Monday

Fall Salads

It was with some sadness that I harvested the last of the edible flowers for salad deliveries this morning, it's a sure sign of summer's end. On the other hand, we have a wealth of hearty winter greens coming in, and one of the advantages of salads made with spinach, Bok Choi, kale and other winter greens is that you can enjoy them hot or cold!

Dark green leafy vegetables are considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods available (on a calorie-for-calorie comparison). Specifically, they are an excellent source of minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium; as well as vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. Additionally, leafy greens provide a number of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Cementing their place on the nutritional honor roll, recent research suggests that they can help prevent age-related cognitive declines, prevent cataracts and boost eye health, and may also reduce your risk of skin cancer!

Friday

A Bountiful Harvest

The Farmers Market was an embarrassment of riches this week, each booth overflowing with the most gorgeous produce! Apparently there are benefits to surviving a wicked-hot summer, and I have no doubt you will be able to taste the gifts of this bountiful harvest in the Hearty Garden Stew we will be delivering this week.
All of the ingredients in this weeks soup were grown within a 100 mile radius of Portland, by independent farmers who cherish the land they work on.
[Thanks to farmer ~and friend~ Neil Robinson for the lovely photo!]

Thursday

Upcoming Soups for Fall

Well, it seemed for a while there as though the summer heat would never subside, but gratefully it has, and the cool morning herald the change in season that will bring us, among other things, new selections of soups for the weekly Soup Subscriptions!
You can look forward to:


Creamy Butternut Squash
This is one of my all time favorite soups, and one of our families favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Infused with a great nutty flavor, and a generous sprinkling of ginger, I always make it when I'm expecting a crowd, and I NEVER have to worry about any being leftover! This soup is so wonderfully thick and creamy. Delightful hot or cold, and amazingly versatile, try it with a sprinkling of chives or with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream on top; for a little change of pace, it can even be served as a "sauce" over potatoes, chicken, or cooked rice for a super easy variation on the idea of risotto!




Compassionate Chili
. My friend Sarah named this recipe, both for the fact that it is vegetarian, and the fact that it is kind to your tongue! If you have given up this winter staple due to a low tolerance for spice, I invite you to try this mellower version that still offers all the hearty goodness of classic chili without the meat and with a fraction of the heat. Robust enough to be a meal in it's self, it is also the perfect addition to your favorite chili-burger recipe!



Potato Leek

A creamy conspiracy of several different varieties of heirloom onions, leeks, garlic and potatoes come together to give this soup layers of flavors while giving you a layer of defense against cold and flue season ~and vampires! Unlike the potato leek soups I had in England, this soup has been neither blended nor cooked to death, but rather allow it to retain some chunky goodness and quirky character that lets this soup hold it's own through an Oregon winter.



Hearty Garden Stew
, The perfect antidote for cold, rain soaked evenings! The specific veggies included in the recipe change over the course of the season in order to take full advantage of the best our local farmers have to offer; but it never fails to satisfy!





I may sneak a few other soup selections in, just to keep you on your toes, but this quartet of soups will sing us through winter.