DRIFTLESS TERROIR:
Connecting Food, People, and Place
June 2, 2015

 
Welcome!
Happy Summer 2015! We look forward to celebrating the flavors of the seasons with you through this weekly e-newsletter. This newsletter is sent to all participants of the Luther College CSA Rebate Program and any other interested faculty, staff, students, community members or friends of the college. You can look forward to receiving fresh recipe ideas in your inbox every week. We will also keep you up to date on what is harvestable in the edible landscapes and upcoming food education events. We have some exciting cooking classes, gardening classes and farm tours scheduled for this summer. We look forward to seeing you there! If you come across any fun seasonal recipes or ideas for newsletter features, please send them our way. We would love to hear from you.                                                        
Featured Produce
Spinach
Spinach is a leafy, flowering, annual plant. It is rich in vitamins A, C, and K. It is also a great source of magnesium, manganese, folate, and iron. Spinach has high nutritional value and is low in calories!
 
Asparagus
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that can be eaten raw, cooked, and even pickled! It is a good source of dietary fibre, protein, beta carotene, and vitamins C, E, and K.  

Look below for recipes!

 
This Week in Edible Landscapes:
There are two Edible Landscapes on the Luther campus - one behind Ylvisaker Hall, and the other next to the Valders Hall of Science. The gardens are being planted and soon there will be an assortment of veggies available for you to pick. All faculty, staff and students are welcome to visit the gardens at any time and pick whatever is ready. The gates are meant to keep the deer and rabbits away, not you!  
 
Stay tuned for our upcoming list of fresh produce that can be harvested! 
UPCOMING EVENTS, JUNE 7 - JUNE 19
Farm Tour and Open House: Sunday, June 7, Time pending, Canoe Creek Produce
Presto Pesto: Wednesday, June 10, 12-1, Valders 379 

How to Build a Low-cost Hoop House: Thursday, June 11, 12-1, Luther College Farm

The Basics of Risotto: Tuesday, June 16, 12-1, Valders 379

Slow and Low: African Stew: Wednesday, June 17, 12-1, Valders 379

Farm Tour and Potluck: Thursday, June 18, 5:30 pm, Patchwork Green Farm

Strawberry Picking: Friday, June 19, 4:45-7, Wolds Strawberries

 

Register for these and all future food education classes online.

MEET YOUR SUMMER 2015 SUSTAINABLE FOODS INTERN

Miranda Gumpert

Year: Junior

Majors: Biology

Hometown: Eldridge, IA

Favorite Summertime Food: Watermelon

Interest in Sustainable Foods: I thoroughly enjoy eating and I love knowing where my food comes from. This way, I know that the food I am eating is not only delicious but also safe. I believe that food is a crucial part of every community and eating locally can be a wonderful bonding experience that I cannot wait to share with all of you!

 

 

 FEATURED RECIPES


Creamy Spinach Dip

  

Ingredients

  • 1 small shallot, peeled
  • 1 5-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed 
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 6 ounces baby spinach
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

 

 

 

Directions

1. Pulse a shallot and water chestnuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped. 

2. Add cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pulse until just combined. 

3. Add spinach and chives and pulse until incorporated.  


 

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Stir before serving. 

 

Recipe and photo courtesy of Eating Well


Cream of Fresh Asparagus Soup
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside.

2. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the milk.

3. Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but do not allow it to boil. Serve immediately. 

 

Recipe and photo courtesy of allrecipes.com

ADDITIONAL RECIPE LINKS
Spinach

Asparagus

Driftless - used to describe the region that is free from glacial drifts in parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois

Terroir (terˈwär) - Food of the land; the characteristic taste and flavor imparted to food by the environment in which it is grown 

  

Maren Stumme-Diers 

Sustainable Foods Educator

563-387-1722 

stumma01@luther.edu

http://www.luther.edu/sustainability/food/