Author: bloomingglenfarm

06 Oct

Posted at 13:27h in Recipes by
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This recipe is a slight variation to the much beloved latke, or potato pancake. Usually lightly fried and served with sour cream or applesauce, potato pancakes make a great side dish to pork chops or can be topped with sauteed greens for a lighter, vegetarian option. Purple-top turnips give the cakes another layer of flavor and added creaminess. Here, turnips are made tasty…for even the pickiest of eaters!

Potato and Turnip Cakes

-Coarsely grate (with a box grater or a food processor fitted with the grater attachment) 2 pounds of potatoes and 1 large purple-top turnip, all scrubbed and trimmed. (Optional: add 1 fennel bulb, grated.)

-Dump grated veggies onto a clean dishtowel and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible; transfer vegetables to a medium bowl.

-Beat 2 large eggs and toss in with coarse salt and ground pepper.

-Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Form potato mixture into four tightly packed patties; place in skillet, flattening gently with a spatula to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cook patties, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side (reduce heat if patties start to brown too quickly, and add more oil to skillet if necessary). Transfer to paper towels; sprinkle with salt.

-Serve with applesauce for a traditional treat, alongside eggs for breakfast, or as a base for sauteed kale or chard.

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

05 Oct

Posted at 13:50h in Weekly Share by
3 Likes

Today was a beautiful fall day…we’ve all almost forgotten how wonderful a sunny day feels! Root vegetables abound in the share this week- purple-top turnips, radishes, potatoes, fennel, garlic, and onions.  Have a few cabbages in your fridge? There was a wonderful recipe in the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living for mini batches of saurkraut or just google a quick kraut recipe. It’s really simple and so delicious to make your own sauerkraut.

October 4, 2011.

Those brave enough to venture into the muddy flower patch these past few weeks were greeted by an array of gorgeous dahlias, their vibrant colors a cheerful respite from the rain. In the Discovery Garden, lemon balm is flourishing, and as we have learned in our herbal classes here at the farm with herbalist Susan Hess of Farm at Coventry, lemon balm is a mild flavorful remedy for children’s colds, stomachaches and headaches.

Dahlias and Lemon Balm

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

01 Oct

Posted at 10:29h in Recipes by
6 Likes

Warm Curried Millet Salad with Delicata SquashDon’t let delicata squash’s small size fool you! Each pint-sized veggie boasts loads of nutrition. Low in calories, carbs and fat, high in Vitamins A and C and containing both minerals calcium and iron, delicata is a health-promoting addition to anyone’s diet.

Appropriately named for it’s delicate weight and size, delicata is considered a winter squash, making an appearance in the cooler weather.  However, delicata is actually a member of the summer squash family, which includes gold and green zucchini, pattypan, and yellow crookneck varieties.  This is a great point to keep in mind when preparing delicata, as it cooks up more like its summer cousins; preparation and cook time is quick and the skin is also eaten.

Lucky for us, extra delicata with just a slight soft spot was for the taking on the Blooming Glen Farm sharing table this week. If you, like me, took advantage of the gift, you’ll be able to put to use the tasty recipe below. In this warm dish, delicata’s sweet potato flavor and beneficial nutrition is highlighted against the super-grain, millet.

Warm Curried Millet Salad with Delicata Squash

Warm Curried Millet Salad with Delicata Squash
Heat oven to 425-degrees. Slice two small delicata squash in half lengthwise and spoon out seeds. Slice halves lengthwise again and place in a single layer, flesh side up, on a cookie sheet. Lightly spray with grapeseed oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until soft and edges begin to brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.  Note: Careful not to eat all these up before you can get them into the salad 😉

In a large pot, boil 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of millet. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until done, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons curry powder, 2 tablespoons tamari and 1 tablespoon ginger powder or freshly minced ginger.

A few minutes before the squash and millet are done, sauté 2 cups of thinly shredded or chopped Swiss chard and 1/4 cup chopped onion.

Dice squash and add to millet along with chard-onion mixture and 1/4 cup raisins. Combine ingredients while stirring in sauce. Serve hot.

This makes a satisfying main dish; try serving with grilled veggies, curried tofu or a bit of curried chicken.  As a side, a smaller portion goes great with a couple slices of smoky grilled tempeh and steamed broccoli.

