Here are some of the produce items planned* to be in this weekend’s co-op style produce shares…there are many more items, but this is just a sampling!
*When working with fresh produce, availability can sometimes change last-minute. We do our best to let you know what’s coming ahead of time, but sometimes things do change, especially when working with local farmers. Thanks for your understanding!
Spinach & Lettuce. * LOCAL
We’ll continue to have the amazingly fresh spinach from Morrison Organic Farm as well as a new crop of various lettuces.
Recipe ideas…
- Spiced Coconut Spinach from 101 Cookbooks
- Roasted Sicilian Potatoes with Spinach from Gluten-Free Goddess
- Warm Quinoa + Spinach Salad from Gluten-Free Goddess
- Green Smoothie ideas from Happy Foody (all you need is a blender!)
- Wilted Spinach Salad with Chicken & Honey Mustard Dressing from Nourished Kitchen
- Community Supported Spinach Cake from Elana’s Pantry (thank you for supporting our community’s farmers!)
- Spinach and Green Garlic Soup
- Curried Potato and Leek Soup with Spinach
* * *
Fennel
Fennel.
We always get questions about what this item is when we include it in the produce shares! Fennel is one of our favorite veggies, but a more uncommon one. You can eat the white bulb raw – it’s super crunchy and tastes like licorice. Just cut off the thick green stems and peel off a layer of the white bulb and take a bite! Italians like to eat it this way as an appetizer before a meal to get the digestion flowing.
Recipe Ideas…
- Felicitous Fennel Facts and Recipes
- Roasted Fennel
- Orange and Fennel Salad
- Or simply slice the white fennel bulb into pieces, and put it on a plate. Drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Delicious!
* * *
Cilantro.
Cilantro is featured in dishes cooked everywhere from Spain to Mexico, the Middle East to South America. The fresh leaves are often sprinkled on top of dishes, and the root is used in Thailand to give that distinctly powerful flavor to local dishes. You may already know that cilantro is one of the main ingredients in the salsa at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
Cilantro, also known as coriander, has a distinct aroma due to its concentrated essential oils. It’s also a powerful natural cleansing agent. Cilantro has been effectively used to help remove heavy metals and other toxic agents from the body.
Recipe Ideas…
- Carrot and Cilantro Soup – perfect for Easter brunch!
- Bobby Flay’s Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro
- Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa
- Roasted Corn Chowder with Chicken, Lime and Cilantro
- Cilantro recipes from 101Cookbooks.com
- Use it to garnish fresh guacamole
- Chop it up and add it to a breakfast frittata
Carrot and Cilantro Soup | CountryLiving.com
* * *
Dill.
Dill is a unique plant in that both its leaves and seeds are used as a seasoning. Dill’s green leaves are wispy and fernlike and have a soft, sweet taste.
Recipe ideas…
- Garlic Dill New Potatoes
- Lemon and Dill Chicken
- Carrot, Dill, and White Bean Salad
- Fresh chopped dill is also delicious on eggs!
* * *
Blood Oranges.
Storage tips: To keep these ruby gems fresh longer, choose refrigeration over the fruit bowl―they’ll only last only a couple of days at room temperature, but up to two weeks in the fridge.
How to eat them: Blood oranges are best eaten fresh―out of hand, or in salads, salsas, or marmalades. If you’re following a recipe you may be asked to section the fruit. To do so, peel the orange, cut between the white membranes to expose the flesh, and remove the sections (for more juice, squeeze the leftover membranes).
Recipe ideas…