battered and pan-fried. You can use a combination of dipping in egg and Panko bread crumbs, or you use another pre-mixed batterto coat the squash (cut into disks or sticks). Or you can make them into Vegetable Pancakes using this recipe. Adding basil to this recipe is also perfect.
Broccoli is seriously best when roasted.
Kale is delicious when made into a sweeter salad like with Kale and Strawberry Salad(you can use frozen since they aren’t in season here anymore), or Kale with Strawberries and Avocado, or with granola in this recipe for Kale with Nutty Granola Croutons.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 8: June 24th
Parsley – We love fresh herbs! We hope you have been enjoying them as well. Parsley is excellent added to any salad – leafy greens, pasta, sweet potato…We love it with feta cheese, or goat cheese, or any cheese in any salad! It is also delicious mixed with garlic and cheese as a spread/dip for crackers, bread, or cut veggies. We also love chimichurrias a side sauce/dressing for many dishes.
Preserving herbs through fermenting them in a brine: See this recipe here. Inspired by an article in a recent Taproot magazine, we are about to dive into this new method of using herbs. Basil and Parsley for months!
Cucumbers and Tomatoes –  with Feta and Basil is a hit at our house
Beets – it seems like goat cheese and feta are the big features in this recipe list today, but we won’t apologize for that. Roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts is a favorite of ours
Bell Pepper – Sylvie made this Macaroni Salad with peppers for her father for Father’s Day yesterday

(we skipped week 7…with apologies…)

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 6: June 10th
Head Lettuce – The head lettuce this week is simply gorgeous and very delicious. They are large green heads with long leaves, perfect for lettuce wraps. We had these for dinner last night with various filling options: Salmon salad, tofu, cucumber slices, cheese, sliced radishes, pickles…Even our three year old (who often protests her veggies) loved eating this “lettuce boat” as she called it. We hope you enjoy it this way, too!
Bok Choy – This is the last week for bok choy this spring, and these beauties flew off of our market table in Richmond over the weekend. Crunchy, mild, and tasty, they are great raw or cooked. Use the stems like celery (sliced or long, like boats for peanut butter), slice thin for any salad dish. (The key is to choose a great dressing! If purchasing a dressing, we really love HaaShrooms salad dressings. See here for purchasing through Fall Line Farms.)
Beets – You can roast them, juice them, serve them raw in a salad, or steam them. Here is a collection of enticing Beet Recipes on Huff Post.  Some of them are admittedly ambitious, and we most often use a simple Roasted Beet recipe. This link uses a salt-roasting recipe for extra deliciousness. Or this Peasant Beet recipe is similar to how we love them. (It calls for chard, but use the beet greens plus bok choy and/or kale.) Whatever you do with the beets, remember to use the beet greens!
Cilantro – Cilantro is a staple in almost any Mexican-inspired dish. Add it to beans, meat, or any protein, plus serve it on top of any dish in this vein. We love it with tomatoes, but they are a few weeks off still, so we enjoy it with yogurt on top of fish tacos, or also rough-chopped and added into any green salad. Need more inspiration? Check out this list of 6 dishes (and a drink!) with cilantro. Savor the flavor!

Sauce suggestions, June 4th:
Favorite sauces in our rotation: a ranch-style dressing, italian herb dressing, honey balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard dressing, a sweet and sour sauce, and a sesame sauce.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 5: June 3rd
Garlic Scapes – Hopefully last week you all go oriented to this early summer wonder. You can also enjoy it as Pickled Garlic Scapes or make Garlic Scape Dressing for salads.
Bok Choy – We really love this vegetable, but it is not incredibly well know. Last week we suggested braising it in broth, but it is also wonderful raw. We have been using it thinly shredded on and under many dishes this week. The stems are so mild and crunchy they are much like celery. Use it that way! Here is a simple Bok Choy Salad recipe – you can use the choy mein noodles it calls for or not. Or slice it thinly and serve any protein on top. We put roasted turkey on top of Bok Choy this weekend. We love it, and hope you do to.
Summer Squash and Basil – This is a lovely combination together, such as in this recipe: Smothered Yellow Squash with Basil (you can use yellow squash and green zucchini squash interchangeably…we like to give you a combination of the colors for variety.)
All vegetables – are delicious under this Chinese Sesame Sauce recipe that we made a big batch of last week and have been pouring on top of most everything. (Except we used honey instead of sugar, and did not use as much as it called for.)

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 4: May 27th
Garlic Scapes – this is the item in the share this week that is most likely unknown to those of you new to our farm. These are the green, curly, tender tops to our garlic plants that would flower if we left them on the plants. They are harvested for about two weeks at this time of year in order for the plants’ energy to focus on the garlic bulb, rather than on the flower. Additionally, they are amazingly delicious. You can chop them up – use all of the vegetable matter that we give you – and use in any dish like garlic or onions or scallions. OR you can saute them whole with fat (butter, coconut oil, etc…) and salt and enjoy them as an unruly and tasty side dish. Seven recipe ideas here.
Lettuce Soup – if you missed the recipe in last week’s email, check it out here. We made it with various greens and loved it.
Bok Choy – Use this delicious asian green like you would kale or spinach, but it also has amazing crunchy stalks. Don’t toss these out! Our favorite way to enjoy these greens is braised in stock. The stalks have a super crunch and texture and take up the flavors of your stock beautifully.
Summer Squash – Grill it! We most love summer squash grilled, but it is also delicious in any stir fry, or cut in sticks and made into oven-baked fries, or shredded and made into fritters, or baked into sweet bread.
Kale (or Chard or Asian Spinach) – Try this recipe with strawberries, feta cheese, and a lemon-poppy seed dressing. Janet’s mom served something similar this weekend and it was a huge hit. The recipe linked above recommends getting kale from Trader Joes, but luckily all of you know that ours is better, even if you do have to chop it yourself. Thanks for choosing Certified Naturally Grown, local, and nutrient-dense! 

