Blackberries

Tatsoi Greens

The mild, mustardy leaves often show up in mixed salad greens, so — surprise! — you’re probably already acquainted with tat soi. What’s so great about this green? Once you track it down, (aliases include tat soy, tat soi, broadbeak mustard, spoon mustard, spinach mustard, and rosette bok choy), it’ll quickly become one of the most versatile green vegetables you know. Far better than spinach in flavor and benefits, tat soi uses vary from Asian dishes to simple salads.

Rutabaga Pie

Ingredients

• 4 medium Yukon-gold potatoes, peeled and very-thinly sliced with a mandoline
• 4 small (I found baby ones) OR 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and very-thinly sliced with a mandoline
• 1 large tart apple, peeled, cored and quartered, very-thinly sliced with a mandoline
• 1 small red onion, peeled and very-thinly sliced with a mandoline
• 3 sprigs of thyme, stems removed
• salt and freshly-cracked pepper
• 1/2 cup soy-based cream or creamer
• canola spray
• 2 tsp grapeseed oil or canola oil

Instructions

1. Set out four medium-sized bowls. In the first, thinly slice all four potatoes. In the second, thinly slice the rutabaga. In the third, thinly slice the onion. And in the fourth, thinly slice the apple quarters.
2. Drizzle  a little soycream into each bowl.  Sprinkle and toss each bowl of vegetables & drizzled soycream with some of the thyme also salting and peppering contents of each bowl.
3. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Place a layer of potatoes int the bottom, shingling them over one another; then a thin layer of onions; then rutabaga, then apple. Repeat until all of the vegetables are shingled in to the pan. Pour any residual soycream over the pave.
4. Spray canola oil spray over a second sheet of aluminum foil. Tightly cover the pan with the second sheet of foil.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Place the filled pave pan on a baking sheet. Take a second 8-inch square pan and press this, bottom-side down into the top of the filled pave pan. Place an oven proof weight in the second pan, or on top of the pan.
6. Bake the pave at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest–still weighted– for 2 hours on a baking rack. Refrigerate–still weighted–for another two hours or, until you are ready to use the pave. (You can make this and refrigerate it for up to two days before you want to serve it.)
7. When ready to serve, Remove the pave from the pan by inverting the pan onto a platter or cutting board. NOTE: There will be some liquid/juices that come out, too so be ready to sop these up with a towel. Peel off the aluminum foil. Cut into serving-sized squares. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the pave squares until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and fry again on the bottom side. Serve as a side dish.

Mashed Rutabagas Recipe

Tatsoi & Tofu Recipe

Gingery Sauteed Tat-Soi with Tofu Steaks
Serves 2

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into “steaks”
1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
2 small bunches of tat-soi
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

In a small bowl whisk all ingredients from soy sauce through cayenne pepper.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Add tofu steaks; cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet. Add remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil to skillet; add tat soi; once wilted, add sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook just until sauce slightly thickens.

Divide greens on plates. Top with half of the tofu. Drizzle with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Mandarin Asparagus Salad Recipe

• INGREDIENTS:
  

  2 1/2 cups diagonally sliced asparagus 2 cups rinsed, dried and torn endive leaves 2 large oranges, sliced into rounds 1 red onion, thinly sliced

  1/3 cup raspberry vinegar 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon orange juice 1 tablespoon white sugar salt and pepper to taste

  DIRECTIONS:

  1.	To a large pot of boiling water, add the asparagus. Blanch for 1 minute; drain, and plunge asparagus into a bowl of cold water. Drain again and dry.
  2.	In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, endive, oranges, and red onion.
  3.	Whisk together the raspberry vinegar, canola oil, orange juice, sugar and salt and pepper. Add dressing to the asparagus endive mixture; toss well and serve.

Pineapple Fish Recipe

Tatsoi Curry Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 ounces Asian dark green tatsoi
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon water
•  coarse salt
•  lime

Roasted Squash Recipe

Sauteed Tatsoi

Autumn Squash Salad Recipe

Rutabaga & Carrot Soup

Pineapple Chicken Recipe

• Ingredients

  • 8 Chicken Thighs, Bone in, Skin on
  • zest and juice from 2 limes
  • 2 Tsp Chilli Powder
  • 2 Cups diced pineapple
  • 1 English Cucumber, diced (1/4 inch cubes)
  • 1/4 Cup Parsley
  • Kosher Salt & Ground Pepper
  Instructions

  1. Place oven rack about 4 inches from the top
  2. Heat broiler (I set mine to high)
  3. In a small bowl, combine lime zest, chilli powder and salt
  4. Season the chicken with the zesty rub
  5. On a rimmed baking tray, place chicken skin side down
  6. Broil for 5 minutes
  7. Flip so that the skin side is up, broil for 10 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through
  8. In a medium bowl, combine lime juice, pineapple, cucumber and parsley
  9. Serve the chicken with the salad

Kale and Shrimp Recipe

Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad Recipe

Grilled Wahoo & Cucumber Recipe

For the salad:

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger (from about a 2- to 3-inch piece)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 Thai bird chile, stemmed and minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 kirby cucumber (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

For the wahoo:

• 4 (1-inch-thick) sushi-grade wahoo steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Vegetable oil, for oiling the wahoo and the grill
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Tatsoi Noodle Soup

Grilled Mahi Sliders Recipe

Lettuce and tomatoe with homemade tartar sauce is a great way to enjoy Mahi Sliders.  But, Cheddar, Pineapple and Jalepeno Salsa is great too!  

Ingredients:

Mahi Mahi filets, about 6 oz each- 2
Fresh pineapple diced
Jalapeno- 2 med (can use just one, depending on your hot preference)
Onion- 1/8 (about 1/4 cup minced)
1 tbsp Honey
Slider Pretzel Buns or Sliced and grilled Pumpernickel
White Cheddar Aged- 4 1/8 in slices
Sea salt/Pepper

Directions: 

Turn on the grill or fire up your grill to medium high heat and allow to get hot.  Rinse the jalepenos and Mahi Mahi.  Slice the filets in half or about 2-3 oz portions.  Set aside.

Add the diced pineapple, onion, honey, to a mixing bowl.  Stir and set aside. Place the jalapenos on the grill and cover.  Allow the peppers to char on all sides.

Once sufficiently roasted and the skin begins to blister away, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Set aside.

Season the grill with a little olive oil or other mild flavor oil.  Place the filets on the grill.  Place sliced buns on the top rack. Cover and cook for approximately 4 minutes.

Check for grill marks and firmness on the bottom, and flip the filets.  Cook again for another 4 minutes or until fish is firm but not dry.  Buns should be nice and toasty.

Remove from heat and set aside.  Unwrap the grilled jalepenos and run under cold water.  Remove blistered skin from the pepper, and remove innards.   When peppers are peeled, julienne them and then dice them.  Add to the pineapple mixture.  Mix well.

Assemble the sliders.  Place a Mahi filet on the bottom half of a bun, add the sliced cheddar and a heaping spoonful of the salsa.  Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy!

Organic Farming News

Organic production may still represent only a small fraction of agricultural sales in the U.S. and worldwide, but it as been growing rapidly over the last two decades.

“According to the latest global census of farming practices, the area of land certified as organic makes up less than one percent of global agricultural land.”

– but it has grown more than threefold since 1999, with upwards of 37 million hectares of land worldwide now under organic cultivation. The Organic Trade Association forecasts steady growth of nine percent or more annually for organic agriculture in the foreseeable future.

But despite this growth, no one expects organic agriculture to top conventional techniques any time soon. The biggest hurdle for organics is the added cost of sustainable practices. “The cost of organic food is higher than that of conventional food because the organic price tag more closely reflects the true cost of growing the food,” reports the Organic Farming Research Foundation. “The intensive management and labor used in organic production are frequently (though not always) more expensive than the chemicals routinely used on conventional farms.”

However, there is evidence that if the indirect costs of conventional food production–such as the impact on public health of chemicals released into our air and water–were factored in, non-organic foods would cost the same or as much as organic foods.

Another challenge facing the organic sector is a shortage of organic raw materials such as grain, sugar and livestock feed. Without a steady supply of these basics, organic farmers can’t harvest enough products to make their businesses viable.

Fresh Florida Black Grouper $18.95/lb

Fresh Local Wahoo $12.95/lb

Fresh Chilean Sea Bass $19.95/lb

Fresh Florida Mahi Mahi $10.95/lb

Florida Jumbo Shrimp $12.95/lb

Organic Ribeye Steak $22.95/lb

Whole Approximately Weight/Cost  12oz/$17.00
One of the more flavorful cuts of natural grass fed beef. Its marbling makes this very good for slow roasting and it also goes well on a grill cooked to any degree. Natural Grass Fed Beef is much lower in fat and tastier too!

Organic Tri-Tips Steak $12.95/lb

Whole Approximately Weight/Cost   2 lbs/$25.00
The tri-tip steak is full of flavor because of excellent marbling and very tender too.  It comes from the Bottom Sirloin and is known for its tenderness, full flavor and lower fat content. Natural Grass Fed Beef is lower in cholesterol!

Organic Sirlion Tips $12.95/lb

Whole Approximately Weight/Cost   2-3 lbs/$30.00
An extension of the T-bone and Porterhouse steaks, Sirlion Tips meat is officially part of the short loin section, where Filet Mignon comes from, a wonderful cut of meat that grills to perfection. Natural Grass Fed Beef is high in Omega 3!