Spring CSA – Week 5

We are projecting the following produce from our farm to be included our members’ shares this week:

• Carrots
• Kale – Lacinato, Red or Curly Green
• Panisse Butter Lettuce
• Red Onions
• Red Mizuna
• Red Radishes
• Strawberries
• Murasaki Sweet Potatoes
• Brussel Sprouts – from The Family Garden

Kale Salad with Carrot & Ginger Dressing – from Love & Lemons

Dressing Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped roasted carrots, from 3/4 cup raw carrots
• 1/3 to ½ cup water
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Salad Ingredients

• 1 batch Roasted Chickpeas
• 1 bunch curly kale, stems removed, leaves torn
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 small red beet, grated
• ½ watermelon radish, very thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• ¼ cup pepitas, toasted
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• Sea salt & Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the dressing and roast the chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the chickpeas with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with pinches of salt and pepper. Place the carrot pieces for the dressing in their own corner on the baking sheet to roast alongside the chickpeas. Roast for 25 to minutes, or until the chickpeas are browned and crisp and the carrots are soft. Set the roasted chickpeas aside. Transfer the carrots to a blender and add the water, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and salt. Blend the dressing until smooth and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Place the kale leaves into a large bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Use your hands to massage the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half.
3. Add the carrot, beet, watermelon radish, half of the cubed avocado, cranberries, pepitas, a few more good pinches of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and toss. Drizzle generously with the carrot ginger dressing. Top with the remaining avocado, more dressing, the roasted chickpeas and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Season to taste and serve.

Easy Vegan Strawberry Shortcake – from Nora Cooks

Ingredients

STRAWBERRIES

• 6 cups sliced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

BISCUITS

• 1 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold and cubed

COCONUT WHIP

• (2) 14-oz cans full fat coconut milk OR coconut cream*
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the strawberries: 

1. Stir the strawberries and sugar in a large bowl. Cover and set in the fridge until ready to use.

To make the biscuits:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet. Measure the 1 1/4 cup almond milk and add the tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it, stir a little and set aside to curdle (this is your buttermilk).
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cubed vegan butter and cut into the dry ingredients (may also use a food processor for this). Use a pastry cutter or just your hands. It will look fine and crumbly.
3. Pour the vegan buttermilk into the bowl, and stir until just combined. The dough will be quite sticky. Lightly flour a working surface (such as a clean countertop), and your hands and work the dough into a ball. Gently flatten to about 1/2 inch thick, then cut into circles using a biscuit cutter or even a rounded glass. You should have about 10 biscuits.
4. Place on the pan and bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let cool for 10 minutes or so before assembling. 

To make the Coconut Whip (if not using store bought)

1. Chill the canned coconut milk or cream overnight, being careful not to shake the cans so the cream will remain separate.
2. Remove the cans, open and scoop out the hardened coconut cream, leaving the liquid in the can. Add to a large bowl, and beat with a mixer for a minute until creamy. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until creamy, smooth and fluffy. Refrigerate until using so it doesn’t melt!

To Assemble the Shortcakes

1. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and coconut whip cream. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Garlic and Parsley Roasted Carrots – from Hungry, Healthy, Happy

Ingredients

• 5 medium carrots, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed – if you don’t have fresh garlic, you could use granules instead but you won’t get the same flavor.
• A pinch of sea salt and black pepper
• A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped – you can swap these for basil, rosemary, thyme, coriander or chives.

Instructions

1. Cut the carrots in to 2 inch chunks and put in a baking dish.
2. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic and put in a preheated oven at 220°C/425°F/Gas 7 for 25 minutes, stirring half way through.
3. Take the carrots out of the oven and add the fresh parsley and stir.