This Week's Box Contents

(Left - Right) Fava Beans, Organic Beets, Organic English Peas, Organic Navel Oranges, Organic Orange Cauliflower, Organic Oregano, Organic Rainbow Carrots, Organic Red Leaf Lettuce, Steak Cut White Mushrooms, Strawberries

Small Vegetable Box Contents

(Left - Right) Fava Beans, Organic English Peas, Organic Navel Oranges, Organic Oregano, Organic Rainbow Carrots, Organic Red Leaf Lettuce, Strawberries

A La Carte Offerings

This Week's Substitutions!

TIMptations' New Substitutions Systems has launched! If you'd like to make a substitution this week, please Login to Your Account & Select the "Make a Substitution" link at least one day prior to your scheduled pick-up. (If your email program does not display images, this week's list includes: Strawberries, Organic Cauliflower, Organic Navel Oranges, White Mushrooms, Organic Russet Potatoes, Red Potatoes, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Organic Yellow Onions & More!)

Jumpstarting Fava Bean Season + other Spring Specialties!

Greetings Locavores! While fresh-picked California strawberries have been brightening our boxes for a few weeks now, there are some new spring delicacies that await you this week including vibrant organic orange cauliflower, beautiful organic rainbow carrots, organic English peas, and this week’s specialty item: fava beans.

Did you know that the first pick of some of these spring specialties like tender young fava beans, English peas, etc. may well be the very best of the season? The reason is because although fruit enjoys these longer days to bask in the warm sunshine (and our strawberries have certainly come into their own - ripe and red and perfumed), it’s a little different with vegetables. The first pick of certain types of vegetables is often the most tender and crisp. Couple this with the fact that I personally love fava beans (and anticipate their short season each spring), I’m very happy to be sharing (and discussing) the first of this year’s fava bean season with you this week!

Here’s some quick background information on the fava bean: One of the oldest food legumes, with cultivation dating back to some 5000 years ago, the fava bean is truly a fleeting seasonal treat. Fava beans are not only delicious, but highly nutritious – they are powerful storehouse of many essential nutrients required by the body, especially phosphorus, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin A and iron.

Since fava beans have a somewhat laborious cooking reputation, let’s discuss some of the simplest ways to enjoy them: Fava beans must first be removed from their outer pod and then, unless they are very small and tender, slipped out of the tough skin that enwraps each individual bean. If this sounds like too much trouble for you, you can leave the shelled beans inside the skin, saute them in some olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and let each diner perform the final extraction of beans. (You’ve probably seen edamame sold this way in grocery stores as a snack food.)

If you want to use your fava beans in a recipe rather than serve them as a snack food, you'll need to bite the bullet and shell and skin them first. The easiest way to skin them is to blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, then slit the skin with a knife or your thumbnail, and gently squeeze to slip the beans out. Although this may sound a bit complicated, it’s actually quite easy, not to mention well worth it!

The recipe we’ve selected for you this week, penne with a fava bean sauce, incorporates this week’s fava beans and fresh oregano. Simply stated, it’s delicious! Because it’s a pasta dish and I know so many health-conscious locavores among us are cautious about consuming gluten, I would suggest trying Lundberg’s brown rice gluten free penne. We source this delicious gluten-free option from Morgan Hill’s People & Planet health food store. It’s a great way to support a local health food store that practices and supports something all of us hold near and dear - sustainability!

Happy, Healthy Fava Bean Week!

-Tim Chiala

Penne with Fava Bean Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or more if needed)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
 (to taste)
2 cups peeled fava beans
3/4 pound dried penne
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (optional)

PREPARATION

1 - Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and sauté briefly until light brown. Stir in the oregano, then add 1 cup of the stock. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, and add 1-1/2 cups of the fava beans. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 3-5 minutes.
2 - Puree with the remaining 1/2 cup stock until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and add the remaining 1/2 cup of fava beans. Simmer gently and add salt and pepper to taste.
3 - Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (about 12 minutes). Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
4 - Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl and add the sauce. Toss well and thin with the pasta water, if necessary, until the sauce is glossy and not sticky. Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and serve immediately.

Super Beet Antioxidant Juice

INGREDIENTS

1 beet
1 carrot, chopped into small pieces
1 apple, quartered
1 cup of chilled green tea (or water)
1 orange (or 1/3 cup orange juice)
1/2 inch of fresh ginger root (or to taste)
1 handful of ice

ABOUT THIS RECIPE

Hello locavores! I’d like to begin this week’s recipe discussion by first quickly exploring the philosophy behind juicing/smoothie making since I’m sure most of us have noticed the trend by now, though not all of us may understand the health rewards. In layman’s terms, it allows our bodies to quickly absorb high levels of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, which in turn, help us rid toxins and stave off free radicals. This happens because when we blend nutrient-rich ingredients, we make them easier for our bodies to assimilate (by blending or juicing we’re pre-digesting the ingredients for our bodies). And, the easier something is to assimilate, we’re upping the odds that our bodies will be able to absorb and use more of those nutrients - this is the reason juices and smoothies are so energizing!

This week’s recipe is a simple but delicious one: Start by adding the water, then the strawberries, beet, carrot, apples and lettuce. Top with ice and blend your way to a new level of health! Enjoy! – Matthew

REMINDERS

• Please remember to return your previous week's box to your pick-up location.
• “A La Carte” orders must be placed the night before your scheduled pick-up.
• If you’d like to designate a friend to pick-up this week’s box, you must do so the night before your scheduled pick-up.