A word from Pete
This week those of you with a localvore or pantry share will receive what we believe is Vermont's first canola oil! We're really excited about the new oil business Full Sun- it's exactly the sort of local foods infrastructure that Vermont is leading the nation in building. While we love growing vegetables one of the most fun things we do at Pete's Greens is work with localvore producers who are pushing the limits and expanding our idea of what is possible in our little State. Full Sun is building a significant facility and may be looking for a few more investors. Get in touch with them if you'd like to be part of a cool new enterprise. Great job Full Sun, we can't wait for what you come up with next. Vermont can Feed Itself! ~ Pete
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Meet Tim Fishburne, our Sales Manager
Tim has been at Pete's Greens longer than any other employee (besides Pete of course) - 10 years. Tim started here while working on his bachelors degree at Sterling College. His focus was on biodiesel production and using recycled cooking oil in diesel engines. Pete wanted to find a more cost effective and environmentally responsible solution to heating greenhouses so he got a USDA grant to get Tim a 10 week internship where he converted tractors and greenhouse heaters to be able to use "grease” on the farm. Tim been here ever since.
What's your position? My title is Sales Manager so I mostly do our wholesale sales but I also do quality control, crew management, and distribution of food to both our wholesale customers as well as our CSA.
What's your background? For many years I worked for Fresh Fields, a small chain of organic health food stores. There I learned about the importance of organics, local and minimal processing of food. This changed the way I thought about food and it’s relationship to me.
Why do you like farming and working at Pete's Greens? People need to eat. Healthy food is a tangible, real thing that we all need to get back to. Food is at my core and I love having access to all the amazing food that we grow.
This job requires constant re-invention and growth both personally and professionally. This job has helped my life in a bigger way than just providing a paycheck. It has also changed the whole scope in how I operate and live, all in a really good way.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I restore vintage Volkswagens, Porsches, and Toyota trucks as well as greening up old homes. I also love to eat and prepare amazing food.
What's your favorite vegetable? I love everything that we grow here but my favorites are tomatoes and brussel sprouts.
Thanks Tim!
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Changes to Your Delivery?
If you will be away some upcoming week, and need to make changes to your share delivery, let us know at least 1 week before the change. You can have your share donated to the Food Pantry, or you can skip your share delivery and you will retain a credit on your account toward the purchase of your next share.
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Storage and Use Tips
This week's shoots mix is a mix of our sunflower, radish, and pea shoots. These shoots make a hearty salad or are wonderful added to a sandwich or as a garnish. They're also great mixed with shredded cabbage for a sweet and spicy winter salad.
This week's potatoes are Red Norlands. They have a red outer skin and crisp white flesh inside. They are commonly sold in the summertime as "new" potatoes but store quite well too. The best way to cook a Red Norland is to boil, steam or roast them. They make a great red potato salad with skin on, or toss with olive oil, garlic and herbs or go for it and smother them with just some good old butter, salt and pepper.
The large share is getting some red beets this week. These are beautiful dark red beets that will stain your hands as you prepare them as well as tint everything pink if you're combining with other veggies or grains. The beets may be eaten cooked or raw. Grated beets make a fabulous addition to salads and slaws. Grate some early in the week and place them in a tupperware and then sprinkle them into salads all week. Roasted beets are extra delicious, roasting carmelizes the sugar in the beets. Cube beets and roast them in the oven with a drizzle of oil at 400F until they are tender and just browning at the edges. If you don't eat them all right away, cool and toss into a container and add these to salads.
We didn't have much luck with sweet potatoes last year so the sweet potatoes are coming to you from Juniper Hill Farm in Wadhams, NY. They aren't certified organic but are grown using organic practices. These are sweet and delicious. Roast them, either whole or cut into wedges or pieces, in a 400F oven until they are soft and easily pierced with a fork. Store in a dark, dry, cool (55 degree) place, in a loose plastic bag or open to the air. Stored this way, they may keep up to 3 weeks. Do not refrigerate, as cold temperature alters the flavor of the potatoes.
With their deep purple outer skin and reddish flesh, red onions are really the odd-guys out in the onion family. They are fairly similar to yellow onions in flavor, though their layers are slightly less tender and meaty. Red onions are most often used in salads, salsas, and other raw preparations for their color and relatively mild flavor. The lovely red color becomes washed out during cooking. If you find their flavor too astringent for eating raw, try soaking them in water before serving. They can be stored for several weeks in a cool, dark pantry or cupboard.
This week we're sending out our colesaw mix. This mix is made with Arrowhead cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. Arrowhead is an especially tender, beautiful green cabbage that you wouldn't typically see in our shares until later in the spring. The mix is coming to you ready to use so throw together some dressing, mix it up, and enjoy a fresh coleslaw! See below for a few slaw variations. Kathleen, our kitchen guru, wanted to pass along a coleslaw tip to you all - add poppy seeds to your coleslaw dressing. It doesn't add much flavor but it adds some great color and texture to your slaw.
