Hello Rootabaga Subscribers,
Welcome to another fun week of the Rootabaga produce subscription. This week we have lots of tender summer veggies for you: zucchini, cucumber, bell peppers. We’re also bringing back kale to the small subscription, which we haven’t seen since the end of the late fall growing season and we are very excited about. I also tested a new recipe for Sweet & Sour Broccoli to showcase the fresh broccoli crop. With greenhouse bell peppers, protein from Acadiana Extra-Firm Tofu or Snowy River Chicken Breasts, chunks of pineapple, and a simple sweet and sour sauce, you’ve got a delicious and easy stir-fry perfect to serve over fluffy basmati rice. The recipe will be included below. This week the small share has:
Broccoli – Noggins Corner Farm, conventionally-grown
Greenhouse Peppers – Stokdijk Greenhouses, conventionally-grown
Zucchini – Noggins Corner Farm, conventionally-grown
Cucumber – Stokdijk Greenhouses, conventionally-grown
Kale – Noggins Corner Farm, spray-free
Sweet Potatoes – Elmridge Farm, spray-free
The large share has everything above, as well as:
A full bunch of kale instead of a ½ bunch of kale
Spinach – Noggins Corner Farm, spray-free
Hot House Tomatoes – Stokdijk Greenhouses, conventionally-grown
This week’s recipe is a delicious and hearty stir-fry. Think of an at home and healthy version of your favourite Chinese Sweet and Sour take-out. Broccoli florets soak up the sticky sauce made from staples you likely already have in your pantry. And the meal is complemented by bell peppers, pineapple chunks, and crispy tofu. Broccoli stalks are also great in stir-fry’s, to use the stalk peel or cut off the tough outer skin and slice the tender inner stalk into cubes or rounds. If you prefer to make the dish with Snowy River Chicken Breast or Osprey’s Roost Ground Pork, just start the stir-fry with your meat of choice and follow the rest of the recipe as is.
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 1 block Acadiana Extra-Firm Tofu
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 bunch broccoli florets and stalks
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
- 1-2 bulbs and stalk spring garlic (about 2 tablespoons diced)
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drain the tofu and slice into bite sized cubes. Place on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes (if you find that the cubes are sticking, roast them a minute or so longer, they will unstick themselves from the pan when fully crisped).
- Chop all the veggies into bite sized pieces. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
- Heat up a small saucepan to medium heat. Add the sugar, salt, vinegar, ketchup, and pineapple juice (about ½ cup) and whisk together. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water, once the sauce is bubbling, add the cornstarch slurry. Simmer the sauce until thickened.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a generous glug of olive oil. Starting with the garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add the rest of the veggies, season with a pinch of salt. Cook the veggies for 5-8 minutes until just soft. Add the pineapple to warm through, and the tofu once cooked.
- Add the sauce to evenly glaze all the veggies. Serve over basmati rice.
Pineapple is a great addition to this stir-fry and I encourage you to try it even if cooked pineapple isn’t usually your thing. The sweet and sour sauce is more on the tart side than sweet, so the pineapple is great for balance, let alone the juice’s flavour when making the sauce. I really enjoyed this homemade version of a favourite takeout dish and I’ll definitely be making it through the summer with different veggies as they come into season. Zucchini, cauliflower, or carrots would all be great in this dish.
Please let me know if you try the recipe. Or tag us in your Rootabaga creations on Facebook or Instagram (@uprootedmarketandcafe). We love hearing about how you’re using your Rootabaga subscription.
Thank you for joining us, we look forward to packing up more fresh local produce for you next week.
See you then,
Robin