Overwhelmed? Don’t Be!

Meet My Friend Carol….

Carol looks forward to the first taste
of strawberries each year!

This week’s newsletter article was written by longtime CSA member, Carol Wilson.  Carol was kind enough to share some of her strategies, resources and thoughts about how to find success and pleasure as CSA members “eating out of the box.”  Carol and her husband, Bob, have been CSA members in Madison, Wisconsin for over 20 years.  They raised two wonderful children on HVF CSA vegetables.  Their daughter, Jesse, lives and works in New York City where she now enjoys cooking with her own CSA shares.  Their son, David, resides in California where he enjoys his work as a wine maker.  Both Jesse and David have grown to develop an appreciation for good food and totally get what it means to eat seasonally.  When their children left home, the weekly CSA box became more of a challenge for only Bob and Carol, but they have done well with the challenge and continue to eat through a weekly vegetable share.  They have seen us through times of bounty when we had huge pepper crops and stuck with us through three difficult flood years.  They have listened to us when we needed their support and perspectives, offering us enlightenment and sometimes just a dose of comic relief.  Over the years they have become not only loyal, committed CSA members, but they have also become our good friends.  This past winter they visited us for a weekend, including their dog Iris.  Bob helped me reinstall a bathroom cabinet that had been removed for a plumbing repair while Carol coached Andrea through a basket weaving project!  Bob and Carol are an example of how important our CSA members are to our farm.  They help make the difficult days more manageable and meaningful.  This is what Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is really about!  ---Farmer Richard

Overwhelmed? Don’t Be!

By Carol Wilson, Madison HVF CSA Member

We have been members of Harmony Valley Farm (HVF) for over 20 years and initially experienced being overwhelmed as we learned to eat seasonally and to make use of our wonderful HVF produce. Learning to eat seasonally and to incorporate less familiar vegetables into your repertoire is so rewarding, but requires strategies and a little effort.   Below are some of the strategies we learned over the years and now, long after our children grew up and moved out, we continue to receive a weekly box and experience the pleasures of healthy eating.

When we come home with the box, 2 things are key for me: proper storage and inventory.  My daughter does not bag her greens and then they wilt.  Another friend leaves veggies sitting on the counter and they go soft quickly.  Properly stored veggies last longer and taste better.  However, once those veggies are stored away, it can be hard to remember what you have on hand.  I solve that dilemma by creating a list of our veggies and posting it on the fridge.  I have counted over 20 different veggies at one time in our fridge!

Before my husband retired and started preparing the week night meals, I spent time on the weekend creating a menu for the week that used the veggies.  At the same time, I created a shopping list for anything else we needed to make the meal plan work.  During the week it was so nice to know what the plan was and to just come home and start cooking.  I didn't have to think or dig through cookbooks - all that work had been done.

Over the years, we have invested in a few cookbooks that focus on veggies and/or seasonal eating.  With the help of those, the HVF newsletters, on-line recipes, magazines, friends, etc., we have a collection of recipes that we look forward to every year when it is that veggie or fruit's time of year - currant scones, strawberry shortbread pizza, Zucchini-Cumin Dip, rhubarb crumble, ramp and asparagus pizza, etc.  

When it’s been a busy week and you find yourself with lots of veggies at the end of the week just before your next pick up, we use one of our ‘clear out the fridge’ strategies.  Our primary go-to is pizza, but we also do warm veggie salads.  My husband also makes delicious soups.  My sister does burritos.  Whatever is left at the end of the week gets sautéed together and then put on a pizza with sausage or bacon.  Or, put on greens with a good dressing.  Or, made into a soup.  Or, put in a tortilla.

To preserve the bounty, we freeze.  Mostly peppers, but also strawberries and tomatoes.  We have started pickling and canning and have a wonderful recipe for both a zucchini and a fennel relish.  We also purchased a dehydrator several years ago and use that for drying herbs. 

Cook more veggies at a time than you think you will eat.  Two things happen: you will eat more veggies at meal time because they are there and ready and fresh and delicious, and, second, you will pack the leftovers for lunch the next day.  And, in the same vein, put in more veggies than the recipe calls for.  Lots of recipes are trying to please an audience that is practically terrified of veggies, so they call for limited amounts of things - a small zucchini, a half of a pepper, etc.   Go nuts! Use two small zucchini or go crazy and use the whole pepper!

