Last market a wonderful thing happened!  Our 9 year old son was a market musician.  He has been taking piano for a year and loves it.  He wanted to give it a try and Karen and Doug, the market managers, let him.

Our son has been coming to market since he was 2!!!  The folks who are at market have embraced him and encouraged his creativity and artistic expression.  He said he was very nervous but even the market customer’s encouraged him.  I feel so lucky to be a part of this loving community.

This week, we are full on in to garlic scape season!  Garlic scapes are the flower bud of the hard neck garlic plant.  They taste mild and sweet and sweet with an unmistakable garlic flavor.

We have customers buy them by the handfuls and freeze them.  We have had other customers make pesto out of them, freeze it to save for later.  They are certainly a great treat if only for a short time.

If you are wondering what will be in our Farm Share Members Bags, here you go:

• Broccoli 

• Squash

• Radish 

• Fava Beans

• Field Green Mix

• Tatsoi

• Tokyo Bekana

• Scapes

Here is my farmhouse menu:

Monday:  Broccoli and Chicken Stir Fry

I love a good stir fry!  It is so easy and fast to make.  I will add some garlic scapes to this stir fry.  You will be so happy!

This is also something I make on Sunday’s for lunches for the week if you all meal prep.  I always use brown rice with it, the recipe doesn’t call for it but it sure does add a lot to the meal.  My theory is, if you eat clean  every day and work out, you will get down to your natural size and feel great and full!

Tuesday:  PF Chang Copy Cat Lettuce Wraps

No lie, this is sooooooo good.  You can serve this two ways, atop a chopped salad or as lettuce wraps.  You will use your Tokyo Bekana with this recipe.  Remember the Tokyo Bekana looks like this:

It has a nice romaine lettuce taste that pairs so well with this recipe.  Our son loves to eat these as wraps and they are sooooooo good!  You can sautee your garlic scapes with this recipe instead of garlic.  You will love the subtle taste.

For those of you who love watching food videos, here is a how-to from the recipe’s author:

 

I absolutely love her recipes!  I post this one every year when we have nice greens!  This being done in 20 minutes is a BONUS!!!

Wednesday: Fava Bean Quinoa Salad

This week you will have fava beans in your Farm Share!  What an amazing treat!  This is the first time Matt has grown them so I have been searching high and low for a great recipe!

The fava pods are not edible at this stage, so you will need to shell the beans.  The beans are tender, with a sweet, mild grassy flavor. The beans are similar in shape to a lima bean.  This is how I plan on serving them:

The quinoa will give you plenty of protein.  I will serve this atop our Field Greens!  This is so fresh and clean you will feel good after eating it!

Thursday:  Halibut with Spring Onion and Summer Squash Saute 

This is another quick easy clean and healthy recipe!  It is perfect for a week night!

This time of year, fresh squash is just incredible.  When something is so good, I prefer to cook it simply.  This recipe allows you to savor the flavor of late spring!  It is also a quick weeknight dinner, what I need!

Friday:  Crispy Salmon on Tatsoi with Spicy Thai Sauce and Roasted Radishes

I absolutely love Thai food!  If you are looking for the best Thai in Richmond, stop by Pad Thai on Meadowbridge Road in Mechanicsvile.  It is a sweet restaurant owned and run by a sweet Thai family.  They are just awesome.  You won’t be disappointed!

Tatsoi is one of my favorite greens!  It tastes like spinach without the bitter aftertaste.  When sautéed, it holds its shape nicely.  It can also be eaten raw like a salad.  The stems are fabulous unlike spinach, they taste just like bok choy, so use them!

But, if you are settled in your house,  and want to eat some tatsoi, try this out.  It is another quick fast recipe, what I crave!  It will take you 20 minutes max!

Be sure to saute some radishes just prior to adding in the tatsoi for an added great flavor!  If you have garlic scapes left, use them in this as well!  You will love it!

We are looking forward to seeing you at the South of the James Farmer’s Market next Saturday from 8-12.  We are there rain or shine!