This Weeks Share Includes:
Strawberries – No need for much direction when it comes to enjoying strawberries, but with that hot Florida weather just around the corner you may want to start freezing those berries and enjoying them in your smoothies and popsicles. Three Ingredient Strawberry Popsicles.
Carrots- chopped, sliced, and diced -carrots can be enjoyed in many different forms. However, I find the easiest way to add them to salads is to shred them with a cheese grater. Try this delicious broccoli and carrot salad featuring golden raisins, apples, walnuts and a yogurt and honey dressing. I made it for a family gathering and i didn’t even have a chance to take home any leftovers, it was such a crowd pleaser (i went a little heavy on the carrots, but that’s what made it so good, so don’t be afraid).Broccoli apple salad with carrots.
Red Russian Kale- While kale is excellent in salads it is a little tough for some people in its raw form. Try sautéing the washed and trimmed leaves in a little butter or olive oil and garlic for a quick and tasty side dish. To make a more substantial dish, try adding bits of bacon, onion or spicy sausage.
Romaine Lettuce- Romaine is typically used in Caesar salads but is also delicious grilled. Simply cut in half, brush with a little olive oil and throw it on the grill. I like to add some crumbly cheese like blue cheese or feta, diced tomatoes, bacon and walnuts or candied pecans, and drizzle with a little balsamic vinaigrette.
English Peas- Once out of the protection of their cozy little pod, these light green garden peas make a fresh addition to any spring salad: Cabbage and Pea Salad and Garden Pea Salad -with hardboiled eggs, onion and pimiento are two of my favorites. Need Eggs? We’ve got plenty from happy, organically fed, free range chickens.. Try our Egg Share for $8/Doz.
Sweet Onion- All onions, sweet or not, contain an enzyme called Synthase. This tear-inducing enzyme converts the sulfoxide molecules (that are released when an onion is cut) into sulfenic acid. The sulfenic acid, in turn, rearranges itself into a chemical that floats in the air and stings our eyes. There are many tried and true theories on how to keep from crying when you cut an onion. Too many to list here, but a few honorable mentions include: Freeze the onion for 15 minutes before you cut it, cut the onion underwater, microwave the onion for 30 seconds, and my personal favorite holding a match between your two front teeth while you cut. Go ahead. Try them out, let me know what works best.
Fennel- Fennel is a flowering plant species that belongs to the carrot family. It is especially great in soups, pastas, salads and more. follow this simple step-by-step video showing you how to clean and prepare your Fennel.
Green Cabbage- I know, I know, not another cabbage…. I’ve heard it from a few of you, tired of the cabbage heads piling up in your refrigerator. Unfortunately, yet fortunately, cabbage is plentiful these days on our farm, and when you join a CSA you buy into the idea of eating seasonally. That being said, I tried to find some recipes that would tastefully combine some of the vegetables that may be patiently waiting in your fridge from a few shares past.