From the Garden this Week…

From the Garden this Week…

Parsnips, Kale, Fava Beans, Mixed Lettuce, Arugula, Broccoli or Bok Choi or Artichoke, Spring Onion, Cilantro, Thyme and Oranges

Coming Soon… Beets, Snap Peas and Cucumbers

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

This week I am feeling the transition between cool weather and warm weather vegetables. Most of our cruciferous vegetable fall plantings, that we started harvesting at the beginning of the year are finished. We just have a little bit of broccoli and one lucky cauliflower in the baskets. This will be the last of the kale too. We did plant a little at the first of this year, so depending on the weather, we should see a little more in a few weeks. I am desperately waiting for cucumbers and summer squash hopefully in just a few weeks too. For this week’s parsnips, I included a fritter recipe, with a tangy yogurt herb sauce.

Parsnip Fritters with Yogurt Herb Sauce

(Adapted from dishingupthedirt.com)

2 parsnips, peeled

1 russet potato, peeled

¼ cups minced spring onion

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ cup flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup oil, for frying

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 Tablespoons minced fresh herbs

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt + Pepper to taste

Prepare the yogurt sauce by combining all the ingredients and whisking until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Prepare the parsnips and potato by grating them on the large holes of a box grater OR use the largest shredder attachment on a food processor. Transfer the grated vegetables to a dishtowel and wring out any moister. Let veggies sit for 1-2 minutes and then wring them out once more. Transfer the grated veggies to a bowl. Add the minced onion, herbs, salt and flour. Toss until well combined. Stir in the egg and mix until everything is well incorporated. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spoon scoops of the mixture into the skillet, flattening gently with a spatula. Cook until golden brown and crisp. About 3-4 minutes per side. Serve fritters with garlic yogurt dip.

Please remember to return your purple bags, we are still disinfecting and reusing them as much as possible. If you have any questions about this please let us know.

Artichokes…

This week we have a few artichokes coming and will have a few more for the next week or two. The easiest way to cook them is to boil them for 15-20 minutes. Until when you pull one of the outer leaves it comes off easily.

Serve the artichoke whole and let everyone pull off the leaves at the table. Then dip the bottom end of the leaf into your favorite dressing. Ranch or a vinaigrette are both good for dipping, but a little salt and pepper will work too.

Fava Beans…

Fava beans are a bean from the Mediterranean region of the world. They need to be shucked like peas and then they also have a membrane around each bean. Depending on the size of the bean, you might or might not want or need to remove the membrane. This week is our first time harvesting them, and I recommend tossing them with other vegetables, in a rice bowl or on top of pasta. They do go well with some good Parmesan

cheese.

Spring Vegetable Sauté

1 tablespoons butter or oil

2-3 tablespoons minced onion

½ teaspoon salt

2-3 cups chopped spinach or Swiss chard leaves

1 handful of fava beans, shelled, outer skins removed if desired

2 tablespoons white wine or lemon juice

¼ cup fresh chopped herbs

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and add the onion and salt. Stir over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan, stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender about 6-8 minutes. Remove the lid, add the greens and fava beans. Turn the heat up to high, add the white wine, stirring until it has evaporated. Add the herbs and pepper, taste to see if it needs more salt, add if needed and serve over pasta, rice or your favorite cooked grain.

Metaphors of Soil and Soul . . . by Cindi J. Martin

We actually dug up these raspberry canes because there was no sign of life in them above ground. We found there was growth at the root level and so we reburied them and are now trying to wait patiently for them.

Elizabeth Elliott is quoted as having said, “Don’t dig up in doubt what you have planted in faith.” These are encouraging words in times such as this! When our hopes show little to no growth above ground, it is easy to begin to doubt and despair about activity underground. We can begin to feel as if we are being tried by fire. Both of these metaphors can encourage us to persevere. For example, did you know that the world-famous California Giant Sequoia Trees produce cones with seeds that actually require the presence of fire in order to germinate! Have you been feeling a little scorched in your life recently? Are there some plans that seem to have gone up in smoke? When you are planting seeds in your life, it is tempting to become discouraged and stop nurturing seeds that were planted with hope and faith when we don’t see growth. It is tempting to even dig them up to take a look at what is happening. But Master Gardeners tell me to not disturb the soil but wait patiently and continue to nurture what has been planted. I love what the Apostle Paul said about the soil of our souls in Romans 5:3-5 when we encounter obstacles in life.

"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."