Kale is a vegetable with green or purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head.  Kale can be curly, flat, or even have a bluish tint mixed in with the green. It contains essential vitamins A, C and K as well as minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.

Preparation

Check out this video to see how to prep your kale

Recipes

• Crunchy Dino Kale and Coconut Bowl
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Chocolate Mint Smoothie with Kale
• Kale and Eggplant Summer Pasta
• Kale with Onion, Celery & Tomato 
• Stir Fry Greens– Same method, but you can just use Kale!

What else is in the bag?

Try out these recipes!

What we know as the potato is the edible tuber of a plant that is part of the nightshade family.  All potatoes can be traced genetically to a single origin – a region of the Andes that is part of both Peru and the very north of Bolivia.  Potatoes are the world’s fourth largest crop after rice, wheat and maize. There are over 4,000 varieties of potato and they are categorized into main groups: russets, whites, yellows (Yukons) and purples.

Preparation

Only the cooked tuber of this plant is edible as the leaves, flowers and fruit of the potato plant are highly toxic.  Nutritionally, it is said that a human can live on diet of potatoes with only the addition of milk or butter (or any sources of vitamins A and D, the only two vitamins a potato lacks).  Also, it contains minerals, fiber and of course carbohydrates.

– Always wash your potatoes well before cooking.

– Its a good idea to take a paring or any small fruit knife and carefully remove any “eyes” or bruises or cuts you see.  The eyes are simply spots where the potato decided it might sprout a leaf, and sometimes the eyes can have a fibrous feel and bitter taste.  Then peel or leave skin on if you want.

– Potatoes can be cooked and enjoyed every which way:  boiled, fried, steamed, baked, roasted, mashed.

Recipes

• Dijon and Dill Potato Salad
• Smashed Red Potatoes with Garlic and Herb

 

What else is in the bag?

Try out these recipes!

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

What else is in the bag?

Try out these recipes!

Tangerines are smaller and less rounded than the common orange. Their taste is considered less sour, as well as sweeter and stronger, than that of an orange. Tangerines are a variety of orange in the mandarin orange species.

The tender, juicy, richly flavored pulp of tangerines is abundant in Vitamin C. People love tangerines for their uniquely sweet taste.

 

What else is in the bag?

Try out these recipes!

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

• Twinbridge Farms

Recipes

Carrot Nut Muffins 

What else is in the bag?

Try out these recipes!