Just Picked

A Fresh New Idea for Asparagus



Our produce department is bursting at the seams with fresh spring produce right now! And is there a better harbinger of spring than our lean, green friend: asparagus? When it’s this fresh you really have to do very little to it to make it shine. Take, for example, this Shaved Asparagus Salad, which we cannot get enough of right now. Shaving the asparagus into thin ribbons lets it retain a fresh crunch. Dressed simply with bright lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil, the greenery is complimented by shavings of tangy Parmesan and toasty sliced almonds. Taste testers in our Milton store last Monday couldn’t get enough of this refreshing spring side dish. Incorporate this into your spring menu planning while the asparagus is at its best!

SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD

1 lb. asparagus

¼ cup sliced, roasted almonds

1 lemon, halved

Olive Oil

Kosher salt

Cracked black pepper

Grated or shaved parmesan cheese

Roast almonds at 350˚ for 10-15 minutes, until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, hold each stalk of asparagus by its tough end and shave thin slices up the stalk towards the pointed tip. Helpful hint: anchor each stalk to your cutting board with your non dominant hand and use your dominant hand to shave the “ribbons.” Collect these “ribbons” in a bowl as you go. Squeeze the juice from your lemon over, add a generous drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Toss well and top with roasted almonds and parmesan cheese, tossing once again to incorporate. Serve immediately. Make this salad a full meal by dropping a poached egg on top or serving alongside roast chicken or fish.

Thanks for stopping by to check out the blog! We've got a LOT of great ideas brewing for resurrecting this particular area of our website, so stay tuned for many more blogs to come!

In Praise of ... Fresh Ginger

Ginger is certainly one of the more versatile roots and one that is frequently associated with medicinal benefits.  Among its attributes, ginger is used as a remedy for travel sickness, chills, and flu and has also been linked to reducing the affects of arthritis, headaches and lowering blood-pressure. Add minced ginger to veggie stir-frys or combine ginger with tamari, olive oil and garlic to make a simple salad dressing.

Mango Salad with Ginger-Raisin Vinaigrette

Whole Roasted Carrots with Fresh Ginger

Grilled Shrimp Scampi Style with Soy Sauce, Fresh Ginger and Garlic

Stir Fry Ginger Beef

Fresh Lemon And Ginger Muffins

In Praise of ... Jicama

With a mild flavor that’s like a cross between an apple and a potato, Jicama is a South American root that’s great for adding a bit of crunchy texture to fruit salads and salsas. Jicama can also be steamed, baked, boiled or added to stir-frys. For some quick ideas read these "Top Ten Ways to Enjoy Jicama" or try one of these recipes:

Strawberry Mango Jicama Salad

Jicama "Fries" (a raw-food recipe)

Spicy Crab Salad with Carrots and Jicama

Grilled Chicken, Mango and Jicama Salad with Tequila-Lime Vinaigrette

 

 

In Praise of ... Celery Root

Sure, its not one of the prettiest items in the produce department, but it's subtle flavor make it a must-try item. Also called celeriac, celery root not surprisingly has a celery-like flavor.  Boiled and mashed, celery root is a nice alternative to mashed potatoes.  It can also be braised, sautéed or baked.  You may want to try grating or shredding raw into salads too.

Need some recipe ideas - try one of these:

Celery Root, Apple and Tangerine Salad

Celery Root and Winter Root Vegetable Stew

Apple, Fennel and Celery Root Salad

Celery Root Lasagna

Berries of Summer - Blackberries

It's one of those words I'd heard a hundred times, but never really gave any thought to what it actually was. When describing a somewhat overgrown landscape I assumed that "bramble" was simply some additional branches and leaves, nothing too significant. Come to find out there are juicy treats in those brambles.  Bramble is where you'll find blackberries (and raspberries and several other varieties of berries). In fact, blackberries and their berry-cousins are sometimes referred to as brambleberries.

Blackberries are one of the most nutrient-rich foods available and one you should make room for in your diet.  Loaded with antioxidants, blackberries also offer vitamins A, C and K, potassium and fiber.

In our selection of recipes that feature fresh blackberries, I made the Blackberry Avocado Salad.  It's a nice blend of flavors with the sweetness of the berries, the creamy-tanginess of the goat cheese and the butteriness of the avocado. And here's a tip: make extra butter-coated pecans - you'll be snacking on those long after your salad is done.

Blackberry Breakfast Bars

Blackberry Avocado Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken and Polenta with Blackberry-Nectarine Salsa

Nectarine Blackberry Crisp

Blackberry Lime Rickeys (includes alcohol)

Heart-healthy Recipes: Kale

It's not a vegetable that most folks think of when it comes to serving a meal, but kale's health benefits may change your mind. Much like Swiss chard, kale is packed with vitamins, fiber and phytonutrients. Kale is also credited with preventing a variety of cancers such as breast and ovarian cancers. Check out these recipes and add some more kale to your diet:

Sauteed Kale with Smoked Paprika

Garlicky Kale

Quinoa, Kale and Avocado Salad

Ribollita (Soup with kale, vegetables and white beans)

Heart-healthy Recipes: Swiss Chard

As one online resource states, Swiss chard is the "valedictorian" of vegetables. The list of nutrients packed inside is huge - everything from vitamins A, C, K and a variety of B's, to magnesium, potassium and iron. It's no surprise, then, that Swiss chard is thought to be beneficial in preventing certain diseases and strengthening vital parts of the body. Chard has been linked to preventing certain cancers and reducing loss of memory function. It's also been linked to strengthening bones, lungs and, the theme of our recipes this month, the heart.

Here are some recipes featuring chard that we think you'll love - let us know what you think.

Curried Black Beans with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

Italian Style Swiss Chard

Penne with Swiss Chard, Feta and Roasted Red Peppers

Swiss Chard, Apple and Cherry Salad

Happiness - and Healthiness - of the Heart

The topic of countless songs and poems, the heart has become an important focus of diet and nutrition, and with good reason. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. and much of the problem is attributed to diet. Our “Western Diet” is heavy on saturated fats, red meat and carbohydrates and sadly low on fruits and vegetables.

February is American Heart Month and the Fruit Center wants to do its part to ensure you’re enjoying a heart-healthy diet. Throughout February, we’ll feature right here on our blog heart-healthy recipes that focus on leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, Swiss chard and bok choy are crucial components to maintaining a strong and healthy heart.  

Are you getting enough of these vegetables in your diet? If not, check in with our blog all month as we’ll be featuring recipes with these and a variety of other crucial heart-healthy veggies. To get started, here are a few general heart-healthy diet tips and a few dishes that your heart will love.

Fettuccine with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms

Red and White Salad (be sure to click through to the Champagne Vinaigrette recipe)

Asian Chicken Kabob Salad

Sautéed Kale with Smoked Paprika

Sweet Potato Tips and Recipes

Sweet potatoes are often overlooked, especially here in New England where our conservative, Western European-influenced cooking traditions gravitate to the white potato. With all due respect to the "all-purpose" white potato, it's time to make a change. Need some convincing? Here are three solid reasons to make a switch to sweet potatoes:

Sweet potatoes are a powerful "Superfood"- Most fresh fruits and vegetables have valuable nutritional benefits, but there are a group of foods that offer so many health-related benefits that they're named "Superfoods". Sweet potatoes have the distinction of being one of those Superfoods. Sweet potatoes are abundant in vitamins A, B6 and C, dietary fiber, potassium and iron. (Want more information on Superfoods?  Click here to read our article about Superfoods that appeared in South Shore Magazine.)

Sweet potatoes have a wonderful flavor - As their name would suggest, they're certainly sweet, especially compared to a white potato. But sweet potatoes offer a richer, more savory flavor that nearly approaches butterscotch.

Sweet potatoes are versatile - From breakfast to dinner, and from appetizer to dessert, sweet potatoes can be featured in a tremendous number of dishes. Download our preparation tips or try some of these recipes. 

Lemon Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potato Salsa

Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

Sourdough Stuffing with Sweet Potatoes and Cranberries

Sweet Potato Brownies

In Praise of Fresh Herbs

It seems that fresh herbs are finally getting their deserved moment in the spotlight. The New York Times has recently jumped on the bandwagon in a big way, and some great new recipes can be found at Bon Appetit and Food & Wine. We wrote a brief "All About Fresh Herbs" guide some time ago, which is still available on our web site. 

One of the the major reasons for the sudden celebrity is that fresh herbs are a healthy way to add a lot of flavor to a dish without spending a lot of money. With fresh herbs you can cut down on adding salt or processed marinades and benefit from all the healthy nutrients available in the herbs (fresh + green = mega-nutritional benefits). And the unique flavors of each herb add different character to your dishes.

At the Fruit Center, we have fresh herbs available all year, but during the summer, we have herb plants in our flower department. Grow them indoors or outside - either way you'll have fresh herbs close at hand to add flavor and nutrition to your dishes. 

If you've got a favorite dish that uses fresh herbs, please share it with us in our "Comments" section.