IG Fresh Haul Week 12
The Haul to Rule Them All
We did It! Last week of the haul and we made it all 12 weeks. Was it smooth, no. Did I get newsletters up in time, no. Did I get emails sent out every week, also no. Yet with all of that I still delivered on clean and healthly vegetables.
This has to be my favourite time of year. Cold weather, leafs are changing colour, and a huge variety of vegetables. The cool fall air brings back so many memories of abundance and harvest.
The best part of abundant harvests is that I get to share it all with you. I am so grateful to have had such an amazing growing season that I get to share the last of what the garden has to offer.
The Mother Load
This year has been far from perfect as far as what I expect from myself. With that being said, it has once again been an overwhelming success. I grew over 35 different varieties of vegetables this year. A lot you received, and some you didn’t. For example we had baby kale in this years haul, which never made it onto. the list last year. Yet there was no arugula this season. Which is a shame because that is my go to green of choice when it comes to salads. Every year, some plants do great and others not so much.
I was hoping for a better tomato harvest this year but that seems to still be lacking. I will take what I learned this year and apply it to next season and improve on it for 2026. Even with the lack of some produce, we still had big hauls with a good variety. I was floored by everyone’s responses to the cucumbers and how much you enjoyed them. The abundance that came out of the garden this year still blows my mind at times.
With this cooler weather it means that the vast majority of the Provence is in full on harvest mode. Not just the small vegetable producers but also the large scale farmers are out harvesting day and night this time of year. It gives me found memories of seeing combines harvesting at night with their lights on and stirring up dust as they go by and that big glowing harvest moon over head. It is stiched into my senses. Like when ever I smell/feel that cool fall air and the smell of diesel.
A bit of a back story growing up my parents and grandparents had their own marketgarden. A lot more corn, potatoes, carrots main stays and staples of what you will find in Saskatchewan. Right around this time of year it would be time to harvest potatoes. My family was a bit more advanced and we didn’t dig 2 acres of potatoes by hand. We used modern technology. Well it was modern for the early 20th century hahahaha. This potato picker operated with gears and pulleys. And the tractor pulled it. So anytime I smell diesel and feel a cold fall wind come in, it takes me back to being 14 years old walking behind a turn of the century antique piece of farm equipment picking up potatoes.
The amount of vegetables that are coming out of the garden for the last haul remind me of that mountain of potatoes collected. The only difference, it’s not just potatoes. This is the last kick at the can, there is nothing left after this. This one is the mother load.
What’s In The Haul
HALF
Leeks
Potatoes
Carrots
Garlic
Tomatoes
Peppers
Squash
FULL
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Carrots
Potatoes
Spaghetti and Butter Cup Squash
Garlic
Peppers
Celery
Cantilope
Week 10 Recipes
Garlic
Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Garlic Storage Tips:
Store garlic in a cardboard box or paper bag in a cool dark area. The paper bag or box still creates air flow and ventilation allowing the garlic to breath. Avoid storing the garlic in a plastic bag. This will create moisture build up and make the garlic spoil faster.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1 Bulb of garlic
1 lb of potatoes
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
Salt and Pepper
Cut the top off of the garlic exposing the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper wrap up in tin foil. Cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
While the garlic roasts, chop and boil your potatoes until tender and strain. In the same pot over medium heat add the cream and butter and melt. Add the potatoes back in and mash. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. And mix everything together really well.
Winter Squash
Stuffed Buttercup Squash
Spiced Buttercup Squash Cake
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Feta
Winter Squash Storage Tips:
Squash store great in a dark 10 degree room. Typically a basement or closet. They can be stored like this for up to 4 months.
Stuffed Buttercup Squash
1 butter cup squash, seeds removed
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup cooked grains (rice, quinoa, barley)
1/2 lbs ground meat of your choice
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
In a saute pan over medium high heat, add in the oil. Once the oil is hot, cook the ground meat, or skip the step and put in the onions, mushrooms, thyme and garlic to cook for 5 minutes. Next add in the cooked grains and toasted walnuts and heat through. Put the stuffing to the side to cool down.