Substitute, substitute.  If your recipe calls for a veggie you don't have, substitute one that you do have.  Think of veggies in categories - ramps, onions, green garlic, etc. are all onions.  Fennel, carrots, parsley root, celery, etc. are all aromatics.  This takes practice and learning about veggies, but will start to make sense over time and lead to lots of delicious creations.

Looking ahead at this week’s box, here’s what I’m thinking.  We will likely make Carrot Top Pesto (recipe available on the HVF website) which is fantastic!  The combination of fennel and zucchini is one of my favorites so a simple saute is in order using those.  The Amaranth Corn Saute recipe from the HVF website is a favorite, but many of the veggies that it calls for are not yet available so we will substitute or use things from our freezer, such as red pepper and edamame.  We don’t have corn, so we might substitute fennel, giving it a slightly different flavor.  I love a good Chinese ground pork (from HVF, of course!) stir fry that uses lots of veggies in whatever proportion you wish.  Of the veggies in this week’s box, the only ones I probably wouldn’t use in the stir-fry are cucumbers and beets, but that’s just me.  (I love beets and cucumbers, just not with this flavor combination.)  We love a fairly simple saute of greens as a bed for fish, so that’s a possibility for the beet or amaranth greens.   

Finally, don't be embarrassed to compost.  It happens to the best of us.  Whether they belong to a CSA, grow their own produce, or shop at a conventional grocery store, everyone occasionally has to throw something out.  Let it go and don't feel guilty.  {Note from Farmer Richard…Do be wary of composting sunchokes and horseradish.  If your compost is not hot enough to kill them they may take over your compost pile.  We dry them to death before adding to our compost.  I give you this warning because Bob and Carol are not the only CSA members who have been haunted by the seemingly endless battle of sunchokes growing in their compost/yard.} 

I would say that it took us several years to get comfortable with and confident about using a CSA box.  Don't give up after the first year - you are just getting going!  Our daughter (who now lives in New York City, and participates in CSAs there) adds, “At first it is overwhelming, so it's about managing being overwhelmed.  Don't let it get you down!”

Lastly, here are some of our go-to cookbooks:

From Asparagus to Zucchini – the MACSAC cookbook available for purchase online from Fairshare CSA Coalition

Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can’t Wait to Make by Melissa Clark, who lives in NYC and shops the various Farmers’ Markets.  She includes adaptations, modifications, and how to make dishes kid friendly.  She has the tendency to do what we do – go to the Farmers’ Market, buy lots of beautiful produce and then come home and figure out what to make with it all.

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi – (our daughter loves this one!)

Roots by Diane Morgan

Farmer John’s Cookbook by Farmer John Peterson and Angelic Organics

The Produce Bible by Leanne Kitchen

Dishing up the Dirt by Andrea Bemis

Naturally Sweet Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan (source of the Zucchini and Fennel relish recipes)

We also have many vegetarian cookbooks that provide us with inspiration and ideas.

