whats in the bag - September 8, 2011

6 Idaho potatoes - these can make a meal in themselves! this blog post explains

6 Vidalia onions - try this onion tarte - it is unbelievable!

2 big heads of romaine

5 freshly picked Paula Red apples - really tasty and unique

5 green bell peppers - these do not last around here, but they do freeze well

quart of prune plums (little plums) - will be ripe in a day or so, perfect for kid lunches and quick grab fridge snacks, we might cook some down into a jam

bag of sugar snap peas - my kids eat these up raw - but I love them in stir fry

4 peaches - leave on your counter for a day or two to ripen

6 plum tomatoes - insane prices this week, the Florida crops will not be in for another month and the hurricanes have decimated northern crops

3 beefsteak tomatoes

rosemary plant - plant now and use all fall and winter

see you next month!

Fall 2011 update

I hope you had a great summer! It seemed wildly busy for us. But, we are back!

This fall we are trying something different. We are so busy (homeschooling 3 kids!) that we are only going to be able to do produce once a month. I hope this will still work for many of you. The schedule is below.

The bags will be bigger than ever - I will try to include many long lasting root vegetables and things like interesting varieties of apples and pears, as well as the usual lettuces and tomatoes. The bags will be $30. This is a crazy bargain. Have you seen produce prices lately? Outrageous!

If you are trying to maximize your fresh food intake  - this is the program for you. Think of it as a challenge: to eat all the real, whole food in your bag and ensure your good health through the busy fall season.

Thanks for your support!


here are our delivery dates:

September 8
October 13
November 17
December 15

I will still send out reminders the Tuesday before, but if you are a regular, you might want to jot the dates on your calendar.

It is really helpful if you prepay (paypal to amybarbo@gmail.com). I spend way too much time trying to collect money from people who forget to pay.

So, if you are ready for next week - let me know!

whats in the bag - June 2, 2011

3 Vidalia onions
4 Idaho potatoes
2 romaine lettuce heads
5 peaches
5 tomatoes
6 cucumber
6 pears
bunch of bananas
portabella mushroom
shallots
sugar baby watermelon
basil plant

What is in the Bag, May 19, 2011

5 lemons (we drink lemonade all summer, do you?)
1 bunch purple asparagus (grilled or sauteed - yummo! maybe with a squirt of that lemon!)
4 peaches
2 bunches of scallions
2 big, clean heads of romaine (it is supposed to heat up soon, so more salad)
2 big apple pears (great with cheese of sliced thin on salad)
1 head of broccoli (I can not get enough broccoli)
2 red bell peppers
3 green bell peppers
3 cucumbers
bag of cherry tomatoes
bag of roma tomatoes (the best tomato for the grill or oven roasting)
chive plant

What is in the Bag, April 28, 2011

This is such a yummy bag, with some local treats!

5 Florida peaches (grown in Lakeland!) I went by to check out the orchard and it is beautiful. I am so excited about this new Florida crop!

1 FL watermelon - do not refrigerate until an hour before you are going to eat - it degrades the nutritional value

1 parsley plant - these can grow really big if you plant them outside. Ours have grown abut a foot and a half.

2 big Vidalia onions

5 Florida garden cukes

2 big eggplant

1 champagne mango

6 Florida tomatoes - 3 red/3yellow

bunch of apple bananas - kids go crazy for these

romaine

Plant City blueberries (it is picking time for these now too! they are not cheap, but fun to pick)

4 navel oranges (from CA - guilty pleasure)

Thanks! See you in two weeks!

kids love their produce deliveries!

Jessie Dearie breaks into his produce bag right away!

What is in the Bag, April 14, 2011

Wow! This weeks bag is value packed with local, seasonal goodies. Enjoy!

I will work on some recipes and inspiration later today. And as always,
please fill free to share your recipes or even just what you are having for dinner.

Amy



bag of garden and cherry tomatoes
bag of little globe zucchini
2 FL big green bell peppers
5 FL cucumber
champagne Mango
4 FL Navel oranges - these juice into amazing oj!
1 big Vidalia onion
bunch of FL green onions
1 big Portabella mushroom
4 Pinova apple
6 FL Corn
FL Romaine
FL Radish
FL Red Swiss Chard
Beets  - I will share a good recipe for beet chips later



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

roasted squash and cauliflower

One of our customers (and a long time family friend) posted about her roasted squash and cauliflower on her blog. Check it out! Thanks Amy D.!

Coconut

My kids went crazy over their coconut. They love to drink the juice and then crack the whole thing open with a hammer and eat the meat out. The juice is really great for active kids and adults.

Here is a video about how to open and use a coconut. 

Have fun!

Daikon

image from    http://www.goodbite.com

Daikon radishes seem to be another super good for you food. Read what natural cook book author, Rebecca Wood has to say about Daikon:

"Daikon cleanses the blood, promotes energy circulation and increases the metabolic rate. It contains diuretics, decongestants and, in terms of phytochemicals, the digestive enzymes diastase, amylase and esterase. This makes it a primary ingredient in a great variety of home remedies.

Regular use of daikon helps prevent the common cold, flu and respiratory infections. Daikon treats hangovers, sore throats, colds and edema, and it helps cleanse the kidneys and decongest the lungs. This restorative vegetable also has anticarcinogenic properties."


Wow! That sounds great! You can eat them raw, grated into soup or salad, or in this easy pickle recipe that I am going to try.

 Overnight Daikon Radish Pickles

Key Lime inspiration

image from http://blog.ordinaryrecipesmadegourmet.com

How about this for dinner?

Honey Key Lime Grilled Chicken

with some of that great Chipotle cilantro rice?

I love key lime juice in my water. It is also great for an dressing or marinade. I might turn the chicken recipe above into kabobs and add in the squash and bell pepper and anything else I have laying around.

And since it is almost the weekend, and the weather is so perfect, maybe a key lime in my Corona? or how about a batch of Mojitos?

cauliflower

image from www.alwayshungryny.com

I have always assumed that because cauliflower was white, it was low in nutrients. Well, I was wrong! Cauliflower is a powerhouse of good, cancer fighting stuff. It is full of vitamin C, folate and even Indole-3-carbinol (slows the growth of cancer cells and helps repair damaged DNA).

If you want to hear an an amazing talk about food and cancer, listen to this TED talk. It is sorta mind blowing actually. We have so much power in regards to our heath.
 .
A few months ago Whole Living magazine had a great set of cauliflower recipes. You can read them here.

And you can always just eat it raw. Most kids love it, too!

Pineapple

image from http://www.drgranny.com/food-nutrition/health-benefits-of-pineapple/

Here is a great article about the health benefits of pineapple. Basically, it is full of digestive enzymes that make it a great ending to a meal. My kids love it as desert. I tried to get pineapples that will be ripe in a few days. Just leave them on your counter until you are ready. They are also great in smoothies and can be frozen with no problem.

This pineapple salsa looks great! All you need is come black beans and frozen corn.

It is also great grilled or added to salads. And don't forget to plant the top and start growing your own!

How do you like to eat pineapple?

What is in the Bag, March 17, 2011

Here is a bunch of green for this St. Patrick's Day! Look to the blog later this afternoon for lots of inspiration and ideas!

pineapple
coconut-with straw to drink! coconut water is crazy good for you! it is like natures gatorade!
daikon radish (more on this later)
4 navels
1 ruby red grapefruit
15 key limes
bell pepper - only 1 :(
 4 baby yellow squash
cauliflower
grape tomatoes
a few jalapeno
kale
romaine
cilantro
green onions
blueberries

Happy Eating! 

More inspiration for this week....

Here is a great recipe that I ran a few years ago. You can even use the corn and zucchini add ins!

How about grilled pole beans?

or pole beans in a more traditional way.

For the eggplant, I usually just cut, brush with olive oil and then roast (in the oven or on the grill). If I can bear to not eat it that minute, I keep it in a glass jar in the fridge and add to sandwiches and pizza during the week.


I think the basil would be great chopped up in your favorite homemade salad dressing. Mine is usually a combo of garlic, mustard, olive oil, lemon and sometimes a splash of fish sauce or maple syrup. The important thing is the ratio (3 oils to 1 vinegar). The rest is up to your imagination.

Collards

I grew up hating collards. We did not really eat them at home, so I mostly had them at school (when the cafeteria ladies cooked meals). Maybe it was the mushy texture, or the smoky hamhock. Anyways, here is my version, which is fast, super tasty and vegetarian.


devein a bunch of collards - This is really easy, you do not even have to use a knife and cutting board. Just hold the collards upside down and rip them off the rib. Then rip them up into bite size pieces. (Rinse them off too)

In a wide bottomed pan, saute some garlic in olive oil. Add in the collards and using tongs, flip around until they begin to wilt. Turn the heat down and cover for a few minutes to finish cooking (you can add in a bit of water or stock at this point if you need to).

That is it! We love them with rice and black eyed peas or with a fried egg for breakfast. Sprinkle them with some vinegar or Chrystal hot sauce to make them really bright.

You can also cook collards in your vegetable soup or even juice them with your carrot juice (that is what I am drinking right now). They are super easy to grow in your home garden too.

Collards are a great source of vitamin C, fiber and have virtually no calories. They are also purported to have cancer fighting properties.

Enjoy! And feel free to share your favorite way to prepare them (even if it includes hamhock:)

March 4, 2011

4 ears of corn
2 strawberry onions (I cut off the tops to save room this week)
baby red onion
4 super sweet oranges
2 poblanos
4 zucchini
4 red delicious apples
4 tomatoes (they are still in crazy mode)
2 Italian eggplant
big bunch of collards
red leaf lettuce
portabella mushroom
pole beans
bunch of parsley
bunch of basil

More inspiration for this weeks bag:

The most simple way to enjoy swiss chard.

How about pear carpacchio?

I am going to make this with the yellow squash. I make a similar onion tart that is so good. This would be perfect with a roast chicken, grean beans, and salad for Sunday supper.

And lastly, for the little new potatoes. David has this really great method for cooking them. Basically, you boil them and then smash them enough to crack the skin. Then sautee them in butter and garlic until the edges get crispy and the fat soaks into the inside of the potato - unbelievable!

salsa in 5 minutes

We are so spoiled around here. We really hate jarred (cooked) salsa - especially when it is so easy to make. For this quick method we use the food processor that is kept on the counter. If you do have one, or it is in the back of your cabinet, you can just hand chop it.  Into the processor, throw:

grape tomatoes/rough chopped garden tomatoes (1/2 - 3/4 full)
lemon juice
little hunk of red onion
cilanto leaves (we use a whole bunch, because we love it)
jalepeno (take the seeds out to enjoy the freshness without the heat)

We do not add salt because it just does not seem to need it. Many times you can substitute lemon or vinegar and never miss the salt. Plus, if you are eating it with chips, they are loaded with sodium.

Pulse for a bit until it is the chunkyness you like.

That is it! Eat with chips, on fish or chicken, with some beans and rice - whatever! It is fat and salt free and adds huge flavor to your plate.

What is in the Bag, February 17, 2011

Holy Cow! We had a big shock today at the market. There was a pretty bad freeze out west that drove up produce prices two and three times there normal price! It was crazy! Despite it - I think we came up with a great bag full of lots of healthy produce (with a big percentage coming from Florida). I am thinking some fresh salsa for the weekend. And definitely some grilling and roasting is in my future:) I will post some recipes later today. Here is what you are getting:

2# new potatoes
3 big and pretty lemons - did you know drinking lemon juice helps prevent kidney stones?
1# green beans
1 red onion
bag of hot - (2 jalapenos and 2 super hot serrano) - these are great for both Mexican and Asian cooking
1 bunch of cilantro
4 yellow squash - grilled, baked, steamed...what is your favorite way to eat squash?
1 very big dirty romaine
2 bunches of Swiss Chard - sauteed or grilled you will be a super health ninja by eating these greens!
3 anjou pears (these are good with some cheese and wine, but I am also thinking about cooking them up with some butter, sugar and vanilla and having it over ice cream)
1 cauliflower - I can not eat enough roasted cauliflower.
3 red tomatoes
3 yellow tomatoes
grape tomatoes
(tomatoes were one of the crops that skyrocketed)


Happy Eating! (and don't forget to wash your veggies!

Raw Kale Salad

image from http://www.skrewtips.com

I love kale in vegetable soup or simply sauteed - but I think my very favorite way (and the healthiest by far) is raw kale salad. "What?" you say? Really! It is delicious and zings you up!

So, here is how you make it. Wash the kale, use a knife to cut out the center rib, sorta roll up the kale leaves and cut into small strips. For the dressing, just smash up some garlic (this depends on your taste - I add alot, especially in this season of sickness), add 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts olive oil. Mix it up and let it set just a bit. That is it! It stays good overnight, so you can even make it for the following day's lunch.  You will enjoy the flavor and getting a great dose of green!

Amy

Portobello Mushrooms

image from http://whatscookingamerica.net/

Here are some easy cooking tips from here.

Basic Grilled Portobello
Brush mushrooms on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until just cooked through.
Oven Roast
Brush Portobellos with oil. Place on a baking sheet cap sides up. Roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Sauté
In a skillet, cook sliced, chopped or whole mushrooms in a little oil or butter over medium-high heat, stirring or turning until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Other ingredients such as onions, peppers, and garlic, can be cooked along with the mushrooms. Season with your favorite herbs or spices.

Cooking Tip
The longer you cook the portobella the meatier (firmer textured) the mushroom gets.

What is in the Bag, February 3, 2011

3 navel oranges
2 lemons
2 shallots
3 granny smith apples
2 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
10ish kirby cucumbers
4 bananas
3 garden tomatoes
grape tomatoes
champagne mango (perfect to eat now!)
2 zucchini
1 portobello mushroom
bunch of multicolored carrots
dirty green leaf lettuce (give a soak in the sink)
bunch of kale
bunch of parsley
baby strawberry onions

Happy Eating!

What is in the Bag, January 20, 2011

4 sweet potatoes - we bake these into fries and they are so good, just chop them into wedges or fries, roll them around in olive oil in a bowl or on the baking sheet, add salt/pepper/anything else you want, bake at 450 for 15 (the time really depends on if they are thick or thin). they are so caramely and sweet - they taste like candy!

2 red navel florida oranges (the marks on the skin are bc they are not heavily sprayed)

red onion

dirty curly green leaf lettuce

bunch of spinach - good for salad (with bacon, hard boiled egg and red onion) or wilted in a big pan with garlic and then sprinkled with some vinegar

3 honey crisp apples - these would love to meet some cheese and wine, they are super crispy. we are going to eat ours with fondue.

cauliflower - bought from the grower, picked last night, they were grown next to a purple cf patch - so if yours has some purple, that is why:)

4 florida cucumbers - here is a recipe from a few years ago, we love them like this too!

bunch of baby apple bananas - leave on counter to ripen for later in the week, kids love these. you can freeze them on stick too and then dip them in chocolate

2 haas avocados - leave on counter to ripen, they are ready when they are black, we eat alot of avocado just mushed into our ceasar salad, or make a simple guacamole (mashed avocado, mashed garlic and a bit on lemon and salt). Here is how to get the goods out

radishes - eat raw, slice onto salad or sandwiches, my kids like them sliced with smears of butter and crunchy salt on them.

tomato bag - 2 red, 3 yellow, bunch of grape tomatoes

bag of cherries - not local, but yummy! a good dessert for tonight!

herb to plant (thyme or mint) we use thyme alot in deserts to add a really interesting kick (try vanilla ice cream, with a little honey and a sprinkle of thyme)

and one turnip - this was all i could get from this cool old farmer. he grew these "with the good Lord" and consulted an almanac so they would grow with out pesticide. so, we can all try one. you can eat the greens (as you would any other green) and the bottom can be eaten raw (just matchstick like you would a carrot) or baked, steamed, grilled... with whatever vegetables you are cooking. since it is so little and special, i would eat it raw in salad. i truly believe you will get some of this guy's good vibes by eating the food he grew with love. and i will try to get some of his collards next time. if you don't think you like collards - wait till you hear how i cook them - vegetarian, and crazy good flavor!�

Happy Eating! We will be back in two weeks!

What is in the Bag, January 6, 2011

Well, I was a bit worried about what I would find this morning at the rainy market, especially with the dire news I have been getting about the recent freezes. But I was happily surprised to not only find a good selection - but alot of Florida produce as well.� We have 16� different items this week! Actually, the bag is pretty heavy, so be careful with the handles. I would pick it up from the bottom.�

As always, please feel free to share recipes and ideas to this list. I will try to add some more ideas this later this evening. Thanks and Enjoy!

Amy

So, here is what is in your bag...

4 fresh red delicious apples
pineapple - leave on your counter for few days to ripen
shallots a mellow mix between garlic and onion - really good in salad dressing
dirty romaine lettuce - picked within the last 24 hours, purchased from the picker, soak in the sink, Florida grown
eggplant - Florida grown, we slice them, brush with olive oil, oven roast and eat them as a snack
bag of cherry tomatoes - Florida grown
2 garden tomatoes - Florida grown
4 tangerines for snacks and kids lunches - Florida grown
4 perfect bananas - for kids lunches, smoothies, or bananas foster! my kids said this were "real" bananas!
8 pickling cucumbers - these are our favorites for salads, less watery and more flavor filled, unwaxed- so you can eat the skin
bunch of strawberry onions
1 sweet onion - ready now for the grill or your salad
1 green bell pepper - Florida grown
2 red bell peppers - Florida grown
1 savoy cabbage -Florida grown, read about them here
jalapeno pepper - in case you want to make some salsa or spice up a pot of hoppin john
herb plant (either basil or flat leaf parsley)