Cut the top of the squash off and take out the seeds like you would with a jack-o-lantern. Add the stuffing into the squash and place the lid back on. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Spiced Buttercup Squash Cake
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup melted butter
3 eggs
3 cups cooked buttercup squash
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
Bake a buttercup squash for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Once cooked let cool and reserve 3 cups of cook squash. In a bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Create a well in the dry ingredients add in the eggs, butter, vanilla and squash. Mix together well and add in the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Feta and Tomato
1 Spaghetti squash
1 brick of feta
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh oregano
Preheat your oven to 350F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half length wise. Remove the seeds and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the over for 1 hour.
Place the block of feta in a baking dish. Add the whole cherry tomatoes around the feta. Add in couple garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven with the squash for 30 minutes.
Once tender and cook remove the squash and let cool slightly. Using a fork scrape the spaghetti squash out and setting to the side. Sprinkle the oregano on the cooked tomatoes and feta. With the back of the fork mash the tomatoes and cheese together. Add the squash to the tomato and feta mixture and mix together. Enjoy.
Leeks
Grilled Leek and Zucchini Flatbread
Leek, Potato and Sausage Soup
Leek Storage Tips:
Leeks can be easily wrapped in a bag and stored in the crisper. They will stay fresh for up to 10 days like this.
To freeze, cut the leeks up into one inch pieces and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute.
Shock the leeks in cold water and freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 2 hours. Take out of the freezer and place in a zip lock freezer bag and put back into the freezer. Leeks will last like this for up to 10 months.
Grilled Leek and Zucchini Flatbread
Nan bread or flat bread
1 Zucchini
1 leek
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1 clove of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup feta or cheese of choice
1 tsp orageno
Pre heat the BBQ. Clean the dirt from 1 leek and cut into 1/4’s. Cut the zucchini into ribbons. Toss the zucchini and leeks in 2 tbsp of the olive oil and grill until chard. Heat the flat bread on the grill until just toasted. Cut the clove of garlic in half and rub the flatbread with the cut side of the garlic. (This will release lots of garlic flavour without the intense kick of chunks of fresh garlic). Drizzle the flatbread with olive oil or alternatively use kale pesto as the base. Remove the chard zucchini and leeks from the grill, gently place the zucchini on the flatbread. Roughly chop the leeks and sprinkle over top. Garnish with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and fresh oregano.
Leek, Potato, Sausage Soup
2 Leeks, cleaned and chopped
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
Sausage coil, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp sage, chopped
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
In a large pot over medium high heat add in the butter, leeks, garlic, mushrooms and sausage. Let everything cook together for 3 minutes. Remember to stir to prevent the leeks from burning to the bottom. Next add in the potatoes and chicken broth. Let the soup come to a boil and reduce heat to medium and let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Mix together the oil and flour in a bowl and then slowly whisk it into the soup. Allow a couple minutes for the soup to thicken. Once the soup has thickened add in the onion powder, garlic powder, sage and the heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.
Kohlrabi
German Style Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi Storage Tips
Kohlrabi, can be stored in your fridge as is, and can stay fresh for 3 weeks.
Freezing kohlrabi, peel the thick skin from the vegetable. Cut into 1 inch cubes and blanch the kohlrabi in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from the water and transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Put the cooled kohlrabi into a freezer bag and freeze. It will last in the freezer for 6 months.
German Style Kohlrabi
1 Kohlrabi
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp AP flour or Gluten free flour
3/4 cup of milk
Pinch of nutmeg
In a pot of boiling water add the peeled and slice kohlrabi. Let it cook for 6-8 minutes just until fork tender (poke it with a fork). Drain and set off to the side.
Using the same pot over medium heat add in the butter and let melt. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour and let it cook for a minute. Once the butter and flour are cooked add in the milk and mix well to prevent any clumps from forming. This sauce should thicken up in about 5 minutes. Add the salt and nutmeg to the sauce, and dump in the cooked Kohlrabi. Mix together and enjoy.
Optional add German Style kohlrabi to a baking dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Cherry Tomatoes
Roasted Tomato Aioli
Santorini Salad
Tomato Storage Tips:
Store your tomatoes, upside down (stem side down) on a tray left out on the counter. Ripened tomatoes will store like this for up to 6 days. If they last that long.
Freezing tomatoes has never been simpler, start by coring the tomato. Next place the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 5 hours. Once frozen solid, remove the tomato from the freezer and put into freezer bags. Put back into the freezer, the tomatoes will last like this for up to a year.
