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Showing posts from January, 2012

Stir-fried Broccoli

2 heads of broccoli 2 Tablespoons California Olive Oil 2 green onions, cut into bite-sized sections 1 1/2 Teaspoons Bragg's liquid amino acids 2 Tablespoons crushed macadamias 1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil For more information about Bragss: http://www.bragg.com/products/la.html Break your broc into florets, and slice the stems thinly on a diagonal. Heat your wok or skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Stir in broccoli and onions and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes or so. Lower heat and drizzle Braggs over your stir fry for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with macadamias and flaxseed oil and serve.

Basic Avocado Tuna Salad

Here's another quick fix! Usually prepared using the 7-8 ounce canned tuna, I encourage everyone to try baking their own tuna and preparing this recipe fresh. It's amazing, and super fast and easy. Trader Joe's sells a respectable frozen, vacuum-packed Ahi tuna which is great in this recipe. Bake with a little lime juice at 350 until white and flaky. Don't overcook. You can fork it into flakes, or use your Cuisinart for a lightning speed blend. Don't overdo the Cuisinart action or you'll have tuna pate. 2 regular sized cans of tuna, which are sold in 7-8 ounce units, or bake your own from scratch as recommended above 1 ripe avocado dash of lime juice for both baking the tuna (unless you are using canned) and for the salad 3 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley 3 Tablespoons finely chopped green onions 2 cups spinach/mizuna greens salt and pepper to taste Mash avocado with lime juice. Gently mix in flaked tuna and blend in parsley and onions. Serve over spinach

Broccoli/Spinach Macadamia Dusted Frittata

Okay, frittata sounds fancy, but it's just Italy's answer to an omelette and is a quick and easy way to whip up a healthy meal in no time. For the record, the primary difference between a quiche and a frittata is the quiche has a crust, and the frittata doesn't. Additionally, quiche is traditionally served warm, and the frittata is traditionally served warm or at room temperature. I'm not sure I'm all over a room temperature egg dish, but that's just me.... Here's a base recipe, feel free to add other things you have to the mix: 1 Tablespoon California Olive Oil or butter 2 broccoli crowns 2 cups chopped spinach 1/2 cup pitted ripe olives; halved 6 organic eggs, lightly beaten 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley Salt and pepper to taste Dash of Tabasco or Frank's Hot Sauce 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese 2 Tablespoons finely ground macadamia dust Preheat oven to 350. Butter or oil a 9 inch round pie pan. Put the veggies in the pan, and pou

Harvest Ticket January 31st-Feb. 1 Page One

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Harvest Ticket January 31st-Feb. 1st 2012 Page Two

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Harvest Ticket, January 24-25 2012

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Harvest Ticket Jan. 24-25 2012

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Harvest Ticket January 17-18 2012...Page One

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Harvest Ticket January 17-18 2012...Page Two

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What's New In January 2012

So, we're finally cracking out our macadamia nuts this week. The harvest, considering HALF the farm is planted to macs, is disappointing, as I've mentioned before due to squirrels running amok on our organic farm. There is NO organic solutions, and this year our CCOF inspector point blank suggested we give up, as others have. We're accepting defeat and will start chain sawing the West grove this week. We'll maintain the East grove, in the hopes that someday a solution will arrive, or until we need the land for something more productive. We plan on planting olive trees in the West grove. This week is pretty much the last of our persimmons, you'll find only one each in the large shares. I'm trying to dry the ones left on the trees that are overripe. You'll begin to see an avocado or two in boxes most weeks now for a while. The greenhouse is rapidly filling up with our heirloom tomato starts. I can't believe it's that time of year again! We moved our s

Candied Kumquats

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This is such a simple recipe, and the results are amazing. Even if you disdain fresh kumquats, this concoction is worth a try. Ingredients: 1 pound of kumquats or so, cut in half and seeds flicked out. 1 cup water 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon of a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves In saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Boil for 3 or 4 minutes, which will thicken the sugar mixture to a syrup. Add fruit and spices. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove kumquats from the mixture. Continue to cook the syrup to about half what you started with, then pour over fruit, jar and refrigerate.

Kumquat Salsa

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Adapted from simplyrecipes.com 2 cups chopped and cleaned, thinly sliced kumquats (seeds removed) 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1/4 cup chopped green onion 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 3 Tbsp. olive oil 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Dash of Tabasco Pinch of salt to taste Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Kumquat Carrot Salad

One bunch of carrots, peeled and grated 4 green onions, chopped 3 tablespoons minced cilantro 16 kumquats, quartered lengthwise and seeds removed 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon grated lime peel 2 teaspoons dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 8 large lettuce leaves Directions: Mix carrots, green onions, cilantro and kumquats in bowl. Combine vinegar, lime peel, mustard and paprika, and then wisk in oil. Season vinegar mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture over carrot/kumquats. Toss to coat evenly, and chill for at least two hours. Spoon salad into lettuce leaves and serve.

Kumquat Breakfast Bread

This is a little heavy, I think it's best sliced thick and toasted. 1 cup of kumquat puree: Halve fruit, and flick out the seeds. I use a Cuisinart or my Vitamix to puree. 3/4 cup of honey 2 Tbs. oil 2 eggs 1 Tbs vanilla 1 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour (I buy the whole grain and Vitamix the flour as needed. Like coffee, flour is best when freshly ground.) 1 cup of rolled oats 1/4 cup flaxseed meal. (I buy the whole seed and Vitamix. It's super easy! 1 Tbs. baking powder Pinch of salt 2 Tbs. cinnamon 1 1/2 cups of chopped nuts and dried fruit like raisons, persimmons, etc.) Directions: Put all dry ingredients into a mixer, mix thoroughly. And then add wet ingredients. Combine well, add fruit and nuts. Use a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Don't over cook.

Harvest Ticket January 10-11 2012 Page One

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Greetings! I didn't post last week's harvest ticket. It seems that computer issues are the bane of my existence, and every now and then I'm dead in the water with an issue that I can't figure out in a timely manner. I've had a virus for months that repeated trips to the tech guy in nearby Temecula hasn't solved. I've given up and actually BOUGHT A NEW COMPUTER, rather than continue to suffer. Anyway, now that I've vented, on to farm issues. This week we're finally beginning our kumquat harvest. Yeah! As I've said before, we usually start harvesting in time for Thanksgiving's cranberry/kumquat recipes but not this year, by a mile. So the fruit is beautiful, and I think sweeter than past years'. Although popping a few in your mouth as a snack isn't a terrible notion, to truly experience what a kumquat can be, requires heating. Like quince, the rich, complex flavor of the kumquat isn't realized until it's been cooked. So give it

Harvest Ticket January 10-11 2012 Page Two

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