IG Fresh Haul Week 1
The Big Green
I am so excited for the 2025 IGFresh Haul season to be under way.
The year started off warm in late April and early May. It started like any other normal spring cool, windy and rain. That is always a good way to start a growing season, but it didn’t last long.
That strange twist of weather that comes and goes with spring and into summer has a bit of effect on the vegetables in the field and it has special name.
*Half Haul *Newly planted warm weather vegetablesThe Flavour is in the Weather
The weather to start with at the end of April/ beginning of May. Was exactly what we expect it to be cold, windy with a bit of rain. Yet as May moved on we had a bit of a heat wave for the next two weeks. Which is great if you want to work on your tan. Less ideal if you are transplanting cold weather crops, like cabbage. Needless to say the cold weather veggies stalled out for a bit for those two warm weeks. As most market gardeners know, it is always good to be prepared for anything. So with the warm sunny weather out came the shade cloth. Shade cloth is typically used in the summer months to help keep the heat off of crops like lettuce. A very simple and easy fix to implement for a early May heat wave.
By some “chance” Victoria Day long weekend was cold and rainy, shocker I know!
No complaints on my side it was a great time to get all of the direct seeded vegetables in like carrots, peas, beets, potatoes. Now I played the waiting game to put in the warm weather plants. My evening temps need to be around 10 degrees celsius to confidently plant peppers and tomatoes. I have learned in the past 3 seasons that 5 degrees at night out in the open prairie, might as well be freezing. Freezing means dead plants. So I wait. June 9th we got a frost that night. The next two weeks were warm, so it was an all out sprint to get the rest of the plants in the ground.
The constant fluctuations in weather, have a different stress on the plants and the fruits that they produce.
In wine making there is this concept of terroir. What that means is that the taste of the wine is directly connected to the conditions that the grape grew in. The grape tastes different depending on the weather (hot or cold weather), how much rain fall there was, soil conditions. It all plays a factor in the final product of the wine and no wine is the same, because every season is different. I would heavily argue the same is true for vegetables as well. If we are getting a lot of warm weather in the spring the arugula and radishes are stronger and more pungent. Cooler weather translates over to sweeter vegetables because the plant is concentrating natural sugars into the leaves and fruits. This is why when you eat a carrot that grows in your garden it tastes different than a carrot that is grown somewhere else. Don’t get me started on fresh peas!
What’s In The Haul
HALF
Spinach
Mesclun Mix (lettuce)
Green Onion
Radishes
FULL
Mesclun Mix (lettuce)
Spinach
Green Onion
Radishes
Baby Kale
Bok Choy Microgreens
Week 1 Recipes
Baby Kale
Kale Pesto
Kale Pesto and Grilled Peach Pizza
Peanutbutter, Chocolate and Kale Smoothie
Baby 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.
Kale Pesto
8 leaves of kale, roughly chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
1/4 cup walnuts
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup grated parmasion
Salt and Pepper
In a dry (no oil) sauté pan over hight heat toast the walnuts, until they are becoming brown and aromatic. Dump the walnuts into a bowl. Next in the same pan put the roughly chopped kale with some water and steam the kale. Once the kale is steamed pour off any excess water and put the kale and the rest of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend everything together to form a smooth paste.
Kale Pesto and Grilled Peach Pizza
1 recipe of kale pesto
2 ripe peaches
Prosciutto
Feta or bocconcini
4 flatbreads, store bought pitas
Preheat the BBQ on high. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pit. Cut into 1/8 and grill on the BBQ.
While the peaches cook, preheat a cast iron pan on the BBQ. Remove the peaches. Once the skillet is hot start building the pizzas. Spoon and spread the kale pesto on top of the flatbread. Add the prosciutto, peaches and cheese to the top and place the pizza in the hot cast iron skillet. Close the lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the flatbread turns golden brown.
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.
Radishes
Red Radish Sauce
Radish, Apple and Cilantro Salad
Roasted Radish and Arugula Salad with French Viniagrette
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.
Mesclun Mix
Ultimate Summer Salad
Blue Cheese Dressing
Strawberry Vinaigrette
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.
Ultimate Summer Salad
Large bag of mixed salad greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup cucumbers, sliced
1/2 of red onion, sliced
1/2 cup of toasted walnuts
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup crumbled feta
In a large bowl combine, all of the ingredients, layering each one on top of the other. Dress with a strawberry vinaigrette. Optional serve with grilled chicken, fish or temph
Blue Cheese Dressing
1/4 cup mayo
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp vinegar of your choice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and Pepper
In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients together and mix well. Spoon over crisp romaine and garden veggies.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 strawberries, cut into 1/4’s
2 tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
Put all the ingredients into a blender and puree until everything is combined. This recipe is versatile, you don’t have to use strawberries, any berries you have on hand will do. Same goes for the herbs.
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.
Spinach
Summer Spinach and Strawberry salad
Strawberry vinaigrette
Lemon Garlic and Spinach Orzo
Spinach Storage Tips
In a resealable bag or container. Place the spinach and on one side put a piece of paper towel and seal the bag or container. The container works great cause it prevents the spinach from getting bruised in the fridge. This will last in your fridge up to 10 days.
Freezing Spinach, blanch the spinach in boiling water. Let it cook for 30 second and strain the water from the spinach. Next let the spinach cool slightly and then squeeze the water from the spinach. Put the spinach in a air tight bag and freeze. It will stay good in the freezer up to 3 months.
Summer Spinach + Strawberry Salad
2 cups of spinach
1 cup strawberries, cut into quarters
1/2 cup feta
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
5 green onions, chopped
Dressing
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of half of lemon or 2 tbsp or vinegar of your choice
1/2 cup strawberries
3 sprigs of sweet marjoram (stems removed)
Salt and Pepper
In a large bowl add the spinach and then on top layer the strawberries, sunflower seeds, feta and green onions. In a blender or food processor add all the ingredients for the dressing and mix together until combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix in.
Lemon, Garlic and Spinach Orzo
2 cups Spinach
Juice from 1 lemon
3 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cups of orzo, cooked
2 grilled chicken breast
Bocconcici, cut in half
Salt and pepper
Grill the chicken breast coarsely chop and set off to the side. In a pot of boiling water cook the orzo, drain and set off to the side. In a sauté pan wilt the spinach with a tbsp of water. Add in the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cooked orzo, chopped chicken, salt and pepper. Mix everything together, top with the halved bocconcini and place under the broiler to let the cheese melt. Remove from the broiler and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 strawberries, cut into 1/4’s
2 tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
Put all the ingredients into a blender and puree until everything is combined. This recipe is versatile, you don’t have to use strawberries, any berries you have on hand will do. Same goes for the herbs.
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.
