IG Fresh Haul Week 2

Written By ian pasloski

Rowdy Romaine

Week 2 is here! The beginning of the season is always full of green. To be honest it is kind of hard to even get away from it. Especially with the amount of rain we have received in the last couple days.

With all of the leafy greens in the haul. I think it’s an opportunity to embrace all of the green abundance and try out some new recipes that are hitting the newsletter this week.

It is not just the vegetables that are green and thriving it’s also the weeds. I can confidently say that I have my fair share.

*Half Haul                               *Over growth of weeds

Totally Out of Control

Well those two nights of rain have really boosted the life in the garden the last couple days. Along with the hot weather we have been having the garden is really coming to life. I think the cabbage and kale have tripled in size in the last week. There is no real substitute for a good rain fall.

Hey when it doesn’t rain things are still pretty good. I have the ability to hook up to well water and run that through over head sprinklers and drip irrigation. All in all the garden is really taking off.

Speaking of taking off, the weeds are next level right now. It seems next to impossible to catch up to them this year. It makes me so grateful that half of the garden beds are covered in black plastic. That plastic blocks out the weeds from growing and allows the plants them selves to thrive.

When the plants thrive we thrive. Those tiny little power plants are continuously taking in the power of the sun and turning it into energy. In return we eat the plants and use their power to fuel our bodies. The only problem now is, a salad doesn’t taste as good as pizza! Ok so not a fair comparison, but I continue to put up new recipes in the weekly hauls to keep things interesting and fresh (pun intended). I am excited for the kale, pear and brie salad this week!

What’s In The Haul

HALF

Spinach and Baby Kale Mix

Mesclun Mix (lettuce)

Bok Choy Microgreens

Radishes

FULL

Mesclun Mix (lettuce)

Kale

Green Onion

Radishes

Rhubarb

Sunflower Microgreens

 

Week 2 Recipes

Baby Kale and Spinach Mix

  • Berry Smoothie

  • Peanutbutter, Chocolate and Kale Smoothie

  • Kale Caesar Salad

Baby Kale & Spinach Storage Tips:

Take the washed kale and place in a zip lock bag or air tight container. Put a dry piece of paper towel in the bag or container to wick away any moisture. Kale is pretty resilient and will last in your fridge up to 10 days.

Freezing kale, remove the rib from the kale leaf. Blanch the kale in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove the kale from the water, letting it air dry or dry it off with a dry towel. Place it on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for 2 hours. Once frozen put into a zip lock bag and put it back into the freezer. It will last up to 3 months.

Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Baby Kale Smoothie

1 cup baby kale

Half of avocado

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp cocoa powder, or chocolate protein powder

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Half of a banana (optional)

Put all the ingredients into a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Berry Smoothie

2 cups mixed frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)

2 cups spinach and kale miz

1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted

2 cups almond or regular milk

2 tbsp maple syrup or honey (optional)

Baby Kale Caesar salad

1 bag of baby kale

1 caesar dressing recipe, see recipe below

4 strips of bacon

Fresh Parmesan cheese

Herb croutons

Cook the 4 strips of bacon. Using the left over bacon fat, toss 1/2 inch cubed bread until coated. Add in dried Italian spice blend and 1 clove of fresh garlic. Bake in a 350F for 20 minutes. Making sure to flip every 5 minutes to prevent burning.

In a bowl combine all the ingredients and toss together.

Caesar Dressing

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup mayo

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp anchovy paste

Salt and Pepper

-Mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your Caesar salad.

*anchovy paste in the tube stores well in the fridge and is way more convenient than a tin of anchovies.

 

Radishes

  • Red Radish Sauce

  • Radish, Apple and Cilantro Salad

  • Roasted Radish and Arugula Salad with French Viniagrette

  • Pickled Radishes

Radish Storage Tips:

On the counter: using a mason or jam jar. Or resealable container. Place the radish bulbs in the jar with the tops sticking out. Pour water into the jar covering the radish bulbs, making sure to leave the greens dry. They will last on the counter like up to 4 days.

