WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS RADISH?!

I'itois Onions are a Native bunching type of Green onion. Use like you would use a Spring onion, green onion or scallion. The bulbs can be used like a shallot. If you would like, you can plant a few of the bulbs in the ground or in a pot. Cover with soil, and water lightly. Green onions will start to grow, in bunches, little groups...then they spread in whatever space you give them. Store them in the refrigerator, in a bag in a crisper drawer. When the green tops start to discolor you can still use the bulb (white/bronze) end. (And I will even still use the yellowed tops in my vegetable stock/broth) *Onions contain a fair amount of vitamin C

Kale – also comes in a variety of shapes & sizes...white, purple, green with curly and flat leaves the varietals are endless. A cruciferous vegetable. I typically remove the center stem from the leaf before eating or cooking with it. Kale makes a great raw salad too. You can loosen up the tough fibers by cutting or tearing the leaves and, using your hands, by rubbing the leaves with oil or lemon juice & salt. Let rest for about 10-20 minutes before eating. 

Aids with digestion and absorption of nutrients. Ample amounts of vitamins A, C, Folic Acid, Calcium & Iron*

 Summer Squash is a more delicate squash, that needs to be eaten fresh. In general you will want to store in your crisper drawer in your fridge for about 7 days. These delicate beauties will range in color shape and size, and are available for all of the hot/warm summer months - until we freeze usually. 

Naturally low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Niacin, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese.  

White Sonoran Wheat Berries are soft wheat berries and the entire berry is edible.  (use like Quinoa) There is no hull (or outer shell) but includes the germ, bran and endosperm. Soft wheat berries also tend to have a lower gluten content than hard wheat berries. White Sonora Wheat is considered to be the oldest wheat in the Americas. It is an ancient heritage wheat brought to the Sonoran desert and introduced to the Pima people circa 1685. This wheat was the predominant wheat variety in the desert of the southwest of the United States until the 1940s. A versatile grain, White Sonora Wheat is excellent for making tortillas and can be cooked with beans, soups, or cooked whole or cracked and used as a side dish or added to salads. While relatively high in protein content (12.73%), it is low in gluten forming proteins. This characterizes it as a “soft” wheat**.

They are a refreshing summer veggie out here in the hot desert. You will see the striped variety and a pale green flesh variety this summer. They grow like crazy, and are actually in the melon family. They taste like a cucumber though ;) Also called a Serpent or Snake Melon/cucumber because of the way they grow, they curl up. You may have also seen them labeled as a Yardlong Cucumber. Great for salads, snacking or juicing.

Pea Shoots are a microgreen. Which is a very nutrient dense tasty little thing. These are nice and mild, easy to pair with any meal. You can use it as a crudite for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Goes great with Eggs, potatoes, salads and sandwiches. I just learned: "dau miu" [dow MEW] is the Cantonese name for Pea Shoots and they are very common in their cuisine. they suggest adding them to your stir fry at the last minute.* 

Sweet Potatoes - I know they are fairly common...we ended up with more common veggies than unusual veggies this week. Sweet potatoes are actually in the Morning Glory family! There are lots of different varieties, and you will see more of them this summer when we have white & purple sweet potatoes being harvested - they are so pretty! What you have this week is the typical dark skinned Sweet potato - often times misidentified as a Yam. [Yam's are like a doppleganger for Sweet pots] They are high in vitamins A & C *

Zesty Oregano - A Delicious addition to salads, sauces, meatballs, etc. Store in a bag in your refrigerator. If you cannot use it all before 7-10 days you can easily dry the leaves. I just remove them from the stem and lay flat on a cookie sheet, in AZ it only takes 1-2 days. *Did you know? Oregano is Greek for “joy of the mountain”. Oregano is actually in the Mint family and is related to both marjoram & thyme.