Here are some surprisingly simple (and wonderfully delicious) ideas for using your Freshness Farms fruits and vegetables –
Strawberries and Lettuce – We’ll likely eat all the berries, one by one, before we have a chance to plan anything more complicated. But if we have at least a handful left, we’ll hull and slice them, then toss into a salad with the leaf lettuce, berries of other sorts (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries), thinly sliced red onion, toasted walnuts and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Just before serving we’ll toss in some small chunks of local goat cheese. This is a simple summer salad, full of complex flavor.
Cantaloupe or Honey Dew Melon – Whichever variety we get, we’ll enjoy the sweet, juicy melon peeled and cut into chunks for a light breakfast. Just add a slice of toasted rustic bread topped with homemade apricot jam and a comforting mug of hot tea with milk and agave nectar and you’re set for the day.
Chives – A favorite herb in this household, my daughters pick it from our garden and nibble on the tender stalks – they love the mild onion flavor. We often snip the stalks with kitchen shears into very fine bits and sprinkle on slices of rustic bread smeared with a soft goat or cream cheese. Topped with a slice or two of vine-ripe tomato you have a simple and delicious lunch or appetizer.
Dandelion Greens – These greens are full of vitamins and nutrients, as well as robust flavor. Our youngest is a huge fan of greens, so we’ll sauté the bunch in good olive oil with plenty of minced garlic, perhaps some thinly sliced onion, a pinch of red pepper flakes and salt (first slice the leaves into two inch pieces and blanch for 5 minutes or so in water – before sauteing). Dandelion greens are on the bitter side – something we love – but you can add some milder greens (like chard or kale) to mellow the flavor. We like to add white beans (such as cannellini) to the pan for a lovely main dish. Pair it with the strawberry/leaf lettuce salad and some bread for a simple supper.
Carrots – We’ll probably shred these into salads or cut into sticks and eat them raw, dipped into a creamy hummus. Or maybe we’ll use them as the basis for a delicious Morrocan salad. Check out the recipe page.
Recipe – Morrocan Carrot Salad
Cauliflower – The first dish that comes to our minds is a classic Indian vegetarian entrée – Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower). We’ll serve it with Trader Joe’s frozen naan (flat bread) and a refreshing cucumber raita (a savory yogurt dish). Find the Aloo Gobi and Raita directions on our recipe page.
Recipe – Cucumber Raita (Savory Indian Yogurt with Cucumber)
Recipe – Indian Spiced Potatoes and Cauliflower (Aloo Gobi)
