This week’s bag features round eggplant! Eggplants are members of the nightshade family that include the potato and tomato, which makes them technically a fruit but they are generally thought of and prepared as a vegetable.  The flesh generally has a fairly bland flavor but because of its sponge like texture, it takes on the flavor of other foods, spices and seasonings it is cooked with. Eggplant is excellent when stuffed with a variety of ingredients or cooked using one of several methods, such as sautéing, frying, broiling, baking, grilling, or slowly cooking in meat, rice, or cheese dishes and stews. When prepared on their own they are sometimes breaded or battered before cooking. What else is in this week’s bag?

Mixed Lettuce- Mari’s Garden

Green Beans– Local Harvest

Long Squash– Ho Farms

Round Eggplant– Ho Farms

Apple Bananas– Pacific Gateway Center

Try these recipes!

Eggplant Rounds with Hummus and Tomatoes

Banana Muffins

Eggplant, Tomato, and Green Onion Curry

This week’s bag features watercress! Watercress has been cultivated across the world for use as both food and a medicine. It contains phytonutrients with a plethora of disease-preventive properties shown to inhibit carcinogens. So when you’re shocked by that peppery spicy taste when you use this green, know that it’s doing your body good! Try it as a salad: chop up both stems and leaves and mix with tomatoes, tofu, cucumbers and drizzle with balsamic vinegar or amino acids. You can also steam it, or try adding to sandwiches. Always remember to washed thoroughly before storage and use. What else is in this week’s bag?

Watercress- Honest Greens

Mixed Lettuce- Mari’s Garden

Russet Potatoes– Twin Bridge

Cucumbers– Pacific Gateway Center

String Beans– Pacific Gateway Center

Try these recipes!

Dijon and Dill Potato Salad

Mouthwatering Tzatzki Cucumber Sauce

Spicy Beans

This week’s bag features taro! Taro, or “kalo”, is a staple of the Native Hawaiian diet and is deeply embedded in the history and culture of Hawaii with Hawaiians having cultivated more than 300 varieties overtime. Cultivation of taro has shown to improve soil and water quality in some restoration efforts on Oahu. Taro should always be thoroughly cooked and can be pounded into poi, powdered and added to baked goods, baked, fried, roasted or steamed!  Do not keep them inside the refrigerator, this root vegetable should be stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place similar to potato or yams. What else is waiting for you in this week’s bag?

Taro– Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi

Lemon grass– Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi

Bok Choy– Green Growers

Grape Tomatoes– Twin Bridge

Bananas– Pacific Gateway Center

Kale– Pacific Gateway Center

Try these recipes!

Taro Pancakes

Sweet Potato and Lemongrass Soup– Try substituting sweet potato for taro this week!

Sauteed Bok Choy