First CSA day of the Season!!

Yesterday was the first day of  the CSA which I facilitate and host at my home.  I love this time of year when  we receive super fresh (picked that morning!) vegetables.

I had a grand time setting up things yesterday and meeting and greeting all of our last year's members and newbies!

The contents of our boxes included: 

oregano

thyme

 chives

leaf lettuce 

spinach

 baby swiss chard,

green onions,

radishes 

white sweet potatoes

 and asparagus!

  Wow!!!  What a great start to the season!

No pictures this time as it was a super busy day for me and my family...I also had a couple contractors at my home during our pick up hours.

If you live in my area, it is not too late to join the CSA.  Contact me through Facebook at Eat Well Fitness  or you can go to Local Harvest.org to find a CSA near you.

Here is super easy and quick fix meal...super fresh and yummy!

Romaine Boats

large romaine leaves

filled with

diced avocado

shredded red cabbage

red onion

tomato

cilantro

lime

sprinkled with dulse flakes

                       Kale and Bean Salad

1 bunch of kale~cleaned and chopped

Place kale in the bottom of a large bowl

3 cans of variety beans~ ex. Black, garbanzo, kidney~ drain & rinse

1 small red onion diced fine

1 bell pepper your choice of color

2 stalks of celery diced

Place all of these ingredients in a different bowl.

Marinade

¼ c. honey or a mixture of agave & honey ( I used stevia)

½ c. lemon juice fresh or Volcano organic lemon juice

2 T. Extra Virgin Olive oil or flax or hemp oil 

Blend marinade ingredients together and pour over bean mixture.

Add pepper if you like or salt free herbs of choice.

Then pour the bean mixture over kale and let sit for a couple of hours to marinate.

This can be served as a main dish or a side.

Local farm fresh red and green baby kale...mmmmmmmmmmmm

I have been adding this to salads and smoothies.

Chocolate Chip Mint Avocado Smoothie

low glycemic

In blender:

2 c. homemade almond milk

2-3 c. spinach

2 T. raw cacao powder

3-4 drops of peppermint oil

blend and then add:

1/2 frozen avocado cut into chunks

blend again and then add:

1 c. frozen blueberries

2 T. raw cacao nibs

stevia to taste

Blend to creamy consistency and enjoy!!!

Eat real food the way God made it and be thankful

CSA Share

                                             Eat Your Veggies!!!

My daughter wanted us to take silly pictures for the blog.......

 

Final CSA share of the Season!

Pictured top center and clockwise~

red leaf lettuce

bag of spinach

bunch of celery

sweet potatoes

chives

celery tops

sorrell

hot peppers

green tomatoes

daikon radish

beets

radishes

bag of mixed greens

In the center~garlic cloves

On the left side of the picture on the floor is my teenage daughters legs... :)

we were in a rush to take this photo...so please excuse the mess

CSA Share Week #24

Pictured from top~

broccoli

green beans

sweet potatoes

5lbs tomatoes

bag of mixed greens

bell peppers

2 heirloom tomatoes

green onion

hot peppers

green ice lettuce

turnips

in the center~arugula, cilantro, 

As you can see our CSA is plentiful!  God is good!

I have more veggies than I can eat!  I need to make some fermented veggies and dehydrate a few more items 

  

Broccoli Salad

1 1/2 bunches of broccoli cup into bit size pieces

2 garlic cloves minced

1/4 c. red onion diced

handful of raisins

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. ev olive oil

drizzle with Raw Agave

dash of salt

OR

 

Broccoli Salad

1 head of broccoli~chopped

1 red onion~diced

handful of raw sunflower seeds

handful of organic Thompson raisins

Dressing

1/4 c. raw honey or raw agave

1/2 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Himaylayan salt

blend dressing ingredients in blender and pour over salad and marinate

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Last week we received Chinese Cabbage in our CSA share.  

I love to make  Spicy Cabbage Slaw with it! 

Recipe below...sorry no picture.

CABBAGE SLAW

1/2 head of cabbage~shredded
4 stalks of celery chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
jalapeno chopped
guacamole
squeezed lime
nutritional yeast to taste
veggie broth powder to taste
top with sunflower seeds

Massage together with your hands.  This is one of our family favorites!  Sometimes I use it as a complete meal because it is so filling.

                                              Thanks for taking time to read my blog!  

I once heard someone say that, "Grace is allowing others to be human".....

something to ponder....

CSA Share Week #21, #22 and #23

 

As you can see the harvest has been plentiful.

I've been preoccupied with a group order I am putting together, therefore it has taken me awhile to post pictures.

We have received lots of greens~including mustard greens, swiss chard, spinach, lettuces, broccoli, cilantro, dill, basil, parsley, arugula, Chinese cabbages, green beans...sweet potatoes, peppers galore, tomatoes and a little squash

There are several items I have not listed...

We have a light frost yesterday and we are expecting warmer weather at the beginning of the week, so we should continue to reap a good harvest til the end!

A New CSA in the Neighborhood!

I have been involved with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for the about 7 years. I drive about 16-18 miles into town to pick it up, but it is worth it!  CSA's are a great way to support your local farmer's and get fresh, chemical free produce.  (always ask how they grow their food)

CSA~Local Harvest.org 

click on the links to find out about CSA's and look for one in your area.

This summer I was asked by a local farmer to help get a farmer's market in our community, so I jumped on the bandwagon!  Now after introducing fresh local produce to our neighbors our farmer is ready to introduce them to a  CSA.   Our farmer brought a 1/2 share of produce to the market today to show people what they might receive in their weekly box.  It was the end of the day for our farmer's market so I asked to purchase the box.  The cost was $12!!!  This was the regular price for anyone purchasing 1/2 share.  As you can see this is an abundant amount of produce for that price.

Pictured from top right and clockwise~

large bunch of red beets with tops

collards

kale

basil

sweet peppers

parsley

sweet potatoes

1 turnip with greens

mustard greens

radishes in the center

Again I want to say that this was only 1/2 of a share!!!

If you live locally and want to participate in a CSA message me and I will be glad to help you get plugged in!

CSA share Week 20 of 25 and Recipes for Your CSA Share

 

Top left corner and clockwise!

Beets with tops (slightly hidden~you can see the tops)

bag of basil, arugula, dill and hot peppers

5 lbs of tomatoes (I ordered these as an extra item)

radishes

variety of sweet peppers

2 heirloom tomatoes

bag of sweet potatoes

kale

bag of mixed salad greens

                                                                                                                                             

Basil~a gift from a friend!

I am dehydrating it for the winter

Pictured are dehydrated sweet peppers.  The aroma in the house is amazing while these are drying!

SUN-BURNED BELL PEPPERS & WHAT TO DO WITH THEM

The picture below is how they looked before I sliced them in the food processor and the images above are what they looked like before removing the sunburned spots.  Most folks would not want these peppers, but they are perfectly fine.  Sometimes they will get sun-burnt in the field, just like we burn when we are out in the sun too long.  I admit they do not look appetizing, but they taste perfectly delicious after removing the spots.

Recipes of the week for your CSA share!

Look below for ideas for using your CSA share...be creative according to your family's taste.

Kale and Garbonzo's and Sweet Potatoes~not pictured

Cheezy Kale Salad~pictured below

KALE SALAD

1 bunch of kale

radished~diced

mini sweet pepperrs~chopped

chives~finely chopped

Chinese Five Spice to taste

 lemon juice

extra virgin olive oil

Himalayan salt

handful of raw pumpkin seeds

BEET SALAD

1 bunch of  beets

garlic~to taste..I use lots

lemon juice

extra virgin olive oil

Himalayan Salt

dash of ground cloves

Oriental Kale Salad~

not pictured

2 bunches of kale cleaned and shredded

1 red bell pepper diced

handful of raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c. lime juice

garlic to taste

Chinese Five Spice~lightly sprinkled over the top

Mediterrianean Kale Salad~pictured above

follow the link for a video

kale

yellow bell peppers

olives

olive oil

lime juice

Himalyan salt

CHEEZY KALE CHIPS

not picturedIngredients:

2 heads of Kale, Washed and Torn~SIT ASIDE

3/4 cup Tahini
1/4 cup Tamari
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Water
1/4 cup dried onions
1 clove garlic
1 lemon (juice of)
dash of Sea Salt
1/3 cup of nutritional yeast

Blend everything but the kale until it is creamy and pour over kale and massage into it and let it sit for 10 mins.
spread on Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115 until crispy.
I had some leftover sauce so I cleaned and de stemmed some rainbow chard and used the rest of it on it. I'll let you know how it turns out.

The weather is just right for a nice warm soup!

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

10-12 c. water

1/2 red onion chopped

4 garlic cloves minced

14 oz of lentils rinsed and drained

1/4 to 1/2 c.  wild rice or another grain of choice (optional)

4 stalks of celery chopped

2 carrots diced

2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced

2 t. rosemary

1 t. oregano

2 t. sea salt or real salt or Himalyan salt

1 t. Italian seasonings

1/4 c. Seitenbacher vegetable broth

1/4-1/2 c. nutritional yeast

strip of wakame or sea veggie of choice (optional)

put all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer until done

I try to make my soups early in the day and then place them in the crock pot on warm then they are always there waiting to be eaten

or my favorite way to make soup is to place all the ingredients in the crock pot overnight on a low setting and it will be done in the morning, then stir the ingreds and set to keep warm setting

This is what I am doing with my bag of mixed greens this week!

