This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit magazine by guest writer, Lauren Hidalgo.
I first made this recipe a few years ago, after a farm box arrived with fava beans, and I didn’t know what to do with them. Although it does involve some time to shuck, cook, and skin the fava beans, you’ll find the results well worth the effort. When fava beans are not in season use frozen edamame.
This week we welcome back health coach and Freshness Farms participant, Christine de la Cruz, as our first guest writer of this summer season. Check out Christine’s earlier post on juicing and healthy eating. This week she shares an ingenious dish that fashions “noodles” from summer squash. Diners of all ages will adore these sneaky noodles, bathed in a nutty, Thai-inspired sauce—and be none the wiser about their vegetal identity.
Be sure to stay tuned for more guests throughout the next few months…
Do you, like most Americans, love pasta? I know my family does. Pasta is one of those go-to meals we are all looking for, that EVERYONE will eat. I love pasta too, but it doesn’t really love my thighs. As soon as I eat a comforting bowlful, I immediately feel a bit fluffy and bloated. I don’t like feeling fluffy. Or bloated. Well, guess what? I’ve found a way to have my pasta and eat it too.
It’s no secret that we love avocados—and the feelings are mutual. Among my youngest’s first words was cado for the smooth, delectable fruit that made her tummy feel happy and healthy. More than a decade later she’s still scooping them liberally, whenever 
and wherever she can. And with good reason. Besides their irresistibly buttery-rich green flesh, avocados are loaded with nutritional benefit, too. Current research demonstrates their potent anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits (read about it here).
Luckily California is cado country, and we find the gravelly-skinned fruit tucked into our Freshness Farm bag on a regular basis. We’re set for everything from avocado toast to green gelato (!) and an unconventional lassi (!!), as well as destinations in between. Guacamole, move over for the upstart newcomers.
Early summer is a busy time. Crazy-busy sometimes. Packed with the last events of the school year, final recitals, performances and graduation celebrations in practically an endless stream—there’s barely a night to spare. And what about the summer vacation planning that should have been done weeks ago, that can wait no longer? (We leave THIS Sunday?) All good things individually, one-at-a-leisurely-pace-time, but en masse, well, let’s just say it’s easy to lose focus on the joy of the moment. Part of the problem lies in the fact that we’ve scarcely enough time to sit down to a meal, let alone assemble one worth eating. But we’re still hungry, and for more than pizza, night after night. These times call for simple, fresh food—and flying by the seat of the pants. Tis the season to improvise.
Whether you call them spring rolls, summer rolls or even plain old salad wraps doesn’t really matter—unless you feel the need to be culturally precise. Whatever name you choose, Vietnamese-style rice paper wraps are an irresistibly fun and tasty, hands-on approach to pushing fruit and vegetables. Call it sneaky if you want, but what kid (or adult) doesn’t embrace the idea of choosing the food on their plate—and having the chance to play with it, too? Pull out all the veggies, Mom. This is the day you’ve waited for.