potatoes Tag

13 Oct Potato Soup

Posted at 08:11h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

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This potato soup is full of flavor, but very simple to make. It combines the russet potatoes, onion, and garlic from this week’s share and uses the fresh dill as a possible topping. This is a recipe the whole family will enjoy!

Potato Soup

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 quart russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
5 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp flour (*if gluten free, you can use a gluten free flour)
½ cup sour cream
2 tsp finely chopped fresh dill

In medium pot on stovetop, melt butter.
Add onion and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add garlic and cook an additional minute, stirring constantly.
Add potatoes and toss to coat.
Pour in 4 ½ cups broth (reserve ½ cup for use later), salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes uncovered.
Mix the last ½ cup of broth with the flour in a small bowl. Slowly add to the soup, mixing as you go. Allow to simmer for 2 more minutes.
Once the soup is done cooking, you can serve as is or you can blend it up to create a uniform texture.

Dill Sour Cream: combine sour cream and dill in a small bowl. This can be used as a topping.
Divide soup into bowls. Top with the dill sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon, ham, fresh chives, fresh dill, etc.
Enjoy!

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior. After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member. She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

19 Aug Caramelized Onion Dip with Air Fried Potato Chips

Posted at 12:20h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

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When sweet onions made an appearance in our shares last week, I knew that I wanted to showcase them in a new recipe. This snack is well worth the time it takes to caramelize these delicious onions and I highly recommend making homemade chips if you have the time. This onion dip is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Caramelized Onion Dip

Ingredients:
3 sweet onions
3 Tbsp butter (can sub avocado or olive oil)
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream (can sub plain yogurt)
¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (parsley, chives, thyme, etc.)

Peel skins of onion and thinly slice into rounds. I used a mandolin for this (set on 3/16 inch setting).
Heat butter in large skillet on medium heat.
Once butter is melted, add sliced onions. Cook for 3-5 minutes until onions are softened. You will need to continually mix throughout these few minutes so that the onions evenly cook.

Turn the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes.
After 40 minutes, the onions should be brown and caramelized.

Remove from heat and allow to cool a little bit. Then chop into small pieces.
In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and fresh herbs. Mix to combine.
Fold chopped, caramelized onions into sour cream mixture until evenly combined.
Serve with chips, crackers, or raw vegetables (snap peas, cherry tomatoes, peppers, carrots, etc.). You can also make your own chips. See recipe below for air fried potato chips.
Store leftover dip in refrigerator.

Air Fried Potato Chips:

Scrub potatoes. Leave skins on and use mandolin to thinly slice. I recommend slicing to about 1/8 inch thick. Soak potato slices in cold water for 15-20 minutes. Drain in colander and dry slices on paper towels. Spray the slices with either avocado or olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Lay in a single layer in your air fryer. Set air fryer to 370°F and cook for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time. Chips should be crispy and slightly browned when done. Cool on a paper towel lined plate.

22 Jul Herb Scalloped Potatoes

Posted at 10:25h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

7 Likes

New potatoes are freshly harvested from the ground and are uncured. Leaving their thin skins on adds color, flavor and nutritional value to culinary dishes. Combining these potatoes with butter, spices, and fresh herbs in a casserole make a great side dish.

Herb Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 lb new potatoes
2 fresh torpedo onions (bulb only- reserve tops for another recipe or broth)
6 Tbsp salted butter, divided
½ cup flour (for gluten free options- use an all purpose blend or cassava flour)
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp paprika
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp minced fresh herbs (dill, thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
¼ cup parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
2 cups milk (dairy or nondairy)

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Thinly slice potatoes. I used a mandolin set on 1/8 inch setting.

Thinly slice onions.
Use 1 Tbsp butter to grease baking dish. I used a 6 x 10 inch pan.
In the baking dish, layer half of the potatoes and then half of the onions.

Cut butter into thin slices and place 3 Tbsp on top of the onions.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, sea salt, black pepper, paprika, 2 Tbsp fresh herbs, garlic, and parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
Sprinkle half of the flour mixture into the baking dish on top of the onions and butter.
Layer the rest of the potatoes, then the rest of the onions, then the rest of the butter (2 Tbsp), and finally the remaining flour mixture.

