THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: carrots, cucumbers, basil, tomatoes and/or cherry tomatoes, beans (half shares), onions, eggplant (full shares), and summer squash.

BLACKBERRIES ARE RIPE!  You are welcome to come to the farm to pick to your heart’s content (free of charge).  Just email us to let us know when you would like to come so we can keep an eye out for you and point you in a good direction.

Over the weekend, as luck would have it, we received two different recipes from subscribers that they love and use to make use of many summer squash.  The first is written for preserving and storing, but could be made in a smaller batch for immediate eating.

GRANDMA SCHLARBAUM’S ZUCCHINI RELISH

Course grind 5 qts of zucchini (use a food processor) and 3 to 4 large onions. Sprinkle on 1/2 cup salt. Cover and keep cool. Let stand overnight. Next morning, Drain, rinse, and drain again.  Put into large kettle and add 6 cups of sugar, 1 Tbsp. Celery seed, 2 Tbsp. Mustard seed, 1 1/2 Tbsp. turmeric, 4 cups cider vinegar, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 8 minutes. Pour into hot jars and seal.11

The next recipe is for muffins. Our subscriber added “I shred zucchini and freeze it so that I can make fresh muffins all winter.”

HEALTHY ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

¾ C chopped raw walnuts or pecans

⅓ C melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

½ Choney or maple syrup

2 eggs

⅔ C buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 ¾ C whole wheat flour 

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp fine sea salt

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 ½ C grated zucchini

Working in handfuls, gently squeeze out excess moisture from the grated zucchini over the sink). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Once the oven has finished preheating, pour the chopped nuts onto a small, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are fragrant and toasted, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring halfway. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil and honey. Beat them with a whisk until they are combined. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk to combine, and set the bowl aside. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 30 seconds in the microwave.) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Using a big spoon, stir to combine. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry and stir just until combined (a few lumps are ok!). Add the zucchini (be sure to squeeze excess moisture out of the zucchini first) and toasted nuts. Gently fold the zucchini and nuts into the batter, being careful not to over-stir. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake muffins for 16 to 19 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool.  Adapted from cookieandkate.com

We are pleased with this summer’s carrot crops. The seedings for fall and winter also look good (fingers crossed!).  The recipe below is a delicious way to use your carrots.

EAST INDIAN CARROT SOUP

1 onion, chopped

½ Tbsp. vegetable oil

6 medium carrots, shredded

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp. curry powder

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (divided)

3 cups canned chicken stock

¼ cup lime juice

Saute the onion in the oil until barely turning brown.  Add the carrots, red pepper flakes and curry powder, and saute about 2 minutes.  Add half the cilantro, chicken broth and lime juice.  Simmer until the carrots are tender but still have definite shape.  Tir in the rest of the cilantro just before serving.  More red pepper flakes and salt may be added while cooking.  Serves 4.  From Fooday.