CSA 2013 Week 9

Week 9 Bounty

Broccoli
Green beans
Tomatoes (2 lbs.)
H19 Little Leaf Cucumber
Radishes
Shuyho Long Japanese Cucumber
Zucchini or yellow summer squash
Ice box melon
Purple Italian Onion Bunch

Meal #1 (onion, basil)

Another wonderful meal with friends. They shared a delightful kale salad (with lemon and anchovies) that my three year old devoured with as much gusto as she does kale chips.  

Salmon Risotto

9 ounces salmon, skinned and cubed
1 pint chicken stock
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
8 ounces risotto rice or 8 ounces arborio rice
1/4 pint white wine
1/4 cup fresh basil (or to taste)

1 Tbsp butter
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
Heat the stock in a pan and simmer gently. In another pan heat the oil and butter, add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, until soft. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes or until the rice is transparent. Stir in a ladle-full of the hot stock, and a little wine. When all the liquid is absorbed, add a further ladle-full of stock and wine. Continue adding the stock and wine, until the rice is cooked and has a creamy consistency. Add the salmon, basil, butter and Parmesan. Season well and serve. * Recipe adapted from food.com.

Sauteed Green Beans

2 cups green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and ground black pepper
In a skillet, saute the green beans in butter until tender-crisp. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste

Meal #2 (mushrooms, zucchini)

Steak and Mushrooms
Sirloin steak on the grill with sauteed mushrooms.

Zucchini chips
¼ cup finely chopped almonds (I used pre-ground almonds)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2½ cups zucchini slices (about ¼” thick)
1 tablespoon shredded parmesan
Cooking Spray
Preheat over 425º. I used sliced almonds to begin with. I then put it in a mini food processor and ground it up until it was very fine. Not quite the consistency of flour, more coarse than that.
Combine the almonds, parmesan, salt, garlic powder and pepper into a shallow dish and mix together thoroughly. In another shallow dish place the milk. Dip the zucchini slices into the milk and then dredge into the almond mixture. Place coated slices onto a oven proof wire rack that is coated with cooking spray and also place a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan underneath to catch any falling material. Sprinkle shredded parmesan evenly among the slices and then place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. * Recipe from ravienomnoms.com

Meal #3 (radish greens, garlic, tomato)

"Grilled" Turkey on Naan

We steamed the radish greens and pureed them.  Then we added tomatoes, garlic and a few dried spices we have hanging around from previous weeks and added them to the food processor.  We used some near expiration turkey cold cuts, chopped them, and grilled them in a frying pan.   Mixed the turkey with greens sauce and served it atop the toasted naan.  A delicious, quick meal!

Other (tomatoes, cucumbers, melon)

We have enjoyed the cucumber as chips & melon with our lunches.

Bruschetta Salsa

Tomatoes, seeds removed

Garlic

Basil

Olive oil

Put in food processor and serve with crackers, chips or toasted bread.

CSA 2013 Week 8

Week 8 Bounty:

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

H19 little leaf cucumber
Shuyho long cucumber
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Green beans
Bright lights chard
Radishes
Italian red onions
Broccoli

Meal # 1 (broccoli)

Oven Roasted Broccoli
1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the broccoli florets, stems and leaves into bite size pieces. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil and salt. Place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. 

Bigoli al'anatra

We had one container of frozen duck ragu left, so I added that to pasta for a quick meal.

Meal #2 (radishes, beets)
This was a really fun and yummy meal that everyone could enjoy!

Radish Omelettes

Eggs - 5 large
Red Onion (chopped finely)
Red Radishes (chopped finely) - small bunch
Coriander - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper (optional) - a pinch
Oil or butter - 1/2 tbsp
Crack eggs and beat them with a fork or a whisk for few minutes, until they look smooth and has slightly increased in volume. Add all the other ingredients and slowly mix them well. Heat your skillet or non-stick pan and heat the oil/butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the egg mixture and cover and cook for 2 minutes or until the omelette has slightly set and is not runny. (evenly space out the radishes and onions if you like) The omelette would have puffed up when you open the lid and then gently lift it and turn it to the other side and again cook for 1 minute. * Recipe adapted from manjuseatingdelights.blogspot.com.

Red Beet Pancakes

1 1/2 cup flour (used half white, half whole wheat)
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4+1/8 tsp salt
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 1/2 c buttermilk (use 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice in 1 1/2 cup and fill with milk)
3 Tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil (sometimes we use a butter/oil/flaxseed combo)

Roasted, pureed beets (about half of the bunch from our share)
1 tsp vanilla
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, clove, allspice, cinnamon and salt together into a mixing bowl. In a 2-cup glass measure or small bowl, beat the egg lightly. Whisk in the buttermilk, beets and melted butter or oil until well blended. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing only until the batter is evenly moistened; it will still contain small lumps. Grease your nonstick frying pan lightly with a paper towel moistened with vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat for about 1 minute. Ladle 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Spread out to 5 inches. Cook until golden brown on the bottom with tiny bubbles all over the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Shake the pan or slip a spatula underneath the flapjack to loosen it. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the flapjacks hot out of the pan with natural maple syrup. Makes about 10 pancakes. * Recipe adapted from A Man And His Pan

Sides (chard, green beans, cucumbers, onions)

Sauteed Chard
Enjoyed this with some leftovers.

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds Swiss chard
4 teaspoons melted butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
Directions
Rinse chard; separate stems from leaves. Cut stems into 2-inch pieces; cut leaves crosswise into 1-inch strips. To a saucepan add 2 teaspoons melted butter. Add stems to pan; saute about 5 minutes. Add leaves; cook another 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons butter and pepper. Mound in center of serving plate and drizzle with vinegar or lemon juice.

Sauteed Green Beans

While spending the weeked with extended family we shared our last two week's green beans.  No one had made them so simply and they were a hit.

2 cups green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and ground black pepper
In a skillet, saute the green beans in butter until tender-crisp. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. 

Benedictine Spread

This is a delicious spread that we created based on other recipes last year and it is really good with just about anything dipped in it, including other raw vegetables or crackers.

3 small/medium cucumber
Bunch of spring onions, quartered
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Slice cucumber in half lengthwise; remove seeds with a small spoon. Place cucumber in blender/food processor and pulse about 5 times, until cucumber is minced. Place onion in the blender/food processor, pulsing until it is finely chopped. To cucumber/onion mixture add cream cheese and stir well with a spatula. Add salt, cayenne, mayo and red wine vinegar. Spread on crackers or bread for sandwiches.

We still have tomatoes and squash left and plan to combine them with the Week 9 vegetables.

Extra: Jam

We have annually visited Jenehr Farm and harvested 20 pounds of strawberries for homemade jam.  Last year's weather made that impossible and also ruined the new crops for this year.  Fortunately 2013 has been more than kind to our mulberry trees and we have probably harvested over 30 pounds in the freezer.  I used 28 cups for this delicious low-sugar jam.

Mulberry/Strawberry Freezer Jam
32 cups berries (28 cups mulberry, 4 cups strawberry)
10 cups sugar
4 Tbsp lemon juice (juice of 4 lemons) or apple cider vinegar
2 cups pectin
Put the mulberries into a large non-reactive pot. Add the sugar and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. This long maceration reduces the cooking time later, resulting in a fruitier, more brightly flavored and colored jam. The mulberries will have released a lot of their juice during their maceration. Stir the macerated berries and their juice to liquefy any still-undissolved sugar. Stir in the pectin and the lemon juice or cider vinegar.  Place the pot with the mulberry mixture over high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until a rolling boil for two minutes. Ladle the jam into clean jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space between the surface of the jam and the rims of the jars. Wipe off the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel. Screw on the canning lids. Freeze.

CSA 2013 Week 6

Week 6 Bounty:

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

zucchini
radishes
cucumbers
patty-pan squash
green beans
snow peas
chard
mixed greens








Another fun week of experimentation. The Squash Bacon Pasta is a regular at our house. It was a favorite of mine in Italia and we recreate it often. Everything else was new. The Fruit and Veggie Shakes I happened to hear someone talking about them and thought why not try them. They were really wonderful and my kids look forward to more!
Meal 1 (zucchini, patty-pan squash)
Squash Bacon Pasta
1 pound pasta (we like whole wheat tagliolini with this dish)
4 ounces bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds zucchini, (about 2 large), diced
1/2 to 1 cup reserved pasta water
3/4 cup very loosely packed, finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper
Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water to al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside. In a large saute pan, add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Add the zucchini and cook until it starts to soften. Place the cooked pasta over low heat. Add the reserved pasta water, cooked bacon, zucchini and the grated cheese. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Meal 2 (green beans, onions)
Green Beans with Mushrooms
1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut in half
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry sherry
Directions
Simmer green beans in salted boiling water 5 minutes. Drain green beans and return skillet to moderate heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Add onions and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 3 to 5 minutes with onions, add green beans back to the pan. Heat green beans through and add sherry. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer green beans and mushrooms to a serving plate. * Recipe from Rachel Ray at foodnetwork.com.
Baked Chicken and Rice
1 cup long-grain rice
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnishing
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
Heat oven to 400° F.  In a large bowl, combine the rice, tomatoes and their juices, broth, orange juice, parsley, onion, garlic, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the red pepper (if using). Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Nestle the chicken pieces among the rice mixture. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand for 5 minutes. Spoon the rice and chicken into individual bowls. Sprinkle with additional parsley. * Recipe from realsimple.com

