Nature’s Flu Shot

Week 16 small CSA box

This week’s small CSA box came with carrots. Maybe yours are destined for juice?

It’s that time of year! Load up on immune-boosting nutrients to stay healthy through the change of season.

2 large carrots, halved
½ small onion, halved
1 clove garlic
1 parsnip, halved
1 orange, peeled and halved
Pinch of ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper
½ cup of cold water
Handful of ice

Wash and prep your veggies and fruit. Feed the carrots, onion, garlic, parsnip and then the orange through your juicer. Stir in the ground turmeric, black pepper and water and then pour over ice and enjoy!

We thank HealthAmbition.com for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

French-Style Ratatouille

basil in a basket

Imagine the scent of fresh basil.

1 large eggplant
1 medium yellow onion
2 small bell peppers
3 medium zucchini
2 large tomatoes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 whole sprigs thyme
1/4 cup loosely packed basil, sliced into ribbons
Extra basil for garnishing
Salt and pepper

Chop eggplant into bite-sized cubes. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and toss with teaspoon salt. Let sit awhile.

Dice onions and roughly chop peppers, zucchinis, and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic. Vegetables will be cooked in batches, so keep each in a separate bowl.

Warm a teaspoon olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and generous pinch salt. Sauté until onions have softened and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add peppers and continue cooking until soft, another 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl.

Add another teaspoon of oil to pot and sauté zucchini with generous pinch of salt until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add to onions and peppers.

Rinse eggplant under running water and squeeze cubes gently to remove as much moisture as possible. Warm two teaspoons oil in pan and sauté until softened and beginning to turn translucent, about 10 minutes. Add to other vegetables.

During cooking, a brown glaze will gradually build in the pan. Dissolve glaze between batches by pouring 1/4 cup water or red wine into pan and scraping up glaze. Pour deglazing liquid into veggie bowl.

Warm another teaspoon olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. As tomato juices begin to bubble, scrape up brown glaze.

Add all vegetables back into pan and stir until evenly mixed. Bring to a simmer, then turn down to low. Stir occasionally for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours. Longer cooking time will break vegetables down into a silky stew.

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs and stir in basil. Sprinkle extra basil and a glug of good olive oil over each bowl as you serve.

Ratatouille is often better the second day, and it can be eaten cold, room temperature, or warm.

We thank thekitchn.com for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Summer Grain Salad

This recipe calls for Nash’s triticale berries (above), but actually any of our organic whole grain berries, i.e., soft white or hard red wheat, rye, or hard white, would work. The cooking instructions are the same. The grains add a delightful chewy texture and protein to a salad that is already teeming with good stuff for your health.

All ingredients are optional, and quantities are suggestions, not rules. Feel free to add other ingredients, like cauliflower or spinach. For even more flavor, add herbs like parsley, basil or dill. The quantities can easily be increased for summertime parties.

Veggies
1/2 pound triticale berries or other wheat berries
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes or regular-sized heirloom tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1/2 bunch of your favorite kale, coarsely chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped
1/2 Walla Walla sweet onion (or sweet red onion)
2 carrots, shredded
1 beet (any variety), shredded

Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 clovers garlic, chopped

Soak the triticale berries overnight. The next day, drain the triticale berries, then add enough fresh water to cover them with about 1″ of water. Boil about 1 hour until berries are plump and chewy. Drain and cool.

In the meantime, chop your veggies. Once the triticale berries cool, mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the berries, then add your veggies and mix everything together.

Let the flavors mingle for a few hours in the fridge before serving.

Thanks, Rachel Covault, packing shed manager, for this great recipe idea!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Peter Rabbit’s Birthday Soup

Bulk carrots

What does Peter Rabbit like best in the whole wide world?

Serves 8 to 10

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken or veggie stock or water (or a combination)
1½ tsp. salt
1 medium potato, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 to 2 small cloves garlic, crushed
⅓ cup chopped cashews
3 to 4 Tbsp. (about ½ stick) butter
¾ cup sour cream
½ to 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
Toasted nuts and extra sour cream (optional)

In a large saucepan, bring the carrots, chicken stock, salt, and potato to a boil. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. Let cool. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and cashews in the butter until the onions turn translucent.

Puree everything together in a blender until the soup is smooth. Return the puree to a pan or double boiler, and whisk in the sour cream. Heat very slowly and season with the thyme. Garnish with the toasted nuts and more sour cream, if desired.

