When I saw the list of veggies this week I immediately thought salsa! So here you go, a refreshing snack and crowd please-er!  

Many of you can figure out on your own how to turn our ingredients of the week into a great salsa/pico de gallo. So, go for it- below is just a guide! By the way, the difference between the two is generally that salsa is more liquid-y while pico de gallo is chunky and less "wet" and typically includes ingredients like corn- and in this case zuchinni!  You can use the same ingredients to make salsa by not de-seeding the tomatoes. There is some tasting that should take place during the making of this creation to get it to your liking! If you're not sure if you will like one of the ingredients in the mix, just add a smaller portion. 


What you'll use from your bag:

• Tomatoes (de-seeded, ~1 cup chopped)
• Leeks (~ 1/4 cup, chopped)
• Peppers (1)
• Corn (1 or 2 ears from the stalk)
• Zuchinni (~1/4 cup, chopped)

What else you'll need: 

• Lime
• Cilantro (optional)
• Salt & Pepper to Taste

Serve with chips or over a salad with your CSA lettuce! 

First, prepare:

• De-seed a bunch of tomatoes (depending on how much you want to make) and chop them into small pieces- set them aside in a medium size mixing bowl
• De-stalk the corn (no need to cook it) 1 or 2 ears and add it into your bowl
• Chop the leeks as fine as possible then add to the bowl
• De-seed and finely chop 1 poblano pepper and add to the bowl
• Chop the zuchinni in small squares and add to the bowl

Then, combine:

• Squeeze 1/2 lime over the mixture
• Add finely chopped cilantro (if using)
• Gently combine the ingredients by hand or spoon
• Season w/salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy with friends! 

It's summer and burgers are popular among carnivores but you don't need to eat meat to enjoy this heavenly patty.  If you've never made a veggie burger before let me tell you something I've learned from experience- you cannot mess this up! I could pretend that I'm creating something miraculous here but seriously, all you need to do is shape some pureed veggies into a round shape that will fit on a bun.  This is the first time I've ever used string beans (if you are like me, you might have though- what in the world am I going to do with all these string beans!!) and zucchini/squash to make a burger but that's what we got so I figured what the heck, I'll give it a shot and see what happens. By the way, that's my approach to trying a lot things :-)  

One more thing before you get started....sorry, but this burger (and most veggie burgers) do not do well on the grill- they just don't stay together. You could put them on a veggie grill tray on the grill or cook them in a pan on the stove.  The natural juices of the veggies & pureed squash will keep this together along with the chilled rice or quinoa- make sure you chill the rice/quinoa before adding it to the burger- otherwise it will not stick as well. Also, make a bunch- they freeze well!

The photo is of my creation but I was so focused on eating it I forgot to take a picture of it on the bun with all the dressings!  So after I ate I remembered and took a photo of a patty before cooking.
This recipe makes 6 burgers.  

What you'll use from your bag:

• Summer Squash (at least 1 cup cut coarsely in chunks)
• String beans (fist full)
• Onion (1/4 of a medium size onion, chopped)
• Garlic (2 cloves, chopped)
• Leeks (1/4 cup chopped-optional, if you have any left from last week)
• Beets (1/2 cup pureed -optional, if you have any left from last week)
• Turnips (1- optional, if you have any left from last week)
• Tomato (to put on top)
• Cucumber (to put on top)

What else you'll need:

• Quinoa or Brown Rice (1/2 cup, cooked & chilled)
• Burger Buns
• Any other dressings you like for your burgers- I like avacado, sprouts, & spicy brown mustard
• Olive Oil  (splash)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

First, Prepare:

• Cook the quinoa or rice and chill it immediately- put it in the freezer to speed it up if you are trying to do this in one shot
• Saute the garlic, onion, and leeks (if using) in a pan with a splash of olive oil- remove & set aside in a medium mixing bowl

Then, puree:

• Puree the squash until it is smooth, put in the bowl with the garlic/onion saute
• Puree the string beans, beets, & turnips (if using)
• Puree the cold rice or quinoa and add to the bowl
• Combine everything together with your hands and form into patties
• Season with salt & pepper if you like

Finally, Cook:

• Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and add your burgers, cook a few minutes on low/medium heat (if the heat is too high all the little particles of veggies & quinoa will burn.) Be a little gentle when flipping- if then ends fall part, they can easily be formed back together with your spatula :)
• Serve on toasted buns with your cucumber, tomato, and whatever else you are using.
• Enjoy!

