Week 11 and the Sweetness of Summer

Hi everyone,
Hope you're all doing well. The days aren't quite as long and the nights are getting cooler. I always have mixed feelings this time of year- I love the beauty of fall and watching the seasons change, but it's sad to see summer fade. It rushes so quickly to its peak of growth and color and vitality, but no sooner does it get there, than it begins to fade away. At Lucky Moon, we took out a bunch of the broccoli and cauliflower plants today. All those plants that produced such beautiful heads of green or white now are old and decaying. It's over so quickly! But they all got chopped up and added to one of the compost piles which in turn will be added back to the fields to feed the soil for next year's crops. Cue the Elton John "The Circle of Life!" Are you hearing him belt out that chorus in your head? Perhaps a bit over the top for the compost pile...

Anyways, you have wonderful bags of veggies this week:
Sweet Corn
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Swiss Chard
Yellow onion
Sweet Peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Carrots (orange, white and purple: "Mokum, White Satin and Purple Haze")
Basil
Bronze fennel (the single frond)
Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes

Pretty nice week, if you ask me :>)
Here are a couple recipes to try:

Swiss Chard with Chick Peas (aka Garbanzo beans) and Fresh Tomatoes from Allrecipes.com Serves 4
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot or small onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chickpeas, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 lemon, juiced

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Stir in shallot/onion and scallions. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir in garbanzo beans, season with salt and pepper, and heat through.
2) Place chopped chard in the skillet, and cook until wilted. Add tomato slices, squeeze lemon juice over greens and heat through. Serve immediately.

Zucchini & Carrots with Walnuts
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 medium zucchini (or any summer squash)
2 large carrots, peeled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

1)Toast the walnuts in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat (or in the oven- check your basic cookbook) stirring often, 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Tip out onto a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
2) Halve the zucchini lengthwise and cut the halves crosswise in two. Cut each piece into thin strips lengthwise. (I didn't write that- just copying from a recipe, I promise)
3) Use a vegetable peeler to cut long strips from the carrots (save the cores to use in another dish)
4) Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often, for 3 minutes or until nearly tender. Add the zucchini and cook, tossing, for another 3-4 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with the walnuts.


I'd love love love to hear what you're doing with your vegetables! Don't worry about sending a whole recipe, just send me a note with a few things you've done that you particularly liked-
my email is luckymoonfm@gmail.com
Thanks and enjoy summer to the last drop!
Sarah, for Lucky Moon Farm