2015 Summer Farm Sahre Week 3: May 20th
Cucumber Kimchi – We know this is an off-the-wall Korean condiment, but we really love it. Some say it is an addictive hot-dog topping. We love it with eggs and on top of salad and along side any meal. If there is any way you still have Garlic Scallions around from last week’s share, they are perfect in this kimchi.
Microgreens – These nutrition-packed babies are perfect anywhere: On sandwiches (with hummus or any sandwich fillers), on top of larger-leaf salad, on top of pizza, on top of soup, or mixed in with scrambled eggs. These are the baby plants of kale, collard, kohlrabi, cabbage, and mizuna, which are shown to be up to 40 times as nutritious as their adult counterparts.
Radishes – Cilantro Radish Salsa (listed as part of Steak Tacos – sub another form of protein if you wish) or try Ghee Poached Radishes, served with any salad greens.
Turnips – if the turnips end up being ready for picking (they are borderline as of this morning) and you are new to our CSA and/or these turnips, you are in for a treat. We grow a super-sweet and tender Japanese variety called Hakurei. They are great raw on a salad or super tasty cooked. We recommend cooking them with butter and salt – on the stove top or roasted in the oven. They are delicious as a side for any meal or served on top of any protein. Try this Roasted Turnip recipe with poppy seeds, or try this Glazed Turnip recipe.
Hearty Greens or Chard – We’ll just keep saying it: we love these in a simple saute with butter, salt, and onion or garlic. We serve this a lot. Both of these greens are perfect in green smoothies. See guidance here or a recipe list here.

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 2: May 13th
Radishes – Remember you can roast them. Or slice and serve cold tossed with homemade ranch dressing. (We always substitute yogurt from Old Church Creamery instead of using the sour cream it calls for.)
Garlic Scallions – use like scallions (all of the tender light part), getting the garlic taste. Use raw in dressings or in salad, or saute up for anything (eggs, pasta salad, stir fry, salad dressing/topping.) Use the dark green tops in any soup/stock. (We keep them in a bag in the freezer with other stock ingredients until the bag is full and we have enough to make a pot of stock from these veggies and bones. Then that broth is delicious alone or can be used to cook rice or beans, making them more flavorful and nutritious.)
Kale – in addition to last week’s massaged kale salad suggestions (archived here), you can always simple slice the kale into thin ribbons and add any salad dressing. We love a mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a touch of honey, plus sea salt, sharp cheddar chuncks, pecans, and raisins.
Collards or Chard or Hearty Mix – treat just like Kale, above, or slice into ribbons and braise in buttery veg or chicken broth and serve with any protein (beans, tofu, or meat).

2015 Summer Farm Share Week 1: May 6th
Garlic Scallions – use just like garlic, or like traditional scallions. It is the garlic plant harvest at the “scallion” stage. Slice like scallions, enjoy raw or sauteed with the fat and protein of your choice, savor the garlic flavor! (combine with butter and eggs, or coconut oil and tofu, or sausage, or chicken and olive oil…)
Radishes – Slice raw on top of a salad. Roast with oil and salt and pepper. Slice and serve raw with a vinaigrette dressing.
Hearty Greens Mix – Great raw or cooked (steam, saute, braise…) Add it to a regular salad greens mix to boost texture and nutrients. Toss with any delicious, whole-foods dressing – recipe suggestions here.
Kale – Great raw or cooked. For raw salads, we love it massaged style, where you rub/squeeze oil and vinegar, etc., into the kale leaves to soften and flavor them. This link provides three different versions of delicious massaged kale salads. Cooked: add kale to a quiche, casserole, soup, or sauteed with any protein.
Arugula – This peppery green is fabulous tossed with feta or goat cheese and a dressing from the link above. Super tasty on top of pizza. Combine with eggs for a zesty upgrade from a standard egg dish.

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 9: Nov 26
Southern Fried Cabbage – great side dish for Thanksgiving
Roasted Root Medley
 Honey Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables
Roasted Garlic Dressing Recipe

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 8: Nov 19
Baby Ginger – we felt obligated to test some cookie recipes using our fresh baby ginger. This Fresh Ginger Cookie recipe got great reviews from our family and crew. Next we will try this Triple Ginger Cookie. Remember also to put this ginger in any stir fry or soup, or make tea, or freeze it for future use of these recipes. In February we hope you think of us when you pull it out of the freezer!
Green Tomatoes – Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese Grits, Curried Green Tomatoes, Green Tomato & Avacado Salad….or just add them to any stir fry or salad. They are tart and crunchy and delicious.
Broccoli – Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Winter Squash & Chard – Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard & Garlic, or Tuscan Sausage and Chard Soup — simply peel, cube, and add the squash to these recipes to make them even better. We love soup like this.
Scallions & Garlic– add to anything above or anything you are making!

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 7: Nov 12
Baby Ginger – we felt obligated to test some cookie recipes using our fresh baby ginger. This Fresh Ginger Cookie recipe got great reviews from our family and crew. Next we will try this Triple Ginger Cookie. Remember also to put this ginger in any stir fry or soup, or make tea, or freeze it for future use of these recipes. In February we hope you think of us when you pull it out of the freezer!
Green Tomatoes – Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese Grits, Curried Green Tomatoes, Green Tomato & Avacado Salad….or just add them to any stir fry or salad. They are tart and crunchy and delicious.
Broccoli – Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Winter Squash & Chard – Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard & Garlic, or Tuscan Sausage and Chard Soup — simply peel, cube, and add the squash to these recipes to make them even better. We love soup like this.
Scallions & Garlic– add to anything above or anything you are making!

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 6: Nov 5
Roots (carrots, turnips, or beets): Roast them! That is the simplest and most enjoyable way to use them this time of year, in our opinion. Roast them with garlic, salt, fat, and protein. OR – Roasted Vegetable Soup is tasty and seasonal.
Ginger: Harvested here in Virginia, ginger only grows to the baby stage – not fully mature with the tough, brown skin. Thus, there is no need to peel our ginger. Slice it thinly and add to any roast, soup, or stir fry for delicious flavor. It also freezes beautifully, and you can slice or grate off of the frozen piece. For the more adventurous, scroll to the bottom of the NPR article for these recipes:  Pickled Ginger, Crystallized Ginger, Ginger Syrup, and a drink with Tequila and Ginger (we haven’t tried this recipe!)
Cabbage: We love Fish Tacos with Slaw. We love Slaw with anything, really.
Bok Choy: Our favorite way to prepare is braised in stock (any kind of stock or broth). (Braising is cooking in liquid for a few minutes.) The stems retain this satisfying crunch. Serve alongside or on top of anything! OR – Stir Fried Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic.