Meal 3 (chard, basil, tomato)
Naan Pizza with Prosciutto and Chard
Homemade Sauce: 
Chard, steamed
Garlic scapes
Seasoning salt
Tomato paste
Olive Oil
Sweet Red Wine
Basil 
Put the above ingredients in Ninja and blend.  Spread sauce on naan, top with mozzarella cheese and prosciutto.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  

Side (mixed greens)
Fruit & Veggie Shake
This is a new discovery and we've tried them a few times this week with much success.  They are different every time, but just as delicious.  I used a handful or two of mixed greens, lots of fruit (I've used anything we have on hand: watermelon, cantalope, pineapple, apricot, kiwi, mulberries).  I tossed in a few pureed veggie cubes from the freezer (beets, greens, etc.).  Add a little whole fruit juice and coconut water and blend. Occasionally I add yogurt.

Other: (radishes, zucchini, cucumber)
We just have radishes, one zucchini, some chard and a little bit of sliced cucumbers left.  We have been eating the cucumbers like chips and it is so refreshing on these hot days.  One of our children loves them and the other we are still trying different dips to get him interested. (The snowpeas were used with last week's snowpeas so the recipe is in Week 5.)

CSA Share Week 18

Three new dishes we attempted this week and they were all a great success!  The fagottini were something we have thought of attempting for years and we finally tried.  We learned of the pasta "cheat" in using wonton wrappers through a pumpkin ravioli recipe that we adore.  I'm sure to be making that recipe in the coming weeks.  The Pepper and Collard recipes I stumbled upon in my effort to find new, creative uses for these vegetables.

We have sweet potatoes, cabbage, and kohlrabi leftover.  I already have an excellent recipe to try tonight with kohlrabi and turnips, which I believe we will receive in our share today.

Week 18 Bounty:

Photo courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Sweet potatoes 
Tomatoes
Bright Lights Chard 
Zucchini
Cilantro
Cabbage
Bok choi
Kohlrabi
Peppers

Spicy Greens Mix 

Collards 

Meal #1: parsley, chard
Fagottini con pera e prosciutto

Pear and Prosciutto Pasta

We enjoyed this dish with a side of braised chard with butter. This is based on one that we remember from the Veneto region in Italia.  We attempted to find a recipe online to no avail.  We only found one recipe that used pear and prosciutto, but felt that it was nothing like the simple dish that we enjoyed.  So we worked off of that recipe and created our own.  It was delicious, maybe not exactly the fagottini of our memories but wonderful just the same.  

fagottini pasta

Package of wonton wrappers
Small bowl of water
1/2 cup (4 oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) pears, peeled, seeded and small-diced
1/2 cup (4 oz) prosciutto chunks, small-diced
1 tbsp. Italian parsley, minced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried orange peel
4 Tbsp butter
2 tsp sage
Combine the parsley black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and orange peel in a small container. Then combine ricotta, pears, prosciutto, and seasoning blend. Place wonton wrappers on clean surface and, one at a time, drop one tsp of prepared filling onto wonton. Use bowl of water to wet your finger and trace the outer edge of the wonton. Then purse the sides together into a small pasta "bag," or fagottini, as shown above. Boil pot of water and cook fagottini for 2-3 minutes. While waiting to boil, add butter to a frying pan. Cook butter until slightly browned. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer fagottini to the frying pan. Toss pasta gently with sage. Cook in pan as desired or serve immediately.

Meal #2: bell peppers, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, sage
I roasted all 15 or so red and green bell peppers that we had.  I used about one cup for this recipe and froze the rest into cubes for future use. It is a wonderful recipe that even the kids loved.
Roasted Red Pepper and Herb Pasta with Shrimp
2 red bell peppers
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 20 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside. Cook fettuccine according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Set aside; keep warm. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic to pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until the onion is tender, stirring frequently. Add shrimp to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and 1/4 cup lemon juice to the pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until the shrimp are done and half of the liquid has evaporated. Add chopped parsley and the next 5 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper) to the shrimp mixture. Remove pan from heat. Combine cooked fettuccine and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large bowl; toss well. Add shrimp mixture, tossing gently to coat. Top each serving with cheese. * Recipe from Gale Moody, Woodstock, Georgia, Cooking Light 

