Standard Box

Sugar Pie Pumpkin
Red Mustard, 1 bu
Parsnips, 2 lbs
Sunchokes, 1.5 lbs
Brussels Sprouts, 1.5 lbs
Lacinato Kale, 1 bu
Nash’s Best Carrots, 5 lbs
Red Baby Bok Choy, 1 bu
Cylinder Beets, 1.5 lbs
Spinach, 1 bu
Napa Cabbage, 1 hd

Small Box

Sugar Pie Pumpkin
Red Mustard, 1 bu
Parsnips, 1.5 lbs
Yellow Potatoes, 2 lbs
Brussels Sprouts, 1.5 lbs
Lacinato Kale, 1 bu
Nash’s Best Carrots, 5 lbs
Red Baby Bok Choy, 1 bu

Holiday Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
½ cup dried fruit juice sweetened cranberries
4 shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup water
½ cup slivered almonds
1 tsp sea salt
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Heat an 11 or 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add oil, then shallots; sauté for about 2 minutes then add slivered almonds, Brussels sprouts, and salt; sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the dried cranberries and water. Cover pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes. Smaller Brussels sprouts will take closer to 5 minutes, while large ones will take closer to 10 minutes. Cook until desired tenderness is reached. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serves 6.

Red Mustard Greens

Thought to have originated in China, red mustard’s leaves are succulent and tender; the stems, crisp and crunchy. Red mustard greens have a savory and nuanced peppery flavor that adds a delightful kick to any salad. They also pair well, sautéed or braised, with poultry, legumes, pork, fish, citrus, cheeses and avocados.

Your red mustard is part of the Brassica family, collectively known as cruciferous vegetables, along with turnips, broccoli and cabbage. They help lower cholesterol, especially when lightly steamed. They also have cancer-preventative qualities and help the body fight inflammation.

• Wilt the red mustard leaves in oil and garlic and, when it is nearly done, crack an egg in the center and cover to poach it as the greens finish.
• Wilt the greens in olive oil and garlic, add red pepper flakes and a splash of red wine vinegar and then wrap the mixture in thin slices of prosciutto and serve it as an hors d’oeuvre.
• Cook some thick, chopped bacon in a heavy saucepan until the fat is rendered. Slice the greens into ribbons and cook in the pork fat with salt and pepper until they are wilted. Add chicken stock or water to barely cover the greens, cover the pot, and cook until tender. Or use olive oil and garlic instead of bacon.

For Farm Share members only!

2015 members get $10 off a Nash’s Pork Buying Club box. 16.5 lbs. of different cuts of Nash’s delicious pastured pork for only $99 (reg. $109). Call 360-681-7458 by December 31, 2015 to sign up.

Carrot Cheesecake

3/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers
2 Tbsp. chopped nuts (optional)
1 Tbsp. Nash’s soft white flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Stir together in medium bowl and press into bottom of spring-form pan or bottom and sides of pie pan.

2  8-ounce packages of cream cheese or crème fraiche
3/4 cup sugar
3 Nash’s eggs

Beat cream cheese and sugar together till fluffy, add 3 eggs and beat till smooth.  Put one cup of this mixture in a bowl and set the rest aside.

2 cups pureed Nash’s cooked carrots
1 Nash’s egg
1/4 cup Dungeness Creamery milk or cream
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger

To the 1 cup of cream cheese mixture, add carrots, 1 egg, milk, spices. Mix together and pour into pie crust. Pour the reserved cream cheese mixture over the top and run a knife through it swirling to create marbling. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes till center appears set when gently shaken. Chill 4 hours before serving.

We thank Farm Store employee Margie Diffner for this recipe, and for making it for staff on occasion. We love you, Margie!

Standard Box

Apples, 2 lb
Broccoli, 1.5 lb
Red Kale, 1 bu
Celery, Johnston Farms, 1 hd
Red Mizuna, 1 bu
Carrots, 3 lb
Leeks, 1 bu
Cauliflower, 1 hd
Red Chard, 1 bu
Red Beets, 1.5 lb

Small Box

Apples, 2 lb
Broccoli, 1.5 lb
Red Kale, 1 bu
Celery, Johnston Farms, 1 hd
Red Mizuna, 1 bu
Carrots, 3 lb
Leeks, 1 bu

Brocolli—the Uber Veggie!

Broccoli is an excellent vegetable to include in your diet this winter if you are taking vitamin D supplements. Because of our decreased exposure to sunlight in the Pacific Northwest, especially this time of year, most people are advised to do so. But when you take vitamin D supplements, you should also consume vitamins A and K to properly metabolize the vitamin D. Broccoli is a rich source of both.

Broccoli also contains kaempferol, which is an antioxidant in the flavonoid family. Recent research has shown that kaempferol has the potential to mitigate the impact of allergic reactions within our bodies, because of its anti-inflammatory effects. Broccoli may play an important role in a hypo-allergenic diet. In addition, broccoli can offer great immune support as the weather turns cold, with a whopping load of vitamin C and zinc.

Broccoli Salad with Feta & Olives

2 lbs broccoli
6 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
12 Kalamata olives, sliced or chopped
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp. lemon juice
4 medium cloves garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Optional
1 red onion sliced, add to steamer with stems or 2 minutes before florets
10 drops soy sauce
4 Tbsp. sunflower seeds

Fill the bottom of a steamer with 2 inches of water. While steam is building up in steamer, cut broccoli florets into quarters. Peel stems and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Let florets and stems sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.

Chop or press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Steam stems for 2 minutes before adding the florets. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor, toss broccoli with the remaining ingredients and any of the optional ingredients while it is still hot.

This recipe was adapted from www.whfoods.com.

Mizuna

That feathery, red-tinged salad green in your box is called mizuna, a mild green related to mustard. It is high in immune-boosting vitamin C, folate, and iron,and also contains powerful glucosinolates—antioxidants linked to decreased cancer risk. Cultivated in Japan since ancient times, it is becoming a popular green in salad mixes. The following recipe uses it in a different, and unique way.

Chicken on a Bed of Mizuna

1 egg white, slightly beaten
1-1/2 tsp. soy sauce, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, finely chopped
2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
1/3 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/3 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup sunchokes, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. chile paste
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 bunch mizuna, trimmed
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

In a bowl, mix the egg white with 1/2 tsp of soy sauce, minced garlic and chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat 1 tsp. of the .oil in a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add the chilled chicken mixture and cook, stirring frequently for 4-6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and set aside. Heat the other teaspoon of oil in the wok on high and add the carrots, onions and sunchokes; cook for 1 minute.

Add the remaining soy sauce, chile paste, lime juice and mizuna and cook, stirring often until mizuna is wilted. Return chicken to the wok and heat through. Garnish with green onions and serve.

Standard Box

Dried Runner Beans, 1/2 pt
Lacinato Kale, 1 bu
Bunched Carrots, 1 bu
Savoy or Red Cabbage, 1 hd
Golden Beets, 2.5 lbs
Arugula, 1 bu
Red Radishes, 1 bu
Napa Cabbage, 1 bu
Baby White Turnips, 1 bu
Potatoes, 2 lbs

Small Box

Cornmeal, med grind, 1 pt
Spinach, 1 bu
Golden Beets, 2.5 lbs
Arugula, 1 bu
Red Radishes, 1 bu
Napa Cabbage, 1 bu
Baby White Turnips, 1 bu

Savoy Cabbage

High in vitamins K and C and fiber, Savoy cabbage is also a rich source of manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Because it is so tender, don’t shy away from using it in salads. Use salt and a vinegar or lemony dressing to help it wilt a little.

Savoy cabbage is one of the sweetest of all the cabbages, and goes well with strong flavors, like sausages or seafood. It can be braised, roasted or boiled, and it’s very easy to sauté in butter, olive oil or bacon fat. It can also be used in preserved recipes like kimchi or sauerkraut.

Rocket Sauce

Rocket is another name for Arugula, a peppery-tasting leafy green, packed with nutrients and flavor! We thank Eliza Winne. a member of the Farm Store’s produce department, for this recipe.

1 bunch fresh arugula
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. salt

Place arugula in food processor or blender. Pour in the olive oil and start the food processor. Once arugula and olive oil are thoroughly pureed, add garlic and salt. Continue blending until all ingredients are finely chopped and thoroughly mixed together.

Use fresh on salads, potatoes, pasta, sandwiches and burgers. You can also freeze some rocket sauce in ice cube trays and thaw it as needed.

The variations to this recipe are endless. Try adding greens, such as basil or parsley; blend in seeds, nuts or tahini.

Honey-Kissed Baby Turnips & Greens

4 small to medium turnips with greens
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp. honey
Salt & freshly ground pepper

Wash turnip bulbs and trim tops and tails. Do not peel. Cut into half-inch slices. Wash green tops and chop.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, melt butter and add olive oil. When butter starts bubbling, add turnips and stir to coat. Let cook over medium heat, stirring and turning periodically, until turnips begin to soften and lightly brown, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle moderately with sea salt, then add honey, stirring constantly to distribute.

Toss in the greens along with their clinging water. Continue to stir and cook until greens have wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and several grindings of black pepper. Serves two.

We thank seasonaleating.net for this recipe.

Scarlet Runner Beans

The scarlet runner beans in the Standard boxes can be cooked (soak them and cook as you would any other dried bean) and eaten, or saved and planted in the spring. The young, edible, fresh beans grow up to a foot long, and should be picked often to promote flowering. The vine should be trellised and will easily climb 10-12 feet. Sow bean seeds outside after last frost, and plant 1 inch deep and 3 inches apart. Germination takes 7-14 days during which soil should be kept moist. Thin 4-6 inches apart when plants are 2-3 inches tall. Slugs do love bean plants, so be vigilant about them, if possible. However, hummingbirds and butterflies love them, too!