Week 11 CSA Veggie Haul

What’s up Butter-cup?

Out with August and in with September. That means fall themed everything and the vegetables are no exception. There is a new addition to this weeks haul, along with some favourites and a couple veggies that seem to be still hanging on.

I thought week 10 was going to be the end of the zucchini and cucumbers, but they are still hanging on. Usually by this time of year both of those plants get something called powdery mill dew. This mill dew kills the leaves and ends the life of the plant. This is caused by cooler wet weather. Neither of which we have had yet.

New to the line up, butter cup squash! This squash is great for roasting and baking. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with it in this weeks haul.

*Gemma on the carrots                         *Elisha bringing the beets

Basic B Season

This late season heat wave has me thankful for the extended warm weather, yet I am ready for a cool down. Move away from salads and into soups. Trade in those shorts and T shirts for a cozy sweater. Replace that ice coffee with, a latte on a cool morning. Needless to say fall is my favourite season. I don’t care if that makes me a basic B.

I had surgery on Wednesday and have strict orders to not lift anything over 10 lbs and is Gemma ever enforcing it. She is absolutely amazing and managed to smooth talk our friend Elisha into helping with this weeks harvest. Together they managed to single handedly harvest 90% of this weeks igfresh haul, on a Friday evening. I am so thankful to have such amazing and kind people in my life.

What’s In The Haul

Summer Squash (zucchini & sunburst)

Onions

Leeks

Carrots

Beets

Peppers

Potatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumber

Kale

Buttercup Squash

Garlic

Herbs

Week Eleven Recipes

SUMMER SQUASH

• Zucchini Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

• Zucchini Fritters

Summer Squash Storage Tips:

Store in your crisper as is, or place in a plastic bag leaving the bag open to allow ventilation.

If freezing the squash, first start by slicing the squash into half inch coins, next blanching it in boiling water for 2 minutes. Strain the squash in a colander, and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Next on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a clean dish towel, lay out the sliced squash in an even layer and freeze for 2 hours. Then move the veggies to a freezer bag, these will store in the freezer up to 6 months.

You can also shred the squash, squeeze the excess water out and put directly into freezer bags and place into the freezer.

Sunburst squash are very similar in texture and flavour to zucchini and are cooked in the same manner. Switch out zucchini for Sunburst in any of these recipes.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups flour or gluten free flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup canola or coconut oil

2/3 cup white sugar or coconut sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup zucchini, grated

1 cup ripe banana, mashed

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the shredded zucchini and place it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze the excess water out.  In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients, mixing together. In another bowl mix together all the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and mix well. Dump in the chocolate chips and fold everything together.

In a greased 9 by 13 baking pan, pour the batter in. Tap the baking pan a couple times to release any air bubbles in the batter. Add more chocolate chips to the top before baking. Bake the cake for 50-55 minutes. Allow bread to cool before cutting into it.

Zucchini Fritters

3 medium or 1 large Zucchini

2 large eggs

1 tsp salt

1 onion, diced

1 clove chopped garlic

1/2 cup flour

Pepper

Olive oil

Shred the zucchini and mix in the salt and let it sit in a bowl for 10 minutes. Squeeze the the water from the zucchini. Mix together the zucchini, eggs, onion, garlic, flour and pepper.

In a sauté pan over medium heat add 2 tbsp olive oil. Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, scoop out the fritter batter. Place the fritter balls in the pan of hot oil. Using a spatula press down the fritter into a pancake. Fry for 2 minutes, each side.

ONIONS

• Charred Onion Dip

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. Remember if you don't peal the tough outter skin on the onion it will be shelf stable. 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.

Charred Onion Dip

3 small onions, cut into rings

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the BBQ on high. Slice the onions into rings and toss in oil, salt and pepper. Grill on the BBQ until each side is charred. Place charred onions, garlic, cream cheese and sour cream into a food processor and blend. Add in the spices and blend again. Serve with crusty bread, crackers or veggie sticks.

LEEKS

• Leek, Potato, and Sausage Soup

Leek Storage Tips:

Leeks can be easily wrapped in a bag and stored in the crisper. They will stay fresh for up to 10 days like this.

To freeze, cut the leeks up into one inch pieces and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute.

Shock the leeks in cold water and freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 2 hours. Take out of the freezer and place in a zip lock freezer bag and put back into the freezer. Leeks will last like this for up to 10 months.

Leek, Potato, Sausage Soup

2 Leeks, cleaned and chopped

3 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

Sausage coil, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp sage, chopped

3 tbsp flour

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper

In a large pot over medium high heat add in the butter, leeks, garlic, mushrooms and sausage. Let everything cook together for 3 minutes. Remember to stir to prevent the leeks from burning to the bottom. Next add in the potatoes and chicken broth. Let the soup come to a boil and reduce heat to medium and let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Mix together the oil and flour in a bowl and then slowly whisk it into the soup. Allow a couple minutes for the soup to thicken. Once the soup has thickened add in the onion powder, garlic powder, sage and the heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.

