July 9, 2020 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Amaranth!

Cooking With This Week's Box

Amaranth: Chinese Amaranth & Garlic Soup (see below); Summer Amaranth & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas (see below)

Green Scallions: Summer Amaranth & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas (see below); Creamy Charred Scallion Dip; Skillet Chicken and Zucchini with Charred Onion Salsa

Fresh Porcelain Garlic: Chinese Amaranth & Garlic Soup (see below); Summer Amaranth & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas (see below); Beet Green Pesto

Cauliflower: Cauliflower Rice; Cauliflower Buns

Green and/or Italian Zucchini: Skillet Chicken and Zucchini with Charred Onion Salsa; Fudgy Zucchini Brownies; Flourless Almond Butter Zucchini Bars; Spiralized Zucchini with Beet Balls

Green and/or Silver Slicer Cucumbers: Cucumber Water; Cucumber Mint & Basil Soda

Green Top Beets: Beet Green Pesto; Spiralized Zucchini with Beet Balls; Last Week’s Vegetable Feature Article

Fennel: Fennel Orange Muffins; Fennel Vegetable Feature Article

Green and/or Yellow Beans: Summer Amaranth & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas (see below); Stove Top Green Bean “Casserole”

Beautiful amaranth greens on their way to becoming dinner!

I don’t know what it is about amaranth that makes me so happy, but I have to admit—I love this vegetable!  Maybe it’s the stunning color or perhaps it’s the nutrition nerd coming out in me.  There’s just something about eating a beautiful vegetable that I know is benefiting my health.  To all the naysayers who think “healthy” food doesn’t taste good—quite the opposite.  So lets jump into this week’s box starting with amaranth.  This week I’m sharing two simple recipes with you.  The first is a Chinese Amaranth & Garlic Soup (see below).  You might be thinking, “Seriously Andrea, soup in July?”  I couldn’t help it—it’s such a simple recipe I had to see if it was good.  When I first tasted it, I actually said out load “Wow, this is really good!”  The key is making sure you have good quality vegetables (check—you do) and a good quality stock or broth.  If you have these things along with about 15 minutes you can make this simple, nourishing soup.  Serve it with steamed rice or perhaps the Soy-Pickled Eggs that were part of the recipe for Spicy Pork & Turnip Soup featured back in May.  Don’t be afraid to eat this soup for breakfast too.  I know this might seem odd to some of you, but I actually do like to eat soup for breakfast, especially nourishing ones like this.  It is a good way to get a nutrient boost to start your day without weighing you down.  The second recipe is for Summer Amaranth & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas (see below).  The ingredient list is a little long, but don’t let that intimidate you.  There are several components to this recipe, but once you have everything prepped it comes together quickly.  The point of this recipe is to let the simple flavor of the vegetables come out.  If you want more flavor, you could add some ground cumin or coriander or serve it with a bit of hot sauce.  The quinoa and chickpeas contribute additional protein, so this can be served alone as a main dish salad or you could serve a smaller portion as a side dish.  This is also a good “prep in advance” salad that you can make on the weekend and then pull out during the week for a quick dinner.  You could also make it in advance and portion it into containers that will make a quick “grab-n-go” lunch option to take with you to work (if you’re going to work) or for a picnic!

Creamy Charred Scallion Dip
photo from kitchenstories.com

We’re nearing the end of our spring-planted scallions, maybe just one more week before we move into the next onion selection.  While scallions are often used in smaller quantities to accent a dish, you can also use them as more of a main, featured item.  Check out this recipe for Creamy Charred Scallion Dip.  This would be another good item to take on a picnic or enjoy on the patio for an evening snack with a cold beverage.  I also want to try this recipe for Skillet Chicken and Zucchini with Charred Onion Salsa.

Since I mentioned zucchini, we might as well check out a few more zucchini recipes such as Fudgy Zucchini Brownies or Flourless Almond Butter Zucchini Bars.  Life is too short to not indulge in dessert now and again. 

Spiralized Zucchini with Beet Balls
photo from veggiedesserts.com

What shall we do with this week’s beets?  How about Spiralized Zucchini with Beet Balls.  This is a vegan recipe utilizing zucchini as a “noodle” tossed with pesto and served with little baked beet balls on top.  The recipe just calls for pesto, so you could go with a standard basil pesto or consider using the beet greens to make this Beet Green Pesto, which is also vegan.  If you’re looking for another use for beet greens, check out this Red Lentil Soup with Beet Greens.  If you’re not into pesto and beet balls this week, refer back to Last Week’s Vegetable Feature Article about beets for more recipe suggestions!

