From the Garden this Week, November 18, 2021...

From the Garden this Week… Dino Kale, Bok Choy, Lettuce Head, Basil, Lettuce Greens, Daikon Radish, Green Onions, Cauliflower or Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, Celery Stalks, Parsley, Hachiya and Fuyu Persimmons, and Pink Lady Apples

Coming Soon… Swiss Chard & Brussel Sprouts

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

This week our broccoli and cauliflower are ready. When you get these vegetables, home don’t wash them until ready to cook. When you do cook them, use all the plant including the leaves. For the core or the stalk, eat this part too. Remove some of the outer skin that can be fibrous, then slice it and cook with the florets. I included a basic recipe to roast either one or both and even mix it together with our greens. These bitter vegetables are enhanced by a little bit of browning. I like to add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese when serving.

Roasted Broccoli

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 head of broccoli or cauliflower, cut into florets, about 4-5 cups

3-4 cups mixed radish greens or dino kale

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Squeeze of half a lemon or a sprinkle of white wine or cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place florets and chopped greens in a large bowl, drizzle on the olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss thoroughly. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, spritz with lemon juice or cider vinegar, serve right away.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We want to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Many hurting adults and children are benefiting right now from your “seed of subscription” through Wellspring Counseling Ministries. For every week that you receive a farm fresh order of produce, a family in our community receives counseling resources in their time of crisis. We are on the front lines of listening to the stories of people who are hurting and connecting them to professional counselors who share their faith and can help. Thank you and please spread the word so we can help even more people in a counseling crisis.

Simple Meals…

Vegetables can and should be easy to prepare. We are all short of time and I like to explore how easy I can make the preparation. Of course, with maximum flavor. I have been making this simple soup with our Bok choy and daikon, just boiling the vegetables in water and adding a small bit of miso paste for flavor and depth.

Simple Asian Bok Choy Soup

1/4 cup shredded daikon radish

4-6 leaves Bok choy, washed, leaves chopped,

white portion sliced thin

2 teaspoons ginger, finely diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoons salt

3 cups water

1 teaspoon miso paste or concentrated vegetable or

chicken broth paste

½ cup chopped meat or diced tofu

1 teaspoon soy sauce

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Lime wedges for serving.

Combine all the ingredients except the lime wedges in a soup pot. Bring to a boil and mix well. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the Bok choy is cooked. Serve right away with a squeeze for lime juice in each bowl.

Pondering Thanksgiving as a Word and Practicing Gratitude as an Action

by Cindi J Martin

Ever since I read the book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, the word “thanksgiving” has become richer with meaning for me. She tells us that the Greek word “eucharisteo” literally means “to give thanks.” In Luke 22:19 of the New Testament we read, “And He (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them (his disciples) …” (Luke 22:19 NIV). This scene is well known as the “Last Supper” depicted by Leonardo da Vinci in his famous painting. It was also the first communion and referred to by many Christians as the Eucharist, which is the Latin translation of the Greek word used by Jesus. Interestingly, the root word of eucharisteo is another Greek word, “charis”, meaning “grace”, but the word also holds its derivative, the Greek word “chara”, meaning “joy”. The idea that the giving of thanks breaks open the floodgates for God’s grace so that joy can overflow our hearts is powerful. Today, even social scientists are studying the impact of a person’s gratitude on their emotions. Some even claim that writing in a gratitude journal three times a week can increase happiness.

(For more information, see the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377- 389.)