Fresh From Wellspring Charitable Gardens - September 26, 2024

Fresh this Week… Summer Squash, Eggplant, Cucumber Assortment, Sweet Peppers, Green & Purple Beans, Radishes, Cherry Tomatoes, Green Onions, Celery, Parsley, Chives, Basil, Oregano, & Melons

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

Eggplant Parmesan is a great way to use eggplant, but it is a multi-step process that becomes complicated and time consuming for a weeknight meal. I love the combination of flavors, so I’ve created this recipe to use the ingredients, but put them together in a sheet pan, baked in the oven, while you get to relax. Instead of frying, generously coat eggplant slices in olive oil and then toss with the seasoning and parmesan cheese to give it flavor. If you like, serve it with marinara sauce, or simply marinate fresh tomatoes in a bit of balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt for a fresh topping. The only key is to make sure the eggplant is fully cooked. It should be soft and translucent on the inside, when removing it from the oven.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

2 large or 4 medium sized eggplants

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil

* Preheat oven to 400 °F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the stem and slice the eggplant into ½ inch slices. In a large mixing bowl add the eggplant slices, drizzle with the olive oil to coat as evenly as possible. Add the salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the bowl and toss to coat.  Add the Parmesan cheese and dried Italian seasoning and lightly toss again.  In one layer, place the seasoned eggplant slices on the parchment-lined baking sheet.  Add any remaining herb-cheese mix to the top of each slice. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. Serve topped with the basil and marinara sauce, if desired.

Good News!

We are overjoyed, overwhelmed, grateful, and excited to announce the CDFA Farm to School Program has awarded KCMartin Farms a grant for our school mental health project: "Choosing Wholeness: Farmers & Educators Partnering to Nourish Student Health." We give thanks to our faithful friends, volunteers, staff, subscribers, and supporters for sowing, reaping, and growing with us since 2016. Your faithful support and encouragement empower our service of plantin’, pickin’, and packin’ farm fresh food for nourishing body and soul.

Gratefully and for GOD’s Glory,

Wellspring Charitable Gardens Crew

Vegetable Chips…

These chips are a great way to use our summer squash. If you have a mandoline slicer, it will come in handy, if not, just try to make the slices even. They might take longer to cook, but they will all cook at about the same time. Add in extra spices, like chili powder or curry powder, to your taste.

Summer Squash Chips

2-4 large zucchini or summer squash

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

* Slice the squash thin, about 1/8 inch. Place the slices in a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasonings and oil. Mix gently. Place the slices in a single layer in a dehydrator or in a low oven at 225° F for 1-2 hours until crisp. In a dehydrator set at 135° F . They will be ready to eat in about 8-10 hours.

Metaphors of Soil and Soul…

Blessing in Tears

by Cindi J Martin

The current political, economic, and social uncertainty makes many of us feel captive to malicious forces beyond our control.  Perhaps you can relate to the Psalmist who wrote, “Restore our captivity (our captive ones), O Lord, as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” The poignant prayer offers wise insight into how to grieve intense loss without losing hope. 

Uncertain times move us to pray for a return to stability, opportunity, and prosperity.  As we wait for restoration, the Psalmist declares that we must live with hope, despite our captivity and distress. We must keep moving here and there, carrying our bag of seeds and sowing, if we are to eventually reap a joyful harvest.  He also admits that tears are natural companions to such painful sowing, growing, and harvesting conditions.  Emotional integrity - being honest about our feelings with ourselves, God, and others - is vital to maintaining mental, spiritual, and interpersonal well-being during intense times of crisis and loss. If you are among those stoic people who fiercely hold back tears, perhaps research findings on the relationship between crying and stress reduction will give you courage to let your tears flow when you feel hurt or sad, mad or desperate.  Stress stimulates the brain’s production of Cortisol, the hormone that activates the body’s “fight, flight, or freeze” survival responses to a threat. People who “hold back” their tears, instead of “letting them flow,” DO NOT reap the stress relieving benefits of freely releasing tears. The studies show that crying LOWERS the brain’s production of Cortisol to regulate the body’s reaction to stress when facing a threat.

That is such wonderful confirmation for those of us who find comfort in crying!  If you aren’t acquainted with the blessing in tears, try “letting them go” instead of “holding them back.” The release will provide relief and freedom, and those precious energies you exerted to keep your emotions captive can now be redirected toward carrying your bag of seed and sowing in hope of an abundant harvest.

“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. Therefore, the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” Galatians 3:23-25