The tart flavor of tomatillos are a key ingredient in Salsa Verde. Tomatillos are ripe in August and September, so they're a unique late summer treat. Dip some chips in this tasty salsa or use it as sauce over enchiladas. I think it's best to serve hot, since the high pectin content of the tomatillos causes the sauce to gel when it's chilled. 

Ingredients:
12­-15 tomatillos, husked and washed
2 small red onions cut into chunks
4 poblanos (or any green pepper) cut into chunks
5 cloves garlic peeled, whole
½ cup cilantro
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp salt

Method: Place all ingredients (excluding cilantro) on a baking sheet. Toss in oil and salt. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil for 3­5 minutes. Watch closely not to burn the veggies. Once veggies are browned evenly remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Place the broiled veggies and fresh cilantro in the food processor or blender and mix. Do not over blend. This will create more of paste then sauce. If your desired outcome is sauce like, add ½ cup water and blend an additional 20 seconds! Serve hot, or chill overnight and reheat to serve. If you make more then you can eat right away, this sauce freezes nicely. 

​We've been LOVING all these tomatoes. I truly can not get enough of them. This week, I made a super simple sauce, and had over pasta last night! Enjoy this gem. NOTE: This is a small batch, you can double and triple this. We used Roma tomatoes which cook down quickly and make a super flavorful sauce, but substitute any variety of tomatoes you have in abundance. 

Ingredients:
2 lbs of Roma tomatoes (peeled ­optional) 
3 cloves garlic chopped and peeled
2 Tsp olive oil
1 Tsp salt
Basil, Thyme, Oregano, or Parsley (optional)

Method: Wash tomatoes and remove the core. Cut into chunks. Heat oil over medium heat and add garlic. Simmer for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add the salt. Stir again. I do not mind the skins at all. Some folks do. To remove skins simply peel from the tomato before using.

Cook over medium heat for a about 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally while watching the color change. The sauce will turn from a bright red to a darker red. The darker it gets, the sweeter the sauce. After the 30 minutes check the taste and consistency. It important to cook with the lid off, so the moisture can evaporate from the pan. I like a thicker sauce, so I will cook an additional 15-­20 minutes. But if you're in a rush, 30 minutes will do! (I have cooked this sauce for as little as no minutes and as long as 90!)  Add basil or fresh herbs of choice after you've turned the heat off, just before you toss with pasta. 

​I wanted to take a moment and reflect upon how amazing produce can be in its raw form. There are so many reasons to eat everything from tomatoes to oranges, kale to apples, blueberries to squash and everything in between in the form in which it comes from the earth.

Often times I can get distracted trying to invent a new recipe or create a fancy master piece and forget to be appreciative of the beautiful piece of food in my hand.

I was so amazed by the melon in this week’s share, I would like to provide you with some insight into what this awesome ball of goodness nourishes you with. An average size melon has only 34 calories and is very low in fat. In one cup of the cubed melon you are getting 78% of your daily vitamin C intake, 30% of vitamin A and 12% of potassium. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant and is crucial for vision health. There is also loads of betacarotene in just a few bites!

These are just a few fun facts to help you understand and appreciate the health benefits a few bites of melon provides.

​Other raw items I have been loving lately are tomatoes with salt and pepper, sliced fresh peppers, cukes, blueberries... the list goes on and on! So, happy eating to you all!!

​I made this tonight using many ingredients found in this week’s CSA! I especially love how sweet the tomatoes are! What a wonderful variety.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, washed trimmed and massaged WELL
8­-10 small tomatoes halved (I used the cherry and grape variety)
1­2 peppers washed and sliced thin
​1 red onion diced
Dressing: 
½ cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chili powder Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp Sriracha

​Method: Wash kale well in hot water. Break off into small pieces and soak in a bowl. While the kale is submerged in the water massage well. Don't be afraid to be too rough with it, the more you work the kale, the more tasty it is in salads! Once the kale is appropriately texturized remove excess liquid by pressing the kale into the base of the strainer. Transfer back into a dry bowl.

​For the dressing, place all of the listed items into a bowl and whisk! TA­DA! Your dressing is complete. Pour the dressing over the kale and mix WELL! Making sure you cover all the crevices of the kale. Add chopped veggies to the salad. Toss or arrange neatly over the bed of dressed greens.

​You could try this using romaine as well, and omit the excessive massaging! Add cilantro for an extra flavor punch or some cayenne or jalapenos for spice. You can get real creative and top with some guac or sliced avocados. We served it this evening alongside homemade refried beans, smashed mexican sweet potatoes and a simple salsa

​This recipe is lovely because once you get the hang of the salsa making process, you will soon realize it is hard to “mess it up”! You really need 4 base ingredients and the rest is optional! TOMATOES, ONIONS, GARLIC, CILANTRO!

Ingredients:
5­-7 tomatoes, cleaned and quartered
2 peppers washed and cut into chunks (optional)
1 onion chopped into chunks
3 cloves garlic
1⁄2 cup cilantro
1 leek or bunch of scallions trimmed and chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp salt
1 hot pepper (optional)
Juice of one lime (optional)

Preparing and cleaning the veggies is the hard part.....the next step is simple!

Method:
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of the a food processor and pulse several times (until you have a semi chunky mixture). Once it is well blended place the mixture in a sauce pan, or pot and bring to a boil. 

You can use a vinegar instead of lime juice. Add some honey or sugar to make a sweet salsa. And for spicy salsa add some hot peppers too!

The wonderful thing about pesto is that you can use any green that is in season, in combination with basil, to make a delicious sauce, spread or dip! In our share this week we received amazingly fresh arugula and shiny, perfect basil. So PESTO immediately sparked my interest. ​

Pesto is typically made with basil and pine nuts. But it tastes great with walnuts, almonds or cashews, all much more affordable than pine nuts. Keep an open mind in the process, you can get creative with your ingredients, just follow these basic guidelines for proportions of greens, oil, and nuts. 

Ingredients:
2 cups herbs or greens of choice (i.e. arugula, kale, spinach, parsley, etc) 
1 cup basil (wash, then spin or pat dry)
1⁄2 cup nuts of choice (I used walnuts, lightly toasted on an oven try first)
1⁄8 cup Olive Oil (or other oil of choice)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (Omit if you do not care for citrus)
4-­6 cloves garlic (use a lot for a stronger flavor, less for more mild pesto. Roast garlic cloves in the oven first if you'd like)
1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I do suggest sticking to parm, other cheeses do not function the same in this recipe)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: red pepper flakes for spice

Method:
This is the easy part. Toss everything in the food processor and blend! Pulse a few times to get everything evenly distributed around the bowl of the processor! Depending on the type of greens you are using, the consistency will vary. A few TIPS: If the pesto is too thin, add more nuts. If it is too thick, slowly add a little more oil. Taste a few time by dipping a spoon or cracker into the bowl. Serve immediately over pasta or as a spread on sandwiches or even as a dip for veggie sticks and crackers. Saves well in airtight container in the refrigerator, cover the top with olive oil to keep from browning. 
​

Here's another great trick: Remove half the pesto from the processor and store for future use. ​Add half a block of cream cheese to remaining pesto and blend well. This makes an incredible veggie dip. I serve with fresh carrots, tomatoes, cukes, summer squash etc. Most of these wonderful items you found in your CSA this week! Have fun with it and enjoy the wonderful summer harvest veggies and herbs!