Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 6

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7-17-18

Large shares: Cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, purplette onions, shell peas, lettuce, fennel, summer squash/zuchinni, fresh garlic, dill

Small shares: green cabbage, beets, kohlrabi, snap peas, summer squash/zuchinni, lettuce, dill

Greens shares: green cabbage, lettuce, chard

Roots shares: carrots, fennel, purplette onions

Juicing share: carrot 2nds, red cabbage, chard, dill, fennel

 

Dear CSA members,

Well, we survived some pretty intense heat these last couple of days. Highs have been in the high nineties – and on the ground in the open field and inside the greenhouses it is much hotter than that.  I’m guessing 105 degrees or more. Yikes! The crew gets a shout out for working a very long day yesterday. That intense afternoon heat really takes it out of you. I am hoping for cooler temps in the next week.

We have harvested our first cauliflower of the year. It looks pretty nice though a bit smaller than usual for us. Next week the small shares should get cauliflower.

Bulb fennel is the large white bulb with abundant green fronds. From the same family as as the herb and seed of the same name, bulb fennel has an assertive anise like flavor, and is excellent shaved fresh into salads and roasted until caramelized. The fronds can be used in salads and as a garnish.

Purple Kohlrabi is part of the Cruciferous family of vegetables, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes. The word ‘Kohlrabi’ comes from the Germanic words for cabbage, ‘kohl’, and turnip, ‘rabi’. It was given its name for the close resemblance to both a cabbage, and a turnip, with its bulbous stem sitting on top of the ground. To eat you must peel off the slightly tough outer skin in order to enjoy the crisp sweet interior that is best eaten raw in slices with a dip or grated into a salad.

Summer squash is coming on strong with the heat. We harvested many hundreds of pounds yesterday. I tried to give everyone a generous portion without going overboard.

Peas are on their way out with this heat. We should have greeen beans soon though!

I have been seeing ripe cherry tomatoes as well of hints of color on the large tomatoes. The heat and warm nights is helping kick them into ripening mode.

The next month we will be entering into the peak of summer crops. Compsing the harvest list is so much fun this time of year and you can expect your shares to get a bit larger!

Have a great week,

 

Asha

Creamy Cauliflower Soup: In a soup pot saute in olive oil for 5 minutes: 1 chopped Walla Walla onion, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 large head cauliflower that has been broken into florets, 3 to 4 medium potatoes, cubed, 3 chopped carrots, 1 tsp caraway seeds. Simmer the veggies in just enough water to cover them, and cook until soft.  Puree the mixture until smooth. Return to the soup pot and add 1 cup milk, 2 cups grated sharp cheddar, salt to taste, and several tbsp chopped fresh dill. simmer very gently for 5 to 10 min more. Serve with toasted sourdough rye. (adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook)

Roasted Cauliflower: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Break 1 2 lb head of cauliflower into bite sized peices. Toss the cauliflower with 1/4 cup olive oil, 5 chopped cloves of garlic, and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 2 tsp kosher salt and 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves and toss again. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Pickled Cabbage: Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Core a cabbage and chop into large pieces, you will need about 4 cups. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds, then drain in a colander. Let cool to room temperature. When cool enough to handle squeeze leaves to soften them and release some water. Meanwhile, combine3/4 cup vinegar, ½ cup sugar, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar, and pour into a bowl to cool. When cool, add the cabbage and toss to coat well. Pour all of this into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for 2 days, turning the jar occasionally to coat all the leaves with the brine. Serve cold.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry: Cook for 5 min in a saucepan of boiling water 1 2 to 3 lb cauliflower, cut into florets. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Add to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes: 2 medium potatoes (or equivalent ) that have been cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain well again; transfer to the bowl of cauliflower. Process in a food processor until minced: 1 large tart apple ( peeled, cored and sliced) 3 large garlic cloves, 1 2 inch peice of freh ginger, peeled and sliced, 2 hot chile peppers such as jalapeno (seeded and sliced). Then heat a large dutch oven over medium heat; 1/4 cup vegetable oil or ghee, add 2 medium coarsely chopped onions,  add the apple mixture and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened and starting to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add: 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp all purpose flour. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes to lightly brown the curry powder and flour. Add: 1 14 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk, 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock, 1 tsp salt. Bring to gently boil over medium heat, then add the cauliflower and potatoes and add 1 16 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in, cover and cook until wilted 10 to 12 oz washed and chopped greens such as spinach, chard, turnip greens or kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice.

Beet salad: Scrub 2 to 3 large beets, place in a large pot and cover with water; boil until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, add 2 thinly sliced purplette onions to a medium sized bowl. Combine together in a saucepan ½ tsp ground cardamom, ½ cup red wine vinegar, 3 tbsp agave nectar, and 3 tsp salt; bring to a boil and pour over the onions. When the beets are cooked, strain them and allow to cool. Slice off the tops and tails and use your hands to slide off the peels and discard. Slice the whole beets into rounds, sticks or cubes, and place in a large serving bowl. Add the pickled onions, ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, a handful of golden raisins, and a handful of arugula or dandelion greens. Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste, toss and serve. (above recipes from the Olympia Food Co-op)

Lemony Fennel and Radish Salad: Wash 1 bunch of radishes and remove the green. Zest ½ of a lemon, and juice the whole thing. Put the zest in a salad bowl and toss with 3 thinly sliced scallions. Trim a fennel bulb and slice as thinly as possible. Quarter the radishes, and toss both with the lemon zest and scallions. Add the lemon juice and 5 tbsp olive oil and toss with salt and pepper to taste.