Our thanks to Maureen Cooney, The Bluff Country Co-op Cookbook, as it appears in Bounty from the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook, by Mi Ae Lipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Sauteed Greens and Sweet Onion with Paprika

This recipe comes with a glowing recommendation from Elizabeth, one of our CSA members. She used a sweet paprika along with the greens and a Walla Walla-variety onion from her CSA box.

Walla Walla onions

Walla Walla onions, oh so sweet!

8 servings

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium Walla Walla onion
1 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt
12 cups thinly sliced collard green leaves (from about 3 small or 2 large bunches) or other sauteeing greens, such as kale
3 tablespoons coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion, stirring often, until translucent and starting to brown around the edges, 5–8 minutes. Stir in paprika; season with salt. Add collard greens a handful at a time, stirring to wilt after each addition before adding more; cook until all greens are wilted but still somewhat firm, about 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Taste and add more salt if needed.

We thank BonAppetit.com for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Sweet Cherry Feta Quinoa

We have been partnering with PDQ Farm in Zillah, WA, for over 10 years, and this is another example of how our Store supports Washington State organic farmers and their high-quality products. We picked up their beautiful Bing cherries on Wednesday, so they are fresh and delicious.

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup peach or apricot jam
1/4 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted, quartered
1 cup shucked fava beans, outer membrane removed, and steamed to al dente
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

For the dressing, place the jam, vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, salt, and water in a small jar. Screw on the lid and shake until thoroughly blended and emulsified.

Rinse the quinoa and drain well. Bring 1 1/4 cups water and the quinoa to a boil in a large pot, cover, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook 10-12 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is just tender but still a little firm. Once cooked, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, and then drizzle about 1/2 of the vinaigrette over the quinoa and toss to coat. Allow to cool.

Add the cherries, favas, celery, onion, herbs, and feta to the quinoa. Toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle with toasted almonds and drizzle with additional vinaigrette.

We thank fountainavenuekitchen.com for this delicious recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Roasted Spring Radishes and Asparagus Salad

DID YOU KNOW? Asparagus is one of nature’s best cancer-prevention veggies — and they’re so tasty, too!

Serves two

1 cup halved radishes
2 cups asparagus, chopped into thirds
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Green Onion Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. olive oil (or Nash’s camelina oil)
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 green onion
1 Tbsp. chives
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
Zest and juice from 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 400˚. Toss radish and asparagus in olive oil. Spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until radish and asparagus is tender.

Meanwhile, combine vinaigrette ingredients into a food processor or blender. Mix until well combined and green onion is in small pieces. Once asparagus and radishes are done, toss in vinaigrette.

Serve as a side dish or atop a bed of arugula or other salad greens.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Rutabaga Borscht

Rutabagas in a basket

What to do with a basket full of rutabagas?

2 Tbsp oil or butter
1 1/2 chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped potatoes
1 or more cup chopped beets
1 large carrot sliced
1 stalk of celery sliced
3 cups chopped rutabaga
1 cup tomato, diced or puréed
1 tsp caraway seed
4 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
2 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp dill weed
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey

Sautee onions in oil or butter. Add caraway and salt.  When soft add the other veggies, stock/water and remaining ingredients.  Simmer until tender for at least 30 minutes. Whiz in the blender until smooth.  Serve with sour cream or yogurt dollop on top.

We thank Pam & Liam Antrim for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Sweet Barley Pilaf

We got quite a treat this week: Isabelle from the Sequim Food Bank tried out this recipe using Nash’s barley and shared some with us. It’s totally tasty!

Serves 6.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (2 cups)
4 mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds (or other nuts)
1 cup barley or other whole grain
1/4 cup raisins, golden or black
Dash of salt
1 Tbsp. each fresh rosemary and marjoram, minced, or 1/2 tsp. dried
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium

In large saucepan, heat olive oil and saute onion until translucent. Add mushrooms, celery and almonds. Cook 3-5 minutes.

Stir in barley, raisins and seasonings until barley is coated with other ingredients.

Add broth and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 55 minutes.

We thank Well-Fed Me for this recipe, and also Isabelle from the Sequim Food Bank for calling our attention to this delicious recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Bright Carrot Cumin Soup

Carrots

Winter is when warm carrot soup tastes soooooooo good!

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

6 to 7 carrots, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 Tablespoon butter
1 quart vegetable broth, divided
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon finely diced ginger
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice from 1/2 lemon slice
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Combine carrots, oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender.

Sauté onions in butter over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons broth, cumin, turmeric, paprika and remaining salt and allow to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining broth, ginger, garlic and roasted carrots. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and coconut milk, then blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand-up blender.

We thank Virginia Newman for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!