CanadEH…Haul

The gardening season is now in full swing. My days at the garden always start with a crop check. Think of it as a daily garden tour, that gives me an excuse to walk around enjoying a coffee and taking in the whole garden.
With that said mornings aren’t always filled with peaceful garden strolls. I look for bug damage, where weeds are getting out of control, and checking moisture levels. Most of all I look for new growth.
The garden, is in constant production. When plants come out at the end of June, new fast growing crops are going in to take their place.

*This years weedy beds                           *Last years weed free beds

Spilling the Tea

When I do the garden check, I am looking for any bug damage on plants. (holes in leaves or root crops) As a result when I was checking the salad turnips I noticed some bug damage to the outside of the bulbs.

So here is the tea, I believe in complete and total transparency, so I want you to know that I have washed and scrubbed the turnips to clean them. If you are comfortable receiving a vegetable with bug damage then its yours, but if you don’t want to take any that’s totally fine as well.

The section of the garden that the onions, garlic and leeks are in are covered in weeds. It was a patch of ground that was totally covered in weeds last year… well actually its were I used to park. This past fall I rototilled that area and prepared the ground to be planted for this spring. As we know rototilling loosens the ground making it easier to plant, but it also brings a lot of weed seeds to the surface. As a result the weeds are out of control in that area. This has and will continue to be a constant battle all year.

Its not just weeds coming up in the garden its also, lots of other vegetables. The peas, carrots, beets and potatoes are all growing well. I believe we are on pace to have all 4 ready for the middle to late part of July.

As the garden season moves on plants like spinach, arugula, baby kale, radish and turnips come out. New plants and seeds go in. So where the spinach was I am going to plant more peas. Radishes get replaced with some carrots for a late season crop and arugula is replaced with head lettuce. I am specifically choosing quick growing crops that will be ready in less than two months. A Saskatchewan growing season is so short that I need to make use of garden space as I have it.

What’s In The Haul

HALF

Leaf Lettuce, Arugula, Sorrel Salad Blend

Spinach and Baby Kale Mix

Turnip Greens

Green Onion

FULL

Leaf Lettuce, Arugula, Sorrel Salad Blend

Spinach and Baby Kale Mix

Radish

Turnip Greens

Bundle of Kale

Dill or Cilantro

Week 2 Recipes

Lettuce Blend

Ultimate Summer Salads
Blue Cheese Dressing

Lettuce Storage Tips:

In a resealable container or bag, line the bottom with a paper towel. Place the lid back on or reseal the bag and store in your fridge for up to 7 days. A container works great because it prevents the lettuce from getting bruised.

The Lettuce Blend includes tender baby mescaline mix. Strong and spicy arugula. With a slightly sour sorrel. If you have never had sorrel, imagine spinach that tastes like rhubarb. The 3 leafy greens come together to make an amazing salad blend.

Ultimate Summer Salad

Large bag of mixed salad greens

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup cucumbers, sliced

1/2 of red onion, sliced

1/2 cup of toasted walnuts

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup crumbled feta

In a large bowl combine, all of the ingredients, layering each one on top of the other. Dress with a strawberry vinaigrette. Optional serve with grilled chicken, fish or temph

Blue Cheese Dressing

1/4 cup mayo

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tbsp vinegar of your choice

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Salt and Pepper

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients together and mix well. Spoon over crisp romaine and garden veggies.

Spinach & Baby Kale

Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Lemon, Garlic and Spinach Orzo
Summer Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Kale Smoothie

Spinach Storage Tips:

In a resealable bag or container. Place the spinach and on one side put a piece of paper towel and seal the bag or container. The container works great cause it prevents the spinach from getting bruised in the fridge. This will last in your fridge up to 10 days.

Freezing Spinach, blanch the spinach in boiling water. Let it cook for 30 second and strain the water from the spinach. Next let the spinach cool slightly and then squeeze the water from the spinach. Put the spinach in a air tight bag and freeze. It will stay good in the freezer up to 3 months.

Spinach and Baby Kale can be used interchangeably. Use one in the substitute for the other, that’s why this blend works so well together both are tender and rich.

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

5 oz of spinach, roughly chopped

4 tbsp butter or cooking oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 cans of artichokes

4oz cream cheese, room temperature

4oz sour cream

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

16oz box of Pasta of your choice

Salt and Pepper

In a large pan over medium high heat, add the butter, chopped onions and crushed garlic. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then add in the chopped spinach and let cook for an additional 2 minutes. The spinach will wilt down. Next drain the liquid from the two cans of artichokes and chop them into tiny pieces. Add the artichokes to the pan of spinach and onion and cook until the artichokes are heated through. Reduce the heat to medium. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and add to the pan along with the sour cream. Stir the cream cheese continuously to prevent it from burning. Once the sauce is smooth add in the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a separate pot of water prepare your pasta. Once the pasta is at your desired doneness, pour 1/2 cup of the cooking water into the sauce and stir to combine. Strain the rest of the pasta and add it to the sauce.

*If your want to add protein to your pasta, add it at the beginning of the cooking process before you add the onions and garlic.

Lemon, Garlic and Spinach Orzo

2 cups Spinach

Juice from 1 lemon

3 cloves of garlic

4 tbsp olive oil

2 cups of orzo, cooked

2 grilled chicken breast

Bocconcici, cut in half

Salt and pepper

Grill the chicken breast coarsely chop and set off to the side. In a pot of boiling water cook the orzo, drain and set off to the side. In a sauté pan wilt the spinach with a tbsp of water. Add in the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cooked orzo, chopped chicken, salt and pepper. Mix everything together, top with the halved bocconcini and place under the broiler to let the cheese melt. Remove from the broiler and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy.

Summer Spinach + Strawberry Salad

2 cups of spinach

1 cup strawberries, cut into quarters

1/2 cup feta

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

5 green onions, chopped

Dressing

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of half of lemon or 2 tbsp or vinegar of your choice

1/2 cup strawberries

3 sprigs of sweet marjoram (stems removed)

Salt and Pepper

In a large bowl add the spinach and then on top layer the strawberries, sunflower seeds, feta and green onions. In a blender or food processor add all the ingredients for the dressing and mix together until combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix in.

Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Baby Kale Smoothie

1 cup baby kale

Half of avocado

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp cocoa powder, or chocolate protein powder

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Half of a banana (optional)

Put all the ingredients into a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

**RADISH**

Radish, Apple and Cilantro Salad
Red Radish Sauce
Pickled Radishes

Radish Storage Tips:

On the counter: using a mason or jam jar. Or resealable container. Place the radish bulbs in the jar with the tops sticking out. Pour water into the jar covering the radish bulbs, making sure to leave the greens dry. They will last on the counter like up to 4 days.

Remove the tops and put in a air tight container store in the fridge for up to a week.

Radish, Apple & Cilantro Salad

Vegetable Slaw:

Bundle of radishes

1 Apple of your choice

4 Green onions

1/2 cup cilantro

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice from a lime

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp dijon mustard

Trim the tops and bottoms from the radishes. Thinly slice the radish, apple and green onions and add to a bowl. Next roughly chop the cilantro and to the slaw mixture. In a bowl combine all the dressing ingredients with a whisk and pour over the vegetables. Finish off with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Red Radish Sauce

1 bundle of radishes

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp mayo

4 green onion stalks, diced

Salt and Pepper

In a food processor or blended, blend the whole radish (tops removed). Blend with the vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Store in a jar for later or make sauce now.

In a bowl combine all the ingredients with the prepared radish mixture. Mix together. Serve with grill steak, pork or chicken.

Pickled Radish

Bundle of radish

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup hot water

Cut both ends of the radish off. Thinly slice the radish into coins (thiner the slices the better the radishes will pickle). In a small pot of water add the water, vinegar, salt and sugar and bring to a simmer. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, pour into a bowl with the radishes and let sit out on the counter for an hour. Then put into a resealable container and put in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 3 weeks.

Green Onion Storage Tips:

Whole onions can be stored in a cool, dry, dark and well ventilated place. This would be a basement, cellar, or garage. Already peeled and cut onions can be stored in the fridge in a air tight container to prevent the onion odour corrupting other foods. They will store in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Green onions can be stored in the fridge in a zip lock bag with a paper towel for up to a week.