Honey Balsamic Beet Salad: place 2 lbs trimmed and scrubbed baby beets in a baking pan. Combine ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp olive oil; pour over the beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender. On a platter combine ½ cups cooked quinoa, 2 cups watercress or arugula, and the beets and roasting juices. Top with chopped fresh tarragon.(from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine November 2012)

Cabbage with dill and fresh peas: chop one small onion into half moons, heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium saute pan. Add in onions and a pinch of sea salt, allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add in 8 cups shredded cabbage and another pinch of sea salt. Stir throughly to combine. Allow to cook for 6 to 8 minutes before adding in 1 cup fresh shell peas or snap peas with stems and strings removed. Cook another 5 to 8 minutes or until peas are cooked through and cabbage is wilted and a little browned. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted fennel with Parmesan: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9 x 13 inch pan. Chop 2 large fennel bulbs into 1/3 inch slices and reserve some of the fronds. Place fennel bulb slices into the pan and cover with salt and pepper to taste, 4 tbsp olive oil, and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Roast until tender and golden brown about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to make about 2 tbsp and sprinkle over the roaste

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 4

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7-3-18

Large shares: lettuce, scallions, sweet onions, chard, carrots, cilantro, snap peas, zuchinni/summer squash, fresh garlic

Small shares: lettuce, scallions, sweet onions, chard, cilantro, snap peas, zuchinni/summer squash, fresh garlic

 

Dear CSA members,

New this week is sugar snap peas! We haven’t had an amazing crop of these for a few years so this is pretty exciting. You can eat these whole, out of hand, once the stems are removed, and they are sweet and excellent that way. Sugar snap peas are a favorite snack in my family.

We have begun harvesting our garlic crop and it is looking really good. I am really excited about it! This week we have bundles of freshly harvested garlic for you. Fresh garlic is not dried and cured like you may be used to buying at the store, but it is sought after by chefs for its milder flavor when raw. You can peel the cloves and use just like any garlic but I would reccommend storing in the refrigerator and using up sooner than later.

Our field walk/ planning session last week made it pretty clear that the zuchinni/summer squash plantings were coming on. We harvested quite a bit Monday so everyone will get a good amount.

Next week we will begin the greens, roots, and juicing shares!

Hope you all have a wonderful holdiday,

Asha

 

Sauteed Snap Peas with Scallions and Radishes: Trim ¾ lb Snap Peas. Slice 8 scallions(white and pale green parts only) into 2- inch lengths. Trim and quarter 8 radishes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 1 tbsp butter. Add the snap peas; cook stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften (do not brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions and radishes; season with coarse sea salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until scallions soften and snap peas are crisp-tender. 1 to 2 minutes more. (From Everyday Food, June 2004)

Shaved Summer Squash with Pecorino Romano: In a large bowl whisk together 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline, shave a large summer squash into paper thin ribbons, about 1/16 of an inch thick, to yield 3 to 4 cups. Toss the squash ribbons with the dressing and marinate at room temperature for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, shave 2 ounces of Pecorino Romano into thin strips with a vegetable peeler to yield ¾ of a cup. Add to the squash and toss gently. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice if desired. Garnish with thinly sliced basil and freshly ground black pepper.

Zuchinni Oven Chips: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp finely chopped green garlic, 1/8 tsp black pepper and mox together in a bowl. Place 1 cup milk in a shallow bowl. Slice 2 summer squash into 1/4 inch thick slices. Drip slices into milk and then coat with the crumb mixture. Place on an oiled baking rack that is set over a baking sheet. Bake for 30 min or unitl browned and crisp.

Swiss chard and white bean soup: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium pot over high heat. Add 2 chopped garlic scapes, ½ bunch of scallions, chopped, and 1 medium carrot, chopped. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 bunch swiss chard, chopped, 1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed, and 1 qt vegetable broth. Cover and cook until very hot. Serve with cheese.

Seared Sugar Snap Peas: heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan for about 1 to 2 minutes over med-high heat. Add 1 lb sugar snap peas (strings removed). Toss to coat, and add sea salt to taste. Allow to cook, undisturbed for 1 minute. Add 3 to 4 sliced scallions and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Toss to coat and let cook for 1 minute. Toss again, and let cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the zest of 1 lemon and 3 tbsp chopped mint. Then add black pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve at once. (from simplyrecipes.com)

Easy Roasted garlic: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel outer skin off a head of garlic, leaving the cloves exposed in their wrappers. Chop the top off the garlic, leaving the cloves open at the top. Place the garlic head in the middle of a foil square and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in the foil. Roast for 40-45 min.  Remove from the oven and cool. The roasted garlic will be caramelized and soft.

Zuchinni and Tomato Frittata: preheat broiler. In a medium bowl whisk together 8 eggs, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper. In a 10 inch oven going skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, layer in sliced of 1 small summer squash evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Cook 3 minutes, turning once. Top with ½ cup cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables in the skillet. Top with 2 oz bite sized fresh mozzarella balls and 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until sides begin to set, lifting with a spatula to allow the uncooked portion to run underneath. Transfer to a broiler. Broil 4 inches from the heat 2 to 3 minutes or until set. Cut into wedges to serve. Serve with fresh tomato slices, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Lemon Ricotta Summer Squash Galette: thinly slice 2 medium zucchini ( about 2 ½ cups) and sprinkle lightly with salt. Transfer to a colander; drain for 15 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, on a large piece of lightly floured parchment, roll ½ of a 15oz package of refrigerated unbaked dough to a 12 inch circle. Transfer parchment and dough to a large baking sheet; set aside. For ricotta filling; in a medium bowl whisk together ¾ cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Using a spatula spread the ricotta filling over dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border. Top with squash rounds. Drizzle with more olive oil. Gently fold over pastry edges, pleating as necessary. In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water. Lightly brush pastry edges with egg mixture. Transfer galette to oven. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh dill weed, if desired. Serve warmor ar room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette: ¾ cup filtered water, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup cilantro minced and tightly packed, ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 ½ tsp tamari soy sauce, 1 tsp maple syrup, ¾ tsp jalapeno, seeded and minced, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp garlic, minced, pinch cayenne pepper, sea salt to taste, black pepper to taste. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well..

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 9

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8-9-16

Large shares: Italian plums, lemon cucumbers, snap peas, shell peas, red potatoes, Walla Walla onion, red onion, Italian parsley, gold beets, carrots, cabbage

Small shares: Italian plums, cucumber, new potatoes, red onion, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, Italian parsley, jalapeno pepper, summer squash

Dear CSA members,

Brr! It feels like September around the farm. The weather has been quite cloudy and cool. We have even had a significant ammount of rainfall for August! This is a little bit more normal as I’ve said before, but is actually starting to feel quite a bit cooler than normal.We are all quite amazed at the contrast from the previous two hot and dry summers. All our hot weather loving crops (tomatoes, peppers, melons, eggplant and sweet corn) that we have been so spoiled with in the last couple of years are certainly feeling the lack of sun and cold nights of late. All the plants are loaded with fruit, but it is taking a long time to ripen it! I think this is what the old timers around here would call a “cabbage year” – because cabbage loves cool steady temperatures!

The forecast looks pretty good with warm temps and sun ahead so hopefully we have plenty of time to ripen up those heat loving crops. This time of year there is so much to do around the farm, the harvests are heavy, the weeds are ever growing, the irrigation must be kept flowing day and night… We also feel the pressure of time, time enough to complete all that must be done as well as the count down to the first frosts of the season ( which around here has been known to happen as early as Septemper 15th) and when the summer crops begin to shut down with with shortening days. We will keep up our end of the bargain, never know what nature is going to do!

This week we have Italian plums from the uber abundant plum tree that resides near our barn. Each year this tree produces enormous crops of these delicious plums and we get to share them with you! Italian plums are dark purple plums with a slight powdery blush to them. Their flavor is slightly sweet and sour and is excellent for fresh eating, baking, drying and canning. We tried to harvest a range of ripenesses so you wouldn’t have to immediately use them up. They do ripen off the tree so you may have a couple of days on the lighter colored plums. We also have lemon cucumbers for the large share. These yellow round cucumbers are an heirloom variety with a thin yellow skin and a mild flavor (they do not actually taste like lemon though!). Store and use them as you would a regular cucumber.

Large shares received gold beets. These are just like red beets but have a milder and sweeter flavor. They have an earthy nuttiness to them somewhat like a walnut and sweetness reminiscent of apples or apricots. The color is a phenomenal gold. The greens on these looked really nice and would be great to cook with as well.

Large shares also recieved snap peas – these can be eaten whole with out having to shell out the peas and make a great snack or addition to salads.

Have a great week,

Asha

 

Shaved Summer Squash with Pecorino Romano: In a large bowl whisk together 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline, shave a large summer squash into paper thin ribbons, about 1/16 of an inch thick, to yield 3 to 4 cups. Toss the squash ribbons with the dressing and marinate at room temperature for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, shave 2 ounces of Pecorino Romano into thin strips with a vegetable peeler to yield ¾ of a cup. Add to the squash and toss gently. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice if desired. Garnish with thinly sliced basil and freshly ground black pepper.

Tabbouleh: Place ½ cup bulgur in a large bowl. Pour in 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice over the bulgur. Set aside for 10 minutes. Combine 3 medium tomatoes, cubed, 1 ½ cups finely chopped Italian parsley, 6 to 8 mint leaves, finely chopped, 2 scallions finely chopped, ½ tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup cold water. Set aside for 2 hours or until the bulgur has softened to your preference. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or olive oil as desired. Serve at room temperature. Keeps refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Spicy Cabbage Slaw: combine the zest and juice of one lime, 1 tsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1/3 cup canola oil, 2 hot chilies (stemmed and seeded), 1 plump garlic clove, chopped, ½ cup packed cilantro leaves in a food processor and process until well combined. Mix 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage, 1 cup shredded carrots, ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight before serving.

Cucumbers Wedges with Chile and Lime: Wash 2 8 to 10 inch cucumbers and slice off the ends. Halve each crosswise and then slice each half lengthwise to make wedges. Place cucumbers in a large bowl. Halve a lime and discard any seeds. Squeeze lime juice over the cucumber wedges and toss gently to coat, dust with salt and a spicy flavorful chile powder such as Chimayo. Serve immediately.

Marinated plums over pound cake: mix sliced plums with equal splashes of pomegranate molasses and brandy and a sprinkle of sugar. Let steep for at least 10 minutes. Spoon onto grilled or toasted pound cake. Top with whipped cream and sliced almonds. From August 2015 issue of Sunset magazine

Fleur’s Summer Plum Cake: Preheat the oven to 350. Blend 2 eggs, ½ cup sugar, ½ tsp salt, ¼ lb sweet butter, softened, 1 tsp vanilla in a medium sized bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add 1 cup flour and 1 tsp baking powder and stir by hand until just combined. Transfer the batter to a greased square baking pan. Place 20 plums that have been split in half and pitted into the batter on their sides, sleeping close together in rows (our plums are kind of big, so I would recommend slicing into smaller pieces). Combine ¼ cup sugar and ½ to 1 tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the batter and plums. Bake for 40 minutes. Do not over bake. Serve warm with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.

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The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it, we have no community, because without proper care for it we have no life.

-Wendell Berry

6-30-15

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #3

Large Shares: broccoli, fennel, lettuce, scallions, kohlrabi, sugar snap peas, radishes, garlic, zucchini, French lavender

Small Shares: broccoli, fennel, lettuce, radishes, shell peas, garlic

 

Dear CSA members,

A quick walk around the farm recently, got me thinking about a few things this week. One, the summer crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and summer squash are going to come on early this year and be very abundant. Two, I feel great full to live in a river valley with such deep and fertile soil and abundant water. Our soil is primarily loam and clay loam, so it holds nutrients, organic matter, and water exceptionally well. We certainly farm in a manner that is respectful to our soil by not tilling and plowing when the soil is too wet or too dry, cover cropping with rye, vetch and clover in winter and buckwheat in summer where ever there is barren ground, and then incorporating those cover crops back into the soil to add nutrients and organic matter that we may remove by growing crops.

However, we also feel that by continuously cropping the 10 acres that we have access to we are likely doing our soil a disservice. We do rotate the crops that we grow so that no crop is ever repeated on the same ground within 3 to 4 years’ time, but as we know from experience all ground needs fallow time to recover from our invasive methods of tilling, fertilizing, planting and harvesting. Ideally, within the next couple of years we would hope to be leasing another 10 acres or so, to ensure our sustainability as a diverse organic vegetable operation. And also to give proper respect to our soil!

The health of our soil is certainly reflected in the vitality of our crops this week! We have gorgeous heads of broccoli, crispy fresh lettuce, the last of the radishes for the summer, and the first of the garlic bulbs! New this week we have bulb fennel. Fennel is in the carrot family and is closely related to carrots, parsley, and dill. The crunchy white bulb, as well as the stalks and fronds are edible and are often found in Mediterranean cuisine. I have served fennel in salads, braised, roasted, and au gratin just to name a few ways! The flavor is reminiscent of anise or licorice, but mellows with cooking.

This week the large shares will receive a small bunch of French lavender. Next week there is going to be a lot more for both large and small shares! You can keep the lavender as a flower arrangement, dry it and use it for teas and sachets, or cook with it. I have used lavender to make cookies, ice cream, and even for a honey lavender glaze for roast chicken. You can toss the stalks on the grill to add flavor and aroma to grilled meats. Lavender is a known medicinal herb with soothing and relaxing properties as well. I love this variety for its long full flower spikes and heady fragrance. Enjoy!

Have a great week,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

Caramelized Fennel: Wash and trim a large bulb of fennel, removing the root and stems. Slice diagonally as you would an onion into thin slices. Discard any tough core if present. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add fennel and ¼ cup chopped onion. Reduce heat to medium low and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until fennel softens. Add 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp kosher salt and continue to cook until fennel is caramelized and tender about 7 to 10 more minutes.

Honey Lavender Butter: This butter is so great on scones, toast, muffins, or coffeecakes.  1 stick softened butter, 4 tsp. dried lavender (pulsed or chopped), 4 tsp. honey. Mix together and enjoy!

Lavender Herb Butter This herb butter is good for toasted cheese sandwiches, veggies, boiled potatoes, or noodles.1 stick softened butter,1 tsp. Chopped chives, 2 tsp. dried lavender. (I pulse a batch ahead in my coffee grinder), 1tsp. chopped parsley. Mix together.

Lavender Coffee Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Make the topping: 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tsp. cinnamon. Mix together and set aside. Make the batter: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tbs. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, mix and set aside. Cream ¾ cup butter,  add in 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp dried lavender buds (pulse this in blender with ½ cup of the above sugar), ½ cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 ½ cups buttermilk or sour cream or thin yogurt, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Put in pan. (See below) Put half of the batter into your pan, top with 1/2 of the topping. Swirl it in gently with a fork so it is just lightly blended. Repeat.

Pan sizes and baking times.
One 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan 50 to 60 minutes.
One 9-inch spring form pan for 60 to 70 minutes.
Two 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch loaf pans for 40 to 50 minutes.
Two 8-inch round or square cake pans for 30 to 35 minutes.

Bake until done. The top will spring back when pressed gently in middle or use toothpick or knife in center of cake, if it comes out clean, remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes before you remove it from your pan.

Garlicy Roasted Broccoli: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a blender puree 6 large cloves garlic with ½ cup olive oil and ¼ tsp soy sauce. Chop one large head of broccoli into florets, peel and chop the stems too. Place the broccoli in a large bowl and drizzle with 3 tbsp. of the garlic oil. Toss until the florets are well coated. Spread the broccoli on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and salt to taste. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is fork tender and quite

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #1

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6-16-15

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #1

 

Large shares: strawberries, garlic scapes, scallions, chard, dill, broccoli, snow peas, red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, and radishes

Small shares: strawberries, garlic scapes, chard, dill, carrots, sugar snap peas, crisp head lettuce, and radishes

 

Dear CSA members,

Let the harvest season begin! Here we are at the first week of CSA deliveries for 2015. We want to first recognize and THANK you all for your support this spring. As you know by signing up for a CSA you are investing your food dollars in a small, local, organic, farm. By providing us with upfront money to keep the farm and our 10 employees going in the late winter and early spring when we don’t have produce to sell, you truly help sustain our business. Now it’s our turn to return the favor with all the fresh organic goodness that we spend so much time, care and energy producing for you!

It has been a warm, dry and busy spring here at Wobbly Cart. Days have been long and hot, more like August than June. This unseasonably warm and dry weather has been pushing our crops ahead of normal, which is great, IF we can keep up with the irrigation and demanding harvest schedule. Which can hard when the staff and infrastructure aren’t quite at August levels yet! Luckily we have hired several new crew members this week, and are rolling out a lot of brand new drip irrigation to help keep up with the watering.

I am very pleased that the early onset of strawberry harvest was not mutually exclusive with CSA receiving a taste of our small strawberry plot! We don’t dedicate a lot of land to strawberry production, and mainly have them around to add fruit variety to our CSA boxes. I was worried that they were going to come on early and be done before we had enough produce to begin CSA. It all worked out pretty well, as the Monday morning picking was bigger than expected!

Some of you who are to the world of CSA and/or local, seasonal eating may not be familiar with the garlic scapes that are in this week’s box. Garlic scapes are the elegant goose necked flower stalks of the garlic plant. They emerge this time of year as the garlic matures and it is best for the final product of the bulb if we snap them off. As an added bonus they are delicious to eat and can be chopped and used just like garlic in any recipe, blended up into a pesto, braised whole and much more. They keep for a long time in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator so no need to worry about using them up right away.

Speaking of using things up, we thought we would share some suggestions for using up the produce in your CSA box each week. Amazingly, one of the biggest complaints (and there are very few complaints) we get from CSA customers is that it is difficult to use up all the produce from week to week! We all know that eating more organic fresh produce is certainly in accords with living a long healthy life, so it’s great we have all taken a first step in getting there, by joining a CSA!

Next, be creative and inspired. Don’t be afraid to try new things! Cook at home with our recipe suggestions, or check out new cookbooks and food blogs. We will try to make suggestions for good books and other resources throughout the season. Sautee vegetables with your eggs in the morning, make a green juice or smoothie, have a salad for lunch! If you have time to prepare a lunch for yourself the night before to take to work, you can avoid eating out in restaurants and use up more of your vegetables

You might be surprised with how your tastes change when you get a weekly (and daily) dose of ultra fresh organic vegetables. Suddenly over processed and fast foods don’t taste so great any more… you can really taste the excessive salt, sugar, and artificial additives. I also find my kids will quickly devour our farm fresh produce while shun grocery store stuff. It works well for me to set out a snack tray with fresh carrots, radishes, snap peas etc. and allow them to graze on it throughout the day. I am actually amazed at how quickly a large share disappears in our house of four! As well as how much the grocery bill goes down once the harvest season begins again.

We would love to have you all share ideas, storage tips and recipes with us, as well successes and failures you’ve had with the produce you have received. It would be nice to have a lively discussion with interested CSA members and also get new ideas for good recipes to try! Maybe a face book CSA group would be the way to accomplish this dialogue? I will work on setting one up this week for us all to share on!

Thank you so much and have a great week,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

 

Garlic-braised broccoli: Bring 4 qts of water to the boil in a stockpot, and add 11/2 tsp of salt. Cut 1 lb of broccoli into 1-inch pieces (stems peeled if desired). Add to the boiling water and boil for 2 minutes, then drain and cool slightly. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the broccoli. Heat in a large skillet over medium heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, add: 1 thinly sliced garlic scape, and 1 small red chile pepper if desired. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove and discard the chile. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. (Serves 4). (Adapted from the Joy of Cooking.)

 

Roasted Garlic Scapes: Preheat oven to 350. Rinse scapes and pat dry. Cut into smaller pieces of desired size, or leave whole, and place in a 9×13-roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with good sea salt. Optional: add cracked pepper or other herbs/spices. Roast for 24-35 minutes, until softened, browned and just slightly crispy to your liking. Remove from oven and enjoy hot or chilled.

Brown Sugar Strawberry Tart: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor whirl 1-cup flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 1/8 tsp salt. Add ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and ½ tsp vanilla and pulse until fine crumbs form and dough just begins to come together. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 -inch round tart pan with a removable rim. Bake until the edges are golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a rack, then gently push tart crust from pan rim; set on a plate. In a bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat ½ cup crème fraiche, ½ cup whipped cream, 2 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp vanilla until thick. Spread in the cooled crust. Arrange 12oz of hulled and sliced fresh strawberries in circles on top. Chill loosely covered, up to 4 hours and serve. (From the April 2010 issue of Sunset Magazine.)

 

Simple Stir Fried Snow Peas: rinse and trim ends from 8 to 10 oz of snow peas. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, over medium high heat. When oil is hot add several tbsp chopped garlic scapes or to taste. Stir-fry briefly, and then add snow peas and ¼ tsp salt. Stir-fry briefly then add 1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce or to taste. Stir-fry for another minute and then serve over rice. (Total stir-frying time is 2 minutes).

 

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar: 30 minutes to an hour before serving; thickly slice 2 pints of fresh strawberries, add 2 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature. When ready to serve place a serving of strawberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Top with freshly grated lemon zest. Serves 4.

 

Baby lettuces with goat-cheese dressing, pistachios, and pink peppercorns: for the dressing: in a food processor puree 4 oz goat cheese, ½ cup buttermilk, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp salt until smooth. Refrigerate dressing until ready to use. Divide up 4 cups of lettuce leaves amongst 4 salad plates. Drizzle each serving with ¼ of the dressing and sprinkle with roasted and salted pistachios, fresh tarragon leaves, and coarsely crushed pink peppercorns. Serves 4. (From May 2013 issue of Country Living Magazine)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #2

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June 24^th 2014

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #2

 

Large shares: garlic scapes, scallions, carrots, Merlot lettuce, oak leaf lettuce, rainbow chard, radishes, fennel, 1 lb shell peas, 1 lb broccoli

 

Small shares: parsley, snap peas, ½ lb broccoli, scallion, oak leaf lettuce, rainbow chard, carrots, and radishes

 

Dear CSA members,

 

Welcome to week two of the summer CSA share! I want to thank every one for the nice comments from last week and we are so glad you enjoyed your boxes. With 16 more weeks to go there is so much to look forward too! As of now, we are done planting all our summer crops and are moving on to fall and winter. It’s always amazing to me that right when we begin harvesting the first of our crops, we are seeding the last of our crops!

 

We have a nice box for you again this week. The broccoli keeps coming so both share sizes will get a nice quantity, as well as carrots and radishes like last week. The latest planting of lettuce yielded some nice oak leaf lettuce, as well as a darker lettuce called “Merlot” for the large shares. We also have sugar snap peas for the small share and shell peas for the large! For those who don’t know the shell peas are the large, long, thick pods. You break these open to reveal the tiny little peas inside. Shell them out with your thumb into a bowl. 1 lb will get you about 1 cup of fresh peas. They are excellent just lightly steamed with a sea salt and butter. Overcooking may turn them to mush! The sugar snap peas are small and plump. You can eat these whole, out of hand, once the strings are removed, and they are excellent that way. Sugar snap peas are a favorite snack in my family.

 

The long frondy herb with the large flat white bulb on the end is fennel. (This is in the large share box only this week). It is one many may be unfamiliar with but is very delicious if you give it a try. Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet with a licorice or anise flavor. It is often used in Mediterranean cuisine, especially in Italy and France. Store your fennel in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and use as soon as possible as it rapidly begins to loose its flavor once harvested.

 

Hope you enjoy!

 

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

 

Sauteed Snap Peas with Scallions and Radishes: Trim ¾ lb Snap Peas. Slice 8 scallions (white and pale green parts only) into 2- inch lengths. Trim and quarter 8 radishes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 1 tbsp butter. Add the snap peas; cook stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften (do not brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions and radishes; season with coarse sea salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until scallions soften and snap peas are crisp-tender. 1 to 2 minutes more. (From Everyday Food, June 2004)

 

Roasted Fennel: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the stalks off of 2 bulbs of fennel. Half the bulbs lengthwise and slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Rub the fennel with just enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on some balsamic vinegar, also to coat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (or skip if you don’t mind scrubbing pans). Lay out the fennel, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fennel is tender and cooked through and beginning to caramelize.

 

Broccoli with Green Herb Sauce: Break 1 large head of broccoli into florets, peel the stalk and chop into chunks. Steam in a steamer basket over simmering water, covered, until tender to the core when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Put in a serving dish. Meanwhile mix ½ cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves, 1 tsp each fresh thyme and oregano leaves, zest of 1 large lemon, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp brined capers, rinsed and chopped, 2 tbsp finely diced shallot, 1 small garlic clove minced, ½ cup olive oil, and sea salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about half the green herb sauce over the broccoli and turn gently to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature, with extra sauce on the side.

 

Swiss chard and white bean soup: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium pot over high heat. Add 2 chopped garlic scapes, ½ bunch of scallions, chopped, and 1 medium carrot, chopped. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 bunch swiss chard, chopped, 1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed, and 1 qt vegetable broth. Cover and cook until very hot. Serve with cheese.

 

Nori Radish Toasts: Slice a 12 in. section of baguette in half length-wise, cut into 2-in. pieces, and toast in a 350 degree oven until golden brown on edges. Using scissors, snip 1 large sheet toasted nori into bits, then pulverize in a spice grinder. Mix nori powder with about 5 tbsp butter; smear thickly onto toasts. Top with thinly sliced radishes and radish greens.(from the November 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #1

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Wobbly Cart Farm CSA Box #1

June 17^th 2014

 

In this week’s box:

 

Large shares: beets, carrots, kohlrabi, 1 lb broccoli, scallions, radishes, Italian parsley, Galisse lettuce, butter head lettuce, garlic scapes, ½ lb sugar snap peas.

 

Small shares: beets, carrots, Galisse lettuce, fresh dill, radishes, kohlrabi, and garlic scapes.

 

Dear CSA members,

 

Hello and welcome to the first box of the summer 2014 CSA share! We are so excited to begin our CSA season and share the bounty of the fields with you, our lovely members. I want to thank you all for joining us this year and hope you truly enjoy a summer of eating fresh, local, organic produce. I myself have noticed an increase in my own energy and health since we’ve been able to eat fresh from the farm again. Hope you do too!

Our spring and early farm season have been going pretty well. I wouldn’t say it’s been as smooth sailing as it was last year, but things are coming along. One of our biggest disappointments is that all the strawberries in our valley came on extra early this year, before we have enough produce to start CSA.  So unfortunately, we wont have any available this year. I know we will more than make up for their absence with tons of gorgeous spring vegetables, however.

It is amazing, this monumental task of tending a diverse organic vegetable farm. Every year is different with its challenges and successes, but in the end, after much hard work, we always come out with an amazing abundance of delicious food. We couldn’t do it without the support we receive from our CSA members!

In this box are a few vegetables that warrant and explanation for those of your who haven’t been in a CSA before. The long pointy curly green things are called garlic scapes. They are the flowering part of the garlic plant that emerges this time of year. They can be broken off the plant without any harm and make a delicious substitute for bulb garlic. They are a bit milder, but for some that may be a welcome trait. Another strange but wonderful vegetable in your box is the purple or green bulb with leaves growing from it. This is a kohlrabi. All you have to do is peel and slice. The inside of the bulb is sweet and tender, a bit like turnip, but yummier fresh. My kids are known to fight over these when they see me peeling one! Kohlrabi is excellent eaten raw for snacks or salads. The small shares received fresh dill, which is the frondy bunch of herb. Fresh dill is a wonderful seasoning for fish, to make dressing and sauces or to add to salads. Large shares received sugar snap peas which are delicious eaten whole and fresh after the stem end has been snapped off. Everything else should be pretty familiar. We made note this morning how amazingly tender the baby carrots are this week, as well as the vibrancy of the radishes and lettuce. We hope you enjoy them!

 

Have a great week and thank you!

 

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

Any questions? Call Asha 360 273 8008

Or email info@wobblycart.com

 

 

Garlic-braised broccoli: Bring 4 qts of water to the boil in a stockpot, and add 11/2 tsp of salt. Cut 1 lb of broccoli into 1-inch pieces (stems peeled if desired). Add to the boiling water and boil for 2 minutes, then drain and cool slightly. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the broccoli. Heat in a large skillet over medium heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, add: 1 thinly sliced garlic scape, and 1 small red chile pepper if desired. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove and discard the chile. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. (Serves 4). (Adapted from the Joy of Cooking.)

Roasted Garlic Scapes: Preheat oven to 350. Rinse scapes and pat dry. Cut into smaller pieces of desired size, or leave whole, and place in a 9×13 roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with good sea salt. Optional: add cracked pepper or other hearbs/spices. Roast for 24-35 minutes, until softened, browned and just slightly crispy to your liking. Remove from oven and enoy hot or chilled.

Kohlrabi Coleslaw: peel and shred 2 kohlrabi and 2 carrots, combine with 2 tbsp chopped scallions in a bowl. Combine 1/3 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, 4 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp celery seeds, and 1/8 tsp black pepper, blend well. Pour over the shredded vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Sauteed Snap Peas with Scallions and Radishes: Trim ¾ lb Snap Peas. Slice 8 scallions (white and pale green parts only) into 2- inch lengths. Trim and quarter 8 radishes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 1 tbsp butter. Add the snap peas; cook stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften (do not brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions and radishes; season with coarse sea salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until scallions soften and snap peas are crisp-tender. 1 to 2 minutes more. (From Everyday Food, June 2004)

Roasted Beet Crostini: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim greens from 1 bunch beets, reserving stems and greens. Place beets in a baking pan, cover with foil, and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on size of beets, uncover and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350. While beets cool, arrange 16 ½ inch slices of baguette in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, turning slices over once halfway through, until toasted but not browned, about 14 minutes. Thinly slice beet green stems and finely chop leaves; keep stems and leaves separate. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add greens, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp water and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and liquid had evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ tsp salt and remove from heat. Peel cooled beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place ¾ cup beet pieces, 4 oz creamy goat cheese and ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth (reserve remaining beets for another use). To assemble crostini, spread about 2 tsp beet-cheese spread on each slice of toasted baguette and top with sautéed greens. (lifescript.com)

 Lemon-Dill Shrimp and Pasta: Rinse 12oz frozen shrimp; pat dry with paper towel. Finely shred 1 tsp peel from a whole lemon; set aside. Juice the lemon; set aside the juice. Cook 8 oz dried fettuccine according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a 12 in skillet heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook 4 tsp finely chopped garlic scape in hot oil for 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook for 3 to 4 minutes; turning frequently until shrimp are opaque. Add 6 cups baby spinach (substitute chard or beet tops?) and drained pasta; toss until the greens begin to wilt. Stir in ½ tsp Italian seasoning (fresh rosemary?), lemon peel, and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with plenty of fresh dill. Makes 4 servings. (from the April 2012 issue of Better Homes and Gardens)

 

 

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #2

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6-25-13
Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box # 2

Large Shares: strawberries, 1 bunch carrots, 1 bunch radishes, scallions, garlic scapes, broccoli, green leaf lettuce, ½ lb sugar snap peas, 1 lb shell peas, 1 bunch Italian parsley

Small shares: strawberries, 1 bunch radishes, 1 bunch carrots, 1 bunch Italian parsley, scallions, ½ lb snow peas, 1 summer squash

