The beginning of summer is always great, especially at a farm. This year is no exception, the garden is filling up! As we wait on our last seeds to germinate for our summer vegetables we are enjoying the arrival of baby tomatoes and squash blooms. This is an exciting year for us because we expanded our garden by another acre, which allows us to grow even more varieties. This week we will be planting our winter squash varieties (Acorn, Spaghetti, butternut,delicata) that have sprung out of the soil this past week.
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| Squash blooms |
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Butterhead Lettuce
Potatoes
Kale
Swiss Chard
Cabbage
Parsley
Basil
Fennel
Fennel
Kale and Swiss Chard are both nutrient dense vegetables so, eat them up while you still can!
The way to get the most nutrients from your Kale is to eat it raw, I like to add 4-5 leaves (without stems) to my fruit smoothies. I am including an article that I found about the nutritional value of kale after the recipe section.
Try roasting the fennel with your potatoes. Coat the Fennel bulb (use the greens uncooked in a salad) with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour.
Recipes:
Recipes:
Basil Pesto
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. Place the basil in a food processor container fitted with a steel blade ( a blender will not work for this purpose). Cover and process until finely chopped. Empty into a medium bowl.
2. Place the pine nuts in the food processor container; cover and process until finely chopped. Empty into the bowl.
3. Stir in the oil, garlic, and salt
**I have 2 ways of preserving Basil for later use
1. For pesto use: I chop the basil in food processor then I add olive oil to the basil (Just as the recipe above). I pour the mixture into ice cube trays, freeze, then store the cubes in a freezer bag until ready for use.
2. I take the individual Basil leaves off the stems, place them flat on wax paper, in rows. Roll the paper up and put in a freezer bag and freeze. You can unroll the leaves as you need them, while keeping the others frozen.
Cauliflower And Pasta Bake With Crouton Topping
1.5 lb. cauliflower
2 Red onions
5 1/2 oz penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 3/4 oz butter
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 oz shredded basil
5 slices day old bread
1 3/4 oz butter, melted
Cut the cauliflower into florets and chop the onion. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Cook the pasta in a saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente . Drain. Steam the cauliflower until just tender. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft. Combine with the cauliflower.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Blend in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir through the basil and 1 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Add the cauliflower, pasta and onion to the sauce and mix thoroughly.
Spoon the cauliflower mix into a large ovenproof dish. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut the bread into large cubes. Toss the cubes in the melted butter and then scatter them over the cauliflower. mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden.
Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour
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| Cauliflower |
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| Basil |
**this is a labor intensive soup,but if you have the time it is definitely worth it!
Ribollita (Reboiled Italian Cabbage Soup)
Ingredients:
2 cups dry cannellini beans
4 cups water
3 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 large stalks celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped
1 bunch kale, trimmed and chopped 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread, lightly toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1/2 cup olive oil
Directions
Sort and rinse the beans before placing them in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 1/2 hours. Drain.
Place the beans, chicken broth, garlic, sage leaves, bay leaves, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Cool. Remove 1 cup of beans. Discard the bay leaves and sage leaves. Blend the remaining bean mixture with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until transparent, about 10 minutes. Combine the carrots, celery, potatoes, cabbage, Swiss chard, and kale with the onions. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and cook until greens have wilted, stirring at least once, about 20 minutes. Stir in the pureed bean mixture, and cook 40 minute until the mixture thickens. Stir in the reserved beans. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add the toasted bread slices; cook until bread is soaked, about 10 minutes longer. Cool, and refrigerate overnight.
Reheat the soup over low heat until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve each serving garnished with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Place the beans, chicken broth, garlic, sage leaves, bay leaves, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Cool. Remove 1 cup of beans. Discard the bay leaves and sage leaves. Blend the remaining bean mixture with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until transparent, about 10 minutes. Combine the carrots, celery, potatoes, cabbage, Swiss chard, and kale with the onions. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and cook until greens have wilted, stirring at least once, about 20 minutes. Stir in the pureed bean mixture, and cook 40 minute until the mixture thickens. Stir in the reserved beans. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add the toasted bread slices; cook until bread is soaked, about 10 minutes longer. Cool, and refrigerate overnight.
Reheat the soup over low heat until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve each serving garnished with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
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| Cabbage |
The Truth About Kale
Move over Popeye and make room for the "queen of greens," kale. Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable being recognized for its exceptional nutrient richness, health benefits, and delicious flavor.
Eating a variety of natural, unprocessed vegetables can do wonders for your health, but choosing super-nutritious kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits, including cancer protection and lowered cholesterol.
Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. A leafy green, kale is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.What makes kale so exceptional? Here is why it's a superstar vegetable -- and ways to work it into your diet.
Kale is a Nutritional PowerhouseOne cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.
Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.
Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.
Super-Rich in Vitamin KEating a diet rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K can reduce the overall risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vitamin K is abundant in kale but also found in parsley, spinach, collard greens, and animal products such as cheese.
Vitamin K is necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions, including normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity, and bone health.
But too much vitamin K can pose problems for some people. Anyone taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K may interfere with the drugs. Consult your doctor before adding kale to your diet.
Kale might be a powerhouse of nutrients but is also contains oxalates, naturally occurring substances that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Avoid eating calcium-rich foods like dairy at the same time as kale to prevent any problems.
In summer, vegetable choices abound. But during the cooler months, there are fewer in-season choices -- with the exception of kale and other dark, leafy greens that thrive in cooler weather.
To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color.
Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Easy Ways to Prepare KaleQuick cooking preserves kale's nutrients, texture, color, and flavor. Rinse kale, chop it finely, and add it soups, stews, stir-frys, salads, egg dishes, or casseroles. Or top pizzas with kale for added nutritional goodness. Steam kale for five minutes to make it more tender or eat it raw. You can also substitute it for spinach or collard greens in recipes.
Other fast and easy ways to prepare kale:
Braise chopped kale and apples, garnish with chopped walnuts, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Toss whole-grain pasta with chopped kale, pine nuts, feta cheese, and a little olive oil.
Cover and cook a pound of chopped kale with a few garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes; season with salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
Make kale chips by slicing kale into bite-size pieces, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees in the oven.
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| Dinosaur Kale |
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| Ivy in the green beans |
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| Winter Squash |
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| Bell Pepper bloom |
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| Potatoes |
