- Bok choy : Radiant Coconut BokChoy
- Spring Salad Mix
- Spinach: spinach pesto
- Garlic chives
- radishes
- green onions
- Broccoli: best stir fry (customizable)
- kale, red bor: 10 ways to cook kale, quick kale pasta
- kohlrabi: kohlrabi and Apple slaw
Herb share subscribers: basil, dill, parsley, oregano
It’s the first week of our summer CSA and we have a nice lush box to begin the season. Our summer CSA season is 14 weeks long and extends into late September. Depending on your share size and frequency, we strive to deliver a good abundance of the flavors of the season.
In each of the boxes, you can expect to find an allium (onion and/or garlic of some kind) and some greens. Not only can these items become staples of your cooking repertoire, but they are healthy items to be consuming on a regular basis. Another family of vegetables that sustains a regular appearance in your CSA share is the brassica family which includes vegetables such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, plus many more.
I’ve read about recommendations when eating for health to consume 3 cups of greens, 3 cups of brassicas/alliums/mushrooms, and 3 cups of colors each day. It’s a pretty simple way to think about diet and nutrition while focusing on consuming an abundance of color dense, nutrient rich vegetables and fruits each day. Regularly eating that volume of produce also reduces your hunger and need to fill with less nutritious foods. Here’s a link to a quick breakdown about the benefits found within each color of vegetable/fruit.
Kohlrabi is the alien looking round vegetable in the box this week. Many of you are familiar with this early summer item; some may need a little inspiration with it. You can eat it raw by peeling off the outer layer and slicing it up. Dip it in some hummus or veg dip and snack away. I also enjoy it grated into a slaw. I’ve attached one slaw recipe above that includes an apple for sweetness. I use my food processor with the grater blade to make this quick slaw. Be sure to still peel the outer skin before grating.
The bok choy is crisp and mild as well as large in size. I was tired of miniature Bok choy when I ordered seed this winter, and boy this variety is not petite. We have washed these heads, but I’d still wash the leaves and stems before cooking as the rain has splashed some dirt within the stalks. I’ve yet to try grilling the choy, but there are some recipes online that suggest trying it. The coconut milk base recipe above is easy and flavorful as well. Bok choy lends itself to a stir fry with ease. Try some of the crispy stems raw too as they have a nice crunch. Ashlan always seem to prefer his veggies raw, maybe some of your skeptical eaters will try it this way too.
Eat Well. Smile Often.
Your Farmer,
Heather