With strawberry season behind us, we now welcome blueberry season! Like the strawberries, the blueberries are coming in full force and the season will be over before you know it! You'll now see these little blue sugar bombs at all our market locations and in your CSA box this week. Blueberries are also the fruits plus this week.
To celebrate these little blue wonders, here are some fun facts:
One large handful (1/2 a cup) of juicy Rochon Garden blueberries contains just 44 calories but has 2 grams of dietary fiber and 10% of your daily recommended vitamin C content.
Blueberries ranked number one in antioxidant health benefits in a comparison with more than 40 fresh fruits and vegetables.
The blueberry is one of the only foods that is truly naturally blue in colour. The pigment that gives blueberries their distinctive colour—called anthocyanin-- the same compound that provides the blueberries amazing health benefits.
People have been eating blueberries for more than 13,000 years.
Blueberries were called “star-fruits” by North American indigenous peoples because of the five-pointed star shape that is formed at the blossom end of the berry.
A single blueberry bush can produce as many as 6,000 blueberries per year.
The silvery sheen (or “bloom”) found on the skin of blueberries is a naturally occurring compound that helps protect the fruit. This is why you should only wash blueberries right before you’re going to eat them. The berries should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep fresh for up to 10 days.
Eating blueberries has been linked to health benefits including a reduced risk of cancer, increased insulin response, a reversal in age-related memory loss, and lowering blood pressure.
Don't forget to stock up your freezer for a taste of summer in the winter. Blueberries won't stick together when you freeze them, you can just bag them and freeze them.
Note: As much as we love to see your smiling faces at our farm, we do not offer PYO blueberries.
Your Rochon Garden CSA Share
If you are a full or half-share member, here's what you will see in this week's box:
Kohrabi
Cabbage
Kale
Beans
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Kirby cucumbers
Carrots
Blueberries
Onion
Celery
Broccoli
Garlic
If you are a lite-share member, here's what you will see in this week's box:
Kolhrabi
Kale
Zucchini
Kirby cucumber
Celery
Carrots
Blueberries
Garlic
What do you do with carrot tops?
Did you know that carrot tops are edible? Don't send these greens to the compost, try them in a recipe! CSA member Rachelle D sent us the delicious recipe below, give it a try!
Rachelle's Carrot Top and Red Lentil Dal
“Not a classic dal, but a good way to use carrot tops 😋 #vegetarian #vegan”
Serves 2, or 4 as a side
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil 1 tsp cumin seeds (I used ground cumin) 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2 cm chunk of ginger, peeled and grated (I used 1 tsp ground ginger) 1 cup red lentils, rinsed well 1 cup carrot tops, chopped well 1/2 tsp ground turmeric Generous pinch of salt Generous pinch of chili flakes (I used very little chili powder, and red pepper flakes) 3 cups water (I used less, as we like ours thicker) 1/4 tsp garam masala (I used: cumin, coriander, cardamom, pinch allspice) Juice of 1/2 lemon (I used 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
Directions
Heat the oil on a medium heat. (Add the cumin seeds and cook for a few minutes). Add the garlic (and ginger). Sauté for 5-10 mins. Add the lentils, carrot tops, turmeric, salt and chili. Add the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-25 mins. 5 mins before it’s done, stir in the garam masala. When it’s ready, stir in the lemon juice and enjoy 😋
Rachelle’s way:
I altered ingredients as mentioned above, to suit what I had on hand. I, therefore, skipped cooking the cumin seeds and sauteeing the fresh ginger. I quadrupled the recipe to suit the volume of carrot tops I had, and to make it last 2 meals for a family of 6! ;)
Served on a bed of jasmine rice, topped with fresh parsley from the herb garden, with a side of toasted garlic naan.
Delicious, inexpensive, simple, healthy... And a hit! :)
Do you have a recipe you want to share? Send it to us at info@jardinrochongarden.ca and it could be featured in an issue of What's 🌱 at Rochon Garden.
Summer Squash
They go by many names, summer squash, vegetable marrow, patty pan. The most common is the zucchini. Yes, these funny-looking vegetables are a type of zucchini.
The easiest way to prepare a patty pan is to flash fry it in a pan. To do this, trim both ends of the patty pan and then cut them in half. Over medium to high heat, heat olive oil. Once the oil has a shimmer, add you patty pans and sautee for 3 min, add salt and pepper to taste. Just before you remove the patty pans from the heat, add chopped fresh tarragon. The tarragon and patty pans make for a really nice flavour combination.
Savory Zucchini Cheddar Quick Bread
A savory quick, one bowl, bread that's full of fresh zucchini and cheddar! Make this to go with soups, salads or toast it up for a delicious breakfast!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Rochon Garden zucchini, grated
2 cups all-purpose white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vinegar, white or apple cider
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
2 green onions, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 5 bread pan with non-stick spray.
Wrap grated zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze until some of the liquid releases. You don't need to completely dry it out. Just a tablespoon of liquid or so.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a small bowl, combine milk and vinegar. The milk will curdle a bit. (you just made homemade buttermilk!) Mix in melted butter and egg.
Add milk mixture to dry mixture being careful not to over mix. (over mixing will make for a low rising bread).
Add grated zucchini, cheese and onions. Mixing lightly until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
If toothpick inserted comes out clean, bread is done! Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove carefully and cool on wire rack.