Recipes

25 Jul Swiss Chard with Olives and Lemons; Kentucky Red Slaw; Southeast Asian Coconut Grilled Zucchini

Chef Rich Baringer of Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service was grilling, mixing and sampling some wonderful dishes with ingredients straight from the farm. Here are a a few of the tasty recipes he had out that day- more can be found on his facebook page.  Rich will be back at the farm on Thursday August 16th for another demo- he’s always happy to chat about farm fresh food and provide inspiration for dishes you can try at home.

SWISS CHARD WITH OLIVES AND ALMONDS (adapted from Cooking Light magazine)
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 ¼ lb Swiss chard, leaves removed (keep the stems for another use)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
½ Cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
2 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

• Slice chard leaves crosswise into very thin shreds. Place in a large bowl.
• Whisk together juice, oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over chard and toss.  Add almonds and olives and toss.
• Let stand for 15 min before serving.

KENTUCKY RED SLAW (from Cook’s Country magazine)
Serves 4

To chop the cabbage, cut in quarters and remove core.  Peel off several layers of leaves and slice into thin strips.  Then turn the strips 90 degrees and chop into small pieces.  Repeat for the rest of the cabbage.

Ingredients
½ Cup ketchup
¼ Cup cider vinegar
¼ Cup sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp hot sauce
Salt and pepper
1 small head green cabbage (about 1 ¼ lb), chopped fine

• Whisk ketchup, vinegar, sugar, oil, hot sauce, 1 tsp salt and ¾ tsp pepper together in large bowl.
• Stir in cabbage until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

SOUTHEAST ASIAN COCONUT GRILLED ZUCCHINI (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites)
Serves 4

Ingredients
5 zucchini or yellow squash
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced and seeded (optional)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
2 scallions (or use equivalent sweet onion), chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped basil
2 Tbsp chopped mint
¼ Cup coconut milk
Salt

• Preheat grill to high. Clean and oil grates.
• Cut squash in half lengthwise, then again in half (or wedges if larger). Toss with oil and season with salt.
• Grill squash until tender and slightly charred, about 8-12 min (depending how soft you want them), turning periodically. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil, garlic, jalapeno and turmeric in small saucepan until sizzling. Add scallion, lime juice, basil, mint and coconut milk.  Cook until veggies are slightly softened, stirring occasionally.
• When squash is done, chop into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl. Toss with sauce and season with salt to taste.  (You could also serve the squash without cutting—place spears on serving platter and top with sauce.)

Photos and recipes provided by Rich Baringer of Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service.

18 Jul Summer Time Flat Bread

We eat our fair share of pizza around here but none of them ever come with dandelion greens or fresh from the farm garlic (until now). This recipe was born from my love of a veggie sandwich I ate many moons ago out west. It had cream cheese and sprouts and avocado and cucumber, on yummy thick seedy bread. It has always stuck with me and I like to recreate those flavors and textures. I used store bought flatbread but if you’re feeling especially eager, make it.

I probably could have stopped this recipe with the greens and pepperoni, because it was just that good that my mind started imagining it in all sorts of creations. Pasta, eggs, ice cream….. probably all tasty. The trick to getting my kids to eat this was to slice the veggies SUPER THIN so they kind of melt away in the oven. The secret ingredient here is a whole head of garlic. I find that it makes the bitterness of the dandelion more palatable and with the addition of the sweetness of the onion and smokiness of the pepperoni, it’s a winner.

As seen in the photo, leaving a teenage boy alone with a blank flatbread, cheese and smoked meats results in a far different kind of delicacy.

1 head of garlic – smashed and chopped
1/2 onion – sliced thin
2 cups dandelion/kale/chard mix – chopped very fine
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 Tbs water
1/2 C pepperoni or bacon
salt and pepper

Over medium heat slowly saute the garlic and onion until golden and softened. Add the greens, meat, cumin, and chili powder and sauté further about 5 minutes. Add water to pan to deglaze and allow to reduce another 5 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper too taste. Smear flatbread with 2 Tbs cream cheese. Drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. To build, spread an even layer of greens atop the cream cheese and oil, follow with thinly sliced veggies to your liking. I used tomatoes, zucchini, tomatillo and more sweet onion. Here, the cheese is smoked mozzarella but cheddar or provolone would be delicious as well. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes and broil for another 4-5 depending on your broiler. Remove and sprinkle with chopped basil and a drizzle of olive oil. I enjoy mine with some sliced avocado. Enjoy!

Recipe, post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

11 Jul Skillet Green Beans and Smashed Potatoes

I get so excited when I walk into the CSA on Tuesday afternoons and there is a new pick-your-own vegetable.  Most of the pick-your-own crops rarely make it to a meal in our house.  They get cleaned up, put in a bowl on our table, and the kids munch on them!  This week’s pick-your-own crop was green beans.  We love to eat these raw, but also enjoy them in a variety of dishes.  This week I decided to give them an Asian twist alongside some smashed potatoes and grass-fed sirloin tip cooked in the instant pot.

Skillet Green Beans
1 lb fresh green beans
2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
3 cloves garlic- crushed
2 tsp sesame seeds
3 tsp coconut aminos*
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

*Coconut aminos is a soy-free seasoning sauce.  It is made of organic coconut tree sap that has been aged and blended with sun-dried, mineral-rich sea salt.  We use the Coconut Secret brand.  You can definitely substitute with soy sauce if you prefer.

• Add oil to skillet and allow to heat up.
• Add green beans. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently to insure even cooking.  Cook for about 10 minutes.
• Add crushed garlic and cook until green beans are desired tenderness. (I like to serve them a little crunchy.)
• Add sesame seeds and coconut aminos. Season with salt and pepper.  Mix well and serve.

Smashed Potatoes
2 Tbsp + ½ tsp sea salt, divided
1 pound small potatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
½ tsp black pepper

• Fill medium pot with 6 cups water and 2 Tbsp sea salt. Bring to a boil.
• Add potatoes and allow water to come back to a boil. Cook potatoes for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
• Drain potatoes and allow to cool slightly.
• Heat oven to 425°
• Spread 1 ½ Tbsp oil onto a baking sheet. Line up potatoes on baking sheet.  Using the bottom of a glass cup, smash each potato.
• Drizzle remaining 1 ½ Tbsp oil onto potatoes. Spread with a pastry brush.
• Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 20 minutes or until golden brown, flipping after 10 minutes.

**These potatoes can be served with a variety of sauces or garnished with fresh herbs.  We topped them with a Spicy Asian Dressing.

Spicy Asian Dressing
2 tsp fresh ginger- grated
2 cloves garlic- crushed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
½-1 tsp sriracha (optional)***
1 tsp sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients except sesame seeds and mix well.  I used a small blender.  Add sesame seeds and serve.

***The sriracha is optional, but definitely adds the spiciness to this sauce.  Adjust the amount you use based on your own personal taste.

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio 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 & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

05 Jul Potato Rachel

It’s a little hot to be stuck in the kitchen all day cooking and frankly, I am not even very hungry. Nonetheless, the kids have to eat. My 14 yr old and I were throwing around ideas for a farm recipe and this is the one that ignited the most excitement in his tone. Sadly for him, he fell asleep and I ate the entire thing myself. Poor kid.

As always with my recipes, feel free to play around with what you have on hand and allow your intuition and cravings to guide your creativity. Here, I use the traditional rye bread and swiss cheese but, by all means, do you. The technique is exactly as if you would be making a grilled cheese sandwich. Once the components are finished, it’s just a layer and griddle party.

There are 4 components put together to create one glorious sandwich but only minimal cooking is involved.

4 medium red potatoes – shredded
2 Tbs cooking oil
1 Tbs butter

Shred potatoes and soak in cold water for 10 minutes. Drain and press dry in a kitchen towel or paper towels until very dry. Heat oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Lay shredded potatoes in a thin layer to cover the skillet and allow to brown. Once the underside is golden and crispy, gently flip. I grated some fresh garlic over the potatoes once I flipped it and let the heat melt it away into the potatoes. Salt and lots of pepper.

In a separate bowl :
1/2 cabbage shredded
1 zucchini shredded
1 yellow squash shredded
1 onion sliced thin
1 apple or pear shredded
Salt and pepper

Slaw Sauce :
1 Cup mayo
1 Tbs mustard – I use whole grain.
1 Tbs honey or maple
2 tsp vinegar
Fold the slaw sauce into the cabbage mixture and set aside.

Cucumber Dressing :
1 yellow cucumber- seeded and diced very small
1 Tbs dill- chopped
2 Tns onion tops- sliced thin
1 onion – small dice
1 turnip- small dice
3/4 cup plain yogurt – Greek or drained
1 Tbs kefir or buttermilk
1 Tbs sugar
salt and pepper

To assemble :
Butter 2 pieces of rye bread like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. I used the same skillet that was still warm from the potatoes. Apply 2-4 slices of Swiss or any cheese you would like to either side of the bread followed by a generous dollop of cucumber dressing to one side. Lay your potato pancake atop the dollop and apply a nice layer of slaw to be followed by the other piece of bread. Place in the skillet and allow to brown on both sides being careful that the guts don’t spill out all over the place. Be a gentle flipper. Gingerly remove the Rachel from the skillet and enjoy immediately. No plate required.