Roasted Tomato Aioli
1 cup cheery tomatoes
1 egg
1 clove of garlic
1 cup canola oil (or any nutrial tasting oil)
1 tsp dijon mustard
Basil
Salt and Pepper
Roast tomatoes and a bulb of garlic in the oven at 350 F for 1 hour. In a jar combine the oil and egg and blend until combined. Add in the cooked tomato, roasted garlic, dijon mustard, basil, salt and pepper. Blend until the aioli becomes smooth. Enjoy as a salad dressing or a spread for sandwiches.
Santorini Salad
1 cup Arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped, sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup cucumbers, choppped
1/4 cup capers
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped
1/2 cup feta crumbled
Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
1 clove of crushed garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 anchovy fillets of 1/2 tsp pureed anchovies
Salt and Pepper
In a large bowl combine the all of the salad ingredients. In a small bowl or blender add all of the dressing ingredients and blend. Pour over the salad and mix together.
Celery
Caribbean Golden Rice
Cream of Celery Soup
Celery Storage Tips:
Store celery in a resealable plastic bag with a piece of paper towel in the bag. This will help to wick away the moister and make your celery last in the fridge for up to a week.
Caribbean Golden Rice
1 cup of celery chopped
2 onions, diced
3 carrots, diced
1-2 Jalapenos, diced
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 cups Rice of your choice
1 can of light coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
Salt and Pepper
Start by placing a large pot over medium high heat, add in the olive oil. Once the oil is hot add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic and jalapeños. Let all the veggies cook together for 4-5 minutes. Once the vegetables are softened slightly, add in the rice, stir the rice into the vegetables and oil to insure that every grain of rice is coated in oil. Next to the pan add cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cloves and allspice. Let the spices cook for a minute to start to release all of their natural oils.
Add the coconut milk and broth, bring up to a simmer. Once the rice is simmering add the chopped tomatoes and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low and let the rice cook for 20 minutes or until its tender.
Cream of Celery Soup
1 bundle of celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and Pepper
Put a large sauce pan over medium heat, add in 2 tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is heated add the onions, celery, and garlic. Let it cook for 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes. In a separate bowl mix together the 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour. Once the roux is smooth with no lumps, whisk the roux into the soup and let thicken. Add the garlic and onion powder along with the heavy cream, salt and Pepper. Remove from the heat. With a stick blender, blend the soup until smooth. Enjoy!
Carrots
Carrot Salad with Whipped Feta
Carrots Storage Tips:
When you get your carrots, cut the tops off. The carrot tops will literally suck the life out of the carrot. Place the carrots into a zip lock bag with a dry piece of paper towel. The paper towel will soak up any extra moisture the carrot gives off. The Carrots will stay crisp in the fridge up to 7 days.
Freezing carrots, cut into uniform pieces and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. This will slightly cook the carrot, but not completely through. With a slotted spoon remove the carrots, or strain with a colander. Dump out the carrots on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Put into the freezer for 2 hours. Remove the tray and put the frozen carrots into a zip lock bag, and store it in the freezer.
Carrot Salad with Whipped Feta
10-12 medium carrots, cut in half length wise
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup brie
1 tsp honey
1 tsp thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp Chilli flakes
Salt and Pepper
Place the oven wrack at the highest level and pre heat the broiler on your oven to high.
Cut the carrots in half, length wise. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, spread out evenly on a sheet tray. Put under the broiler and let the carrots cook for 12-15 minutes. You want the carrots to char. While the carrots cook place the brie, sour cream, honey and thyme in a food processor and blend until smooth. Next, make the chilli oil, in a small pot over medium hight heat add in the olive oil and start to warm. Once the olive oil starts to warm and become fragrant add in the chilli flakes and remove from the heat.
Now to assemble, remove the charred carrots from the oven. Take your brie cheese mixture and spread it out evenly on a plate, next place the charred carrots on top and finish with a tbsp of the warm chilli oil. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy.
Potatoes
Potato Pancakes
Gnocchi
Potato Storage Tips:
Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark and well ventilated place. Typically in a cardboard box in the pantry or garage. Do not store them in the fridge. The humidity in the fridge will make them sprout over time and the cold air will make the potato convert its starch to sugar. Making the potato sweet.
