admine9519, Author at Morning Song Farm - Page 21 of 44

We love growing and cooking with herbs, and know that herbs are expensive in the grocery store, so we try to grow plenty for our subscribers. Herbs are natural flavor enhancers, and it’s been shown that strong flavors tend to satiate us faster…meaning that using herbs in the kitchen can be part of a healthy weight control plan. The more commercially common flavor enhancers: outright chemicals like MSG, sodium, and all sorts of fats are extensively used in factory produced foods because they’re the cheapest way to encourage you to overeat. Why sell you 6 ounces of something when cheap additives can encourage you to eat and buy, 14?  Herbs are expensive, but yours are in your box each week, so we’re eager to have you use them!

At left is a fun way to dry your excess herbs right in your kitchen. We bought the base wreath at Michael’s for a couple bucks with floral wire that they sell in a nearby aisle. Just wire your herb bunches right to the wreath and hang until dry. You can use your dried herb right off the wreath, or seal in air tight containers once dry and replace with new, fresh herb as they arrive in your kitchen.

Click on the images to enlarge for easier viewing.
This has been a fun week, and our boxes reflect the excitement. Our Spring mix salad bags are getting more diverse as we add more spicy baby leaves to our mix; along with Sara’s selection of the farm’s edible flowers.

Fava Beans this week! The photo at the left is a shot of favas just off the barbeque, which is one great way to prepare them. Others enjoy favas mashed, pureed and spread on crackers as high fiber, healthy appetizer. You can also shell and cook them like peas or lima beans as well.
Here’s a link to Fava Bean nutritional facts:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4322/2

Favas are not beans, actually at all; but a member of the pea family, which explains why they’re grown in the cooler season, rather than in the summer with real beans. Here in Southern California, Favas are planted in late September. The fava is a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, but is only showing up in chef’s recipes in the last decade or so here. they’re high in fiber (a single serving provides 85% of the RDV) and they’re high in iron (30% of a day’s requirement).

You’ll also find turnips in the large shares; my favorite way to enjoy them is like mashed potatoes; a spicier, more complex potato that’s for sure!

And our sprout mix is quite diversified with three distinct kinds of sprouts; an Italitan mix, radishes and the grain, amaranth.

We’re at the end of 2012’s avocado harvest; we’re still including the last of the fruit out in the grove, but they sure are small and unimpressive.

Ok, this is only a best guess, but I know a lot of our supporters would love to know what we think will be in boxes ahead of time, so here’s what Sara and I have on our harvest list for next week. Understand that we’re days away and “stuff” happens, so it’s not set in cement….
Limes
Kumquats
Loquats for large shares
Spicy stir fry mix bunches (bok choi, mustards, etc.)
Cheno (that leafy green I’ve raved about that kind of “pops” in the frying pan as its seed heads are heated
Basil Bunches (yeah!)
Mixed Herb Bouquets–chives, rosemary, oregano, thyme and fennel
Baby Lettuce Mix bags with Sara’s amazing Edible Fowers and small quantity of Snap Peas (maybe 1/4 pound each)
Avocados
Carrots
Cukes
Green Onions
Head Lettuce
Swiss Chard (I think in both size boxes, but not sure)

When prepared properly, Kale Chips will kind of melt in your mouth with an explosion of nutty flavorfulness and a surprisingly satisfying crunch. Kale hasn’t been fully appreciate until it’s been enjoyed this way! This week we suggest you try kneading your kale in an olive oil herb marinade, rather than the typical Olive Oil and Salt mixture we’ve suggested before.

Process:
1. Chop up your kale in bite sized pieces, eliminating the toughest part of the stalk, set aside.
2. Blend a mixture of herbs in the cuisinart with an 1/8 cup of California Olive Oil.
 (If you haven’t visited Temecula Olive Oil’s on-line ordering site, you might be interested in joining their Olive Oil CSA: http://www.temeculaoliveoil.com/index.php/olive-oil-club.html. Thom, the owner/farmer is a dedicated olive tree grower, and has provided Morning Song Farm with their 100 olive trees. We’re not in production yet (and when we are, Thom has offered to process our olives for us!)
3. Add salt to taste.
4. In a large bowl, combine the herb marinade with the kale and dive in. Kids love doing this part! Knead the herb and oil mixture into the kale; coating each leaf and breaking down the kale’s fibers int he process.
5. Lay down on a cookie sheet one layer thick and dehydrate at 250 until crispy.
6. Serve warm as you would popcorn, or top salads or caseroles with your chips in lieu of croutons.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Steam carrots until tender and drain.
Return carrots to pot.
Add herbs and gently toss.
Cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or untilo carrots are glazed.

The fun thing about the little bouquets of herbs you’ll find in your shares this week; is you can toss the whole thing into a soup or stew with nothing but a quick rinse beforehand. Tie with a piece of kitchen twine. By keeping the herbs together in this fashion, it’s super easy to remove them before serving.