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 5: Oct 29
Tokyo Bekana: Sauteed with Sesame, Ginger & Soy Sauce
Tokyo Bekana Asian Salad
Risotto with Tokyo Bekana
and so forth. Really, use it like Kale or Spinach. Enjoy!
Green Tomatoes: Grilled Chicken (or any protein) Taco with Green Tomato Salsa
Salsa Verde
or…just mix into any salsa to add some crunch and tartness. Perfect with the Cilantro and Sweet Peppers this week.
Winter Squash: Hands down, our preferred way to prepare winter squash is to cut it in half, place upside down in glass baking dish with a half inch of water added, and baked at around 375 for about 30 minutes or so. Then scoop out the yuumy flesh and serve on the side of anything. Top with warm salsa, or butter and maple syrup, or olive oil with salt and pepper…the options are as long as your creativity.
OR – for smooth skinned varieties, peel, dice, and saute with greens and protein.
OR – bake as above and then mix into a sweet bread dough (think of it like pumpkin here) such as Autumn Spiced Butternut Squash Bread

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 4: Oct 22
Kale (or any green) and Roasted Vegetable Soup – (Use any green, not just kale, and you can use sweet potato instead of squash.)
Caesar Salad Dressing – the lettuce mix in the farm share this week is nice and crisp – perfect for caesar salad
Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry – calls for tomatoes
Oven Roasted Broccoli
Stir Fried Napa Cabbage with Mushrooms and Bacon
Napa Cabbage Salad with Apples and Buttermilk Dressing

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 3: Oct 15
Stir Fried Bok Choy & Mizuna (our Hearty Mix has greens like this in it)
Pancetta, Mizuna, and Tomato Sandwich with Garlic Aioli (Use any of our greens for this. AND — use Arugula Pesto instead of the garlic Aioli.  And serve it – or anything else – with slices of Kohlrabi)
Simple way to enjoy our Hearty Mix, Arugula, Spinach, and/or Kale: This weekend we put 2 bags of these mixed cooking greens into a pot of stock with a cup of rice. Once rice is cooked, serve in bowls, topped with shreds of greyere cheese and salsa verde.
Mizuna (or any other greens!) Salad with Roasted Cauliflower
Mizuna and Arugula Salad with Feta & Champagne Vinaigrette
Garlic Chicken with Chard & Turnips

2014 Fall farm Share Week 2: Oct 8
Quick White Bean Stew with Chard & Tomatoes  (sub kale for chard if you wish)
Roasted Radishes
Taco Salad (we love our crunchy Lettuce Mix with Taco Salad)
Arugula Salad with Pear & Goat Cheese
Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage and Apple (we suggest using our Hearty Mix here – or Asian Spinach)
Warm Quinoa, Shiitake, & Spinach Salad (use our Asian Spinach here)

2014 Fall Farm Share Week 1: Oct 1
Portugese Kale Soup (an excellent way to enjoy our turnips, but you can also simply and deliciously roast them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and salt) Great also to add our Hearty Mix to this (or any) soup. 
Tomato Salad with Kalamata Olives and Feta Cheese (great without the cucumber it calls for, and any if our sweet peppers work well in this)
Salad with Apples and Pecans (this is great with our Salad Mix, our Hearty Mix, or a combination of the two)
Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad

2014 Farm Share Week 21: Sept 24
Kale Soup
Sauteed Swiss Chard with Crispy Shallots & Walnuts
Potato, Pepper, & Chard Enchiladas with Salsa
Swiss Chard with Pancetta, Corn, & Beans

2014 Farm Share Week 20: Sept 17
Simple Tomato Salad
Watermelon Salad (with mint and arugula)
Watermelon Salad, version 2 (with mint and feta)  Or just eat the yummy melon plain….
Toasted Bread with Burrata & Arugula (thanks to a farm stand customer for this suggestion — or just enjoy Arugula with Burrata & olive oil, salt, pepper…)
Chicken Club Salad with Kale and Dijon Buttermilk Dressing
Linguine with Green Beans (how sad the recipe calls for canned, but you know fresh are better…)

2014 Farm Share Week 19: Sept 10
Tomato Soup- easy and delicious VitaMix recipe! (We made it this weekend without basil. Still delicious.)
Pickled Okra
Pickled Green Beans
A great collection of Southern Living tomato recipes found here
Asian Pear & Arugula Salad (it’s asian pear season!)
Greens Soup (use our bag of Hearty Mix in place of the kale and spinach, plus our tomatoes. Celery is optional but delicious, in our opinion.)

2014 Farm Share Week 18: Sept 3
Roasted Garlic
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Ten Best Okra Recipes (from Southern Living)
Bell Pepper, Mango, & Onion Chicken (we suggest using our white onions…they are plenty sweet and delicious to sub for the red onion it calls for)
Roasted Summer Vegetables with Honey Glazed Sausage & Couscous

2014 Farm Share Week 17: Aug 27
Summer Squash “Pasta” with Garlic & Basil
Simply Roasted Okra
Green Beans with Red Onion & Mustard Seed Vinaigrette
Green Beans with Roasted Tomatoes & Mustard Seeds
Asian Salad Dressing
Sweet Peppers – keep it simple. We love these most when diced and combined with diced tomatoes, plus a little salt and garlic.

2014 Farm Share Week 16: Aug 20
Okra – Don’t fret! It is delicious and simple to prepare. Enjoy it raw in this Curried Okra Salad or the way we most often prepare it: Baked Okra or Breaded & Baked Okra. Or go the full-monty and make Fried Okra or Fried Okra Salad (which also calls for tomatoes and bell peppers). Get extra fancy and make this Indian spicedCrispy Okra Salad from Food & Wine magazine.
Sweet Peppers – for a variation on the traditional: Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers (with couscous, cherry tomatoes, and basil)
Onions – Macerated for a tasty twist on onions (the recipe calls for red, but our white ones are plenty sweet to use)
Garlic – make Garlic Aioli
Green Beans – try them Spicy or With Feta & Walnut Sauce or With Spicy Peanut Sauce or Stir Fried with Walnuts, Mint, & Feta