CARROTS

• Turmeric Carrot Fries

• Ginger Roasted Carrots

Carrot Storage Tips:

When you get your carrots, cut the tops off. The carrot tops will literally suck the life out of the carrot. Place the carrots into a zip lock bag with a dry piece of paper towel. The paper towel will soak up any extra moisture the carrot gives off. The Carrots will stay crisp in the fridge up to 7 days.

Freezing carrots, cut into uniform pieces and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. This will slightly cook the carrot, but not completely through. With a slotted spoon remove the carrots, or strain with a colander. Dump out the carrots on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Put into the freezer for 2 hours. Remove the tray and put the frozen carrots into a zip lock bag, and store it in the freezer.

Turmeric Carrot Fries

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

10 medium carrots cut in half length wise, tops cut off

2 tbsp olive oil

Dip

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp dill

4 green onions

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F. In a roasting pan mix together all the ingredients and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

In a food processor add all the dip ingredients and blend together.

Ginger Roasted Carrots

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 bundle of carrots

1 tbsp butter, melted

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim the tops and bottoms off the carrots, and cut in half length wise. In a bowl toss the carrots, ginger, butter, salt and pepper together and lay out evenly on a sheet pan. Roast for 25-30 minutes.

BEETS

• Borscht

Beets Storage Tips:

Take the tops off the beets, putting them into a resealable bag and put in the fridge. Beets will last like this for up to 3 weeks. To prolong the life of the beets poke holes in the bag to allow moisture to escape.

Freezing beets, fill a pot with water. Add the beets and bring the pot to a boil.  Cook small beets for 25-30 minutes and larger beets 45-50 minutes. The beets are done when they can be poked with a knife or fork. Put the cooked beets in a bowl of ice water, to cool them down quicker. When the beets are cooled down enough to be handled, peel off the skins. This should come off easily. Next slice or dice the beets and spread out on a baking sheet to flash freeze. Once the beets are fully frozen, package them in a resealable bag and place back into the freezer for later use.

Borscht

3 medium beets, peeled and shredded

2 ribs of celery, shredded

3 carrots, shredded

2 small onions, shredded

1/4 of a cabbage, shredded

3 medium red potato, shredded

3 cloves of garlic, shredded

4 tbsp olive oil

8 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp white vinegar

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tbsp dill, chopped

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. In the meantime in a food processor. Shred the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Add this to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, continue to stir to prevent anything from burning. Next shred the cabbage, beets and potatoes in the food processor. Add those veggies in with the other vegetables in the pot. Pour in the chicken broth and bay leaves and stir all the ingredients together. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and simmer the soup for 30 minutes. To finish add white vinegar, salt and pepper.

Garnish with sour cream and fresh dill.

Peppers

• Sautéed Peppers and Onions

• Unstuffed Peppers

Pepper Storage Tips:

Peppers will last in your fridge crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks.

To freeze peppers, slice or dice the pepper to the desired size. Next evenly space out the peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours. After 2 hours remove the peppers from the freezer and place in zip lock freezer bags and put back into the freezer. Peppers will store like this for up to 6 months.

Sautéed Peppers and Onions

2 medium peppers, sliced

2 medium onions, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp oregano

Salt and Pepper

In a sauté pan over medium high heat add in the olive oil. Slice the peppers, onions and garlic and add to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, continuously stirring. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Goes great on BBQ sausages and grilled steaks.

Unstuffed Peppers

1 lbs ground meat

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 peppers, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 Jar of tomato sauce

1/2 can of tomato paste

1 cup water

1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

In a pan over medium high heat, cook the ground meat. Once the meat is cooked add in the onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in the tomato sauce, paste, water and the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer with a lid on for 30 minutes. Once time is up sprinkle with cheddar cheese and serve.

POTATOES

• Potato Pancakes

Potato Storage Tips

Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark and well ventilated place. Typically in a cardboard box in the pantry or garage. Do not store them in the fridge. The humidity in the fridge will make them sprout over time and the cold air will make the potato convert its starch to sugar. Making the potato sweet.

