Welcome to March, and the last CSA share of the Winter season.
Depending on how you look at it, this week’s share can either symbolize the ending of a wonderfully warm winter, or the beginning of the beautiful spring season ahead. Either way we want to thank you for being a loyal member of our program and hope you continue throughout the spring and summer seasons, we have some great things ahead.
-Sign up for Spring Season CSA-
Or Email FrogSongCSA@Gmail.com
This week’s basket includes:
Green Cabbage- Ever thought of making Sauerkraut? Besides being tasty on top of a bratwurst, fermented sauerkraut contains a lot of the same healthy probiotics found in a bowl of yogurt. It’s the perfect time to give it a shot, there is plenty of room to personalize it and get creative. Click Here to learn everything you wanted to know about Sauerkraut, along with a guided tutorial and recipe. Have Fun.
Collard Greens- Don’t be overwhelmed by this large leafy green, it cooks down to a 1/4th of its size. I particularly favor the southern shortcut way of cooking these greens.. simply chop, boil, and season with a little bacon grease and salt you could even sprinkle a little green tabasco to give them a little heat.
Dill- Finely dice and add to any salad. I really enjoy mixing it in my chicken salad or on top of my deviled eggs. Try this recipe- Chicken Salad with Grapes and Dill.
Red Butter Lettuce- Sweet and oh so tender, perfect for a quick and simple tossed salad with a light vinaigrette.
Snow Peas- The snow pea is a legume, more specifically a variety of pea eaten whole in its pod while still unripe. It is great in stir-fry’s or as a snack dipped in some Homemade Tzatziki dip with Dill.
Easter Egg Radish- Not only are they a good source of vitamins A, C, Potassium and Zinc, their beautiful color palette adds an artistic colorful element to salads or on a crudite plate.
Spinach- This is a very special item on our farm. We don’t grow much of it because it requires colder weather to seed but we are lucky enough to include it in this week’s share so please enjoy it, there are so many uses for spinach- get creative.
And saving the best for last……Drumroll Please….
STRAWBERRIES!!! Ever wonder why they are called Strawberries?…..Because they are literally grown in straw! These beautifully red and oh so sweet strawberries are unique to our farm in that we actually grow them in the straw and pick them when they are just perfectly ripened by that Florida sunshine. Most conventional farms grow their strawberries in black plastic and pick them when they are green. We take extra special care in growing and harvesting these delicate berries, and we hope you will enjoy them all the more. For more information on our strawberries see the “Strawberry Season- No Spray” article located under the “Veggie Spotlight” tab.
There is nothing like a good strawberry and spinach salad to tell you spring has arrived…Get creative, if you want to try a little spin on the traditional strawberry spinach salad try one of my favorite recipes:
Featured Recipe from the Farm Kitchen-
Spinach Quinoa Strawberry Salad W/Balsamic Glaze
roughly 6 cups of fresh spinach
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup Quinoa- cooked and cooled
1 large handful of slivered almonds
For the Dressing, Mix:
3 tablespoons of balsamic reduction
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/8 teaspoon dijon
salt and pepper
Lightly sprinkle the quinoa on top of the spinach, spoon out the strawberries over the quinoa and sprinkle the almonds on top. Dress the salad just before serving.
*Because i can’t help my bacon obsession i occasionally sprinkle some bacon on top.. adds a sweet and salty element. Need some Pork?? Try our locally processed, pasture raised, pork shares. For more details on our Pork click HERE.