Week 16 - Carrots

Lets talk about cover crop! We just started turning over some of our fields from growing veggies to growing cover crop for the winter. We use a mix of peas, oats and vetch which each play a role in adding nutrients back to our soil. Peas and vetch are both fix nitrogen into soil and oats add organic matter. These will grow all winter long and be tilled in this spring when we start planting veggies again. Cover cropping is an important part of sustainable farming as it allows our fields to rest for the winter without being overtaken by invasive weeds. Cover crops are a great way to put your garden to bed this winter too!

Veggie of the Week: Carrots!

The positive feedback we've gotten about our carrots this season has been heartwarming! My favorite was one woman at the market who said "these taste like my grandpa's carrots from when I was a kid." There really is no comparing store bought carrot to one plucked straight from the ground. They can be used in salads, sautees, roasted, or here in this recipe for Thai Carrot Soup!

Ingredients 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion (chopped)

3 cloves garlic (diced)

1 pound carrots (scrubbed or peeled // chopped // 1 pound yields ~4 cups)

1 healthy pinch each salt and pepper

2 cups veggie stock

2 cups water

1/3 cup creamy or crunchy salted natural peanut butter (use less for a less intense PB flavor)

2 tsp chili garlic sauce (use less for less spice)

(NOT LISTED: Coconut or Olive Oil for sautéing)

FOR TOPPING/SERVING (optional)

Fresh basil, cilantro, or mint

Full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream

Brown sugar or agave nectar (sub honey if not vegan)

Sriracha hot sauce

Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium heat.Dice onion and garlic. Add to pot with 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil (or nonstick spray). Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes.Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper, then add veggie stock and water and stir.Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender (test by cutting a larger piece of carrot in half – it should cut with ease).Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth and creamy. (Cover with a towel in case your lid leaks any soup while blending.)Add peanut butter and chili garlic sauce to the blender and blend to combine, using a ‘puree’ or ‘liquify’ setting if you have it.Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. For a touch of added sweetness, add a Tbsp or so of brown sugar, maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan). Add more chili garlic sauce for more heat.Serve immediately with fresh basil or herbs of choice. A drizzle of coconut milk will add a creamy, sweet touch. Serve with sriracha for extra heat.

Thanks for supporting your local farmers!

Ellen and Ashley