Winter Cookbook Review: Scratch

by Farmer - Chef Andrea

     Happy New Year!  I hope your year is off to a good start and you are experiencing and looking forward to all the good things 2017 has in store for you and your family.  In between shoveling snow, and more recently scraping ice, we’ve been working on seed orders, laying out crop plans, washing the last of our storage vegetables and processing 2017 CSA orders!  In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the winter rhythm, I’ve managed to find some time to sit by the fire and do one of the things I like to do most….read cookbooks.  Every time I tell myself I’m not going to buy any more new cookbooks…..then another good one comes out!  In the process of Christmas shopping for others, I managed to find a few new books that were published within the last year, as well as a few that I’ve pre-ordered and look forward to thumbing through in the upcoming months.  So I thought we’d kick the year off with a review of one of these new finds.
     The book up for review is called Scratch and was written by Maria Rodale.  The purpose of this book is outlined nicely in the subtitle which reads, “Home cooking for everyone made simple, fun, and totally delicious.”  This book is an easy and interesting read that starts out with a nice introduction in which Maria shares a bit of her background as well as philosophy on cooking at home.  Throughout the book she has taken the time to introduce each recipe and provide a little background about where the recipe came from, how it was developed and how it fits into this collection of favorites.
     Before we go any further, I’d like to give you a little background about Maria and her family.  Maria is the granddaughter of J.I. Rodale who is considered to be the founding father of the organic movement in America.  As a result of some of his own health issues in the earlier part of his life, J.I. Rodale developed an interest in promoting health and wellness as well as exploring ways of preventing disease through lifestyle.  In 1942 he began publishing Organic Farming and Gardening Magazine which was one of the first forums for discussing principles of organic horticulture, compost, soil health and pesticides.  Our own Farmer Richard’s grandfather was an early subscriber of this magazine.  This is the grandfather Richard credits as a major inspiration for him choosing to implement organic practices when he first started farming.  J.I. Rodale went on to found the Rodale Institute in 1947, an organization that still exists today.  The purpose of this institute was and still is to investigate the connection between healthy soil, food and human health.  They do so on their certified organic farm located in Pennsylvania where they produce vegetables, small grains, apples, livestock and more while studying different facets of organic agriculture.
     Maria’s father, Robert Rodale, was also interested in health, wellness and organic farming.  He followed in his father’s footsteps, eventually took over the Rodale Institute farm and continued to develop the work being done there.  As a result, Maria had the unique opportunity to grow up on the country’s first organic farm!  Maria is now the chairwoman and CEO of Rodale Inc., the publishing company that grew out of her grandfather’s own early publications and still strives to promote health and wellness through their publications as well as other forms of media.
     As you can see, Maria has a long history related to organic food, farming and cooking.  She starts off in the introduction of her book with the following statement:   “I believe anyone can cook.  I believe that a home-cooked meal made from scratch—preferably with organic ingredients (and maybe even homegrown)—is one of the greatest pleasures in life.  I believe that when you cut through all the confusion about food and cooking—the fears and insecurities, social pressures, false ideals, or just plain not knowing where to begin—this is where you can begin, right here.  I will help you.”  The recipes contained in Maria’s cookbook are simple, both in the ingredients they use as well as their methods.  Anyone, regardless of culinary skill level or experience can cook from her collection of recipes.  The recipes are easy to read and prepare, but still interesting.
     I would describe Maria’s approach to cooking and sharing these recipes to be very informal, honest and transparent.  In her book she openly shares personal experiences from her own family related to food and cooking.  Her three daughters, Maya, Eve and Lucia, are an important part of her story and are active participants in cooking.  In the book Maria states, “I don’t cook because I have to, I cook because I want to and because it’s the most intimate, nourishing, and primal pleasure I can give to my family and myself.”  She also shares this message:  “I want everyone to feel safe in their kitchens.  Safe to experiment and learn.  Safe to express their differences and creativity.  Safe to try new things.  And most important, safe to make a big damned mess and laugh about it, and serve the food we’ve made even if it’s not perfect or “blog-worthy.”
     As I read through Maria’s cookbook I appreciated her real life approach.  Despite a busy and full work life, she strives to come back to the simple pleasures of life which include simple, homemade meals based on wholesome ingredients.  I look forward to preparing more recipes from this book.  I have my eye on her recipe for Asparagus and Lemon Cream Pasta, BLT Salad, Broccoli Cheese Bites, Sweet-And-Sour Tomato and Pepper Salad, Kale Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing and her recipe for Glazed Strawberry Pie.
     Maria also has a blog called “Maria’s Farm Country Kitchen” where she blogs on a variety of topics and also shares recipes, some of which she has included in her book.  The recipe in this newsletter features carrots and was originally featured on her blog.  If you’re looking for some culinary exploration this winter, consider taking a look at this book.  It’s not too early to plot out your seasonal culinary adventures for 2017!

Carrot, Feta, and Almond Salad

“You know those times when your fridge is either empty or pathetically filled with shriveled produce? (Yes, even my fridge can look like that!)  Usually, all that’s left standing at that point are the carrots.  Especially in the dead of winter.  That’s exactly when you should make carrot salad”.—Maria Rodale

Yield: 4 servings

Herb Dressing

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian or curly parsley leaves

1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

6 to 8 large carrots, shredded or grated

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted

1. To make the dressing:  In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste and mix with a fork to combine.
2. For the salad:  Place the carrots in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and toss to combine.  Before serving, sprinkle the salad with the feta and almonds.

TIP:  If I make this in the warmer months, I like using a mixture of fresh herbs straight from the garden, but you can use all mint or all cilantro—whatever is your favorite and in season…..Maria Rodale

This recipe may be found on page 64 of Maria Rodale’s cookbook, Scratch.

