From The Roots Up
This Week’s Bag Offerings
Blueberries
- Description: Small, round, and deep blue in color.
- Use: Perfect for smoothies, baking, or as a fresh snack.
- Nutritional Benefits: Rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated in a breathable container.
- History: Native to North America and consumed for thousands of years.
- Fun Facts: Believed to have the highest antioxidant capacity among common fruits and vegetables.
- Benefits for Pets: Safe for dogs and cats; helps with antioxidant intake.
Clementines
- Description: Small citrus fruit with a deep orange, smooth and glossy appearance.
- Use: Eaten fresh or used in desserts and salads.
- Nutritional Benefits: High in vitamin C and beneficial for immune support.
- Storage: Store in a cool, dry place; can be refrigerated to extend shelf life.
- History: A hybrid between a mandarin orange and a sweet orange.
- Fun Facts: They are seedless and known as ‘Christmas oranges’ in some countries.
- Benefits for Pets: Clementines are okay for pets in small amounts, but remove the seeds and peel.
Green Bell Peppers
- Description: Crisp and mildly sweet, vibrant green in color.
- Use: Great in salads, stir-fries, or as stuffed peppers.
- Nutritional Benefits: Contains vitamins C, K, and B6.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a plastic bag.
- History: Originated in Central and South America.
- Fun Facts: Green peppers are unripe versions of red, yellow, or orange peppers.
- Benefits for Pets: Safe for pets, can be a crunchy, low-calorie treat.
Brussels Sprouts
- Description: Small, leafy green buds resembling miniature cabbages.
- Use: Best roasted, steamed, or sautéed.
- Nutritional Benefits: High in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Storage: Keep in the fridge in a container.
- History: First cultivated in Italy during Roman times.
- Fun Facts: The production of sulfur-containing compounds in Brussels sprouts is what gives them their distinctive smell.
- Benefits for Pets: Can be given in small amounts to pets; too much can cause gas.
Carrots
- Description: Long, crunchy, and usually orange, but can come in other colors.
- Use: Raw in salads, roasted, or in soups and stews.
- Nutritional Benefits: High in beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, and potassium.
- Storage: Keep in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
- History: Originally cultivated in Persia and were initially grown for their leaves and seeds.
- Fun Facts: Carrots were originally purple or white with a thin, forked root.
- Benefits for Pets: Carrots are good for pets' teeth and can be a healthy snack.
Yukon Potatoes
- Description: Medium-sized, round to oval, smooth light yellow skin, and flesh.
- Use: Excellent for mashing, roasting, or in soups.
- Nutritional Benefits: Rich in vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6.
- Storage: Store in a cool, dark place away from onions.
- History: Developed in the 1960s to be a hardier and more disease-resistant potato variety.
- Fun Facts: Named after the Yukon River and Gold Rush country.
- Benefits for Pets: Potatoes are safe for pets when cooked and served plain, but avoid feeding raw.
Radishes
- Description: Small, round, crunchy, with a peppery flavor and vibrant red skin.
- Use: Perfect for salads, pickling, or as a garnish.
- Nutritional Benefits: Low in calories but high in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator, in a plastic bag with some air circulation.
- History: First cultivated in Southeast Asia, with historical significance in ancient Egypt.
- Fun Facts: Radishes were so valued in ancient Greece that gold replicas were made of them.
- Benefits for Pets: Radishes can be a crunchy snack for pets, but some might find them too spicy.
Recipes Featuring This Week's Bag
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots
- Ingredients: Brussels sprouts, carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper.
- Directions: Toss the vegetables in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425°F for 25-30 minutes until caramelized and tender.
Clementine and Blueberry Salad
- Ingredients: Clementines, blueberries, mixed greens, walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette.
- Directions: Peel and segment clementines. Toss with blueberries, mixed greens, and walnuts. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.
Stuffed Green Bell Peppers
- Ingredients: Green bell peppers, cooked rice, tomato sauce, cheese, spices.
- Directions: Halve the peppers and remove seeds. Mix rice, tomato sauce, and spices. Stuff into peppers, top with cheese, and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.