Rainbow Chard Stem Pickles

I've never really cared too much for pickles. They are one of those things that always SOUND good to me and the second I bite in I instantly remember why I hated them in the first place. Luckily, I've discovered I really enjoy other vegetables pickled. I don't know what it is about those pesky cucumbers.   

As many of you know, we've been up to our eyeballs in Rainbow Chard. So, I've been on the hunt for creative ways to use this drought-proof veggie that, to be quite honest, I don't like that much. Turns out, you can quick pickle the stems and store them in your fridge to crunch away on, serve on salads, burgers, a cheese plate ... you  name it! 

You can find the recipe from Bon Appetit. It worked out perfectly so there is really nothing to adapt for the blog. But, I couldn't help but share! 

Are you looking for other creative ways to use your garden, farmers market and CSA veggies? Make sure to follow my From the Garden and Farm Pinterest board for more inspiration. 

What veggies are you using creatively? Share your recipes below!

This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

Kitchen Sink Quinoa

I was quite pleased to find golden beets in a recent CSA share. I love beets, but dealing with the classic red ones makes your kitchen look like a crime scene. Praise the Lord for non-staining and delicious Golden Beets. 

I didn't know what I wanted do with these little gems, so I just roasted them up. Thankfully,  a delicious dinner just kind of happened. I grabbed whatever what going on in the fridge,  added it to some quinoa and topped it with a poached egg ... hence kitchen sink quinoa.  This is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. Below is the recipe for what I threw together, but have fun with it! Swap out the veggies and make your own additions. Clean out that fridge!

Kitchen Sink Quinoa

- 1 bunch of golden beets
- 1-2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 granny smith apple chopped or grated
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 bunch of asparagus cut in 1 inch pieces
- A couple of pieces of bacon
- Pea shoots
- 2 Eggs
- Goat cheese
- Prepared quinoa

This is quite the mix up of ingredients. I apologize in advance for a hap hazard recipe

1. Roast up some veggies (in our case golden beets). Olive oil drizzle + s&p + 375 degree oven + 30 minutes = roasted goodness.
2. While you are roasting away crisp some bacon and crumble, make some quinoa (I use the microwave, don't tell)
3. In the pan you cooked the bacon in, grate the apple and onion and cook it over medium heat in coconut oil till soft, add in the garlic and  asparagus and cook through. 
4. Combine it all together and top with a poached egg (Erin will teach you how here), goat cheese,  and some pea shoots from your CSA :)

So that's hardly a recipe, but trust your instincts, use up those veggies, and make your own version of some delicious kitchen sink quinoa! 


This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

Berry Berry Delicious

Just a little post to let you know ....

There is not much better in the world than the following ingredients quickly thrown on a plate for dessert. Oh who am I kidding ... for breakfast even. I want to lick the plate. 

local strawberries + goat cheese + balsamic glaze + raw sugar

 
Go eat this. Right this instant. You want to trust me on this one. You can even buy balsamic glaze pre-bottled at TJ's in the "new products" section. 

 

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

CSA Share Week 1

We are about to embark on a 22 week adventure with a local farm. We received our first share last night, and what a delight! I'm obsessed with how adorable those little radishes are, and let's be honest ... I want to smear that cherry jam all over everything .... everything. 

Clockwise From Top Left: 

1. Strawberries
2. Cherry Freezer Jam
3. Green Garlic
4. Tuscan Kale
5. Rainbow Chard (MORE!)
6. Red Onion
7. Sunflower Shoots
8. Pink Lady and French Breakfast Radishes

Not pictured: Mixed Heirloom Lettuce (Totally forgot it was in the box. Whoops!)

I've never cooked with radishes, sunflower shoots, or tuscan kale. This should be interesting. Do you have any favorite recipes using these ingredients? I'd love to know!

This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

Berry Rosemary Cocktail

Our potted rosemary sprigs are out of control right now. We're talking big ol' rosemary stalks the size of snakes. Something had to be done. To be honest, I had no idea how to correctly harvest rosemary, so I followed my instincts and cut off one large sprig of rosemary from it's base. 

This is a simple springy cocktail that, most likely, uses ingredients you already have on hand (or in your herb garden!). I used blackberries, but raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or a combination would be delicious. Perhaps what is fresh at your local market or arrives in your CSA box would do the trick.  It's sweet, but the rosemary adds just a hint of herby flavor, which I happen to love in a  warm weather cocktail. 

Berry Rosemary Cocktail

20 berries of your choice
1 large rosemary sprig, or 2 smaller ones
Juice of one lime
3 Tablespoons of Simple Syrup
1/4 Cup of Gin
Ice
Sparkling Water

Muddle the berries and rosemary in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add lime juice, simple syrup, gin, and ice. Shake well till chilled and flavors are combined. Fill glasses 3/4 full and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and fancy straw. 


This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

From the Garden and Farm

As you may know, we are garden newbies and recently purchased a home with a garden full of insane amounts of chard and cauliflower. We are also first-time members of a CSA from a nearby farm and will receive our first share this week. 

So, it is my pleasure to introduce the From the Garden and Farm summer blog series. 

Throughout the summer you can follow along with me as I put local produce to good use in our kitchen. My dear friend Erin will also be along for the ride. We will spend the summer sharing our culinary adventures using fresh, local, and often homegrown ingredients. We will tackle new-to-us foods and even preserving! We'll share preparation and storage tips, our recipe successes ... and disappointments, and our husbands may even pop in from time to time with growing and harvesting tips.

I've also started a board on Pinterest to gather together culinary inspiration based on the weekly harvest, follow along! 

We are looking forward to sharing our summer with you!