Aloha Oahu Fresh ohana, it’s October already and we’ve got pak choi, lettuce, and lots of other good stuff for you this week!

• Pak Choi from Leilehua HS Ag Students
• hydroponic lettuce from Mari’s Garden
• Baby roma tomatoes, Ho Farms
• Portobello mushroom, Small Kine Farm
• Long beans, Pacific Gateway Farmers
• Bitter Melon, Pacific Gateway Farmers

Here’s a few suggestions for your produce this week:

Roasted Portobello Cap

Green Beans with Potatoes

Baked Baby Roma Tomatoes

Honey Chicken with Pak Choi

Stir Fry Bitter Melon Beef with Oyster Sauce

Bitter Melon too bitter for you?  Try these techniques to lessen the bitter taste

One last idea, if you still have eggplant try this easy pasta recipe using your baby romas:  Pasta Alla Norma

Enjoy!

 

Aloha Oahu Fresh members!  It’s the last week of September, and we still have lots of great produce coming in.  This week’s bags are no exception–check it out!

• Hydroponically grown lettuce, Leilehua HS Ag Students
• Lemons, Leilehua HS Ag Students
• Swiss chard, Ho Farms
• Grape tomatoes, Pacific Gateway Farmers
• Long eggplant, Pacific Gateway Farmers
• organically grown carrots, Kahumana Farm

So how do you plan to use this produce?  Send us your ideas, recipes, and pictures by email or post on our Facebook page or Instagram feed!  We love to share great food!

If you’re stumped though, here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Moroccan Carrot Salad   Uses your carrots and swiss chard, plus a little lemon zest!

Baingan Ka Bharta (Seasoned Roast Eggplant)   An Indian recipe for your eggplant and tomatoes that’s quick to prep and cook.

Lemon Wine Spritzers   Lemon is a great addition to many drinks, including water- still or sparkling- so here it’s added to a gin based wine spritzer.

Carrot Noodles with Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce

Simple Lemon Vinaigrette   For amazing salads, over fish, or steamed/sauteed veggies.

Red Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps   Make this chicken salad and you can wrap it in your lettuce leaves, or have it alongside some sautéed swiss chard.  Or both!!

 

Aloha Oahu Fresh members!  Wondering what’s coming tomorrow?  We have a diverse bag this week:

• Papaya and tomatoes from Ho Farms
• Bitter melon and kale from Pacific Gateway Farmers
• Avocados from Kama`aina Land Plant Rentals
• Carrots from Kahumana Farm
• Lettuce from Mari’s Garden

If you’re not familiar with bitter melon (aka bitter gourd), take a few minutes to read about it on the Serious Eats blog, Seriously Asian: Bitter Melon. There’s a recipe in this article that you can try, although there are a lot of ingredients.  The PGC Farmers suggest this one:

Thin sliced bitter melon fried with  eggs

Slice the bitter melon in half and use a spoon to scoop out the pithy part and the seeds.  See this link for a picture of this step.  Slice the bitter melon very thin and soak in salt water for about 15m.  Remove from water and lightly squeeze the slices then set aside.  Heat oil in a shallow pan and sauté some minced garlic and onions, then add bitter melon slices.  When the slices are half cooked, add the beaten eggs and cook until the eggs and melon are fully cooked.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Okinawan Stir Fry with Bitter Gourd   Similar to the above recipe but with tofu and pork.

Carrots–    Marinated Carrots with Mint   Pickled Dilly Carrots     Knife Skills:  How to Cut Carrots

Kale and Cabbage Gratin

4 ways to use lettuce other than salad

Eggs Baked in Avocado   The perfect grab and go breakfast, just make this ahead of time.  Sexy eats!!

 

Aloha Oahu Fresh fam!  We have another great bag for you this week and we’re really happy to announce we have some produce from Nalo Farms in this week’s bag.  Here’s the list:

• Arugula and garlic chives from Nalo Farms
• Cucumbers from Pacific Gateway Farmers
• Local bananas from KakooOiwi
• Butternut squash and greens from Ho Farms
• mixed lettuce from Mari’s Garden

What will you be making this week with your produce?

Our top picks:

Arugula with Orzo and Garden Tomatoes   Use any tomatoes you have left from last week’s Ho Farms box, and consider adding some garlic chives chopped on top.

Stir Fry Garlic Chives and Pork   From She Simmers blog, an amazing resource for Thai cooking!!

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry (Crock Pot)   Instead of spinach you can add your Ho Farms greens in at the end.

Paleo Banana Bread   Grain and sweetener free!

Cucumbers with Chile and Lime

Hi everyone!  It’s officially the last of summer, but that doesn’t mean great produce isn’t available!  We still have the tastes of summer for you in this week’s bag:

• Ho Farms lemongrass
• Ho Farms tomatoes
• Pacific Gateway Farmers eggplant
• Pacific Gateway Farmers kale (1/4lb) and one cucumber
• Mari’s Garden lettuce
• Kama`aina Land avocado

Here are a few suggestions that will help you to enjoy the last hints of summer in your meals this week:

Vegetable Soup with Sriracha, Lemongrass, and Tofu   This recipe calls for spinach, but you can easily sub in your kale and even add a few halved Ho Farms tomatoes.

Coconut, Lemongrass, and Lime Soup from Thrive Energy Cookbook    Just 20m to prepare this one, you can make it at the same time as the veggie one above and freeze some of both for later.

Tom Yang Light Martini  a martini made with rum, and lemongrass…can’t wait to try this one!

Quick Eggplant and Tomato Saute   Use your Ho Farms tomatoes instead of canned.

Eggplant Fries   Make some burgers or steaks and have these healthy fries along with, you’ll be glad you did!

Avocado Cream Sauce   This would be great with the eggplant fries, on top of a salad, or over zucchini noodles.

Lemongrass Chicken with Eggplant and Warm Spring Onion Vinaigrette