Harvest Kitchen

Last week's Kale Slaw looking crisp and delicious

Hi everyone!

Happy Holiday Weekend from everyone here at Harvest Kitchen.  We’ll be in on Monday making awesome food, so don’t let the fact that it’s a holiday prevent you from coming in and/or ordering this Monday!  We talked about being closed and taking a long weekend, but there’s so much great stuff happening right now and we’ve been so busy lately that we decided that having to work 2x harder on Tuesday wouldn’t actually make for a more festive week.  SO, we’ll be rockin’ our holiday in the kitchen. Come visit!

Among that awesome stuff that’s been happening are our new Farmers

Lentil Rhubarb Stew - a delectable blend of flavors

Markets.  Last Tuesday was our first time attending the Cobblestone Farm Market (Tuesdays, 4-7 pm), and we had a great time! The atmosphere is VERY family-friendly, with kids activities and music all evening.  It’s also convenient for people who live in the Cobblestone Farm neighborhood.  Besides ourselves there was a great assortment of vendors.  We encourage you to come visit.  We had so much fun we decided to go back again this week and will probably end up going all summer. We’ve also been enjoying the Wednesday Farmers Market, and we’re looking forward to the Wednesday Evening Market which resumes in June.

We hope you’ll visit us at these fun new venues.

Roasted Carrot and Sunchoke Soup

This week, here’s what we’ve got going:

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Quiche with Baby Kale and Sausage –  Everyone loves our flavorful and delicious quiches.  This week we’re filling our homemade pie crusts with baby kale from Senna Prairie farm, hand-seasoned Black Oak Farm sausage, and boatloads of local eggs and dairy.  Yum!

Chicken Divan –  A truly divine crowd-pleaser, Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole of Harnois chicken and Locavorious broccoli, drenched in our homemade gravy.

Zucchini Vegetable Minestrone – As spring advances we’re clearing out the last of our delicious frozen veggies, so this soup is a catch-all for the awesome flavors of tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and more, combined with hearty pasta. An excellent meal for a busy day.

Asparagus White Bean Salad –Nothing says springtime like asparagus.  We’re dressing it up with a deliciously light and refreshing feta and lemon dressing. This salad could be a meal in itself.

Green Salad with House Dressing  – Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Quiche with Baby Kale and Mushrooms –  Everyone loves our flavorful and delicious quiches.  This week we’re filling our homemade pie crusts with baby kale from Senna Prairie farm, mushrooms, cheese, and boatloads of local eggs and dairy.  Yum!

Wild Rice Bake with Vegetables –  We love our barley-wild rice bake: it’s a hearty and wholesome vehicle for all your favorite veggies, including mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes.

Zucchini Vegetable Minestrone – As spring advances we’re clearing out the last of our delicious frozen veggies, so this soup is a catch-all for the awesome flavors of tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and more, combined with hearty pasta. An excellent meal for a busy day.

Asparagus White Bean Salad –Nothing says springtime like asparagus.  We’re dressing it up with a deliciously light and refreshing feta and lemon dressing. This salad could be a meal in itself.

Green Salad with House Dressing  – Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Loading up for the ball catering

This past weekend we had the honor of catering the Tartan and Thistle Scottish Country Dancers Annual Ball.  Yes, it was literally a ball where everyone wore beautiful clothes and had a lovely dinner before dancing the night away Scottish-style.  I know about the event because I’m a Scottish dancer myself and attended the ball as WELL as providing the catering.  This led to some amusing ball gown-plus-apron photo ops.  Fortunately the catering was buffet-style, so I didn’t have to do too much work during the evening and was able to enjoy the event.  The delicious menu included Scottish-tribute dishes including Shepherd’s Pie and Barley Pilaf.  Yum!  We’d be delighted to cater any events you’ve got going on, whatever the level of formality.

ball gown + apron + buffet line ready to go!

The other news of the week is that last week was the first time we were at the Wednesday Farmers Market this season.  It was a great day–the weather was gorgeous and it was fabulous to see our Wednesday market regulars after a long quiet winter.  We’ll also be returning to the Wednesday Evening Market when they resume in June.  Also, breaking news, we’re planning to attend the Tuesday Cobblestone Farm Market this week with the hopes of making that one of our delivery points this summer.  Stop by and say hi!

Here’s what we’re doing this week:

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Dancing the night away (this image is from 2012)

White Lasagna with Chicken and Chard –  This unusual lasagna is a taste of springtime freshness. It includes usual features: delicious cheese, hearty lasagna from our friends at Pastabilities along with Harnois chicken, Goetz chard, and Creamy bechemel sauce in place of tomato sauce.

Persian-style Beef Stew with Rhubarb – This delicious stew is a favorite flavor combination from Persian cuisine: it features delicious lean beef from Mclaughlin Farm and fresh rhubarb along with plenty of fresh herbs.

Roasted Carrot and Sunchoke Soup – Featuring the sweetest flavors of spring, this creamy, light soup is perfect for eating on the porch on an early summer evening.  Or, any time, really.

Sesame Kale Slaw — Fresh spring kale, shredded and dressed with a light Asian-style dressing, this savory salad makes a great accompaniment to any meal.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Vegetarian White Lasagna with Chard –  This unusual lasagna is a taste of springtime freshness. It includes usual features: delicious cheese, hearty lasagna from our friends at Pastabilities along with Goetz chard, and Creamy bechemel sauce in place of tomato sauce.

Lentil and Rhubarb Stew with Indian Spices – With a mix of Indian spices and mild chili, rhubarb becomes part of a stunningly flavorful vegetarian main course, courtesy of Mark Bitman in the New York Times.

Roasted Carrot and Sunchoke Soup – Featuring the sweetest flavors of spring, this creamy, light soup is perfect for eating on the porch on an early summer evening.  Or, any time, really.

Sesame Kale Slaw — Fresh spring kale, shredded and dressed with a light Asian-style dressing, this savory salad makes a great accompaniment to any meal.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Enjoying delicious Kebabchi in Macedonia

Well, nothing like being gone for a few weeks to make you notice the seasonal change.  Is it just me, or is EVERYTHING in bloom right now?  The apples, cherries, lilacs, forsythia, red buds…everything is going crazy out there!

Here at the kitchen, things are looking great.  I’m a bit jet lagged, but it feels good to be back.  It’s clear that Ryan, Cesarina, Kathy, and the whole team have done an amazing job keeping you all fed and happy in my absence.  It’s a good feeling having an awesome team that has my back and lets me go on vacation (and mostly out of email contact) for a bit more than two weeks.  I hope most of you barely noticed I was gone! The Grub Crawl this Wednesday was a huge success–Ryan had the lead on that event and he had great back up from Kathy and the rest of the crew.  They said everyone loved the mini quiches and some participants came back for seconds.  If you missed the Grub Crawl this time, be sure to check it out next year!

As far as springtime seasonal change stuff, since I’ve been gone I can’t really speak to what’s going on at the farms, except to note that suddenly there are many more options on the product lists.

Macedonian Easter eggs make great egg salad

Exciting times! Our upcoming menus will be celebrating this springtime abundance!

So, yes, I was gone. I was visiting friends in Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia.  It was an amazing trip.  One question I keep getting is “how was the food?!”  I’m hoping to do a Macedonian-themed menu sometime this summer, so this is just a sneak preview.  The Macedonians I met are all enthusiastic gardeners, growing a lot of their own food, so any Macedonian-themed menu will feature plenty of delicious summer veggies.  My Macedonian friends make and enjoy lots of salad–it turns out that salad is the essential accompaniment to rakija, the national drink.  So, want to drink rakija? Must make salad. Made salad? Must drink rakija!  Since I was there for orthodox Easter, we also ended up eating lots of egg salad made from dyed Easter eggs.  Of course, I also got a chance to gobble up some of the traditional “fried food”, kebabchi.  Mmmm!

Getting ready to sautee some chard in Belgrade (Zlatko is putting the finishing touches on a Shopska salad in the background)

In the mean time, we’ve got some awesome delicacies on this week’s menu:

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Chicken Enchiladas –Fresh tortillas from The Tortilla Factory baked with our homemade, veggie-rich chicken enchilada filling, homemade mole sauce, and of course, plenty of cheese.

Feta Lamb Burgers – Savory lamb becomes the flavor of the season with our juicy lamb burgers. Served with a bun from Avalon International Bread.

Split Pea Soup with Greens – Our savory, homemade ham bone stock forms the base of this hearty, delicious soup–although split pea is usually considered a winter dish, we’re brightening it up with plenty of lush spring greens for an incredible meal-in-a-bowl experience.

Mexican Rice and Potatoes This delicious side dish pairs perfectly with the enchiladas–not too spicy but with plenty of flavor and color, it’s like eating the rainbow!

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!  5 oz salad with 4 oz dressing $8

Vegetarian

Vegetarian Enchiladas –Fresh tortillas from The Tortilla Factory baked with our homemade, veggie-rich bean enchilada filling, homemade mole sauce, and of course, plenty of cheese.

Cauliflower Cashew Burgers – A fan favorite rides again! This is our best-ever veggie burger…sadly, we created the recipe with the very last of the cauliflower last winter, so we’re thrilled to be able to bring it back to the menu now that we’ve got a new supply of frozen cauliflower. Served with an Avalon Bakery Whole Wheat Bun.

Split Pea Soup with Greens – Our savory, homemade veg stock forms the base of this hearty, delicious soup–although split pea is usually considered a winter dish, we’re brightening it up with plenty of lush spring greens for an incredible meal-in-a-bowl experience.

Mexican Rice and Potatoes This delicious side dish pairs perfectly with the enchiladas–not too spicy but with plenty of flavor and color, it’s like eating the rainbow!

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

May Pole Dancing at Bryn Mawr College, 2006

May is finally here, and I hope that means we’re putting cold weather and April showers behind us.  I always like thinking about the different traditions around May.  At Bryn Mawr, where I went to college, we had a May Day festival every year, which included dancing around a May Pole (which is an ancient May Day tradition) and just hanging out on the green listening to bands and relaxing with friends.  Of course, in many places May Day is a socialist/anarchist holiday, a day that’s seen lots of strikes and major events in the history of the labor movement world wide.  In fact, in most countries, May Day is a national holiday like Labor Day here.  When I return from Macedonia, I can tell you more about how May Day is celebrated there.

There’s also the May tradition of going Maying, basically a huge outdoor picnic or party–portrayed here in this song from the musical Camelot.

Here at Harvest Kitchen, May means more and more delicious fresh vegetables coming in from the farms, although it’s still pretty early in the growing season, but after a long, cold winter, even a little spinach is something to “tra la la” about!

This week’s menu:

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Chicken Tikka Masala with Brown Rice – Delicious local chicken marinated in a yogurt-tomato-spice marinade, roasted, and served with a curried tomato sauce. Served over brown rice for a delicious British-Indian delight.

Italian Spinach and Rice Pie with Beef – We made this tasty dish last winter, and were impressed with its flavor and richness.  Ground beef, spinach, cheese, and loads of flavor. Yum!

Italian-style White Bean Soup with Broccoli and Greens – Broccoli and Greens add zest to creamy white beans and potatoes to make a memorable and colorful soup, perfect for lunch or dinner.

Potato Salad Salad Is it picnic weather yet? With Kathy’s classic home-style potato salad, you’ll be having a picnic whatever the weather.  Delicious Tantre potatoes cooked to perfection and dressed in a dreamy, creamy dressing.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Tofu Tikka Masala with Brown Rice – Delicious Rosewood tofu marinated in a yogurt-tomato-spice marinade, roasted until crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, and served with a curried tomato sauce. Served over brown rice for a delicious British-Indian delight.

Italian Spinach and Rice Pie – We made this tasty dish last winter, and were impressed with its flavor and richness.  Rice, spinach, cheese, and loads of flavor. Yum!

Italian-style White Bean Soup with Broccoli and Greens – Broccoli and Greens add zest to creamy white beans and potatoes to make a memorable and colorful soup, perfect for lunch or dinner.

Potato Salad Salad Is it picnic weather yet? With Kathy’s classic home-style potato salad, you’ll be having a picnic whatever the weather.  Delicious Tantre potatoes cooked to perfection and dressed in a dreamy, creamy dressing.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Chard wraps return!

I’m off on vacation this week, so I’m leaving the talented Harvest Kitchen team in charge of everything.  I’m writing this blog post a week in advance, but I have no doubt that by the time you’re reading this everything is running like clockwork at the kitchen.

When you run a small business, going on vacation is definitely a group effort.  I’m guessing it’s similar in a lot of other jobs, but this is the one I’m familiar with.  I have a lot of people to thank for making it possible for me to get away for a little while.  First off, the totally awesome HK team who are working extra and seriously kicking butt keeping everything running smoothly.  I also have to thank vendors who have gone above and beyond to help us get stocked up so that the HK team doesn’t have to do too much sourcing and ordering (that’s a big part of my role).

This is a summertime version of the veggie mac--we're doing everything but the tomatoes this week.

And I want to give a shout out to our friends over at Roos Roast coffee–we’re borrowing a lot more of Cesarina’s time these two weeks while she’s working for me a lot and so her co-workers at Roos Roast are picking up extra shifts to make up for it.  So, thanks everybody! I’m sure I’m having a GREAT time!!

I’m in Belgrade, Serbia right now and will be spending next week in Makedonski Brod, Macedonia.  While I’m in the Balkans I get to attend traditional celebrations of Orthodox Easter, as well as exploring Belgrade.  My friends have a lot of awesome adventures lined up for me, so many travelers tales (and photos of food!) are forthcoming when I return.

In the mean time, here’s what YOU’re eating this week!

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Mac and Cheese with Veggies and Bacon – Our baked mac and cheese has become a popular menu staple here at Harvest Kitchen, but this week we take it to the next level–we’re mixing in delicious spring spinach and topping the whole thing with crumbled Michigan bacon. Mmm!

Pork Ginger Quinoa Chard Wraps– These healthy wraps make the perfect entree–light and full of the flavors of ginger and flavorful ground pork from Black Oak Farms.

Carrot Ginger Soup – We’ve been waiting for months for the carrot crop to return so we could feature this sweet, bright, zesty soup once more.  Truly a refreshing taste of springtime.

Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad This hearty salad features plenty of creamy chickpeas, crispy carrots, and a light and delicious dressing. Makes an ideal light lunch.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Mac and Cheese with Veggies – Our baked mac and cheese has become a popular menu staple here at Harvest Kitchen, but this week we take it to the next level–we’re mixing in delicious spring spinach and topping the whole thing with our homemade bread crumbs. Mmm!

Ginger Quinoa Chard Wraps– These healthy wraps make the perfect entree–light and full of the flavors of ginger and grated veggies.

Carrot Ginger Soup – We’ve been waiting for months for the carrot crop to return so we could feature this sweet, bright, zesty soup once more.  Truly a refreshing taste of springtime.

Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad This hearty salad features plenty of creamy chickpeas, crispy carrots, and a light and delicious dressing. Makes an ideal light lunch.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Seeds being planted at the Community Farm / photo courtesy of Peter Scherer

I don’t know where the springtime weather has gotten to, do you?  We’ve had an inch or so of rain in the past 24 hours, and they’re predicting snow (?!) for tomorrow.  I, for one, am ready for sunny days and REAL spring–let’s hope these heavy April showers bring lots of May flowers!

This Monday is Earth Day.  I know it seems like a holiday many of us haven’t celebrated since elementary school, but it’s nice to take a little time on a spring day to think of Mother Earth and all she does for us.  Maybe we could make Earth Day resolutions, just like New Years Resolutions–we could resolve to do new things to reduce our environmental impact, like planting trees or biking to work or…eating more local food?  What would your Earth Day resolution be?

Listen to this song while you’re thinking about it!

 

And, here’s this week’s menu:

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Pork Vegetable Curry – This flavorful curry features delicious fresh carrots from Senna Prairie Farm, broccoli from our freezer, and slow cooked tender pork.  It’s not too spicy, but features a delicious blend of south Asian flavors that are sure to satisfy.  Served over brown rice.

Swedish Meatballs with Noodles –  Delicious hand-rolled meatballs smothered in our fresh gravy and served over delectable Pastabilities egg noodles.  A hearty dish to set you up for whatever life brings you.

Spinach Gnocchi Soup – This simple soup highlights the flavors of springtime: tender fresh spinach from our friends at Senna Prairie and Growing Hope along with hearty gnocchi noodles and our homemade soup stock. Grab a spoon for this meal-in-a-bowl.

Potato Sunchoke Au Gratin Sunchokes are another early springtime treat. Experience their gentle, nutty flavor along with delicious potatoes and plenty of cheese in this simple gratin.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Nitya’s Dal with Greens – A former HK member shared with us the secrets of delicious South Indian Dal, much like what is served at The Earthen Jar in Ann Arbor.  This vegan dish was also officially approved by a delegation from VegMichigan last winter.  It will have you licking the bowl….  Served over brown rice.

Tofu Vegetable Croquettes with Sweet and Sour Vegetables –  Our creamy tofu balls pair perfectly with crisp-tender vegetables served in a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce for a delightfully flavorful meal.

Spinach Gnocchi Soup – This simple soup highlights the flavors of springtime: tender fresh spinach from our friends at Senna Prairie and Growing Hope along with hearty gnocchi noodles and our homemade soup stock. Grab a spoon for this meal-in-a-bowl.

Potato Sunchoke Au Gratin Sunchokes are another early springtime treat. Experience their gentle, nutty flavor along with delicious potatoes and plenty of cheese in this simple gratin.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our delicious lettuce mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Connecting with guests at HK's Grand Opening May, 2011

As you may know, this week we celebrated two years to the day since our first day of cooking at 32 E Cross St in Ypsilanti.  Thanks to everyone who’s been a part of the journey so far–it’s been an adventure.

Looking back, it’s amazing to see how we’ve changed and adapted since we moved in back in 2011.  At that point we had four years of experience of cooking seasonally with local veggies and meat, and we’d built up a loyal base of subscribing customers in Ann Arbor.  Still, it took us a while to adapt and grow our

Ryan making meatballs on the first day in Ypsilanti, April 2011

model to really take advantage of our retail space and the flexibility the new kitchen gives us.  And we’re still learning! It’s hard to believe that the ever-popular home delivery option has only been available for eight months (how did we ever manage without it?) or that our gorgeous display cooler has only been in place for two months! I hope that we’ve got many more great innovations in our future to make HK even more convenient, but we continue to be committed to working closely with local farmers to bring you the most delicious, healthy, local food we can.

As always, we want to thank our Ypsi community for being so welcoming and all the customers who’ve given us a try.  We still get people almost every day who discover us for the first time–I’m never sure if “Are you guys new?” is my favorite question or my least favorite question!  Even after two years, we are happy to explain what we do and connect with new food enthusiasts, and we don’t mind being considered a “new” store on the block.  Here’s to many more, both years and customers!

With that in mind, this week’s menu features a lot of old favorites:

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Uncle Eddie’s Spiral Meatloaf– Inside its seemingly-simple exterior, this meatloaf hides a secret: a

Spiral Meatloaf is baaaack!

pinwheel of delicious hearty greens! This meatloaf is the perfect way to tempt greens-wary family members.

Spring Rolls with Chicken –  Shredded chicken combine with the freshest crunchy spring vegetables like sprouts, carrots, and cabbage. Wrapped in rice paper and served with a dipping sauce, our spring rolls are a refreshing meal.

Potato Kale Soup – Delicious, creamy, and hearty, this soup features two of the flavors of late winter and early spring–potatoes have kept us going all winter, now they’re joined by the fresh flavor of baby kale. Dig in!

Green Quinoa Salad Freshly cooked quinoa (a “super food”, forever known to us as “The Big Q”!) soaks up the flavors and nutrients of a raw greens dressing. Unusual and deliciously healthy for a spring side or salad, serve warm or cold.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our spicy salad mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Nutloaf with Greens – The vegetarian alternative to meatloaf, our recipe comes from the kitchen at Pendle Hill, a Quaker community near Philadelphia, and features a variety of nuts in a surprisingly flavorful and hearty loaf.  Served with tender greens.

Vegetarian Springrolls  - Featuring the freshest crunchy spring vegetables like sprouts, carrots, and cabbage. Wrapped in rice paper and served with a dipping sauce, our spring rolls are a refreshing meal.

Potato Kale Soup – Delicious, creamy, and hearty, this soup features two of the flavors of late winter and early spring–potatoes have kept us going all winter, now they’re joined by the fresh flavor of baby kale. Dig in!

Green Quinoa Salad Freshly cooked quinoa (a “super food”, forever known to us as “The Big Q”!) soaks up the flavors and nutrients of a raw greens dressing. Unusual and deliciously healthy for a spring side or salad, serve warm or cold.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our spicy salad mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Roos Roast Coffee Beans will now be available at our store and for home delivery!

It’s been a chilly month, but the longer days can’t be denied.  Spring is finally on the way.  It’s hard to have winter lingering, just when we’re totally fed up with winter and we want the weather to be warmer, but it’s better this way than how it was last year, when a early warm spell followed by a late frost cost us a lot of the fruit crop.  This “more normal” weather may be the signal of a much better growing season.

Red Pepper Vegetable Stew featuring frozen veggies from the freezer

Lizzie at Tantre Farm sends this report from the fields: ” We are finally basking in two lights, that of the moon and the springtime sun. The tiny frogs are out, and their calls match the birdsong of the morning. Each noise marks time with our heartbeats, newly bared with the change of season. The time is an exciting one, and we have finally put some seeds and plants into the thawed ground. ”

Here at Harvest Kitchen we’re excited to finally be featuring some new spring crops on the menu–this whole time, except for the green salads (which have been coming fresh from the hoop houses), we’ve been using storage crops, whether it’s dry storage items like pumpkins or potatoes or frozen summer vegetables.  Finally, this week’s menu highlights the first dark green leafy vegetables of the spring.  What a relief!

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Spanikopita with Beef – We’re adding beef for you omnivores! This delicious dish is a HK fan

Sesame Orange Tofu!

favorite: layers of flaky phyllo dough alternate with creamy cheese and lots of fresh, delicious greens.

Chicken Alfredo –Rich, creamy, and delicious alfredo sauce pairs deliciously with fresh local chicken and Pastabilities fettucine.

Lentil Vegetable Soup – A hearty and wholesome meal-in-a-bowl, our lentil vegetable soup is overflowing with flavor. The perfect lunch for a busy day at work or school.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes – Our sturdy standby this winter, the potato, takes center stage in this simple (yet extraordinary) dish: roasted to crispy perfection and tossed with rosemary, salt, and pepper, these potatoes pair perfectly with any of this week’s main dishes.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our spicy salad mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Spanikopita  – This delicious dish is a HK fan favorite: layers of flaky phyllo dough alternate with creamy cheese and lots of fresh, delicious greens.  The eternally-popular vegan version with delicious Turkish-style tofu filling is also available.

Fettucine Toscana – Delicious local pasta from Pastabilities topped with a creamy sauce, greens, and cauliflower. Both attractive and satisfying!

Lentil Vegetable Soup – A hearty and wholesome meal-in-a-bowl, our lentil vegetable soup is overflowing with flavor. The perfect lunch for a busy day at work or school.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes – Our sturdy standby this winter, the potato, takes center stage in this simple (yet extraordinary) dish: roasted to crispy perfection and tossed with rosemary, salt, and pepper, these potatoes pair perfectly with any of this week’s main dishes.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our spicy salad mix is a delicious springtime treat. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Hey, we’re in a music video!

A month or two ago my friends at Rap for Food stopped by the Ann Arbor Farmers Market to shoot a music video and Harvest Kitchen is among the featured vendors.  The video is an adorable parody of Taylor Swift’s “Never Getting Back Together” called “Never Eating Bad Together”.  Rap for Food’s mission is to inspire people to get more involved with local food, eat more healthy food, and generally connect more with their community and their diet through music.  So, this video is a cute and inspiring picture of what that might look like.  Check it out!

That’s probably all our big news here.  Spring is gradually arriving.  This report came in from Farmer Lizzie at Tantre: “The sun has finally brought spring to the farm, shedding frost from the plants and wool from us as we work. The slow movement of sprouts from inside to out has begun at the start of this full moon. And, although I have said this weeks ago, the spinach explosion is pending. The slow spring has started, and the warmth will light the dynamite of growth we will all soon encounter. “  There is much to look forward to–especially that spinach explosion!

Here’s this week’s menu:

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Sesame Orange Chicken  – Harnois’ Happy Chickens roasted to perfection and coated with a delicious sesame-orange glaze.  Served with brown rice and edamame. Irresistible.

Cassoulet -  Traditional French home cooking, cassoulet is a slow-cooked casserole, melding the savory flavors of ham and beans.  Ours will feature amazing ham from Black Oak Farm, organic white beans, our frozen tomatoes, and plenty of herbs.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Bacon  – A classic crowd-pleaser, our hearty broccoli cheddar soup is a meal in a bowl.  Featuring delicious Michigan bacon, we think the name says all you need to know.

Barley Pilaf with Nuts and Fruits – Another delicious grain dish, this barley pilaf will make the perfect accompaniment to this week’s mains: sweet barley studded with Michigan dried cherries, organic cranberries, an assortment of seeds and nuts, and a hint of Pecorino cheese.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our lettuce and arugula salad is a delicious treat in the depths of winter. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

Sesame Orange Tofu  – Creamy Rosewood tofu marinated, roasted, and coated with a delicious sesame-orange glaze.  Served with brown rice and edamame. Irresistible.

Vegetarian Cassoulet -  This NOT-so-Traditional take on French home cooking, our vegetarian cassoulet is a slow-cooked casserole, melding the savory flavors of beans, vegetables, and lots of herbs. You won’t miss the meat!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup  – A classic crowd-pleaser, our hearty broccoli cheddar soup is a meal in a bowl.  As for flavor, we think the name says all you need to know.

Barley Pilaf with Nuts and Fruits – Another delicious grain dish, this barley pilaf will make the perfect accompaniment to this week’s mains: sweet barley studded with Michigan dried cherries, organic cranberries, an assortment of seeds and nuts, and a hint of Pecorino cheese.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our lettuce and arugula salad is a delicious treat in the depths of winter. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Shepherd's Pie is BAAAACK!

Well well well, it’s been a busy weekend, so my apologies for a late and necessarily short post here.  This afternoon I was at the first ever CSA fair–this event, organized by Slow Food Huron Valley, was designed to give members of the community a chance to talk to many of the local CSA farmers (and people like me, who offer CSA-like services).  For those who aren’t familiar with the term, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and while the model has a lot of variations, the basic idea is that customers buy in to a farm and get a share of the produce for a season–much like our own subscription program.  The event was well attended by farmers and extremely well-attended by the community! The Pittsfield Grange was buzzing with excited folks, talking, sharing information, signing up, and having a grand time.  Since there are so many different CSAs in the Ann Arbor area, finding the perfect fit for every family can be overwhelming–this fun event gave folks a chance to talk to different farmers and compare all their various options before making a choice.  I was thrilled that the event was such a success–hopefully many more outreach/info events will be in the future!

So are PULLED PORK SAMMIES!!!!

However, I’m now tired and a little hoarse from so much talking, so without further ado, here’s the menu

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Shepherd’s Pie  – A British favorite, shepherd’s pie is a layered dish, with a savory layer of ground lamb and vegetables topped with creamy mashed potatoes.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich -   Our delicious pulled pork sandwich features local BBQ sauce and is served with a whole wheat bun from our friends at Avalon Bakery.

Red Pepper Vegetable Bisque  – The sweet summertime flavors of roasted red peppers and tomato form the creamy-smooth base of this vegetable soup.  As always we’ll be featuring delicious local vegetables from our freezer and beyond.

Indonesian Rice Salad – Full of nuts and vegetables and topped with a zesty citrus dressing, this flavorful salad is a favorite from Gaia’s Kitchen cookbook.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our lettuce and arugula salad is a delicious treat in the depths of winter. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!

Vegetarian

“The Good Shepherd”‘s Pie – The vegetarian version of a British classic, The Good Shepherd’s pie (lentil-herd’s pie?) features a delicious savory base of hearty lentils and veggies, topped with creamy mashed potatoes.

White Bean Cauliflower Burger  -  This is our best-ever veggie burger…sadly, we created the recipe with the very last of the cauliflower last winter, so we’re thrilled to be able to bring it back to the menu now that we’ve got a new supply of frozen cauliflower. Served with an Avalon Bakery Whole Wheat Bun.

Red Pepper Vegetable Bisque  – The sweet summertime flavors of roasted red peppers and tomato form the creamy-smooth base of this vegetable soup.  As always we’ll be featuring delicious local vegetables from our freezer and beyond.

Indonesian Rice Salad – Full of nuts and vegetables and topped with a zesty citrus dressing, this flavorful salad is a favorite from Gaia’s Kitchen cookbook.

Green Salad with House Dressing  — Our lettuce and arugula salad is a delicious treat in the depths of winter. Fresh flavors to brighten your day!