This week, we have some swiss chard from Ho Farms. 

Swiss chard is a highly nutritious vegetable. Just one cup provides over three times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K. It is also commonly known as silverbeet, spinach beet, perpetual spinach, crab beet, and mangold.

Along with other leafy greens and descendants of the beet family, Swiss chard contains high levels of nitrates, which have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance.

Preparation

• Before you cook chard, the first thing you should do is wash it well, by rinsing it in a sink full of cold water. You can even drain the water and repeat, unless the chard is free of dirt. If you got the chard at a farmers’ market, it will be extra fresh and more likely to have dirt on it, so wash thoroughly. Don’t wash chard until right before you’re going to use it, or it will wilt.
• Decide whether to separate the chard or leave it whole. Small leaves of Swiss chard can be left whole or added to salad, and larger leaves with thin ribs can also be left whole for cooking. But if you’re cooking Swiss chard with thick ribs, then you should separate the ribs from the leaves by tearing the leaves away, because the ribs will need to cook for a few more minutes since they are tougher than the leaves.
• Bitterness is caused by the organic compound oxalic acid, which is found in the stalk of Swiss chard and many other vegetables. It can be removed altogether or cooked out. When cooked, the vegetable loses the bitter flavor and makes for a more refined taste.

What else is in the bag?

Japanese Cucumbers
Ho Farms

Lemon
OK Farms

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

Mixed Tomatoes
Sugarland

Swiss Chard
Ho Farms

Thai Watermelon
Aloun Farms

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This week, we have some beautiful yellow zucchini from Ma’ala’ea Farm in Maui. Not to be confused with yellow squash, yellow zucchini, sometimes called golden zucchini, don’t taper at the neck like summer squash. Its shape is similar to that of classic green zucchini, though its taste is a little bit sweeter. Use it in sweet or savory recipes, raw or cooked — just as you would green zucchini. Or better yet, mix the two together.

Zucchini, like all members of the squash family, are native to the Americas. However, the varieties of squash typically called “zucchini” were developed much later in Italy following their introduction from the Americas. Zucchini have a reputation with home gardeners for having overwhelming production. However, they’re are many ways to eat the fruits both cooked and raw.

Preparation

The skin is left in place on the fruit. Zucchini requires little more than quick cooking. They can be prepared in a variety of techniques including steamed, boiled, grilled, stuffed and baked, barbecued, fried, etc. They can also be baked into a bread or cake. Zucchini can also be enjoyed raw, sliced or shredded in salads or lightly cooked.

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Cremini mushrooms are a coffee-colored variety of the world’s most commonly eaten mushroom, commonly called the “button” mushroom. Most of the table mushrooms we eat – “white button,” “cremini (or crimini)” and “portobello” – all refer to this same scientific category of mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. The difference between all of these mushrooms is just age – white button being the youngest and portobello mushrooms the most mature, left to grow out into large meaty caps!

Cremini mushrooms are between the two varieties, more mature than white button but younger than a portobello. Deeper and earthier in flavor than white buttons, they are used frequently in stews and soups since they hold up better in liquid. Their hearty, full-bodied taste makes them an excellent addition to beef, wild game, and vegetable dishes.

Preparation

Mushrooms are so porous that if they are exposed to too much water, they will quickly absorb it and become soggy. This also means that they are great for marinating. The best way to clean mushrooms without sacrificing their texture and taste is to clean them using minimal, if any, water. To do this, simply wipe them with a slightly damp paper towel or kitchen cloth. You could also use a mushroom brush, available at most kitchenware stores.

If using the whole mushroom in a recipe, simply slice off the very bottom of the stem, which is usually a bit spongy. If your recipe only calls for the caps, gently break off the stems with your hands and discard (or save for making soup stock).

Sauté, broil, microwave or cook these mushrooms in almost any way. Some quick recipe ideas:

• Sautéed mushrooms and onions
• Add finely chopped mushrooms to some homemade pasta sauce.
• Remove the stems, and stuff with your favorite vegetable medley or soft cheese.
• Mushroom omelet

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