Veggie of the Month: Beets

Fun Facts about beets:

•  Long ago beets were used to cure ailments such as toothaches and headaches rather than being consumed 
• The compound that makes beets red is called betalin and it’s actually really important in helping the body get rid of toxins. 
• The beet is a love vegetable. It is the belief of some cultures that eating from the same beet as someone else will cause you to fall in love. 
• The green tops of beets are edible and taste good sautéed.

Roasted Beet Salad with Chickpeas and Red Onion

Yield:

4 servings

Level:

Easy

Ingredients

• 3 medium beets
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled 
• 1 sprig rosemary 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained 
• 1/2 red onion, sliced 
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped dill pickles
• Juice of 1/2 lemon 
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Set the beets, garlic and rosemary on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with some salt and pepper and add a splash of water. Fold the foil up into a pouch and seal the edges. Transfer to the oven and cook until the beets are easily pierced with a knife, 45 to 50 minutes. When done, remove the beets from the pouch and set them aside until cool enough to handle. With a paper towel rub the skins from the beets. Cut the peeled beets into bite-size cubes. Mince the roasted garlic.

Combine the beets, garlic, chickpeas, red onion, pickles and lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to mix. Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the cotija and cilantro and serve.

Source:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/roasted-beet-salad-with-chickpeas-and-red-onion-2418914

Veggie of the month: Eggplant!

Fun facts about eggplant:

•          Like tomatoes, eggplants are not actually vegetables they are technically berries
•          In Italy, eggplants were once known as “mala insana” which translates to crazy apple
•         Eggplant is rich source of dietary fibers, vitamins C, K and vitamins of the B group, and minerals such as copper, phosphorus and magnesium 
•           In order to see if an eggplant is ripe, press the skin with your thumb, if the indentation disappears it is ready to eat!

Recipe: Eggplant Ragu

This play on the classic Italian sauce replaces meat with the nutrient rich eggplant and tastes great with pasta or polenta.

INGREDIENTS

•     1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut across in 1/4 -inch slices

•     2 tablespoons kosher salt

•     1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

•     1 pound red bell peppers, cut lengthwise in 1/8-inch strips

•     6 cloves garlic, sliced thin

•     2 ¼ pounds plum tomatoes, diced

•     Freshly ground black pepper to taste

•     12 large leaves basil, shredded

PREPARATION

Sprinkle the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt and drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry and cut in 1/4-inch dice.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the eggplant, peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cover. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, stirring, for 5 minutes. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil and let sit for 5 minutes before serving with pasta or polenta.

Sources:

http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/eggplant-facts/

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=22&tname=foodspice

http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/eggplant_facts/1052/

http://www.thedailymeal.com/cook/12-things-you-didnt-know-about-eggplant

It's National Zucchini Day!

At GardenShare we love everything Zucchini! We are so excited to celebrate National Zucchini Day with you all that we just had to included two easy-to-make zucchini recipes for a fun summer occasion.

Zucchini Pie

• Serves 6
• Hands-On Time 15 min
• Total Time 1 hr 20 min

INGREDIENTS

1. 3cups grated zucchini
2. 1small onion, chopped
3. 1cup all-purpose flour
4. 1cup grated provolone cheese
5. 3eggs, beaten
6. 1/4cup vegetable oil
7. 4tablespoons grated Parmesan
8. 2teaspoons chopped fresh basil
9. 1teaspoon baking powder
10. 1teaspoon kosher salt
11. 1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan.
2. Spoon the zucchini mixture into a 10-inch round glass pie plate or metal pie pan that has been coated with vegetable cooking spray.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Zucchini Spice Bread

• Makes 1 loaf
• Hands-On Time 15 min
• Total Time 2 hrs 15 min

INGREDIENTS

1. 1/2cup canola oil, plus more for the pan
2. 1 1/2cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3. 1teaspoon baking powder
4. 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
5. 1/2teaspoon ground ginger
6. 1/2teaspoon kosher salt
7. 1/4teaspoon baking soda
8. 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
9. pinch ground cloves
10. 1/2cup light brown sugar
11. 1/4cup granulated sugar
12. 2large eggs
13. 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
14. 1medium zucchini (about 8 ounces), coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Oil an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, light brown and granulated sugars, eggs, and vanilla; mix in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
3. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

August Veggie of the Month: Tomatoes

Facts:

• People used to be afraid to eat tomatoes due to the fact that they are related to the deadly nightshade plant
• Every year there is a tomato festival in Spain, in which people throw about 150,000 tomatoes at one another.
• Cooked tomatoes are actually better for you than raw ones, as more antioxidants are released during the cooking process
•  93% of gardeners in the US include tomato plants in their gardens

Recipe:

Gazpacho: This classic Spanish, summer dish is a perfect way to end a hot summer day. Bonus: not only does this soup incorporate tomatoes, it also uses cucumber, onion, and peppers which should also be available from local farms this month.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/gazpacho-recipe

INGREDIENTS:

•    1cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled

•    2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded

•    4 plum tomatoes

•    1 red onion

•    3 garlic cloves, minced

•    23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)

•    1/4 cup white wine vinegar

•    1/4 cup good olive oil

•    1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

•    1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop

Sources:

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/tomatoes.html

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science/Tomatoes-cooked-better-than-raw

https://www.quickcrop.ie/blog/2014/02/top-10-facts-about-tomatoes/

http://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/vegetables/fun-facts-about-tomatoes

Tomorrow is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day

Revel the first day of August with a freshly made raspberry cream pie! Doesn’t that sound wonderful? August 1^st happens to be national raspberry cream pie day and GardenShare has a short and sweet pie recipe that you can enjoy with your favorite people to celebrate the summer months. The below recipe only requires five ingredients and can be made using fresh local ingredients found at your community farmers market. Enjoy!

Raspberry Cream Pie

Prep time 10 min, Ready in 3 hours 10 min

Ingredients:

2 (14 oz) cans of sweetened condensed milk

5 tablespoons of lemon juice

3 pints of fresh raspberries

2 oz of cream cheese (softened)

2 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crusts

1. Whisk sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice together in a bowl; gently fold in raspberries.

2. Gently spread cream cheese onto the bottom and sides of graham cracker crusts using a spatula. Divide raspberry mixture between the two crusts; spread filling evenly within the crust.

3. Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours. Serve!

Veggie of the month: Carrots!

Fun Facts about carrots:

•    Contains 200% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin A which is good for vision, bones, skin, and teeth.
•     Even the green tops of carrots are edible, but the part of the carrot most generally eaten is the taproot.
•    Carrots only became a staple vegetable in American diets post World War I, after soldiers returned from Europe having eaten them during the war.

Recipe:  Maple Dill Carrots

Make use of the maple in the North Country with this sweet side dish, perfect for any summer meal. 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups peeled and sliced carrots 


2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons granulated maple sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Place carrots in a skillet and pour in just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat; simmer until water has evaporated and the carrots are tender. Stir in butter, maple sugar, dill, salt, and pepper.

SOURCE:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/87694/maple-dill-carrots/

Veggie of the Month: Broccoli

Some Facts about broccoli:

• If orange juice isn’t your thing broccoli may be the vegetable for you, with the same amount of vitamin C in one cup of chopped broccoli as in an orange
• Broccoli was originally brought to the US from Italy by Thomas Jefferson
• Broccoli is great for your bones as it is a great source of calcium and also vitamin K which helps your body absorb calcium 

Recipe:

Caramelized Broccoli with Garlic from foodandwine.com: This is a great recipe for people not so fond of broccoli because it plays on the vegetable’s sweetness.

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 heads of broccoli (1 1/4 pounds total), stems peeled and heads halved lengthwise

1/2 cup water

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the broccoli, cut side down, cover and cook over moderate heat until richly browned on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook until the broccoli is just tender and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic and the crushed red pepper and cook uncovered until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the broccoli with salt and black pepper, drizzle with the lemon juice and serve.

Sources:

http://www.organicauthority.com/broccoli-nutrition

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6039/10-Fun-Facts-You-May-Not-Know-About-Broccoli.html