2014 Farm Share Week 15: Aug 13
Parmesan Summer Squash Cakes
Fried Squash Chips with Yogurt Sauce (the recipe calls for zucchini, but our yellow squash is even better)
Carrot Cake Muffins (let’s just pretend they are healthy, slather on some cream cheese, and give ourselves a break, eh?)
Steak & Tomato Salad with Balsamic Glaze (the multi-colored tomatoes they feature are lovely, but it will still be delicious with our gorgeous red ones.)
Pickled Jalapenos (This recipe is for 20 jalapenos, but you can slice and brine just a couple to get a feel for it. OR – Let us know if you want to request pints of jalapenos to make a whole jar like this recipe calls for. They are tasty.)
Crostini with Candied Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta & Goat Cheese
Farro Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing & Carrots
Smoky Carrot Fries
Afghani Rice with Carrots & Raisins

2014 Farm Share Week 14: Aug 6
Roasted Green Beans with Sundried Tomatoes
Heuvos Rancheros with Roasted Sweet Peppers
Sweet Pepper, Onion, & Olive Pasta
Polenta & Beef Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Herbed Tahini Sauce
Whole-Wheat and Zucchini Spaghetti with Basil Almond Pesto, Blistered Tomatoes and Ricotta

2014 Farm Share Week 13: July 30
Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Grilled Bread Salad with Sweet Peppers & Onions
Watermelon & Feta Salad (we are sorry we don’t have arugula right now..)
Spicy Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho (we are sorry we don’t have basil right now…)
Watermelon Mint Slushie
Curried Chickpea and Carrot Salad
Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Carrot & Cucumber
Cucumber & Carrot Thai “Noodle” Salad (this involves making the veggies into “noodles” using a spiral slicer or a mandolin)

2014 Farm Share Week 12: July 23
Glazed Carrots
Tuna Cucumber Rolls (these look so great – someone send us a photo if you make them!) (We have a very long cucumber variety coming into harvest, so this recipe becomes appropriate.)
Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad
A Collection of Tomato Pie Recipes
Herbed Goat Cheese Toast with Roasted Sweet Peppers
Tex Mex Bean, Sweet Pepper, and Peach Salad
Keep it Simple: Dice up our tomatoes, cukes, and sweet peppers with salt (and maybe also oil and vinegar) and serve over top of a protein of your choice (salmon, cheese, tofu, chicken….)

2014 Farm Share Week 11: July 16
Shrimp, Kale, & Quinoa Salad
Recipes for Canning Tomatoes: Herbed Tomatoes, Crushed Tomatoes, Italian Style Tomato Sauce, Fresh Salsa
Stuffed Sweet Peppers (sub protein of your choice)
Zippy Cucumber Salad
Summer Squash Fries (oven baked)

2014 Farm Share Week 10: July 9
Cold Tomato Pepper Soup (Use our peppers in place of the Bell peppers it calls for. If you resist eating the amazing little Lunchbox peppers straight and raw.)
Everything Salsa Recipe – using tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic (if you add garlic and skip the jalapeno). Add cucumber for crunch and flavor.
Tomato Pie (sorry we don’t have basil this week for you – but in case it’s left in your fridge from last week, use it here!)
Carrot & Green Bean Salad – ignore the radishes it calls for. They are out of season here!
Spicy Sesame Noodle, Green Bean, and Carrot Salad
Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte with Parmesan (sorry we don’t have any potatoes for you…they all rotted in the ground after planting them during an especially rainy spell this spring. Alas, please seek some out from our farm peers and friends that are also Certified Naturally Grown/Certified Organic.)

2014 Farm Share Week 9: July 2
Tomatoes and Basil – Caprese Pasta Salad
Cucumber – here is a simple Cucumber & Tomato Salad. Or Apricot Quinoa Summer Salad (also calls for summer squash) or Tacos with Cucumber Salsa
Kale – Thai Chili Tofu with Kale & Quinoa (can sub any protein of your choice) or Kale Hemp Taboulleh (which also calls for tomatoes & cukes)
Green Beans –  Skillet Green Beans w/ Lemon & Horseradish or Roasted Green Beans w/ Vinegary Dill Sauce
Summer Squash – Summer Squash Salad or just add these yummies to one of the other salad recipes listed here
Lettuce – despite the heat, our lettuce leaves are still crunchy and sweet. Make Smoky Salmon Lettuce Wraps which also calls for cucumbers (or make any kind of wrap – hummus, chicken salad, taboulleh…).

2014 Farm Share Week 8, June 25th
Braised and Glazed Carrots
Cucumber Soup
Lemon Summer Squash Bread
Green Beans with Lemon & Garlic
Grilled Kale Salad with Ricotta & Plums

2014 Farm Share Week 7, June 18th
Summer Squash: use yellow or green (zucchini) to make Summer Squash Fries
Carrots: let’s create a theme and make Carrot Fries
Beets: in case you still have carrots from last week, make Beet & Carrot Slaw
Cucumber: Tzatziki sauce is called for during the heat of this week.  Cucumber Soup is delicious!! (and it calls for some bell pepper.)
Green Beans: really, just eat these raw. Otherwise, a Sesame Green Bean Salad is delicious
Collards: we really want to encourage cold meals this week, because we are hot. This Cold Collard Green Salad is the creation of a Richmond-based food blog. Try it! (If our cherry tomatoes cooperate and they get in this week’s share, then sub them for the sundried version the recipe calls for.)
Salad: enjoy with a nice house, greek dressing
Broccoli: Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Cranberries
Tomatoes: we’re working hard to make there be enough ripe cherry tomatoes for every share. If we nail it, we’re pretty sure they won’t make it home with you all. Just pop ‘em on your drive home!

2014 Farm Share Week 6, June 11th
Kale – favorite Kale Salad recipe with raisins, nuts, and cheese
Garlic Scapes – Garlic Scape Hummus, or try Rollerscapes – lasagna rolled around ricotta with scapes
Summer Squash – Grill it. It is fabulous. Seriously. (Or pretend your oven is a grill and bake it on a sheet. That is what we do.)
Carrots – Carrots Glazed in Balsamic and Butter
Beets – Roasted Beet & Fennel Salad
Broccoli – Broccoli with Mustard Sauce
Salad – Homemade Gorgonzola Salad Dressing

2014 Farm Share Week 5, June 4th
Garlic Scapes – a tender, mild part of the Garlic plant, these are best sauteed with butter and salt until soft. Mix with anything: pasta, greens, protein of your choice…Amazing. Also, roast or make Garlic Scape Pesto.
Summer Squash – again, we prefer this tender squash prepared by a gentle saute with butter, salt, and onion and/or garlic. Or try it this way: Summer Squash Saute, or Shaved Summer Squash Salad (omit or sub for the arugula), or Summer Squash with Quinoa Salad & Walnuts
Broccoli – hands down, we love it Roasted (feel free to omit bread crumbs).
Cabbage – we love Kimchi so much, we really want to encourage everyone to make a small batch. You’ll need to pick up some fish sauce or substitute, some red pepper flakes, and do some chopping. Don’t overcomplicate it – here is a simple Kimchi recipe. You can even skip the sit-with-salt-for-two-hours step. Chop cabbage, sprinkle salt, massage it until soft and moist, add other ingredients. Stuff into a jar. Put it straight in the fridge if you are freaked out by letting it sit on the counter for a few days. This recipe calls for onions that are in the share this week. Feel free to also put the garlic scapes in here, and omit the huge radish. Kimchi is our preferred way to eat cabbage. Serve on the side of any meal, or put on top of rice noodles, or alongside eggs. One head of cabbage will make just a small jar – enough to get a taste of this style of eating.
Cucumber – Cucumber Salad with Vinegar & Dill
Salad Dressing – Creamy Lemon Pepper Parmesan Dressing
Kale – Curly Kale Chips are great because all the crevices of the curly leaves hold the seasonings. Try these Kale Chips or these Kale Chips.

2014 Farm Share Week 4, May 28th
Napa Cabbage – Fish Tacos (use our Napa as the cabbage in the toppings. Our garlic scallions will go nicely here as well.)
Turnips – Asian Shredded Turnip Stir Fry (sub our Napa for the Bok Choy. Use our garlic scallion for the green onion)
Radishes – as a topping on Tacos, Radish & Creme Fraiche on Crostini
Kale – Grilled Kale Salad (We say skip the red pepper it calls for…wait until they are ready here! Sub our Radish in its place instead.) 
Cucumber – Cucumber Sesame Chicken Salad (We haven’t tried this recipe, but we bet Tofu would be a good substitute also)
Salad – Salad with Turnip & Radish Recipe, Coconut Milk Ranch Dressing

2014 Farm Share Week 3, May 21st
Turnips – we grow a very sweet and tasty variety called Hakurei. Simple Saute with Greens (us any green, including the turnip tops), Roasted Hakurei Turnips with Israeli Couscous, Hashed Turnips with Pork Chops, Turnip Fries (though we pick them at baby stage, so too small for real fry shape. Slice into disks like chips for this.)
Garlic Scallions – treat like Green Onions/Scallions but tastes like Garlic. It is the garlic plant before it bulbs up. Grilled, Green Garlic Pancakes, Garlic Scallion Noodles, Garlic Scallion Spaghetti (these call for scallions and garlic, but you have it, two-in-one), and a host of recipe ideas from Saveur
Little Gem – Hot on the Foodie scene, these Little Gems are like miniature Romaine lettuces with a taste like a Butterhead lettuce. Crisp, sweet, and versatile, they can be enjoyed raw or cooked. We have red and green. Recently featured in the magazine Bon Appetit, here are recipe suggestions: Little Gems in a Frying Pan, Little Gem Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Little Gem, Feta, & Cumin Salad
Radishes – Radish and Butter Sandwich, Pickled Radish with Green Onion (sub our green garlic)
Chard – In general, treat this like Spinach or Kale. It is generally under appreciated. Or get creative: Chard & Chipotle Tacos, Linguine with Walnuts & Chard, Farmers Market CSA Quiche
Kale – Kale Salad with Pecorino & Currants
Salad Dressing – Mustard Vinaigrette

2014 Farm Share Week 2, May 14th
Radishes – Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter
Collards –  Marinated Collards with Sausage and Gruyere Grits, Quick Sauteed Collard Ribbons
Cucumbers – Drink it: Cucumber Lime Chia Fresca, Korean: Cucumber Kimchi (Admission: Janet is currently eating this 2-3 meals per day. Omit carrots and substitute our radishes, diced), Cold: Tzatziki
Kale – Green Kale Salad, Kale Salad with Strawberries
Lettuce – Lettuce Wrap Chicken Tacos, Veg Asian Lettuce Wraps (Ignore the bell pepper! They aren’t in season here yet!)
Salad Dressing – Strawberry Vinaigrette (We are so sorry we don’t grow strawberries, but can’t resist sharing this recipe.)

2014 Farm Share Week 1, May 7th:
Bok/Pac Choi – You say Bok Choi, we say Pac Choi…This variety is actually Joi Choi, but these details don’t matter. Prepare the same way. We get the most questions about how to cook this item. No worries: It is super simple, nice and crunchy stems, and very delicious. Check out a host of mouth watering recipe ideas for Bok Choi here. (Highlights: Bok Choi with Noodle Soup; Bok Choi with Mushrooms and Tamari Miso Glaze over Quinoa. YUM!)
Napa Cabbage – This one also throws people. Think of it like Spinach or Kale: It is great raw or cooked (saute, steam, braise, stir fry…). Look at these amazing options here. (Get ready to drool.)
Radishes – Slice raw over salad greens. Roast with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, plus some onions if you have them. Eat the spicy greens if you are brave.
Arugula – Enjoy alone, mixed with other greens, or on top of pizza. Or make Arugula Pesto or Arugula Aioli and slather it on bread, pasta, crackers, or cucumber slices.
Salad Mix – top with this Tahini based dressing.

May 3rd, 2014:
Honey Balsamic Salad Dressing – made interesting with soy sauce
Spaghetti with Scallion Sauce
Korean Scallion Pancakes
Roasted Hakurei Turnips with Israeli Couscous

April 26, 2014:
Salad Dressing we are currently addicted to: 1 c. mayo, 2 T. yellow mustard, 1/4 c. rice wine vinegard, salt & pepper to taste. Shake, blend, or stir and Enjoy! (Especially lovely with the hearts of our Little Gem lettuces.)
Green Pea Soup with Cheddar-Scallion Panini
Glazed Hakurei Turnips – this recipe uses the greens! (Yay!) Add some of our other greens as well.

2013 CSA Fall Farm Share Week 9: Nov 26th/27th
Thanksgiving Recipe Suggestions:
Roasted Root Vegetables (This is our go-to Thanksgiving dish. Sub our roots for the ones it calls for.)
Sweet Potato Pie  (Make your own pie crust! It’s simple.)
Cabbage Stuffing
Kale & Potato Gratin
Cranberry Salad Dressing

2013 CSA Fall Farm Share Week 7: Nov 13th

Green Tomatoes:
Salsa Verde: for Fresh or Canning
Fried Green Tomatoes
Green Tomato Relish
Pickled Green Tomatoes (you can enjoy them as fridge pickles by skipping the water-bath canning part)

Napa Cabbage:
Asian Slaw (add some Va. peanuts on top to add crunch and protein)
Traditional Slaw
Kimchi (don’t be frightened! It’s delicious, nutritious, and easy! Make it, then eat it with everything. Loaded with probiotics. And a very safe way to preserve food, according to even the USDA! Learn more about how safe it is here.)
Kimchi Fried Rice

Bell Peppers:
Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

Leeks:
Be inspired by Martha Stewart here. (Braised Leeks, Leek & Olive Tart, etc.)

Hearty Mix:
Sub for Kale in this recipe for Salad with Apples, Cheddar, and Toasted Nuts

Broccoli:
Roasted Broccoli

2013 CSA Fall Farm Share Week 5: Oct 30th

Bell Peppers:
We most often eat these raw like apples, as a snack. Or simply sliced alongside any and every lunch and dinner. If you are up for cooking:
Ratatouille by Martha Stewart
Bell Pepper Egg in a Hole
Garlic Pepper Sauce by Martha – great for freezing for winter use

Asian Spinach (Yukina Savoy), or Komatsuna, or Chard
We treat these greens just like kale or spinach. We like to slice them ribbon-thin for raw salads, and in wider strips for saute. Our favorite recipe right now is this
Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts.
(We have eaten almost every day for the past two weeks, alternating between 4 different types of greens we grow.)

Pac Choi (also called Bok Choy):
Stir Fried Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic
Williams Sonoma’s Five Ways with Bok Choy
Ginger Sesame Bok Choy by Martha Stewart

Cabbage – Chinese (Napa) or Traditional:
Roasted Cabbage
Grilled Cabbage Wedges
Napa Cabbage and Tofu Salad (feel free to replace with your protein of choice)

Turnips (Or the Asian Radish we grow):
Enjoy these raw- sliced for snacking or salad, shredded for slaw, make pickles or kimchi, stir fry (like this or this), or soup.
Brisket and Turnip Stew (use turnips or the Asian Storage Radish – big and sweet – that we grow)

2013 CSA Fall Farm Share Week 3: Oct 16th

(the share included 10 different things, but here are recipe suggestions for just a few…)

Beets

Tomato Beet Salad

Beet Chips

Turnips

Roasted Turnips with Parm

Honey Glazed Turnips

Collards:

Braised Collards with Tomatoes

A whole host of excellent Collard recipes from Martha Stewart here

Raab:

Braised Broccoli Raab

Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Raab

2013 CSA Fall Farm Share Week 2: Oct 9th

Komatsuna with Ginger Almond Miso

Asian Slaw by Bobby Flay (Use our peppers and Chinese Cabbage! Add cilantro to make it even better. We ate this last night and LOVED it.)

Escarole Soup

A host of Escarole recipes by Martha Stewart — all look fabulous! (Like: Escarole Hearts with Lemon-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette)

Frisee Salad with Poached Eggs

Frisee Salad with Baked Goat Cheese

Frisee Apple, Bacon, & Goat Cheese Salad (or sub nuts if you are vegetarian)

Frisee with Dijon Vinaigrette by our friend Martha Stewart

2013 CSA Fall Farm Share Week 1: Oct 2nd

Turnip Soup with Turnip Greens (ignore the nonsense about blanching the turnips to remove bitterness. Our turnips are better than the ones they are thinking you will use for the recipe.)

Lentil Soup with Turnips and Kale (feel free to improvise on this, use our Hearty Mix in place of Kale, and perhaps add in the beets.)

Soup with Kale, Turnips, and Chorizo (again, feel free to improvise and sub our Hearty Mix for Kale, omit the potatoes, substitute for the meat, etc.)

Arugula Pesto (we really can’t get enough of this)

Pico de Gallo

How to Roast Beets

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction Dressing

Apple, Bacon and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Dressing (Feel free to make it vegetarian if you wish. I’m really just encouraging seasonal fruit and a dressing with our salad greens.)

2013 CSA Summer Farm Share Week 22: Sept 25th

Frittata with Okra (We had this for dinner – we added one bunch of greens and omitted the bread crumbs. Delicious!)

Summer Squash Fries

Pasta with Greens and Tomatoes

Swiss Chard Salad (Calls for chicken – use whatever protein you prefer. Also call for kale – use Hearty Mix or Arugula.)

Arugula Pesto (worthwhile repeat from last week)

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 21: Sept 18th

Roasted Garlic – spread it on a toasted slice of bread

Braised Collard Greens by Martha Stewart (regardless of your opinions about this woman, you have to admit her recipes are good)

Frisee Salad with Pistachios and Cranberries…also by Martha

Tahini Soy Sauce Greens

Arugula Pesto (I can’t believe we have grown arugula for years without making this! It’s fabulous. Make it.)

And for your Salad….Lemon Parmesan Salad Dressing (also by Martha, recipe source du jour, apparently)

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 20: Sept 11th

Best Kale Salad we’ve had in a long time (calls for walnuts, Romano cheese, and bread crumbs) (You can also make it with Collards, or any green.)

Sesame Pac Choi

Chicken Stir Fried with Pac Choi (substitute any protein you wish)

Roasted Radishes with Soy Sauce

Radish and Buttermilk Soup

Simple Radish Salad

 

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 16: Aug 14th

Eggplant (lots of suggestions here!)

Roasted eggplant + red pepper dip

Open face grilled eggplant with tomato and mozzarella

Charred Eggplant Salad

Grilled halloumi salad

Watermelon, Tomato

Watermelon Salsa

Sweet Banana Peppers

Pepper Mustard (scale this recipe down)

Hungarian Wax Peppers

Sunshine Gazpacho (sorry we don’t have yellow bell peppers for this)

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 15: Aug 7th

Okra:

Curry Roasted Okra Fries

Chicken and Kale Gumbo (Please ignore that this calls for frozen okra – use ours fresh and sliced. And feel free to omit the kale, since we can’t provide you any right now! Soon!)