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

28 Sep

Posted at 15:09h in Recipes by
8 Likes

With this simple variation to the standard caramelized onion, you can add a new dimension of flavor to your usual pasta or pizza dishes. I spread some goat cheese on a piece of toasted fig bread and topped it with the caramelized fennel and onion mixture–a great appetizer or hors d’oeuvre idea. The anise flavor of the fennel is mellowed and sweetened by the touch of brown sugar and honey at the end.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium high heat. Thinly slice 1 yellow onion and 2 bulbs of fennel and toss in with sizzling butter. Salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn down to medium low heat and sprinkle some brown sugar over the mixture to help caramelize. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until the onions and fennel are a deep golden brown.

Finish with a drizzle of honey and ENJOY!

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

27 Sep

Posted at 22:01h in Weekly Share by
1 Like

This week’s share introduces a few new crops, broccoli and celery, and we also shift gears with a new winter squash variety- delicata. Delicata, also known as sweet potato squash, has a sweet nutty flavor with a creamy smooth texture. My favorite way by far to prepare this sweet squash is to slice it into rings about 1/2 inch thick, scoop out the seeds, then quickly dip the rings into a marinade that is a mix of toasted sesame oil and tamari sauce. Place the squash rings on a cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, flipping the squash rings half way through the cooking time. Cook until tender and slightly browned. Delicious!!

September 27, 2011

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

23 Sep

Posted at 16:17h in Recipes by
10 Likes

Swimming in poblanos? Try these little poblano boats to deliciously deliver one of nature’s greatest superfoods, quinoa, to your awaiting taste buds and belly! Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) easily incorporates the seasonings and spices with which it’s cooked without losing its own taste and texture, making it a great companion to the robustly flavorful poblano.

Poblanos & Quinoa

Technically a seed, though often grouped with whole grains, quinoa is tightly packed with essential micronutrients magnesium and mangnese and delivers a healthy dose of fiber. Quinoa also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a source of complete protein — in fact, it’s considered to have the most complete amino acid profile of all grains.  Start reaping quinoa’s benefits today with the stuffed pepper recipe below.  Two or three pepper halves work as a main course, or serve just one as an appetizer or side.

Stuffed Peppers: Poblanos & Mexican-style Quinoa

BPoblanos & Quinoaoil 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup your favorite quinoa (a mix of red and yellow is pictured), cover pot and lower to a simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Slice 3-4 poblano peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds.  Steam pepper halves in a steamer basket until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Set aside on a plate.

In small a frying pan, sauté until just soft (about 5 minutes):
1/4 onion
1/4 cup sweet frying peppers
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Stir in 1/2 cup cooked black beans and 1/4 cup chopped tomato and heat through.  Keep mixture warm until quinoa is done cooking.

Combine quinoa and vegetable-bean mixture, stirring well. Stuff pepper halves with mix, and enjoy hot or at room temperature. Serve with salsa, guacamole or avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro and/or lime wedges.

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

21 Sep

Posted at 13:02h in Recipes by
2 Likes

I don’t think chicken pot pie needs much of an introduction, but I will say this savory pie is one of my favorite comfort foods….even if it is a bit of a project. (All that gravy and pie crust makes it totally worth it, right?). It is also a great medium to use up things from your fridge. So experiment with variations!

**Warning: This recipe is not for dieters. Though I’m sure you could play with the recipe to omit some butter and the heavy cream.

Chicken Pot Pie

First off, you need to decide how you are going to prepare your chicken. I chose to roast 1 whole chicken and used all the meat (light and dark) from that. An equivalent if you are using chicken breasts would be about 6 breasts. You can prepare these simply by roasting until cooked through. Cut cooked chicken into cubes or shred.

To make crust:

For the pastry, mix 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add 2 sticks of butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add between 1/2 and 1 cup of ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

To make filling:

-In a medium saucepan, heat 5 cups of chicken stock (I used homemade stock from the bones I used to roast the chicken). Bring to boil and then leave at a low simmer.

-In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of oil and saute until tender:

1 yellow onion, diced
1 celeriac bulb, peeled and diced into small cubes
2 carrots, diced

-Add in stock with veggies.

-Chop 1 pound of potatoes and about a medium head (2 small) of cauliflower, hard stems removed. Add to pot.

-Bring everything to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

-In another small saucepan make a roux by melting 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter and adding 3/4 cup of flour. Salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for just a minute or so. Add roux to pot and stir until the mixture begins to thicken.

-Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream (half-and-half or whole milk will also do), the chicken and a dash of thyme, sage or rosemary.

