@m.k.nutrition - It's a fruit! It's a vegetable! It's a TOMATO!

Tomatoes are the newest addition to Mother Earth Farm Shares and we are very excited about it. One of the best things about tomatoes is that the recipes ideas are endless! This week I will focus on a simple bruschetta recipe that can spread onto a number of bases. This can be used as an appetizer and topped onto homemade bread, spread over chicken or fish and baked in the oven, or mixed into your morning egg scramble. GET CREATIVE!

Tomatoes are a garden staple, but are they a fruit or a vegetable? This is a question that leaves many people stumped.

• A botanical classification of a fruit is something formed from a flower that have seeds and assist with the plants reproductive process. Vegetables are botanically known as the roots, stems, leaves or other structural part of a plant. Therefore, according to science, tomatoes are a fruit. However, in the culinary world, tomatoes are categorized as vegetables. So, to answer the question, it depends on who you are talking to! Farmers, gardeners, and scientists all consider this versatile produce a fruit. While chefs will use it as a vegetable.

Another awesome fact about tomatoes is that they come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and even flavors. A great way to understand the tomato society is to break them down into categories. Such as; Sauce/Paste, Red slicing, Cherry/Grape, Color slicing, and Heirloom. This will help, when preparing your recipes, to know what that particular tomato is best used for. For example, is it best for sandwiches or salsa? Of course you could throw any tomato into a salsa and it would taste amazing! However, some have a texture that is better for chip dipability (did I just make up a word?).

Skip to the bottom to see this week’s recipe!

Bruschetta

Ingredients:

2 cups diced tomatoes

1/2 a red onion, chopped (medium sized)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp oregano

10 basil leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese for topping (optional)

Instructions:

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Refrigerate for 15 min or up to 2 hours. The longer that it refrigerates, the more flavor.

Serving Options:

Scoop over a toasted baguette with a sprinkle of feta.

Scoop onto chicken or fish and bake in the oven. Then sprinkle feta cheese on after baking.

Add to a heated skillet then pour in your scrambled eggs or just serve cold on top of eggs. Top with feta.

@m.k.nutrition Beet Salad

Beets are the jewel of the garden, so colorful and packed full of essential nutrients. The red pigment is so strong that it can be used as a food coloring and also leaves a nice purple stain on your fingertips if your not careful! I hope you enjoy the salad recipe that includes many colors of the rainbow.

Beet Salad with a Green Goddess Dressing

2 Roasted Beets

2 Handfuls of Kale/Swiss chard and Beet Greens - chopped

2 cups Green Beans - chopped

1 cup Carrots - Shredded

Dressing

1 Handful of Basil

1/2 tbsp Chives

1 Garlic Clove

3 Scallions

1/4 tsp Lemon zest

1 Handful of Parsley

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup Olive Oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the stems off the beets and save for the salad, leaving enough for you to grab onto. Scrub each one clean and wrap in foil. Roast beets in a oven preheated to 400 degrees for about 50 min. When finished, peel off skin and slice into cubes.

Plate all ingredients for the salad.

In a blender add all ingredients for the dressing except for the oil. Pulse until blended. Slowly add oil as the blender is on low.

Drizzle over salad and enjoy!

@m.k.nutrition Green Bean Nutrition and a Delicious Dinner Recipe

The shares this week are exciting and allow my mind to wander with all the delicious meals I could be making. I want to focus on making a meal with what is in the box. All while providing interesting and helpful information. Therefore, a recipe will be listed at the end after an infrograph that is focused on one particular item. With that being said, let’s learn something about green beans!

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables. Easy to make, everyone likes them, and easy to preserve. You can use green beans as a side for any meal to add in an extra source of antioxidants. Research has shown that green beans can help lower cholesterol, lower blood glucose levels, slow the spread of HIV throughout the body, and prevent certain cancers. They might be little but are high in fiber and resistant starch. Resistant starch works as a prebiotic creating food for the good bacteria in your gut. Fiber helps to keep you feeling full and adds bulk to your stool. A healthy stool is one of the many ways your body removes toxins.

Garlic Pesto Zoodles with Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole roasted chicken (Mother Earth Farm Raised)

Spiralized Zucchini

1 cup Steamed and Chopped Green Beans

FOR THE PESTO:

1 cup of each, chopped - Basil, Parsley, Garlic

1/4 cup olive oil (may need a little more)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese or feta

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lemon juiced

Directions:

Chicken- Roast a whole chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and brushed with butter. 375 degrees for 1-2 hrs depending on the weight. I like to use a roasting bag to ensure the meat stays moist.

Zoodles - use a spiralizer to create the perfect noodle shaped zucchini spirals. Salt and pepper the zoodles well, cook for about 5 min in a warmed skillet with olive oil

Green Beans - Snap off the stem end, wash, chop, and steam until tender.

Pesto - Add all ingredients except the oil into a blender, pulse until well mixed. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the oil. If the mixture looks dry add a little more oil.

When the chicken is done cooking allow it to cool and then shred the meat off. (Don’t forget to keep the remaining carcass and juice for bone broth!)

Add the pesto, green beans, and shredded chicken to the zoodles and allow everything to warm through. Cooking covered on low for about 10 min. You can top the dish with extra cheese when serving. Enjoy!

@m.k.nutrition Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scapes are almost like a little garden secret.

Often times we over look parts of plants that are just as important and delicious. Garlic scales are a perfect example, they can be used in any recipe just as you would a garlic bulb. They have a slightly less intense taste, making them better for people who cannot handle a strong garlic flavor.

I’m going to be enjoying my garlic scapes as a steak sauce replacement. Made into a pesto and served on top of a venison back strap!

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 cup Basil

1 cup Garlic Scapes

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Mozzarella Tomato Spears @thewildharvest

Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup mozzarella
1 cup parmesan

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Spread out the tomato slices on the baking sheet. Top each slice with cheese, basil, and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Bake for 10 min or until cheese is melted.
5. Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler, broil for 2-3 min.
6. Enjoy!

**Also try this on a grill, line the grill rack with foil.

Summer lemony pasta with sugar snaps, squash and herbs

Ingredients: 1 box penne (or similar) whole wheat noodles, 2 c. sugar snap peas, 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice, 2 t. lemon zest, 1/2 t. salt, 3 T EVOO, 1/4 c. chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, mint, etc…), 1 summer squash, shaved parmesan.

Steps: If you have yellow summer squash, chop into matchsticks; if you have ronde de nice (green striped summer squash), cut in half and remove seeds and pulp before cutting into matchsticks. Saute squash in a little EVOO for a few minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package, adding sugar snaps during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water then set aside. Combine lemon juice, zest and salt in a large bowl; whisk in oil then toss in the herbs and squash. Top with shaved parmesan and serve room temperature.