Good Eats Newsletter - October 22, 2014

Localvore Members  & Veggie Only Share Members take a TAN / LIGHT GREEN BAG This week your bag will contain: Mesclun; Beets; Carrots; Cilantro; Cauliflower; Kale; Kohlrabi; Onions And OUT of the bag: 2 Acorn Squash Localvore and any share with pantry items Include: Full Sun Company Canola Oil Pete's Kitchen Chimichurri Champlain Orchards Asian Pears Half Veggie Only Members take a YELLOW BAG containing: Mesclun; Carrots; Cilantro; Kale; Kohlrabi; Onions And OUT of the bag: 2 Acorn Squash

Fall/Winter Shares  Available We have a terrific harvest and are able to extend the offer of a Fall/Winter CSA share to more members this year. Please spread the word and tell friends and neighbors about Good Eats!  If you would be willing to post something to your front porch forum or other neighborhood email group to spread the word, please email me!  I'll send you a little blurb that you can use or edit.

Our Fall/Winter share is off to a great start! How did your first pick up go? We had a pretty good pick up across all sites with just a few snafus. I am hoping that instructions were clear and easy to follow.  Please let me know if you had any difficulties or have any questions.  Because so many are new this share and we have had new folks join us this week, I am posting the pick up instructions again below. We are so grateful to our hosts for giving us a place to deliver our food to you! They are very important to us and could use your support. If you pick up your share at a business please consider going inside and giving them your business. Or just go in and say hi! Regardless of where you pick up please be mindful of leaving the pick-up site clean and tidy for other members and the host. Thank you! ~Sara Share Pick-Up Instructions! Please review. Whether you are a seasoned CSA share member or new to Good Eats, it's important to review the pick-up instructions before you head out to pick up your share! Clipboard #1, Find your name on the Names List - Find your name on the pick-up list and check it off.  The first clipboard contains a list of all share members at your site. Note that only one name is listed for each share. If you can't find your name on the list, look for your share partner's name (only one of you is listed). Checking off your name lets us know who has picked up and is extremely helpful in solving any mysteries at the end of the day. If you can't find your name or your share partner's name, please don't take a share! Call or email us and we'll figure it out. Check your share type on the Names  List. Share types are Localvore, Localvore Vegetarian, Half Veggie with Pantry, Half Veggie with Pantry Vegetarian, Veggie Only, Half Veggie Only, Pete's Pantry, Pete's Pantry Vegetarian, or Meat Share. If you are listed incorrectly or have questions, let us know. Clipboard #2, Pick-Up Instructions - Select your items by following the Pick-Up Instructions. These are posted on the second clipboard. Follow the specific item list/instructions to assemble your share. The top section of the pick up list describes what to select for the vegetable portion of the  share. The bottom section of the Pick-Up Instructions lists the localvore (non-vegetable) items that Localvore and Pete's Pantry members should select. If you are sharing a share with someone - coordinate with your share-mate to make sure that you DON'T take double the amount of any items. All shares are packed and delivered to the sites are whole shares. Please note that the first Meat Share pick up is not this week, it is the first Wednesday (or Thursday for some sites) of every month starting November 5th and 6th. Which color bag do I take? If you are a Localvore or Veggie Only member take a tan / light green bag shown in the picture below at left. If you are a Half share member (with or without pantry) take a bright yellow bag shown below at the right.   What To Do If You Have a Problem at Pick Up Although we do our best to make sure that every delivery and pick-up goes smoothly, there are the occasional shortages and disappointments. Should you arrive at your pick-up site to find that your name (or share partner's name) is not on the list, one or more of your items are missing or that some of your produce is in unsatisfactory condition, please let us know right away! Our goal is 100% satisfaction. If you email us (or call if you can not email) as soon as you discover the problem, we may be able to resolve it the same day or the following day. If you would like to receive an item that you missed at pick-up, you must contact us by Friday morning. If we have not heard from anyone, by Thursday afternoon (for Wedensday deliveries) or Friday afternoon (for Thursday deliveries) our site hosts are instructed to donate leftover food, ensuring that they do not end up with bad food on their hands. If we can not resolve your issue right away, email us to arrange a replacement or substitution.  These will generally come in the next week's delivery. Picking Up Your Share Please review your confirmation email or visit our Delivery Site page for pick up times and locations of pick up sites. If you have any questions about your pick-up please email us. The quickest way to reach me is really by email, but you may leave a message on voice mail at 802.586.2882 x 2 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. Storage and Use Tips Mesclun - many weeks you will receive a bag of our mesclun.  