Foothill Collaborative for Sustainability FoCuS presents....

3rd Annual

Grow Your Own Food Event

Sunday, February 6, 2011

10 am to 5 pm

Location to be Announced, Sonora

Begin the 2011 year with seeds and plant an edible garden. Everyone interested in gardening is welcome! You'll find many open-pollinated and heirloom seeds saved and collected by local growers. Varieties of vegetables, herbs, beans, fruit and grain seeds, potatoes, cuttings and potted plants saved and collected by local growers.

We'll have special guest, small scale grain grower,  John DeRosier from With the Grain in Pasa Robles. He'll be sharing his seeds as well as his wealth of knowledge in a workshop on the "Basics of Grain Growing".

Come hear local experts in a series of workshops from; seed saving to beekeeping, soil fertility to chicken and egg raising; pruning fruit trees to keeping worms and more.

The soil at Flying Disc Ranch never gets cultivated, therefore the garden floor always stays green. The ranch is covered with a living mulch which protects it from harsh sunlight and drying conditions and also provides habitat for all the beneficial insects. Robert mows the grass about once a month with a flail mower (a tractor with a mowing implement). The living mulch absorbs sunlight more slowly, causing the dates to take longer to ripen. This makes the fruit sweeter, softer, and more nutrient-dense.

Caramelized Brussels Sprout Leaves with Candied Nuts

Highly recommended by our friend Katie Hughes

Substitue with your favorite nut, seed, dried fruit. We have plenty in stock!

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1 large shallot, minced

3 tbsp butter, divided

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 sunflower seeds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 tbsp brown sugar

Salt to taste and pepper, to taste

Method

First, prepare candied nuts.  Mix nuts, seeds and cranberries.  Toast in a saute pan over medium-low heat until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted.  Watch carefully!  Do not allow to burn.  Add 1 tablespoon butter, brown sugar and pinches of salt, tossing to coat nuts and cranberries.  Continue to toast until mixture is slightly caramelized.  Remove from heat and spread out on a plate to cool.  Set aside.

Using a paring knife, cut off the sprouts' stem ends.  Then, using the knife, peel leaves from the stem end, working in a circular motion around the sprout, a few at a time.  There will be a small piece of stem left at the center that you can discard, or save to saute later.

Next, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add remaining butter and oil.  Saute shallots for about 30 seconds, then add Brussels sprout leaves.  Saute leaves until they are slightly caramelized and cooked through.  Do not overcook.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  The leaves should be sweet and softened, but still toothsome.  Add cooled candied nuts and cranberries, and toss to distribute thoroughly.  Serve immediately.

KALE SALAD

A sure way to eat lots of kale enjoyably....
 

1 bunch of Dino or Lacinato kale
 

½ cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari soy sauce

1/3 cup lemon juice

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or flax seed oil

½ medium-size red onion

¼ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup sesame seeds

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

1-pound fresh kale (1 large bunch- full box)

½ cup sunflower sprouts

1 avocado, cut into ½ inch cubes (optional)

Combine Braggs or soy sauce and lemon juice in a blender or whisk in a bowl. Slowly dribble in the oil as the blender turns or as you whisk vigorously. Slice the onion into thin half-moons and marinate in the dressing as you prepare the rest of the salad.

Toast the seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until seeds are just golden and fragrant. Toast each seed type separately as their size requires varying roasting times. Cool to room temperature.

De-stem the kale cutting out the main central vein (reserve for soup stock). Stack the kale leaves and slice into ¼-inch ribbons. This is the most important step, so take your time. The success of this recipe lies in cutting the kale into small ribbons and in completely massaging the kale with the dressing.

Toss the seeds, sprouts, and kale together with the marinated onions and as much dressing as necessary to lightly but completely dress the kale. Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands. Add the avocado and mushrooms if using and toss again with your hands.