Arugula

So we're onto week 13 of the CSA and you got another "green thing" in your box, now what?? This week we've included arugula, which might be new to many of you. It definitely has a unique flavor, but like many greens, it can be served cooked or raw. Don't be intimidated and give this aromatic, peppery-nutty flavored green a try! Here is one recipe to get you started:

Orange, Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad
Serves 4
Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/315359/orange-roasted-beet-and-arugula-salad#Arugula%20Recipes|/274753/arugula-recipes/@center/276955/seasonal-produce-recipe-guide|315359

Ingredients

1 large beet
2 navel oranges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1 bag of arugula
5 oz goat cheese

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Wrap beet tightly in aluminum foil, place on baking sheet and cook until tender, 45-50 minutes. When cool to handle, rub off skins using paper towel and cut into wedges.
2.  Meanwhile, prepare oranges: Slice off both ends of each with a paring knife. Cut away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut along membranes to release whole segments. Squeeze juice from membranes into another bowl, and add any accumulated juice from the segments.
3.  Add oil, vinegar, and mustard to orange juice, season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Toss in arugula to coat with dressing. Divide arugula among four plates, top with beet wedges, oranges and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Contributed by one of our CSA members; why not enjoy a sweet treat among all the vegetables!?

Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Temperature: 350 degrees

Pans: 2- 8x5x3

Bake time: One hour

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oil                                                            2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup margarine                                                4 tbsp cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups sugar                                                   1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs                                                                   1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla                                                          1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk                            2 cups zucchini unpeeled, grated, 

1 cup chocolate chips                                                       drained-squeezed dry

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation:

Cream together oil, margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in separate bowl. Add to liquid mixture and stir until moistened. Fold in zucchini. Pour batter into to large loaf pans, or four small pans. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts. Bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Zucchini and Tomato Bake

Use up that summer squash and zucchini!

Garlic Parmesan Zucchini and Tomato Bake

Source: http://ifoodreal.com/garlic-parmesan-zucchini-and-tomato-bake/

Serves six

Ingredients:

2 large or 2.5 lbs of zucchini, cut into quarters

10 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or 2 large tomatoes, diced

7 garlic cloves

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 tsp basil/thyme/oregano, dried

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup parsley or basil, finely chopped

cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 8x8 or 9x11 baking dish. Set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl, add all ingredients, except parsley/basil and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 25 minutes for crunchy zucchini or 35 minutes for well-cooked vegetables. Remove from oven and garnish with parsley/basil. 

Roasted Green Beans

A savory side dish for any meal!

Roasted Lemon Parmesan Green Beans

Source: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/roasted-lemon-parmesan-green-beans/

Serves four

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place beans on large baking sheet

2. Drizzle beans with olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Place pan in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove pan and sprinkle beans with parmesan cheese. Toss and return the pan to the oven. Cook for an additional 7 minutes or until beans are tender, but still crisp and cheese is melted. Serve immediately. 

Garlic Scape Pesto

Many different ingredient combinations; here's one simple recipe and one more complex.

Garlic Scape Pesto (Basic)

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/garlic-scape-pesto/

Makes 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 pound of garlic scapes, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

1 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Blend the garlic scapes, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper together in a food processor until smooth.

Garlic Scape Pesto 

Source: http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2014/07/garlic-scape-pesto.html

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup garlic scapes, cut into pieces
10 fresh basil leaves
¼ almonds (you could use pistachios, pine nuts or walnuts)
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Salt and white pepper, to taste, if desired
½ cup good quality olive oil

Preparation:

1. Combine the basil leaves, garlic scapes, and almonds in a food processor. Pulse until everything is broken up into small chunks.
2. Add the parmesan cheese, salt and white pepper. Pulse briefly.
3. Turn the food processor on and slowly add the olive oil until the pesto is the consistency you like.
4. Remove and transfer to an air tight container, pop in the fridge until needed.
5. Or just shove it all in your mouth immediately, whatever works for you.
6. You can use this over pasta, crostini, sandwiches or for dip for some great crackers. However you use it make lots because it will be gobbled up quickly.