Frozen spinach is great for casseroles, lasagnas, quiches etc. Thaw it, squeeze out the excess liquid and add it in. Or let it thaw on counter til it softens up enough to saw with a knife, and saw off section to use a lesser amount in a dish. You can put the remainder back in freezer. This is really great in pasta or even added to smoothies.
Large share members will also get a package of frozen eggplant. This would be great added to soups or stews, or thawed out and made into baba ganoush.
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Localvore Lore
This is a special week for our Localvore/pantry share as we're sending out Full Sun Canola oil for the first time. This is the first chance that we've had in VT to buy VT grown and pressed canola oil that is certified GMO free. This oil is a fresh and delicious craft oil to use every day for cooking, sauteeing, in marinades or dressings.
Please pick up an informational card at your site for further information on this new company. From Netaka and David at Full Sun:
Hi There. We’re a new addition to your Pete’s Greens CSA food basket and we were invited to introduce ourselves. We’re Full Sun Company and we’re among Vermont’s new breed of oilmen; the culinary kind of oil that grows under the summer sun, turning fields to gold, the kind of oil that makes salads and stir-fry’s taste so delicious. From our Vermont mill we have begun producing specialty oils from organic or non-gmo sunflower and canola, with flaxseed, hempseed, soybeans, and more on the way. And we’re pleased this month to be able to offer many of you the fresh taste of unrefined, cold-pressed, chemical free, sun-ripened canola in a bottle.
We started Full Sun Company® to bring you fresh and delicious craft oils to use every day for cooking, sautéing, marinades & dressings. Our mill also produces a meal byproduct, which is used as an organic soil nutrient or protein rich animal feed. Even some of our used cooking oils are converted to biodiesel that returns, full circle, as renewable fuel to the farms growing crops for Full Sun.
We’re supporting local food systems and helping family farms grow ~ purchasing only organic and non-gmo oil crops from Vermont and throughout the Northeast region, and delivering affordable, high energy foods, animal feed and sustainable ag solutions.
We’re Vermont’s new oil guys, and we really thank Pete, Amy and Tim and all the folks at Pete’s Greens who have helped us get our product to your kitchen table. Please let them (or us) know how you like our oils, or how we can improve in the future. You can also find out more about what’s pressing at Full Sun by visiting our website; www.fullsuncompany.com.
Thank you and enjoy! -- Netaka and David, East Middlebury, Vermont
A picture of a VT grown canola field in Alburgh
Pete's Kimchi is a wonderfully spicy kimchi that we collaborated on with Michelle Guenard. We used our vegetables and her recipe (thanks Michelle!). It was really fun to work with her on this. Her kimchi has received rave reviews so we are excited to have the opportunity to bring it to you. This spicy condiment is a real treat and is extremely healthy for you. It's loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but most importantly has "healthy bacteria" in it that aid in digestion. It's one of the world's healthiest foods! This kimchi was made with our own Organic Napa Cabbage, Carrots, Onion, Daikon Radish, Water, Red Chile Pepper Flakes, Rice Flour, Sugar, Garlic and Ginger Root. The non-vegetarian version also includes Fish Sauce made with anchovies, salt, and sugar.
What to do with your kimchi? Eat it as a banchan as some Koreans do (serve a little bowl of it with every meal), stir it into rice or eggs, fry it into kimchi pancakes, or include on a grilled cheese sandwich (my favorite way to eat it).
**Please be careful selecting your kimchi! We leave enough veggie kimchi at sites for Vegetarian Localvore and Vegetarian Pantry Members. All others should select non-vegetarian Kimchi. Both kimchis are clearly marked on the lids. If you aren't certain of your share type, please check the names list when you check off at your site.
We also have Tangletown Farm eggs for you this week. All of their animals are 100% free of hormones and antibiotics. Their birds love being outside, roaming, pecking, finding things to cluck about. The eggs are rich and delicious. You can expect to see eggs every third week in the spring share. Enjoy!
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Recipes
Kimchi Ramen
This recipe is a great way to incorporate kimchi into your diet.
2 cups ramen or soba noodles
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 poached egg
2 cups quick broth
4 cups water
1 onion
1/2 apple, sliced
3 lemon slices
1/4 cup sliced shallots
5 garlic cloves
1″ nub ginger
1/2 cup kimchi
3 tbsp miso paste
For the broth, mix together all ingredients (save for the miso) and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix in miso after 30 minutes and remove from heat. While the broth simmers, cook the noodles, slice the green onions, and poach an egg with your method of preference.
