In Season
Between June and October

Storage Tips
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to five days.

To freeze, wash thoroughly and chop, beautiful stems included!  Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water, cool immediately, and drain.  Pack into containers, leaving 1/2 inch headroom, and freeze.

Culinary Tips

• In the world of hearty greens, Swiss chard often gets overshadowed by its popular neighbor kale, but it’s a superstar in its own right. This relative of the beet is a superb source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. It makes a colorful and tasty side dish, or a nutritious addition to pasta, soup, quiches, and more. 
• Prepare Swiss chard by rinsing the crisp leaves in warm water.
• Leaves and stalks can be boiled, steamed, or roasted.
• You can remove some of the acidity and make swiss chard sweeter by boiling in an uncovered pot of water.
• If chard leaves are large and mature, cut the stems out and cook first, then add the leaves.
• If the greens are young, cook them whole.
• Can be used in place of spinach in most recipes.
• Sauté the leaves in olive oil and garlic for a tasty side dish.
• Steam larger stem pieces for 8-10 minutes and the leaves for 4-6 min.
• Raw baby leaves are great in salads.

Recipes
Sauteed Swiss Chard
Spicy Asian Stir-Fried Swiss Chard
Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts, Parmesan, & Basil
Shirred Eggs Over Garlicky Swiss Chard
Creamed Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard Tzatsiki

In Season
Summer and Fall, July through December

Storage Tips
Store up to 12 weeks

Beets should be stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer in a plastic bag for up to 12 weeks.

If you get a bunch of fresh beets with the tops on, you can store the leaves in a separate plastic bag and use within two days. 

For longer storage, wash and sort (max. 3" diameter, but smaller is better), and leave on the root tails and 1/2 in. or stem so the juice doesn't bleed out while boiling.  Boil until tender, 25-45 min. depending on size.  Cool immediately; trim tails and stem and slip off skin; slice or cube or leave whole if very small.  Freeze, leaving 1/2 in. headroom.

Culinary Tips
Gently scrub and wash the roots under water before use. No need to peel.

Steam the small cubes and serve warm with butter as a delicacy.

Raw beets can be grated into a salad.

Bake the beets to enhance their natural sweetness. Slice the washed and unpeeled beets into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a lightly oiled baking pan and season with thyme or tarragon. Add a small amount of water or apple juice in the pan. Put in 350° oven for 25 minutes until tender.

Beets can also great when steamed or boiled. Scrub beets clean but leave skins on until after cooking to minimize color and flavor loss. Run the whole, cooked beets under cold water and rub off their skins. 1 ½ inch beets take 30 minutes to cook in steam and 15-20 minutes in boiling water. Serve whole, sliced or grated.

Toss grated beets with grated carrots, apples, oil and vinegar dressing. A touch of plain yogurt makes for a wonderful color transformation.

The greens can be steamed, sautéed, and mixed with pasta.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Beet Greens & Kale Omelet
Root 5 Farm Beet Hummus
Roasted Beets and Sautéed Beet Greens
Red Flannel Hash
French "Peasant" Beets
Penne Pasta in Roasted Beet Sauce
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Vegan Beet Brownies

In Season
Spring, Summer, and Fall

Storage Tips
Store up to 1 week

Dry greens will store for longer. If arugula is a little bit damp, spin dry in a salad spinner before storing in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. Or you can place a paper towel in the bag to absorb the moisture. 

​For long-term storage, blend into a pesto (see recipe below) and refrigerate or freeze.

Culinary Tips
Make a simple and tasty arugula salad by adding a soft cheese, dried fruits, grated carrots, and walnuts tossed in your favorite vinaigrette.

Add to sandwiches and omelettes for color and taste.

Quickly braise or sauté and add to a pasta with grated parmesan.

Add cooked arugula to quiche and lasagna.
​
Smaller arugula leaves tend to be milder, while larger leaves tend to have a more aggressive, peppery kick.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Pan Fried Eggplant Over Kale and Arugula with Tomato-Basil Confit
Root 5 Farm Lemony Arugula Pasta
​Arugula Salad with Olive Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan Cheese
Egg, Arugula, and Herb Tartine
Arugula Pesto
Arugula And Crispy Shrimp Pizza
Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad