This Week’s Box Featuring Collard Greens – Week of January 17

January 18, 2022 by Amy Buglione

Collards are very nutritious (high in vitamins K, A, and C, as well as calcium, iron and fiber) and have been linked to lowered cholesterol.

Preparation

Remove the stem from the bunch. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the leaves together. With your dominant hand, cut about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the bottom of the stem, separating the leaves.

Soak the leaves in water. Add a little salt to the water. Salt is abrasive and helps in the process of scrubbing away dirt and impurities. Gently scrub the leaves with your hands and rinse.

Cut out the spine from each leaf. Lay each leaf out flat on the counter. Use a sharp knife to cut along the spine on each side, separating the leaf into two parts and completely removing the spine. Stack the leaves so the flat, cut sides all line up.

Roll the stack of leaves lengthwise. You may need to form several stacks to get tight rolls.

Cut the greens into ribbons. Slice each roll into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Separate the pieces with your fingers, letting them unravel into long strips.

What else is in the bag?

Collard Greens
Ho Farms

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

Long Beans
Ho Farms

Mixed Tomatoes
Sugarland

Rambutan
OK Farms

Sweet Potatoes
Twin Bridge Farms

Plant Based Meal Prep Box

Vegetarian Meal Kit Box Recipes

Try out these recipes!

Braised Long Beans With Tomatoes

Collard Roll Ups with Coconut Curry Kale

This Week’s Box Featuring Onions – Week of January 10

January 10, 2022 by Amy Buglione

This week we have onions from Aloun

There are many types of onions to use as culinary accents. Added in small amounts, they’ll make a dish come alive with aromatic undertones. When used raw, they add a punch to salads and salsas. But the real magic takes place when onions are cooked: A light sauté or slow roast mellows their pungent, acrid flavors and coaxes out their natural sweetness.

Preparation

Rinse the onion thoroughly under cool tap water. On a cutting surface, use a chef’s knife to slice off the stem and root ends. Remove the papery outer skins and cut the onion in half from the top end to the root end.

To Chop: Place each onion half, flat side down, on the cutting surface and make side-by-side vertical slices from stem end to root end. Holding slices together, cut across the slices, making tiny pieces.

Simple Ways to Cook Onions:

Saute:

In a large skillet or pan heat cooking oil or butter over medium-high heat until hot. Use about 1 tablespoon fat per onion. Add chopped or sliced onions and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. If desired, cook a little longer until edges just start to brown. Remove from heat and use as desired.

Tip: The onions will cook more evenly if you don’t crowd them. Do stir frequently and keep an eye on the heat. If the heat is too high, the onions can burn.

What else is in the bag?

Apple Bananas
Sugarland

Avocados
Twin Bridge Farms

Bell Peppers
Sugarland

Kale
Ho Farms

Rambutan
OK Farms

Sweet Onion
Aloun Farms

Try out these recipes!

Collard Greens and Caramelized Onions

Oahu Fresh Medley Soup (Featuring Local Long Squash, Kale, Jalapenos, and Green Onions)

This Week’s Box Featuring Sweet Potatoes – Week of December 20

December 20, 2021 by Amy Buglione

This week we have sweet potatoes from Adaptations

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.

What else is in the bag?

Apple Bananas
Sugarland

Avocados
Twin Bridge Farms

Bok Choy
Aloun Farms

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

Mixed Tomatoes
Sugarland

Sweet Potatoes
Twin Bridge Farms

Plant Based Prepared Meal Box

This Weeks Meal Prep Box Recipes:

Try out these recipes!

Curried Sweet Potatoes and Tofu

Sweet Potatoes with Onions and Tomatoes

This Week’s Box Featuring Kabocha – Week of November 15

November 15, 2021 by Amy Buglione

This week we have Kabocha from Aloun Farms

Kabocha is a variety of winter squash, often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin. It’s sometimes described as a cross between sweet potato and pumpkin in flavor and texture. It’s sweet taste, velvety texture, massive offering of nutritional benefit and versatility, make it a prized staple vegetable in Japan. You can substitute it within recipes that call for acorn and butternut squash or pumpkin. Most forward nutritients are beta carotene, vitamin C, iron, and potassium with smaller amounts of B vitamins, folic acid and calcium.

How to select a Kabocha:

The two things to look for are weight and color. Skin should be a rich, deep green and it should feel heavier than expected. Ripeness is indicated by golden speckling and stripes on the exterior.

How to prepare Kabocha:

Carefully slice the entire squash in half, keeping in mind that it’s dense and might be difficult to cut. Like other squashes, you’ll want to scoop out the pulp and seeds, leaving the meat behind. From here you can slice it into wedges for roasting, simmering, pureing, or baking. You can also grate it to add texture to breads or other baked dishes and desserts. The skin is ok to leave on.

What else is in the bag?

Bell Peppers
Sugarland

Green Beans
Aloun Farms

Kabocha
Aloun Farms

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

Rambutan
OK Farms

Sweet Potatoes
Twin Bridge Farms

Veggie Meal Kit Recipes:

Try out these recipes!

Butternut Squash (Kabocha) Mac ‘n Cheese

Yard-long Beans with Kabocha and Coconut Milk

This Week’s Box Featuring Spigarello – Week of November 8

November 8, 2021 by Amy Buglione

This week, we have spigarello from Ho Farms!

Spigarello is a primitive heirloom varietal of the broccoli family and is native to Southern Italy. Spigarello is a variety of leaf broccoli, is related to broccoli rabe, and looks like a cross between kale and broccoli. The taste is similar to broccoli, with the leaves having a mild taste and the texture is succulent and crunchy.

How to Prepare Spigarello:

It is recommended to trim the stems and the leaves can be enjoyed as a salad green, wilting green or soup green.

What else is in the bag?