Recipe, post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

27 Jun Beet Slaw & Simple Sautéed Greens

Note from Health Coach Stephanie Borzio: I served the beet slaw and simple sautéed greens with Grilled Country-Style Sausage from Hershberger Heritage Farm. The simple sautéed greens use the beet greens so that nothing goes to waste! I’m all about using every part of what the CSA gives us if I can!

Beet Slaw
3 medium beets
2 summer squash
2-3 green onions
4 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder

Peel beets and shred. Place in medium bowl. Cut summer squash in half and remove seeds. Shred squash and add to bowl with beets. Slice green onions and place in bowl with other vegetables.
Combine lime juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in small bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour over vegetables and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Can serve as a side dish or over a bed of greens.

Simple Sautéed Greens
½ lb kale
1 bunch beet greens
5 cloves garlic
1 red onion
2-3 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
¼ tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
¼ tsp black pepper (or more to taste)

Clean kale and remove inner stem. Chop the leaves and place in a bowl. Clean the beet greens, chop, and add to the same bowl. Peel garlic, thinly slice, and set aside. Peel onion, thinly slice, and set aside. Add oil to frying pan and allow to heat up (medium heat). Add onions and garlic to pan. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add greens. Mix well while cooking so that all of the greens cook evenly. Cook approximately 7-10 minutes or when greens reach desired tenderness. Serve immediately.

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio 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 & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

20 Jun Funky Noodles

Here’s a true story. Today was my second official day of summer. The kids spent the day in their allotted camps and I walked in circles at home and pondered this recipe. I think I’m still in a little bit of shock that winter is finally over and my long sought after days off with the kids is upon me. So, basically I had all the time in the world to plan and prep for this one bi-weekly recipe I write. Trouble is, despite my love of eating and cooking, I abhor shopping. I will often times drive into the parking lot and pull right back out because there are entirely too many people. This was, however, not the case today. I went to one store, just not the right one. I’d be lying if I said that it wasn’t mostly because of discombobulated brain-fog brought about by my new found freedom.

Earlier I decided on making stir-fry noodles with these fun “Longevity Noodles” I purchased at an Asian grocery store in the city. It’s a full-blown, clean out the fridge, freezer, and pantry week here…”rent week” as it has been coined in the fun recipe blog by Bon Appetit. You get the point: cook and eat what you got. Luckily, CSA day is here and now we have veggies.

The recipe in my mind looked like a farm to table version of Lo Mein with egg and possibly organic pork sausage.  The only thing that I didn’t have here at home was fresh ginger. I made a quick stop at the farm market hoping to find some. To no avail. I bought instead, a bottle of Braggs sesame ginger dressing. Home I came, veggies in tow, to develop the recipe. Against my better judgement I dumped that bottle of pre-made sauce directly into the almost finished product. Turns out, YUCK, that dressing is definitely not the right sauce for the dish and in the trash it went.

Round 2 with the same ingredients minus the Braggs left me with a dry bland bowl of “stuff” that didn’t really scream symbiotic culinary adventure for the taste buds. It needed heat and acidity and a funky tang to pull it all together. It also needed some creaminess and body.

The finished product was a blend of creative inspiration, lethargy, and frustration, but in the end it really tastes good. My only suggestion would be that it does not require noodles. Ironically, it’s a noodle dish but the noodle plays a supporting role to the rest of the ingredients. This would be wonderful with root veggies instead of pasta for a paleo friendly version, or make zoodles aka zucchini noodles with your squash. I suggest Ghee or some good salted butter as the fat. I tried with coconut oil and it was not good.

Funny how one ingredient and an unwillingness to go to the right store can really mess with dinner. Had I followed my gut, I would have made something different once I started to feel the anxiety of bright lights and checkout lines creep in. Like all of my recipes, I will make suggestions throughout. Feel the freedom to follow your own gut and create a dish that leaves you feeling satisfied and pleased.

