If you don't already get an urban farm box of fresh, locally produced vegetables delivered to your door and you'd like to try one contact Adrienne. Her email address is: BoxScheme@mkchristianfoundation.co.uk or take a look at the urban farm website: www.growingpeopleproject.co.uk
If you like any of these recipes or if you've got a favourite veggie box recipe share it with us - just leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.
Courgettes: 7.6.2012
Blimey!! There are courgettes in the veggie box this week….what
a treat! And just what you need on a
cold, wet grey day to remind you that we are in June, the sun should be shining
and the new vegetables and fruits will be hitting your table!
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| A welcome sight - courgette flowers: florriebassingbourne |
Courgettes are really small marrows- as any of you growers
will know. Leave a small courgette for a few days and you’ll come back to find
a great stonking beast lurking in your vegetable bed! That means that
nutritionally they have the food values as other squashes.
They contain vitamins A, C and K; manganese, potassium, magnesium
and folate all of which adds up to a healthy immune system . Folic acid is
important for all women, especially if
they are pregnant and… great news… they are good if you are slimming. They add
bulk, but not calories to your diet.
Trawling the web, I’ve come across a site dedicated to
courgettes (http://www.courgetterecipes.co.uk/)
…it’s part of the eat seasonal network
which aims to encourage people to eat
more vegetables and at a time when they are in season – no problem there then
with anything that comes in the veggie boxes. All the contents are either grown
at the Urb Farm or sourced locally.
One of their recipes is for roast vegetables and couscous –
a pretty quick and easy meal to prepare.
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| Courgettes - great for your diet! Veebl |
4
courgettes, trimmed and thickly sliced
250g couscous
1 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
225g small tomatoes, halved
75ml olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Put 45ml of the olive oil in a roasting tin and heat it in
the oven for 5 minutes. Add the courgettes, onion and garlic and toss them well
to make sure they are coated in the oil. Season with salt and freshly ground
black pepper and roast them in the oven for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and
thyme and roast for another 10 – 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Put the couscous and
½ teaspoon salt in a bowl and pour over 300ml of boiling water. Stir once and
then cover the bowl and leave it to sit for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes,
fluff the couscous with a fork and add the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and
season well.
Kohlrabi: 30.5.2102
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| It's the cut off leaf stalks that give kohlrabi it's interetsin shape! JaBB |
Kohlrabi is an Eastern European vegetable. The name is
German, meaning cabbage- turnip which, apparently, just about sums up the
taste! It’s crisp, like radish, so goes well in salads and, hurrah! , is good
for stir fry.
It’s also extremely good for you! It’s nutrient dense –
which means that you get a disproportionate amount of vitamins and minerals for
the amount of calories you eat. It’s good for the circulatory system; maintains
a healthy immune system; promotes healthy digestion and assists in proper muscle
and nerve functions.
If that convinces you, try these recipes: |
| mashed with carrots:mhaithaca |
Kohlrabi
& Carrots
1 medium kohlrabi, chopped into 3/4 " cubes (about 2
cups)
4 large carrots, cut into chunks to match the size of the
kohlrabi
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
salt and pepper
Cover the Kohlrabi and carrots with lightly salted water
and boil until quite tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain and lightly mash, leaving
a lot of texture. They shouldn’t be smooth like mashed potatoes. Add the nutmeg
and butter and serve.
Kohlrabi
Slaw
2 small kohlrabi
1 cup radish
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Peel two small kohlrabi and shred with the radishes. Mix 1 Tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley in a glass bowl. Whisk in 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Add the shredded veggies and toss. Chill for 30 minutes or more.
Cauliflower: 23.5.2012
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| healthy, tight cauli heads: clayirvin |
Cauliflowers are related to the wild cabbagge. It has been an important vegetable in Turkey and Italy since at least 600 B.C. and became popular in France and the rest of Northern Europe during the 16th century.
