Sunday, June 20, 2010

Week 5, June 22nd and 25th

Happy Father's Day, Dora!!!

Saturday Dudley's eggs cracked open and 7 little ducks popped out! They are too cute : ) Be sure to say hello to them, but please move slowly and don't crowd her too much, she is very protective and nervous. Dora is so proud.

After you see the baby ducks, head up to the house barn to see the baby turkeys. They arrived on Thursday and are super cute as well. Please be careful of their pole holding up the heat lamps...it's a little precarious.

Veggie of the Week: The Radish


Some of you may recall a slew of radishes around this time last year, well here we are again. Can you believe an entire year has gone by since you ate a fresh radish?!! I do not grow loads of them just to say I have vegetables to give you though. They are said to be a great companion plant to squashes, helping to keep squash bugs away. So this is why they are a little alter than early spring too...I do not plant them until I seed my winter squash which is done after frost danger. (That is what the following photo is...an interplanting of winter squash and radish.)
How do I eat them? Of course everyone knows a raw radish can go in a salad, but did you know you can eat the greens cooked too?
What is the nutritional value?
  • Radishes have high contents of vitamin C, which is a well-known cancer-preventing antioxidant element.
  • The greens (leaves) of radish contain 6 times the vitamin C normally found in the root. Also the leaves have substantial quantity of iron, calcium, and thiamine.
  • As radishes are a good source of potassium, folic acid, and molybdenum, it provides energy at the cellular level, develops the nervous system, and also functions the kidneys.
  • Radishes help in relieving constipation as it contains high amounts of carbohydrates. It aids in digestion and improves liver health, as the sulfur-based phytochemicals help induce bile secretion.
  • Also, with the presence of potassium, radishes aid in better kidney and urinary tract health.
  • If you are on a diet plan, consuming radish on a daily basis can help you lose weight. It contains very low calories, makes you feel full without eating too much, and has high amounts of water contents.
How do I store them? I like to wash them, remove the tops (store those separate) and place the roots in a container with a lid--it's like a mini crisper!

Be sure to check out last year's blogs for recipes too--there are great greens recipes (Greens Pasta Pie), a radish dip to die for as well as a radish top soup!!!
This week's loot: lettuce, radish, the last of the hakureis (for now), tat soi, pac choi, spinach, beet greens, scapes, oregano, strawberries?
Next week's loot: lettuce, greens, baby carrots, shell peas?
Recipes: Sauteed Radishes and Sugar Snaps with Dill (I don't have all of the ingredients yet for this recipe, but I will and I just didn't want to miss putting it out there, it sounded so good!) Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2004
1 tablespoon butter1
tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
2 cups thinly sliced radishes (about 1 large bunch)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add sugar snap peas, cook for one to two minutes, and radishes sauteing until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Add orange juice and dill seeds; stir 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped dill. Transfer to bowl; serve.
Greens PieKendallScottWellness.com
Holistic Health Coaching
1 large bunch greens, de-stemmed, washed and chopped (kale, collards, swiss chard)
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (or approx. 1 tsp)
6-8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled or chopped into small pieces
5-6 large mushrooms, chopped
3 eggs
1 cup brown rice
¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
􀂃 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
􀂃 Cook brown rice in water until water is absorbed. Spread rice in bottom and about
one inch up sides of pie plate or any glass/ceramic dish. Use hands or spoon to
press firmly to create the “crust.”
􀂃 Blanch greens in hot water for about one minute, drain water, then place in bowl.
(This step can be skipped, and greens can be added to mixture raw.)
􀂃 Add all other ingredients to greens in bowl and stir until everything is coated with
egg.
􀂃 Pour mixture over rice and sprinkle top with pine nuts.
􀂃 Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes. The top should just begin to turn
golden brown.
􀂃 Cut and serve like pie.
Yields 6-8 servings
Also try adding: diced tomatoes, scallions, peppers, tofu, pre-cooked beans, pumpkin
seeds, chicken, ham, diced parsnips, turnips or carrots.
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