September 19, 2019 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Broccoli Raab!

Cooking With This Week's Box

Italian Garlic: Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs (see below); One Pot Kabocha Squash and Chickpea Curry; HVF Fresh Korean Chili-Garlic Sauce; Potato Leek Pizza; Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Raab; Cauliflower Patties; Garlic and Lemon Roasted Broccoli Romanesco

Yellow Onions: Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs (see below)

Tomatoes: Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs (see below); One Pot Kabocha Squash and Chickpea Curry

Jalapeno Peppers: One Pot Kabocha Squash and Chickpea Curry; Jalapeno Popper Dip

Leeks: Potato Leek Pizza; Carbonara with Leeks, Lemon and Bacon

Orange Kabocha Squash: Fall Flan with Maple Yogurt and Caramelized Pecans

Sweet Corn: Carbonara with Leeks, Lemon and Bacon

Cauliflower OR Broccoli Romanesco: Cauliflower Patties; Garlic and Lemon Roasted Broccoli Romanesco

Mini Sweet Peppers: One Pot Kabocha Squash and Chickpea Curry

Sweet Peppers: Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs (see below); One Pot Kabocha Squash and Chickpea Curry; Carbonara with Leeks, Lemon and Bacon; Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Raab

Korean Chili Peppers: HVF Fresh Korean Chili-Garlic Sauce; Korean Style Gochujang Meatballs; Salt-Cured Chiles

Broccoli Raab: Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs (see below); Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Raab

Green Boston Lettuce: Boston Lettuce Salad with Citrus Honey Vinaigrette

Baby Arugula: Arugula Salad with Walnuts, Blue Cheese, and Cranberries

Welcome back to another week of cooking!  We are officially two-thirds of the way through the 2019 CSA season.  Can you believe it?!  Things are happening fast here at the farm.  Summer crops are winding down and as they do, fields are cleaned up, cover crops are seeded and we’re getting ready to put them to bed for the winter.  Root crop harvest is underway and we continue the transition to fall vegetables and dishes.  This week we’re featuring broccoli raab, a vegetable we started growing because customers were asking for it!  We’ve found fall is the best tasting time of year to grow this vegetable.  This week’s recipe is a main dish Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs (see below).  While many gratins are rich and creamy, this is a lighter gratin.  Imagine you’re sitting on the coast of Italy when you eat it, sipping a glass of red wine.  This gratin features sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic that are then combined with broccoli raab and either beans or ground pork.  The acidity of the vegetables mellows out the broccoli raab and the crunchy topping helps bring it altogether.  I also want to mention this recipe we featured last year for Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Raab.  It’s easy and delicious and you might just find it can be a family favorite.

Fall Flan with Maple Yogurt and Caramelized Pecans

Last week we featured kabocha squash along with a recipe for Fall Flan with Maple Yogurt and Caramelized Pecans.  If you didn’t have a chance to try this yet, I’d recommend you add it to this week’s list.  It’s super easy to make and very tasty.  If you prefer to use the kabocha squash in something more savory, consider this dish for One Pot Kabocha Squash and Chickpea Curry.

I’ve been waiting for our Korean peppers to ripen to red, as that is when I believe they have the best flavor.  Thankfully they’re ready to send to you this week!  If this looks like a lot of hot peppers, don’t worry, I’m going to tell you what to do with them!  Last year when we featured this vegetable I shared two simple recipes.  The first is for a HVF Fresh Korean Chili-Garlic Sauce.  This is very similar to gouchujang, a traditional Korean chili paste that is used extensively in Korean inspired cuisine.  Last year I made a batch of this and then divided it into small jars and put it in the freezer.  I thawed them one at a time and used little bits at a time when I needed some heat in a dish.  I also used it to make these Spicy Korean Style Gochujang Meatballs.  They were so delicious!  Tuck this recipe away and make these meatballs for your 2020 Super Bowl Party!  The other recipe you can make with the Korean chili peppers is for Salt-Cured Chiles.  I kept a jar of these in my refrigerator all winter long and just pulled from it little by little whenever I needed a little heat in a stir-fry, taco meat, etc.  Even if you aren’t into hot peppers, I encourage you to make one or both of these recipes and use the peppers throughout the fall and winter.  While these are hot peppers, they are very flavorful and you can get the effect of the flavor without burning your tongue off!  Adjust how much you use to your liking.

Jalapeno Popper Dip
photo from delish.com

While we’re talking hot peppers, lets deal with jalapenos too!  How about this recipe for Jalapeno Popper Dip?!  This would be another good Super Bowl party recipe.  Freeze the jalapenos and you can make it this winter!

I always think about using leeks in a traditional potato leek soup, but I probably wouldn’t have thought to make Potato Leek Pizza!  One of our members posted her version of Potato Leek Pizza which included bacon.  What a great idea!  I also remembered this recipe for Carbonara with Leeks, Lemon and Bacon.  This was a popular recipe when we posted it several years and it’s perfect for this week because it also includes corn and sweet peppers!

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year to eat baby arugula.  I like the flavor of arugula better once we start to have more mild temperatures and the pungency and bite of arugula pairs well with fall fruit such as apples, cranberries and pears.  This week I’m going to use the baby arugula to make this Arugula Salad with Walnuts, Blue Cheese, and Cranberries.  This would be delicious as a side along with a pasta or pizza dinner.

It’s nice to have lettuce back as an option for salads as well.  The Green Boston Lettuce this week has tender, more delicate leaves, thus is best used with a light vinaigrette instead of a heavy creamy dressing.  Use it to make this Boston Lettuce Salad with Citrus Honey Vinaigrette.

Cauliflower Patties
photo by Mark Weinberg, from food52.com

Last, but not least, we’re happy to have cauliflower and broccoli Romanesco coming in!  I came across this recipe for Cauliflower Patties.  I’ve never used cauliflower for anything like this, but they look cheesy, garlicky and delicious.  Paired with one of the aforementioned salads, they would be a great dinner option.  I also like just a simple roasted broccoli Romanesco, so might just have to do this recipe for Garlic and Lemon Roasted Broccoli Romanesco.

That’s a wrap folks.  If you haven’t done so already, be sure to mark your calendars for Sunday, September 29 and plan to join us for a fun day at the farm as we celebrate fall with our annual Harvest Party!  I’m planning to make a delicious vegetable chili featuring 20 different vegetables!  Think I can pull that off?  Come find out and see if you can guess all 20 vegetables!  

Have a great week—Andrea 

Vegetable Feature: Broccoli Raab

In this week’s box you’ll find a big bunch of green leaves.  Wondering what it is?  It’s broccoli raab!  While its name would lead you to believe it’s a type of broccoli, it actually is in the mustard family.  It is considered to be a slightly spicy bitter green, although this effect is minimized by growing it in cooler  temperatures.  We find the flavor of this green to be more balanced and pleasing when we grow it in the fall compared to when we grew it in the spring and summer.  If you look closely near the base of the stem, you just might see a little broccoli-like head starting to push up through the center of the plant.

While this green may be found all over the world, it’s typically associated with Italian food, a region of the world where this green is quite popular.  Broccoli Raab pairs well with ingredients such as tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, almonds, olives, white beans, sausage or pork cuts and red pepper flakes.  When you’re looking at recipes that use broccoli raab, you’ll typically find many of these ingredients.  In many traditional Italian recipes, broccoli raab is prepared very simply by cooking it along with garlic in olive oil until it is very soft and tender and then is finished with a splash of vinegar.  Fatty olive oil and tangy vinegar help to tone down the bitterness.  While you can eat broccoli raab raw, it is most always cooked. It’s tender enough that it doesn’t require a very long cooking time, unless you prefer to have it super soft!  It can be boiled, steamed or sautéed. Broccoli raab is often used in pasta and bean dishes, but it can also be incorporated into toasted vegetable sandwiches, pizza, soups, etc.

Store this green in a bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.  Wash it well in a sink of cold water, then shake off extra water before using.  Nearly all of the plant is usable.  I generally just trim off the lower portion of the thicker stems.  

Mediterranean Gratin with Almond Breadcrumbs

Yield:  6-8 servings

12 oz penne or other similar pasta

1 pound ground pork OR 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups diced sweet peppers

1 ½ cups diced tomatoes

½ cup pitted black olives, chopped (optional)

¼ cup fresh or 1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 cup dried bread crumbs or panko

½ cup toasted raw almonds, finely chopped

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup red wine

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 bunch broccoli raab

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. While you assemble the components for the gratin, preheat the oven to 400°F.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Once boiling, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-8 minutes.  You want the noodles to be starting to soften, but you do not want them fully cooked.  Once they are cooked to this point, drain the pasta.  Rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. If you choose to use ground pork, preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the ground pork, then remove it from the pan and set aside.  Clean out the pan and then return it to the heat to proceed with cooking the onions.  If you are not using the pork, just skip this step and move on to step 3.
3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the preheated skillet.  Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions.  Saute the onions for 10-14 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelize.  You may need to reduce the heat to medium low to keep the onions from frying and browning.  Once the onions are softened, add the garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, olives, parsley, 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper to the pan.  Saute the vegetables for another 8-10 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are simmering, you can prepare the topping.  In a small mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, finely chopped almonds, Parmesan Cheese, ½ tsp salt and 1-2 Tbsp olive oil.  Stir to combine.  
5. Next, add the red wine, balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar to the pan with the vegetables.  Continue to simmer for another 10-12 minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft and the liquid has reduced by about half to two-thirds.  
6. Chop the broccoli raab into bite sized pieces and add to the pan.  Stir to combine.  As the greens wilt down, continue to stir them into the vegetable mixture.  Add the pork or beans, then simmer an additional 5-10 minutes.  Taste a little bit of the mixture and adjust the seasoning to your liking by adding more vinegar, salt and pepper as needed.  At this point you want there to be some liquid in the pan, but it shouldn’t be soupy.  If it looks like there’s too much liquid, simmer an additional 5-10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  
7. Put the cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl.  Add the hot vegetable mixture.  Stir to combine well and then spread it in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Spread the bread crumb and almond mixture evenly over the top of the pasta mixture.  Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the base is bubbly.
8. Remove from the oven and serve while warm.

Recipe adapted from one in Mark Bittman’s book Dinner for Everyone.

October 12, 2017 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Broccoli Raab & Spaghetti Squash

Cooking With This Week's Box

Welcome back for another week of Cooking With the Box.  After this week we only have 6 more CSA boxes!  How are we going to fit all the vegetables we still want to send you in just 6 boxes!  I’m excited to be transitioning to fall cooking and seeing the sweet potatoes piled in the greenhouse after this week’s harvest makes me even more ready!  Pull out your favorite sweet potato recipes…they’ll be in your box within the next few weeks! 

Lets start off with Broccoli Raab,  one of the bunching greens in this week’s box.  If you aren’t familiar with this green, take a minute to read more about it on our blog and/or in the newsletter.  It goes very well with garlic and pasta, which is why I recommend using it to make the pasta recipe in this week’s newsletter, Garlicky Pasta with Broccoli Raab (see below).  I adapted this recipe to include a few more vegetables, shredded carrots and sweet peppers, which add some color and sweetness to the dish.  Of course there’s lots of garlic as well!  Don’t forget to serve this dish with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Our second featured vegetable this week is Spaghetti Squash.  This week I’m going to try Sarah Britton’s recipe for Spaghetti Squash Cakes with Crispy Sage (See below).  This is an interesting way to use spaghetti squash, but will yield a little crispy patty that can be a main entrée or a side dish.  Spaghetti squash is much different than the other squash in your box this week, kabocha squash.  I found a delicious recipe for Miso Glazed Kabocha Squash on the Johnny’s Seed website when I was looking up seed information last week!  I didn’t expect to find a recipe on a seed company website, but it’s a tasty looking recipe and they even made a video to demonstrate how to prepare this dish!

Pizza with Arugula Pesto, Butternut Squash and Apples

The second bunching green in this week’s box is bunched arugula.  I have to admit, up until a year ago I seldom if ever ate full sized arugula as I found the flavor to be too strong.  Last year I tried using it to make Arugula Pesto and it was fabulous!  The pungency of the arugula pairs well with cheese, meat, fruit, etc.  The bite of the arugula stands up to the fat and acidity and the combination of the three is delicious.  Don’t worry, the arugula mellows out a bit in the pesto.  I like to use arugula pesto as a spread on a sandwich or a cracker along with cream cheese and/or smoked salmon or prosciutto.  You can also toss it with cooked pasta for a quick dinner, mix it into scrambled eggs, or even use it as the base for a pizza.  In the same newsletter where you’ll find the recipe for the arugula pesto there is a recipe for a Pizza with Arugula Pesto, Butternut Squash and Apples.  You could substitute the kabocha squash for butternut squash if this pizza sounds good to you this week.

I was poking around the Smitten Kitchen blog this week and found several delicious recipes including this one for Carrot Tahini Muffins.  I like carrot cake and I like tahini, I just never would’ve put the two together!  We’ll probably enjoy some of these with breakfast and save a few for afternoon snacks.  This recipe will use about half of the bag of carrots, so you’ll still have enough to include in the pasta recipe cited above.  I don’t bake very often, but for some reason I’m in the mood to do so this week!  While you have the flour and mixing bowls out, you might as well make a batch of Jalapeño Cheddar Scones. This is another recipe from the Smitten Kitchen blog.  These would go great with breakfast or brunch alongside fluffy scrambled eggs, or serve them with a bowl of hot, cream of potato soup!

Since we mentioned potato soup, we might as well tackle the potatoes in this week’s box next!  My mom used to make this Hearty Potato Soup recipe that she clipped out of one of her Taste of Home magazines years ago.  It’s chunky and nourishing making it perfect to serve for dinner on a cool fall night.  If you have any potatoes left, cut them into chunks and roast them along with mini sweet peppers and onions.  This is one of my favorite roasted potato variations that I often make for breakfast or brunch or for dinner along with roasted chicken, a grilled steak, or even a simple hamburger!  If you have any mini sweet peppers remaining, don’t forget to take them with you to work for lunch or an afternoon snack.  Fill them with hummus or cream cheese if you want to kick it up a notch. 

We’re happy to have some very nice fall spinach to send your way this week.  The baby beets in this week’s box will be a great accompaniment to the spinach in this Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese & Beets.  Garnish the salad with toasted walnuts for a little crunch and if you want to get really fancy you could candy the nuts! 

We’ve had a pretty nice run on late summer/early fall broccoli and cauliflower.  I hope you’ve had a chance to try some new recipes using these two familiar vegetables.  If you have broccoli in your box this week, consider trying this recipe for Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Almonds. This is a recipe by Sarah Britton that dresses roasted broccoli with a dressing made with garlic, ginger, olive oil and a hot chili of your choosing….jalapeño would work.  If you have cauliflower in your box, you might want to go with this recipe for Cauliflower Slaw.   It has dried currants and crispy fried capers in it and is dressed with a light vinaigrette made with lemon juice and vinegar.  This recipe is also garnished with toasted almonds. 

We’ve reached the bottom of the box yet again.  I wanted to mention that I love when members share recipes with us.  If you have any favorite “go-to” recipes for fall vegetables and wouldn’t mind sharing them with us, we’d love to see what you’re cooking!  Either email them to csa@harmonyvalleyfarm.com or post them in our Facebook group.  I’ll see you back here next week with an update on how the “curing” process is going with the sweet potatoes.  Farmer Richard is hopeful they’ll be ready for next week’s boxes, but we don’t want to rush the process either.  We want them to be sweet and delicious for your first taste!  Have a great week and I hope you enjoy your time in the kitchen.

—Chef Andrea 

Featured Vegetables of the Week:  Broccoli Raab & Spaghetti Squash

Broccoli Raab

Broccoli Raab was one of the vegetables members requested on the survey we conducted at the end of last year.  You asked for it and here it is!  There are two bunching greens in this week’s box, the broccoli raab and bunched arugula. They look a bit similar, but you can tell the difference between the two by first noticing the color.  Broccoli raab is darker green and the arugula has a lighter, lime green color.  Broccoli raab also has thicker stems that resemble broccoli stems and if you look in the center of the stem you’ll likely see some small broccoli florets pushing up.  Broccoli raab is in the brassica family and has a mild mustard flavor with a slight bitterness.  We like to grow broccoli raab in the fall when the flavor is more mild and well-balanced.  You can eat nearly the entire bunch including the stems.  Sometimes the lower portion of a thick stem can get a little tough so you may need to discard the bottom inch or so if you find this to be the case. 

Broccoli raab is a popular Italian vegetable, but is also found in Asian cuisine as well.  It is often used in pasta and pizza dishes paired with sweet Italian sausage, garlic and cheese.  Nothing wrong with a combination of those ingredients!  While you can eat broccoli raab raw, it is most often cooked.  It’s tender enough that it doesn’t require a very long cooking time.  It can be boiled, steamed or sautéed.  In Italian cooking, you may find recipes that have longer cooking times to ensure the leaves and stem are very soft and tender.  Many times this preparation is done with a lot of garlic and olive oil.  I prefer the bright, light flavor of broccoli raab so usually just cook it long enough to wilt it and soften the leaves. 

If you taste a bit of the leaf in its raw form and don’t care for the bitterness, try cooking it before you rule it out.  When cooked, the flavor of broccoli raab mellows out.  It also becomes more balanced if prepared with a splash of vinegar at the end. 

Spaghetti Squash

The second vegetable we’re featuring from this week’s box is Spaghetti Squash.  Last week we featured kabocha squash and, while they are both classified as winter squash, they are very different.  Spaghetti squash will store for awhile, but it’s not known for long term storage into the deep of winter which is why we often deliver this one in October and/or early November.  The variety of spaghetti squash we grow is a smaller variety than some others you may see at the market.  We like the smaller, golden yellow varieties called Angel Hair and Small Wonder because of their more manageable size and because the flesh is more flavorful.  The seeds in a spaghetti squash are tender enough to eat.  If you’ve never cleaned and toasted squash seeds before, give them a try.  It’s not hard to clean and prepare them and the crispy, crunchy seeds make a nice snack or garnish for salads and soups.  Visit The Kitchn website where they have a nice article with pictures entitled “How to Roast Pumpkin & Squash Seeds.” 

Squash and Leek Skillet Gratin

To prepare spaghetti squash, first cut it in half and bake it in the oven.  I usually bake it cut side down in a baking dish with a little bit of water in the bottom or the pan.  You can also bake it cut side up with the cut side brushed with some oil to give more of a roasted flavor.  Before you bake it, take a spoon and scrape out the seed cavity so you can save the seeds for roasting.  Bake the squash until it is fork tender, then remove it from the oven.  Once it’s cool enough to handle, use a fork to pull the flesh out of the shell.  The flesh of the spaghetti squash is just as its name indicates, stringy like spaghetti!  Once cooked, you can use the flesh in a variety of ways.  It makes a nice substitute for pasta and sometimes I like it simply sautéed with butter, garlic and fresh herbs.  There are some recipes, many in the paleo diet community, that use spaghetti squash as the “crust”-like base for dishes that are like a savory baked pie.  One of my favorite ways to prepare spaghetti squash is this recipe I created for Spaghetti Squash and Leek Skillet Gratin featured in one of our September 2016 newsletters.  If you don’t have leeks, you can also substitute shallots or yellow onions.  This recipe has become a favorite with some of our market crew and customers.

As with all squash, they are best stored in a dry environment at 45-55°F at 50-60% humidity, so keep them in a cool location in your house.  If you don’t have a location that meets this temperature criteria, just store them at room temperature on your counter and check them periodically.  If you notice a spot starting to form, it’s time to cook the squash!

Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Raab

Yield:  4 servings

12 oz pasta (shape of your choosing, spaghetti and fettucine work well)

½ cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (Optional, see note below)

2 cups (8 oz) shredded carrots

1 ½ cups thinly sliced sweet peppers

1 bu broccoli raab, chopped into bite sized pieces

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions.  Before you drain the pasta, save 2 cups of the pasta water.  Drain the pasta and set it aside. 
2. Put the olive oil in a small saute pan and add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat the oil over medium low heat.  You want to infuse the oil and cook the garlic gently just until the garlic becomes light golden.  It’s better to keep the heat low and do this slowly while you prepare the rest of the recipe so the garlic doesn’t get too brown.  If you notice the garlic starting to turn golden, remove the pan from the heat.
3. Heat a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat.  Take 2 Tbsp of oil from the small pan and add it to the large pan.  When the pan and oil are hot, add the pieces of chicken and cook until browned on both sides. 
4. Once the chicken is browned, add the shredded carrots, sweet peppers and 1 cup of the pasta water to the pan.  Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half the volume.  Next, add the broccoli raab and allow the greens to wilt down.  Stir the vegetable mixture to combine them well and continue to simmer until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.  If the vegetables are not yet cooked to your liking, add more pasta water and simmer a little longer.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir to combine. Carefully pour the garlic oil over the pasta and toss to combine and evenly coat the pasta and vegetables.  Season with freshly ground black pepper and more salt as needed.
6. Serve the pasta hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

This recipe was inspired by a similar recipe originally featured in Gourmet magazine, September 2006.

Note from Chef Andrea:  I wrote this recipe to include chicken, but this would also be delicious if made with Italian sausage, ground pork or shrimp in place of the chicken.  If you do not care for meat or seafood, just omit all protein options and prepare the dish vegetarian style.  The flavors of the vegetable are bold and delicious on their own.

Spaghetti Squash Cakes with Crispy Sage

Yield:  15-20 small patties

1 medium to large spaghetti squash (approximately 2 pounds) 
1 cup rolled oats, ground into flour (or use oat flour) 
4 cloves garlic 
1 green onion, with green tops (may substitute finely chopped yellow onion) 
1 tsp sea salt 
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 
2 ½ oz Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (substitute ¼ cup nutritional yeast) 
1 organic egg, beaten 
1 bunch sage, about 30 large leaves, divided
Ghee or coconut oil, for cooking the patties

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub with a little ghee or coconut oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in the oven, cut side up and cook for 45 minutes or so, until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using a fork, scrape out all flesh and place in a large sieve over the sink or a bowl to drain.
2. In a food processor, grind oats until you have a rough flour. Add 12 sage leaves, garlic, salt, pepper and pulse to combine.
3. Squeeze any remaining liquid out of the spaghetti squash. Place in a large bowl and add the oat mixture. Thinly slice the green onion into rings and add to bowl, along with the egg, and grated cheese. Fold to combine. A kind of dough should start to form as the ingredients come together. Take a small amount, roll into a ball and flatten into a patty shape – if the patty stays together they are ready. If they are too dry, add a little water, one tablespoon at a time until they hold. If they are too wet, add another handful of oats. Form all the cakes before you begin.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a knob (pat) of coconut oil or ghee. When hot, add the cakes and cook until golden on one side, then flip. Alternatively, you can cook these in a 375°F oven for approximately 10-15 minutes on each side.
5. To fry sage, heat a couple knobs of coconut oil or ghee (ghee is preferable) in a small saucepan. When hot, add 6-8 sage leaves at a time, fry for 10-15 seconds, transfer with a fork to paper towels, and sprinkle with sea salt immediately.
6. To serve, place a few squash cakes on the plate and garnish with fried sage leaves. Enjoy with roasted tomatoes and a simple massaged kale salad. Freeze leftover cooked cakes and heat to enjoy.

This recipe was borrowed from MyNewRoots.org by Sarah Britton.