Potato Pancakes

5-6 medium potatoes, shredded

1 onion, sliced

1 tsp salt

4 sprigs of thyme, stem removed

1 large egg

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/4 cup flour or gluten free flour

Shred the potatoes and add the salt and mix thoroughly, let sit for 10 minutes. Drain off the liquid in the bowl. Squeeze the potatoes removing any extra water from the potatoes. In a bowl combine all the ingredients to the potatoes and mix until everything is incorporated. In a frying pan over medium high heat add 4 tbsp of cooking oil or fat of your choice. Wait till the oil is hot. Form the potato pancakes into little patties and place into the pan to fry for 3 minutes each side. Serve with sour cream and chopped chives.

TOMATOES

• Caprese Salad

Tomato Storage Tips

Store your tomatoes, upside down (stem side down) on a tray left out on the counter. Ripened tomatoes will store like this for up to 6 days. If they last that long.

Freezing tomatoes has never been simpler, start by coring the tomato. Next place the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 5 hours. Once frozen solid, remove the tomato from the freezer and put into freezer bags. Put back into the freezer, the tomatoes will last like this for up to a year.

Caprese Salad

3 ripe tomatoes or2 cups Cherry tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella ball or boccocini

Fresh Basil

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

2 cups Balsamic Vinegar

In a sauce pan over medium high heat, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil and reduce until the vinegar coats the back of a spoon. Let cool.

Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into 1 inch thick slices and lay out in layering fashion. Drizzle the reduce balsamic vinegar and Olive oil over top of the tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with basil on top.

CUCUMBER

• Creamy Cucumber Salad

• Dill & Onion Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Storage Tip:

Storing cucumbers is easy as wrapping them in dry paper towel and placing them in an open plastic bag. Make sure the bag is left open to allow air flow. Cucumbers will store in the fridge like this for a 10 days.

The alternative method is to just store the cucumbers on the counter. They will delicious and crisp like this for 7 days.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber

1 bundle of green onions

1 tbsp white vinegar

3 tbsp mayo

Salt and Pepper

Cut cucumbers into coins. Roughly chop the green onions. In a bowl combine cucumbers, green onions, vinegar, mayo, salt and pepper.

Dill & Onion Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber, cut into ribbons

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Salt and Pepper

With a vegetable peeler, slice the cucumber into strips length wise. In a bowl combine all the ingredients and let it sit for half hour in the fridge before eating.

KALE

• Kale Chips

• Lemon and Garlic Kale

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.

Kale Chips

1 bundle of kale

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt to season

Pre heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. De-stem the Kale and cut into bit size pieces. Thoroughly pat dry the kale with paper towel. Next add the kale to a bowl with the olive oil and mix until evenly coated. Lay the kale out on the baking sheet spaced apart, making sure none of the pieces are touching. Sprinkle with salt and put in the oven for 10 minutes. When 10 minutes is up rotate the pan and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Kale chips are best enjoyed slightly warm.

Lemon + Garlic Kale

As many Kale leaves as you want

Juice from 1 lemon

3 cloves of crushed garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Roughly chop the kale and add it to a sauté pan to steam with a bit of water. Once the water is evaporated, add in the lemon juice and crushed garlic and let steam until all the liquid is gone. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper.

BUTTERCUP SQUASH

• Stuffed Squash

• Winter Squash Bread

Fall Squash Storage Tips:

Squash store great in a dark 10 degree room. Typically a basement or closet. They can be stored like this for up to 4 months.

Butter cup squash has almost the same texture as butternut squash. It is great for mashing, roasting or using in baking.

Stuffed Buttercup Squash

1 butter cup squash, seeds removed

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup cooked grains (rice, quinoa, barley)

1/2 lbs ground meat of your choice

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp fresh thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

In a saute pan over medium high heat, add in the oil. Once the oil is hot, cook the ground meat, or skip the step and put in the onions, mushrooms, thyme and garlic to cook for 5 minutes. Next add in the cooked grains and toasted walnuts and heat through. Put the stuffing to the side to cool down.

Cut the top of the squash off and take out the seeds like you would with a jack-o-lantern. Add the stuffing into the squash and place the lid back on. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Winter Squash Bread

3 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup melted butter

3 eggs

3 cups cooked buttercup squash

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

Bake a buttercup squash for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Once cooked let cool and reserve 3 cups of cook squash. In a bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Create a well in the dry ingredients add in the eggs, butter, vanilla and squash. Mix together well and add in the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

GARLIC

• Roasted Garlic

Garlic Storage Tips

Store garlic in a cardboard box or paper bag in a cool dark area. The paper bag or box still creates air flow and ventilation allowing the garlic to breath. Avoid storing the garlic in a plastic bag. This will create moisture build up and make the garlic spoil faster.

Roasted Garlic

1 garlic bulb

1 tbsp Olive oil

Cut the top off the garlic exposing the cloves inside. Put the garlic in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over to and salt and pepper the top. Wrap the garlic bulb in the foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Once cooled you can squeeze the garlic from the cloves.