The first cauliflower of the season is finally ready!  I have to admit, I’ve never made Cauliflower Rice, so this might be the week to give it a try!  So here’s a new use for cauliflower I never would’ve dreamed up on my own.  Cauliflower Buns!  That’s right, this recipe uses cauliflower as one of the main ingredients to make gluten free buns, or bagels if you want to shape them differently.  This is one of those “Really, does this work” kind of recipes that I just have to try.  If you beat me to it, post your results in our Facebook Group!

Cucumber Mint & Basil Soda
photo from bonappetit.com

Moving on, lets talk about cucumbers….which are coming out of our ears this week (figuratively)!  Cucumbers are nature’s hydration vegetable.  Check out this article featuring Cucumber Water.  The article talks about the health benefits of adding cucumbers to your water, especially in the heat of the summer.  There’s also a recipe at the end of the article.  You can jazz up a basic recipe by adding other ingredients such as herbs or fruit.  I also want to try this refreshing recipe for Cucumber Mint & Basil Soda.  This might just be the “cold beverage” to enjoy on the patio with a bowl of that Creamy Charred Scallion Dip!

We’re nearing the end of this week’s box, but we have a few more items to play with!  Last week in the Facebook Group there were quite a few good recipe suggestions including Fennel Orange Muffins.  This recipe comes from the Fairshare CSA coalition’s cookbook, From Asparagus to Zucchini.  If you’re looking for more fennel recipes, I’ll refer you to last year’s Fennel Vegetable Feature Article on our blog.  Go to the end of the article and you’ll find a long list of suggestions for utilizing all parts of the fennel!

Summer isn’t summer without fresh green beans!  Here’s a recipe for Stove Top Green Bean “Casserole,” a riff on a classic American recipe minus the canned onions and cream of mushroom soup.  Please note this recipe calls for 2 pounds of beans, but there is only 1 pound in your box so you’ll need to cut the recipe in half.

Ok, I think that’s a wrap for this week.  In case you’re wondering what’s coming next, I have my eyes on fresh, green top carrots and Richard’s been doing some test digs to decide when we can dig new potatoes!  I don’t know when we’ll be able to start picking, but tomatillos are almost ready and some of the tomatoes have set on fruit!  Have a great week!—Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Amaranth Greens

By Chef Andrea

This week’s featured vegetable is not only gorgeous, but it’s also packed with nutrition!  We’re talking about Amaranth Greens!  While this is a “green” type vegetable, the leaves on this beauty are actually a dark burgundy red color.  When you’re driving by the fields, the bed of bright red amaranth greens is a site to behold, and it makes it easy to find in the field!

Amaranth is thought to have originated in Central and/or South America, but has made its way around the globe.  It can be found in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, which means there are many options for finding ways to use this vegetable.  Amaranth is used in Indian cuisine, paired with a variety of lentil and curry dishes.  It’s also used in the Carribean where it’s known as callaloo and is used in soups laced with coconut and chiles.  You’ll also find amaranth in Chinese cuisine, either lightly stir-fried with garlic, etc or incorporated into a simple soup such as the one featured in this week’s newsletter!  As I mentioned, amaranth is thought to have originated in Central and/or South America, so it also pairs well with flavor combinations from the cuisine of these regions.  One of the reasons we choose to include amaranth in our line-up of “CSA Vegetables” is because it thrives in the heat of the summer when other greens and lettuce really struggle.  As such, it goes well with all those other summer vegetables including zucchini, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, onions and garlic.

Amaranth greens could be called one of our own “superfoods.”  While I’ve never sent a sample to the lab to test nutrient levels, we know “greens” in general are packed with nutrients and foods with vibrant colors are such because of antioxidants and phytochemicals in them.  Amaranth is thought to have high levels of iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin E…to name just a few of its nutrient attributes.  Do yourself a favor and eat this vegetable if for no other reason than that it’s good for you!

The variety of amaranth we grow is referred to as “Polish Amaranth.”  We purchased the seed from Wild Garden Seeds (WGS), which is kind of funny because our own Farmer Richard is the one who actually gave them the seed originally!  For those of you who haven’t heard the story, it goes like this: One day Richard was driving to LaCrosse, WI and saw this beautiful red amaranth growing in a garden along the way.  He stopped and asked the people who lived there about this plant.  They said their Aunt May brought the seed with her from Poland and they were happy to share it with Richard.  So Richard collected some seed and started growing it, mostly as a baby green to mix into his gourmet salad mix.  It didn’t do so well as a salad mix ingredient, but in later years we found success growing it as a mid-summer bunching green used for cooking.  Since we aren’t in the business of seed production, Richard passed the seed onto Frank Morton at WGS and he has been maintaining this variety of amaranth.   Thanks Frank!