Our mesclun mix is constantly changing, a reflection of the current season. As we move thru Fall the greens in your weekly baga are slowly becoming a more cold hardy blend with the inclusion of more baby brassicas week to week.  Store sealed bags in the fridge from 3-7 days. Gold beets have yellow skin and flesh.  They have a delicate flavor and their color doesn't run all over (like red beets) so they're a good choice for more decorous meals.  If roasting, you can package the beets up in foil packages, tossed with oil and salt, or just cut them up in like-sized pieces and roast them in a 400F oven for about 50-60 minutes, until a knife easily slips in and out of a piece.  Skin them once they are cool enough to handle.  Store beets loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. We are hearing over and over that this years orange carrots are over the top sweet and tasty.  All vegetables are great at reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease but carrots rate the highest at lowering your risk of it. Enjoy these carrots raw, chopped or shredded into a salad, steamed, added to a stir fry, or roasted. Acorn squash is a the classic old favorite green winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges and sweet, yellow-orange flesh.  It's a good source of dietary fiber and potassium, as well as smaller amounts of vitamins C and B, magnesium, and manganese.  It's excellent baked or roasted, steamed or stuffed with rice, meat, or vegetable mixtures. Cilantro is a member of the carrot family and related to parsley. It's the leaves and stems of the coriander plant (the seeds of the same plant are the spice known as coriander). Cilantro has a very pungent odor and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking. The leaves and stems can be chopped and added to salads, soups and sauces, and can garnish many meals. I toss cilantro into any Mexican dish I am making and many Asian dishes too.  If you can't use all your cilantro just yet and wish to save it for a future dish, you can freeze it. Wash and gently dry your cilantro with paper towels. Then either put sprigs loosely in a plastic bag and freeze them. Or lightly chop cilantro, measure by the tablespoon into ice trays, fill remaining space in ice tray with water, and then after cubes are frozen, store in a plastic bag. You can take one out and thaw anytime you need to use it. Photo at left - rows of cilantro in one of the tunnels. Romanesca cauliflower is a crazy looking vegetable with a beautiful light green color and fractal pointed  florets instead of the usual rounded. Originally from Northern Italy, its taste is somewhat milder than the traditional cauliflower. Cook as you would a regular specimen. Consider blanching the florets and adding to a crudite platter. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Adolescent lacinato kale will be bagged up for both shares this week. This kale is wonderful, fresh and young so it is nice and tender. It can be eaten raw (see below for a salad recipe), added to a smoothie, made into kale chips, or cooked down in soup or stir fry. Kohlrabi is another notorious member of the brassica family loaded with vitamins similar to broccoli. Kohlrabi is essentially a tender, enlarged broccoli stem with edible leaves. Its stem is fine textured, juicy and crisp with a slightly sweet flavor. Great as a snack cut into sticks, shredded in salads or lightly cooked. Stores in the fridge whole for up to one month, once cut will store in fridge for 4-5 days. The New York School system in western NY is considering kohlrabi sticks as part of their school lunch program based on its nutritional value and palatable qualities to children. You can also eat the leaves of kohlrabi, just cut off the leaves, wrap them in a damp paper towel, and place in a plastic bag. Leaves can be refrigerated for three to four days; the bulb for several weeks. Cook the greens as you would any other leafy green (kale, beet greens etc). Yellow onions should be kept in a cool, dry, well ventilated place. Do not store whole onions in plastic bags. Lack of air movement will reduce their storage life. Veggie Storage and Use Tips are on our website too, so please bookmark the recipe and storage tip section.  I am sure you will find it useful. Localvore Lore Every time we send this oil out I'm excited. Full Sun Company canola oil is some of the best oil I've used, and the best part is it's all grown and pressed here in VT. AND it's certified GMO free! This company is a true example of some of the ways VT is leading the nation in food system innovations.This delicious craft oil is wonderful to use every day for cooking, sauteeing, in marinades or dressings. Full Sun purchases sunflower & non-gmo canola oil crops from regional family farms. They process the crops in their Vermont mill by extracting the oil and and separating out the meal portion. They then market the craft oil to the food sector. The oilseed meal is used as animal feed and a natural (5-3-2) fertilizer they sell to local dealers and farm direct. They then give a percentage of their revenues back to their VT growers and partners as an incentive to increase grain production in the state. Co-founders, Netaka White (L.) and David McManus (R.) Pete's Kitchen chimichurri was made in our kitchen last week with fresh parsley, cilantro, cider vinegar, jalapenos, garlic, olive oil, and salt.  This very flavorful condiment is an Argentinian staple usually served alongside meats, but it can also liven up a sandwich, go along with grilled potatoes, or liven up a plate of eggs and toast.  Last week it was a fab drizzle on top of bowls of black bean soup.  Use your imagination.  It's also amazing served with meats such as burger or steak. This was one of our most popular pantry items last year and members have been asking for it ever since! Champlain Orchard's Asian pears have been my favorite summer and fall fruit. They are sweet and juicy, with a nice crisp. They aren't sprayed so you can eat one on your way home from picking up. They also make an excellent addition to a salad, or an Asian pear crisp. Recipes Kale salad with Asian Pears and ginger sesame dressing This is the perfect fall salad. It's warm and crunchy and so fresh! Feel free to add any additional veggies to this (shredded carrots and beets would be great, as would matchstick slices of kohlrabi) or keep as is. 1 bag lacinato kale 1-2 medium Asian pears, cored and cut into slices 1/4 cup cup pecans, rough chopped coconut oil Salt and fresh cracked pepper Use coconut oil to lightly coat a saute pan. Cook kale in batches over medium low heat until bright green and slightly soft. Pile kale onto a large serving plate, top with sliced pears and pecans. Dress to your preference. Sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper.Serve immediately! Ginger Sesame dressing 2 cloves of Garlic (minced) 2 tbs. Fresh Ginger (minced) 1/2 cup Full Sun Canola Oil 1/2 cup other oil (olive or sunflower, or more Canola) 1 tsp. toasted Sesame Oil Apple Cider Vinegar to taste (about 1/2 cup total) 2 tbs. Tamari 2 tsp. Maple Syrup Mix garlic, ginger, vinegar, tamari, & maple syrup, then gradually add oils while whisking (or blending). Marinated Beets A little sugar softens the edge of the vinegar here and complements the natural sweetness of the beets. Keep these on hand for healthy snacks, or add to salads. 1 bunch beets 1/3 cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar Salt to taste 2 garlic cloves, cut in half 2 teaspoons sugar Place the beets in a saucepan, cover with water, add 1/4 cup of the vinegar and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Remove from the heat, add the garlic to the pot and set aside to cool. Remove the beets from the pot (do not drain), slip off the skins and cut in wedges. Combine the remaining vinegar and the sugar. When the sugar has dissolved in the vinegar, stir in 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the beets. Toss with the beets and the garlic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then remove the garlic from the marinade. Remove the beets from the marinade with a slotted spoon to serve. Speedy Apple-Beet Salad This salad would be a great addition to any meal. 2 Honeycrisp apples, unpeeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges OR Asian pears 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon sugar 2 medium golden beets, peeled and cut into wedges 1/4 small red onion, cut into two wedges 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted 1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup) Thinly slice apple wedges in a food processor fitted with a slicing blade. Combine apples, lemon juice, and sugar in a large bowl; toss to coat. Slice beet and onion wedges in food processor fitted with a slicing blade; add beet mixture and parsley to apple mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in oil and mustard; toss gently to coat. Arrange about 2/3 cup salad on each of 8 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon walnuts and about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese. Maply Acorn Squash This is my favorite way to enjoy acorn squash. 2 acorn squash (each about 1 1/2 pounds), halved crosswise and the seeds and strings discarded 2 TBS  unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, or to taste 2 tablespoons dried currants Spread the cavity of each squash half with about 1/2 teaspoon of the butter, sprinkle the halves with salt and pepper to taste, and arrange them, cut sides down, in a large baking pan. Add enough water to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides of the squash halves and bake the squash in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 30 minutes. While the squash is baking, in a small saucepan combine the remaining butter, the maple syrup, the allspice, the currants, and a pinch of salt and heat the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted and the currants are plumped. Remove the squash from the oven, turn it cut sides up, and brush it generously with some of the maple mixture. Return the squash to the oven and bake it, brushing it with the maple mixture occasionally and adding more water to the pan as necessary to keep the bottom covered, for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until it is very tender. Season the squash with salt and pepper. Cilantro Potatoes I love potatoes with any herbs. Cilantro gives this a Syrian-style flavor to these taters. 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup olive oil 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2 teaspoon salt In a large skillet, cook cilantro and garlic in oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the potatoes; cook and stir for 20-25 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Drain. Sprinkle with salt. Cilantro and Ginger Hummus Still have some of last week's ginger? This recipe recommends peeling your chickpea skins but I don't think that's completely necessary. It makes a smoother hummus but it is time consuming! 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (you can use dry and cook your own too) 1/2 cup tahini 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1/4 cup cilantro juice from 1/2 a lemon 1/4 cup water (or reserve the chickpea cooking water if you use dry beans) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt First you need to peel off the chickpea skins. In a food processor blend the chickpeas until they are a coarse grain. Now add the tahini, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, cilantro and salt. Blend for a full minute or two. Now with the processor still running drizzle in the oil and then the water. For an even smoother, thinner consistency add more water. Easy Kohlrabi Slaw This recipe from Martha Stewart is a classic example of not needing any fancy ingredients or complicated procedures in order to make food taste good! There's little you need to do to make quality ingredients shine! Kohlrabi, cut into matchsticks Apple, cut into matchsticks Olive oil Fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper Mix kohlrabi and apple matchsticks (both peeled or not) with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Sauteed Kohlrabi with Onions and Cream This recipe, also from Martha, looks like a great way to use your kohlrabi and the leaves! Cubes of peeled kohlrabi Thinly sliced white onion Unsalted butter Finely shredded kohlrabi leaves Heavy cream Salt and pepper Grated nutmeg Cook kohlrabi and onion in butter over medium-high heat until almost tender. Stir in kohlrabi leaves, and cook until wilted. Add a generous splash of heavy cream, and cook for a few seconds to reduce. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with chicken, pork chops, or steak.   Classic Oven Roasted Onions Bursting with rich brown flavors, roasted onions can be a one-dish meal, a first course, a salad or side dish. For a simple supper, try the warm onions with balsamic, maybe a drizzle of olive oil, and a crumbling of a favorite blue cheese, mild fresh goat cheese,  parm, or whatever appeals. 4 medium to large organic onions (yellow, red, white) Spread a sheet of foil on oven rack and preheat to 400 degrees. Trim away root and a 1/4 inch of top of onions. Set root side down on foil, spacing about 2 inches apart. Roast 1 hour, or until easily pierced with a knife. Serve warm or at room temperature. Make 2-inch deep cross out of top of each onion, spread slightly and season. Seasoning Ideas: *salt and freshly ground black pepper, 2 TB wine vinegar and 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil *3 TB balsamic vinegar and possibly 2 to 3 oz of Gorgonzola, Maytag Blue, fresh goat cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fontinella, or cheese of choice, crumbled or grated *chopped fresh herbs, rice and grain salads. Kale Chips This week's kale is perfect for kale chips as they're ready to go! All you need to do is heat up the oven, season, and cook. They come out crispy with a very satisfying potato chip like crunch.  You can try different toppings - chili powder, parmesan cheese etc, to flavor them further, but the simple oil and salt I have given below really is great. 1 large bunch kale (any kind, but Lacinato is great), tough stems removed, leaves torn into pieces 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt Position racks in upper third and center of oven; preheat to 400°F. If kale is wet, very thoroughly pat dry with a clean kitchen towel; transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with oil and sprinkle with salt. Using your hands, massage the oil and salt onto the kale leaves to evenly coat. Fill 2 large rimmed baking sheets with a layer of kale, making sure the leaves don't overlap. (If the kale won't all fit, make the chips in batches.) Bake until most leaves are crisp, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, 8 to 12 minutes total. (If baking a batch on just one sheet, start checking after 8 minutes to prevent burning.) Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash 2 acorn squash (1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise, seeds removed 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons chili powder Coarse salt and ground pepper Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut each squash half into several wedges, then halve wedges crosswise. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss squash with oil and chili powder; season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Roast until tender and starting to brown, 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.