And – See this Okra 101 video

Eggplant:

Stuffed Eggplant

Baked Eggplant Stacks

Anaheim Peppers

Roasted Anaheim Peppers (so, so good…)

Salad Mix

Enjoy a salad with Peach Vinaigrette made from local peaches that are in season and scrumptious right now.

Onions…Saute them with everything. Caramelize them and put on pizza dough with gorgonzola cheese for a real treat.

Potatoes and Garlic…Roast them together. Enjoy with the Anaheim peppers.

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 14: July 31st

Eggplant and Peppers and Onions:

Coconut Curry recipe here or here. (Feel free to simplify these recipes! We just saute up eggplant, peppers, onions with broth, and add salt, curry powder, and coconut milk. Very delicious.)

We think you know what to do with the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and watermelon.

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 13: July 24th

Okra

Don’t be afraid! It’s great. Roast it. Grill it. Pan Fry it. Pickle it. Love it. (We do!)

Tomatoes, Garlic, Peppers

Fresh Salsa

Wheat Berry Salad (add in the Green Beans here too)

Farro Salad with Tomatoes

Potatoes

Baked Potato Chips (these are the best ever!)

Green Beans

Add to that farro or wheat berry salad above. OR –

Curried Green Beans

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 12: July 17th

Eggplant

We usually think it’s too hot to make Eggplant Parm, so we make this simpler, baked Eggplant Casserole version: Slice tomatoes. Slice Eggplant. Layer in a casserole dish with mozzarella, bread crumbs, herbs, salt, and pepper. Bake at

OR – Simply Saute the eggplant: Slice into small-ish pieces, about the size of a quarter or two, and saute with butter, scallions/onions, and any other vegetable you would like (peppers or squash are our usual picks). Serve with the protein of your choice, or pasta. We use the leftovers as filling for lunchtime wraps.

Peppers: Anaheim

Grill them. Put them in anything: sandwiches, wraps, as a side dish to Eggplant Casserole, etc.

Peppers: Hungarian Wax

Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers – we almost always eat these stuffed with plain cream cheese (cut off the ends, sweep out the seeds with a butter knife, squeeze in cream cheese with a ziploc bag, and roast in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes. Delicious!)

Peppers: Sweet Banana

Sweet Pickled Banana Peppers

Green Beans

Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic

Potatoes, Bell Peppers

Classic Potato Salad (add Bell Peppers! Chopped very small. This is how Janet’s mom makes it.)

Tomatoes

Summer isn’t complete without Caprese Salad (I really, really wish I knew a great source of local, organic mozzarella to recommend!)

Cucumber

I don’t think you need a recipe, but for the daring who want to try a dish that our new Korean family members have turned us on to: Cucumber Kimchi

~ Intermission of a few weeks with no recipe prompts! ~

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 9: June 26th

Squash

Crispy Baked Summer Squash Fries

Kale

New and Different Kale Chip Recipe

Curry Kale and Potato Gallette

Cucumber

Tzatziki Sauce

Cucumber Salad in Vinegar (Janet’s dad eats this every day during cucumber season!)

Peppers

No recipe needed! Slice them into sticks and chow down, or saute them with our scallions and serve on pasta, toast, or with your protein of choice. 

Potatoes

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Green Beans

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic (Our garlic will be pulled this week! Hang tight until it’s ready.)

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 8: June 19th

Green Beans:

Raw Green Bean Salad

Ginger Garlic Green Beans

Squash:

Summer Squash Bread

Pickled Squash (or Zucchini)

Spicy Zucchini Pickles

Quick Pickled Zucchini

Cucumber and Bell Peppers:

Cucumber, Mint, & Lentil Salad (just add bell peppers to these salads)

Lentil Salad with Cucumber & Cumin

Bibb Lettuce: — The Speckled Bibb in this week’s share is an Amish heirloom with it’s roots in the Netherlands. It’s gorgeous, delicious, and perfect for wrapping around anything.

Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

Asian Beef Lettuce Wrap with Curried Couscous

Salad Mix:

Creamy Siracha Salad Dressing

Padrone Peppers:

The Best Way to Enjoy Padrones

Carrots:

We are guessing you don’t need a recipe for these…

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 7: June 12th

Lettuce:

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (or substitute your protein of choice)

Salad Mix:

Ginger Peanut Dressing (the recipe calls for making a slaw, but I like the dressing over any type of salad greens)

Cabbage, Scallions:

Chinese Cabbage Salad with Peanut Sauce

Asian Slaw (just use our two cabbage varieties!)

Cabbage, Summer Squash, Kohlrabi, Scallions:

Cabbage Fried Rice (just include squash and kohlrabi as sauteed veggies in addition to the cabbage)

Green Beans

Japanese Style Sesame Green Beans

Kohlrabi (perhaps the strangest thing in your CSA bag this season, check out this article to orient you to it and provide additional recipe ideas)

Kohlrabi Home Fries

Broccoli & Chard

Moroccan Inspired Chard and Broccoli

Cold Cucumber Soup (I would cut the recipe in half – it calls for making 8-10 servings)

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 6: June 5th

Garlic Scapes, Squash, Zucchini:

Simple Saute

Chinese Cabbage, Scallions:

Chinese Slaw (I cannot verify the authenticity of this title)

Cucumbers:

Cucumbers with Vinegar

Salad, Lettuce:

Gingerly Vinaigrette

Broccoli:

Roasted Broccoli! (the best ever – even without the cheese)

Chard:

Baked Orzo with Chard & Dill

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 5: May 29th

Beets:

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

Kale:

Kale with Feta Cheese

Turnips:

Scalloped Turnips – (There is nothing not to love about this recipe.)

Summer Squash, Onions:

Summer Squash with Butter (Feel free to leave out the sugar it calls for! We make this sans sugar.)

Broccoli:

Roasted Broccoli (So fabulous, you can omit the cheese.)

Salad, Peas:

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing (Suggestion: Use really good, local honey.)