Slowly add milk to the dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Broil for 3-5 minutes to crisp top. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
Top with remaining 1 tsp fresh herbs and a few sprinkles of paprika before serving.

Notes:
*To make dairy free- use vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and dairy free milk.
*Can prepare in advance and refrigerate before cooking.
*Leftovers reheat really well.

01 Jul Grilled Veggie Packets & Herb Butter

Posted at 08:13h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

8 Likes

Summer is officially here and we are almost ready to celebrate the Fourth of July. As you prepare for barbecues, picnics, or camping adventures, this recipe is one that incorporates several share ingredients. It is versatile and can be adjusted depending on what you have available. Make it for your family or double it for a crowd. Heat up the grill or cook it on a campfire!

Grilled Veggie Packets

Ingredients:
2 medium summer squash
1 lb new potatoes
2 sweet onions
7 garlic scapes
4 Tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, or melted butter
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Optional- fresh chopped herbs

Preheat grill.
Cut 5 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil into 12 x 18 inch strips. If you do not have heavy duty foil, you can use two sheets of regular foil per packet.
Prepare vegetables.
- Summer squash- Slice into 1 inch disks. If the circles are really big, you can cut them in half (creating half circles).
- New potatoes- Wash and leave skin on. Cut into ¼ – ½ inch cubes. You want these to be smaller than the squash since they take longer to cook.
- Sweet onions- Peel, quarter, and slice into wedges.
- Garlic scapes- Cut into ½ inch pieces.

Place all prepared vegetables into a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine oil/butter, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
Pour oil/butter mixture over vegetables and toss until all vegetables are coated.
Divide vegetable evenly among foil packets. This recipe allows for about 2 cups per foil.

Fold foil to seal and wrap securely.
Grill temperature should be about 375-400°F.
Place foil packets on grill. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes, turning every five minutes to insure even cooking.

Remove packets from grill and carefully open.
You can serve right from the foil or place the grilled vegetables on a serving dish.
Garnish with fresh chopped herbs of choice or a dollop of herb butter (see recipe below).

Notes:

*If you are getting a mushroom share, feel free to add mushrooms to these packets.

*Pair with your favorite grilled protein.

*These packets can be made ahead of time. Just refrigerate after assembling. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.

*To make in the oven, cook for about 15 minutes at 400°F.

*Can also be made on a campfire!

*You can change the variety of vegetables in the grill packets as the produce we receive changes throughout the season.

Herb Butter

Ingredients:
8 ounces salted butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, etc.)

Other optional add-ins:
finely chopped scallions (1 Tbsp)
finely chopped garlic scapes (1 Tbsp)
crushed garlic cloves (2)

Cream butter.
Add herbs and any optional add ins. Mix well.
Place butter on a piece of wax or parchment paper.

Shape into a log using paper to help mold. Log should be about 6 inches long. Twist ends to secure.

Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Herb butter will be good in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.
If you want to preserve for longer, you can freeze the whole log right in the paper.

01 Jul Italian Inspired Seasonal Recipes

Posted at 14:31h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 1 Comment

16 Likes

With the weather getting warmer it seemed the perfect time to cook some simple food that can be good on its own, be packed for a veg heavy picnic, or work as the anchor for food off the grill.

Dandelion & Kale Caesar
This salad is perfect for packing because the hearty greens actually improve after being dressed, becoming more supple and absorbing the dressing. For this reason we make the tonnato creamier than regular caesar dressing. (*Tonnato is an Italian condiment often made with tuna, anchovies, olive oil, and mayonnaise or egg.)

Ingredients
1/2 bunch kale, cut into quarter inch ribbons, bottom stems removed
1 bunch dandelion, cut every two inches, bottom stems removed
1 6oz can of tuna, drained
1 yolk
1 oz white wine vinegar
.5 oz grated pecorino cheese, with more to garnish
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove
3 oz olive oil
salt and pepper
anchovy filets
crusty bread to serve

Place the yolk, grated cheese, vinegar, water, garlic, and half the tuna in a blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth, then stream the oil in. Season with salt and pepper. Place the greens and remaining tuna in a bowl, and dress well, seasoning aggressively with black pepper and salt. Place a piece of well toasted crusty bread on each plate or container you are using and place the dressed salad on top of it. Sprinkle some extra cheese and place over a few anchovy filets.

