salad Tag

01 Sep

Posted at 12:25h in Recipes by
8 Likes

It’s been a great season for Blooming Glen Farm onions, and as a result we’ve been receiving them steadily in our shares for a few weeks now.  The star of this recipe is sweet onions. Caramelizing the onions enhances their flavor and adds a wonderful component to this salad dressing. As many of us fall back into a school lunch routine, playing around with different salad dressings can keep salads fun and fresh. Check out the farm’s “Salad in a Jar” Recipe Formula PDF. Don’t limit this dressing to salads though- it’s also great on burgers, wraps or grilled veggies.

Caramelized Sweet Onion Dressing

Ingredients:
Caramelized Onions-
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp avocado oil

Dressing-
1 ¼ cups avocado or olive oil
2/3 cup vinegar (white wine, apple cider, or white)
¼ cup water
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

  • Heat 2 Tbsp oil in pan on stovetop.
  • Add onions and stir. Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium to low heat.  Stir occasionally to evenly caramelize the onions.
  • Onions should be nice and golden when done.

  • Combine caramelized onions and dressing ingredients in large mason jar.
  • Using immersion blender, blend the dressing.

  • Enjoy on salad, burgers, etc.
  • Store in the refrigerator.

*Works well as the dressing for “Salad in a Jar”, a fun portable lunch option (click for the PDF Recipe Formula).

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

04 Jun

Posted at 08:48h in Recipes by
4 Likes

We were lucky to pick a quart of perfect strawberries at this season’s first share pickup — yum!  These pretty, plump berries aren’t just nice to look at: One cup of them offers nearly 150% of the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C and 29% of manganese, both powerful antioxidants that protect our bodies from free radical damage.  They also offer a healthy dose of dietary fiber, needed for everything from blood sugar maintenance to happy digestion.  Finally, strawberries have an “amazing combination of phytonutrients,” including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, flavonols, terpenoids, and phenolic acids, which help prevent unwanted inflammation.

Although it’s tempting to pop all of the berries right into my mouth, I was able to refrain from that temptation and save them for the salad below.  Feel free to use any combination of the greens that you have on hand from this week’s share.

Macerated Strawberry Salad

Ingredients
Macerated Strawberries:
1 cup strawberries, sliced into quarters
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs brown sugar
Splash of vanilla extract

1-1/2 to 2 cups greens, chopped (kale and red lettuce are pictured)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt
2 tbs sunflower seeds
Balsamic vinegar

Method
In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, and vanilla. In a larger bowl, add the strawberries, and pour the balsamic mixture over top. Let the fruit marinate for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain the berries from the marinade.

Note: If you are using lettuce and/or spinach, you can skip this step, which is to soften up tougher greens, such as kale. Place chopped greens into a bowl, squeeze on a bit of lemon juice and/or balsamic vinegar, and add a little salt. Massage the greens, so they’re coated. Let stand until strawberries are ready.

Pour drained berries onto greens, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.  Add balsamic vinegar to taste.

Post Sources:
Nutrition Data
The World’s Healthiest Foods

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!

20 Jul

Posted at 00:18h in Recipes by
6 Likes

Here is a great recipe for those of you looking for something new to show off those beautiful carrots from this week’s share. Though it can stand solo or as an addition to your salad plate, we think it might also be delicious along side a lamb dish or atop a pulled pork sandwich.

Moroccan Ginger-Carrot Salad

Grate 1 bunch of carrots (3 cups equivalent, grated) into a large bowl

In a small bowl, whisk together:

1 inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 clove of fresh garlic
juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
dash of cinnamon
salt to taste

-Pour mixture over carrots and toss

-Add in 1/4 cup of shredded coconut, 1/2 cup of walnuts and a handful of chopped parsley

-Toss again 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/

 

06 Jul

Posted at 02:35h in Recipes by
5 Likes

I’m sure you are as excited as we are to have the first batch of this season’s potatoes make its way into your CSA share. Fresh out of the dirt, these pink little nuggets have a flavorful, earthy goodness that is hard to beat. One important thing to note about this week’s variety–Dark Red Norland–is that they are a “new” potato and have not been cured, so the skin is really delicate. This is great because you don’t have to peel them, but it also means they will look a little tattered from tumbling in our root washer.

I still think they are mighty pretty : )

Dark Red Norland

The first thing I usually want to do when potatoes come into season (besides mashing them with a pound of butter) is make a simple cold potato salad. Since I’m looking for a new way to incorporate more fresh herbs into my dishes, I concocted this “fancy” version of potato salad with four kinds of herbs and those delicious yellow wax beans you have the choice of picking this week. I encourage you to eat this one warm or at room temperature. The flavors seem to develop much better. ENJOY!

Herb Potato Salad with Yellow Wax Beans
*This recipe actually uses 7 items from this weeks share!

-Cut 2 pounds of new potatoes into bit size cubes and bring them to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Boil for 10 minutes or until “fork tender”.

-In the meantime, chop:

1 sweet onion
1 bunch of celery (about 5 stalks)
a handful each of chives, parsley, dill, and french tarragon

-Cut the stems off of a half-quart (or 1/2 pound) of  fresh yellow wax beans (green beans can also be used). Blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then transfer immediately into a bowl of ice water. Chop into bit-size bits. [***I actually just threw them in with the potatoes that were already boiling on the stove and it turned out just great!]

-Drain the cooked potatoes and toss in the beans, veggies and herbs.

-Pour in a simple vinaigrette made with 3 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard, and salt to taste.

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/

22 Jun

Posted at 01:01h in Recipes by
4 Likes

Radicchio is another one of those veggies most people avoid because they either 1) don’t know what the heck it is  2) don’t know how to prepare it even if they muster the courage to pick it up from the farmers’ market 3) are plagued by some bitter and unpleasant memories of the time a few leaves made their way into a salad mix. Well I’m here to tell you that you can overcome your fears…you CAN love radicchio! All it takes is a preparation that balances the pleasant bitterness of the leaves with a sweet and nutty topping.

Radicchio

Radicchio is a member of the chicory family (along with endive and frisee) and is a widely grown crop in Italy where it was first cultivated and popularized. In addition to making a delightful salad, this veggie is sturdy enough to braise and grill–a popular option for those who might not be crazy about it raw. For this recipe I chose to grill the radicchio in halves on a gas grill, but you can also use a cast iron pan or roast it in the oven.

Grilled Radicchio Salad with Pear and Pecorino

-Wash and dry:
1 head of radicchio from your share

-Cut into half and coat with olive oil
-On a medium/low heat, grill radicchio halves on each side for 4 minutes until wilty and tender. If the outer leaves get a little crispy, that’s okay! (It is more delicious that way)
-Set aside to cool slightly and in the meantime whisk together:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves of green garlic (from your share!)
4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

-Cut up the radicchio halves into chunks and toss them with the vinaigrette. Thinly slice 1 half of a Bosc pear (or an apple) to toss in. Top with some grated Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve warm or at room temperature. ENJOY!

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