Oh how we love carrots!  They are a funny little root crop so that you never know what you’re going to get until you pull them out of the ground!  Usually orange in color, but sometimes they can be cosmic and come out purple, yellow, red or even white.  Packed with health-promoting beta carotene, they promote good vision, especially night vision, and help combat health-damaging free radical activity.

Preparation

Since carrots are root crops, make sure you scrub them well to get an residual dirt off of them.  Peeling off the skin is optional, I usually don’t because I’m lazy like that.  Grab a knife and chop away!  Or you can be more fancy pants like this guy!

Farms that grow carrots

• Ho Farms
• Kahumana Organic Farms

Recipes

Carrot Nut Muffins 

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Broccoli is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, and is incredibly edible and healthy. Related to cauliflower and cabbage, it’s popular world-wide and been linked with numerous cancer-fighting qualities, one of which is its anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also known to improve the digestive system, help with mineral and vitamin up-take, lower cholesterol and blood sugar, and detoxify the body. On top of that, it boosts the immune system, is great for your skin and improves vision and ocular health.

How to eat Broccoli:

Always wash fresh produce thoroughly. When cutting, divide the head of broccoli in to smaller individual florets, and trim the stem down. Thicker stems can be cooked and eaten as well. These florets can be eaten raw as snack or enjoyed with dips. Broccoli boils or steams in 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of floret. In stir-fries, cook over heat in a pan using oil or preferred cooking agent, and let it cook for a couple of minutes, until tender. Broccoli can also be roasted.

Farms that grow Broccoli:

Aloun Farms

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Originally from Africa, okra is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian. Ridged along its length, the green, slightly fuzzy pod contains rows of edible seeds that release a sticky liquid when chopped and cooked, which has led to it being used to thicken soup and stew recipes, such as Cajun gumbo, but it’s also served whole as a side dish. Its flavor is quite subtle, so it benefits from being cooked with strong, spicy ingredients!

Preparation

Wash and dry. If you are serving the okra whole as a side dish, and don’t want the liquid to be released during the cooking, trim around the stalks in a cone shape, so that the pod isn’t pierced. If you do want to release the liquid, chop or slice thickly or thinly, according to your recipe.

Farms that grow Okra

Ho Farms

Recipes 

Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers 

Sauteed Okra and Tomatoes

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Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. The cucumber is originally from Southern Asia and has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years. It was probably introduced to other parts of Europe by the Greeks or Romans. Having an enclosed seed and developing from a flower, botanically speaking, cucumbers are classified as accessory fruits. Cucumbers are more than 95% water.

Cucumber has plenty of vitamin C, vitamin K (mostly in the peel), and potassium.

Preparation

Cucumber is delicious raw.  After washing, slice and eat fresh with skin-on for a healthy snack, or peel and eat on its own, in a salad, or with a dip.

Farmers that grow Japanese Cucumber

• Ho Farms
• Pacific Gateway Center

Recipes

• Use half-inch thick cucumber slices as petite serving “dishes” for chopped vegetable salads.
• For refreshing cold gazpacho soup that takes five minutes or less to make, simply purée cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers and onions, then add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add diced cucumber to tuna fish or chicken salad recipes.
• Easy Refrigerator Pickles

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Punalu’u Ahupua’a Farms members check here for this week’s bag items.

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