Potato Pancakes
5-6 medium potatoes, shredded
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp salt
4 sprigs of thyme, stem removed
1 large egg
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup flour or gluten free flour
Shred the potatoes and add the salt and mix thoroughly, let sit for 10 minutes. Drain off the liquid in the bowl. Squeeze the potatoes removing any extra water from the potatoes. In a bowl combine all the ingredients to the potatoes and mix until everything is incorporated. In a frying pan over medium high heat add 4 tbsp of cooking oil or fat of your choice. Wait till the oil is hot. Form the potato pancakes into little patties and place into the pan to fry for 3 minutes each side. Serve with sour cream and chopped chives.
Gnocchi
1 cup potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 cups flour
1 egg
Boil and mash the potatoes. In a large bowl add the mashed potatoes, flour and egg, mix together until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into 1/4’s and form into a little ball. Take each small ball of dough and roll out into long snakes. On a floured surface cut the snakes into half inch pieces.
In a large pot of lightly salted water cook the gnocchi for 3-5 minutes. Drain and serve with sauce of your choice.
Cucumbers
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Cucumber & Grape Salad
Korean Cucumber Salad
Herb Cucumber and Whipped Feta Salad
Cucumber Storage Tips:
Storing cucumbers is easy as wrapping them in dry paper towel and placing them in an open plastic bag. Make sure the bag is left open to allow air flow. Cucumbers will store in the fridge like this for a 10 days.
The alternative method is to just store the cucumbers on the counter. They will delicious and crisp like this for 7 days.
CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD
1 cucumber
1 bundle of green onions
1 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp mayo
Salt and Pepper
Cut cucumbers into coins. Roughly chop the green onions. In a bowl combine cucumbers, green onions, vinegar, mayo, salt and pepper.
Cucumber and Grape Salad
1 cup lettuce or micro greens
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup of grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1/4 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup feta
Dressing
1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup mix of basil and cilantro, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Salt and Pepper
Combine your lettuce, cucumber, grapes, onion, almonds and feta. In a separate bowl mix together the yogurt, oil, vinegar, herbs and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix the dressing together. Mix the dressing into the veggies and enjoy!
Korean Cucumber Salad
1 Cucumber
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
2 green onions
Slice the cucumbers. In a bowl mix the together the soya sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Pour the sauce over the cucumbers and mix well. Add in the green onions and chilli powdered. Mix everything together and serve.
Herb Cucumber and Whipped Feta Salad
1 large or 2 medium cucumbers
1 bundle of green onions
1 cup of feta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
Fresh chopped dill
Fresh chopped parsley
Pistachios, toasted
In a food processor add the feta and sour cream, and blend until nearly smooth. Pour out onto a serving tray.
Cut the cucumber into quarter length wise and then roughly chop into 1 inch sized cubes. Lay the cucumbers and chopped green onion on top of the whipped feta.
Garnish the salad with freshly chopped dill, parsley and toasted pistachios. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, the fresh squeezed lemon, salt and pepper.
Peppers
Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Pepper Storage Tips:
Peppers will last in your fridge crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze peppers, slice or dice the pepper to the desired size. Next evenly space out the peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours. After 2 hours remove the peppers from the freezer and place in zip lock freezer bags and put back into the freezer. Peppers will store like this for up to 6 months.
Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies
1-2 peppers cut into 1/2 inch pieces
10 mushrooms cut into 1/4’s
2 onions, diced
1 zucchini, diced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl toss together all the vegetables, oil and seasoning. Evenly spread out the veggies on a sheet tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.
This is a great stand by veggies after a long day at work. Throw it into a pasta and tomato sauce for a quick tasty meal.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
2 large bell peppers, diced
2 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 small carrots, chopped
1 lbs of ground beef or turkey (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups of chicken broth
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup rice
2 tbsp Italian herd seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste
In a large pan over medium heat add the ground meat and cook all the way through. Once the meat is cooked remove from the pan and add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the chopped onion, celery, peppers, carrots and garlic to the pan. Letting the vegetables cook for about 4-5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a 1/2 cup of white wine. Let the wine reduce by half. Next add the ground meat back into the pot. Add the dried herbs, broth, rice and crushed tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Let the rice fully cook for 10-15 minutes. Lastly season with salt and pepper to taste.