Namaste

Hi everyone! We are coming up on week 7 of BaltimOrganic CSA.  I have been wanting to make a curry, waiting for the right mix of veggies to come along, and this week we have a mix that will work- and they are all green, hence the name :-)

It can be really easy to make a Thai style curry or you can choose to go the route of mixing spices yourself which takes some time.  I've done both and many things between. The easiest thing to do is buy Thai (the brand) green (or red) curry paste in a jar and follow the directions mixing it with coconut milk and adding the vegetables.

The vegetable proportions are really to your liking and you can add more or less- whatever makes sense.  This recipe will make about 4 servings.

What you'll use from your bag:

• Zucchini (2 -4 cut in chunks)
  
• Green Beans (large handful, cut in half)
• Leeks (2 stems, chopped about 1/2" wide)
• Onion (sweet walla walla) (cut in 1/4 or 1/8 depending on size & separated)
• Kale (optional) (broken in salad size pieces)

What else you'll need:

• Coconut Milk  (1 can)
• Thai curry paste (if going the simple route) or use this curry recipe I posted previously
• Jasmine Rice (prepared)
• Olive Oil (just a splash)

First, Prepare:

• Begin cooking the rice according to the instructions with the rice you have
• Saute the onion and leeks in a splash of olive oil for a few minutes- remove from heat and set aside

Next:

• Prepare the curry using the instructions on the curry paste jar
• Add the vegetables listed above including the sauteed leeks, onions, and kale (if using)
• Allow to cook about 10-15 minutes on low/medium heat (or until the veggies are tender but not overcooked)

Finally...:

• Serve your creation over rice
• Enjoy!

Namaste

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a great day celebrating our Independence! 

For some reason I'm extra excited about this weeks recipe. My inspiration for this was a recipe from "fine cooking." It's somewhat of a unique idea, sort of like a refreshing flat bread- a nice summer meal, maybe I'll even have it with a glass of wine (it must be holiday! :)) Our zucchini is fatter than the kind we can buy in the store and that will work great in this recipe.

I think I mentioned in a previous week that I love beets; if you don't you can leave them out of this recipe (like the photo.) 

What you'll use from your bag:

• Zucchini (about 3-4 zucchinis, cut in thinly sliced rounds)
  
• Beets (1 or 2, shredded- raw)
  
• Garlic (roasted, directions here)
  

What else you'll need:

• All-purpose flour (1-1/4 cups)
• Cold Vegan Butter (2/3 cup)
• White vinegar (1/2 tsp.)
• Cold Water (3 or 4 Tbs.)
• Olive Oil (2 Tbs.)
• Salt & Pepper
• Cashew Nut Cheese (see recipe here)

First, make the dough:

• Place the flour, cold butter, and a little salt in a food processor and mix/pulse until the butter is in small pieces
• Add the vinegar and cold water and continue pulsing until the dough forms
• Shape the dough into about a 1 inch thick disk, then wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 30 minutes (look to the next section for preparations while you are waiting for the dough)
• Roll the dough onto a floured service into an 11 inch round, transfer to a backing sheet or pizza pan; then cover with plastic and refrigerate another 30 minutes (or until you are ready to use it)

Next, more preparations:

• Roast the garlic (recipe from last week, here, at the bottom of the page)
• Toss the zucchini rounds with 1/4 tsp of salt and place in a strainer, let sit & drain for 30 minutes
• Prepare the cashew nut cheese (recipe here)
• Preheat oven to 400
• Process 1 or 2 roasted garlic cloves with the cashew cheese in a food processor

And then...:

• With your hands squeeze the zucchini to release all the water, then place in a bowl and toss with 1 Tbs. of olive oil and some dashes of pepper.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and bake for 30 minutes
• Spread the cashew cheese evenly on top
• Then arrange the zucchini in overlapping circles (like the photo) 
• Drizzle the remaining 1 Tbs. of olive oil on top
• Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until zucchini is slightly browned

Finally...:

• Remove tart from oven. 
• Top with dollops of shredded raw beets
• Cut and Enjoy

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday! Namaste