Genovese Pasta Salad

In Genoa, where basil pesto comes from, they enjoy their pasta with beans and potato. It’s delicious, but rather than hot, it makes a great salad (even better when the first cherry tomatoes come). Just like the Genovese, you can cook everything in one pot.

Ingredients
8 oz Orecchiette, or your favorite short pasta
1 bunch basil
1/4 bunch parsley
1 bunch garlic scapes, ends and flower heads trimmed
1 oz grated pecorino
1 clove garlic, crushed
1.5 oz sunflower seeds
4 oz olive oil
4 small potatoes, quartered
1/2 quart green or wax beans, trimmed
1/2 lemon

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt aggressively. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the label. With 8 minutes to go, add the potato. With 1 minute to go, add the beans. Drain well and dress the pasta and vegetables in a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Heat a cast iron pan to smoking and place the scapes in. Add a shot of oil and let them char one minute, resist the temptation to move them, then turn, and let char another minute. Remove to a board, and let cool, then chop finely. Add the scapes, herbs, garlic, cheese, and seeds to a food processor. Blend thoroughly, then stream in the oil. Season with salt and dress the pasta and vegetables with it. Squeeze the lemon through and dress as soon as possible to eating.

Grilled Cucumber and Fennel, tahini dressing

Grilling cucumber brings out the vegetale notes, and makes it more nuanced, and somehow juicy, and the fennel adds good sweetness. Keeping the vegetables in large pieces helps them hold up.

Ingredients
1 cucumber, peeled
2 fennel bulbs
1 clove garlic, grated
2 Tbs. tahini
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 bunch of dill, chopped fine
2 Tbs. water
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, preferably from Coddiwomple Canning
2 oz olive oil
Sumac to garnish

In a bowl place the tahini and stream the olive oil in while continuously whisking. Next, add the lemon juice, and then the water until you reach the desired consistency. Add the grated garlic, paprika, and dill and season with salt. Cut off the fennel stalks and reserve for future use. Cut ends off the bulbs, then in half, and remove the out leaves. Cut the core out of the bulb in a ‘V’, leaving enough that the bulb stays intact. Cut the cucumber into quarters lengthwise, then slice away some of the seedy core to make a flat surface. Cut those pieces in half horizontally. Rub the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt. On a very hot grill, place the cucumber seed side down for one or two minutes until charred but still mostly raw. Remove and cool. Place the fennel cut side down on a less hot section, and cook until well grilled, and about half cooked. Remove and cool. Dress a plate with the tahini and place the vegetables over top. Give a liberal sprinkle of sumac and serve.

Minestrone

The first time my aunt went to visit our family in Italy each of our great aunts served her minestrone. More than 40 years later she refuses to eat it. I don’t suffer from the same affliction. Soup like this is restorative, and a great way to use the odds and ends left over from your CSA, plus the trimmings in broth, extra which can always be stored in the fridge for up to one week and frozen for no more than three months. We would serve it with a side of crusty bread or focaccia and a ball of mozzarella or burrata for a perfect lunch.

Ingredients
2 quarts vegetable broth (recipe below)
1 onion, small diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 fennel stalks, sliced
1 squash, diced
1 cup peeled tomato and their juice, lightly crushed
1 cup dried beans, cooked ahead
1 cup kale, finely sliced
6 small potatoes, cut in half
1/4 bunch parsley, chopped
ground chili or chili sauce

In an instant pot, place all the trims from the vegetables for the week. Add a touch of oil and salt and turn on sauté . When you smell a bit of burning, and this is good!, add two quarts of water, seal, and pressure cook for 30 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the vegetable bits in a heavy bottom pot until fragrant, then add the water and simmer for 70 minutes. Then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve.

Sweat the onion and garlic on medium heat in some olive oil until translucent. Add a pinch of salt now, and every time you add an ingredient, to build the layers. Next add the fennel, and cook for one minute. Then the squash, potato, and kale, cooking until the kale starts to wilt. Then add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to your liking, and garnish with a splash of oil and some chili.

Palmer Marinelli is the Executive Director of Roughwood Table, an organization that uses heirlooms seed saving to shine a light on local foodways. Originally from Washington Crossing, he has been cooking locally for almost 20 years.

24 Jun Crispy Sliced Potatoes and Summer Squash

Posted at 10:15h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

6 Likes

This recipe showcases the potatoes, summer squash, and garlic scapes out of this week’s share. Serve this as a side with dinner or make it part of your weekend breakfast buffet.

Ingredients:
½ medium yellow squash
½ medium zucchini
1 quart potatoes
½ cup salted butter, divided
¼ cup garlic scapes, chopped
½ tsp sea salt, divided
½ tsp black pepper, divided

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Using a mandolin, slice the yellow squash and zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices. Place in small bowl.
Slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices and place in a medium bowl.
Melt butter in small saucepan. Add 1 Tbsp melted butter to summer squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Add 2 Tbsp melted butter to potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
Leave remaining butter in saucepan. Add garlic scapes and simmer for 2 minutes.
Blend butter and garlic scapes. Set aside.
Lightly butter baking dish (you can use an 8 inch square dish, or a 9 by 6 inch dish).
Layer potatoes and squash in baking dish (not flat, but upright). Fill dish but don’t overpack.
Pour butter and garlic scape sauce over vegetables.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Potatoes should be fork tender.
Broil for 2 minutes to get the tops extra crispy.
Serve topped with fresh herbs or Parmesan cheese (if you can tolerate dairy).

20 Jul Chef Rich Baringer shares farm fresh recipes

Posted at 13:39h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

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Yesterday at the farm, Chef Rich Baringer of Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service served up some delicious samples of dishes he made using farm fresh ingredients from this week’s CSA share. He also shared tips on using some of the more unusual greens like dandelion and agretti. (Though agretti was not in the share this week, we figured you might still have some in your fridge from the past 2 weeks). The recipes are below for your enjoyment. Be sure to check out Chef Rich’s website and sign up for his newsletter for more recipes and tips, or check him out on Facebook.

Mediterranean Chopped Salad (adapted from Cook’s Country)

Serves 6. Chef’s Note: I used heirloom tomatoes in place of cherry and added dandelion greens for half of the romaine.

Ingredients
12 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ½” pieces
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
¼ cup red onion, minced
1 Romaine lettuce heart, cut into ½” pieces
3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup parsley, chopped

Toss tomatoes, cucumber and ½ tsp salt in colander and let drain for 15-30 min.
Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in a large bowl. Add tomato, cucumber, chickpeas, olives and onion. Toss to combine. Let sit at room temp for 5 min.
Before serving, add lettuce, feta and parsley. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper

Agretti Salad

Serves 4. Chef’s note: You can blanch the agretti in boiling, salted water for a minute or two if you want it less raw.

Ingredients
1 bunch agretti
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 large oranges, 1 sectioned and 1 juiced
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt
Parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)

Trim agretti from woody stem (thinner, more tender stems can be used) and roughly chop.
In a bowl, whisk the oil with the juice of one orange. Add salt and pepper flakes to taste and set aside.
Dry the agretti (if damp) and place in serving bowl. Toss with dressing. Add orange sections and toss. Garnish with seeds and cheese (if desired).

Green Bean Salad (adapted from Cook’s Country)

Serves 4. Chef’s note: Some thinly sliced radish is a nice garnish.

Ingredients
2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 ½” pieces
Salt and pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp dill, minced (I used lemon verbena, which is available in the herb boxes a the farm.)
½ cup almonds, toasted

Bring 4 qt water to a boil in a large pot. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water. Add beans and 1 Tbsp salt to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 min. Drain and place in ice bath. Drain again, dry in salad spinner.
Whisk shallot, mustard, zest, juice, garlic and 1 ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until incorporated. Toss dill and beans in dressing and let sit for 30 min (or up to 2 hrs), stirring occasionally. Stir in almonds. Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary (for gas grill) (from Cook’s Illustrated)

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 Tbsp olive oil
9 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 Tbsp)
1 tsp rosemary, chopped
Salt
2 lb red potatoes, small, scrubbed, halved and skewered (so flat sides are level with each other)
Pepper
2 Tbsp chives, chopped

Preheat grill to high for 15 min. Clean grill grate. Leave primary burner on high, reduce others to medium.
Heat olive oil, garlic, rosemary and ½ tsp salt in small skillet over med heat until sizzling, about 3 min. Reduce to med-low and cook until garlic is light blond, about 3 min. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl; press on solids. Measure 1 Tbsp solids and 1 Tbsp oil into large bowl and set aside. Discard remaining solids, but reserve oil.
Place skewered potatoes in single layer on large microwave-safe place and poke each with a skewer. Brush with 1 Tbsp oil and season liberally with salt. Microwave on high until potatoes offer slight resistance to knife, about 8 min, turning halfway. Transfer to baking sheet coated with 1 Tbsp oil. Brush with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place potatoes on the hotter side of the grill. Cook, turning once, until marks appear, about 4 mi. Move to cooler side and cook 5-8 min until knife slips in and out easily. Remove potatoes to bowl with reserved oil and solids. Add chives and toss.

Grilled Zucchini Salad (from The Barbecue Bible)

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb zucchini (and/or yellow squash), scrubbed and trimmed
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
12 large mint leaves (or 1 tsp dried), minced
2 Tbsp parsley, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cumin

Preheat grill to high.
Cut zucchini into ¼” length-wise slices. Brush each with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill, turning until tender and well browned, about 8-10 min. Transfer to cutting board.
Cut each slice on bias into ¼” strips. Transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining 2 Tbsp and rest of ingredients. Season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice. Should be highly seasoned.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 11th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

08 Jul Roasted Potato & Chard Salad with Lentils

Posted at 10:17h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

13 Likes

This versatile summer salad is not only packed with flavor & nutrition, but also uses several recent share ingredients. We’ve talked about the healthy stuff in potatoes & Swiss chard here before; combining them with lentils, a good source of both plant-based protein & iron, allows this salad to stand in as a hearty side or a main dish. Roasting the potatoes & chard brings a smokey flavor & unique texture that contrasts perfectly with the raw ingredients. Note: this is a good time to roast some other veggies (beets & kohlrabi, fennel, peppers, eggplant, turnips, etc.) while you have the oven on!

Try serving this salad on top a bed of chopped spring greens, with a side of grilled string beans & your favorite protein, or topped with a fried farm-fresh egg.

Roasted Potato & Chard Salad with Lentils
Ingredients
1 cup black, green or brown lentils (black pictured)
6 potatoes (~1-1/2 lb), cut into cubes
3+ cups Swiss chard, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper
Grapeseed or other high-heat cooking oil
3 spring onion bulbs (~1/3 cup), finely diced
1 fennel bulb (~1/3 cup), finely diced — or try celery
1-2 clove green (or other) garlic, minced
3 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

In a medium pan, bring lentils, water, and ~1/2 teaspoon salt to boil. Simmer the lentils until tender, ~20 minutes. Drain and put aside

Meanwhile, toss potatoes with a little grapeseed oil & a sprinkle of salt & pepper, then place on a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast until tender & lightly browned, ~20 minutes. Repeat with Swiss chard, roast until wilted & drying, but not crispy, ~10 mins.

In a large bowl, combine the onion, fennel or celery, garlic & lemon juice, then allow to sit for a few minutes. Whisk in mustard & olive oil. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Add lentils, potatoes & herbs to the bowl & toss to combine. Serve warm or chill until ready to serve.

Post and photos by Mikaela D. Martin: Blooming Glen CSA member since 2005, board-certified health counselor, and co-founder of Guidance for Growing, an integrative wellness practice in Souderton. Read more about healthy eating and living on her site, http://guidanceforgrowing.com!

07 Nov Sam’s Potato Soup

Posted at 08:42h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 0 Comments

8 Likes

Blooming Glen Farm grows a really wonderful selection of potatoes. We’ve been introduced to a variety of potatoes this season, including Sangre, Purple Sun, Kerrs Pink and Purple Viking, along with classic Yukons. While specific nutrition may differ a bit between varieties, generally speaking, all potatoes have almost half the recommended daily values of vitamins C and B6 and potassium. The recent low-carb craze have given potatoes a bad rap in recent years, but the truth is potatoes are actually a healthy complex carbohydrate. They’re a “good” carb, meaning that they digest slowly, preventing your blood sugar from spiking like simple carbs do. The caveat: We need to eat them with their skin and prepare them as healthily as possible. So, choose the baked potato or simple mashed potatoes over the French fries and potato chips 🙂

If you’re anything like me, you still have some potatoes from the last few weeks’ shares hanging out in your kitchen, and maybe even a couple different varieties. Feel free to mix and match whatever potatoes you happen to have on hand for the recipe below. This recipe is based on one of my mom’s classic soups. Growing up, we always looked forward to the first batch of her potato soup each fall — it took some of the sting out of the increasing colder weather and darker nights. In this version, I add beans, which provide a healthy boost of fiber and plant-based protein, and makes for a more filling and nutritionally complete meal. The seasonings are kept super simple, allowing the natural flavors of our fresh and local potatoes, leeks and celery to really come through.

Sam’s Potato Soup

Serves 12
Ingredients
2 tbs Earth Balance
1 tsp peppercorns
1-1/2 cups leeks, cut into half moons and sliced
1 cup celery stalks and greens, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 cups potatoes, scrubbed clean with skin left intact, cut into a large dice
1/2 tsp salt
6-8 cups vegetable or No-Chicken broth
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Heat butter in a large heavy-bottom pot. Add leeks, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and peppercorns, sprinkle with a bit of salt and stir well. Cook until veggies begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Add a splash of broth and let potatoes heat up, about 3-5 minutes. Add 6 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Let simmer and cook until potatoes begin to get get tender, about 20 minutes. Remove peppercorns. Add beans and, depending on consistency of soup desired, add more broth. Cook for 5-10 minutes more. Salt and pepper to taste. Option: You can blend part of the soup with an immersion blender or in a blender for a creamier soup.

12 Nov Roasted Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes & Turnips with Shallots

Posted at 14:04h in Recipes by bloomingglenfarm 1 Comment

4 Likes

Root vegetables are known for their comforting taste and grounding qualities. Nothing quite satisfies like the smell and warmth of home-roasted carrots or mashed potatoes for dinner, right? In addition to being tasty comfort food, root vegetables also have a unique nutrition profile.

Of course, exact nutritional values depend on the variety (you can visit www.nutritiondata.com for specific information), but here is some general nutrition info:

One cup of cooked celeriac, radish or turnip has 25-42 calories, while beets, burdock, parsnip or rutabaga has 66-110 calories.
All of the common varieties (carrots, potatoes, beets, celeriac, daikon radish, parsnip, rutabaga, and turnip) are all very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
All are a good or very good source of dietary fiber.
Beets, radish, rutabaga and turnip have higher sugar contents.

Because root vegetables function as the energy storage organ in a plant, they are nutrient dense. Common nutrients include folate, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and vitamins B6 and C.

The recipe below calls for roasting potatoes, sweet potatoes and turnips — simply because I wanted to warm up the house. Root vegetables are also great in soup and as a mash. Try adding diced celeriac to minestrone soup or turnips to potatoes for a mash. Also, most root vegetables are interchangeable, just keep in mind that sweet potatoes cook faster than the others.

Roasted Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes & Turnips with Shallots

Preheat oven to 400-degrees, and line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut into chunks 1 cup potatoes and 1 cup turnips and toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil and then spread onto the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes.

Add to the bowl 1 cup sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, and toss to coat with remaining oil. Mix the sweet potatoes with the other veggies and roast for an additional 15 minutes, until all vegetables are tender and begin to brown.

Meanwhile, lightly oil a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup shallots, sliced very thin, and fry lightly, until they’re translucent and start to crisp. Set aside.

Top veggies with shallots and serve hot.

Post and photo by Mikaela D. Martin: Blooming Glen CSA member since 2005, board-certified health counselor, and co-founder and -owner of Guidance for Growing, an integrative wellness practice in Souderton. Read more about healthy eating and living on her site, http://guidanceforgrowing.com!