zucchini Tag

Throughout the CSA season, we receive a lot of summer squash.  It is delicious just grilled or roasted as a side, but sometimes it is fun to do something different with it.  This recipe turns the summer squash into a delicious relish and also uses the Cubanelle peppers, red onion, and garlic from our shares.  The recipe calls for zucchini but you can substitute with any of the summer squash varieties.

Zucchini Relish

Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, finely diced (equivalent to 2-2 ½ cups)
2 medium Cubanelle peppers, chopped (equivalent to about 1 cup)
½ red onion, finely diced (equivalent to about 1 cup)
½-1 jalapeno, finely diced with seeds removed (optional)
4 tsp sea salt, divided
¾ cup white vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced

  • Place zucchini, pepper, and onion in colander over a bowl. If you want to add a little spiciness to the relish, add the optional jalapeno to the chopped vegetables.

  • Sprinkle the chopped vegetables with 3 tsp salt. Mix well and let drain for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse and let stand for 10 minutes.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, honey, remaining 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and paprika.
  • Bring to a boil. Stir until all of the honey is dissolved.
  • Reduce to a simmer. Add vegetables and garlic.  Mix well and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Can serve hot or cold.
  • Store in fridge.
  • Enjoy! The relish is great on top of hot dogs or burgers!

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

Our shares are filled with so many amazing vegetables this week thanks to the hard work and dedication of our farmers at Blooming Glen.  I decided to use several of the items we received in this week’s recipe, including the summer squash, new potatoes, parsley, and torpedo onions.  This dish is full of flavor and can be served as a side to any meal or as an appetizer.  Make a double batch and freeze half to enjoy at a later date!

Summer Squash and Potato Bites

Ingredients:
½ lb new potatoes
1 cup shredded summer squash, tightly packed
1 ½ torpedo onion bulbs, finely chopped
3 garlic scapes, finely chopped or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 egg

  • Wash potatoes. Keep whole.  Do not peel.
  • In a medium saucepan, boil water. Once water is boiling, place potatoes in and boil for 8-10 minutes depending on size of potatoes.  I used the larger ones in my share, so I cooked them for 10 minutes.
  • Drain the potatoes and place in freezer or in an ice bath to cool off.
  • While potatoes are cooling, place shredded summer squash between paper or cloth towels to remove moisture. I like to place a heavy pot on top to help with this.
  • Once potatoes are cooled, shred them on a box grater.

  • Place shredded potatoes & summer squash, and chopped onions, garlic scapes, and parsley in a large bowl. Mix to combine.

  • Add salt, pepper, and egg. Mix well.
  • Line baking sheet with parchment paper and then grease with cooking spray or oil.
  • Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the mixture onto the baking sheet. This recipe will make about 2 dozen bites.

  • Bake at 400°F for 35 minutes.*
  • Enjoy!

*You may also use an air fryer for this recipe.  Set air fryer to 400°F and cook for 10 minutes.

 

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

Cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and beefsteak tomatoes… oh my!  There are so many amazing things we can do with tomatoes.  They can be the star of a meal or a delicious side.  Eat them as is, add them to salads, can them, make sauce, or create this delicious soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil Oil and Fried Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients:
3.5- 4 lbs fresh tomatoes
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 pepper (green bell or sweet cubanelle), halved and seeds removed
1 medium summer squash (zucchini or yellow squash), roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, with skin on
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 basil leaves
Basil oil (recipe below)
Fried zucchini spirals (recipe below)

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Slice tomatoes into quarters or eighths if they are really big.
  • Place tomatoes, onions, pepper, summer squash and garlic in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Toss to coat.
  • Place tomato mixture on baking sheet.

  • Roast for 25-30 minutes. Vegetables should be fork tender.
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves.
  • Transfer mixture to blender, including juices on baking sheet. Add basil.  Process until smooth.  You may need to process in two batches.
  • Serve immediately or place in large saucepan and reheat later.
  • To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle on basil oil and top with fried zucchini spirals.
  • Soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes well.

Basil Oil

Ingredients:
¼ cup basil leaves, packed
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch sea salt

  • Place boiling water in a bowl. Quickly blanch basil leaves (about 10 seconds) and then pat dry.
  • In food processor or blender, combine basil leaves, salt, and olive oil. Process well.

Fried Zucchini Spirals

Ingredients:
½ zucchini
½ cup avocado or coconut oil
Sea salt

  • Spiralize zucchini. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can thinly slice strips of zucchini.  Place between paper towels to remove some of the water.
  • Heat oil in small saucepan.
  • When oil is hot, fry zucchini. Place one spiral in the oil to make sure it is hot enough.  Process the spirals in small batches for about 6 minutes each.  When done, the zucchini spirals should be crunchy.
  • Lay on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.

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

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).

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

Fresh organic produce is a staple in our home.  We are so grateful during CSA season because Blooming Glen Farm provides us with an amazing array of vegetables.  I really love creating colorful dishes that are full of flavor and this salad is one of my personal favorites.  Just be sure to carve out a little time for all of the chopping that this salad requires!

Zoodle Salad

Salad Ingredients:
2 zucchini- spiralized *
2 carrots- peeled and julienned
2 sweet peppers- julienned
3/4 cup cabbage- finely chopped
1-2 green onions- chopped
1 cucumber- peeled, seeds removed and julienned
1-2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing Ingredients:
6 Tbsp avocado oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp raw honey
4 Tbsp coconut aminos (can sub soy sauce if you want)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl.  Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl and mix well.  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Allow 15-20 minutes for veggies to marinate before serving.  This salad is best eaten the day it is made, so I recommend only dressing what you will eat.

*I love spiralizing my zucchini and making “zoodles” out of them.  But if you do not own a spiralizer, you can use a mandolin or a vegetable peeler to create more of a linguini “zoodle”.

**I added chicken to this salad.  I made an extra batch of dressing and marinated a few pastured chicken breasts in it.  After cooking the chicken, I thinly sliced them and added to the salad.

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 EssentialsWebsite: www.truyouessentials.com

With all the summer veggies coming in I had to make some fresh spring rolls with them! You can add in whatever else you have on hand like fresh herbs or sliced avocado.

Enjoy with my delicious tahini dipping sauce on the side:)

Ingredients for Spring rolls

1 pack rice paper
Bunch of carrots
1 cucumber
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
1 mango
Pea shoots
Scallions
Fresh mint or cilantro

Cut carrots, pepper and mango into thin strips. Slice cucumber and zucchini vertically as thin as you can (I used a mandolin). Dice scallions. Add water to a large plate to use for soaking the rice paper. When the rice paper becomes soft remove from water and add vegetables and mango to center of the paper. Tuck in sides and roll up until everything is secure inside. Continue for rest of rolls.

Ingredients for Tahini dipping sauce

1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes(if you like spice)

Whisk all ingredients together and serve with spring rolls. Enjoy!!

Recipe and Photos by Olivia Edgar. Olivia’s passion for food and cooking finds focus on recipes using plant based, organic ingredients which make people feel their absolute best. She is a graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and now meal preps for clients and small events. Olivia is newly married, and when she’s not cooking and sharing her recipes and holistic approaches on her Instagram account, you can find her working on their fixer-upper in Telford.

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

 

IMG_4711Agretti 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).

 

IMG_4710 (2)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.

 

IMG_4712Grilled 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.

 

IMG_4709Grilled 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.

 

Varieties of summer squash and zucchini are are abundant during the summer — which is a very good thing! (And to clarify, at the farm we just call it all summer squash, of which this week’s dark gold and green zucchini is included under that heading. I am referring here to the lighter yellow squash as “summer squash”- it is also milder in flavor than the gold and green zucchini varieties that Blooming Glen grows). These light and mild veggies are not only delicious, but also healthy and versatile. Nutritionally speaking, the manganese in squash helps promote strength by building strong bones and connective tissues. As we know, vitamin C supports our immune systems, preventing colds and other infections, but it’s also an antioxidant that can help protect our bodies from the damage caused by pollution. Finally, the fiber in zucchini and summer squash aids digestion and promotes a healthy gut. In order to get all these benefits, it’s important to skip the peeler; like most other vegetables and fruits, a lot of the healthy stuff in zucchini and summer squash lives in or near the skin. Instead of peeling, simply rinse off the veggies under running water to remove any dirt. Here are a few tips for using up your stock of zucchini and summer squash:

