Tag: Tulsi Basil

  • CSA 2026 WEEK 30

    From Our Farm

    Basil, Tulsi

    Eggplant, Japanese

    Peppers, Sweet Habanero

    Potatoes, Purple

    Sweet Potato Greens

    From Our Partners

    Beets – Clem’s Organic Gardens

    Kale, Curly – Tendwell Farm

    Tomatoes, Slicer – Tendwell Farm

    Watermelon, Seedless – Watsonia

    Try out this great recipe we found around the web that feature items from your CSA share:

    Japanese-Style Mabo Eggplant with Tomato

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Japanese eggplants
    • 1 tomato (large)
    • 1/2 block firm tofu
    • 80 g (2.8 oz.) ground pork
    • 1 knob ginger (minced)
    • a small amount chili pepper (cut into rounds)
    • 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
    • a small amount of sesame oil
    • Japanese pepper powder as desired

    Sauce

    • 80 ml (2.7 fl. oz.) dashi/bonito broth
    • 1 Tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce
    • 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
    • 1 & 1/3 Tbsp sake (cooking sake)
    • 2/3 Tbsp sugar
    • 1/2 tsp potato starch (or cornstarch)

    Instructions:

    1. Wrap the tofu in a paper towel and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.
    2. Roughly chop up the eggplants, slice the tomato into wedges.
    3. Mix together sauce ingredients.
    4. Heat the vegetable oil in a fry pan over medium heat and sauté the ginger, taking care not to scorch it.
    5. Once fragrant also saute the ground meat while breaking it apart. When half of the meat is browned, add in the eggplants (2) and the red chili pepper and sauté.
    6. Once the meat is crumbly, quickly re-mix and then add in sauce mixture and bring the mixture to a boil.
    7. Tear up the tofu while adding in, also add in the tomato, give all ingredients a quick stir and then allow to simmer for a short time.
    8. Drizzle in some sesame oil for aromatic effect, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle on Japanese pepper powder if desired.

    Recipe adapted from: https://www.kikkoman.com/en/cookbook/recipe/00001265.html?

  • CSA 2026 SPRING WEEK 8

    From Our Farm

    Basil, Tulsi

    Cantaloupe Melons

    Cucumbers

    Carrots, Sweet Baby Loose

    Kale, Curly

    Onions, Scallions

    Squash, Baby Mix

    From Our Partners

    Tomatoes, Heirloom – Urban Vegetable Project

    Try out these great recipes we found around the web that feature items from your share:

    Cucumber and Melon Salad with Feta

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Cantaloupe melon
    • 1 cucumber (about 10 oz or 300 g)
    • 7 oz feta cheese (about 200 g)
    • 1/3 cup of fresh basil
    • 1/3 cup of fresh mint
    • 2 limes , according to your taste
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • Salt Flakes or Fleur de sel
    • Black pepper

    Instructions:

    1. Cut the melon in half and remove the seeds with a spoon, then in slices and in cubes (without the skin).
    2. Cut the cucumber and feta into cubes. Chop the basil and mint.
    3. Set aside a few leaves for decoration.
    4. Combine melon, cucumber, feta cubes and herbs in a large salad bowl. Pour in the lime juice (adjust the amount to suit your taste) and olive oil.
    5. Finish with a pinch of salt flakes (fleur de sel) and black pepper. Serve chilled as a starter or as a side dish.

    Adapted from: https://lacuisinedegeraldine.fr/en/cucumber-melon-salad-with-feta

  • CSA 2023 Summer Week 10

    Tulsi Basil

    Beets (COG)

    Galangal

    Okra

    Cubanelle Peppers

    Spaghetti or Acorn Squash

    Sweet Potato Greens

    Murasaki Sweet Potatoes

    Grape Tomatoes (NSOF)

    September brings fall vibes to many parts of the country, but with temps hovering in the 90s, we’re still more ice cream than hot apple cider. Some of the herbs and veggies in this week’s share probably aren’t the first ice cream flavors that come to mind, but many are perfect ingredients. Our Tulsi basil is slightly fruity with a hint of clove and vanilla that lends itself to creamy frozen dessert. If cream isn’t your jam, check out the Beetroot sorbet recipe below. Beets are a natural source of sugar, and thanks to their high fiber content, absorb into the bloodstream more slowly than cane sugar. This dessert comes packed with folate, magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin C.  You can also experiment with pumpkin, squash, carrots, and corn for more healthy options.

