Farm Happenings for August 5, 2021

Beets - Almost ready for harvest 

Hello Members - Happy Weekend!   The sun is shining and the plants are smiling as they absorb one of the neccessities for their life - light!  For plants, light is food. They use it in a vital process known as photosynthesis, which creates sugars (food) for plants. Sugars fuel plant growth, so the more light a plant is exposed to, the more energy it will create and the faster it will grow. Due to an abundance of one other necessity of plants - water - the rain delayed planting and accompanying cloud coverage took care of the 

sun - as a result  maturation of the vegetables has been delayed 2 - 3 weeks in many cases.  As the season continues, we will continue to introduce new vegetables each week. 

For those who received their share in the new boxes - Sorry that you had to Tip Your Lids  to see names last week - we will definitely move the labels down on the boxes so the names are visible!

We have a couple of new vegetables in your shares this week -

Green Bell Pepper - high in iron and rich in vitamin C  -

On the Grill

Ingredients

• 3 green bell peppers, cut into large chunks (little saucers)
  
   
  ½ cup sliced jalapeno peppers
   
• 1 pinch dried oregano
   
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Directions

• Preheat a grill for medium-high heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate.

• Step 2

  Place the pepper pieces onto the grill with the inside facing down. Cook until slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes.

• Step 3

  Turn peppers over, and place jalapeno slices onto them. Top with some mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle with a bit of oregano. Grill until cheese melts, then remove to a plate and serve.

  Pin Wheels

  

  Ingredients

  • 1  green onion (scallion)
  • 1/2 green pepper
  • ½ cup  black beans
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup  Hummus
  • ½ cup  baby spinach
  • ¼ cup shredded cheese (optional)
  • 2 large Spinach Wraps (or gluten-free wrap of your choosing)
  • ½ cup Salsa, for serving (optional)

  • Instructions

    1. Thinly slice the green onion, pepper. In a small bowl, mix the black beans and sliced vegetables with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and kosher salt.
    2. Spread hummus in a thin layer with 1/4” around the edge of each tortilla.  Place half of the spinach in a layer in the middle of each tortilla. Place the peppers in a line on one side, and the black beans in a line on the other side (see the photo). Sprinkle half of the cheese on each tortilla.
    3. Tightly roll up the tortilla, keeping it as tight as possible and rolling smoothly at the end (don’t worry if a little bit falls out!). Slice off the ends and either eat or discard; then slice the remainder into 8 pieces. Serve immediately with salsa (optional) or refrigerate until serving. 

   

   

  We will be offering Patty Pan Squash in your shares this week -  

  Patty pan squash is a small, scalloped, round summer squash that is just as healthy as it is delicious (particularly when it's stuffed patty pan squash!). The name "patty pan" is derived from "a pan for baking a patty." It has a creamy texture and buttery flavor. 

  Roasting veggies is a great way to prepare them and patty pan squash is no exception. These cute little discs of veggies are similar to a yellow squash and mild in flavor. We tossed ours in a little olive oil, garlic, and thyme for a classic approach, but feel free to add any of your favorite seasonings. 

  INGREDIENTS

   1 1/2 lb. 

  patty pan squash, stems trimmed and halved

  2 tbsp. 

  extra-virgin olive oil

  Kosher salt

  Freshly ground black pepper

  2 

  cloves garlic, minced

  1 tsp. 

  chopped fresh thyme leaves 

  Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

  1 tbsp. 

  freshly chopped parsley

   

  DIRECTIONS

   

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Toss squash with oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. 
  2. Roast until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and thyme to baking sheet with squash and toss to coat. Roast until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes more. 
  3. Sprinkle a large pinch of red pepper flakes and parsley over squash and toss to coat.
  4. Grilling Them

  5. Heat the grill. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high (450°F to 550°F). Scrape the grill grates clean if needed.

  6. Season the squash. Place the squash wedges in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with 1/2 kosher salt and a few grinds black pepper, and toss to combine.

  7. Grill until browned. Place the squash wedges cut-side down on the grill grates. Cover and grill until grill marks form on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the squash and grill until the squash is crisp-tender and grill marks form on the second side, about 3 minutes more.

      

     How to Serve Pattypans

     Cooked pattypans have a mild, sweet flavor and are great on their own, especially when served next to something highly spiced or seasoned, but they are also super-versatile since they soak up flavor like little sponges once they’re cooked. My favorite way is to dress the hot pattypans with a little lemon juice and olive oil, then sprinkle on some crumbled feta cheese and fresh herbs like parsley or mint for a more robust side that’s good warm or at room temperature. Leftover squash is also great in salads or chopped up and thrown into frittatas or grain salads, so cook more than you need and enjoy using up the extras!

     Thank you for your membership and support of the Farm's mission to feed the hungry!   This past week cucumbers - zucchini - and patty pans - were brought down to the Food Bank to provide for those in need!  Thank you for your partnership!

     Hope this weekend brings some rest - from the pace of the week - enjoy yours with family and friends!

     Very best, Bob

     We are still very much in need of volunteers to help us at the Farm - we experienced significantly low numbers of volunteers this Spring and sign up is still low for the Summer months  - if you are considering volunteering at the Farm - please contact one of our farmers - Brandon to schedule your time - brandonm@regionalfoodbank.net  Thank you!