Spring 2022 CSA – Week 2

Hello Frog Song Fans! In your share this week, you will find:

• Cabbage, Green baby
• Celery
• Dill
• Dandelion Greens
• Snow Peas
• Purple Daikon Radishes
• Strawberries
• Sweet potatoes, Murasaki
• Zucchini

CSA MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY:

We’re really grateful for all of the CSA members. You guys help making it possible to grow good quality food, and we would like to show our appreciation. Please join us on April 24th, when you will have a chance to meet Amy, John, and Amy Jane (our awesome CSA coordinator). Click here to RSVP. We hope to see you!

Featured Product: Dandelion Greens

Dandelion greens are one of the most nutritionally dense green you can eat, even better than spinach or kale. They are a great source of vitamins and minerals such as: Vitamins A, C and K. They are also believed to reduce swelling and inflammation, and they’re delicious just sautéed with some garlic! If you’re interest on seeing this superfood in our fields, we’ll host farm tours throughout Spring. The next date will be April 16th, but we have several other dates if you’d like to stop by to pick your own strawberries! Please register at Eventbrite so we can make sure that we’ll provide the best experience possible to all of our amazing customers attending the event. See you then!

Dandelion Greens and Beans Skillet – Running to the Kitchen

Ingredients:

• A large bunch of dandelion greens, washed and chopped
• Sliced red onion
• Herbs of choice – I use fresh thyme but rosemary, oregano or tarragon would be all be great
• Ground nutmeg
• Salt & pepper
• 2 cans of beans – I use cannellini and red beans but choose any assortment you like
• A generous splash of balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1 – Sauté the onions until softened.

2 – Add the herbs and spices and stir.

3 – Add the dandelion greens, cover and let them steam until tender.

4 – Remove the cover, add the beans and continue cooking until they’re just warmed through.

5 – Turn off the heat, add the balsamic vinegar.

6 – Season to taste and serve!

Green Apple and Celery Salad with Dill – Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients:

• 8 large celery ribs, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups; see note)
• 1 green apple, peeled and diced
• ½ English cucumber, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon

Instructions:

In a large bowl, toss together all of the ingredients until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve cold.
Note: To peel the celery, use a vegetable peeler to lightly peel off the outer layer from the rounded side of the celery ribs.

SWEET POTATO CABBAGE CASHEW STIR FRY – RUNNING ON REAL FOOD

Ingredients:

For the Baked Tofu:

• 1 package medium, firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (optional, helps it crisp up)
• 1 tsp each garlic powder and black pepper (optional, for extra seasoning)

For the Stir Fry:

• water or vegetable broth for cooking
• 2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4–5 cups chopped green cabbage (1 small cabbage or 1/2 a large one)
• 1 cup peeled and grated carrot (about 2–3 carrots)
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 3/4 cup (100 g) raw cashews
• cooked brown rice, for serving (optional)
• fresh chopped cilantro, for serving (optional)

For the Sauce:

• 3 tbsp soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar

Instructions:

1 – To make the tofu, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cube the the block of tofu and place in a bowl. Add the soy sauce, cornstarch, garlic powder and black pepper and toss to coat. Place the cubes of tofu on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes until browned.
2 – To make the sauce, whisk the soy sauce, maple syrup and hoisin sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3 – To make the stir fry, add the cubed sweet potato to a wok or large skillet with about 1/4 cup of water or broth, cover and let steam until almost fully cooked, approximately 7-8 minutes. Add the cabbage, garlic, bell peppers, carrot and green onion.
4 – Cook over high heat, stirring frequently for 6-7 minutes until the cabbage and peppers are cooked tender but not overcooked. If the pan gets too dry, add 1-2 tbsp water or broth as needed. Add the cashews when there are a couple minutes left (or reserve to use as a topping).
5 – Add the sauce and stir to combine.
6 – If serving right away, divide between four bowls (on top of brown rice, if desired), top with the baked tofu and fresh cilantro and enjoy! Otherwise, store in the fridge in a container for up to 3 days.

PORK AND BALSAMIC STRAWBERRY SALAD – TASTE OF HOME

Ingredients:

• 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound)
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1-1/2 cups halved fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Instructions:

1 – Place pork in a shallow dish. Add salad dressing; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 8 hours. Combine strawberries, vinegar and sugar; cover and refrigerate.
2 – Preheat oven to 425°. Drain and wipe off pork, discarding marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides.
3 – Bake until a thermometer reads 145°, 15-20 minutes. Remove from skillet; let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add broth to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add strawberry mixture. Heat through.
4 – Place greens on a serving platter; sprinkle with cheese. Slice pork; arrange over greens. Top with strawberry mixture.

Spaghetti alla Nerano (Spaghetti with Zucchini) – Memorie di Angelina

Ingredients:

• 400g (14 oz) spaghetti
• 800g (1-1/2 lbs) zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
• 200g (7 oz) provolone cheese, grated (see Notes)
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves
• A few basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1 – Fry the zucchini slices in oil (preferably olive oil) until they are lightly browned. Proceed in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to hold all the slices in a single layer. As they are done, lay the fried zucchini slices on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

2 – Bring a large pot of water to the boil, salt well, and throw in the spaghetti. Cook until very al dente.

3 – While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large skillet or sauté pan, sauté the garlic lightly in olive oil. Remove the garlic.

4 – When the pasta is done, drain it, but not too well. Add the zucchini rounds and then then pasta to the skillet and a ladleful of pasta water. (If you want, reserve some of the zucchini for garnish.) Mix everything together vigorously for a minute or two. (The zucchini rounds are bound to break up, but that’s normal.) Then add the grated cheese and some more basil leaves, and continue mixing until the cheese has completed melted into a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water if need be to keep things flowing smoothly.

5 – Serve your spaghetti right away, topped with the remaining zucchini slices for garnish, along with perhaps a basil leaf or two.

Snow Pea and Radish Salad with Mint and Dill – Crowded Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh snow peas, sliced thinly on a bias
• ¾ cup fresh, shelled peas
• 8 radishes, sliced into thin matchsticks
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
• ¾ cup vegan feta cheese (or regular)

For Vinaigrette:

• 1 ½ tbsp fresh chopped dill
• 1 ½ tbsp fresh chopped mint
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp agave (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ tsp pepper

Instructions:

1 – Prepare all salad ingredients and add toss in a large bowl.
2 – Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients or add to a jar, seal and shake well.
3 – Pour over salad, toss and enjoy!