Week 17 Veggie List & Ideas

Our Wacky Apricot Tree: Still Providing Apricots!

It’s the middle of summer and nary a ripe tomato or pepper in Santa Cruz county, thanks to our cool rainy spring. We are getting lots of green beans, potatoes, blackberries, and raspberries. Apricots keep ripening on our crazy tree that fell over at a 45 degree angle last spring, and there are plenty of ‘cots at the local Farmers Market too. I’ll be posting another Apricot Jam recipe soon.

Purslane is a strange new veggie (some say weed), thick and lemony, with an odd texture not unlike okra. I’ve only used it in green salads, and plan to experiment with soup or potato salad where texture will be more camoflaged.

Last week’s attempt at a healthy Green Bean Casserole was a partial success--I may try to improve the onion topping part, and will share it if successful. Still need to use up some carrots. ARGH-ugula three weeks in a row—does anyone have ideas about how to use this stuff?

Apricot Ripening on our Tree

This week’s veggies:

Arugula

Beets

Green beans

Leeks

Lettuce

Basil tips

Potatoes

Purslane

Red radishes

Spinach

Summer squash

Strawberries  

Blackberries

Red Raspberries

Leftovers:  carrots, radishes, greens, basil, broccoli (from Farmers Market), celery, green onion, parsley & apricots (from Farmers Market), garlic

Ideas:

Salad: lettuce, carrot, radish, tomatoes

Simply steam: green beans, summer squash, broccoli, greens

Purslane-potato salad or soup

Toasted carrots (with wheat germ)

Carrot pancakes

Tuscan-style Garlic Spinach and Arugula

“Real” green bean casserole, take 2

Sauteed Radishes with their Greens
or Bruce's Marinated Radishes, if we can find recipe

Tiny amount of pesto?

Simple Polish-style beets and their greens

Apricot Jam