Seasonal Vegetable Recipes from Prairie Wind Family Farm

Maple-Orange Mashed Carrots

This side dish is so delicious and easy, and perfect with roasted ham.

Yields: 4 servings

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp 2% milk

½ tsp salt

1 tsp honey

2 lb carrots, chopped

2 Tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp grated orange zest

Combine butter, milk, salt, honey and carrots into pan. Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until carrots fall apart when poked with fork (about 15 minutes).

Off heat, mash carrots and stir in pepper, maple syrup and orange zest.

 

Lemon Caper Celery Root Salad

This is our go-to winter salad. With a nice, refreshing flavor, it pairs well with savoy meats or serves as a fresh lunch salad.

Yields: 4 servings

1 lemon, juiced

1 head celery root, peeled

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp flavored oil (we like walnut, garlic or tarragon)

¼ cup olive oil

2 tsp honey

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/3 cup juicy capers, rinsed

Generous handful Italian parsley,
    chopped

Peel the celery root and shred it. Stop halfway through and sprinkle with a tablespoon of the lemon juice to keep the root from turning brown.

Shred the other half and toss with another tablespoon of lemon juice. Salt and pepper liberally and toss again.

Whisk the remaining lemon juice with the walnut oil, olive oil, sugar and vinegar. Taste and adjust. Toss with the celery root, capers and chopped parsley.

Recipes courtesy of Jen Miller, Prairie Wind Family Farm, which grows a wide variety of certified organic vegetables, pasture-raised hens for eggs, and provides fresh fruit to CSA members. For more information and to sign up for the 2018 CSA season, visit PrairieWindFamilyFarm.com.

 

 

A New Way to Enjoy Squash this Fall

by Janie Maxwell

Try adding variety to weekday meals by using the many types of newly harvested winter squash available now at farmers’ markets, in community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes and at the local grocery store. Butternut squash adds beautiful color and sweetness to this salad, but other hard-shelled squashes can also be used. This month’s featured dish can be used as a main course or a side salad.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Fall Salad

Yields: varies depending on squash size.

Salad

4 cups fresh butternut squash,
   peeled and chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spread cut squash in a single layer on the sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt.

Roast in oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until it begins to turn light brown. Cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine:

Roasted and cooled butternut squash

5 cups spinach, with stems removed and torn into bite-size pieces

¼ cup dried cherries

2 Tbsp raw, shelled pumpkin seeds

¼ cup shaved parmesan or crumbled blue cheese

 

Maple Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp maple syrup

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss salad with vinaigrette to taste. 

Janie Maxwell, MS, RDN, LDN, is the executive director of the Illinois Farmers Market Association, focused on supporting local farmers, food producers and Illinois farmers’ markets. To find a nearby farmers’ market, visit ilfma.org.