All Hail, Glorious Kale

I've had several people ask about the kale in our farmthisway distributions.  What can I do with this?  There are several great things you can do with kale, but first, how about some information on this green powerhouse.  I have pulled some information on kale from various resources.  Here is the low down on the queen of green.

Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat.  It’s also filled with many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as having iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium. 

A leafy green, kale is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

In summer, vegetable choices abound. But during the cooler months, there are fewer in-season choices -- with the exception of kale and other dark, leafy greens that thrive in cooler weather.

To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color.  

Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator.

NOW you may ask...what should I DO with my kale....

Well, steam it, sautee it, use it as you would cabbage in cooked meals, or shred it up very tiny and you can use it in salads as well.  Baby kale works best for salads, but if you chop the full sized stuff small enough, it is great too.  You can shred some kale and put in in almost any soup.  I searched some creative recipes for kale, and while I am fairly certain I am not up for chocolate kale fudge pops, I may try to make this Kale-onaise

And if you have any potatos left from last week's distribution, sautee up some kale and mix with either mashed or diced, pan fried potatoes for a boost to your potato.  

Soup's On!

I know, I know, it is still Summer and you don't normally want to think about soup until Fall, but I LOVE soup and eat it year round.  I turn the Air Conditioning a degree or two colder and it is time to cook and eat a meal in a bowl.  This week with our farmthisway distribution, we received all of the makings of a delicious potato leek soup.  Or Leek Potato Soup as Alton Brown calls it.  Whatever it is, it is a favorite in my family and for that reason, I doubled the recipe and invited my parents over as well.  I served it up with some of the farmthisway fresh white corn (OH MY GOSH!  THIS IS SO GOOD!!!) and accompanied by crab cakes.  For these I used some lump crab meat, panko bread crumbs, and some onion (left from a previous distribution), green pepper (we have half a bushel this week), and garlic (also from past distribution).   Dinner was a hit with everyone. 

Now, what to do with all of those green peppers.  Well this morning is SALSA morning.  No, you won't find me dancing to Spanish music around my kitchen, I will be taking some onion, farmthisway heriloom tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos (from last week) and a lime, and mixing them up for a lovely home made chunky chip topping.  I will make too much, so I will can some as well.  Then I will have fresh tasting salsa in the coming months.  But, that won't use them all, so I found this.  Roasted Green Pepper Soup recipe to try.  I love red bell pepper soup, so why not the green pepper?  And like I said, I love soup year round, so a new recipe to add to my repertoire will be a welcome friend, especially in the coming cold months!  The recipe calls for roasted jalapenos but I may use some of the roasted/frozen farmthisway hot banana peppers that are in my freezer for the heat component on this one. 

And I cannot say enough about that white corn.  Part of me wants to put some in the freezer for winter, but most of me wants to eat it ALL, right now.  Since I already have one of my 4 freezer compartments almost filled with my earlier in the summer veggies, sweet corn and green beans mostly, I feel like this special treat will be gone by tonight....Just too good to save for later, though I might scrape an ear or two into my salsa as I make it, that always gives it just a little extra crunch and sweetness to cut the bite from the jalapeno a little bit.

Enjoy your week folks!  Have fun in the kitchen!

In love with Green Peppers

I LOVE green bell peppers.  You can do so much with them.  Usually we slice some up in a salad.  They make an AMAZING accompaniment, sauteed up with some onion, and served with sausages.  They are always in my homemade pasta sauce and homemade salsa, and often eaten raw, sometimes with a little ranch dip. 

This week, since we got quite a few in our distribution, I am making one of my favorite comfort foods.  STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS .  Meat, onion, rice and seasonings, make this a delicious all in one piece meal.  The kids get a kick out of anything that is a self contained meal, so this goes over well with everyone in the family.  Sometimes instead of the tomato sauce called for in the recipe, I use tomato soup instead.  It gives a slightly different flavor.  I like it either way, but I think this week I am going to opt for the tomato soup.  I may also opt to sprinkle a little cheese on them toward the end, just because I LOVE cheese as well.

Sometimes for fun, I also make this recipe as UN-STUFFED peppers.  Just sautee the peppers, onions, meat and spices up, and toss them in a casserole dish with the cooked rice, sprinkle with cheese (parmesan or cheddar are our favorites) and bake til bubbly. 


Hope you enjoy your peppers this week, I know I will!

Our friend the Aubergine (AKA Eggplant)

If you are lucky enough to get some eggplant, as I did this week with our farmthisway CSA distribution, you may wonder "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?!"  There is always the stand by Eggplant Parmesan, and you can use your favorite recipe for that or search one out on the internet, where everyone seems to have a must try recipe. OR you can think outside the box, and use it a little differently.  Here are a few ideas.  Some I have tried, some I have on my To Do List.

This one, by Rachel Ray, I have tried and I really enjoy it.  It also comes in handy if you are having vegetarian friends over for dinner.  Linguine with Eggplant Ragout .  It is simple, light and tasty. 

This recipe for an Eggplant Parmesan PIZZA really looks great to me.  I think I might try this out for a potluck that I am hosting on Sunday.  I like to use the Tuscan Six Grain crusts from Rustic.  Plus, they hold up well on the grill, and I love grilling pizza. 

Here is another fun way to serve up eggplant.   Eggplant Fries make great side dish and for those who think they don't like eggplant, this is a different way to try them.  They take on a different texture than eggplant normally does and that is the biggest complaint I have heard from people who don't like it, is that the texture throws them off. 

This recipe for Ratatouille my kids enjoyed.  I am not sure if it is because of the Disney movie of the same name, or because it was tasty.  Either way, it works for me.  It also includes zucchini, which many people are also looking for some new recipes for. 

Another recipe I look forward to trying is this one from Bobby Flay Grilled Eggplant Salad.  Simple and easy and mostly done on the grill, this sounds like a GREAT side dish. 

So, don't be afraid of eggplant, and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new with it.  I look forward to trying out some new ways to cook our eggplant this summer. 

 

It's Not Easy Being Green (especially if you're a tomato)

 Many people shy away from a green tomato.  If they aren't a fan of Fried Green Tomatoes, the dish, not the movie, they aren't sure what else to do with them.  Since we got some in our farmthisway distribution basket this week, along with jalapenos, here is something you can try with them...

Salsa Verde - Take 3 green tomatoes, 2 jalapenos, 1 large red tomato (or use some of the heirlooms if you like), 1/2 a medium onion (chopped), 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup of lime juice, along with salt and pepper to taste.  Place tomatoes and jalapenos in a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook about 15 minutes. Drain well, and place in a blender with the onion, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Puree to desired consistency and chill.  Salsa Verde can then be used in your favorite recipes to spice things up.  Add to chicken, enchiladas, or eat with chips.  

Or, how about Green Tomato Soup? 


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz thinly sliced Black Forest ham, chopped
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic 
1  bay leaf
2 lb green unripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 
Prepare:
Heat oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook ham, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add scallions, garlic, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are tender and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add tomatoes, broth, water, salt, and pepper and simmer, partially covered, until tomatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and season soup with salt and pepper.Garnish with Sour Cream if Desired. 

AND...If you still aren't sure about green tomatoes, I recently heard that you can substitute green tomatoes for zucchini in a zucchini bread recipe!  I have not tried this yet, but here is a recipe I found online!  Let me know if you try it!  Green Tomato Bread

I hope you enjoy your green tomatoes this week!  Ours will be being served fried, my daughter is great at making them that way.  Looking forward to yet another week of good eating farmthisway style!