Florida Organic Produce Delivery
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COLD WEATHER NOTICE!

Many of you may already be aware that California and parts of Mexico have been experiencing severe cold and freezing conditions. This has had a major impact on our local and regional growers who are working hard to fill the gaps of damaged or delayed growth for many items that are usually plentiful at this time of year. These items include lettuces, broccoli, greens, and potatoes. From speaking with our growers, we know that there will be severe shortages and rising prices on items that have been impacted by the extreme weather. We are, at My Organic Food Club, working hard with over fifteen local growers to ensure that our customers are supplied with the best quality product available in the marketplace.

Florida Strawberries

Strawberries provide a generous amount of Vitamin C,potassium, and dietary fiber and are being recognized in the medical world as a “super fruit” because of their high antioxidant level and ability to help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Produce List for the week of January, 21-25 2013:

* Lettuce Green Leaf (Fl)
* Greens-Red Chard (Fl)
* Carrots Bunny Juice
* Arugula (Fl)
* Baby Bok Choy (Fl)
* Beets Red Root
* Pepper Orange
* Garlic White
* Potato Sweet Jewel
* Avocado Hass
* Tomato Slicer (Fl)
* Squash Green Acorn
* Mango Kent
* Apples Pinata
* Grapefruit Ruby (Fl)
* Bananas
* Strawberries (Fl)
* Orange Hamlin (Fl)

Arugula

Arugula is considered an herb, a salad green and even a leaf vegetable, making it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. Arugula is a spicy little leaf, which some describe as bitter and others characterize as having a “peppery-mustardy” flavor. Because it is so potent on its own, it is often mixed with milder greens to produce a nice balanced salad. It can also be sauteed in olive oil.
The smooth dark green spiky leaves resemble dandelion leaves.
Like most salad greens,Arugula is very low in calories and is high in vitamins A and C.It is also a very good source of dietary fiber.

Sweet Potato

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid), vitamin C, vitamin B₆, manganese and potassium.

Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value of all vegetables. Despite the name “sweet”, it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.

Sweet Potato Burgers

2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp maple or agave syrup
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
1/4 cup wheat flour
optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand – I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)
salt to taste if needed
plentiful Panko crumbs
safflower oil for pan

Add To Sweet Potato Burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.

2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs – or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings.

Sweet Potato Salad

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 bunches watercress (12 ounces total) with the stems trimmed, or substitute any lettuce
4 ounces feta, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks on upper and lower thirds. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast on upper rack, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway through.

On another rimmed baking sheet, toss walnuts with cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon oil. Bake on lower rack, until golden, 6 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Add watercress, or other lettuce of choice and toss to combine. Serve topped with sweet potatoes, walnuts, and feta.

Sweet Potato Dessert Recipe

Mashed sweet potatoes aren’t just a tasty side dish — they also make an easy sweet potato dessert with only about 15 minutes of preparation and a little bit of love…

1 tablespoon butter, plus more for souffle dish
Sugar, for souffle dish
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup Mashed Sweet Potatoes
3 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt
Whipped cream, (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish; dust with sugar.
In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add flour, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk; simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; mix in sweet potatoes and egg yolks. Stir in maple syrup and nutmeg, and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of whites into sweet potato mixture; using a rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining whites. Pour mixture into prepared dish; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until puffed, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately, with whipped cream, if desired.

Grilled Sweet Potato

3 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat grill to medium. Peel sweet potatoes, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Toss potatoes in a large bowl with oil, thyme, and cayenne pepper; season with salt and black pepper.
Grill potatoes, turning frequently, until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes.
Return grilled potatoes to bowl; add butter, and break potatoes into large pieces with the side of a spoon. Toss in scallions, and serve.

Sweet Potato Vegetable Salad

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup green beans par boiled or cooked
1/2 cup diced squash or zucchini
1/3 cup walnuts
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
1 head (10 ounces) red-leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together sweet potatoes, onion, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add green beans, squash and walnuts to sheet; toss. Roast until green beans and squash are tender, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, vinegar, and garlic; season dressing with salt and pepper. Top lettuce with roasted vegetable mixture; drizzle with dressing.

Sweet Potato Soup

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (3 or 4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dry sherry (optional)
4 cups vegetable broth, homemade or canned
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 small tart apple (4 ounce) peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped mint, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, turning once, or until potatoes are very soft. When cool enough to handle, scoop cooked potato out of the skins. Discard skins.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add sherry (if using), sweet potato, and broth; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until flavors have blended.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Combine batches in a clean pot. The soup should be thick. (If you prefer a thinner soup, add water or a little more broth.) Taste and adjust seasoning.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, honey, and curry powder to a boil. Add apple; stir for 1 minute and remove from heat. To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, add a spoonful of apples, a spoonful of yogurt, and a sprinkle of mint.

Baked Sweet Potato Falafel Recipe

Not only is this dish baked instead of fried, the sweet potato gives it that sweet kick that tastes amazing with the coriander, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Added bonus: Coriander is a natural diuretic that improves digestion and helps the body get rid of waste—essential for weight loss.

2 medium sweet potatoes (orange inside), around 700g or 1 1/2 pounds in total
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 small cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 big handfuls of fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
a scant cup (120g) gram /chickpea flour
a splash of olive oil
a sprinkling of sesame seeds
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees (220C) and roast the sweet potatoes whole until just tender – 45 minutes to 1 hour. Turn off the oven, leave the potatoes to cool, then peel.

Put the sweet potatoes, cumin, garlic, ground and fresh coriander, lemon juice and gram/chickpea flour into a large bowl. Season well, and mash until smooth with no large chunks. Stick in the fridge to firm up for an hour, or the freezer for 20-30 minutes. When you take it out, your mix should be sticky rather than really wet. You can add a tablespoon or so more of chickpea flour if necessary (the water content of sweet potatoes varies enormously).

Reheat the oven to 400F/200C. Using a couple of soup spoons (put a well-heaped spoonful of mix in one spoon and use the concave side of the other to shape the sides) or a falafel scoop if you have one, make the mixture into falafelly looking things and put them on an oiled tray. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until the bases are golden brown.

Makes about 18 falafel, enough for 4 – 6.

An “Egg”Cellent Baked Sweet Potato

The following recipe will change your life. It will also cause you to exclaim, “why didn’t I think of this before?!”
Behold: An ‘Egg’cellent Baked Sweet Potato
Perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just ‘cuz
You’ll need:

1 sweet potato
2 real eggs
A little buttah
salt and pepper

First, bake your sweet potato. Here’s a simple method I use: pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork. Microwave for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake about 10-15 minutes.

Your potato is now soft on the inside. Cut it in half and scoop out some of the sweet potato on each half, forming a tiny bowl. Now break for a bit and enjoy a little snack with the scooped out potato flesh! I like drizzling mine with ketchup

Drop a bit of buttah into each hole and cover with a cracked egg.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Season with salt and pepper. Attack and enjoy the sweet, eggy, carby goodness.

ENJOY!

If you don’t like sweet potatoes, this recipe is just as yummy with a good ‘ol Idaho!

You’re welcome.

Organic Produce Buying Club Weekly Food Share

Florida Organic Produce Delivery Buying Club Food Share: