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 require 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.

Farms that grow Zucchini:

Aloun Farms

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Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a coffee-colored variety of the world’s most commonly eaten mushroom, commonly called the “button” mushroom. The names “white button,” “crimini” and “portobello” all refer to this same scientific category of mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. Button mushrooms have grown wild since prehistoric times, having been consumed as food by the early hunter-gatherers. Cultivation most likely began in Asia, involving cultivation in China, Japan, and India. China is currently the world’s largest commercial producer of mushrooms, following by Europe and then the United States. Within the U.S., about 70% of all mushrooms are grown on the east coast, with the state of Pennsylvania having the highest U.S. yields.

Preparation

Mushrooms are so porous that if they are exposed to too much water, they will quickly absorb it and become soggy. Therefore, 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).

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

Farms that grow Mushrooms

• Small Kine Farm

Recipes

• Mushroom, Tomato and Onion Saute
• Tortellini with Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes

 

Apple Bananas
Pacific Gateway Center

Broccoli
Aloun Farms

Sweet Onion
Aloun Farms

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

Mixed Tomatoes
Mixed Farms

Mushrooms
Small Kine Farms

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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

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Originally from Africa, okra is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian and the American South. 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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‘Ulu or breadfruit was first domesticated in the western Pacific and today is grown on most Pacific Islands. It continues to be an important staple crop and a component of traditional agroforestry, grown as both a subsistence crop in home gardens and farms. As a dietary staple it is comparable in importance to tropical staples such as taro, plantain, cassava, sweet potato and rice.  The name breadfruit is derived from the texture of ripe fruit when cooked, which is similar to freshly baked bread, though it has a potato like flavor. Ripe fruit have yellow or yellow-brown skin and soft, sweet, creamy flesh that can be eaten raw or cooked. ‘Ulu is a versatile crop and can be eaten at all stages of maturity. The fruit is a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Preparation:

Watch this Cooking ‘Ulu Video !

 

 

 

 

 

Farms that grow ‘Ulu:

Kualoa Ranch

Kakoo Oiwi

Southern Turf

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