Week 17 Basket

Turnip (yes; with edible greens too!)

Spaghetti Squash

Polablno Pepper (southwest treat!)

Bok Choi

Tomatoes

Pickling Cucumbers (yes you can eat them too; not just for pickling)

Some easy; tasty recipes available!

We urge everyone to try this most unique basket in its entirety.

GINGER BOK CHOY SOUP WITH NOODLES

Without fail, I get sick every winter. It changes from year to year but I’m down for about a week. During that week, I’m pumping myself full of healthy greens and lots of water. This bok choy soup is on a normal rotation during the winter but a big batch gets made every time I get sick.

The ginger broth is really what makes the soup but the bok choy is always such a nice treat. Also, this soup is great with any type of greens so if you’re unable to find bok choy, you can still make this soup!

BOK CHOY SOUP

VARIATIONS

I use this ginger broth for numerous soups. Occasionally I’ll add a splash of soy sauce or lime juice, but the recipe above is fairly standard for how I make the broth.

NOODLES/GLUTEN-FREE: If you’re looking to keep this gluten-free, I would recommend using rice noodles. Simply adjust the cooking time as needed.

GREENS: I don’t have many recipes for bok choy, so this soup is usually my go-to. However, kale, chard or other Asian greens would also work with this soup.

TOFU: If you’re looking to add a bit of protein, tofu would a good choice. Occasionally I’ll also do a fried or poached egg on top of this bok choy soup.

GINGER BOK CHOY SOUP WITH NOODLES

This bok choy soup is one of the recipes I make whenever I start to feel sick. It’s a good pick-me-up thanks to a nice zing of ginger.

CRISPY TURNIP 'FRIES'

I've heard that turnips can be made into some great 'fries.' I experimented with it and came up with this. You can add whatever spices you'd like.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

Add all ingredients to list

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil and lightly grease.

Peel the turnips, and cut into French fry-sized sticks, about 1/3 by 4 inches. Place into a large bowl, and toss with the vegetable oil to coat. Place the Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, paprika, onion powder in a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Place the oiled turnips into the bag, and shake until evenly coated with the spices. Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until the outside is crispy, and the inside is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Basket Ingredient

Featured Item of The Week

Spaghetti Squash

If you're a pasta fanatic, eating gnocchi for breakfast, farfalle for lunch and spaghetti for dinner, maybe it's time to try a different type of spaghetti: spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti squash is a yellow-orange vegetable harvested in early fall. When cooked, the inside of the squash can be shredded into long, thin strands similar to angel hair noodles, and can be used in comparable ways.

While a cup of  spaghetti pasta  has around 200 calories, a cup of  spaghetti squash  has around 30 calories, according to the USDA.

Spaghetti squash doesn't necessarily taste like pasta, but when covered in tomato sauce, made into lasagna or transformed into pad Thai, it makes a healthy substitute. It has a delicate, al dente texture and a milder flavor than most squash, making it a good base for hearty sauces.

To access its inner noodles, spaghetti squash must be cooked until tender. There are a few ways to go about this.

Oven: Roast spaghetti squash at 400 degrees; if you can, slice its hard flesh in half, scoop out the seeds and place the halves face down in a roasting pan with about an inch of water to keep everything tender. Pierce the skin in a few places with a fork or knife. Cook 30 to 45 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce through the skin. If the uncooked squash is too hard to slice in half, you can roast it whole for about an hour. Then, slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Scrape the cooked flesh with a fork to create noodles.

Stove: Boil a whole spaghetti squash 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. Then slice in half, scoop out seeds and shred the flesh into spaghetti strands with a fork.

Microwave: It takes just 10 to 15 minutes to cook spaghetti squash in a microwave.

Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Stuffed Poblano Peppers

While I ordinarily roast poblano peppers by default, this recipe uses whole fresh peppers as a vessel for stuffing. Cooked quinoa, prepared black beans and frozen corn makes a quick filling and turns whole poblano peppers into a vegetarian entree or a hearty side dish. Serve them if you like with crema (sour cream thinned with milk or water) and salsa.

INGREDIENTS

4 poblano peppers

1 small red onion, chopped

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 cup cooked black beans homemade or canned

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 medium tomato, chopped

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne optional

3/4 cup crumbled cojita or feta cheese

SPAGHETTI SQUASH BURRITO BOWLS

This spaghetti squash burrito bowl recipe is easy to make and so good for you, too! These beautiful vegetarian burrito bowls are also vegan and gluten free, but above all, delicious. Recipe yields 4 burrito bowls. Learn More