White Bean and Kale Quesadillas

A light dinner and new use for kale!

Smashed White Bean and Kale Quesadillas with Creamy BBQ Dip

Source: http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/smashed-white-bean-kale-quesadillas/ 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper
4-5 leaves tuscan kale, stems removed and cut into thin strips
2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 whole wheat 10 inch tortillas
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Once hot, add the shallots, beans, salt & pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until the shallots are softened, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, mash with a fork or potato masher and set aside.
3. Place the tortillas in a microwave with a damp towel on top and microwave for about 20 seconds to soften.
4. Place one tortillas in the skillet, sprinkle the entire tortilla with cheese then spread the bean mixture on only one half of the tortilla. Top with half the kale, then sprinkle a bit more cheese on top of the kale. Fold the tortilla in half, press down and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.
5. Transfer the tortilla to a cutting board and cut into four pieces.
6. Repeat with the other tortilla and remaining ingredients.
7. To make the dip, combine the yogurt and BBQ sauce in a bowl and stir together.
8. Serve warm with the dip.

CSA Week 1

It's here! The start of our first CSA season! Hard to believe after all the planning, prepping and planting, that we are able to start sharing our harvest. This is Week 1 of the CSA and here is what to expect in the boxes (lots of greens!):

• Head lettuce

  

  Our romaine head lettuce

• Leaf lettuce
• Kale
• Swiss chard
• Cucumbers
• Radishes
• Herbs

As the season progresses, we will continue to update here on the blog and include recipes to help you decide what to do with all the beautiful produce. For this week, we'll focus on using some of the greens and radishes.

Recipe #1: Radish and Cucumber Salad

Source: http://natashaskitchen.com/2014/04/17/radish-and-cucumber-salad-recipe/

Prep time: 10 mins  Total time: 10 mins  Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 Large cucumber, thinly sliced

2 bunches of radishes, thinly sliced

1 bunch of scallions, chopped

3/4 cup of sour cream

3/4 tsp to 1 tsp salt, or to taste

Preparation:

1. In medium salad bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, sliced radishes and chopped scallions.

2. In a small bowl, mix sour cream and salt together.

3. Stir sour cream mixture into the salad just before serving. The longer it sits, the more liquid-like the dressing will become. 

Recipe #2: Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/skillet-gnocchi-with-chard--white-beans/

Total time: 30 mins  Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi, (see Tip)

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. 

3. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Lastly, the easiest and most delicious way to use up some of the greens is to make a smoothie! Adding greens to any smoothie boosts the nutrient content greatly, and the best part, you can't even taste them! Here's one to start you off and we recommend checking out the website: www.simplegreensmoothies.com

Recipe #3: Beginner's Luck Smoothie
Source: http://simplegreensmoothies.com/Recipes/beginners-luck

Ingredients:
2 cups of a leafy green, like kale or spinach
2 cups of water
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
2 bananas

Preparation:
Blend leafy green of choice and water until smooth. Next, add the remaining fruits and blend again. Enjoy!

Direct from Our Members: Why They Joined Our CSA!

In our previous post, Top Seven Reasons to Join Our CSA, we gave you our top reasons to join this season's CSA.  Now, it's time to hear directly from some of our members on why they joined! 

"I'm so looking forward to my fresh, healthy, locally grown veggies.  Since I no longer do my own garden, this is the next best thing." -Darinda

"This will be my first experience with a CSA. There is nothing like fresh, local, "home grown" veggies! I am happy for the opportunity to support a farm located in my summertime home town of Cheboygan.  My grandparents lived in Cheboygan, where my dad grew up. I remember my grandmother going to a local farm for fresh corn and eggs when we came to visit every summer when we were little." -Darcy 

"We live in a senior apartment building and are no longer able to have a garden.  We desire to eat food that is grown without all the pesticides and chemicals and eggs that come from chickens that aren't spending their life in a small cage and being injected with hormones and other things that are bad for our health. We've been wondering how we were going to be able to do this when we learned about CSA farms. Much to our amazement we discovered there were some in our area." -Rudy

"I joined the CSA program almost on a whim, it was in my Facebook newsfeed and it's something I have wanted to do for a while but didn't think this was available in Cheboygan. I love fresh vegetables, and am hoping that my share will have things I have never tried before!" - Jessica

"We joined the CSA as we have been eating better and focusing on "real food." We are excited to know exactly where our food is coming from and how it is farmed. And the prices are great!!" -Erin

"I think that knowing where and from whom food comes from is so valuable today. Joining the Harvest Thyme Farm CSA means that my three small children can benefit from knowing who grew the tomatoes on our table and raised the chickens for our eggs. And it is very fresh and exciting to have the opportunity to directly support talented members of this community in their agricultural successes right here at home." -Amber

"There is nothing better than homegrown fruits and vegetables. I loved the idea of being able to get them on a weekly basis and support my local community! I am beyond excited to have a CSA here in Cheboygan. " -Leslie

"I joined because I wanted to support a local business and be forced to try new things.  I am not the most adventurous cook, but when you give me things I wouldn't necessarily buy on my own, I'll have to figure something out! Also, I know it will be good quality." -Lisa

"We joined the CSA because we wanted to know where my produce is coming from and how it's grown. We participated in a CSA downstate and loved it. We were excited to see one here in Cheboygan." -Rick

"I decided to purchase a CSA share because I love fresh produce but don't have the time or room to garden. Getting to the farmers market every week in the summer in order to buy local has always been hit or miss for me. A CSA share will allow me to buy locally grown healthy produce and get it on a regular schedule every week without worrying I'll miss the good stuff at the market. I'm also excited to try produce we don't normally buy and eat a bigger variety of foods."  -Christine

"I joined your CSA, because I believe getting food from as close to the earth as possible is the best for body and soul." -Brianne 

It's great to see that our CSA is reaching such a broad range of people within our community!  Seems like everyone wants fresh, healthy, local produce and we're excited to be a part of the solution!

If you're considering joining our CSA or would like more information, please check out our website to reserve your share before we're sold out for the season!  

Top 7 Reasons to Join Our CSA!

1. Know the Source of Your Food

Ever wonder if the vendors at the farmers’ market are totally honest about their growing practices? Aside from always having direct access to us for any questions you may have, we offer our CSA members the opportunity visit the farm and tour the growing areas. So, when we say we grow 100% of the produce we sell and all of it is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, you can come out and see for yourself! Now that’s transparency!


2. Support your Local Food Economy

Becoming a CSA member means you’ve committed to supporting a local farm and keeping your food dollars in your community. This commitment ensures our farm a market for our products and, ultimately, our viability.


3. Access to Special Buys

Aside from the inherent discount within your CSA share, we also offer our members discounts on cut flower subscriptions, pastured eggs and farmers’ market purchases. We may also offer our CSA members discounted bulk purchases of crops, such as tomatoes, for canning or preserving.


4. Available on Any Budget

Many farms only offer a single CSA share size and require 100% down payment prior to the growing season. We have removed these obstacles so that purchasing a CSA share is available on nearly any budget. We offer two share sizes, each available for either 11 or 18 weeks and have three payment options that range from 100% down to four equal installments throughout the season.


5. More Variety

While some vendors at the farmers’ market grow only a select few crops, we grow a wide variety of produce based on what our members express an interest in, along with some unique crops for CSA members to try. Because our focus is on creating a community of members to support our farm over the long-term, we focus more on producing high-quality, exceptionally-flavored crops rather than higher-yielding, more profitable ones that often lack taste.


6. Save Time

Spend less time hunting for fresh produce and more time enjoying the summer with your family and friends. Your CSA share will be packaged with produce picked at its peak just hours before you arrive to pick it up and take it home to enjoy. We’ll provide you with recipe ideas to help you get the most out of the contents of your share, saving you time on meal planning.


7. Get Out and Have Fun!

Whether picking up your CSA share, touring the gardens or picking berries on the farm, you and your family will have plenty of opportunities to interact not only with us, but other members of our CSA. Throughout the year we may have volunteer opportunities or potlucks for you to join in on.

Click here to learn more and join our CSA today!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get a hold of us: info@harvestthymefarm.com