Who says slaw is just for summer?

Kohlrabi, Turnips, Radishes.. Oh My!

As a born and bred southerner, I love coleslaw. It’s a staple at any summer family get together. But this beloved side doesn’t have to be reserved for warmer days! Winter Roots and greens give a fresh twist to slaw and keep it high on the go-to list when I need a quick side to share with friends and family. The best thing about this recipe is how easily adaptable it is to whatever you have on hand. Try adding Brussels sprouts to the mix for an even heartier slaw or jalepeno if you want to spice it up! I simply throw all of these ingredients in my food processor using my shredding blade and voila! A few minutes later and this dish is done!

Lindsey’s Winter Veggie Slaw:

• 2 large kohlrabi, stems trimmed off and grated (I love using the purple kohlrabi for the added pop of color and leave the peel on!)

• 1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded

• 1 medium hakurei turnip (sweet turnip), peeled and grated

• 1 medium watermelon radish, peeled and grated

• 2 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

• 1 medium red onion, grated

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoon cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey (add another tablespoon if you like it on the sweeter side)

• 2 teaspoon salt

• Pinch of fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

Mix all shredded and grated ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing onto the slaw and mix until all produce is evenly coated with dressing. Chill for several hours (or sneak a few bites for yourself right away!)

A Visit With Our Friends Lara and Kim

We had the pleasure of having our friends, Lara and Kim, out to the farm a couple of weekends ago for a visit. Lara is a scientist with a passion for photography and we were thrilled to have her capture our little farm. We were tempted to spend a day cleaning it all up to make it picture perfect, but we wanted an honest representation of what a working farm looks like as summer begins to set in (and it has set in a bit earlier than usual.) Below are a few of the moments she captured on the farm. To see more images from our visit and to check out her wonderful work, visit Lara’s website at www.larapereira.com.

Our work station and tool shed. We’re currently building shelving in the wash station using the old reclaimed boards in front of the shed.

This week’s lettuce bed awaiting harvest. Paul is discussing the challenges of growing lettuce in the south during summer and is sharing our upcoming trial for successful summer lettuce.

The last of this particular bed of red sunflowers

Market flowers

Our beloved tomato house. Paul is showing our method of trellising the vines as they grow. We have almost 3,00 square feet of tomato plants this year.

We thoroughly enjoyed catching up with our friends (and have now moved Vietnam to the top of our travel list after Lara and Kim shared stories from their honeymoon trip.) Thanks Lara for the beautiful photographs!

Farm life

Sprouting peas

Squash Blossom

Microgreens: Tiny plants full of nutrients

You’ve heard us talk about them before, but what are microgreens and why do we love them so much? Trust us when we say, they’re more than just a great garnish for a dish.

Microgreens are plants that are harvested at their earliest stage when the cotyledon leaves or one to two of their first true leaves appear depending upon variety.

When plants have reached this stage of development, they have all of the nutrients they need to grow into their full size if planted into soil, but none of those nutrients have been spent on growing yet. This means that there are more nutrients in their leaves at this stage than when they have grown to maturity. Researchers have found that many micros have 4 to 6 times as many nutrients as their mature plant counterparts with some microgreens having up to 40 times the nutritional content of their mature plant counterparts (we’re looking at you, radish micros!) They have also been found to be higher in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin E and and lutein which is great for eyes, skin and fighting cancer.

Beyond their health benefits and the ability to sneak in a lot of vitamins in a small amount of food, these little buddies are chock full of flavor! Our favorites right now are pea, radish and broccoli shoots. We are adding new varieties to our microgreen offering over the season so come visit us at market to sample our newest additions. We think you’ll be hooked. We know that we are!

Summer is here and that means so many delicious Squash, Zucchini and Tomatoes to enjoy!

Ya'll, it is hot in our fields right now and summer has only just begun. This is the time of year when we wake up extra early to get our work in before the heat of the day and reward ourselves with an afternoon dip in the pond before heading back out into the fields. 

With summer comes a flush of gorgeous summer crops: bell peppers, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, squash and zucchini to name a few. Our dinner table is so colorful every night as we mix up our recipes and put fresh, new spins on some old classics. Here are a few of our favorite ways to prepare some of our summer produce. 

1) Roasted Squash, Zucchini and Tomatoes

We skip the cheese in this recipe, but it would make a tasty addition for our dairy loving friends. 

Ingredients

• 2 small zucchini (1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 small yellow squash (1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 14 oz Flavorino or small Campari tomatoes , sliced into halves
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic , minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
• 1 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (2.4 oz) finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• Fresh or dried parsley , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning (if possible let rest 5 - 10 minutes to allow flavors to infuse into oil). Place zucchini, squash and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Pour olive oil mixture over top and gently toss with hands to evenly coat. 

3. Pour onto prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top of each. Roast in preheated oven 25 - 30 minutes until veggies are tender and Parmesan is golden brown. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve warm.

Recipe from: https://www.cookingclassy.com/roasted-garlic-parmesan-zucchini-squash-and-tomatoes/

2) Cucumber Tomato Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoon extra light olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 English cucumbers, cut into half coins
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, poppy seeds, mustard, garlic, salt, and onion powder in a large bowl. Whisk well until dressing is completely combined.
2. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion to the bowl. Toss to combine.
3. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES

1. If you would like to make this salad ahead, prepare the dressing in a mason jar and toss the salad with it the day you plan to serve it.

Recipe From: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2016/07/cucumber-tomato-salad-recipe.html

3) Crunchy Summer Veggie Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE SALAD:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa
• 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup peeled and chopped cucumber
• 1 cup peeled and sliced carrot
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup roughly chopped raw almonds

FOR THE DRESSING:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• pinch of pepper

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE SALAD:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, then return to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and let simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool for about 15 minutes.
2. To the bowl with the cooled quinoa, add the tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, green onion, basil, parsley and almonds. Toss to combine.

FOR THE DRESSING:

1. Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Pour into the bowl with the quinoa and toss again to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired (I usually add a bit more of both!)

Recipe From: https://cooknourishbliss.com/2018/05/22/crunchy-summer-veggie-quinoa-salad/