This Week's Delivery: Sarurday October 1, 2011

Store In The Fridge

Lacto Fermented Sauerkraut-Hilda's Sauerkraut-
*please note that the nutritional benefits (see below) of this sauerkraut are negated when heated
Green Beans -Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Broccoli -Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Summercrisp Lettuce - Path Valley Farms

Store In A Cool Dry Place

Kabocha Squash - Miller Farm
Stayman Apples - Path Valley Farms

Also Available:

Organic Pastured Large Eggs: $4/dozen
Homemade Organic Yogurt: Grassfed milk, Yogurt culture: $3/16 oz., $6/quart
Homemade Organic Kombucha: $6/750ml

Leave cash or check on the table. checks can be made out to Christy or Tom Przystawik


Recipes and Information

Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut- a few forkfuls a day keeps the doctor away
information from The Healthy Green Kitchen and Livestrong

Lacto-fermented sauerkraut has so many things going for it: natural probiotics that aid the digestive and immune systems, tons of beneficial enzymes, lots of vitamin C…in our opinion, it’s truly a superfood.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of lacto-fermentation, don’t be intimidated by the word. It’s just the official term for the chemical process of “culturing” that takes place in the presence of lactic acid producing bacteria. This change increases the nutritional profile of the food being cultured, and makes it less prone to spoilage.

Beer, wine, cheese, olives and yogurt are foods you are familiar with that have been made using the lacto-fermentation method throughout history. Kimchi, tempeh, miso, kefir and kombucha are some more examples of lacto-fermented/cultured foods.

Nowadays, some of these foods (like commercial pickles, sauerkraut, and some yogurts) are mass-produced and are not actually lacto-fermented, though: they are preserved with sugar and vinegar or even cooked and pasteurized which kills the live enzymes and negates most of their health benefits.

Lactic Acid

As a result of the lacto-fermenting process, sauerkraut contains lactic acid produced by bacteria. According to a paper published in the June 2006 issue of the "Journal of Applied Miicrobiology," lactic-acid-containing foods offer health benefits such as improving your intestinal tract health, boosting your immune system, reducing lactose intolerance symptoms and making nutrients more digestible. Although the exact mechanisms are unknown, lactic-acid-containing foods may confer their health benefits by modifying the pH of the digestive tract, stimulating immune cells, producing lactase and helping produce antimicrobial compounds.

Nutritional Facts Get Sweet Smart About Sugar, Honey, And High Fructose Corn Syrup Here. www.SweetSurprise.com/

Sponsored Links

Cancer Risk Reduction

Fermented cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are high in glucosinolates, a type of sulfur-containing compound with a strong, spicy taste. When you chew or chop the cabbage in sauerkraut, the glucosinolates break down into biologically active compounds that have anti-cancer properties, the Linus Pauling Institute explains. These compounds may help your body eliminate carcinogens, protect your DNA from damage, prevent healthy cells from transforming into cancerous cells and reduce your risk of hormone-sensitive cancers.

Fiber

Sauerkraut is a rich source of fiber, containing approximately 8 g per cup. As explained on MayoClinic.com, fiber offers a host of benefits for your digestive health, such as helping normalize bowel movements, reducing risk of hemorrhoids and potentially protecting against colon cancer. In addition, fiber helps control your blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of sugar-containing foods, may assist in weight loss by helping you feel satiated during meals, and can potentially lower your cholesterol levels.

Vitamin C

Lacto-fermented sauerkraut has high levels of vitamin C, providing nearly a third of your recommended daily dose of this nutrient in a single cup. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin C plays a critical role in many biological functions, including synthesizing collagen, creating neurotransmitters involved in brain function, synthesizing carnitine, maintaining immune function and metabolizing cholesterol into bile acids. In addition, vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect your DNA and other molecules in your body against damage. High-vitamin-C foods like sauerkraut may also positively affect your heart function and reduce your risk of gout.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/495907-what-are-the-benefits-of-lacto-fermented-sauerkraut/#ixzz1ZSk1q8Z4


A relative newcomer to the US squash scene, Kabocha squash (pronounced kuh-boh-cha) is a hard winter squash available from late fall to late spring. Its hard, dull, bumpy dark green shell is marked with pale celery green striations. It's rather heavy for its size (usually 2-3 pounds) and has a stumpy grayish colored stalk. Kabocha squash has a brilliant yellow-orange flesh, like a pumpkin's. Both the texture and flavor of Kabocha squash is similar to a sweet potato: the soft, moist, fluffy flesh is surprisingly sweet and slightly nutty.

Kabocha squash is a centuries-old variety of Japanese squash that in Japan is often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin. Apparently it was brought to Japan from Cambodia by the Spanish in the 1500s and is used in dishes ranging from soup to sushi.

As its rich orange flesh indicates, Kabocha squash is high in beta carotene, a powerful health-promoting antioxidant. One 3/4's cup serving of cooked Kabocha squash is only 30 calories yet provides 30% of your daily recommended vitamin C and a whopping 70% of vitamin A. It's also high in dietary fiber, especially if you eat the skin, which turns soft when cooked.

Oven Roasted Kabocha Squash
1 kabocha squash
1/4 tsp salt
pepper (to taste)
2 T vegetable oil
truffle oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut up one kabocha squash into 1-cm thick slices. You can optionally remove the skin, but there is really no need to remove it. It's totally edible and is quite soft once roasted. Lay the pieces in one layer on a pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil (enough to light cover - about 2 tablespoons) and toss until all sides of the squash are covered with some oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss, and then roast for about 20 minutes, or until soft.

Green Bean & Whole grain Mustard/Honey Vinaigrette Recipe

about 1 pound green beans
1/4 cup Olive oil or Grape seed oil
1 Tablespoon whole grain Mustard
1 teaspoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice

1. Wash & trim stems of green beans.

2. Prepare ice bath. In large bowl, fill with cold water and add about 8-10 ice cubes.

3. In large pot, bring water to boil. Add green beans and cook for just about 2-3 minutes, or until beans become tender.

4. Drain green beans in colander, rinse quickly with cold water from faucet, then immediately add green beans to ice bath. When green beans have cooled, remove from ice bath and allow to drain.

5. In bowl or mason jar, add oil, whole grain mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice. Mix well.

6. Toss green beans and vinaigrette. Add extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lemon zest right before serving.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday September 24, 2011

Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help with the CSA tomorrow so that Tom and I can attend the Mother Earth News Farming Conference this weekend.

Another great bit of news is that we got produce from Farmer Steve Turnage this week! He was so thankful for the card that everyone signed and it made him feel especially connected to all of you. You really are an amazing group of people.

Store In The Fridge

Sweet Corn-Miller Farm

Amish Pie Pumpkins-Please pick your own-Path Valley Farms

Arrowhead Cabbage - Path Valley Farms

Store In A Cool Dry Place

Yukon Gold Potatoes-Nothern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
White Candy Onion - Nothern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Fuji Apples-Nothern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Also available:

Organic Pastured Eggs, Medium : $2.50 a dozen

Recipes and Information

At Discovery Woods the food philosophy is based on the Weston A. Price Foundation diet. Consequently, we make a lot of lacto-fermented things, including Ranch Dressing for dips and salads. Here's a recipe I like form a website I love Cheeseslave. I imagine this would be delicious in coleslaw using this week's Arrowhead Cabbage:

The Recipe and Article Are Here

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse the pumpkin under cool water to rid the skin of any residual dirt and dry well with a clean towel.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half. Remove the seeds and stringy fibers with a metal spoon or ice cream scoop. Save the seeds for toasting, if you like, and discard the innards.
4. Rub the cut surfaces with oil. Place them, cut side down, in a roasting pan and add 1 cup of water to the pan.
5. Bake in the oven until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife. This takes approximately 90 minutes.
6. When tender, remove the pumpkin halves from the oven and place on a flat surface to cool.
7. Once cool enough to handle, but not cold, scoop out the pumpkin flesh.
8. Puree the pumpkin in a food processor, in a food mill, with a hand held blender or by hand.
9. Pumpkin flesh holds a lot of moisture. Line a sieve or fine mesh colander with paper towel or a coffee filter and set over a deep bowl. Let drain for about 2 hours and stir occasionally.

Use the puree to make pumpkin milkshakes, pumpkin whipped cream, pumpkin, pancakes, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin pudding...

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday September 17, 2011

Store In The Fridge

Radishes - Path Valley Farms

Eggplant - Miller Farm

Mixed Peppers - Miller Farm

Store In A Cool Dry Place

Purple Potatoes - Beaver Creek Farm

Honeycrisp Apples - Path Valley Farms

Romanian Garlic - Path Valley Farms

Also available:

Medium Eggs: $2.50 per dozen

Kombucha: $6 for 750ml

Yogurt: $3 for 16 oz., $6 for 32 oz

If you owe your last quarter payment today the amount is $212.74 and you can make the check out to Christy or Tom Przystawik.

Recipes and Information

Campfire Baked Apples

1 large apple of choice

1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey

3/4 teaspoons butter

cinnamon

dates

walnuts

Core apple while leaving it whole. Place sugar, butter, cinnamon, dates, and walnuts in the hole of the apple. Wrap in foil. Place wrapped apple into hot coals and cook until apple is done. Baking time varies with the variety of the apple but is usually 10-15 minutes. Apple may be tested for doneness by poking it with a fork.

You can also do this in an oven.

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

Serves 3-4

Prep & Cook Time - about an hour

INGREDIENTS

1 head garlic, roasted (instructions to follow)

Olive oil

1 cup cream or half & half

2 TBSP milk

1-3 TBSP butter

1 clove garlic, minced

dash salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Red pepper flakes, optional

Pasta

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

Cut the garlic head in half (you should have a top and bottom half, not a left and right side). Place each half on a sheet of tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit about 5 minutes, and then open the tin foil to let the garlic cool.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente. Drain & set aside.

In a medium skillet, combine cream, milk, butter, minced garlic, and salt & pepper. Thicken by whisking in about 2 tsp flour, if necessary. Bring to just boiling. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese and whisk till smooth. If sauce is too thin, add some stock (chicken or veggie) or some more milk.

Now, squeeze the garlic out of the paper-y skin. The bottom half should take a bit more work than the top. They should just sort of fall out of the top with just a little squeeze from the top. You might have to dig a little on the bottom. Mash with a metal potato masher or the back of a fork. Add to the cream sauce and whisk together. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with more red pepper flakes, to taste.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday September 10, 2011

Just a hint of the upcoming change of season in this week's delivery. We now receive our farm deliveries at Discovery Woods because we use the food for the school as well. We are done with our formal work by the time the delivery from Path Valley Farms comes so we often have time to visit with the farmers for a while, something the restaurant never could have afforded us. While the sting of losing Food Matters is still in our hearts, it is hard not to be grateful for our new experiences.

We hope that you will join us for a gathering anytime after 3pm tomorrow. Bring your own drinks and grab a seat under the tent! And just a reminder to sign the card for Steve Turnage of Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables after the devastating loss he suffered at his farm recently.

Store In the Fridge

Arrowhead Cabbage- Path Valley Farms

Mixed Bell Peppers- Whisper Hill Farm

Mixed Summer Squash-Whisper Hill Farm

Sweet Corn-Miller Farm

Store In A Cool Dry Place

Red Slicer Tomatoes-Path Valley Farms

Honeycrisp Apples-Path Valley Farms

Small Sweet Potatoes-Path Valley Farms

Also Available:

Yogurt: $3 for 16 oz, $6 for 32 oz.

Home Made From Pasteurized Organic Grassfed Whole Milk and Organic Grassfed Yogurt Culture, Unsweetened

Medium Eggs: $2.50/dozen

Fresh Cut Flowers from Path Valley Farms: $8 a bunch

Checks can be made out to Christy or Tom Przystawik. Leave cash or check in the box on the table.

Recipes and Information

Flan (wonderful use of the eggs we get)

from Saveur Magazine

The secret to making a smooth flan from is to bake the custard until it's completely set around the edges but not in the middle (it should be a little wiggly), as it will gently finish cooking while it cools. If the flan is baked until the center is set, it won't be as creamy.

FOR THE CARAMEL:
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

FOR THE CUSTARD:
3⁄4 cup sugar
3 1⁄4 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 2" strip lemon zest
6 eggs

1. For the caramel: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°. Set a kettle of water on to boil. Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring with a fork, just until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Stop stirring and let the sugar gradually caramelize until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and carefully divide caramel between eight 3 1⁄4"-wide flan molds or ramekins to form a layer in the bottom of each. Set the molds aside.

2. For the custard: Put 6 tbsp. of the sugar, milk, vanilla, and zest into a small pot. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat. Discard the lemon zest. Whisk together the remaining sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until well combined.

3. Arrange the molds in a deep baking dish and pour the milk–egg mixture evenly into them. Put the baking dish into the oven and pour in enough hot water from the kettle that it comes halfway up sides of the molds. Bake until flans are set around the edges but still slightly wiggly in the center when the sides are tapped with a spoon, about 30 minutes. Let flans rest in water bath for 5 minutes, then remove and transfer to the refrigerator to let chill completely.

4. To serve: Carefully run a sharp knife around edges of each mold. Dip the bottoms of each mold briefly into a bowl of hot water to warm them slightly. Invert the flans onto small plates, knock on the bottoms for good luck, and lift the molds off to reveal the flans.

SERVES 8

Creamed Corn

3 tbsp. butter
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
4 cups corn kernels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put butter and heavy cream into a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

2. Add corn kernels to saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday September 3, 2011

Happy September!

Store In A Cool Dry place

Peaches, Yellow Yowell Family Farm

Colorado Gold Potatoes-Path Valley Farms

Store in The Fridge

Sweet Corn-Miller Farm

Black Beauty Eggplant-Miller Farm

Mixed Italian Sweet Peppers-Whisper Hill Farm

Radishes-Path Valley Farms

Red Beets with Greens-Path Valley Farms

We have medium eggs today, $2.50 a dozen. Please leave cash or check in the box. Checks can be made out to Christy or Tom Przystawik.

Recipes and Information

Roasted Radishes with Balsamic Vinegar Recipe

• One bunch of radishes with tops (about 10 radishes)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
• black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash radishes, removes roots and remove stems. Blot dry with paper towel. If radishes are big, cut them in half.

3. In large bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt. Whisk ingredients together. Toss in radishes and greens until everything is coated evenly with oil.

4. Spread out radishes and greens on roasting pan or baking dish. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until the greens are crispy. Remove the greens and continue roasting the radishes for about another 5 minutes or until tender.

Roasted Potatoes with Fried Sage, Brown Butter Recipe The nutty flavor of brown butter, coupled with the earthy sage is wonderful. Even just one teaspoon of the brown butter and fried sage provides an amazing amount of flavor to all those potatoes! Have fun with the fried sage brown butter and add it to your pasta or noodle dishes.

• about 2 lbs potatoes, washed, cubed
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• handful of fresh sage leaves
• about 2-3 tablespoons butter, if you have clarified butter-even better

1. Preheat oven to Roast 400ºF.

2. In large bowl, toss cut potatoes, about 3 sage leaves (minced) and enough olive oil to coat potatoes. Add salt to taste

3. Place potatoes on sheet pan and roast in oven for about 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn potatoes at least once during the roasting period.

4. In frying pan, gently melt butter. Don’t melt the butter too quick, or it will burn.

5. Once butter melts and starts to bubble, add the rest of the sage leaves. Fry sage leaves on both sides, until crispy.

6. Keep an eye on the butter as you fry the sage & the butter browns. Skim as needed (using clarified butter will reduce this step). Take butter off heat when it is nicely brown, think a rich caramel color, and strain the butter to remove any sediment.

7. Toss potatoes with the brown butter and fried sage leaves.

Balsamic Beet Greens & Goat Cheese Crostini Recipe

The best part of this recipe is that you can use the whole part of the beet root, including stems and leaves. Tender beet greens can be eaten raw or cooked if the greens are tougher.

about 2-3 medium Beets w/ Greens still on
1 Baguette, sliced thin (about 20 pieces), toasted in pan or oven
about 6 oz pkg Goat Cheese
1 t fresh Lemon Juice or Lemon Zest
very thin slices of fresh Lemons (optional)
1/2 t Sea Salt
1 t Balsamic Vinegar, or more if needed
fresh cracked Black Pepper

1. If roasting beet root: Pre-heat oven to 375° F. Wash beets, trimming greens @1″ above top of beet. Put beets in a baking dish large enough to lay beets in a single layer. Add 1/4″ of water to dish, cover with aluminum foil and put in oven. (If you want a bit more tang, coat beets with some balsamic vinegar while roasting.)Roast until cooked through, 30 min – 1 hr, depending on size of beets. Test doneness by feeling the resistance of a toothpick when poked into beet. Remove from oven to cool.

2. After beets have cooled, rub off outer skin, then slice or dice to your preferred serving size. If you want to serve warm, quickly saute beets with a little olive oil or butter until heated. Season with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. (Other serving options: saute some crushed garlic until lightly cooked then saute beets together; finish sauteed beets with a little balsamic vinegar; add some fresh chopped herbs when sauteeing beets-mint, basil, tarragon, etc; add a bit of fresh lemon or tangerine zest after sauteing beets.)

3. For cooking the greens: Wash and cut leaves and stems. Heat water to boil in a medium pot. Add stems and leaves to boiling water and quickly blanche them. Taste a piece of stem and leaves until they are blanched to your liking. Quickly drain greens and rinse with cold water. Add greens to bowl, squeeze out excess water, then add balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.

4. In bowl, combine goat cheese, fresh lemon juice and fresh cracked black pepper. Combine well.

5. Spread goat cheese on crostini (toasted baguette slices) with goat cheese, thin layer of lemon sliced, thin slices of roasted beets and beet green greens (cooked or raw).