Combine Noodles, 1 heaping cup of kimchi, 1/2 cup green onions and pour over 2 cups of broth and top with egg.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
This is my favorite way to eat sweet potatoes. Feel free to mix up the spices to change the flavor. Cajun works really well as well as just plain old salt and pepper.
Vegetable oil for parchment
2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds) skins on, scrubbed and cut into 4-inch sticks, each 1/2 inch thick
1 tbsp olive or canola oil
Mediterranean Spice
Preheat oven to 450 degrees with racks in the upper and middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and rub with oil.
Mix potatoes, spices ,and oil in a bowl; stir to cover. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes, then flip pieces over with a spatula. Rotate baking sheets from front to back and from one rack to the other. Bake until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Roasted Beets with a Horseradish Vinaigrette
Here's a great basic way to cook beets. I like to cook a bunch at once and keep them in the fridge to add to salads all week.
1lb Baby Beets
2 tbsp oil
salt & pepper
Toss beets with oil and salt and pepper. Place on a roasting pan and put in a 350 oven. Test the beets with the tip of a knife. When easily pierced, they are ready. Let cool for 15 minutes. Using a kitchen towel, rub the skins off. This is optional as I like to leave the skins on. And of course, this towel will be dedicated to beets the remainder of the season. Slice the beets and toss with the vinaigrette. Build a salad of Pete's greens and top with beets. Nuts and a mild cheese like Lazy Lady goat would be perfect accompaniment for this salad. The dressing from the beets should be enough for the greens as well.
Horseradish Vinaigrette
1/4 cup mild flavored oil (grape seed, olive, sunflower, canola)
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tablespoons grain mustard
.5 to 2 teaspoons horseradish***
***add a little, then try it, then add some more until it's to your liking!
Salt & pepper to taste
Shakshuka
I stumbled upon this recipe on one of the blogs I read regularly- Green Kitchen Stories. It's a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions and spiced with cumin. It's very forgiving so feel free to improvise with whatever veggies you have on hand. It's a budget friendly meal in that it takes care of the veggies you may have laying around and you probably won't need to run to the store to get anything if you've got just these basic ingredients: onion, garlic, basil, chili, 2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes and eggs.
2 tbsp olive, canola or coconut oil
1 yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper (optional)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
½ chili, or more to taste
1 package frozen spinach, thawed
1 large handful fresh basil or 1 tbsp dried basil
2 14 oz cans whole plum tomatoes
4-6 free-range eggs, depending on how many that can fit in your skillet
Finely chop onion, garlic and bell pepper. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat, add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, cumin and paprika and cook for another couple of minutes. Meanwhile place spinach and tomatoes in a food processor or blender and process until you reach the consistency of a finely chopped tomato sauce. Pour the tomato sauce mixture in the skillet and let cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Make small divots in the sauce for the eggs and carefully crack the eggs into them. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 more minutes, until the egg whites have set. Serve with a few leaves fresh basil and whole grain brown bread or pita.
Eggs and Greens
When I have fresh chard or other greens one of my favorite dishes is sauteed greens with some eggs thrown in. When faced with frozen chard I figured "what the heck? Let's try it with frozen chard." I am pleased to say it turned out great and I now have a great way to eat all my frozen greens. Serve this over a slice of toast with some cheese, if desired. Serves 2.
Coconut or olive oil
1 package frozen spinach, thawed
2 eggs
Salt and pepper as desired
Heat up the pan and add oil. Add in the greens, sprinke with salt and pepper, and saute until heated through. Push greens to the side and crack eggs into the middle; cook eggs until done. Salt and pepper as desired.
Coleslaw
Any one of these recipes can be tripled and saved for future use. Best to store the remainder in a Ziploc container or ball jar.
Asian Coleslaw Dressing
1 bag Pete’s slaw mix
1 onion or 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ cup tamari
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. sesame seeds, optional
Place all ingredients in large bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Add slaw mix, onion and Napa cabbage and toss until well coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. This slaw is best served within 15 minutes of making.
Apple Coleslaw
1 bag Pete’s slaw Mix
2 apples, small dice
2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. mustard seed (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Add apples and slaw mix and toss.
New York Style Creamy Dressing
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
3 tbsp. dry mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large bowl, whisk ingredients together. Add slaw mix and toss well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Roasted Potatoes
What could be better than locally grown taters with local oil?
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, halved and quartered
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes, oil, and rosemary on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread out potatoes in a single layer; season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring once halfway through cooking, until potatoes are golden brown and crisp outside and tender inside, about 30 minutes.
Lemon-mustard vinaigrette
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard (e.g. Grey Poupon)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons canola oil
Option 1: combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.
Option 2: Combine the lemon juice, mustard and salt in a bowl. Drizzle in the oil while whisking continuosly. Taste and adjust the salt, and add more lemon juice or olive oil to achieve a pleasing balance of acidity.
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