Oven Roasted Green Beans
1 1/2 pounds green beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Trim the ends of the green beans and add to a large bowl. Toss with the extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until lightly caramelized and crisp tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meal #3: collard greens, spicy greens, onion
Lentil and Green Collard Soup
I used the collard greens and spicy greens and made a double batch of this so that we had extra for the freezer.  I had cut down on the water as someone suggested, so it was a thick soup.  I also think this would be great atop some brown rice.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch collard greens - rinsed, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup lemon juice
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir in onion and salt; cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in lentils, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in water, then bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add collard greens, and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. When the lentils are tender, stir in the collard greens and season with cumin, cinnamon, and garlic; allow to simmer 10 more minutes. Stir in lemon juice before serving. * Recipe from Farah Momtaz at allrecipes.com

Other Uses: zucchini, cilantro, tomatoes, bok choi
Zucchini(Squash) Flaxseed Bread
We made this back in June/July and loved it so much we brought it back.  I made them into muffins this time.  Baked them at 350 for about 25 minutes.  
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, granulated sugar, and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Spread zucchini onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Press down firmly to remove excess liquid. Combine yogurt, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in zucchini. Add zucchini mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle batter with 3 tablespoons walnuts. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack. * Recipe from Cooking Light 

Cilantro, washed, chopped and put in freezer bags.  

Bok choi, washed, chopped and blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  Put in freezer bag.

Tomatoes were washed, stemmed and seeded and pureed.  Frozen into cubes.

CSA Share Week 16

Only a couple of repeat dishes this week in the pesto and cabbage soup.  The rest of the recipes were all new to us and they were all wonderful.  It is amazing that we seemed to have used a lot of vegetables, but somehow still have beets and turnips leftover.

Week 16 Bounty: 

Photo courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Endive
Cabbage
Tomatoes
Beets
Eggplant
Turnips
Bok Choi
Basil
Patty Pan Squash
Zucchini
Peppers

Meal #1: eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot pepper, onion, garlic, basil

We shared these at an appetizer party.  They we a big hit.  All my husband, Allen's, crazy creation.  He just threw together some vegetables and came up with something wonderful!

Vegetable Sauce

Olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
3 medium eggplants
Bag of tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
Red wine
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Italian seasoning
Chopped vegetables and cooked until very soft in a pan, added spices and pureed.

Meatballs
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground venison
Salt
1 egg
Whole wheat bread crumbs
1 onion, diced
Full recipe of Vegetable Sauce (divided)
Mixed all ingredients together with only 1/2 cup of Vegetable Sauce and formed into balls.  Baked on a sheet in oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Then warmed the above recipe of Vegetable Sauce and poured sauce over meatballs in a serving dish.

Meal #2: tomatoes, onions, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, cabbage

Stewed Tomatoes
6 to 8 ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons margarine
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 tablespoons sugar (more or less)
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepperCore tomatoes; place in boiling water for about 15 to 20 seconds, then into ice water to cool quickly; peel. Cut tomatoes in wedges. In Crock Pot, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle top with parsley, if desired. Serve as a side dish or freeze in portions for soups or other recipes. *Recipe from Diana Rattray at About.com

Healing Cabbage Soup

We didn't have any bouillon or enough broth, so I used 4 cups of broth and 12 cups of water. This made a thicker soup, which we may even like more than the original recipe.
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 quarts (24 cups) water
8 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
2 cup Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained and diced
2 cups quinoa
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in water, bouillon, salt, pepper and other spices. Bring to a boil, then stir in cabbage. Simmer until cabbage wilts, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and quinoa. Return to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 to 30 minutes, stirring often. Done when quinoa is tender but still chewy and white spiral-like threads appear around each grain. Serves 16. *Recipe adapted from JGCase at allrecipes.com

Meal #3: endive, bok choi, basil, garlic

Basil Walnut Pesto - frozen into cubes
2 cups packed basil leaves 
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more. Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta. Serve over pasta with bread and salad.* Recipe by dahlia at Food.com

Bacon Wrapped Chicken 

Pound chicken breasts flat.  Spread about 2 Tablespoons of Basil Walnut Pesto.  Roll chicken breasts and wrap with bacon.  Hold together using toothpick.  Grill until cooked thoroughly.  

Grilled Polenta

Until recently we had only found tubes of pre-made polenta in the refridgerated section.  Slicing them for grilling never worked out quite like we hoped.  But then we found Polenta Valsugana.  This is much more like what we were accustomed to in Northern Italy.  We cut it into 1/2 inch slices and grill.  Then drizzle with olive oil and salt.  

Braised Belgian Endive and Bok Choi
2 Tbsp. butter
10 to 12 Belgian endives
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup water (feel free to use chicken stock or white wine, if you like)
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
Melt the butter over medium low heat in a large, heavy frying pan, saute pan, or pot with a tight fitting lid. Meanwhile, trim and discard any browned bits on the ends of the endives and any bruised or browning exterior leaves. When the butter is melted, lay the endives in a single layer in the pan. Sprinkle them with the lemon juice and salt. Pour the water down along the side of the pan. If you want to cut the bitterness in the final dish, sprinkle the endives with the sugar.Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. You want a nice, tight fit with the lid. If steam is escaping, lay a piece of foil over the pan and then put on the lid. Let cook, undisturbed, until endives are very tender, about 30 minutes.* Recipe by Molly Watson at food.com


Meal #4: zucchini, squash, onion

Squash Fritters
2 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
Garlic salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400º. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Use a box grater to shred the zucchini. Place shredded zucchini in several layers of paper towels or in a tea towel and press out extra moisture.  After removing excess water, place zucchini shreds into a medium size mixing bowl. Add onions, corn meal, flour, thyme, parmesan and beaten egg. Add a sprinkle of garlic salt and fresh cracked black pepper to the mixture. Stir until well mixed. (Hands work best for mixing and forming the fritters!) Use your hands to form 8 fritters, placing each one individually on the prepared baking sheet. Fritters should be at least 2 inches apart and not touching. Drizzle ¼ teaspoon olive oil over the top of each fritter. Place pan in the in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Take pan out of the oven and flip fritters over with a spatula. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon olive oil over the top of each fritter and return plan to the oven.  Continue baking for 10 minutes or until fritters start to get crispy and slightly brown around the edges. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle fritters with garlic salt. Serve and enjoy! * Recipe from theundercovercook.com

Pan-fried Tilapia
Tilapia filets
Olive oil
Soy sauce

CSA Share Week 11

The CSA experience is perfect for our family.  We get great, healthy food options delivered weekly in a bag.  For me, it is a fun puzzle to try to make it all work and stretch it out over the next year as well.  We eat far better and more diverse foods than we did before starting this adventure.  Each year we learn more and have gotten better at planning ahead.  

When my husband, Allen, arrived home tonight with the week 12 share we still had broccoli, tomatoes, and green bell and hot peppers left.  I just finished making a batch of freezer spaghetti sauce combining week 11 and 12 bounty.  The recipe to be shared next week...

Greysen, our five year old veggie lover, assisted in making the spaghetti sauce this evening.  As I laid all of the cut vegetables out during preparation, he commented on how many colors there were.  "Red, orange, yellow, green, purple... Almost like a rainbow."    Thanks to our CSA from Scotch Hill Farm our "Rainbow Diet" keeps us healthy!

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 11 Bounty:
Sweet corn
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Eggplant
Chard
Summer Squash
Beets
Hot Peppers
Green Bell Peppers
Oregano/Basil









Meal #1: Summer squash, eggplant, zucchini, patty pan, peppers, onions, garlic

I used 2 Summer squash, 2 eggplant, 2 zucchini, 3 patty pan in the ratatouille.  I followed the recipe directions this time and it is quite lengthy, but the flavors are better.  When I made this last I threw it all in a slow cooker at one time.  That worked, but sauteing the vegetables really brings out some great flavors.  I also just used four tomatoes (not roma) from our share.  This recipe is really delicious served over whole wheat pasta.  It is a lot of work, but after eating some we still froze three more meals worth.

Summer Vegetable Ratatouille
2 onions, sliced into thin rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, cubed
2 zucchini, cubed
2 medium yellow squash, cubed
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 chopped red bell pepper
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cans garbanzo beans
2 dashes of Creole spice
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic. Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf, vegetable broth, garbanzo beans and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning. Serve over cous cous, pasta, rice, savory crepes, etc. * Adapted from AllRecipes.com by Rani


Meal #2: Beet greens 
Beat greens washed, steamed and pureed, added salt and seasoning.  Enjoyed with pasta and hot dogs.  The kids ate this as if we hadn't fed them all week!

Other Uses: Oregano, basil, chard, beets, sweet corn

Oregano/basil - hanging to dry

Chard - washed, chopped and frozen

Beets - scrubbed, roasted in tinfoil at 400 degrees for nearly 1 hour, pureed, frozen

Sweet corn - boiled, cut from cob and frozen

CSA Share Week 9

Whew!  Finally got to posting this.  We were on vacation staying at a cabin in northern Wisconsin all last week.  We pre-planned what veggies to fix and freeze and what to take along.  Everything was delicious - mostly things we've done in years past.  We also had a very helpful friend pick up Week 10's share for us.  Now we've got to catch up on using those, too!

Week 9 Bounty:

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Broccoli
Bright Lights Chard
Red onions
Eggplant
Basil
Okra
Green Bell Peppers
Hot Pepper
Summer Squash
Tomatoes





Freezer Items: broccoli, tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, hot pepper, okra, basil, garlic 
The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (I used 4 tsp of hot pepper from share)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Serve. * Recipe from Allrecipes.com by Cheryl Dressler


Easy Indian Style Okra
Just added the new to last week's bag. See Week 8 for the recipe.

Basil Walnut Pesto
See Week 7 for the recipe.  I tried making it complete with parmesan, added a little water and it went into frozen cubes quite nicely.


Broccoli Puree
Steamed and pureed, adding a little water, and put in ice cube trays to use later in sauces.


Meal #1: chard
Chard Omelettes
Diced chard leaves and stems, separately.  With some olive oil in a pan, cooked the stems until softened, then added leaves.  Removed chard from pan.  Added chard and cheddar cheese to omelettes as we made them.  

Meal #2: eggplant, summer squash, zucchini
Grilled Burgers with buns
Grilled Veggie Skewers
Cubed eggplant, zucchini and squash. Tossed with olive oil and seasoning salt.  Stabbed the cubes onto skewers.  Grill until cooked - timing depends on the heat of your grill and size of cubes. 

Meal #3: patty pan squash
Grilled Sausages with buns
Pan-fried Patty Pan Squash
Diced squash and fried in pan with olive oil and seasoning salt (our favorite that we use all the time includes: salt, rosemary, garlic, sage, basil, juniper and black pepper).  

We actually ended up with plenty of leftovers from the veggie skewers and the pan-fried squash, so I put it in the Magic Bullet and we had a delicious pasta sauce for the next day.

Other Uses: dill
Dried dill by hanging it

CSA Share Week 8

We had a lot of hits this week.  The Benedictine Spread was scrumptious!  We shared it with friends and then froze the rest so we can enjoy it with family next week.  We would definitely use our cucumbers this way again.  The vegetable lasagna is always great and so easy to freeze and use again later.  

The Summer Squash Puffs, while not necessarily healthy due to frying, are quite delectable.  We tried the Easy Indian Style Okra last year and everyone enjoyed it.  The flavors are great and we had no problem with the texture of the okra.  

We have tomatoes and dill leftover.  I would like to find another dip or spread that would incorporate dill next week.  The tomatoes can likely be combined with Week 9's for a batch of salsa!

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 8 Bounty: 
Cabbage
Carrots
Summer Squash - Patty Pan and Magda
Zucchini
Long Cucumber
Short cucumber
Onions
Green Bell Peppers
Tomatoes (Jet Star, Juliet, Sun Gold)
Okra

Dill

Meal #1: cabbage, tomatoes

Black Bean Tacos
Can of black beans, seasoned for tacos
Shredded taco cheese
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
Black olives
One tomato, diced
Whole wheat tortillas
Drain liquid from beans and heat in stovetop pot.  Warm tortillas in microwave, add ingredients as you choose.

Meal #2: carrots, zucchini, patty pan squash

We like this to be more like true Italian style, better balance of pasta to sauce. With true Italian pasticcio the flavor of the pasta is just as prominent as the flavor of the sauce. The original recipe was one that has been passed around the family for years.  It was only supposed to be one frozen package of spinach, but a few years ago I began adding other veggies.  It also called for two jars of spaghetti sauce and I only use one.  My homemade spaghetti sauce is full of more vegetables, so this is a vegetable delight.

Pasticcio di Verdure (Vegetable Lasagna)
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1.5 c shredded mozzarella
1 egg, beaten
10 oz. or 1.25 c chopped spinach (I used puréed cubes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp nutmeg
15 oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I used homemade)
Small bunch of carrots
1 cup grated zucchini - liquid squeezed out and reserved
12-15 lasagna noodles (I prefer "rolled flat like homemade," or to make the pasta)
1 c water (I used zucchini and spinach juices)
In a large bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, spinach, spices, sauce, carrots, and zucchini. In a greased 13x9x2 pan, layer 1/2 cup of filling mixture, then three noodles. I usually do four to five layers depending on amount of sauce. Top with remaining filling mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Pour water (or vegetable juice) around edges and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. 

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
6 pattypan squash, stem and blossom removed
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring one inch of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the stem with little resistance. Drain, and slice off the top stem of the squash. Use a melon baller to carefully scoop out the centers of the squash. Reserve all of the bits of squash. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon to paper towels, and set aside. Saute onion in bacon drippings. Chop the reserved squash pieces, and saute them with the onion for one minute. Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the breadcrumbs. Crumble the bacon, and stir into the stuffing along with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff each squash to overflowing with the mixture, and place them in a baking dish. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash are heated through.

Other uses: cucumbers, onions, magda squash, zucchini

Benedictine Spread
3 small/medium cucumber
Bunch of spring onions, quartered
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Slice cucumber in half lengthwise; remove seeds with a small spoon. Place cucumber in blender/food processor and pulse about 5 times, until cucumber is minced. Place onion in the blender/food processor, pulsing until it is finely chopped. To cucumber/onion mixture add cream cheese and stir well with a spatula. Add salt, cayenne, mayo and red wine vinegar. Spread on crackers or bread for sandwiches.

Summer Squash Puffs
1 quart oil for frying
4 summer squash, cut into chunks.
1 medium onion, grated
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup dry corn muffin mix
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy skillet or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place the squash in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and mash. In a bowl, mix 2 cups squash*, onion, and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, corn muffin mix, baking powder, and salt. Thoroughly blend the squash mixture into the flour mixture. Drop the squash and flour mixture by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, and fry until evenly brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Easy Indian Style Okra (for the freezer)

1 pound sliced fresh okra (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste

1 medium onion, chopped 

3 Tablespoons oil

Place the sliced okra in a large ziploc bag, add cumin, ginger, coriander, garam masala, pepper and salt. Freeze.  When ready to eat, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Add frozen, spiced okra and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender. It may take longer depending on size of okra.  *Recipe adapted from CALIGAL76 at allrecipes.com

Green Bell Peppers

Diced and frozen for future use in chili

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
This was so good that I made a double batch and froze it in two freezer containers.  When we are on vacation I will take out the night before to thaw.  In the morning, they will be ready to cook fresh in muffin or bread pans.  Nice and easy breakfast!  I actually used only 1 cup of sugar per recipe - I prefer less sugar. The recipe can be found in Week 6: http://condividereunpasto.blogspot.com/2012/07/csa-share-week-6.html

CSA Share Week 6

This week has been a busy, busy baking week.  We are going camping and I wanted to have plenty of snacks and easy, healthy breakfast foods prepared.  We have yet to try the cupcakes or the final two breads.  I have made the BRANana bread many times before - it is excellent.  When we end up with a few overripe bananas, I throw this recipe together and freeze the bread.  It is perfect to pull out of the freezer the night before having company.  The Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread is fantastic!

Nearly every vegetable has been utilized this week, with the exception of a few Rosa Lunga onions.


Week 6 bounty:

Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Lettuce Mix
Zucchini
Cauliflower
Bright Lights Chard
Summer Squash - Magda
Rosa Lunga onions
Cucumbers - Shuyo Long and H-19 Little Leaf
Green Beans
Beets - Chioggia and Bulls Blood varieties




Meal #1: chard, cauliflower, garlic, spring onions
This is a good, simple dish that we have made before.  Even the kids eat it!  I really thought they would not like it between the chard and the salmon, but apparently if it is spiced (and salted) just right then they might love it, too.

Swiss Chard Salmon Pasta
4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced 
A few small onions, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil 
8 ounces whole wheat pasta, cooked1 lb swiss chard, sliced thinly, stems sliced and reserved 
2 grilled salmon filets or steaks 1 cup white wine or champagne 
An assortment of frozen pureed cubes from 2011 (I used a few salsa, root vegetable and greens) 
oregano or thyme and salt to taste
Saute garlic and onions and chard stems in oil over medium heat for about 1 minute until slightly cooked (but not browned), then add swiss chard and cook until wilted. Add the white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping the bits in the bottom of the pan. Let the alcohol cook off for a few minutes then other optional seasonings and salmon. Break up the salmon a bit in the sauce. 

Baked Cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower
Olive oil
Salt, pepper and seasoning to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets. In a bowl, toss to coat with olive oil and seasonings. Spread in even layer on jelly roll pan. Place in hot oven for about 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower.

Meal #2: green beans, pesto 2011
This recipe was a good find.  It is so easy and very tasty!  

Pesto and Green Bean Quinoa
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
3/4 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup basil pesto
Cover the quinoa with the water in a small saucepan. Stir in the green beans.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the water is just simmering. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has been absorbed. Stir in the pesto. * Recipe from savvyeat.com.

Meal #3: 2011 pureed beets and greens
This is one of the kids favorite meals to have for breakfast or dinner. Fun and healthy is always a wonderful thing!

Pink Buttermilk Flapjacks
1 1/2 cup flour (used half white, half whole wheat)
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4+1/8 tsp salt
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 1/2 c buttermilk (use 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice in 1 1/2 cup and fill with milk)
3 Tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil (sometimes we use a butter/oil/flaxseed combo)
6 cubes of pureed beets, thawed
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a mixing bowl. In a 2-cup glass measure or small bowl, beat the egg lightly. Whisk in the buttermilk, beets and melted butter or oil until well blended. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing only until the batter is evenly moistened; it will still contain small lumps. Grease your nonstick frying pan lightly with a paper towel moistened with vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat for about 1 minute. Ladle 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Spread out to 5 inches. Cook until golden brown on the bottom with tiny bubbles all over the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Shake the pan or slip a spatula underneath the flapjack to loosen it.  Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the flapjacks hot out of the pan. Makes about 4 pancakes.  * Recipe from A Man And His Pan

Green Eggs
8 eggs
milk
butter/oil
6 cubes of pureed greens
salt and pepper to taste
Thaw the greens and mix them with a fork with eggs, a little milk, a chunk of butter, and salt and pepper.   We scramble the eggs.

Baked Goods: beets, zucchini, squash, bananas
We have yet to try any of these other than the Double Chocolate Bread, which was delicious and devoured in a flash.  I am baking the other three recipes today, wrapping them in aluminum foil and freezing them overnight tonight.  They will be ready for birthday and breakfast on Saturday! 

Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes

Beet varieties(l-r): chioggia, cylindra, 

blankoma, and bull's blood **

3/​4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/​4 teaspoon salt
3/​4 cup beet puree
1/​3 cup canola oil

1 egg, room temperature
1/​4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350° F. Put 12 cupcake liners in muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, add in the oil, lemon juice, vanilla and egg to the pureed beets. Pour the beet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix just enough to combine. Fill each muffin cup 2/​3 full and bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely. * Recipe from cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com
Cream Cheese Frosting (for Red Velvet Cupcakes)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth. Put frosting in a pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes in thick swirls, using an open tip.  * Recipe from cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com

Summer squash varieties (l-r): 

zephyr, raven zucchini, 
magda, and patty pan **

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake/Bread
After grating this week's zucchinis I had 3 cups, so I made 1.5 times this recipe and I poured it into two bread pans.  I felt bread would be a better snack form for the kids.  I used my zucchini bread settings instead: 325 degrees for 50 minutes.  It is absolutely wonderful!  A great treat!
3/4 cup oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice in 1 cup measuring cup and fill with milk)
3 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and cloves
2 1/2 cups flour (used half white and half whole wheat flour)
small bag of chocolate or carob chips (used Ghiradelli dark chocolate)
Heat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.  Mix all ingredients and bake 30-35 minutes.  Makes 16 servings.  *Recipe in From Asparagus to Zucchini via Scotch Hill Farm.

BRANana Bread
3/4 c white flour
3/4 c wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/4 c ground flaxseed or flaxmeal
1 tsp each baking soda and baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 c mashed ripe bananas (about 3 regular sized)
3/4 c yogurt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c finely chopped walnuts
1/3 c dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan lightly with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, wheat bran, sugar, ground flax, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips, being careful not to overmix the batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until wooden skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on rack. Slice and serve or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Yield: Makes 1 large loaf, 16 slices.Tip: The bananas must be very, very ripe (sweet!) for this banana bread as there’s very little added sugar. Freeze your bananas as they become over ripe and you will always be ready to throw together a banana loaf! * Recipe from Taste of Home February/March 2010

Zucchini(Squash) Flaxseed Bread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, granulated sugar, and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Spread zucchini onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Press down firmly to remove excess liquid. Combine yogurt, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in zucchini. Add zucchini mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle batter with 3 tablespoons walnuts. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack. * Recipe from Cooking Light 

Other Uses: lettuce mix, greens, cucumbers
Lettuce Mix
The lettuce mix was made into a simple salad to enjoy with leftovers from last week. We just added sesame sticks (which tend to get the kids to eat more salad) and Newman's Own Balsamic Vinegar Oil dressing.

Beet and  Cauliflower Greens
These were steamed, pureed and frozen in ice cube form.  

Cucumbers
Sliced Cucumbers for lunch, usually enjoyed with some light dip.  The kids don't really like them very much.  I think they are a wonderful chip alternative, but I need to find something to make them more appealing to the young ones.

**Photos courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI.