This Week’s Bag Featuring Grapefruit- December 10th, 2019

January 7, 2019 by Diane O'Neal

Grapefruit

The health benefits of grapefruits are wide-ranging and nearly unmatched by any other fruit. A glass of chilled grapefruit juice, especially in winter, helps seriously boost your levels of vitamin C, which gives grapefruits a high place amongst various citrus fruits. It’s packed with the benefits derived from various nutrients and vitamins, including potassium and lycopene. Along with these, it also contains calcium, sugar and phosphorous. In terms of its culinary value, it is considered a wonderful appetizer, and is regularly included for breakfast as a refreshing and energizing start to the day.

Grapefruits are high in fiber and low in calories, and they contain bioflavonoids and other plant chemicals that protect against serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, and the formation of tumors. Grapefruits increase the body’s metabolic rate, lower insulin levels and give you a feeling of fullness and normality. It assists the human body in fighting various conditions like fatigue, fever, malaria, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, urinary problems, excess acidity and many more.

There are plenty of major health benefits of grapefruits, which are also known to be powerful drug/poison eliminators. It works as a natural antiseptic for external wounds, and it functions as a liver tonic. It contains a high water content, which helps in changing the complexion of the skin and increasing the body’s metabolic rate. The pulp and fiber of grapefruits supply healthy bulk to our food intake, which aids bowel movements and reduces chances of colon cancer. It also helps to quench thirst and thus, reduces the burning sensation that arises during fever. The Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that the intake of grapefruit reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Preparation
Wash, cut and eat! Try cutting grapefruit it in half, adding a little salt or sugar and scooping the fruit out with a spoon. You can also remove the peel and add the sliced fruit to salsas or salads.

Farms that Grow Grapefruit
Kahumana Organic Farm and Cafe

What Else is in the Bag this Week?

Grapefruit
Kahumana Organic Farm & Cafe

Mixed Tomatoes
Ho Farms

Stir-Fry Greens
Kahumana Organic Farm & Cafe

String Beans
Ho Farms

Sweet Potato
Aloun Farms

Tangerine
Kahumana Organic Farm & Cafe

Try out these recipes!

Grapefruit-Avocado Salsa

Spicy Stir-Fried Long Beans with Peanuts

Kale Potato Chive Frittata

January 7, 2019 by Diane O'Neal

The frittata, an egg-based Italian classic dish, is a great go-to recipe for that mix of vegetables you have from a CSA bag but aren't sure what else to do with. This frittata recipe was inspired by chef and food blogger Kara Lydon's CSA surplus. She describes: "one key to a frittata is adding a flavor punch – whether it be garlic, onions, fresh herbs or spices. So for this frittata, I let the chives do the flavor work. I also added some Greek yogurt in place of cream to make the frittata richer and a little more nutritious."

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta

January 7, 2019 by Diane O'Neal

Savory-sweet side dish that's perfect for chillier nights or adding some holiday flavor to your meal. Flavors are easily customizable, so have fun with it! Recipe from Peas and Crayons.

Blistered Blue Lake Bean with Chili, Mint and Orange

January 7, 2019 by Diane O'Neal

A super quick, easy to prepare and appetizer that is simple and healthy while also offering a rollercoaster for your tastebuds! Recipe from A Cozy Kitchen.

This Week’s Bag Featuring Sweet Potatoes! – December 31st, 2018

December 17, 2018 by Diane O'Neal

Happy New Year!! Here’s to a great 2018 and an even better 2019!!

The Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of the oldest vegetables known to mankind. Sweet potatoes originated in Central and South America, but archaeologists have found proof through prehistoric remnants that the sweet potato was grown in Polynesia before western exploration, according to radiocarbon dating. Current thinking is that it was brought to central Polynesia around 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back, and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii and New Zealand from there.

The sweet potato is not a potato, and it is not a yam! They’re far higher in nutrients than many people realize too, though shouldn’t be eaten as the only vegetable. Consider the sweet potato high in fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Manganese, among many others. It can help boost brain function, stabilize blood sugar, enhance immune system, and it promotes vision health.

Preparation

The simplest way you can prepare a sweet potato is by first heating the oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Make a slit in the top of each sweet potato.

Farms that grow sweet potatoes

Aloun Farms

What else is in the bag?