Cookbook Review: The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook

by Andrea Yoder


I have a weakness for cookbooks, especially ones with beautiful pictures of vegetables and recipes written from the heart.  Last week I visited Minneapolis, MN and enjoyed lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Birchwood Café.  I’ve loved this place since the first time I went there.  It’s a comfortable, warm & welcoming spot with food you can trust.  As I was standing in line debating the turkey burger with creamed kale or the black bean quinoa burger, I looked up and saw a cookbook on the counter.  There was a copy labeled “café copy” that diners could take to their table to peruse.  I had no idea The Birchwood had published a cookbook and found myself snatching it up quickly before someone else in line spotted it!  I flipped through the pages as I enjoyed my lunch, then returned the book before I left and traded it in for my own copy to take home!

So here are just a few reasons I like this cookbook and encourage you to consider adding this to your own collection.  First, the book very much represents the same heart and passion you feel when you walk into the café.  Makes sense since the book was written by café owner Tracy Singleton and Executive Chef Marshall Paulsen.  The opening pages of the book include a message from Tracy and are entitled “An Invitation to Cook.”  The Birchwood serves “Good Real Food.”  According to Tracy, this means sourcing, preparing, and serving food with gratitude for the ingredients themselves as well as those who produce them and make it possible to get them to the café.  Good Real Food is food that is fresh, locally sourced, sustainably produced, organic and handled with respect for the land, animals and people.  Throughout the book they highlight a handful of farmers and producers who regularly supply produce, meat, fish and more for the café.  Our friends, Gail and Maurice Smith of DragSmith Farms, are featured in this cookbook.  While we don’t supply the café directly, Gail and Maurice have an extensive delivery route to Twin Cities restaurants and deliver our produce on our behalf.  Check out the picture of Maurice on page 18 and you’ll see a box of our produce on the back of his van!

Another reason I really like this book is that it is based on Midwestern seasons.  While we think there are four seasons, according to the Birchwood there are actually 8 seasons in the year including “Scorch,” which represents the heat of the summer, and “Thaw” which signals the end of winter and the transition into spring.  Chef Marshall’s recipes represent ingredients featured and savored in their peak season of availability.  In his words “We enjoy so much of our produce when it’s in season and available locally.  Anything we can’t preserve, we anxiously await its return next season.”  I can’t wait to make his recipe for an Heirloom Tomato Sweet Corn BLT in the summer.  In the meantime, I’m going to try his recipe in the “Winter” section for Apple & Turnip Quiche.

The final reason I really appreciate this book is the approach Tracy and Marshall take to sharing their passion and recipes.  In the “Using This Cookbook” section at the beginning of the book, they state:  “We attempted to make these recipes as user-friendly as possible, so we were careful to keep them simple, avoiding lengthy steps and hard-to-find ingredients…..We hope this book will inspire you to cook, Birchwood style.  The recipes are guidelines, so taste, adjust, and make them your own!”  And that is what cooking is all about--drawing on inspiration from the ingredients you have and simply using a recipe as a roadmap to guide you as you create simple, tasty meals that are nourishing to not only your body but also your soul.  Tracy & Marshall, thank you for sharing the spirit of The Birchwood with us in this book.  Job well done!

If you’d like a copy of The Birchwood Café Cookbook, stop in at the café for lunch and take one home with you!  If you can’t make it for lunch, you can also purchase it on their website, www.birchwoodcafe.com.

Book Review

Deborah Madison’s The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Reviewed by Andrea Yoder

Deborah Madison has been one of my favorite chef-authors for many years.  She has written over 10 cookbooks including Vegetable Literacy and her most recent cookbook, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  I have a weakness for her cookbooks, so when I saw a copy of her most recent book on the shelf at the bookstore I couldn’t resist.  Deborah has focused her career on preparing simple, seasonal, vegetable-based cooking.  In her early days she worked at Alice Water’s well-known San Francisco restaurant, Chez Panisse.  She later opened her own restaurant, Greens, which focused on vegetarian cuisine.

   The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone was preceeded by an earlier cookbook Deborah published in 1997 entitled Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  Her original work is considered a classic cookbook in the realm of vegetarian cuisine and has won several awards.  Her new cookbook is “for everyone interested in learning how to cook vegetables creatively, healthfully, and passionately.” The recipes are simple & written with the intent that they will be prepared at home, as opposed to being chef-y restaurant recipes. Since Deborah is cooking in a different region of the United States, there are a few times when you might need to make a minor substitution for an ingredient that we may not have available in a given season in Wisconsin.
   Deborah takes the time throughout the book to include her own personal commentary on most of her recipes.  She offers suggestions for making substitutions or slight alterations to recipes to give the cook more options to choose from.  She also makes suggestions for other recipes in the book that might pair well together so you can easily put together a full meal.  I also appreciate that she takes time in the beginning of the book to include some basic information about how to go about cooking in an approachable way.  She also includes a section on basic cooking fundamentals that enable any cook, no matter how much experience you may have, to become more savvy in the kitchen.
   While the list price for this book is $40, it is a value when you consider the book includes over 1600 recipes featuring many of the vegetables we grow on our farm over the course of the season.  If you’re looking for a good vegetable-centric cookbook to guide you through a CSA season, I’d encourage you to consider Deborah Madison’s The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  Her simple recipes & vegetable storage information will be helpful to those who may be new to CSA and are learning to cook new vegetables.  Her book also may be appealing to cooks with more experience who are looking for simple recipes that highlight the delicious vegetables they’ve grown to love.
   I selected 3 simple recipes from her book to feature this month.  If you have some of these vegetables remaining from the late season 2014 shares, perhaps you can find a use for them with some of Deborah Madison’s ideas.

Roasted Beets, Apples, and Onions with Cider Vinegar

“This is a bold dish, far greater than the sum of its parts. Any leftovers make a great little

salad or item on a composed salad plate. Use any color beet or a mixture.”

Recipe borrowed from Deborah Madison’s cookbook, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Yield: 4 servings

4 medium beets, steamed, peeled and cut into ½ –inch dice

2 cups diced apples, skin on

½ onion, diced

¾ tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 Tbsp brown sugar, optional

1 ½ Tbsp butter or sunflower seed oil

Freshly milled pepper

Apple cider vinegar or horseradish, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or oil a 4-cup casserole or

gratin dish.

2. Toss the beets with the apples and onions, season with the salt,

vinegar, and nutmeg. If you favor extra sweetness, add the sugar as

well.

3. Slide the vegetables into the baking dish and dot with the butter or

drizzle with oil. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

4. Serve warm or even chilled. Season with pepper and have extra

vinegar or horseradish on the table, if you like their extra bite

Roasted Onions with Vinegar & Rosemary

“Serve these easily prepared onions as a side dish, or add them, chopped, to arugula or

spinach salad or spoon them over bruschetta with slivered Manchego cheese.”

Recipe borrowed from Deborah Madison’s cookbook, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

4 to 5 onions, sliced into ½-inch rounds

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic or aged sherry vinegar

1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary

Sea salt and freshly milled pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Toss the onions with the oil, vinegar, and rosemary. Season with salt and

pepper. Put them in a baking dish with a few tablespoons water.

3. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until the

onions are browned around the edges and tender, about 30 minutes more.

Give them a stir every 10 minutes or so toward the end.

Sweet Potato Muffins with Candied Ginger

“Chunks of candied ginger make these particularly good. If you don’t have ginger readily

at hand, replace it with chopped dates, raisins or fresh pineapple. Serve these with Brie or

other mild cheese, butter, or cream cheese.”

Recipe borrowed from Deborah Madison’s cookbook,The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Yield: 10 to 12 muffins

⅓ cup chopped candied ginger

¼ cup butter, melted

⅓ cup unsulfured molasses

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato

or winter squash

2 eggs, at room temperature

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 ¾ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Oil muffin tins.

2. Mix the ginger and wet ingredients in a bowl until smooth; mix the dry

ingredients in a second bowl. Combine the two, mixing gently until well

blended.

3. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake on the middle rack until

lightly browned, 25 minutes

Winter is Here!

by Andrea Yoder

Winter sets in to the valley surrounding Harmony Valley Farm

The onset of winter came a bit early this year and I must say I’m still adjusting to this change of season. Before the cold set in, we scrambled to harvest what we could and managed to bring in tons of root vegetables (literally), as well as the last of our greens. We stretched the greens season as far as we could and the collards and baby bok choi in this week’s box will be the last of the fresh greens. It’s official…we have transitioned to our winter diet.

When choosing to support local food systems and eat locally, by default you also choose to eat seasonally. With four distinct seasons to eat through, seasonal eating in the Midwest keeps things interesting and can be a lot of fun. As the seasons change, our bodies crave the foods it needs to nourish it at that time of year. On the flip side, nature provides us with what we need at that time as well. In the spring we can’t get enough of the early season fresh greens and other light, cleansing foods to bring our bodies out of winter mode. During the summer we eat light, refreshing foods to cool our bodies...cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, etc. Fall is the time of bounty when summer and winter vegetables collide and we have a window of time when both summer and winter crops are available. Peppers make it into dishes alongside winter squash. Greens that were once topped with summer veggies are now served with apples and pears. Finally, winter sets in and we transition completely to a diet based on storage crops. We work very hard to grow and harvest winter squash, cabbage, root vegetables, onions, garlic, and other crops to put into storage. These foods are meant to be stored and will last throughout the winter. They are rich in nutrients and will nourish us during a time when we aren’t able to harvest vegetables from our fields. These foods, along with anything that was preserved during the summer, frozen meat, dried beans, etc will sustain us until spring breaks through. Each season brings its own set of ingredients and an abundance of opportunities to explore endless ways to prepare them.

Storage vegetables offer seasonal cooking options through the winter

For those who may not have as much experience with seasonal cooking & eating during the winter, a box of storage vegetables might be a bit intimidating. “What am I supposed to do with all of this food? I’ll never be able to eat all of this!” Don’t worry…you’ll be able to eat it all, but you aren’t supposed to eat it all in one week. Most of the items in your box this week and the ones we’ll be delivering in December and January are meant to be stored and eaten over time. If stored properly, you should be able to get the full value out of the vegetables in your share. Refer to the storage tips in the back of your CSA calendar, as well as the information we include in our weekly newsletters, to help you determine how to store each vegetable.

“How will I prepare all of these vegetables?” First of all, don’t ever let a vegetable intimidate you…it’s just a vegetable! Most storage vegetables can be cooked in a variety of ways and in today’s world of technology there are endless resources to guide you along the way. If you’re worried about getting bored with eating roots, cabbages, squash and sweet potatoes for the next several months, I would encourage you to approach this time of year with a different set of eyes. People all around the world eat some of the same vegetables we’re eating. Take a little time and look to some other cultures for recipe ideas to keep cooking interesting and fun. For example, there are some great curry dishes that include squash, sweet potatoes, and root vegetables. Stir-fry is a dish that can be made any time of year based on the vegetables you have available. Choose your favorite stir-fry sauce and meat if you wish. Stir-fry carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, beauty heart radishes, cabbage and even turnips. Put the veggies, meat and sauce together and you have dinner!

Roasted root vegetables, soups, stews and gratins are also warm favorites for this time of year. You can keep these dishes varied and exciting by experimenting with different spice combinations and different ingredients as garnishes. For example, treat yourself to a nice bottle of flavored nut oil, such as hazelnut or walnut. Add just a drizzle to a bowl of butternut squash soup or roasted root vegetables to add something a little different. Aged cheeses, toasted nuts and seeds, flavored vinegar, dried mushrooms, dried fruit and dried chiles are just a few things you can experiment with as garnishes to finish a dish and add an element of interest.

Finally, if you get stuck and can’t think of anything to make for dinner, use your resources. Fairshare CSA coalition’s cookbook,  Farm-Fresh and Fast is a great resource to guide you through a Midwestern winter. Don’t forget about Local Thyme, an online menu planning service for CSA. As a Harmony Valley Farm CSA member, you have free access to the Local Thyme website. You can search for recipes, get further information about specific vegetables and create your own menu plan with a shopping list. There is more information about this resource in this week’s “What’s In the Box” email. Finally, use your community. There are other people in your neighborhood who may have some of the same vegetables in their refrigerator as well. Have a potluck and inspire each other! Every December there is a group of Madison CSA members that get together to celebrate root vegetables with their annual Root Party. It’s a lot of fun, the food is always great, and it gives you ideas of other ways to use your vegetables.Our online recipe database can give you ideas for using some of those root veggies lurking in the back of your refrigerator.

We are grateful for the opportunity to have grown vegetables for you this year. We hope your Thanksgiving tables reflect the bounty of our fall harvest next week and your winter is full of nourishing, warm meals to share with family and friends.