Strange Veggies & Box Contents
Vegetable & Salad boxes are flying out of our doors like hotcakes. This means our popular organic seasonal varieties are placed under great strain and are battling to board! In the interest of remaining organic, no matter what the cost, we have searched and sourced some unusual veggies for our boxes. Sometimes unconventionality pairs well with peculiar times!
Introducing Marog Spinach:
The larger leaf green and red bitter herb/ leaf is marog spinach. This is a lovely spinach variety which needs to be cooked a little longer than normal spinach. Marog spinach, red herb or Morogo has a protein content of up to 36% and contains vitamin A and vitamin C. The taste of Marog is slightly stronger than spinach, has a slight earthy and herb flavour, and is much better than spinach in my humble opinion.
“The finished preparation is almost like eating spinach, but has a less smooth and less bitter taste and is absolutely gorgeous prepared with tomatoes and garlic or potatoes and onions. As kids, my mom used to send us out into the veld to go and pick Marog and I used to take a huge basket to fill. And then I couldn’t wait for supper-time!”
Marog leaves are super-easy to prepare:
– Cook the leaves in boiling water
– Add tomatoes and onions or potatoes and onions
– Flavour the dish with salt and pepper.
Moringa Leaf:
The smaller green leaves which you may find in your veggie box are golden! Moringa oleifera is a plant that is often called the miracle tree, the ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree. Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. It also has antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
They can be added to smoothies, salads or stews and are highly nutritious and a great immune system booster. They have a mild flavour and so could in fact be added to most dishes unnoticed!
Tree Tomatoe:
Tree Tomatoe (Wild tree tomatoe) is high in vitamin C. Although the outer covering is bitter, the fruit of the tamarillo is juicy and flavourful.
Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and eat as is or spread on toast, add to smoothies or salads.
Salsa Recipe:
Ingredients
- 4-5 tree tomatoes fresh or frozen
- 2 hot peppers or red chillies are good options (habaneros if you are very brave)
- 2 tbs finely chopped white onion
- 1 tbs finely chopped coriander
- 1 tbs lime or lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- Salt to taste
- Optional – Add beans
Or make an easy salsa by mixing it with avocado and a chopped chilli pepper, or use apple, onion, vinegar and spices for a flavourful chutney.
You can also use a chopped tamarillo to top a pizza.
Kale:
Kale is a superfood which has a huge amount of vitamin K, as well as significant amounts of vitamin A, C, copper, and manganese. Additionally, kale contains decent levels of potassium, calcium, iron, dietary fibre, vitamin B6, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, thiamin, niacin, folate, and phosphorus.
Kale can be simmered, fried or added to smoothies.
Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your kale.
1. Season, season & season some more!
Kale doesn’t have to be bland to be healthy. Garlic has it’s benefits too and makes kale taste ALOT better. Add red pepper flakes, or chilli powder for a kick and be generous with salt, pepper and olive oil.
2. Make it healthier:
Use a little olive oil to sauté garlic and add your kale with a couple teaspoons of water and it will wilt down perfectly.
3. Make it crispy:
If you want some crispy kale chips spread chopped kale on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and add a little parmeson cheese (optional). Bake on high for 6 to 8 minutes. It will give you a healthy, crispy chip!
4. Kale salad:
To make a good kale salad, you must massage it. It makes all the difference. Slice your de-ribbed kale thinly. Then add your favourite dressing or use lemon juice, season with salt, and use your fingers to rub the dressing into the kale for around 5 minutes. It will tenderize the kale, making it way less bitter and a lot more appetizing.
Sou Sou:
Sou Sou is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. Along with melons, cucumbers and squash. It has a tuberous and edible root.
Sou sou is usually cooked like squash, but may be eaten raw, added to salads or salsas, and is most often marinated with lemon or lime juice. Whether raw or cooked, sou sou is a good source of vitamin C.
Although most people are familiar only with the fruit as being edible, the root, stem, seeds and leaves are edible as well.
The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and are delicious sauted with salt, pepper and butter, while the shoots and leaves are often consumed in salads and stir fries.
What’s in next weeks Veggie Box?
Subject to seasonal & farmers availability next weeks planned box will include:
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Avos or Cucumber
Spinach (Marog/ Fordehoek / Chinese)
Kale or Cabbage
Beetroot/ Carrots/ Turnips/ Radish/ Green Beans or Rhubarb
Lettuce (Kos/ Rocket/ Living/ Mixed or Micro herbs)