CSA Share Week #10 and what to do with Celery Cuttings, Swiss Chard and Pumpkins Seeds!

Another bountiful share from our farmer.  I neglected to add the six additional cucumbers I received...but as you can see there is barely enough room.

Pictured clockwise starting in the top left corner:

cantaloupe

swiss chard

12 ears of sweet corn

cucumbers

variety of tomatoes

2 onions

variety peppers

chives

basil

clery cuttings

parsley

Eggplant on top of herbs

salad greens in the middle

Celery cuttings are the beautiful deep green top/leaves of the celery plant.  If you didn't know any better you might think that it is parsley.

If you know me, you know that I love celery for it's many wonderful benefits, which include a good amount of Vitamin C, it has the potential to lower  blood pressure, stop tumor growth, it is diuretic with both sodium and potassium so it helps regulate fluid balance, it is anti-inflammatory, it aids in digestion it also helps in the elimination and prevention of urinary and gall bladder stones.  Follow this link for more detailed infomation on the benefits of celery juice. 

Today I made Tabbouleh with celery cuttings a a few sprigs of parsley to receive the benefits from the celery and to use up some of our CSA goodies.

You can also dehydrate or hang and dry the celery cuttings and place them in a glass jar to add to soups or you can grind them up and use as a salt substitute.

Tabbouleh

approximately 5-6 c. of celery cuttings chopped fine

handful of chives chopped fine

2 heaping t. dried mint

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2-3/4 t. cumin

6 T. lemon juice

6 T. extra virgin olive oil

2-3 med cucumbers de-seeded and chopped in small pieces

3 medium red tomatoes de-seeded and chopped in small pieces

Himalayan Salt to taste

mix together and let sit to allow flavors to blend.

I massaged my salad a bit prior to adding the tomatoes as celery cuttings are not as delicate as parsley and this helps to break them down a bit and wilt them.

This is a picture of my sons lunch that he will be taking to work tonight...alone with some tabbouleh.

If ou click on the picture to enlarge it you can see the pate in the roll up I tilted one up on the side.

Pumpkin Seed Pate Roll Ups

3 swiss chard leaves cleaned and de-stemmed~sit aside

In the food processor:

1 1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds that have been soaked for 4 hrs/drained and rinsed

ginger to taste

3 T. dried onion

Bragg's Liquid Amino's to taste

Chinese Five Spice to taste

water to blend

I found a similar recipe on the internet some time ago but do not have the source. 

This pate always comes out delicious and it is highly nutritious. Pumpkin seeds have magnesium & zinc.  They are anti-inflammatory, improve bladder function,  help prevent kidney stones, a treatment for parasites, provide prostate protection, cancer prevention and they help treat depression.  Here are some brief details and remember to do your own research!

For the roll ups.  Lay out the chard leaves and spread the pate on one end, top with mashed avocado that has been mixed with a little lemon juice, diced sweet peppers, tomatoes or whatever you like and then roll them up!  Enjoy!!

Date Bites

 aka God's Candy

pit medjool dates and stuff with favorite raw nut!

I like pecans in mine.

Remember to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces today!

Breathe deeply

Be thankful

kind

and

Smile!