Spicy Amaranth with Zucchini & Black-eyed Peas

While amaranth may be eaten raw, at this stage where it is more mature we recommend enjoying it as a cooking green for optimal flavor.  The stems are often tender enough to be eaten as well. The stems will need just a little extra cooking time so I like to separate the stems and leaves.  Cut off about one inch of the lower portion of the stem and then finely chop them.  When cooking, add the stems to the pan a few minutes ahead of the leaves.  Amaranth can be simply boiled, steamed or sautéed with garlic and onions for a super-simple preparation.  You can also wilt it into soups, grain dishes, curries, and bean dishes.  Many of the nutrients in amaranth, including the phytochemical that gives it its pink color, are water soluble.  Thus, you’ll notice when you cook amaranth the leaves will often turn green and the cooking liquid or other ingredients you’re cooking with the amaranth will turn pink!  Always try to use any cooking liquid (eg if you choose to simmer or boil amaranth) so you retain the nutrients.  I almost forgot to tell you what it tastes like!  Amaranth is similar in flavor to spinach, except it’s even better!

Store amaranth greens in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in a plastic bag or a storage container with a lid.  If you want to enjoy their beauty before you eat them, you can also put them in a vase and leave them at room temperature where you can see them!  Be sure to change the water daily.  Enjoy!

Chinese Amaranth & Garlic Soup

Yield:  4-6 servings

1 bunch amaranth greens

3 small or 1-2 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp peanut or sunflower oil

32 oz chicken stock

16 oz water (optional)

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste (optional)

1. Separate the amaranth leaves from the stems.  Cut the amaranth leaves into thin strips.  Cut the bottom one inch off the stems and then chop finely.

2. Heat a wok or 2-3 quart saucepot over medium heat.  Add the oil and once it shimmers, add the garlic.  Stir carefully and cook until the garlic is very fragrant and even turning just a little golden brown.  Add the amaranth stems and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.  

3. Stir in the amaranth greens and continue to stir-fry just until the greens have wilted.

4. Add the chicken stock and additional water if needed (if the stock or broth you are using is concentrated, you may want to use additional water).  Season with a bit of salt, black pepper and white pepper (optional).  Bring the soup to a simmer.  

5. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, just until the broth is pink and the amaranth is tender.

6. Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning to your liking with additional salt and pepper as needed.  Serve hot.

Recipe adapted from www.thehongkongcookery.com.

Summer Amaranth & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

Yield:  5-6 servings

1 ½ cups quinoa

3 cups water

1 ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

¼ cup raisins

2 cups cut fresh green beans

1 bunch amaranth, leaves and stems separated

1 Tbsp sunflower or olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas

1 cup finely sliced scallions (green tops and bottoms)

1. In a medium sized pot, combine quinoa, water, 1 tsp salt, turmeric and ¼ tsp black pepper.  Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce the temperature to medium, enough to maintain a gentle simmer.  Cover the pan and simmer for 13-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the raisins and gently stir the quinoa with a fork to release some of the steam.  Place a clean dish towel over the pan and put the lid back on.  Set aside for 8-10 minutes.  The towel will absorb excess steam as the quinoa begins to cool.

2. Place the cooked quinoa in a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the green beans and amaranth.  Remove the stem end from the green beans and cut into ½-inch pieces.  Separate the stems and leaves of amaranth.  Roughly chop the amaranth leaves into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.  Cut the lower 1 inch of stem off and discard it.  Finely chop the remaining stem.

4. In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp sunflower or olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add the cut green beans and ½ tsp salt to the pan.  Stir to combine, then continue to sauté just until the green beans turn bright green.  Add the amaranth stems and sauté an additional 1-2 minutes, then add the leaves to the pan, cover and allow the leaves to wilt.  This will take 3-4 minutes.

5. Once the greens are wilted, remove the lid and continue to cook until all the moisture is gone and the leaves are fully wilted and tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

6. In a small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, honey and Dijon mustard.  Drizzle in ¼ cup olive oil while continuing to stir.  

7. Now it’s time to compile all the salad ingredients.  To the bowl containing quinoa, add the chickpeas, amaranth and green bean mixture and scallions.  Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over everything and stir gently to combine.  Let set for 5-10 minutes and then taste it.  Adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper and/or lemon juice as needed.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled if you prefer.

Additional Notes: Don’t be afraid to add to this recipe if you are inclined to do so.  Serve it with a little hot sauce or stir in a large handful of coarsely chopped fresh herbs (mint, basil, parsley, or cilantro) if you wish.

Recipe by Chef Andrea Yoder