I had cauliflower and cheese soup in a cafe recently - it was delicious. Soups are great, just add and heat the ingredients and whizz to a cream. In this case it's cauli, potatoes ( to add some body),vegetable stock and a fairly strong cheese, such as cheddar. It's lovely served with crusty bread.
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| good today..it tastes even better tomorrow !Su-Lin |
Cut the onion, garlic and fresh into small pieces and saute in a little butter until they are golden brown. While they are cooking, cut the cauli into florets and cook in boiling water for about 5 mins. Drain and leave in the pan to keep warm.
Back to the onion etc....add the spices and cook for 5 minutes
Add a tin of tomatoes and the chickpeas and stir well. Add the cauli , top up with cold water and simmer for five to ten minutes.
It really is quick. If you want to have it with rice, put the rice in a pan boil of boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes ( depending on the rice you use) .... If you're really organised/ super hungry then put it on before you start the curry.
Asparagus
One of my favourite vegetables! I used to visit France quite a lot at one time and around this time of year the market stalls would be full of all sorts of different types of asparagus....lovely!
I think it's probably best eaten steamed and then served dripping in butter, not very good for the cholestorol but you can console yourself by thinking about the health benefits that asparagus brings with it.
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| lovely fresh asparagus: jonathon_moreau |
This weeks recipe - asparagus and pasta in a creamy sauce, is quick and easy to prepare and cook.
You'll need a bunch of asparagus, some double cream, 2 whole cloves of garlic, grated parmesan cheese and some tagliatelle ribbons.
Cut off and throw away any woody bits at the end. Cut the tips away from the stalks and save these for later. In a small saucepan bring the cream and garlic to the boil. Take off the heat, remove the garlic, then set the pan aside. Cook the stalks in boiling salted water for about 4-5 mins until tender, drain, then tip into the cream with the grated parmesan. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth.
Pak Choi
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| you can eat the white stems as well as the green leaves: Adactio |
Pak Choi is one of the most popular vegetables used in Chinese cooking, but I'm not going to suggest stir fry again ( although of course it is a classic ingredient and goes well with all the veggies in the box this week). It can be eaten raw, shredded and added to salads, but this recipe is a variation on one used by my Mauritian brother-in law. He uses spinach, but any green leafed vegetable can be cooked this way and used as a side dish.
Sweat a finely chopped shallot, or small piece of onion in a pan. Add a crushed garlic clove and finely chopped ginger root. Shred the Pak Choi and add to the pan. Put a lid on and cook on a low heat to allow the Pak Choi to wilt. It's very quick and easy but tastes great. If you want to give it a more Chinese flavour add a little soy sauce. This recipe goes well with fish or any white meat.
Mushrooms
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| I love mushrooms! jo-h |
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| a fairy ring with stone mushrooms: Earth Sanctuary |
This week's recipe is Moroccan Mushrooms with Couscous. I really like Moroccan food, but it often takes a long time to cook - a bit of a nuisance if you're in a hurry, but this recipe is quick and easy.
Fry a sliced onion in oil until it is soft . While the onion is cooking quarter the mushrooms. Add a pinch of cinnamon and cumin to the pan and stir into the onions.
Add the mushrooms, cook for two minutes.
Stir in a can of chopped tomatoes and a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas and a teaspoon of honey.
Add seasoning to taste and cook for about seven minutes.
If you like couscous and want a good moroccan taste, chop a handful of dried apricots and stir these into the couscous. Pour over boiling water and stir to mix, then cover and leave to stand for about seven minutes until the couscous is soft. Fluff it up with a fork and sprinkle with chopped parsley - a quick, tasty and nutritious meal!!!
Chervil
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| Chervil: the croft |
Lightly fry a chopped onion, carrot, garlic, leek and two sticks of celery, chopped for a few minutes. Add a litre of boiling water, a chopped courgette and three roughly chopped tomatoes. Boil for 5 minutes and then add a little sour cream and a handful of chopped chervil. Taste it and add seasoning to taste.
Or lightly boil or steam a mix of vegetables and add a handful of chopped chervil once they are cooked...or add it to an omlette...or use it in stir fry to give a hint of star anise. It'sa very versatile herb!
Spring Veggies
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| Tasty purple florets:Nick Saltmarsh |
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| A quick and easy mid-week meal: ramtops |
Chives
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| Chives in bloom: Rosh Sillars |
But it is good to see a bit more variety on the veggie boxes this week. Chives are a very useful herb. You can add them to almost anything to give an extra bit of flavour. If you're lucky enough to get some urban farm eggs then make a chive omlette, or add them to mashed potatoes to liven them up a bit. I like to make potatoe cakes and add chives. They are really very good! Like onions and garlic - they are good for maintaining a healthy immune system and they help to stimulate the appetite and then to digest food you've eaten. I read some time ago that the Japanese diet is so healthy because of the large number of ingredients involved in their cooking. The article ( and I really can't remember where I read it!) said that we should aim to eat over 20 different ingredients each day. It sounds a lot, but when you break down what you do eat it's easier than you might think. Adding food like chives and other herbs helps to contribute to this.
| Chives have been around for along time. The Chinese documented using chives as long ago as 3000
years B.C. and it's said that Marco Polorought them to Europe.
It was believed that you
should hang bunches of dried chives around your house to ward off disease and
evil - a bit lke garlic scaring off vampires! Chives are easy to grow - the ulitmate cut and come again herb. Sow the seeds indoors using normal potting compost in March . Make sure the compost remains moist. The seedlings will appear a week to ten days later. Transfer them outside a month after sowing with 10cm (8in) between each plan. When you want to eat them just snip a few stalks at the base and they will come again. You shouldn't let them go to flower, but the pinky blue flower heads are very attractive and I tend to leave mine after a while just for the look of them. | ||
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| root vegetable mix: the uff da! chronicles |
Chop the root vegetables and bake till they are cooked. Make a white sauce using cornflour and milk. Add cheese and whatever herbs you have available. We had parsley, but sage would be good too. Add the sauce to the cooked veggies and put back in the oven to warm through. Serve this with steamed spring greens and sprouting broccoli and , if you've got leeks from veggie mail steam those as well. Just feel all those dark green vegetables filling your body with iron and vitamins!!!
Mixed Vegetable Crisps: 13.3.2012
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| Home made crisps with paprika: formalfallacy |
This week’s recipe isn’t a full meal… but definitely a money
saver! You can make crisps from any of the root vegetables in this week’s
veggie box, and if you currently buy in mixed veg crisps you’ll know just how
expensive they are! But they are very easy to make.
Clean and peel the
vegetables and then slice as thinly as you can get them, then shallow fry them
until they crisp up. My favourite are parsnip, but beetroot is good and of
course, there’s always the trusty
potato! You can sprinkle with a little salt to taste…. or spice up potato crisps with a sprinkling
of paprika or any seasoning that you like!
Red Onion Dip and Squash Dip: 6.3.2012
I'm expecting visitors this weekend. I haven't seen my friends for a while so it will be great to see them but the thought of preparing all those meals makes me feel a bit queasy before I've even started! As long as I can prepare as much in advance I'll be OK. They're arriving Friday night, so I can cook something in the slow cooker ( hurrah!) ready for them when they get here and we'll probalby eat out on Saturaday night. Breakfasts will be boiled eggs - urban farm, of course, but that stills leaves the lunches! I'm going to make dips using the red onions
and squash in the veggie box this week - with a few vegetables, corn chips and some nice
crusty bread to dip in they should keep every one munching happily for a while! They can both be made in advance and stored
in the fridge for a few days -wonderful!
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| Red onions: clayirving |
The squash dip is a little bit more complicated but only because you have to roast the squash first.There are hundreds of different pumpkins and squashes and you can use any for this recipe. Take out the seeds and chop the squash and then roast it in the oven ( about 170 degrees) until the flesh can be scooped away from the skin - about 45 mins.You can add any flavourings, but I think I'll roast some garlic cloves at the same time as the squash. Blend the garlic and squash together with a little mascarpone to add some body, cumin and some dried chilli to give it a bit of heat.
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| Squash Blossom: Zenia |
I never really think of dips as being a healthy option - I don't know if it's the dips themselves, or the things you dip in - but red onions are extremely good for you. They lower your blood sugar levels; act as an anti inflammatory in the bones and throat; and are good for your heart. They are low in calories but high in fiber and contain a range of minerals. They are low in sodium and very high in beta-carotene which converts into Vitamin A.
Native american farmers used to grow squashes in the same bed as corn and runner beans - a practice known as the three sisters. Corn provides support for the beans, the bean roots set nitrogen in the soil to nourish the corn and the squashes shade the ground to discourage weeds and preserve moisture. I must try it - especially if we're heading into a drought this summer!
Beetroot: 28.2.12
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| Beetroot salad: Joanna Hard |
Beetroot is a versatile vegetable, though, and can be used for much more than soup and the urban farm beetroot in your box is far too nice to (yeuks! ) pickle! You can boil the beetroot but I like to bake it slowly in the oven.Tear off the leaves a couple of centimetres above the bulb and clean carefully so that you don't pierce the skin, otherwise the juice leaches out and you loose a lot of the flavour. Wrap in foil and put in the oven for about an hour, depending on the size, until it's cooked. The skin should rub off easily. You can eat it warm or leave it to go cold and slice to put on sandwiches,as a side vegetable or in salads ( like the one in the picture)
Because it's sweet , beetroot can also be used to make cakes, a bit like carrots. Try this one for beetroot and chocolate cake.
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| Beetroot and chocolate cake: Aburt |
Pre heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm loose bottomed cake tin. If you've got a food processor break the chocolate into pieces and put in a food processor until it makes crumbs. Don't worry if you end up with some larger pieces - it's lucky if you get one in your slice! Add the beetroot and blend together. Then add the remaining ingredients to the processor and whizz until well mixed. Pour into the prepared cake tin and lightly level out the surface.
If you haven't got a food processor,just beat the ingredients together and add grated chocolate and the beetroot.
Bake the cake mix in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes in the tin before removing to a cooling rack.
You can dust with icing sugar or pour melted chocolate over the top. Serve it for pudding with a spoonful of natural yoghourt - and eat it safe in the knowledge that you are actually doing yourself good. Beetroot is rich in vitamins A, B and C,contains a range of minerals, folic acid and beta-carotene. It is reputed to aid digestion, clean the liver and counteract constipation.
Braised chicory : 22.2.12
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| Chicory flower head: Buttersweet |
Chicory has a long history - Arabian and Roman physicians were highly impressed by chicory's health benefits. It contains phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, as well as niacine, inulin and vitamins A and C and so is good for minor heart problems; it acts as a natural laxative, helps thrombosis and as an anti-inflammatory is good for arthritis. The ground roots are used to make coffee - a mainstay during the second world war when coffee beans weren't getting through from the States. In the wild, it has a beautiful blue daisy type flower and can be found by growing by roadsides, in fields and wastelands.
Most people know it as a salad vegetable, with the leaves used as a kind of edible plate to hold a range of filling, which is fine but it seems a shame to use it this way when it takes real horticultural knowledge and commitment to grow it. Also, It can be quite bitter which puts a lot of people off. If you store it wrapped in paper to keep out the light and eat it as soon as possible you will slow down the process that develops the bitter flavour
Another way to reduce the bitterness is to braise it. Prepare the vegetable by removing any damaged leaves, put in a baking dish with a little water, sugar, a squeeze of lemon, butter and seasoning to taste. Cover and put the dish in a moderate oven for about an hour until the centre is soft - test with a knife to make sure. Baste the chicory with any liquid left in the dish and serve.
If you like this recipe or if you've got a favourite recipe for chicory we'd be really pleased if you shared it with us - just leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.
Curried vegetable pasties
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| Fresh from the oven! Serenae |
There's a lovely mix of vegetables in this week's veggie box - and all of them will go into this fab recipe. Dice the veggies into small cubes and lightly fry in oil with a bit of garlic and some ginger if you have any. Add a small amount of curry paste to taste and a small amount of water. Cover the pan with a lid and let the veggies soften.
When they are ready, put them in the pastry circles and fold over. Seal the join with a bit of water and crimp by pinching with your fingers and cut some slits to let the steam out .You can sprinkle the top with grated cheese or if you want a shiny top brush them with milk or a beaten egg and just pop them in the oven until the pastry is cooked. Eat them with the spicy mixed salad in your box and you've got a really healthy, tasty winter's day meal.You can save a few back for lunch boxes - they taste just as good cold as hot.
Root Veg 2.2.2012
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| vegie cobbler: Lex McCall |
I went to my mum's last weeekend with my vegetarian daughter and she cooked us a really tasty vegetable cobbler. The scone mix on top of the vegetables cooks in the steam and fluffs up like traditional dumplings, but isn't so heavy or greasy.
I don't think I would put the beetroot in this dish, but the other roots in this week's veggie box will certainly go together. Wash and chop the vegetables into good sized chunks and put into a casserole dish with a tin of tomatoes and some stock. The liquid should come about half way up the veggies. As they cook they will release enough liquid to just cover the vegetables and stop them from drying out.Leave in the oven until the vegetables are just soft enough to eat and in the meantime make the cobbler.
My mum reckons you should use two parts flour( self raising) to just under one part margarine. Rub these together. You can add different flavourings at this stage - dried herbs, mustard or cheese or whatever takes your fancy. Bind the scone topping with a little water.Turn out the dough and make into dumplings or roll into a thick pastry-like covering. Place these on top of the vegetables and put back in the oven for about 40 - 45 minutes until the cobbler looks cooked. You can put grated cheese on top if you want to at this stage.
I'm sure all the family will enjoy it!
Potatoes: 2.1.2012
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| Desperate Dan's cow pie: Tim Ellis |
A quick recipe that my family loved when they were young is cheesey potatoes - just boil and mash with grated cheese and serve with some good green vegetables.
According to the potato council potatoes are extremely good for you. They are nutrient-rich. They contain vitamins B1, B6 and vitamin C. As a deep root vegetable they draw magnesium, copper, zinc and potassium from the soil. They are virtually fat free, contain no cholesterol and when they are served in their skins are a great source of fibre. Research suggests that potatoes are the perfect base for a balanced diet. According to The British Dietetic Association potatoes contain absolutely no cholesterol and the fibre they contain actually reduces existing cholesterol levels.
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| tuna and sweetcorn: Lynn.Gardner |
If you like this recipe or if you've got a favourite recipe for potatoes we'd be really pleased if you shared it with us - just leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.
Cabbage 24.1.2012
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| Janury King cabbage : Paul Kidd |
Cabbage has been eaten for more than 3,000 years. The Celts were growing cabbages around 200 BC and the Romans used it for medicinal purposes while fermented cabbage was used by the Dutch to fight off scurvy on sea voyages
January Kings are crisp and crunchy with a bluish tinge to the leaves. They cook up a bit like savoy cabbages. I love them shredded and steamed with maybe a few carraway seeds thrown in to give them a bit more flavour. You can braise them in vegetable stock in a preheated oven at 200 degrees with a bit of salt and butter for 15 minutes or if you've got a microwave, cut them into quarters, wrap in cling film and give them a blast for 2 - 3 mins. They'll still hold their shape and taste clean and fresh.
If you don't already get an urban farm box of fresh, locally produced vegetables delivered to your door and you'd like to try one contact Adrienne. Her email address is: BoxScheme@mkchristianfoundation.co.uk or take a look at the urban farm website: www.growingpeopleproject.co.uk
If you like this recipe or if you've got a favourite recipe for cabbage we'd be really pleased if you shared it with us - just leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.
Parsley: 18.1.2012
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| parsley: Alex Balan |
It contains Beta-carotene which may be helpful in reducing
the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis; vitamin A and
vitamin C which help develop a strong and healthy immune system; folic acid,
one of the most important B vitamins which is good for the heart and can help
prevent cancer of the colon and the cervix.
Parsley can be used as much more than a garnish – put it in
mashed potatoes and make potato cakes or try this recipe for parsley pesto which has been passed on to me:
30g/1oz flatleaf parsley leaves (no stalks) 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
40g/1½oz freshly grated parmesan 30g/1oz pine nuts
75ml/2½fl oz extra virgin olive oil Salt
Put all the ingredients except the oil and salt into the
food processor. Whiz for a second or two, add the oil and a little salt. Taste
and correct seasoning. Serve, tossed in freshly cooked pasta.
If you don't already get an urban farm box of fresh, locally produced vegetables delivered to your door and you'd like to try one contact Sarah Barker on 07793589880, or by e-mail: sarah.barker@mkchristianfoundation.co.uk
Artichokes: 13.1.2012
Jerusalem artichokes are in the box this week.
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| jerusalem artichoke tubers:net_effect |
It's a versatile vegetable and can be cooked like any other root - roast, boiled, mashed,sauted, stir fried and with or without their skins.
I boiled some recently with potatoes, celeriac and parsnip and then mashed them together with a little butter and milk .The artichokes added a nutty flavour that was brought out by the celeriac - really delicious!
Jerusalem artichokes aren't really artichokes - they are related to the sunflower with beautiful yellow flowers. They are hardy and grow well in cold climates, so an attractive plant to grow even if you can 't face the impact of the tubers on your stomach!
Kale : 7. 1. 2012
If you got your veggie box this week you'll know that kale is a key fresh crop at this time of year. I can't think of anything more unappetising in the summer, but in the winter I love it!
The dark green is really appetising and I can feel my body craving all that iron and vitamins. It's a great detoxifier, lowers cholestorol and is though to lower the risk of five different types of cancer - bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostate.
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| a peasant collecting colewort |
Steaming is the best way to retain the goodness but I like to shred it and stirfry with other seasonal vegetables with a bit of root ginger, five spice and garlic.
What do you do with kale? Let us know!
Parsnips 29.12.2011
This week it's parsnips - fab roasted, but a bit boring if they are plain boiled. If you're stuck for ideas try this recipe for curried parsnip soup from Crank's Soups and Starters. It's been a winter favourite in my house for years and both my daughters look forward to it when they come to visit.
Ingredients:
25g/ 1 oz butter or margerine 2 medium sized parsnips chopped
1 onion chopped 1 potato, peeled and chopped
2.5cm/ 1 inch root ginger, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed 2 - 4 tsps curry powder
750 ml / 1 1/4 pt veg stock vegetable stock vegetable stock cube
300ml/1/2 pt milk 150ml/1/2 pt single cream
salt and freshly ground pepper coriander or chives to garnish
Method:
Melt the butter or marg in a pan. Add the parsnips, onion and potato and cook gently for 5 mins. Squeeze the ginger in a garlic press into the pan, then add the garlic and curry powder. Cook, stirring for about 2- 3 mins. Add the stock and the stock cube. Cover and simmer for 30 mins or until the vegetables are cooked. Allow to cool a little then blend or liquidize with the milk. Return to the pan. Adjust the sesoning to taste and add the cream. Reheat gently without boliing so the cream doesn't curdle and serve with freshly chopped chives or coriander.
If you don't already get an urban farm box of fresh, locally produced vegetables delivered to your door and you'd like to try one contact Sarah Barker on 07793589880, or by e-mail: sarah.barker@mkchristianfoundation.co.uk
Oooh yum!!
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