    If you want to give homemade ice cream a shot but don’t have a machine, we’ve got good news: You can make it at home without any special equipment. Check out our recipes below, and let us know your own ice cream hacks!

    Tulsi Basil Ice Cream – adapted from spicesnflavors.com

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup basil leaves
    • 1cup full fat milk
    • 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
    • 300 ml heavy cream
    • ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)

    Instructions:

    In a saucepan, heat milk and basil leaves until it comes to a rolling boil. Once the milk boils, switch off the gas, cover the saucepan with a lid and let it rest for 30 minutes.

    Next blend the milk in the blender with basil leaves. Add condensed milk and coconut. Blend everything well. Do a taste test at this point to match your taste buds.

    Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in blended mixture. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours or until the ice-cream is set, preferably overnight.

    Beetroot Sorbet

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup cooked beets (roasted, steamed or boiled)
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • ¼ water
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Instructions:

    Puree the beetroot with a hand blender until smooth, then set aside.

    In a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, combine the sugar and water, stirring occasionally until completely dissolved. This could take about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

    In a food processor, blend the cooled sugar syrup with the pureed beetroot, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth.

    If using an ice-cream maker, pour the cooled mixture into the pre-frozen bowl of the ice-cream maker and churn until thick, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then either serve immediately or pour into a freezer-safe dish to store in the freezer

    If not using an ice-cream maker, pour the cooled mixture into a large freezer-safe dish and freeze, mixing it well with a fork every half hour over the next 4 hours. Transfer to the fridge for 15 minutes to soften before serving.

    Acorn Squash Ice Cream (machine required)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 acorn squash
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 tablespoon water, or as needed
    • 4 egg yolks
    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
    • 2 cups milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place squash, pointed-side up, on a baking sheet.

    Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender, about 1 hour. Cool squash until easily handled. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and stringy parts of meat, and peel skin from the squash and discard.

    Mash the squash meat in a bowl and measure 1 cup meat.

    Combine 1 cup squash meat and butter in a saucepan; add enough water to make squash stir-able. Cook squash mixture over low heat until squash softens, adding more water if needed to thin the squash, about 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool squash mixture.

    Beat egg yolks and brown sugar together in a bowl using a whisk until thickened.

    Heat cream and milk together in a saucepan over low heat until mixture begins to simmer. Gradually pour cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture and beat until smooth to temper the eggs. Pour the cream-egg mixture into the saucepan; simmer over low heat until mixture is thickened and easily coats the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

    Beat squash mixture into cream mixture until smooth; stir in vanilla extract, ginger, salt, and allspice. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours.

    Stir cream mixture and transfer to an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions for making ice cream.

  • CSA 2023 Spring Week 9

    This week’s CSA share brings a variety of flavors and tastes, along with our Ayurvedic Tulsi basil:

    Tulsi Basil

    Cantaloupe

    Cucumbers

    Sweet Corn

    Scallions

    Jalapeno Peppers

    Farmer’s Favorite Radishes

    Malabar Spinach

    Murasaki Sweet Potatoes

    Tulsi Basil

    Tulsi basil, also called Holy basil can be used differently than the Italian basil found in your CSA share earlier this month. Sure it tastes and smells great, but Tulsi’s superpower is its healing properties. It’s used to reduce stress, support the immune system, and boost brain power. It’s often made into a tea – those of you who attended our strawberry U-picks earlier this month enjoyed it as one of the refreshments we offered. To dry your Tulsi, tie the bunch with twine and hang upside down in a cool, dark and well-ventilated area. Once dry, you can smash the leaves up and store them in a plastic container. Dried holy basil will keep for around a year, though you’ll probably brew yours sooner than that! For a more refreshing option, we share a Tulsi punch recipe below, and of course it a great addition to your salads, too!

    Jalapeño Pepper Storage

    This week’s CSA share also brings some summer heat: jalapeño peppers. These little guys are versatile – just spicy enough to add heat to your dishes, but not too spicy to be eaten raw, grilled, smoked, pickled, fried, you name it.  We’re including a pint in this week’s share. If you want to store them, here’s five ways:

    1. Can. Wash the jalapeños in cold water and let them air-dry. Cook in boiling water for about three minutes before packing them into a sanitized pint-size or quart-size glass jar. Leave a couple of inches of headspace from the top of the jar. Fill the jars with the cooking liquid, leaving that headspace. Put the lids on the jars and boil the jars in the boiling water for about thirty minutes. Store canned jalapeños in a cool, dark, dry place for up to two years unopened.
    2. Freeze. There’s two ways to freeze jalapenos: to prevent freezer burn, flash-freeze them by laying them out—whole or sliced—in a single layer on a baking sheet before sticking in the freezer. Another option is to blanch the jalapeños (submerge them in boiling water for thirty seconds, then plunge them into ice water) before freezing. Leave the jalapeño peppers in the freezer for one hour, then immediately transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Frozen jalapeño peppers will last indefinitely in freezer bags, but the quality diminishes after about ten or eleven months.
    3. Dehydrate. You can dehydrate jalapeños in a food dehydrator or an oven set to a low heat. For either method, slice the jalapeños into coins or cut them in half lengthwise. Place on the dehydrator rack and set your food dehydrator to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow them to dry for about 10 hours (jalapeño coins will take less time). For the oven method, preheat the oven to the lowest possible setting—usually about 150–170 degrees Fahrenheit. Dry the jalapeños in the oven for about six to twelve hours, depending on the size of the jalapeño pieces. They will last for at least one year in airtight containers.
    4. Pickle (our fave!). Make a simple pickle brine with vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, pour over sliced jalapeños in a glass jar, then seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the pickled peppers in the refrigerator. For long-term storage, process the jars in a boiling water bath for about twenty minutes. Pickled jalapeños will last in a cool, dark, dry place for up to two years unopened.
    5. Refrigerate. Whole jalapeños will last in the refrigerator for about one week. Place ‘em in a paper bag and store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. To store sliced or diced jalapeños, use an airtight container or sealable plastic bag (with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture) instead of the paper bag.

    Recipes

    Spicy Pickles

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup water
    • ⅓ cup vinegar (apple cider, white, and rice wine are all good)
    • 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tbsp. jalapeno (chopped)
    • sliced cucumbers (about 2 cups)
    • Sliced radishes (1 cup)
    • sliced scallion (about ½ cup)

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl add the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the cucumber, radish, jalapeno, and scallion. Taste and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
    2. All the cucumbers should be covered in the brine. If necessary, make more brine.
    3. Let the mixture rest in the fridge until you are ready to eat. The flavors develop over time, so an overnight soak is ideal. These pickles will keep for around two months in the fridge.

    Tulsi Punch

    Ingredients:

    • ½ cup tulsi leaves
    • 1 tbsp FSO cane syrup
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • A pinch of cardamom powder

    Instructions:

    1. Soak the Tulsi leaves in clean water for two hours
    2. Prepare the cane syrup by dissolving in 2 tbsp boiling water.
    3. Squeeze the tulsi leaves and save this liquid.
    4. Add the lemon juice and cardamom powder into the Tulsi water.
    5. Add cane syrup mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour so flavors can develop.

    Tomato-Malabar Spinach Quiche

    Ingredients:

    • 10-inch pie crust
    • 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced, gently squeezed, and drained for 10 minutes
    • 1/2 C chopped malabar spinach leaves
    • 1/2 C chopped Tulsi or Italian basil
    • 2 tbsp minced scallions
    • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 C milk or soy milk
    • 6 large eggs, beaten
    • 4 oz. shredded cheese of your choice

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Pat crust into pie plate. Flute edges and chill while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
    3. Mix eggs, milk and 1/2 cheese. Salt & pepper to taste.
    4. Remove crust from the refrigerator. Place tomatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the crust.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.  Layer minced scallions on top of the tomatoes and evenly distribute the minced garlic.  Top with spinach and 1/2 the basil.
    5. Pour egg mixture evenly over the vegetable layers. Layer with remaining basil and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
    6. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes until set.

  • CSA Summer 2022- Week 8

    This week, your colorful bounty will include the following-

    From Frog Song

    • Tulsi “Holy Basil”- Frog Song
    • Mississippi Peas-Frog Song
    • Malabar Spinach-Frog Song

    From our Partner Producers

    • Carrots- Clem’s Organic Garden
    • Sweet Corn- Watsonia Organics
    • Red Butter Lettuce-Organic Aqua Fresh
    • Cherry Tomatoes- Watsonia Organics
    • Seedless Watermelon- New Sprout Organic Farm

    This week’s CSA includes the power house Tulsi, aka the “queen of the herbs”. Across India, Tulsi has been revered for thousands of years as a sacred herb, and for good reason. As an adaptogen, Tulsi is know to simultaneously increase stamina and energy while helping with mood and relaxation. According to a conclusion of an article looking at various studies on National Institute of Health website : “The finding that the reviewed studies reported favorable clinical effects across these domains suggests that Tulsi may indeed be an effective adaptogen that has a role in helping to address the psychological, physiological, immunological, and metabolic stresses of modern living.” Wow, what an herb indeed! Enjoy a few of these recipes, that include Tulsi, to jump start your day.

