Sunday, July 21, 2013

Featuring Butternut Squash and Edamame!

This week's CSA bucket contains a few items we have been eager to harvest. They may be a little unfamiliar to you, but  I am sure you have either  seen  them in a store or on a restaurant menu.  The first, butternut squash, is a gourd which is typically harvested in the fall.  We wanted to harvest just a few so you could try them out! Butternut squash is delicious paired with apple and pureed into a fall soup. Since it is still hot and summery and a hot soup may not be what you want to cook, you may like to try Roasted Butternut Squash with Apple Cider Vinaigrette . We made it over the weekend and it was delicious!  We substituted red leaf lettuce for the arugula the recipe calls for and found it quite nice! If you want to hang onto your squash for a while, don't refrigerate it but instead store it in a bowl on your kitchen counter. It should last at least a month. To learn more about butternut squash and its amazing nutritional value, follow this link.



The second veggie to share with you is edamame. Edamame is basically a young soybean. They are easy to cook, and fun to eat!  And  because they are loaded with fiber, protein, and vitamins A and C, they are good for you too! Check out this edamame site for more nutritional  information.

The easiest way to cook fresh edamame is to put the whole pods in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Drain the water and then  put the whole pods in a serving bowl. Sprinkle the pods with coarse salt. To eat , squeeze the beans from the pods straight into your mouth. Edamame makes a great appetizer served warm. To enjoy the beans on a salad, cook the pods as described above. Once cooled, squeeze the beans from the pod and refrigerate until ready to toss into your favorite salad.


We hope you enjoy the harvest this week. In addition to butternut squash and edamame, you will have silver queen corn, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, fresh herbs, and summer flowers! The summer harvest is at its peak, and we are so happy to be sharing the bounty of the garden with you!



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