Indian Spinach with Potatoes

I've been eating lots of spinach and potatoes this week, and this is one of the recipes that I tried. It comes from Winter Harvest Cookbook by Lane Morgan, published in 2010. It's an excellent resource for seasonal cooks and if you haven't checked it out yet—do so! It's definitely one of my new favorites. The author writes of this recipe: "This is quick and good. If you boil the potatoes beforehand, you can have dinner on the table in about 10 minutes." He suggests serving with a carrot curry and a raita for for a "beautiful and nutritious" vegetarian meal.

Indian Spinach with Potatoes
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
2 pounds boiled peeled potatoes
1 pound fresh spinach
¼ cup peanut oil or other light oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions
Cut the potatoes into cubes. You should have about 4 cups. Chop spinach coarsely. Heat oil in a large saucepan, add onion, garlic, and fresh ginger, and sauté briefly. Combine mustard seed, cumin, red pepper flakes (if used), turmeric, and chili powder. Add to saucepan, stir well, and cook mixture over gentle heat until onion is soft. Add potatoes and stir gently to coat them with spices. Add spinach in handfuls. Add salt, stir again carefully but thoroughly, cover and cook 3 minutes or so, until spinach is cooked down a bit. Serve at once.

Happy New Year from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! (And Winter Chili Recipe)

Happy New Year! Here at Lancaster Farm Fresh, we're looking forward to another great season in 2011. Fulfill your New Year's resolution to eat healthy and nutrient-dense produce in 2011 by purchasing a CSA share! Not only does your purchase support local and small-scale family farms, but you'll also receive 25 weeks of Certified Organic produce, chock-full of nutrients that only Lancaster County soil can supply. 2011 CSA Membership Applications are available on our website, www.lancasterfarmfresh.com. Don't forget to postmark your application and payment for a 2011 CSA share by January 15th in order to qualify for a $30 early sign-up discount!

Now to the recipes! Although we are currently between seasons, be sure to check back for weekly updates for recipes that LFFC farmers and staff are enjoying over the winter, using canned and frozen vegetables from our 2010 CSA shares. Below is a winter chili recipe that I made last night with tomatoes that I canned this summer from LFFC member farm Green Valley Organics. Delicious!

Winter Chili

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 to 3 onions, roughly chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 24-ounce cans canned tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can black beans, drained
4 cups frozen corn

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, stirring until onions are translucent.
2. Turn down heat slightly, and add chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Working quickly to avoid burning the spice mixture, add chicken or vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to break down and chili has a thick consistency.
3. Add beans and corn and allow to heat, taking care not to overcook. Adjust spices as needed. Serve hot, topped with grated cheddar cheese and cornbread on the side. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! (And Roasted Turnips with Parmesan)

Microgreens still growing in the warmth of an LFFC greenhouse. Check back throughout the winter for the recipes that we're making using winter vegetables and additional items from Four Season Harvest, LFFC's online buying club!

Today is the last Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA share delivery in 2010. We are sad to see it end, but are looking forward to a busy winter preparing for our best season yet in 2011! From all of the farmers and staff here at LFFC, a big thank you to our site hosts and shareholders for their commitment to local, organic food and farmers this season. We truly appreciate your support and hope to see you again in the New Year! Just a reminder—our 2011 CSA membership application is now available our website (www.lancasterfarmfresh.com). Mail in your application and payment by January 15th and receive a $30 discount! Returning members are also eligible for a $10 returning member discount. Happy Holidays from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative!

And now a recipe for the holidays from our CSA manager's favorite—Martha Stewart! This comes from this month's issue of Everyday Food.

Roasted Turnips with Parmesan
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into ½-wedges
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan (½ ounce)

Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine turnips, cayenne, nutmeg, and oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and toss gently to combine. Arrange turnips in a single layer and roast until golden on both sides, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté

Spinach is ranked as one of the top “World’s Healthiest Vegetables,” as it is extremely rich in all sorts of vitamins and minerals, as well as high in phytonutrients such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin and flavonoids, which provide antioxidant protection. (Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://whfoods.org/.) The following recipe comes from The World’s Healthiest Foods.

Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon chicken or vegetable broth
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 ounces spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of broth in a large stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
2. Add seasonings and lemon juice and stir to mix thoroughly. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add spinach to sweet potatoes. Cook uncovered for a few more minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Add cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Spicy Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Skillet

Another winter squash recipe! This one comes from Fabulous Foods (http://www.fabulousfoods.com/). The author writes, “This spicy sauce, which makes good use of leftover chicken, is also great on true pastas, as well as the spaghetti squash suggested here. For a vegetarian version, simply eliminate the meat, or if you want a substitute, use extra firm tofu.”

Spicy Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Skillet
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 small spaghetti squash, cooked using your favorite method and separated into strands
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup minced onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
12 ounces cooked chicken or turkey meat
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
¼ cup dry red wine
2 teaspoons capers
2½ teaspoons fresh oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, more to taste
3 tablespoon Italian parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat, and sauté onion, garlic and green onions for two minutes. Add the chicken or turkey and cook for three to four minutes. Stir in tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another five minutes. Pour sauce over heated spaghetti squash and serve.

Delicata Squash Bisque

If you’re like me, you still have a few Delicata squash leftover from October! Even if you don’t, this flavorful recipe from the October 2008 edition of Vegan Yum Yum will work with most winter squash varieties (http://veganyumyum.com/). The author writes, “…this soup has a velvety rich texture and creamy flavor that won’t disappoint.” Enjoy!

Delicata Squash Bisque
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 pounds Delicata squash, deseeded and baked
oil for roasting
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon thyme
black pepper
1½ teaspoon salt, more or less to taste

For the Cashew Cream: 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews; 1 cup vegetable broth, divided.

Directions
1. Prepared baked squash in a 400 degree oven.
2. Add the cashews to your blender and ½ cup of veggie broth. Begin pulsing to incorporate, eventually turning the blender all the way on while slowly adding the other ½ cup of broth. Once all the broth is added, let the blender run for 1-2 minutes until very, very smooth. Set cream aside.
3. Transfer baked squash it into a large soup pot. Break up the squash into chunks with a spoon or your spatula and add four cups of veggie broth, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
4. Working in batches if needed, blend the soup until very smooth.
5. Return the blended soup to the pot and add all but ¼ cup of the cashew cream. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove soup to bowls (or mugs!) and garnish with extra cashew cream drizzled on the top and some fresh black pepper.

Butternut Bean Soup

Winter squash is an incredible vegetable—encased in a hard, protective skin that allows us to store it for up to several months! Winter squash is also very nutritious, as it is an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. In addition, winter is also a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3, and pantothenic acid. (Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://whfoods.org/.) The following winter squash recipe comes from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, published in 2007.

Butternut Bean Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
1½ cups dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained
3 medium portabella mushroom caps, sliced (optional)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon sage
4 teaspoons rosemary
2 butternut or blue hubbard squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
olive oil

Directions
1. Combine beans and spices in a large sauce pan, add water to cover amply, simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until beans are tender and most water has cooked off. Add mushrooms toward the end.
2. While beans are cooking, drizzle a large roasting pan with olive oil and arrange squash skin-side-down. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until fully tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and serve each half squash filled with a generous scoop of bean soup.

Yukon Gold and Baby Spinach Masala

Mmm... I hope to make this recipe tonight with the pound of spinach in today's Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA share! This recipe is courtesy of the April 1, 2009 edition of Vegetarian Times. The author writes, "Serve with steamed rice, and a sweet-and-sour chutney, such as Fresh Mango Chutney (see Fresh Mango Chutney recipe on vegetariantimes.com)."

Yukon Gold and Baby Spinach Masala
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (1½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeño chile, finely chopped (1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk
1 6-oz. bag baby spinach
1½ teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Steam potatoes in steamer basket set over simmering water 10 minutes, or until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 8 minutes, or until soft and golden. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, and sauté 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Add steamed potatoes, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, to coat with spices. Add coconut milk and ¼ cup water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
3. Stir in spinach, garam masala, and ¼ cup water, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

This recipe comes recommended by our CSA manager, Evan, from The Vegetarian Environmentalist (http://vegetarianenvironmentalist.weebly.com/).

Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
1½ cups cooked black beans
½ baked butternut squash, flesh scooped out and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, cored and diced
14 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
1 cup cilantro, chopped
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated and divided
salt, to taste
16 oz. red enchilada sauce
2 dozen fresh corn tortillas, fresh if possible
2 15 oz. cans green enchilada sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, beans, squash, onion, pepper, chiles, cilantro, and half of the cheese in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and mix well.
2. Pour red enchilada sauce into a deep plate; dip each tortilla to coat. Fill each tortilla with one large spoonful of enchilada mixture, roll tightly, and place in a 9" x 13" baking dish or lasagna dish. When dishes are full, cover each dish with one can green enchilada sauce.
3. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and top enchiladas with remaining cheese. Bake 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.