Dear CSA members,

As I sit down each week to reflect, and write a bit, there is always a flood of thoughts to sort through and decide; what is most interesting, most pertinent, what do I need to explain about the produce…. This week the first thought is “thank everyone for the nice comments!”. And so I will. Thank you all who wrote and called in after last weeks’ delivery to let us know how much you enjoyed the boxes. The first CSA box is always a little stressful around the farm. We are working hard to make sure everything is properly organized, that we have enough produce to make the boxes, and also making sure that the quality is up to where we want it to be. So at the end of the day, it is so nice to hear the positive feedback! Thanks!
The weather this week has been challenging. We had one sunny warm day, but the rest has been cloudy, warm and moist! Unfortunately, the trend looks like it will continue for a while yet. In the high tunnels and greenhouses, as well as for the tomatoes, onions and garlic in the fields this can mean the onset of fungal diseases and other problems. Nothing dire by any means, but we definitely want to be ahead of the curve if necessary! It can be frustrating to work so hard to produce a quality crop, only to have it succumb to pests or disease due to factors beyond anyone’s control. One of the many difficulties of farming organically in the Maritime Northwest! Hopefully the sun will return to us soon.
In this week’s box we have all three types of peas that we grow at Wobbly Cart. Large shares will get 1 lb of shell peas, and ½ lb of sugar snap peas. For those who don’t know the shell peas are the large, long, thick pods. You break these open to reveal the tiny little peas inside. Shell them out with your thumb into a bowl. 1 lb will get you about 1 cup of fresh peas. They are excellent just lightly steamed with a sea salt and butter. Overcooking may turn them to mush! The sugar snap peas are small and plump. You can eat these whole, out of hand, once the strings are removed, and they are excellent that way. Sugar snap peas are a favorite snack in my family. The small shares will receive ½ lb of snow peas. These are the large flat pods. Snow peas are excellent for stir- fries and salads. Everyone will receive a bunch of fresh carrots this week. I recommend breaking off the long tops before you store them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. They will keep better this way. This is also true of the radishes. Italian parsley is best stored by freshly cutting the stem ends (just like a bouquet of flowers). Then stick the ends in a jar of water (like a vase). Make a tent over the top with a plastic bag and set it in you refrigerator. Most herbs will keep all week like this. Hope you’re not tired of strawberries yet, because they’re still coming. Check the recipe page for some yummy looking ideas!

Until next week,
Asha, Joe and the Crew at Wobbly Cart

Strawberry-Buttermilk Ice Pops: in a large bowl smash 1 cup fresh strawberries with the back of a fork. Add ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup buttermilk, 3 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds and freeze for 3o minutes. Insert a wooden stick into each pop; then freeze for at least 2 more hours.

Balsamic-Roasted Strawberries with Chevre Ice Cream: remove 1 gallon vanilla ice cream from freezer and let soften at room temp for 10 minutes. Transfer to a 1 ½ gallon plastic container. Stir in 6 oz fromage blanc (at room temperature) until well combined. Add 11 oz crumbled chevre, stirring gently so that the crumbles remain somewhat intact. Refreeze ice cream for at least one hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 pints hulled and quartered strawberries into a parchment lined baking pan, sprinkle with 3 tbsp raw sugar and drizzle with 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Roast until caramelized and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve over the ice cream. (from July 2013 issue Country Living magazine).

Herb butter: in a food processor, whirl ¼ cup butter, 2 tbsp chopped chives (garlic scapes?), a pinch of kosher salt, and 1 tbsp each of chopped fresh dill and Italian parsley. Use to spread on sweet corn or toss with freshly steamed peas.

Seared Sugar Snap Peas: heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan for about 1 to 2 minutes over med-high heat. Add 1 lb sugar snap peas (strings removed). Toss to coat, and add sea salt to taste. Allow to cook, undisturbed for 1 minute. Add 3 to 4 sliced scallions and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Toss to coat and let cook for 1 minute. Toss again, and let cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the zest of 1 lemon and 3 tbsp chopped mint. Then add black pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve at once. (from simplyrecipes.com)

French Breakfast Radishes and Avocado on Toast: Toast bread, top with thinly sliced fresh avocado, and thin, lengthwise slices of French Breakfast Radishes. Top with freshly ground Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Makes a great appetizer.

Orzo with Zucchini, Dill and Feta: preheat grill or grill pan to medium and oil liberally. Season 3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise with ½ tsp salt. Grill until tender with golden brown marks, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer zucchini to a cutting board and slice into ½ inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 large shallot, thinly sliced. Cover and keep warm and set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 lb orzo according to package directions. Drain and add to reserved zucchini. Add 3 tbsp olive oil, zest and juice of 2 lemons, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill. Top with 1/3 lb feta cheese and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper. (From May 2012 issue of Country Living magazine).

Peas with Prosciutto and Onions: heat in a large skillet over medium heat: 3 tbsp olive oil, add and brown slightly 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced. Add, 3 tbsp water, cover and cook over low heat until the onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in: 2 cups fresh shell peas, shelled, 4 oz prosciutto or ham, finely diced, 1 to 2 tsp water. Cover and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

Sauteed Snap Peas with Scallions and Radishes: Trim ¾ lb Snap Peas. Slice 8 scallions (white and pale green parts only) into 2- inch lengths. Trim and quarter 8 radishes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 1 tbsp butter. Add the snap peas; cook stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften (do not brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions and radishes; season with coarse sea salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until scallions soften and snap peas are crisp-tender. 1 to 2 minutes more. (From Everyday Food, June 2004)