Red Radish Sauce

1 bundle of radishes

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp mayo

4 green onion stalks, diced

Salt and Pepper

In a food processor or blender, blend the whole radish (tops removed). Blend with the vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Store in a jar for later or make sauce now.

In a bowl combine all the ingredients with the prepared radish mixture. Mix together. Serve with grilled steak, pork or chicken.

Resembles horse radish sauce.

Radish, Apple & Cilantro Salad

Vegetable Slaw:

Bundle of radishes

1 Apple of your choice

4 Green onions

1/2 cup cilantro

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice from a lime

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp dijon mustard

Trim the tops and bottoms from the radishes. Thinly slice the radish, apple and green onions and add to a bowl. Next roughly chop the cilantro and to the slaw mixture. In a bowl combine all the dressing ingredients with a whisk and pour over the vegetables. Finish off with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Roasted Radish and Arugula Salad with French Viniagrette

2 cups of arugula

5-6 radishes, cut into 1/4’s

1 bundle of green onions

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Bri cheese, cut into cubes

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Dressing

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper

In a sauté pan over medium heat add to the pan 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add in the quartered radishes. Slice the bulb end of the green onions and add to the pan of radishes. Placed the pan of radishes and onion into a preheated 350 degree oven and cook for 6-8 minutes, just until fork tender. While the radishes cook make the French vinaigrette. In a bowl add the olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until completely combined.

In a hot pan toast the walnuts until lightly browned.

In a large bowl combine the arugula, roasted radish, cubes of brie, toasted walnuts and the vinaigrette. Mix until everything is combined. Finish with roughly chopped green onions and enjoy.

Pickled Radish

Bundle of radish

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup hot water

Cut both ends of the radish off. Thinly slice the radish into coins (thiner the slices the better the radishes will pickle). In a small pot of water add the water, vinegar, salt and sugar and bring to a simmer. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, pour into a bowl with the radishes and let sit out on the counter for an hour. Then put into a resealable container and put in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 3 weeks.

 

Mesclun Mix

  • French Vinaigrette

  • Green Goddess Dressing

Lettuce Storage Tips:

In a resealable container or bag, line the bottom with a paper towel. Place the lid back on or reseal the bag and store in your fridge for up to 7 days. A container works great because it prevents the lettuce from getting bruised.

French Vinaigrette

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar of your choice

1 tsp dijon mustard

Fresh or dried herbs of your choice

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a bowl whisk together all of the ingredients until everything comes together in a smooth consistency. Use right away or store in the fridge in an air tight container. (It will store up to 7 days in the fridge, simply shake before using)

Green Goddess Dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or oil of your choice

2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar of your choice

1/4 cup yogurt

1/2 avocado

1 clove of garlic

Herbs of your choice (dill, cilantro, parsley, oregano, chives, sweet marjoram)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tbsp water

In a blender or food processor combine all the ingredients together. Add 1 tbsp of water to the dressing if it is looking too thick and blend together again. Use right away or store in a container for up to 1 week.

 

Green Onion

Green Onion Storage Tips:

Place green onions in a resealable bag in the fridge.

Green onions are very versatile and used in salads and salads.

 

Romaine

  • Classice Caesar Salad

  • Keilbasa Lettuce Boats

Romaine Storage Tips

In a resealable container or bag, line the bottom with a paper towel. Place the lid back on or reseal the bag and store in your fridge for up to 7 days. A container works great because it prevents the lettuce from getting bruised.

Caesar salad

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup mayo

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp anchovy paste

Salt and Pepper

-Mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your Caesar salad.

*anchovy paste in the tube stores well in the fridge and is way more convenient than a tin of anchovies.

1 large head or 2 medium heads of Romaine

1 cup of croutons

1/4 cup parmesan

Roughly chop Romaine into bite size pieces. Add croutons, parmesan cheese, and Caesar salad dressing. Mix together and enjoy.

Kielbasa Lettuce Boats

2 heads of Romaine, leafs removed

1 Kielbasa link

3 tbsp butter

1 cup of mushrooms, sliced

1 pepper, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, diced

Salt and Pepper

On a preheated BBQ, grill the kielbasa until lightly charred.

Separately in a pan over medium heat add butter, onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and let cook until veggies are soft about 5 minutes. Cut the kielbasa into bite size pieces and add to the pan of vegetables and mix in evenly. Next all that is left to do is fill the lettuce boats with the kielbasa mixture and top with some yellow mustard.

Kale

  • Southwest Kale Salad

  • Kale Chips

  • Kale, Pear and Brie Salad

Kale Storage Tips:

Take the washed kale and place in a zip lock bag or air tight container. Put a dry piece of paper towel in the bag or container to wick away any moisture. Kale is pretty resilient and will last in your fridge up to 10 days.

Freezing kale, remove the rib from the kale leaf. Blanch the kale in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove the kale from the water, letting it air dry or dry it off with a dry towel. Place it on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for 2 hours. Once frozen put into a zip lock bag and put it back into the freezer. It will last up to 3 months.

South West Kale Salad

7-8 leaves of kale, roughly chopped

2 ripe avocados, diced

1 /2 cup black beans

1 cup tomatoes

1/4 cup red onion

1 /2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup cilantro

1/4 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Dressing

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Juice from 2 limes

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 clove of crushed garlic

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Salt and Pepper

In a large bowl combine all of the salad ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, lime juice, spices, garlic and mustard. Pour dressing over salad and, enjoy.

Kale Chips

1 bundle of kale

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt to season

Pre heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. De-stem the Kale and cut into bit size pieces. Thoroughly pat dry the kale with paper towel. Next add the kale to a bowl with the olive oil and mix until evenly coated. Lay the kale out on the baking sheet spaced apart, making sure none of the pieces are touching. Sprinkle with salt and put in the oven for 10 minutes. When 10 minutes is up rotate the pan and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Kale chips are best enjoyed slightly warm.

Kale, Pear and Brie Salad

1 Bundle of Kale, roughly chopped

2 Pears, cored and diced

1 Bundle of green onions, roughly chopped

1 Small wheel of Brie cheese, cut into cubes

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together with the dressing.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 clove of crushed garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients together and mix well.

Rhubarb

  • Rhubarb and Banana Stew

  • Rhubarb Ketchup

Rhubarb Storage Tips:

Rhubarb keeps great fresh in the fridge for up to a week, to extend the shelf life. Store the rhubarb in a resealable container or bag with a paper towel sheet lining the bottom.

To Freeze rhubarb, cut it up into small 1 inch pieces. Spread out the rhubarb pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours. Once frozen, put the rhubarb into a resealable bag and store in the freezer. Rhubarb will store like this for up to 6 months.

Rhubarb and Banana Stew

1 bundle of rhubarb, roughly chopped

4 ripe bananas, roughly chopped

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup water

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add in all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Remember to keep stirring so nothing burns to the bottom. Once done the consistency should look like an absolute disaster, nothing will be recognizable! Pour the mixture into a jar and let it cool in the fridge. You can eat it on its own or serve it on top of ice cream.

Rhubarb Ketchup

2 cups rhubarb, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 can tomato paste

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp allspice

In a sauce pan over medium heat add all of the ingredients to a pan. Cook for a half hour or until thickened. Remember to scrap down the sides and the bottom to prevent sticking and burning. Pour into jars and let it cool in the fridge.

Sunflower Microgreens

Microgreen Storage Tips:

Store microgreens in the fridge in the original container. If stored properly, these greens will last up to a week from the harvest date.

Microgreens are a immature plant that is harvested after only 10 days of growing. They add great flavour and colour to any dish. On top of that they are the easy nutrition on the go.

Bok Choy Microgreens

Microgreen Storage Tips:

Store microgreens in the fridge in the original container. If stored properly, these greens will last up to a week from the harvest date.

Microgreens are a immature plant that is harvested after only 10 days of growing. They add great flavour and colour to any dish. On top of that they are the easy nutrition on the go.

 
 
ian pasloski
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IG Fresh Haul Week 1