June 24, 2021 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Beets!

Cooking With This Week's Box

Green Top Red Beets:
Omelette with Beet Greens & Parmesan (See Below)
Roasted Beet & Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts (See Below)
Chocolate Beet Muffins (See Below)

Fennel:
2019 HVF Fennel Blog Including 25 Fennel-Centric Recipes!
Roasted Beet & Fennel Burgers

Violet Queen Salad Turnips:
Miso Roasted Japanese Turnips
Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccoli, Turnips & Turnip Greens Chimichurri

Garlic Scapes:
Pickled Garlic Scapes
Roasted Garlic Scapes with Sea Salt

Purple Scallions:
Soy Sauce-Marinated Flank Steak with Scallions
Cucumber Scallion Salad

Rainbow Chard:
Green Curry with Brown Rice Noodles and Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard and Mushroom Galette

Zucchini and/or Sunburst Scallopini Squash:
Spaghetti alla Nerano (Spaghetti with Fried Zucchini)
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Green and/or Silver Slicer Cucumbers:
Grilled Cucumbers with Feta
Samin Nosrat’s Vietnamese Cucumber Salad

Kohlrabi:
Kohlrabi Sticks with Beet Hummus
Kohlrabi Salad with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

Broccoli:
Sesame Garlic Noodles with Broccoli, Basil and Crispy Tempeh
Homemade White Pizza with Broccoli

Sugar Snap Peas:
15 Minute Spicy Shrimp and Snap Pea Stir-Fry
Sugar Snap Peas and Pasta

Strawberries:
Strawberry Beet Cupcakes
Perfect Strawberry Scones

Roasted Beet & Fennel Burgers
photo from thepigandquill.com

Welcome back to another week of CSA box cooking!  The look of the box is starting to change as we can officially celebrate the start of summer!  This week we’re introducing the first of the beets, harvested with the tops still on which means you get two vegetables in one!  This week’s featured recipes give you options for utilizing both the roots along with the green tops.  In fact, you could start your day off with a healthy dose of vegetables with this Omelette with Beet Greens & Parmesan (See Below) and a Chocolate Beet Muffin (See Below)!  What a great way to put both parts of the beet to good use!  I also included a tasty recipe for Roasted Beet & Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts (See Below), just in case you have a bunch of kale still in your refrigerator from last week.

This week we’re also harvesting the first of our fennel, another early summer vegetable that actually pairs well with beets in recipes such as these Roasted Beet & Fennel Burgers.  I also included a link to our 2019 HVF Fennel-Feature Blog which included a listing of 25 Fennel-Centric Recipes!  There are recipes in the list that will guide you in using all parts of the fennel from the bulb to the stalks to the feathery fronds!

Samin Nosrat's Vietnamese Cucumber Salad
photo from alexandracooks.com

We do still have a few more heads of lettuce to send your way within the next few weeks, but it’s time to start weaning yourself off of lettuce salads and transition to summer vegetable salads!  We just started harvesting cucumbers which means it’s time to start getting creative with refreshing cucumber salads such as Samin Nosrat’s Vietnamese Cucumber Salad.  We also have a pretty little bunch of the new Violet Queen Salad Turnips which can be used raw in salads or you could cook them in one of the recipes suggested for this week.

Sadly, this is our final week for strawberry harvest.  The season is never long enough, but I have to say the berries have been pretty darn delicious this year!  If you don’t eat them right out of the container, use them to make Strawberry Beet Cupcakes or
Perfect Strawberry Scones!

This is also our last week for garlic scapes which means we might be harvesting fresh garlic as early as next week!  We’re also coming to the end of our scallions in another week or two.  That means we’ll be moving on to fresh cipollini onions and/or Sierra Blanca white onions that I like to call “Burger Onions” because they are so delicious sliced thinly on a grilled burger!  Richard also dug a potato plant earlier this week, just to see what’s happening underground.  They have a ways to go, but there were about 8 small potatoes the size of a big gumball on the plant!  Just a few more weeks until we start sending new potatoes!

I hope you enjoy this week’s selections and I look forward to seeing you back here again next week! –Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Beets

By:  Chef Andrea Yoder

Description: Beets are typically available starting in mid to late June with availability extending through December and sometimes even into January and February.  There are some beets better suited to harvest for storage and others that are intended for harvest with the green tops for fresh eating.  We grow three different colors of beets including the traditional red beet as well as golden and Chioggia beets which have a bright pink skin and are candy-striped inside!  A common question many ask is “What is the difference between the different colors of beets?”  In general, all of our beets, regardless of color, are sweet and earthy.  Red beets have more of the traditional earthy beet flavor.  Chioggia and golden beets are generally more mild in flavor, but typically are as sweet or sweeter than the red beets.  Individuals who don’t care for beets generally like and will eat golden beets, which is a good place to start for those who are still learning to like them.

Preparation & Use: Both the beet root as well as the green tops are edible and both are very nutritious.  Beet greens are generally eaten cooked, but may also be used raw.  Beet greens are very similar to Swiss chard and these two vegetables may be cooked similarly and used interchangeably in recipes.  Prior to use, wash them well in a sink of cold water and shake or spin off any excess water.

Shaved Fennel and Beet Greens Salad

As for the beet root, this portion of the plant is typically cooked, however they may also be eaten raw.  Thinly sliced or grated beets are a nice addition to salads and slaws.  As for cooking, beets are generally either boiled or steamed on the stove top or roasted in the oven.  The cooking time will vary depending upon the size of the beet.  The general recommendation is to cook beets with their skins on and the root tail intact.  For red beets in particular this minimizes the leaching of the water-soluble color compounds from the beet.  Once the beets are cooked, the peel should be easy to remove.  You know a beet is fully cooked when the beet easily slides off a skewer, fork or cake tester stuck into the middle of the beet.

Red beets do contain a water-soluble nutrient called anthocyanin.  This is an antioxidant that also gives red beets their color.  It will stain your hands (temporarily) and the color will bleed onto other ingredients if you’re using them in a salad, soup, or otherwise.  Golden beets and Chioggia beets don’t lose their color or bleed color onto other ingredients.  If you are looking to preserve the beautiful candy-striped interior of a Chioggia beet, it is best to roast them.

Caramelized Fennel and Beet Pizza

Beets pair well with many other ingredients including vegetables such as fennel, celery, carrots, red onions, shallots, garlic, arugula and other salad greens along with other root vegetables.  They also go well with fruits including apples, oranges, lemons, pears, avocadoes and pomegranates.  Additionally, beets pair nicely with goat cheese, feta cheese, blue cheese, butter, nuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, to name just a few ingredients.

Storage: It is best to store beets in the refrigerator.  If you get beets with the green tops still on, remove the tops and store them separately in a plastic bag.  Try to use them within 5-7 days.  Store the beets in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer.  They will last longer than the greens.

Health and Nutrition: Beets and their greens are packed with fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins A, C, and K to name a few.  The greens have a higher content of iron compared to spinach.  In natural healing circles, beets are known for their ability to purify the blood and the liver.  Their iron content, though not terribly high, is of the highest and finest quality making it an excellent blood building food.  These colorful root vegetables also contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.

Beet Recipe Collections:

• 30 Beet Dishes That Will Convince You To Try a New Recipe
• 30 Delicious Beet Recipes You’ll Go Crazy For!

20 Beet-Focused Recipes:

• Penne Pasta in Roasted Beet Sauce
• Beet, Purple Cauliflower and Ginger Raw Slaw
• Beet Deviled Eggs
• Beet Greens Dal
• Beetroot Leaves Thoran (aka Beet leaves sauteed withCoconut)
• Roasted Beet and Fennel Burgers
• Beet Pesto Pizza with Kale and Goat Cheese
• Fudgy Vegan Beet Cupcakes
• Beet Greens Omelet
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Covered Beet Chips
• Strawberry Beet Cupcakes
• Curried Beet Soup with Tandoori Chickpeas
• Beet Ketchup
• Beet & Blueberry Smoothie
• Ginger Beet Muffins with Honey Cashew Frosting
• Easy Beet Falafel
• Beet, Arugula & Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese
• Beet Hummus with Kohlrabi Sticks
• How To Preserve Beet Greens

Omelette with Beet Greens

photo from acouplecooks.com

Yield: 1 serving*

2 cups chopped beet greens (and thin sliced tender stems)

2 cloves garlic (may substitute 1-2 garlic scapes), minced

1 Tbsp olive oil 

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

½ Tbsp butter

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Chop the beet greens.  Mince the garlic.
2. Sauté the filling: In small 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the greens and cook for about 1 minute.  Just before tender, add the garlic, Parmesan cheese, and 1 pinch kosher salt and cook until just bright green.  Remove from the heat and place the greens in a bowl.
3. In another small bowl, whisk the eggs, ½ tsp water, ⅛ tsp kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper until fully combined, about 20 seconds.
4. Cook the omelette (takes about 1 minute total): Heat the same nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, with the pan handle facing towards you.  Add the butter and swirl the pan to fully coat.  Wait until the butter starts to become foamy with large bubbles, then pour in eggs.  When a skin just starts to form (10 to 15 seconds), add the greens in a line from left to right.
5. Run a small spatula under the far edge of the omelette to release it from the pan.  Start to pull the eggs up and shake and tilt the pan to spread out any uncooked egg and allow it to cook. Using the spatula, roll the eggs up and over the cheese.  Cook another 10 to 15 seconds until just barely set.  The outside should be a pale golden and the inside soft and creamy (for a harder cooked omelette, you can cook it several seconds longer).  Turn off the heat.
6. Flip the omelette out of the pan: Hold a plate in one hand.  Pick up the pan with your right hand, thumb up, and quickly turn the pan upside down over the plate so that the omelette rolls onto the middle of the plate, folding over itself into a rolled shape.  Serve immediately.

*This makes 1 omelette—double, triple, or quadruple as desired.

This recipe borrowed from acouplecooks.com.

Chocolate Beet Muffins

Yield:  12 muffins

4-5 oz cooked beets, peeled (about 1 cup quartered)

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar or ½ cup maple syrup

½ cup plain yogurt

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

Powdered sugar (optional)*

Semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)*

Flaky sea salt (optional)*

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tray or line with muffin papers.
2. Put the cooked beets, oil, eggs and vanilla into a blender or food processor and puree.  Add the sugar or maple syrup and yogurt and whiz again briefly to combine.  Set aside.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon and ground ginger into a medium mixing bowl and lightly mix to combine.  Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined.  Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ full.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the muffins from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

NOTE: If you’d like to jazz these muffins up a bit, here are a few suggested variations.

1. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of each muffin before you put them in the oven.
2. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each muffin before you put them in the oven.
3. Once baked and cooled, dust muffins lightly with powdered sugar.
4. Whip up a batch of Cream Cheese Frosting to spread on top of each muffin….which may turn it into more of a cupcake.

Recipe adapted from veggiedesserts.com.

Roast Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Nuts

Yield: 2-3 servings as an entrée or 3-4 servings as a side dish

For the salad:

1 ½ cups raw beets, peeled and quartered   

1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup walnut halves or pecans or coarsely chopped almonds

3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

¼ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

⅛ tsp fresh cracked pepper, plus more to taste

4 packed cups of green curly or lacinato kale, washed and sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces

¼ cup feta, goat or Boursin cheese (a diced avocado makes a great vegan and paleo alternative to creamy cheeses in salads!)

For the dressing:

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove grated very finely minced

A pinch of sea salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Place beets in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, enough to cover each piece lightly.  Spread beets in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes or until tender.  Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
2. While the beets are roasting, prepare the rest of the salad.  Add the walnuts (or other nut) to a medium frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook until they are fragrant and start to brown in places, shaking the pan frequently.  Quickly pour the maple syrup over the nuts and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has almost evaporated, about 1 minute.  Immediately remove the nuts from the pan and place them on a plate or baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper, separating them from each other as much as possible.  Let cool to room temperature.
3. Make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the oil in a medium-sized bowl.  Stir to combine.  Slowly add the oil in a thin steady stream while whisking the dressing constantly.  If the oil starts to build up at all stop pouring it and whisk the dressing vigorously.  It will take you about 1 minute to whisk the in the oil.  Taste the dressing and season it with extra salt, to taste.
4. Assemble the salad: Place the kale in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  Add the cheese and pour some of the dressing over the kale.  You will likely not need all the dressing, so start with about half of the quantity and add more as needed to lightly coat all of the kale.  Toss to combine and let rest for a minimum of 10 minutes before you finish assembling the salad.  When ready to serve, either prepare individual portions on plates or make one large salad on a platter.  Top the kale with the roasted beets and drizzle with a touch more dressing if desired.  Sprinkle the maple candied nuts over the salad and serve!  

Recipe adapted from theendlessmeal.com.