Week 9, September 5
Both boxes have: Red leaf lettuce, basil, potatoes, cilantro, rainbow chard
The Small box also has: Green cabbage, globe artichokes, scarlet runner beans
The Standard box also has: Apples, Napa cabbage, broccoli, rainbow carrots, lemon cucumbers
Rainbow Chard
As omnivore’s, humans need a wide mix of foods to meet our nutritional needs. Lots of veggies have similar phytonutrient and antioxidant properties, but each veggie will have these nutrients in unique combination. Chard has a nutrient profile that makes it a powerhouse among veggies.
Because of this profile, eating chard benefits the cardiovascular system. It also regulates blood sugar, reduces inflammation, and detoxifies your body. It is an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, and provides magnesium, potassium, iron, and lots of good dietary fiber.
You can certainly eat the stems, but cut them away from the leaves, chop them into little bite-sized pieces, and sauté with onion and garlic for a few minutes Add the leaves towards the end of the cooking process because they will wilt down quickly. Take care not to overcook. The stems can also be added to vegetable stock or soups.
A Galette is an open-faced savory pastry, perfect for a dinner party, or for the holidays.
Globe Artichokes
Wash your globe artichokes under cold water and cut off the stems to make a flat base. Remove any tough lower outer leaves and trim any sharp ends with scissors.
Place them in a steamer and sprinkle with a little salt and lemon juice. Make sure there’s enough water in the steamer to last 45 minutes, then cover and steam. When done, it’s easy to pull the leaves from the outside. Drain upside down, and eat them while they’re warm or leave them to cool to room temperature.
Don’t hesitate to use your hands. This is the primary reason kids like artichokes. Only the soft end of the leaves and the “heart” are edible, so grab them and dip into your sauce of choice (we included a couple of ideas in your newsletter for Week 6) and scrape the inside of the leaf off between your teeth. Discard go for another one!
Cut the fuzzy patch off the heart and discard. The heart is really amazing, by itself or dipped into a sauce. You could also add it to a salad with tomatoes, olive oil and mozzarella, or cut it up and put on a pizza.