*The filling should be thick and have a nice gravy. If it seems to thin, just cook on medium heat uncovered for a little longer.

-Pour filling into a large cast iron dish. Roll out your dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and place on top of filling leaving some overhang. Brush dough with an eggwash and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool for at least a half hour so it can set a bit.

**You can also make these into 4 individual pot pies if you have oven safe bowls.

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

20 Sep

Posted at 23:10h in Weekly Share by
2 Likes

Tender and spicy arugula makes its way into the share this week, as does a bit of caulifower. The cauliflower is suffering in all the rain and damp conditions, so unfortunately we have to harvest it on the small side, as it is starting to mold and rot in the centers. But toss it in some stir-fry and it will jazz up your dish! 

Sept. 20, 2011.

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

17 Sep

Posted at 12:45h in Recipes by
6 Likes

Fall crops are here! Celeriac (celery root) and winter squash are making their first appearance in the share and at the markets this week, so it is the perfect time to brush up on those fall crop recipes or even try out something new.

My go-to preparation for so many fall crops like winter squash, potatoes, or celeriac is to simply toss them in olive oil and roast them. Though it’s delicious and still probably my favorite way to eat them, sometimes a more complex preparation can be a nice change. This recipe is a healthy, vegetarian curry that showcases the sunshine squash’s sweetness and the complex nutty flavor of the celery root. I serve it alongside some rice for a complete and satisfying  meal.

Lentil Curry with Celeriac and Winter Squash

-Half, seed, and peel 1 Kabocha squash–or other winter squash–with a sharp knife (the skin is actually not too hard to peel if your knife is good). Cut squash into 1/4 inch chunks. Similarly, carefully peel and chop 1 celery root into 1/4 chunks. Set aside. 

-Heat a large pot over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil (I like coconut for this recipe) and toss squash and celery root in with:

1 large white onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium carrots
2 tablespoons of fresh, grated ginger
1 teaspoon of salt

-Saute veggies for about 15-20 minutes until tender.

-Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of red chili flakes. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

-Add 1 cup of lentils (any type will do), 1 cup of water or chicken stock, and 1 cup of coconut milk. **Coconut milk can be omitted…just add stock or water instead.

-Cover and simmer mixture for 25-40 minutes until lentils are tender. Adding more stock or water if the mixture is getting to thick.

-Let cool slightly and serve with brown or wild rice. Garnish with a fresh herb like chive, cilantro or parsley! ENJOY!

Serves 4 to 5 large portions.

Recipe and photos by Jana Smart- Blooming Glen Farm employee and frequent creator of creative recipes using farm fresh seasonal ingredients. Check out more of her recipes on her food blog http://www.agrarianeats.blogspot.com/

13 Sep

Posted at 21:49h in Weekly Share by
5 Likes

This week’s share sees the first winter squash of the season. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s an ornamental pumpkin to let rot on your front porch- cook it quick, it won’t store for long. The scarlet kabocha squash, “sunshine”, could hands down be the sweetest and most flavorful it has ever been since we started growing it five years ago. To cook it, I just cut it in quarters, remove the seeds and sit it in a casserole pan cut side up with a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan. Bake at 375 degrees until soft (about 45 minutes) and enjoy! Another vegetable you might not be familiar with is celeriac, or celery root. To enjoy this root vegetable just peel off the roots and rough exterior until it resembles a white turnip. The flavor is just like celery, but a little goes a long way. Use in soups, mashed with potatoes, roasted with other root crops, or grate it raw on a salad.

September 13, 2011

We thank everyone for their support during all this crazy weather. This season by far has been the most challeging for us, from the wet spring to the catastrophic rain and flooding of the last few weeks. We are seeing major crop loss from the over 17 inches of rain we received in under two weeks. We are still assessing the damage (as some crops we thought were okay are succumbing to the moisture and others we just don’t know the extent of the damage- for example our sweet potatoes and potatoes), but it may be that we will have to end the season earlier then anticipated. In the meantime we will do our best to keep the shares as robust as possible, and we give thanks for all the bounty that the farm has already provided. We are scrambling to get our greenhouses cleaned out of their summer crops and prepped in the hopes that we can get something planted in there to make up for all that is rotting or dying in the fields. Our biggest concern now is that our fields dry out enough to get our garlic planted for next year. Keep your fingers crossed, and again we appreciate all the words of encouragement!

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.