New crops are beginning to be ready for harvest! The first of the broccoli, cucumbers, and zucchini are ready for harvest. This week, we plan on having a choice of a head of broccoli OR two zucchinis as one of your produce items, for both share sizes. The broccoli and zucchini will be out on the table in our basement, for each CSA member to choose. Each full share should also get a cucumber. This is just the very beginning of the harvest of these vegetables, so those quantities/ sizes will be smaller than in the future.
Week 5 of the CSA season includes, beginning in the bottom left of the photo (clockwise):
Turnips
Kale (full shares only)
Arugula
Lettuce heads in a variety of colors
Kohlrabi
Baby Bok Choy
Baby cut Lettuce (middle of photo, in wooden bowl)Sugar snap peas
Radishes
Cucumber (full shares only)
Sugar Snap Peas
Broccoli OR Zucchini
Here are some storage and using/ cooking instructions for each item. All of the items in the CSA week 5 box should be stored in the refrigerator. The lettuce and arugula and can be pre-washed, spun dry in a salad spinner and put in a plastic bag layered with some paper towels to absorb extra moisture. It is important that the greens are not stored wet.
Sugar Snap Peas: EAT FRESH!
Lettuce: One salad idea: top with sliced radishes, green onions, chopped hard-boiled egg, and crumbled bacon. Make Wilted lettuce (or try half lettuce/ half arugula for very tasty combination): Wilted Lettuce salad
Kale (full share only): a hearty green, can be used raw in salad or smoothies or cooked, with eggs, pasta and others. Here is recipe for a Kale Frittata that we have enjoyed! Here is a simple kale, beans and sausage skillet we have also enjoyed.
Baby Bok Choy: Here is a basic bok choy recipe with great instructions: Stir-fried Bok Choy. A family favorite is: Fried Rice with Bok Choy and Chicken and also this: Bok Choy in Garlic Sauce
Radishes: Store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Crisp radishes in ice water. Sliced radishes add great flavor to salads. You can just eat them straight with butter and a sprinkle of salt. There are many variations of radish salads, here are a couple: Radish and Mint Salad and Smitten Kitchen’s chopped salad. Here are several Radish Appetizer ideas.
Arugula: Salad green with a bite. Use fresh in salads. This is a favorite salad of ours: Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad. You can also sauté arugula in olive oil or butter with chopped garlic, just until arugula wilts. Try topping the sautéed arugula with sliced grilled chicken and a creamy sauce for a high-class meal! Can also be made into a savory soup like this Arugula Soup.
Kohlrabi: Kohlrabi is in the same family as cabbage, broccoli and kale. Both the leaves and the bulbous stem (the round part) are edible. The bulbous part can last for a couple weeks in the fridge, but the greens should be use within a couple days. Here is a link with recipes using the kohlrabi bulb and greens: Kohlrabi Recipes. We just made the kohlrabi patties tonight with our dinner.
Turnips: store the roots and leaves, separately in plastic bags in the fridge. To use turnips, first cut off the top and bottom of the turnip and, using a paring knife, slice and peel the skin off. The turnip is then ready to be cut into the desired sized pieces and cooked or eaten raw. Here is one tasty way to eat turnips:
Roasted turnips with Walnuts and Craisins
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Peel and wash turnips. Cut turnips into ½ inch squares and place on a baking sheet, add 1-2 Tablespoons oil (I used coconut oil) and mix thoroughly to coat the turnip pieces and add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 10 minutes and then stir or flip turnip pieces over, add a handful of walnuts and stir to coat with some oil and roast about 5 minutes and then add a handful of craisins to the pan and roast about 5 minutes or until turnips are just barely tender.
Meal Ideas:
Fried Rice with Bok Choy and Chicken and a bowl of Sugar Snap Peas
Grill hamburgers served with a wilted lettuce and arugula salad and a radish salad
Quiche and Arugula Soup
kale, beans and sausage skillet
Lettuce wraps and Kohlrabi patties
Looking ahead to next week we should continue to have lettuces, other greens and hopefully more cucumbers and zucchinis!
Eggs will be for sale on CSA pick-up days: $4/ dozen.
Not a member but jealous for all this great all-natural produce? We’ve still got some shares available. Join the CSA today and get in on the goodness!