Green Onion Dip

1 bundle of green onions, chopped

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 sour cream

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp white vinegar

Salt and Pepper

In a bowl combine all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let chill in the fridge for two hours before enjoying with your favourite raw veggies.

Turnip

Sautéed turnip greens
Pickled turnips

Turnip Storage Tips:

Cut the green tops off of the turnips. Place the turnip bulb into a zip lock bag with a paper towel to wick away any moisture. If you want to keep the tops, remove the greens from the stalk. Store the greens in a zip lock bag with a paper towel. Greens should last a week in the fridge. Where as the bulb will last up to 2 weeks.

Parings to go with Salad Turnip

Bacon, Butter, Parmesan Cheese, Cream, Dill, Garlic, Honey, Leeks, Green Onion, Potatoes, Thyme, Lamb, Roast Chicken

Sautéed Turnip Greens

4 strips of bacon

2 cups of turnip greens, roughly chopped

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/8 cup white wine

Preheat a sauté pan over medium heat. Dice the bacon and cook until almost fully cooked. Add in the onion and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Next add in the chopped turnip greens and sauté for a few minutes. Add the white wine and let it reduce completely. Salt and pepper and enjoy.

Pickled Turnips

1 cup of water

1/3 cup of vinegar

1 bay leaf

1/8 cup Kosher Salt

4 small turnips, cut into sticks

1 small beet

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a simmer and let it go until the salt is dissolved. Let the brine mixture cool to room temp. In a sealable container add the turnip, beets, garlic and cooled brine mixture. Cover with the lid and let it marinate for 3 days in the fridge.

KALE

Kale Chips
Kale Pesto with Grilled Peach Pizza
Kale Kimchi

Kale Storage Tips:

Take the washed kale and place in a zip lock bag or air tight container. Put a dry piece of paper towel in the bag or container to wick away any moisture. Kale is pretty resilient and will last in your fridge up to 10 days.

Freezing kale, remove the rib from the kale leaf. Blanch the kale in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove the kale from the water, letting it air dry or dry it off with a dry towel. Place it on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for 2 hours. Once frozen put into a zip lock bag and put it back into the freezer. It will last up to 3 months.

What Pares with Kale

Garlic, olive oil, onions, red pepper flakes, salt, thyme, vinegar, butter, cheddar cheese, roast chicken, lemon juice, pancetta, bacon, sweet potatoes.

Kale Chips with Ranch Seasoning

Bundle of kale

2 tbsp olive oil

Ranch seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried dill

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut the kale into bite size pieces and massage the leaves with olive oil. Lay the leaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mix together the ranch seasoning and sprinkle onto the kale. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Then rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes

Kale Pesto and Grilled Peach Pizza

1 recipe of kale pesto

2 ripe peaches

Prosciutto

Feta or bocconcini

4 flatbreads, store bought pitas

Preheat the BBQ on high. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pit. Cut into 1/8 and grill on the BBQ.

While the peaches cook, preheat a cast iron pan on the BBQ. Remove the peaches. Once the skillet is hot start building the pizzas. Spoon and spread the kale pesto on top of the flatbread. Add the prosciutto, peaches and cheese to the top and place the pizza in the hot cast iron skillet. Close the lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the flatbread turns golden brown.

Kale Kimchi

1 Bundle of Kale

1 tsp kosher salt

4 carrots, grated

8 radishes, grated

1 bundle of green onions, chopped

1 tbsp ginger, grated

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp red chilli flakes

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp paprika

Hand tear the kale. In a bowl combine the kale, carrots, radish, green onion, ginger, and garlic.

Sprinkle the salt amongst the vegetables and massage in. Let the salt and vegetables sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a smaller separate bowl combine the paprika, chilli flakes and fish sauce. Add to the vegetables and mix together thoroughly. Pack everything into a mason jar and cover with the seal. If need be add a bit of water to the vegetables just until they are covered. Do not tighten the ring, leave it loose. This will allow gas to escape the jar while the vegetables ferment. Let it sit on the counter for 3-4 days. Once fermented tighten the lid and store in the fridge.

Herb Storage Tips

Store in a bag or resalable container in the fridge. Will last in the fridge for up to a week.

IG Fresh Haul Week 2

CanadEH…Haul

Spilling the Tea

What’s In The Haul

HALF

FULL

Week 2 Recipes