Carrots: These Nantes carrots are the sweetest this time of year, when the weather is the coolest. We enjoy them raw, grated into salads, roasted with honey and thyme, as well as in soups and stews.
Oranges: Oranges are high in fiber, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. In addition to eating them raw, try them in savory salads or even stir fry, to add a hint of sweetness and acid into a dish. In the Full Belly Kitchen, we make candied orange peel out of the rind, which we then add to sweet treats or jam.
Dino Kale: Kale is one of the world’s healthiest foods. It is actually a member of the cabbage family. We love growing it here for many reasons, one of which is that it does not mind getting frosted! Steam the leaves (after removing the tough stems) with a little bit of sea salt. Add a squeeze of lemon and some goat cheese for an easy side dish.
Fresh Onions: Fresh onions are much milder than a dried onion, and can be eaten raw in salads. We use it often in pasta dishes as well, sautéed in plenty of butter or olive oil.
Potatoes: When potato plants bloom, they send up a five lobed purple flower. Marie Antoinette liked the flowers so much that she would put them in her hair. Potatoes originated in South America, and have now grown to be the fifth most important crop in the world, right up there with wheat and corn.
Rutabagas: A rutabaga is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. Rutabagas are great for lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. See our Recipe of the Week. You can also make mashed rutabagas. We peel them, boil them just like you would a potato and then mash them (also like a potato) with butter or olive oil and salt. Add potatoes and have mashed potatoes with rutabagas — that’s the best. Just as puréed potatoes can be a great thickener for a soup, I think rutabagas are even better — they add a creamy texture to a soup.