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 4: May 22nd

Salad Mix, Lettuce, Cucumber, Snap Peas

:: Oprah’s Balsamic Vinaigrette

:: Basic Vinaigrette Recipe with Variations  – Our shallots aren’t ready yet, but I’ve heard good things about this recipe, and it’s a wonderful collection of how to vary a base recipe with a multitude of options

Sugar Snap Peas

:: Eat right out of the bag! Or dip in sauce listed below.

:: Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry

Dill

:: Creamy Dill Dipping Sauce

Dill, Cucumber

:: Cucumber Mustard & Dill Salad

Chinese Cabbage

:: Chinese Cabbage Chips (Yes! You can make chips out of more than just kale!) 

Kale, Hearty Mix

:: Green Smoothie (herbs optional)

:: Green Smoothie (with pineapple and mango)

:: Green Smoothie (with pear)

:: Fermented Kale (A different spin on ‘Kraut)

Turnips

:: Fermented Turnips

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 3: May 15th

Salad Mix, Lettuce, Baby Carrots, Dill, & Cucumber or Radish:

 :: Dill Mayonnaise Salad Dressing

Turnips, Onions

 :: Scalloped Turnips

Hearty Mix

:: Stir Fry with Sesame Sauce         (use any type of green in this recipe)

Dill, Carrots

:: Creamy Dill Dipping Sauce

Radishes

:: Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 2: May 8th

Salad Mix, Lettuce, Baby Carrots:

Green Salad with Citrus Dressing

Baby Carrots:

Pickled Baby Carrots  (3/4 of the Broadfork Family is now addicted to these)

Chard:

Orzo with Swiss Chard and Fontina

Kale, or Kale and Cilantro:

Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing (this got rave reviews at Chez Broadfork – add Cilantro for funk and flavor)

Kale and Onions:

Soupy Greens and [Protein of Choice] (It calls for sausage – use any protein you prefer. We loved this a lot.)

Arugula:

Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

2013 CSA Farm Share Week 1: May 1st

Scallions, Green Garlic, Chinese Cabbage, Hearty Mix (if you lightly wilt and add to the noodle dish):

:: Ginger Scallion Noodles

Head Lettuce, Salad Mix, Hearty Mix (if you mix it with the salad mix for a raw green salad):

:: Creamy Garlic Dressing

Kale:

 :: Massaged Kale Salad  (v.1 – quinoa, nuts, cranberries are optional)   ~ or ~

 :: Massaged Kale Salad  (v.2)

 :: North African Chickpea and Kale Soup

 :: Whole Foods Kale and White Bean Soup (use any type of kale)

Mint:

     :: Mojito!

Grilled Watermelon Salad

from the Peas and Thank You recipe page:  http://peasandthankyou.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6002779

We haven’t tried this yet, but it looks cool, refreshing, and like a delicious way to enjoy watermelon. Let us know if you make this!

Baked Okra

*This is simply the best and least slimy way to prepare okra. Our kids devour these faster than I can pick and cook them!

Toss okra (whatever quantity you desire!) with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, plus some dashes of salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes. Turn pieces halfway through if you’re able. Enjoy!

Basil Summer Squash

Bring broth to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce heat to low; add squash and next 5 ingredients. Cook, covered, 10 to 12 minutes or until squash is tender and liquid evaporates. Stir in salt, pepper, and basil.

*2 pounds yellow squash may be substituted for either pattypan or Peter Pan squash. Reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes.

From: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/basil-summer-squash-10000000258591/

Parsley-Garlic Chimichurri
This recipe is adapted from Steven Raichlen’s Chimichurri recipe (click link for original)

1 large bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley (he says to toss the stems, I usually leave quite a bit on)
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons minced onion
5 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
5 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Chop up the parsley a bit. This will make processing easier. Add parsley and garlic to food processor and hit the pulse button a few times to mince. Add remaining ingredients and pulse some more. Slowly pour oil through the chute, while taping away on the pulse button. Pulse just enough to where everything is mixed properly. When I stopped, the oil was just starting to emulsify, and that happened very quickly. I don’t find emulsification aesthetically pleasing with chimichurri.

If you like the fresh crisp flavor of parsley, use immediately. Letting it rest overnight will balance out the flavors.

From: http://www.asadoargentina.com/parsley-garlic-chimichurri-recipe/

Creamy Potato Salad with Lemon and Fresh Herbs

• 3 pounds baby red potatoes
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 medium green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

Ribboned Zucchini Salad

Stir Fried  Bok Choy and Mizuna with Tofu

3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

4 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided

3 1/2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided
1 14- to 16-ounce container extra-firm tofu, drained
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 baby bok choy, leaves separated
12 cups loosely packed mizuna (about 8 ounces)

Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar in bowl.

Stack 2 paper towels on work surface. Cut tofu crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices; cut each slice crosswise in half. Arrange tofu on paper towels and let stand 10 minutes. Pat top of tofu dry.

Heat peanut oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, without moving, until golden brown on bottom, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer tofu to paper towel to drain, then place tofu on sheet of foil and brush both sides with soy sauce mixture.

Wipe out any peanut oil from skillet. Add 2 teaspoons sesame oil and place skillet over medium heat. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 3 teaspoons vinegar, then bok choy. Toss until bok choy wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mizuna in 2 batches, tossing to wilt before adding more, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Season greens with salt and pepper. Add tofu to skillet. Toss gently to blend. Transfer to platter.

Recipe credit: http://www.epicurious.com

Kale Sunshine Salad

Ingredients (Serves 2-4)

• 1 head Italian kale (also known as Tuscan or Dinosaur kale)
• 1 T. tahini
• 2 T. water
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 t. chili powder
• 1-2 t. minced garlic
• 1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of sugar or stevia

Recipe credit: http://www.peasandthankyou.com

BBQ Kale Chips

Recipe credit: http://www.peasandthankyou.com

Braised Baby Bok Choy

• 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 lb baby bok choy, trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Bring broth and butter to a simmer in a deep large heavy skillet. Arrange bok choy evenly in skillet and simmer, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer bok choy with tongs to a serving dish and keep warm, covered.

Boil broth mixture until reduced to about 1/4 cup, then stir in sesame oil and pepper to taste. Pour mixture over bok choy.
Recipe credit: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Baby-Bok-Choy-103970#ixzz1LNjN745t