May 27th Memorial Day Market & CSA Pick-up #2!

May 20th was the very first CSA pick-up and the very first time we have ever done a CSA. We would like to thank our members for supporting us! We were sure to pack them extra special bags.

Each member’s bag was filled to the rim with Black Creek Farm’s very best! A couple of our CSA members were so excited, they couldn’t wait to post the pictures of their food!

These pictures were taken by two different CSA members! One member pulled out her food and displayed it gorgeously! She is a friend of mine, and I am telling you, that is her talent! Another member used to be a chef in a restaurant and whipped up this awesome salad for his wife and kids! We love our members and love the pictures they take of our food in their kitchens! Matt and I both work so hard to provide high quality food, to see folks love our food so much they post pictures makes us very happy!

Memorial Day Market it one of our favorites! It is the kick-off to summer cook-outs and celebrations! We will be sending our very best to market to help you with your celebrations. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Our CSA folks will receive a bag full of our best goodies! In your bag, you will find our field green mix which the same field greens served at Rappahanock Restaurant and Juleps in Richmond! You will also find our Japanese turnips, spicy microgreens, radishes, tatsoi, kale, and green garlic. I am sure as Matt is packing your bags, he will add another surprise for you! Since I want to get this blog out to you early and harvest is less than a week away, we are not sure what is going to be at its best to harvest until that magical day!

Here are some recipes to help you out with what is in your CSA bag or what our non-CSA customers would like to purchase from us at market.

First of all, let’s talk about BREAKFAST! Matt is the master of kale, and I seriously eat it every day in my smoothies. I drink one on the way to work each morning as my breakfast! Yes, I even eat greens in the morning!

It is so easy! I use a Ninja Blender that has a single serve attachment to it. I put in about 2 leaves of kale ripped up (I don’t use the stem), about 3/4 of a cup of frozen blueberries, a banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter (the protein will keep you energized), a spoonful of chia seeds, a cup of unsweetened almond milk, and a half a cup of ice. It s so good! I know many of you may use some protein powders like Beachbody. I have tried the Beachbody Vanilla and it works nicely in these smoothies. Of course, you can eat it just the way it is still awesome.

Matt’s kale field is absolutely beautiful! Kale is considered a power food so I find ways to incorporate it in my diet daily!

So that’s breakfast! I also like to make a power LUNCH (This is also a quick and easy dinner, I like to serve it with naan bread triangles (Indian flat bread you can get in the bakery section of any grocery store). Since I am a principal by day with lots of evening events, I usually use my Sunday’s to prep my lunches. So I am making a Quinoa, Garbanzo Bean, and Spicy Microgreen salad for my lunches. It is so easy, first I boil a can of chicken broth and add a cup of quinoa to it. I let it sit for about 20 minutes and then when the liquid is absorbed, I put it in a bowl to let it cool to room temperature. Once it is cooled, I mix in a can of drained chickpeas, a tub of spicy microgreens, I then take some crumbled up feta (the best feta ever is at market and is made by Goats R Us Cheese), they are literally right across from us at market), cheery tomatoes halved and mix them up. I then make a dressing of 1/4 cup of good olive oil, 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. I mix it all up and put them in my lunch containers. It is so easy! You can actually add any veggis you would like to this mix. I also added some strawberries and a nonfat plain greek yogurt that I added some honey to.

So, CSA folks, we have used your kale and microgreens. You also have my very favorite tatsoi in your bag! Last week, I told you to cook it, this week I am telling you to chop it up and serve it like a salad stems and all! Grill some chicken breasts and slice them nicely and place them on the tatsoi, take some crumbled goat cheese (Goats R Us Cheese has the best!) and slice up some of those awesome radishes and place them on top. I prefer homemade dressings. With this dish, you want simplicity so take 3 tablespoons of golden balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons of good olive oil, a tablespoon of chopped green garlic, a teaspoon of honey, a teaspoon of water, a dash of kosher salt and pepper to taste and put it all in a mason jar and give it a shake! Serve it with your salad. You will love it!

Unfortunately, last week the Japanese Turnips weren’t quite ready to bring to market or to put in the CSA bags. They are coming this week! I love them roasted! Just quarter them and toss them in olive oil and salt and pepper and roast them at about 400 for about 30 minutes. This time of year, the tops are wonderful so don’t waste them! Heat up some olive oil and some chopped up green garlic and then chop up the turnip leaves and sauté them until they wilt. They will wilt quickly. Serve them with some fresh baked flounder and you have a wonderfully healthy dinner!