Ingredients
2 summer squash – cut to your liking
4 stalks kale – chopped
half bunch dandelion greens – chopped
half bunch scallions – chopped
half bunch garlic scapes – chopped
10 brussel sprouts – chopped (or for a more seasonal selection, sub in 4 stalks of your CSA chard)
chopped cilantro, parsley, pineapple sage, to your taste
2 cups cooked pasta of your preference
1 cup packed sauerkraut plus 2 Tbs of the juice (or use kimchi for super funky noodles)
1 Tbs whole grain or Chinese hot mustard
1 Tbs hot sauce
2 eggs – scrambled or over easy
2 sausages or bacon – sliced

To assemble: over medium heat, saute the sausage or bacon until golden. Add the veggies and lightly brown in the meat dripping. Toss in the pasta and kraut juice along with 2 Tbs of butter to Ghee. Stir everything together until fully mixed. In a separate pan either scramble or fry over easy your eggs. Arrange the noodles in a nice big bowl, top with the kraut and egg and some chopped scallions and cilantro leaves. Serve the mustard and hot sauce in a small bowl as accompanying sauces and loosen with a little soy or aminos. Serves 4

This is one funky dish. Probably good for a hangover! I love the blend of creamy egg yolk, acidic kraut funk, salty meat bits and the velvety veggies. Like I said, noodles are optional here. Rent week eating can be fun and adventurous and best of all, a reason to avoid shopping!! Nom Nom.

Recipe, post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

Post editing 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 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to the local community.

14 Jun Summer Salad with Blackened Chicken and Strawberry Dressing

Before the strawberries wind down completely (thanks to all the rain this spring), here is a simple summer salad that highlights their wonderful flavor, made even more special with the addition of a seasonal strawberry dressing.

Blackened Chicken:
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp turmeric
2 lbs boneless chicken breast (preferably pasture raised, available from Hershberger Heritage Farm)

Preheat grill.  Combine all spices together in bowl and mix well.  Coat both sides of chicken breasts with seasoning mix.  Cook chicken breasts on medium heat- approximately 5-7 minutes on each side (time will vary depending on thickness).  Set aside and prepare salad.

Salad:
1 large head of lettuce or mixed greens
1-2 avocados, sliced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (or sub in chopped scallions)
2 cups berries- strawberries, blueberries and/or raspberries
Optional- chive blossoms, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, microgreens

Strawberry Dressing:
¾ cup avocado oil (or sub in olive oil)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup strawberries
½ tsp sea salt
Pinch black pepper
1-2 tsp honey (optional)

Clean and prepare all ingredients.  To make dressing, combine all ingredients in blender and mix well.  Place lettuce on plate.  Top with sliced avocados, sliced shallots, berries, and blackened chicken.  Garnish with chive blossoms, seeds, or microgreens.  Add some of the strawberry dressing and enjoy!

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio 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 & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

Post editing 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 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to the local community.

12 Jun Dandy Pesto

The dandelion greens in your share are cultivated here at the farm (not foraged), and just like the greens with the yellow flowers that grow so prolifically in your yard, they are a nutritional powerhouse. High in beta carotene, vitamin A and C, calcium, and iron (twice as much calcium and iron then broccoli!) this bitter green is considered a health tonic specifically for liver and digestion. Yes, it’s bitter, but it’s so darn good for you, it’s worth experimenting with to find a way that you enjoy eating it. Seriously, every crop can’t be sweet and juicy like a strawberry! You could easily saute garlic scapes and scallions, and toss in your dandelion greens mixed with some kale or kohlrabi greens. Pair those garlicky greens with creamy white beans or pintos and you have a delicious meal. Or toss it in your sweet fruity breakfast smoothie- you may just fool yourself that its even in there. Feeling adventurous? Here’s another option- pesto! Pesto is traditionally made with basil, but in the following recipe, dandelion greens take center stage. The addition of lemon juice and lemon zest add the perfect zing.

1 bunch dandelion greens
3 sprigs basil or more to your taste
2 garlic scapes, or to your taste
1/3 cup grated parmesan, or more if desired
1/4-1/2  cup olive oil, to achieve consistency you want- start light and add more as needed
1/4 cup walnuts or roasted pecans, or your nut of choice (pine nuts are the pesto standard, but I usually look for a more affordable option)
lemon zest of 1 lemon
juice of half a lemon

Place all ingredients except the parmesan cheese into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. If it’s too thick, slowly add more olive oil. Add the parmesan and continue to blend until the mixture has a smooth consistency. Feel free to add any ingredients if you like it more garlicky, more nutty, or more cheesy. The lemon helps cut the bitterness a bit, but it’s still going to be bitter, no getting around it. I enjoyed the pesto spread on a gluten free wrap rolled with lettuce, shredded kohlrabi and carrots, avocado and chicken. Or it makes a great dip for your crunchy vegetables.

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 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

07 Jun Mom Soup, kid approved

Let’s be real. Life is a busy place. Most of use join a CSA with the intention of hand cooking delicious and nutritious meals for our families throughout the week, feeling good about our efforts as parents and spouses. In my world, reality means very little time is left in my busy schedule to plan and prepare full blown meals most days. In the summer we eat a ton of soup, salad and sandwiches.

Being a single working mom of two young children, it’s my foremost priority that the quality of the ingredients I’m using to prepare their meals takes precedence. Fancy shmancy delivery isn’t often in the cards. Some days, I feel the lack of self care it takes to feed myself something hand spun and crafted with ease and intention. Some days, I crave sitting alone in the sunshine, enjoying a meal for one. Meals are eaten standing, driving, almost asleep, and in hurried stressful situations enough these days. Tis life. Out of sheer necessity, moms all over America are feeding our little humans off the fly by the seat of our pants, menu between engagements and such.

Smoothies are popular for a reason, folks. Plopping the weeks bounty into a pot, blender, juicer, bowl, or food processor is just so darn simple and simplicity is what moms cherish in our hot pursuit of sustainable time management. Soup is by far one of the easiest and quickest no-brainer ways to play hide the vegetable with our kids or make ourselves a small bowl of lunch in between work, tasks, and chores. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t rely heavily on recipes to guide and inspire my cooking.

Soup is so forgiving and adaptable in a pinch when on the fly hungry happens. These are the days of fancy pressure cookers and other kitchen gadgets. I’m a simple gal on a budget and honestly I am intimidated by a lot of those kitchen tools. I do use a crock-pot from time to time, mostly for broth. Broth is a key ingredient in soup. I use mostly veggie or organic chicken broth in most of my recipes. I will leave the broth recipe and inspirational post for another day. This is a soup recipe for one. Mom soup. There will likely be leftovers. Freeze it for another day.  My kids might eat this, or they might have cereal for dinner while I savor it (*Recipe update: Kid approved, no leftovers). Obviously, the recipe can be adapted to feed however many people you’d like. I am merely setting it up as a small indulgence, perhaps with a small salad and slice of crusty bread from Bread Box & Bakery. Root vegetables and cream are a decadent palate for so many creative accompaniments. Think Hershberger Heritage Farm bacon or thinly sliced apples from North Star Orchard. For this rendition, I am using coconut milk and vegetable stock for the soup and garnishing with quick maple marinated carrot salad using Augusta Acres Farm Maple Syrup. So, without further ado….here is the( loose) recipe. Enjoy.

1  potato – I am using a yam this time, peeled and diced
2 hakurei turnips – cleans and diced
1 kohlrabi – peeled and diced
4 scallions, chopped
4 garlic scapes – sliced thin
2 leaves kale – cleaned and chopped
1 handful of escarole – cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup coconut cream or heavy cream
2 Tbs. Coconut aminos or Tamari
dash hot sauce
herbs of your liking, to taste

In a medium sized soup pot cook the garlic, onion  and scapes in 1 Tbs. oil until fragrant and slightly browned. Next, add in the root veggies and enough stock to just cover the veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. At this point you can add the aminos. This will also be fantastic with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast if you happen to have some on hand. Stir and cover. Allow to simmer on medium/low until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes. Take a taste to check for salt. Not enough, add more. If time allows, you have the option of pureeing either half of or all of the soup. Either a blender or a handheld immersion blender works. I like mine slightly blended. Back into the pot it goes for the addition of cream and  the greens. Herbs of any kind are perfect here as well, I used a substantial amount of basil. Stir with your favorite spoon. Cook gently another 10 minutes until the greens are silky and soft. Gently, swirl in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce for that balance of acidity to creaminess ratio.

Allow the soup to thicken slightly, lid off on low temperature while you grate some carrots into a small bowl. Toss with a few raisins, 1 tsp. maple, 1 tsp vinegar or citrus and 1 tsp oil and a little salt and pepper. To serve, ladle into your most self indulgent bowl or mug and gently place a spoon of carrot mixture in the center. Savor.

Post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

Post editing 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 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

22 May Bok Choy Kimchi

If you are anything like me, you come stumbling out of winter into the increasing warmth of the lengthening days with a winter slumber still dragging along behind. The long cold season here in PA can be drudgingly hard to transition out of.

It seems like overnight our bodies and minds are expected to be primed and ready for the springtime curtain drop. My body, like many others, is at her best when she is directly connected with the earth and her bountiful sustenance. The winter can feel long and hard and the connective tissue that builds strength and endurance under a warm sun fades towards the last days until Spring. Like many, my body lives in accordance to the fickle rules set forth by autoimmune disease. Stress and disconnection from vital nutrients and the surging life force of living foods will tear down my health faster than anything else.

Springtime means fresh asparagus, wild nettles, ramps, early season lettuce, baby radishes and turnips (my fave), and spring onions! Spring also means transition and seasonal changes can often take a sensitive body for a wild ride. As sensational as the cyclical nature of the seasons can be, every year the rug gets pulled out from under me and I dance and wobble around in the mud a bit before I rest assuredly on the warm soil. It is NOW that I find it of the utmost importance to keep an internal equilibrium with plenty of gut and hormone balancing foods.

The fermentation craze hit the scene years after I had begun treating my own body with food. Food as Medicine is a way of life. The power of the earth’s bounty is just what I need to stay grounded in a spinning world. I have been eating everything from fermented dairy in the form of Kefir and homemade yogurt, simple fermented veggies, kraut, kvass, kombucha, and my new favorite kimchi. Eating fermented foods is key to our overall well being because of the plethora of beneficial bacteria it contains which our bodies need to maintain a flourishing internal state of balance and health.They will reduce inflammation and make sure that the good guys in our gut (second brain) are the ones driving the ship and we aren’t over come by endless numbers of health issues brought about by an imbalance of bad bacteria in our in our microbiome.

Even as important though, is the art and practice of the fermentation process. Alchemical in nature and just about as close to actual magic as you can come, the very act of gathering the gifts of the earth and playing with them in a way that will allow nature to produce its own medicine with only my humble assistance leaves me in awe. This is what makes me feel most alive and I am healthier and full before anything even enters my mouth. The beauty of fermentation in todays cultural and societal landscape is that it is simple, fast and lasts forever.

We are busy. So busy. Becoming stressed out by feeding myself and my family is a natural state and I know I am not alone. To be able to have Food Rx on hand that I know will give me the boost I need is a saving grace. It literally lasts almost forever! There is NO COOKING. You can ferment just about any vegetable and get so creative and allow your intuition to guide you every time, yielding delicious jars of fun, burping, bubbling fun. The recipe that follows is adapted from the V Street Cookbook. I add apples to mine but pear would be good. Get creative. The recipe calls for Napa cabbage but any cabbage will do. We have bok choy in the share this week and that makes a superb rendition. The ingredients are easily found on Amazon or at most grocery stores. Feel free to play around with the heat and acidity. I have black vinegar here at my house but the recipe originally called for rice vinegar. I like mine spicy so I amp it up with hot peppers. Play with your food. It’s medicine.

1/2 cup sea salt
1 cup radish, sliced thin
3 cups bok choy, torn
1/2 cup spring onion, sliced thin
1 apple, sliced thin
3 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs minced ginger
1 cup chard stems
1 jalapeño, Thai chile or any hot pepper you like (omit if you don’t like it hot)
1 Tbs tamari or coconut aminos
1 Tbs red chile flake
2 Tbs Gochujang – fermented chile paste
2 Tbs vinegar
1/8 tsp pepper

~ Take 8 cups of cold water and stir in the sea salt. Submerge the bok choy and radishes in the salt water for an hour.
~ Drain the veggies and squeeze out as much water as possible.
~ I use a food processor to puree my garlic, ginger and hot peppers and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth. You can use a bowl, handheld mincing apparatus, and your own strength to mix it up, no problem.
~ Plop all of the veggies into the bowl with your marinade and massage well. Really get it into every nook and cranny. This is my favorite part. Mix, toss, slosh and play.
~ Pack the goodness into a sterilized mason jar with lid on tight for up to a week. Burp daily.

This can be eaten after a day but only gets better with time. After a week you will see bubbles begin to form and when the lid is loosened the air will release and the burnt orange lava gurgles to the top and has a life of its own. The transformation is complete and the result is pure robust flavor. There is an effervescence carried by fermentation that my body craves. Listen when your body speaks. Likely the language of the earth and the elements, and the soil and her inhabitants speaks directly to the flesh of own own being and were we to only heed the cravings from our guts would we find more joy in the graceful folly of a life lived through the seasons and her cycles.

Post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

Post editing 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 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.