  • Dice ’em up: Diced zucchini and summer squash can be added to soups, stir-fries, chilis, crepes and quiches, stews, curries, spaghetti sauce and rice. They can also be enjoyed raw, mixed into pasta salad, grain salads and green salads.
  • Cut into coins: Sliced zucchini and summer squash make a great topping for pizza, taste great layered into lasagna, or used in casseroles.
  • Savory pancakes: Add grated squash and zucchini to whole wheat pancake mix, along with some garlic powder and chopped spring onion. Serve with a dab of sour cream for a savory, summery side dish.
  • On the grill: Slice zucchini and squash lengthwise, into planks and spray lightly with high-heat cooking oil. Place on hot grill or grill pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 5-10 mins., until tender and charred, flipping once.
  • Thicken up soups: Cook and puree squash and zucchini to use as a creamy soup base.
  • Preserving: Shred and freeze zucchini and squash to preserve. Use thawed veggies in breads, muffins, casseroles, fritattas, and quiches.

Post and photos by Mikaela D. Martin: Blooming Glen CSA member since 2005, 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

Raw veggies for squash saladHappy Summer! As the temperatures rise this season, many of us find it harder to crank up the stove top or oven to get meals onto the table. This is a natural time of year to crave cooler, fresher ingredients that require little-to-no cooking — and eating these raw foods do provide us with benefits:

Eating our foods in a more raw form provides a different nutritional profile than eating a food cooked. For instance, ounce-for-ounce, raw Swiss chard has almost twice the amount of Vitamin C and almost three times the amount of Vitamin K than cooked Swiss chard. Similarly, raw zucchini offers much more folate and Omega-3 fatty acids than its cooked counterpart. Many people also find raw foods cleansing, as they often promote efficient digestion and a happy gut. Raw food also encourages us to slow down while eating, simply because it takes us longer to chew, which is a wonderful way to support portion control and mindful eating. All those benefits, and fresh, raw veggies also taste great (especially those from Blooming Glen 😉 )!

The recipe below uses lots of raw veggies from this week’s share, including summer squash, zucchini, green onion, dill, lettuce, and Swiss chard. By shredding the zucchini and chopping the greens, we’re helping out our belly a bit, making it easier to digest those veggies. As always, feel free to use this recipe as a base, an experiment with whatever vegetables, greens, and beans you happen to have on hand in the coming weeks.

Mostly Raw Mediteranean Squash SaladMediterranean Shredded Squash Salad

Ingredients
3 zucchini and/or squash, shredded
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 green onion including greens, chopped
12-15 kalamata olives, sliced
5-6 sprigs dill, chopped (basil would also be good)
Chopped lettuce and/or Swiss chard

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic scape, minced
sea salt and ground black pepper

Optional: Pine nuts, capers, dried figs, dried apricots, feta cheese

Method
In a small bowl (I use a glass measuring cup), whisk together the dressing ingredients. In a larger bowl, combine all the other ingredients, except for the lettuce/chard. Pour the dressing over squash mixture and stir to combine well. Place a handful of chopped greens on a plate, top with a big scoop of the squash salad. Serve with optional toppings.

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!

Squash CasseroleLucky for us, zucchini and yellow squash are not just a reliable and tasty summer staple, they’re also a great source of nutrition! When we eat summer squash, we benefit from the cancer-fighting antioxidant nutrients vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. We also get a healthy dose of essential minerals magnesium and potassium, as well as copper. Because many of these nutrients live in the skin of the squash, be sure to leave the skin intact and choose organically grown — like those from Blooming Glen Farm. As is true with most veggies, in terms of nutrient retention, steaming is a much better cooking method than microwaving or boiling.

I usually serve the vegan version (see options below) of this quick and easy squash casserole with a side of greens and BBQ tempeh — best eaten outside, of course! You can make this casserole throughout the growing season; in the spring/early summer, simply substitute with young and more delicate squash, and cut the steaming time by a couple minutes.

Squash Casserole

Steam 5 cups sliced yellow squash, 5 cups sliced zucchini, and 2 onions, sliced or cut into this wedges, in a steamer basket until tender, about 5 minutes. Lightly grease a large casserole dish with butter or grapeseed oil. Add a layer of squash, zucchini and onion in the casserole dish, top with a thin coating of whole wheat Italian bread crumbs (or, season your own); repeat until all the veggies are in the dish.

In a small bowl, stir and combine 3/4 cup breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until cooked through and browned on top to your liking.

Recipe 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 living and eating on her site, http://guidanceforgrowing.com!