3. August 2011 by David.

Albert’s Carrot Coconut Salad

• 5c Grated Carrots
• 5c Shreaded Coconut
• 1c Rasins or Cranberries

Sweet and Sour Dressing to go on it:

• 1c Apple Cider Vinegar
• 125 mL honey
• 2 Tbsp ginger

Yolanda’s Kale Chips

Toss Kale with olive oil and seasonings, then dehydrate!

Yolanda’s Carrot Ginger Coconut Milk soup

Ingredients (all amounts rough, like most of my soups its as the mood inspires me)

From my CSA box and the Farm store:

• 2 wonderfully big green onions with the beautiful white bulbs all roughly chopped up
• 2 bunches of carrots peeled and chopped up (about 2 lbs)
• 2 garlic scapes chopped
• 1 loose cup of turnip greens, washed and stems removed  (or whatever greens arrive that week) and the turnip that came with one *smile*

And:

• Large egg sized chunk fresh ginger root, peeled, grated
• 4 rounded teaspoons curry powder (or to taste, maybe start with less!)
• 2 900 ml boxes of lower salt/fat chicken broth or vegetable broth or mix
• 1 400 ml can unsweetened coconut milk (regular or light)
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice or some concentrate
• Between ½ and  1 cup PC (President’s Choice) Thai Green Curry Cooking Sauce

Instructions

Place green onions, carrots, greens, grated ginger root, curry powder and broth in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are very soft.  Let cool a bit then then use a hand blender to make a smooth soup. Or, in batches, use a food processor to do so. Add coconut milk, Green Curry Cooking Sauce and lime and stir until mixed thoroughly.  Taste and adjust if necessary (we like it very spicy). Refrigerate until well chilled if you want it cold or heat it up again if you want it warm.

Refrigerates and reheats well. Good at any temperature. I have frozen it and brought to my daughter away in University and it warms up fine.

Heather’s Lemon-Thyme and Spelt Bread

Developed from Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread Methods (found in ‘My Bread’ 2009)

In medium sized bowl or pot (with lid):

• 2c white bread flour
• 1c light spelt flour
• 1 ¼ t salt
• ½ t yeast
• one bunch lemon thyme

Stir to mix, then add:

• 1 ¼ c water

Stir briefly with spoon until the dough holds together in one clump, and is slightly tacky to the touch.

Add a few more tablespoons of water as necessary.

Cover and let it sit. For a long time. Ideally 12-18h, I have pushed it from 6 to 24h. Longer than that I put it in the fridge until I am ready for the next step, take it out of the fridge an hour before proceeding to let it warm up. If it is wintertime or chilly in the kitchen, leave it in the stove with the light on to keep it warm. It should expand to form a bubbly liquid.

Two hours before baking:

Prepare a plate, with a dish towel centred on it, covered with sunflower seeds.

Preapre a floured surface, with extra flour handy.

Pour dough onto a floured surface. Use a spatula to scrape strings away from the edges of the bowl as you pour - keep the dough in one piece. Turn the dough over a couple of times to cover the outside with flour so that it is no longer sticky. This is not kneading, just coating with flour. If your dough is too wet, this will take extra flour. The dough should form a very soft ball that moulds to your hands when you pick it up, but stays intact as one glob.

Place soft floured glob of dough onto the dishtowel, sprinkle the top and sides with sunflour seeds, and fold the towel over the dough loosely. Let sit for two hours.

Preheat oven to 475F, with an oven-safe pot in it. Ideally, a small cast-iron dutch oven is best, but porcelin or metal caseroles work too. With a larger pot, the recipe can be doubled. If the bread hits the top of the pot while baking, it was too small

Remove the pot once oven has pre-heated. Lift top flaps of the tea towel, and using the tea towel to hold the dough, tip it into the pot. It may look messy, and flop into the pot, but it will rise nicely enough. A bit of practice and they will look perfect.

Bake for 30min with the lid on the pot, then an extra 10 min with the lid off. Enjoy!

Charissa’s Beet Cake

Recipe from Nigel Slater (found in ‘A Cook and His Vegetable Patch’ and ‘Tender’)

• 250g beetroot
• 200g fine dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
• 4 tbsp hot espresso
• 200g butter
• 135g plain flour
• a heaped tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder
• 5 eggs
• 190g golden caster sugar
• crème fraîche and poppy seeds, to serve

Lightly butter a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Set the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Cook the beetroot, whole and unpeeled, in boiling unsalted water. Depending on their size, they will be knifepoint tender within 30 to 40 minutes. Young ones may take slightly less. Drain them, let them cool under running water, then peel them, slice out their stem and root, and blitz to a rough purée.

Melt the chocolate, snapped into small pieces, in a small bowl resting over a pot of simmering water. Don’t stir. When the chocolate looks almost melted, pour the hot coffee over it and stir once. Cut the butter into small pieces - the smaller the better -and add to the melted chocolate. Dip the butter down under the surface of the chocolate with a spoon (as best you can) and leave to soften.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Separate the eggs; put the whites in a mixing bowl. Stir the yolks together.

Now, working quickly but gently, remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir until the butter has melted into the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes, then stir in the egg yolks. Do this quickly, mixing firmly so the eggs blend into the mixture. Fold in the beetroot. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the sugar. Firmly but tenderly fold the beaten egg whites and sugar into the chocolate mixture. A large metal spoon is what you want; work in a deep, figure-of-eight movement but take care not to over-mix. Fold in the flour and cocoa.

Transfer quickly to the prepared cake tin and put in the oven, turning the heat down immediately to 160C/gas mark 3. Bake for 40 minutes. The rim of the cake will feel spongy, the inner part should still wobble a little when gently shaken.

Leave to cool (it will sink a tad in the centre), loosening it around the edges with a palette knife after half an hour or so. It is not a good idea to remove the cake from its tin until it is completely cold. Serve in thick slices, with crème fraîche and poppy seeds.

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »

6. July 2011 by David.

Farm chores   

I had the pleasure of taking on all the chores this weekend, to give the other team members a well deserved break.  We take over each other’s chores regularly (I got a break last week), but this was the first time I took care of everyone at once.  We all have chores, and my quasi-chore is taking care of the seedlings in soil blocks… which isn’t quite the same as dog-sitting, cat-sitting, fish-sitting, cow-sitting, sheep-sitting, chicken-sitting, duck-sitting, gosling-sitting and chick-sitting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s lots of fun to do it all at once, but it also makes you appreciate how much everyone doing their own little part helps the farm run like clockwork.

On that note, I’d like to introduce everyone in pictures this week:

David is the farm steward and mastermind behind Riverglen, and he’s trained us up to be an awesome farm team to work with him!  Here he is in the springtime putting compost onto the fields.

Carolyn is his partner and despite working full time off the farm, she still makes time to play in the fields with us. David once teased us for talking too much as we worked, so she started talking to the cat. We all laughed! Here she is rocking the lawn-mower attachment on the tractor keeping the grass under control.

Steve is an intern and was dubbed the ‘duck father’ by a visitor, and I think the title is appropriate.  Here he’s fixing some re-used drip tape from last year.  We found lots of leaks that needed to be cut out and the hoses re-connected.  There’s a peek at his face in the soup picture too, I’ll have to get a better picture for next week.

I’m Heather, another intern, and I take my hat off to the onions for growing so nicely despite the weeds we’re freeing them of this week. I’ve started writing up newsletters, but keep your eye on the signature as we do switch it up.

Usually, one member of the team prepares lunch for the crew - working outside is a perfect excuse for good food. Sometimes one person will prepare something extra special the night before. Last

 Friday, preparations were half-done by one team member, then another got switched into lunch duty with two second instructions as to how to finish up the dish. We were all thrilled with the result though! Have you ever had pak choi in shepherds’ pie? I think chard or kale would be equally delicious…  Here we used green lentils, ginger, garlic scapes, hot pepper flakes and onion for the bottom layer. In the middle was pak choi (kale should be good too), and on top was mashed potatoes flavoured with lemon thyme and nutmeg. Next time we’ll try grating some cheese in with the pak choi layer.  Today we had kale and chickpea soup based off this recipe:

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/kale_and_chickpea_soup.php . It was delicious too!

Speaking of food… we’d like to invite you to the farm for a pot-luck lunch on Sunday, July 24^th from 11am till 2pm. Mark your calendars! A visit around the farm for those of you that missed it, followed by a feast. So bring along a favourite dish to share.  We challenge you to use the veggies from your basket as creatively as possible.

Heather

Posted in Recipes, Newsletter | 2 Comments »

25. August 2010 by David.

1 large beet
water
unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Peel and dice one large beet. Place the pieces in a saucepan with water to cover and boil until soft. (I’ve heard that you can buy canned beets, so you may want to skip this step–and the resulting red hands–by using pre-cooked beets.) Allow the beets to cool, and then drain them, reserving the red water for another purpose. Put the drained beets into the food processor with 1/4 cup (clear) water, and process until pureed.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray your cooking pan(s).

Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measure. Add enough apple sauce to reach the 2-cup line. Add the 2 tablespoons water, vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well.

Mix the dry ingredients together; then add the beet mixture and stir until well-combined. Bake for 35-60 minutes, depending on the size of pan you use: more for small, deep pans and less for a 9X13 pan. (I used a 9X13 pan, and it took 35 minutes.) Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it’s done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Banana-Peanut Butter Sauce

1/2 of a 12-ounce package lite, firm silken tofu
1 banana
2 tbsp. natural peanut butter
1/4-1/3 cup agave nectar, to taste
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. The sauce will thicken in the fridge, so it’s best to give it time to chill if you plan to sandwich it between layers of cake. (Just for fun, the next time I make this, I’ll add a couple of drops of the beat juice to it to give it a slightly pink color.) Serve over cake.

Makes 8 servings.

- A recipe submitted by Samantha Green, originally posted by SusanV at

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/02/cant-be-beet-chocolate-cake.html

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »

27. July 2010 by David.

Yield: 10-12 servings

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Riverglen farm-fresh eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups coarsely shredded river zucchini (1 large one or two medium ones)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup fair trade cocoa (more or less depending on how you like it)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup milk

1. In a large bowl beat sugar, oil and eggs. Add vanilla and zucchini.
2. Mix dry ingredients together. Add alternately with milk to zucchini mixture. Blend well.
3. Pour into a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Bake.
4. Allow to stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
5. When cool, dust with icing sugar

Temperature: 350
Time: 50-60 minutes

Options: You can add chocolate chips (for kids) or crushed hot chillis (for a Mexican spicy chocolate version).

Regards,

Shawn

Posted in Recipes | 3 Comments »

22. July 2010 by David.

”NO - I’m not getting tired of chard.  It’s delicious as are all the other vegies I’ve been getting!  Here’s a recipe that I came up with on the fly for lunch today - simple, healthy, yummy and it looks beautiful too!”- Elizabeth

Warm Rainbow Chard and Pecan Salad

(1 portion)

3 rainbow chard leaves

A handful of pecans

1 radish, thinly sliced into circles

Green onion, chopped into small pieces

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Honey

Steam chard in a pot in a centimeter or so of water until just wilted (a couple of minutes).  Dry roast pecans in a frying pan.  Drain chard and chop leaves and stems into large salad-size pieces.  Place on a plate.  Over the chard, sprinkle pecans, radish and green onion.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.  Drizzle all over olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a bit of honey.  Toss lightly.

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »

20. July 2010 by David.

Napa Slaw

1 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

1 onion, finely chopped

chives or green onions, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar, and pour over the cabbage in a large bowl.  Add the onions and chives and toss well.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Excellent fresh, and it gets better with an hour, or a day or two in the fridge.  A great addition to a  bbq chicken sandwich or just by itself as a cool afternoon snack.

John

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »

12. July 2010 by David.

This is how we used the first bunches of radishes from the farm. An excellent addition to just about anything: a salad, over a baked potato with melted cheese and crumbled bacon, or with the pork and greens below.

Avocado and Radish Guacamole

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced

3 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 bunch radishes, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Store in a sealed container with the surface of the guacamole covered with plastic film wrap.

This is a simple, easy, and tasty way to use a few bunches of greens.

Broiled Chicken with Greens, Baked Pork with Greens

(Baked/Broiled Meat and Greens)

4 pork chops or loin steaks, or 4 chicken legs, or any other meat cut

chard, beet greens, or any other greens coarsley chopped with stems finely chopped, enough to fill a 9″ x 13″ baking pan

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Put the chopped greens in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. If you are using a lean cut of meet, toss the greens with olive oil. If you are using a fatty cut of meat like chicken legs with the skin on, there is no need to add oil to the greens. Arrange the meat on top of the greens (depending on the amount of greens, the meat may sit above the edge of the pan) and season well with salt and pepper. Bake or broil as appropriate for the meat: pork chops, bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes until done; chicken legs, broil skin down until well browned, the turn and broil skin up until browned and crisp. The greens will cook and baste beneath the meat.

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »

12. July 2010 by David.

Check out these recipes, brought to you by the Intentional Eaters Agriculture Community!

Here’s a great recipe to use up all of those turnip and radish tops.

Top Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium potatoes, sliced
• 4 cups raw turnip/radish greens washed, dried, and chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 
  
• Directions
• 
  
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic and saute until tender. Mix in the potatoes and greens, coating them with the butter. Pour in chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
• 
  
• Allow the soup mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth.
• 
  
• Return the mixture to the saucepan. Mix in the heavy cream. Cook and stir until well blended. 

-Natasha

Oh one more thing - I’m not big on raw radish and beet tops - too bitter for me… so I decided to use them as a base for a spaghetti sauce - what a success.  Not sure if you want a recipe contribution but…

Vegetarian (or meat) Spaghetti:

1. Finely chop as much beet top, turnip top, radish top as you have
2. Finely chop lots of garlic and onion (say onions about 1/6 volume of greens and garlic to taste)
3. Sautee all on low heat in large pot with some olive oil until soft
4. Puree this sauteed greens in food processor until smooth and set aside
5. Heat your now empty pot
6. [MEAT] add a little olive oil and throw in a small amount of lean ground beef - cook until all brown but not dry
7. Puree some tomatoes (say 2x greens by volume) and add to pot (if you’re using fresh tomatoes, blanch first, peel and then puree)
8. Add greens puree to pot
9. Spice to taste with:
   1. Italian Seasoning
   2. Salt
   3. Fresh ground pepper
   4. Thyme powder
   5. Fresh Basil
10. Add some of your favourite beef stock (powdered, vegan vegetarian stuff is excellent too)
11. Simmer for an hour or so… the longer the better… or until desired consistency
12. When ready to serve, put some cornstarch in a small glass with a little cold water and and mix until uniform and chalky
13. Add cornstarch to spaghetti and stir until sauce thickens a little (prevents sauce from separating on your pasta)

My 3yr and 8mo old kids devoured this stuff.  Enjoy!

Cheers,
~Mike Spence

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »