Author: bloomingglenfarm

27 Sep

Posted at 22:01h in Weekly Share by
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This week’s share introduces a few new crops, broccoli and celery, and we also shift gears with a new winter squash variety- delicata. Delicata, also known as sweet potato squash, has a sweet nutty flavor with a creamy smooth texture. My favorite way by far to prepare this sweet squash is to slice it into rings about 1/2 inch thick, scoop out the seeds, then quickly dip the rings into a marinade that is a mix of toasted sesame oil and tamari sauce. Place the squash rings on a cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, flipping the squash rings half way through the cooking time. Cook until tender and slightly browned. Delicious!!

September 27, 2011

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

23 Sep

Posted at 16:17h in Recipes by
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Swimming in poblanos? Try these little poblano boats to deliciously deliver one of nature’s greatest superfoods, quinoa, to your awaiting taste buds and belly! Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) easily incorporates the seasonings and spices with which it’s cooked without losing its own taste and texture, making it a great companion to the robustly flavorful poblano.

Poblanos & Quinoa

Technically a seed, though often grouped with whole grains, quinoa is tightly packed with essential micronutrients magnesium and mangnese and delivers a healthy dose of fiber. Quinoa also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a source of complete protein — in fact, it’s considered to have the most complete amino acid profile of all grains.  Start reaping quinoa’s benefits today with the stuffed pepper recipe below.  Two or three pepper halves work as a main course, or serve just one as an appetizer or side.

Stuffed Peppers: Poblanos & Mexican-style Quinoa

BPoblanos & Quinoaoil 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup your favorite quinoa (a mix of red and yellow is pictured), cover pot and lower to a simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Slice 3-4 poblano peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds.  Steam pepper halves in a steamer basket until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Set aside on a plate.

In small a frying pan, sauté until just soft (about 5 minutes):
1/4 onion
1/4 cup sweet frying peppers
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Stir in 1/2 cup cooked black beans and 1/4 cup chopped tomato and heat through.  Keep mixture warm until quinoa is done cooking.

Combine quinoa and vegetable-bean mixture, stirring well. Stuff pepper halves with mix, and enjoy hot or at room temperature. Serve with salsa, guacamole or avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro and/or lime wedges.

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!

21 Sep

Posted at 13:02h in Recipes by
2 Likes

I don’t think chicken pot pie needs much of an introduction, but I will say this savory pie is one of my favorite comfort foods….even if it is a bit of a project. (All that gravy and pie crust makes it totally worth it, right?). It is also a great medium to use up things from your fridge. So experiment with variations!

**Warning: This recipe is not for dieters. Though I’m sure you could play with the recipe to omit some butter and the heavy cream.

Chicken Pot Pie

First off, you need to decide how you are going to prepare your chicken. I chose to roast 1 whole chicken and used all the meat (light and dark) from that. An equivalent if you are using chicken breasts would be about 6 breasts. You can prepare these simply by roasting until cooked through. Cut cooked chicken into cubes or shred.

To make crust:

For the pastry, mix 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add 2 sticks of butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add between 1/2 and 1 cup of ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

To make filling:

-In a medium saucepan, heat 5 cups of chicken stock (I used homemade stock from the bones I used to roast the chicken). Bring to boil and then leave at a low simmer.

-In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of oil and saute until tender:

1 yellow onion, diced
1 celeriac bulb, peeled and diced into small cubes
2 carrots, diced

-Add in stock with veggies.

-Chop 1 pound of potatoes and about a medium head (2 small) of cauliflower, hard stems removed. Add to pot.

-Bring everything to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

-In another small saucepan make a roux by melting 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter and adding 3/4 cup of flour. Salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for just a minute or so. Add roux to pot and stir until the mixture begins to thicken.

-Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream (half-and-half or whole milk will also do), the chicken and a dash of thyme, sage or rosemary.

*The filling should be thick and have a nice gravy. If it seems to thin, just cook on medium heat uncovered for a little longer.

-Pour filling into a large cast iron dish. Roll out your dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and place on top of filling leaving some overhang. Brush dough with an eggwash and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool for at least a half hour so it can set a bit.

**You can also make these into 4 individual pot pies if you have oven safe bowls.

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

20 Sep

Posted at 23:10h in Weekly Share by
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Tender and spicy arugula makes its way into the share this week, as does a bit of caulifower. The cauliflower is suffering in all the rain and damp conditions, so unfortunately we have to harvest it on the small side, as it is starting to mold and rot in the centers. But toss it in some stir-fry and it will jazz up your dish! 

Sept. 20, 2011.

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

17 Sep

Posted at 12:45h in Recipes by
6 Likes

Fall crops are here! Celeriac (celery root) and winter squash are making their first appearance in the share and at the markets this week, so it is the perfect time to brush up on those fall crop recipes or even try out something new.

My go-to preparation for so many fall crops like winter squash, potatoes, or celeriac is to simply toss them in olive oil and roast them. Though it’s delicious and still probably my favorite way to eat them, sometimes a more complex preparation can be a nice change. This recipe is a healthy, vegetarian curry that showcases the sunshine squash’s sweetness and the complex nutty flavor of the celery root. I serve it alongside some rice for a complete and satisfying  meal.

Lentil Curry with Celeriac and Winter Squash

-Half, seed, and peel 1 Kabocha squash–or other winter squash–with a sharp knife (the skin is actually not too hard to peel if your knife is good). Cut squash into 1/4 inch chunks. Similarly, carefully peel and chop 1 celery root into 1/4 chunks. Set aside. 

-Heat a large pot over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil (I like coconut for this recipe) and toss squash and celery root in with:

1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium carrots
2 tablespoons of fresh, grated ginger
1 teaspoon of salt

-Saute veggies for about 15-20 minutes until tender.

-Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of red chili flakes. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

-Add 1 cup of lentils (any type will do), 1 cup of water or chicken stock, and 1 cup of coconut milk. **Coconut milk can be omitted…just add stock or water instead.

-Cover and simmer mixture for 25-40 minutes until lentils are tender. Adding more stock or water if the mixture is getting to thick.

-Let cool slightly and serve with brown or wild rice. Garnish with a fresh herb like chive, cilantro or parsley! ENJOY!

Serves 4 to 5 large portions.

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

13 Sep

Posted at 21:49h in Weekly Share by
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This week’s share sees the first winter squash of the season. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s an ornamental pumpkin to let rot on your front porch- cook it quick, it won’t store for long. The scarlet kabocha squash, “sunshine”, could hands down be the sweetest and most flavorful it has ever been since we started growing it five years ago. To cook it, I just cut it in quarters, remove the seeds and sit it in a casserole pan cut side up with a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan. Bake at 375 degrees until soft (about 45 minutes) and enjoy! Another vegetable you might not be familiar with is celeriac, or celery root. To enjoy this root vegetable just peel off the roots and rough exterior until it resembles a white turnip. The flavor is just like celery, but a little goes a long way. Use in soups, mashed with potatoes, roasted with other root crops, or grate it raw on a salad.

September 13, 2011

We thank everyone for their support during all this crazy weather. This season by far has been the most challeging for us, from the wet spring to the catastrophic rain and flooding of the last few weeks. We are seeing major crop loss from the over 17 inches of rain we received in under two weeks. We are still assessing the damage (as some crops we thought were okay are succumbing to the moisture and others we just don’t know the extent of the damage- for example our sweet potatoes and potatoes), but it may be that we will have to end the season earlier then anticipated. In the meantime we will do our best to keep the shares as robust as possible, and we give thanks for all the bounty that the farm has already provided. We are scrambling to get our greenhouses cleaned out of their summer crops and prepped in the hopes that we can get something planted in there to make up for all that is rotting or dying in the fields. Our biggest concern now is that our fields dry out enough to get our garlic planted for next year. Keep your fingers crossed, and again we appreciate all the words of encouragement!

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

11 Sep

Posted at 22:46h in Recipes by
6 Likes

Eggplants and Baba GanoushWhile the assets of eggplant lie mostly in their beauty (such gorgeous shades of purple!), they do have nutritional merit as well. Low in sodium and calories, and high in fiber, eggplant is a great addition to every diet. However, most of us don’t realize that to get the most bang for the nutrition buck, we must be sure to eat the skin; this is where all of the disease-fighting and health-building phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals live. Most notably, eggplant skin contains nasunin, an anthocyanin phytonutrient found to protect the fats in brain cell membranes, and chlorogenic acid, which has been found to benefit antimutagenic (anti-cancer), antimicrobial, anti-LDL (bad cholesterol) and antiviral activities.

Here are some easy ways to include eggplant in your meals:

  • Sauté chopped onion, garlic, peppers and eggplant and add to your spaghetti sauce.
  • Layer thin slices of eggplant with layers of tomatoes, Swiss chard, onions and squash in a vegetable lasagna.
  • Lightly coat thick slices of eggplant with a grapeseed oil and herb mixture for the grill (eggplant is very porous and will absorb a ton of oil if soaked or dunked in marinade).
  • Use shredded eggplant as you use shredded zuchinni; try adding it to an omelet, quiche, bread or cookies.
  • Cut eggplant and other farm veggies into large chunks, toss in a 1-part soy sauce/4-parts water mixture and and roast for a delicious side dish (served hot) or salad topping (served cold).

Of course, one of the most delectable uses for eggplant is baba ganoush, a traditional Mediterranean spread that’s perfect for dipping farm-fresh veggies and whole wheat pitas into. It also serves well as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, or as a side with other Mediteranian foods like tabbouleh, falafel and hummus. The recipe below is for a simple and classic baba ganoush, but this time with directions that include all of the nutrition eggplant has to offer!

Baba Ganoush: Skinny Style

–Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.

-Pierce 2-3 eggplant several times with a fork, and place on a baking sheet or dish and cook in the oven until the skin sinks in, about 45-60 minutes.

-Let cool, cut in half lengthwise, squeeze off any excess juice, cut into chunks and process in a food processor with:

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
two cloves of garlic

Baba Ganoush is very flexible, so feel free to adjust these quantities to your taste. You can also add flavors — try a dash of cayenne for some heat, or fresh basil for a cooler taste.

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!

07 Sep

Posted at 13:17h in Recipes by
5 Likes

This comforting soup is a classic from Southern Italy better known to most as Italian Wedding Soup. I couldn’t help deviating a bit from the standard recipe. My version is a little less brothy with the addition of fresh tomato and a bit more orzo to make it a more satisfying meal. This is also a great way to showcase that escarole you may not know what to do with. You can also use swiss chard or kale as a substitute if you prefer.

Escarole and Orzo Soup with Meatballs

-Make meatballs by combining in a large bowl:

1 pound of ground beef (or turkey, pork or veal if you prefer)
1/4 cup of plain breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/2 white onion, grated (set other half aside for later)
a handful of fresh parsley
1/4 cup of fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-Form small bite-size meatballs (about the size of large grapes) and then place on a plate in the fridge to chill for a half hour. **I only used about 3/4 of the mixture and froze the rest for later use.

-In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and dice the other half of the onion and 2 medium carrots. Saute until onions are translucent.

-Add 8 cups of veggie or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of orzo and 1 cup fresh, chopped tomato. Simmer for 8 minutes.

-Gently add in the meatballs and simmer for another 10 minutes.

-Rough chop 4 cups of escarole and add to the soup. Cook for 5  more minutes at a simmer.

-Add more stock or water to get the consistency you want. Salt and pepper to taste.

-Garnish with a little Parmesean cheese and ENJOY!

**Serves 4 as a main dish. Can be cooked ahead of time and reheated before serving.

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

07 Sep

Posted at 00:57h in Events, Weekly Share by
2 Likes

What a rainy week ahead: four inches already and it’s only Tuesday evening. I’d be lying if I said we weren’t worried about the latter part of the season as we look out over our flooded fields. We are desperately hoping for a long stretch of sun and dry weather soon. There’s plenty of crops looking sad out there sitting in our soggy cold clay soil. We are seeing disease spreading rapidly in the late cauliflower, seedlings emerging only to be washed away, radishes splitting from too much water, and portions of our potato crops rotting in the saturated soil. You wouldn’t know it from the bountiful share this week, however. The offerings are starting to change a bit as we start to see an overlap of late summer crops and early fall crops. For example, there’s still plenty of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes in the share, but also the first cabbage, french breakfast radishes and escarole. Enjoy the bounty, and pray for sun!

CSA share, week 15.

Just a reminder to save the date: Our annual Fall Fest is Saturday October 8th, from 2-5 pm followed by a potluck dinner until dark. This year we are flipping the script a bit and having a contra dance during the festival. Contra dancing is simple walking steps accompanied by a caller who calls out what steps to do as the dance progresses. All the while, this is done with great music, good humor and wonderful company, our incredible CSA members! The festival will also include open mic opportunities so if you are a musician and interested in sharing your talent, please email the farm. Sign-ups for helping with crafts at the festival will be posted in the distribution room. Small children’s sized clothing donations for scarecrow making are appreciated (long sleeves and long pants, are perfect for stuffing with straw.) The popular pie bake-off contest will also be happening, so start brainstorming your entries now!!

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

31 Aug

Posted at 15:31h in Recipes by
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With a few “Hurricane Specials” rolling in this week, I figured you might need something to do with all those big, beautiful green peppers and eggplant you will be getting.

This is a delicious recipe for stuffed peppers I picked up while I was in Turkey. Dolma simply means “stuffed” in Turkish and usually contains some mixture of meat, veggies, herbs and rice. My recipe has meat in it, but can easily be made vegetarian if you double up on the rice and eggplant. Serves 4 as a main dish.

Green Pepper Dolmas

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Prepare the eggplant for the filling by peeling and dicing 1 Asian eggplant and generously salting it. This draws out water and takes away any bitterness that might linger. Needs to set about 15 minutes to half an hour before being put in the filling.

-Take 4 green bell peppers and cut a slice off each end; reserve the tops. Remove the seed cores, wash and drain.

-Make filling by mixing in a large bowl:

5 tablespoons white rice, uncooked
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup of tomato, chopped
the salted eggplant, rinsed and wrung out with a towel to remove moisture
3/4 pound of ground beef or sausage (I used kielbasi removed from its casing)
2 cloves of garlic
thyme and oregano (about a tablespoon each if it’s dried, or to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
Salt and pepper

-Add 3/4 cup of water to the mixture and let stand for 30 minutes.

-Stuff peppers loosely with the filling. Arrange in a heavy shallow pan. Place pepper tops over the dolmas. Dot with butter.

-Add 3/4 cup of chicken or veggie stock to the pan. Cover and simmer on the stove on medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes. Add small amounts of water if the bottom of the pan starts to dry out.

-Carefully remove peppers from liquid and place in baking dish. Pop in the oven for about 1o to 15 minutes. **This will help dry out the filling since it is usually a little soupy. It will also help make sure the rice is cooked through.

-Serve with a dollop of yogurt laced with garlic or herbs and ENJOY!

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/