Layered Salad

in a 9 X 13 dish layer

Mixed baby greens or greens of choice

1 c. chopped celery

1 bunch of green onion chopped

1 bag of frozen peas

1/2-1 c. of raw walnuts broken up

I ladded 1 red/yellow or orange bell pepper chopped  

diced radishes are optional

Cheezy Mustard Dressing

1 small jar of Vegenaise

1/4-1/2 c. nutritional yeast

1/4-1/2 t. dried mustard

1-2 T. lemon or lime juice

water to thin

blend  and store in fridge..this will make more than you need for this salad

Here is an idea for using your fresh Basil

Basil Pesto

In Vita-Mix, food processor or Magic Bullet place:

small handful of basil

small handful of pine nuts

1 large clove of garlic

dash of Himalyan Salt

splash of lemon juice

Blend until smooth and enjoy!

You can use this as a dip, mix into zucchini noodles or as a spread on raw crackers

CSA Share Week 19 of 25, Dried Purslane and Chinese Cabbage Salad

Beginning with top left and clockwise

5# of tomatoes (I ordered these as extras)

bag of salad mix

chinese cabbage

variety of bell peppers

lemon balm

hot peppers

basil

sweet/hot banana peppers

garlic

spaghetti squash

sweet potatoes

Dried Purslane

Our herbalist recommended Purslane to my son, who is vegan, as a substitute for Fish oil.  This weed is packed with omega-3's.  Check out the link to find out how you can use Purslane in your diet.

The weather here is beginning to cool down and Purslane will not be around during the winter months, therefore I decided to dehydrate some to put up for the future.  We will be adding the dried Purslane to smoothies.

Chinese Cabbage Salad

4-5 shredded cabbage leaves

2-3 chopped celery stalks

diced bell pepper

diced red jalapeno or fresh ginger

1 avocado

lemon juice

nutritional yeast

mix together with hands

then add:

frozen peas ( I added a handful after I had taken the picture

instead of the peas you can add shaved almonds

CSA week 18 of 25

Pictured top and center and clockwise~

bok choi

turnips

2 heirloom tomatoes

rosemary

basil

parsley

one lonely hot pepper ( I received more that are not pictured)

2 onions

butternut squash

red banana peppers (a member gave me hers, so this is addition to our regular share)*

mustard greens

okra ( this bag was leftover from last week, no one wanted them)*

5 pounds of tomatoes ( I special ordered these so they are not part of the regular share)*

center

red banana peppers

*these items are not part of our regular share, I either ordered them as extras or they were given to me!  :)

Check the links out below to find out more about a CSA in your area!

CSA Week 17 out of 25

We are now into week 17 of our CSA and as you can see the colors are vibrant!

Beginning from the top right and going clockwise are pictured:

variety of sweet bell peppers

swiss chard

variety of cherry tomatoes

variety of hot pepperes

okra

eggplant

sorrell

more hot peppers

more bell peppers (2nd's)

parsley

lettuce

bag of soybeans

ladyfinger popcorn (hull-less)

************

I have not been posting much lately.  Life has been pretty busy and I want to buy up my time with my children, as they soon grow up and move on.

Life is more than fruits and veggies.

Priorities are one thing in life that seems to shift out of place over again.  It is good to evaulate our priorities on a regular basis to make sure we have not moved too far from the most important people or things in life.

Sometimes our life get so busy we neglect the most important for the things that we think need to be done when in reality they are the distractions that keep us from making the best use of our time....Someone once told me that the most important things in life are

RELATIONSHIPS

1st God

2nd Family

you get the picture....

make your own list and look see how you are doing and make adjustments

Thanks for reading...

God Bless

CSA Share Week #15 out of 25 and No Bake Brownies

CSA share week #15

Top right and clockwise

watermelon

variety bell peppers

acorn squash

basil

2 heads of garlic

eggplant

jalapeno's

cutting celery

heirloom tomato

swiss chard

For any new readers out there~ I have been posting pictures of my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share each week so that you can see what typically come in a share.  For more information on CSA's or to find one in your area go to Local Harvest.org .

I had some sweet corn leftover from my other CSA share that needed to be used up.

This is what I came up with....

Skillet Steamed Corn

6 ears of sweet corn cut from the cob

2-3 red bell peppers

1 medium sweet onion

small handful of cilantro

1 t. extra virgin coconut oil

I had a delivery from Amazon yesterday.  I received couple of items I like to have on hand~

Raw Cacao and NutriBiotic Protein Powder
My husband takes protein smoothies to work and well....I need my cacao (raw chocolate)

I use it to make smoothies, no bake brownies

Follow this link for the recipe and video demo to make these yummy cacao goodies!

Thanks for stopping by my blog......

Remember to be kind to those you meet today.....and smile....it may be the only smile they receive

....take time to be still

....breathe deeply

....drink lots of water

....be sure to get in some type of body movement

....take in some sunshine

....be thankful to God

....love...be loving to others.....and be loved

....laugh