CSA 2024 Spring Week 5

Tulsi Basil

Rainbow Carrots

Dandelion

Eggs

Fennel

Peaches

New Red Potatoes

Grape Tomatoes (NSOF)

Turmeric

Storage Tip: Store your tulsi bunch in a jar with a bit of water in it. Try not to submerge the stems too far in the water.

We welcome back Tulsi basil to your shares this week. A long revered plant in Ayurveda, Tulsi is held in high regard in Indian homes for spiritual and medicinal uses. It is known to be adaptogenic, meaning that it’s a category of herb that works with your body to adapt to stressors and achieve a more balanced internal state. For example, if your body is stressed and anxious, an adaptogenic plant like Tulsi (when consumed appropriately) has the potential to influence cortisol levels down which in turn calms the body. A simple of way of putting it is, adaptogenic plants give you more of what you need, when you need it!

Tulsi tea also tastes great! It’s incredibly easy to prepare, and you’ll find the steps below (recipe 3). The flavor is hard to pin down, but you’ll definitely pick up on some minty-ness since it’s part of the same family (Lamiaceae). It smells wonderful, too, giving you one all-around enjoyable cuppa.

This Week’s Recipes

Mixed Grain Salad with Roasted Fennel & Dandelion Greens

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed grains/ancient grains cooked
• 1/2 cup dandelion greens (or arugula) chopped
• 1 lemon zested
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• parmesan shaved to taste
• 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and crushed
• 1 medium bulb fennel tops removed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• olive oil
•  salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions 

1. Prepare the grains of your choice according to the packaging and set them aside. For additional flavor, cook with vegetable broth instead of water. 
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
3. Slice and prepare fennel, then toss in olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste, then spread out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
4. Roast the fennel for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through. Once the fennel is done roasting, set it aside to allow it to cool slightly. 
5. Zest the lemon over the reserved grain mixture along with the fennel, shaved parmesan cheese, and crushed olive. Next, salt and pepper to taste and toss in the dandelion greens and lemon juice.

Recipe sourced from: https://jojotastic.com/2021/05/25/warm-grain-salad-recipe/

Grilled Peaches

Ingredients

• 4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and crushed
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Vanilla ice cream

Instructions