Hello friends!
Greetings from Ryan and Stephanie, the current volunteers at Sweet Water Farm. We have been helping to pack boxes for the CSA, as well as harvesting the produce, weeding, and transplanting your upcoming vegetables! Everything is looking really beautiful around here; there are some excellent greens and lots of strawberries this week. Below you will find a few recipes and serving suggestions, and of course everything is delicious to eat straight from the box, too!
This week there is also a surprise addition from Ryan–a sourdough bread mini-loaf. This past week, Ryan cultivated a sourdough culture; attracting the local yeast to take up residence in a jar of flour and water. No commercial yeast allowed. Your loaf contains just unbleached white bread flour, whole wheat flour, sweet water and a little salt.
In addition to the sourdough, here is a complete listing of what else you’ll find in your veggie box this week:
CILANTRO – a great, spring-flavored herb for salads, spring rolls, tacos, sauces, pestos…just about anything to which you want to add a bright, fresh tone. If adding to a cooked dish, try sprinkling fresh cilantro on top right before serving.
SPINACH – enjoy lightly steamed, boiled until their green just brightens, or raw on a sandwich or in a salad
CHARD – also excellent to cook with, such as in soups and quiche. Highly nutritious, and the stems taste beet-y. Recipes below!
HEAD LETTUCE – delicious in fresh salads, and adds a nice crunch to sandwiches, wraps, burritos.
GARLIC SCAPES - add chopped scapes to sautees, put in pesto, or roast in the oven whole alongside fresh asparagus spears!
STRAWBERRIES – you know what to do 
As promised, here are some chard recipes / serving ideas:
CHARD SPRING ROLLS
You can use your favorite spring roll recipe and simply replace the rice paper with chard as the wrapper. We suggest using the following filling ingredients to get started:
shredded carrots
alfalfa or mung sprouts
finely chopped cilantro
diced meat or tofu
When your fillings are ready, simply place them in the center of a whole chard leaf, and then bend the sides inwards and roll! Dip in tamari, peanut sauce, pesto, hummus…mmm.
CHARD BURRITOS
Following the spring roll idea, you can also use chard as a tortilla for a burrito. This works great if you have leftover rice and beans. If you want to eat everything warmed, you can wrap the leftovers in a chard leaf, then place in a steamer for only a couple minutes, until the chard softens but is still vivid green. Serve as a burrito, or top with sauce and cheese as an enchilada. That’s it! You might have to eat it with a fork, since the leaves aren’t quite as thick and sturdy as a tortilla.
Chard is also great when massaged between the fingers with a little oil and salt; this gives a similar texture to sauteeing, but the chard remains uncooked and works excellent as a salad or side dish. If you do cook the chard, do so in an oiled skillet on medium-high, for about 4-6 minutes. The chard should look wilted, but still green, not mushy.
Enjoy this nutritious green!
Filed under: Uncategorized
