Like most salad greens, Arugula is very low in calories and is high in vitamins A and C. A 1/2 cup serving is two calories.

In Roman times Arugula was grown for both its leaves and the seed. The seed was used for flavoring oils. On another interesting note, Rocket or Arugula seed has been used as an ingredient in aphrodisiac concoctions dating back to the first century, AD. (Cambridge World History of Food). Part of a typical Roman meal was to offer a salad of greens, frequently Arugula ( spelled Arugola), romaine, chicory, mallow and lavender and seasoned with a "cheese sauce for lettuce."

Arulula Pesto with Garlic

1/3 cup of your favorite olive oil
1 ounce garlic (about 6 cloves), peeled and sliced
6 ounces arugula, preferably very young leaves
3 ounces freshly grated romano or other hard cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 5-1/2 ounces)

If desired, first cook the garlic: Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic to hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes until barely golden, turning slices once. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Add salt to taste and more oil if desired.

Will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator. Cover with a thin layer of olive oil to stop the top turning a different color.

May be frozen in plastic containers or ice cube trays (then remove from trays and store pesto cubes in a zipper freezer bag.

Both the salad bouquet and the bulk lettuce mix contain a grower's selection of up to four lettuces based on availability.

Our Salad Bouquet contains one or more of the following greens: red or green romaine, looseleaf and oak leaf lettuces and/or mustard greens, lolla rossa, Boston, arugula, pac choi or tatsoi If you frequently eat green salads, you'll likely have higher blood levels of a host of powerful antioxidants (vitamin C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and alpha- and beta-carotene,) Antioxidants are substances that help protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

Summer is a great time for salads. You can make a meal without turning on the stove and take advantage of all the great in-season produce. The salad bar seems to beckon in the summer, too; when heavier meals seem to weigh you down, try a salad meal it's a lighter option. Salad bouquet provides a nutritious As with all our salad

Mixed Green Salad with pepper Vinaigrette

The mild flavor of fresh lettuce leaves are well complimented by fresh or dry herbs. The base of most green salads is lettuce. Two or three lettuce varieties are good for both taste and texture. Mix leaf lettuce with crisp lettuce and accent with fresh herb leaves.

The simplest way to appreciate a tossed green salad is with a vinaigrette dressing. Keep it simple. When the dressing becomes too complicated, the mild garden greens can be overpowered.

Mixed Green Salad with Red and Yellow Pepper Vinaigrette

4 cups mixed fresh greens (combine a leaf lettuce with crisp varieties) Boston, or your favorite lettuce
4 tablespoons Red & Yellow pepper vinaigrette
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese (optional)

Wash and dry lettuce leaves. Tear into bite size pieces. Place in an oversized bowl with room for tossing. Place in refrigerator until ready to toss and serve. Can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance. Makes one cup of vinaigrette. Pour 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette over the greens and toss well with two large forks to coat. Add crumbled cheese, if desired and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Yields 4 one-cup servings.

Pac Choi is an excellent source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium and iron. It's delicate flavor and satisfying crunchiness make pac choi a great choice for those looking for a healthy treat. Since it is much milder in flavor than cabbage or mustard greens, it is a leafy vegetable that will be appreciated by people who don t usually like greens. Baby Pac Choi has roundish, dark green leaves that look like crinkled spinach, and crunchy, white stalks. When cooked, it has a sweet flavor and its stalks are firm. It is a member of cabbage family. Baby Pac Choi is just a younger version of Pac Choi, harvested when it is about 6 inches tall (15 cm.) Its flavor is sweeter and milder than full-sized Pac Choi

Baby Pac Choi is so tender that you can cook it whole or in halves to serve as a side dish.

If you're looking for a nutritious vegetable, Pac Choi is a great choice. Pac Choi is a plant that is in the cabbage (brassicacea) family. It originated in China, where it has been grown for over 1500 years. It was introduced into the US during the late 19th century by Chinese immigrants. Since then, it has gained popularity, though in most areas of the country, it is still considered somewhat exotic. Pac Choi has a mild flavor. The leaves taste similar to Swiss chard and the stems (called ribs) are deliciously crispy and can be substituted for celery in recipes.

Stir-Fry Baby Pac Choi with Garlic

Serves 4
4 bunches pac choi
5 cloves garlic,
1 pound minced COOKED cubed tofu, chicken, beef or pork
1 pinch of salt
1 cup vegetable, chicken or beef stock
1 tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs. water
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. chili paste
1 tbs. toasted sesame oil

Cut baby pac choi leaves into 3 pieces, cut stems into 2 pieces. Wash well. Mix stock, soy sauce and chili paste. Heat a nonstick skillet or wok, add and heat oil then add garlic and pac choi. Sprinkle with salt and stir-fry over high heat for a few minutes until the greens are wilted. Add the stock, reduce heat to low, then add cooked meat or tofu. Cover and heat until meat or tofu are heated through. Add cornstarch mixture and stir. Cook until thickened.

Serve over noodles or rice.

Basil is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Protein, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Riboflavin and Niacin, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper and Manganese.

Basil - Ocimum Basilicum.

Its name is derived from the Greek basileus meaning King as it was seen to have a royal fragrance. It can be used to flavor foods and is used mainly with tomato, although it can also be used in salads, to flavor vinegar, to complement egg dishes and sometimes in teas. Basil was once considered to belong to the Devil and was used in a remedy against witches. Basil originates from Africa and Asia and was thought to have been another one of the herbs that Alexander the great brought to Greece in about 350 BC. It's journey to the west can be dated back to around 1500 where it travel from India. One of the varieties of Basil, Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is sacred in the Hindu religion. The goddess, Tulasi is thought to have manifested into the plant. and became a symbol of love, eternal life, purification and protection.

Fresh Basil & tomato Served with Shrimp

This is a great no-cook tomato sauce for a warm summer evening, a dish that looks as tantalizing as it tastes. Really good tomatoes are a must, winter ones just don't live up to their summer counterparts.

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil sprigs (1 bunch)
3 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb. angel hair (Cappellini) pasta, very thin
1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled & veined
1 clove garlic Juice of
1 lemon Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt and pepper; marinate 1-2 hours at room temperature or overnight in refrigerator. Cook pasta until al dente and drain well. Transfer to platter and then add enough olive oil to coat. Mix uncooked tomato sauce into pasta and let stand 5 minutes before serving. That's to admire how pretty it looks. Meanwhile, in a frying pan pour 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute a clove of crushed garlic. Then saute 1 pound of shrimp or 1/2 pound of shrimp and 1/2 pound of scallops for 3 minutes, just until they loose their translucency. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon onto the shell fish and arrange on top of the tomato paste mixture. Serve with Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Our Boston Lettuce is packed in a special clamshell container with the roots intact to keep the lettuce at the peak of freshness!

If you frequently eat green salads, you'll likely have higher blood levels of a host of powerful antioxidants (vitamin C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and alpha- and beta-carotene,) Antioxidants are substances that help protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

Recipe

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Farmer Grant

Alternative Media for Seeding Growth for Short Crop Cycle Baby Spinach and Salad Mix Production in a Hydroponic Greenhouse

Background
The cost of available media used to grow produce that is planted to full density (without transplanting) and has an extremely short growth cycle is expensive to purchase, and creates further costs and environmental concerns with regards to storage and disposal. Before proceeding to larger scale commercial production of spinach (and other salad mix products), this project allows us to determine if there are alternatives to current growing methods using peatlite that can significantly reduce these costs and preserve natural resources.

Project Design
The research consists of pilot work to address technical design issues with the media alternatives and two stages of formal experiments. In stage one, we seek to determine the least amount of peatlite required per plant that maintains product yield or quality and also determine the feasibility of using plastic pellets in crop production as opposed to just in research. The second stage in the research will test the re-usability of the two media.

Outcomes
The research data collected will allow us to start to come up with comparative costs and time estimates for using each of these media options, and weigh this information with other factors such as crop productivity plant quality and long-term use of natural resources. The results from this project will add to knowledge and agricultural practices that can reduce costs, increase farm income and conserve protect natural resources, making year round production of seasonal foods more profitable and more accessible for adoption by farmers in the Northeast.

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
(SARE) Farmer Grant.

Background
Fresh spinach has not been locally available throughout the year in New York State. Root rot disease caused by Pythium aphanidermatum is a primary reason why spinach has only been sporadically produced in the United States in hydroponic systems. Research at Cornell University has identified a solution to the root disease problem that now makes it feasible to grow spinach in a hydroponic production system similar to that used for lettuce. This project expands upon previously funded NYSERDA projects and is the next step towards full-scale commercial spinach production.

Project Design
The project design involves two compartments of a greenhouse range, one devoted to prototype-scale commercial production, and one to supportive research with careful control of the crop production cycle, temperature of the root zone and nutrient solution. Areas of research include cultivar selection and seeding protocols, repeated harvesting, exploring the feasibility of root zone management to reduce nitrate and oxalate concentration, and long-term nutrient solution management strategies. Prototype-scale continuous production permits testing production techniques that have only been practiced on a research scale, as well as developing methods for harvesting and packaging that are necessary for full-scale commercial production. This project includes developing production methodology that meets the highest standards of food safety. Sales to local retailers, restaurants and institutions offer a diverse customer base upon which to test marketing strategies, to include tracking product quality and shelf life as influenced by harvest and packaging options.

Outcomes
Knowledge and processes developed through this project will prepare Finger Lakes Fresh to begin full-scale commercial production of fresh baby spinach at the conclusion of this project, resulting in increased availability of year round local produce, creation of new jobs, and economic returns to Challenge and the local community.