    Tulsi Chai- adapted from Simple Indian Recipes

    Ingredients
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 1 1/2 cup Water
    • 1 tea bag-black or green or 2 tsp tea leaves
    • 10 Tulsi leaves
    • 1/2 inch piece of Ginger or Turmeric (or 1/4 of both)
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    Directions
    • Crush the Tulsi Leaves with ginger/turmeric with a mortar and pestle (coffee grinder works as well)
    • Add water to a pot and bring Tulsi mixture to a boil over medium hear. Add tea. Boil for 2 minutes.
    • Add milk and sugar, allow to boil and then reduce to a simmer.
    • When tea is to desired color, remove from heat.
    • Strain liquid and Enjoy!

    Tulsi Watermelon Sorbet

    Ingredients
    • Approx. 3 cups of diced watermelon
    • 5-10 Tulsi leaves and stems
    • 1 cup of water
    • 1/2 cup of sugar
    • 1/4 cup of lemon juice
    • dash of salt
    • 1 tsp or pectin or gelatin OR 1tbsp of a hard liquor to help with freezing
    Directions
    • Bring water, sugar, to a low boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Smash Tulsi with your hands and add to the mixture. (If using pectin, add toward the end of the boil.) Remove from heat (if using gelatin, stir in at this point). Simmer on low for 5-10 min. Allow t cool completely and let the Tulsi infuse with the simple syrup. Add lemon juice once the mixture is cool.
    • Blend watermelon in a blender. Add the Tulsi syrup and dash of salt and continue to blend until smooth. If using a liquor such as vodka, do so at this stage.
    • WITH ICE CREAM MAKER- Add blended mixture to the maker and churn until desired consistency. Scoop out into a freezer safe container and store until ready to serve.
    • WITHOUT ICE CREAM MAKER- Pour mixture into a freezer safe container and freeze. Every 30 minutes, take out of freezer and blend again. Do this twice. Store in freezer until ready to serve.
    • Scoop into a dish and enjoy as a snack, light dessert, or as an excellent palate cleanser between meals!

    Carrot, Apple, and Corn Slaw- Sunset

    Ingredients
    • 2 cups of corn, cut off cob
    •  1/2 cup oil
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    •  1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    •  3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    •  1/2 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 English cucumber, coarsely shredded
    •  3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely shredded
    •  4 large carrots, coarsely shredded
    •  1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley

    Directions

    • Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add corn and cook until just tender if using fresh (about 2 minutes).
    • Whisk together oil, vinegar, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Squeeze excess liquid from cucumber, apples, and carrots with your hands and discard. Add vegetables, apples, and parsley to the bowl with dressing. Toss until well combined. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

    This meal would be a wonderful addition to BBQ ground pork! Our Pork and Cane Syrup can be ordered here.

    BBQ Ground Pork

    Ingredients
    • 1lb Ground Pork
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1/2 cup of bell pepper
    • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 1/4 cup of water
    • 1 cup of Ketchup
    • 1 1/2 tbsp Worchester Sauce
    • 2 tbsp of cane syrup
    • dash of cayenne pepper, to desired heat
    • fresh cracked pepper
    • small dash of nutmeg
    • salt to taste
    Directions
    • In a skillet, cook the ground pork, breaking it up, until cooked through. Remove from heat to a plate, reserving about a tablespoon of fat in the pan.
    • Add onion and pepper, and cook in fat until brown. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
    • Whisk together water, ketchup, Worchester, cane syrup, cayenne, and nutmeg in a dish.
    • Add pork back to pans with onions and peppers. Mix in “bbq” sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed. Salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve on-top of buns, with carrot and corn slaw. Enjoy!

    How to cook Purple Hull Peas – adapted from Smarty Pants Kitchen

    Shell and rinse – the hulls are not edible.

    Add them to a large stockpot. Recommended but optional: season with your choice of meat (bacon, ham hock, fatback, neckbones, ham, etc). Did you know we offer pastured pork?

    Stovetop: Fill pot with water or broth and bring to a rolling boil. Foam is normal, you can scoop off or leave as-is. Reduce heat to low and cook 45-60 minutes, keep covered with liquid and add more water if needed. Season with salt, pepper and a little garlic and/or onion powder.
    Crock Pot – 4-6 hours on low
    Instant Pot – 10-15 minutes, natural release