@m.k.nutrition - Butternut Squash Soup

This time of year the pots start coming out and the smell of soup starts to fill the room. Butternut squash is making an appearance in this week’s share. I’m sticking with a classic Butternut recipe, we served this at our wedding and people loved it! This soup can be considered an immune boosting recipe and with everything going on right now, we need it.

So, check out the nutrition facts about this delicious Autumn harvest and get out your soup pot!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash , peeled and cubed

1 onion, diced

6 small carrots, diced

1 tbsp rosemary

1 tbsp thyme

1 tsp garlic = 1 garlic clove (minced)

salt and pepper to taste

sprinkle of cayenne

32 oz vegetable broth (or chicken)

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream OR canned coconut milk (fat and liquid included)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place vegetables on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the seasonings

Bake for about an hr or until vegetables are tender

Add roasted vegetables and broth to a mixer and blend, then pour into a pot, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 min

Remove from heat, add the heavy cream, and stir well

Enjoy!

@m.k.nutrition - Salad Fixings

As the weather cools and the rain has decided to bless us with its presence, lettuce is happily sprouting up again. Never thought I would be so excited to see lettuce in my share again. There is just something so special about those leaves that we often times take for granite. With that being said, I am focusing on all things salad this week.

Let’s do what we do best and throw everything together, add a protein, and just enjoy the flavor explosion of those fresh veggies! *Need a protein option? MEF has chicken!*

Below I will add a vegan based Ranch Dressing recipe that is easy and delicious.

@m.k.nutrition - Dressing up your Salad

This week at Mother Earth Farm you can “taste the rainbow” with all the colorful salad ingredients that will be showing up in shares. Make yourself an easy dinner with the lettuce, fresh veggies, and dressing making tips I added below!

Vinaigrettes are the best summer time salad dressings. They are light and full of flavor. With summer coming to a close end we want to savor all the summer flavors. Use the poster below to mix up a tasty salad topping. See what is included in your share and match it up with the measurements listed below for a delicious combination.

TIP: Mix all the ingredients EXCEPT oil into a blender and blend until evenly mixed. Put the mixer speed on low and slowly add the oil. This keeps the dressing from separating.

@m.k.nutrition - Swiss Chard

You might be seeing a lot of this leafy veg in your shares, but don’t get discouraged. Like a lot of the other vegetables swiss chard can be versatile. It can be enjoyed raw and many nutrients are available when eaten this way. However, the amount of each nutrient increases when swiss chard is cooked! Of course you can chop it up, sauté, and add it to any stir fry or omelet recipe. I am going to try a twist on family dinner staple, Pigs in a Blanket, but in my case it will be Venison in a blanket.

The recipe below is going explain how to prep the swiss chard for any cabbage or noodle roll up. For example; lasagna rolls, you could make a Mexican based meat, omelet, or just sautéed veggies. Then fill the chard leaf, roll, and bake!

Remember to save the stems for a soup broth base!

Venison in a Blanket

Preparing the Chard:

Ingredients

1 large bunch of Swiss Chard, rinsed and the stems removed.

1 pot of water, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer

Directions:

Blanch each leaf in the simmering water, then remove. You might have to do one at a time.

Fill each leaf with a spoonful of your filling. Adding it to the middle of the leaf.

Starting at the stem end, roll the leaf up. Stick a toothpick in the middle to keep the roll from coming apart.

Top with a sauce, if you have extra. If not, season with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30-40 min.

I will be using ground venison, quinoa, adding a Mexican seasoning blend, and topping with a taco style sauce.

@m.k.nutrition - Something is LEEKING out of our Shares this Week!

She’s a super LEEK, super LEEK, she’s super LEEKY….. Excuse me, I’m just over here laughing out loud at all my vegetable puns. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Anyway, this week at Mother Earth Farm, the ladies are pulling up something that won’t make your eyes water when chopping.

Leeks are a great substitute for onions in any recipe. We all know that our vegetables from MEF come straight from Mother Earth herself and might need a little extra cleaning before cooking.

Cleaning Prep

1.Cut off the roots and leaves, toss in a freezer safe bag and save for a soup/broth base later.

2. Slice in half and soak in water.

3. After the dirt has sunken to the bottom, remove, chop, and add to your recipe.

Scroll down to check out how I will be using my Leeks this week.

I’ll be serving this over a goose breast that was slow cooked in the crockpot with water and spices (you can substitute with a beef roast).

Leek Gravy

2 cups of chopped leeks

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup broth - saved from the goose breast

2 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp steak seasoning

1-2 tbsp flour - I used almond flour, but you can

bit of honey to sweeten - optional

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in leeks and garlic, cook until browned. You might need more butter, keep the pan and onions “wet” looking.

Pour in broth and balsamic vinegar, bring to a simmer then add salt, pepper, and steak seasoning. Simmer for about 3 min. Add in flour to thicken, stirring well to avoid clumping.

Do a taste test, then add honey if you’d like and more salt/pepper.

Serve as a topping to your protein. I will plate my goose breast cut into cubes, on top of mashed potatoes, and topped with the leek gravy.

@m.k.nutrition Dutch Oven Chicken with Mashed Turnips

Focusing on what is offered in each week’s share and coming up with a meal that uses most of the ingredients is always a challenging task. Don’t worry, I got your back! When creating meals I also like to utilize local meat or wild game to provide a meal full of nutrition.

Dutch Oven Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (Mother Earth Farm Raised)

3 tbsp butter

2 garlic cloves - peeled

1 Garlic clove - minced

1 cup carrots - chopped

1 cup celery - chopped

1/2 cup scallions - diced

2 tbsp rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

About 2 cups of water (or broth)

Instructions :

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt2 tbsp of butter in a dutch oven (or cast iron skillet) on the stove top over medium high heat. While the butter is heating up rub the other tbsp of butter along with the minced garlic, rosemary, scallions, salt and pepper on the chicken.

Once the butter starts to crackle, brown the chicken, about 4 min each side.

Add the carrots, celery, and peeled garlic cloves to the pot.

Pour enough water (or broth) to cover the bottom of the pan, you might need to check this half way through and add a little more. Adding water will help to keep the vegetables from burning and will help create more drippings.

Cover the pot with a lid (or cast iron skillet with a foil tent) and transfer to the oven.

Bake for 20 min per lb or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Save the drippings for a gravy if you’d like!

Mashed Turnips:

Ingredients

4 cups of peeled and chopped turnips

Enough water to cover turnips

2 tbsp butter

milk

2 garlic cloves - minced

1 cup kale - chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Bring chopped turnips and water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender. About 10-15 min.

Toss in the kale for the last 7-5 min.

Drain water then transfer the turnips and kale to a mixing bowl.

Add in butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix until the turnips look like mashed potatoes. Add the milk as you’re mixing to create the perfect consistency. I like mine chunky!