Oops, we forgot to post last week!

As I go to post tonight, I realized we forgot to post last week. We were technically on vacation for the week, so we kind of checked out aside from actual crate preparation! Sorry about that!

In the box this week you'll find some of the usual suspects, including peaches, but you'll also find a sign of fall approaching - pumpkin!

As we approach the end of the regular season, we're finding that many of our farmers have similar items, making variety more difficult. We do hope you'll enjoy the crate this week... including the pumpkin! Hopefully you'll find the recipes and tips helpful in preparing the pumpkin for something other than a jack-o-lantern! We provided a fun recipe for pumpkin burger, but once you create a puree' you'll have lots of left over pumpkin to use for bread, pie or other favorite pumpkin treats! Don't forget to roast the seeds too!

Pumpkin Burger (recipe by VeganHeaven.org)

Serves: 4| Time: 30 min

1 T ground flax seed + 3 T water OR 1 Egg

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 C pumpkin puree (see reverse)

1.5 C rolled oats

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 t Italian Seasoning

1 t paprika

1/2 t mustard

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

For serving:

Whole grain buns

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Mayo (or vegan mayo) with one T minced garlic added

Pomegranate Seeds (optional)

1. If using flax instead of egg, combine flax and water in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.

2. Saute’ the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, then set aside, then sear the mushrooms for about 2 minutes.

3. Mash the chickpeas with a fork, leaving some intact for texture. In a bowl, combine with the pumpkin puree, egg or flax and the oats. Add the seasonings, mustard, onion and garlic. Season with salt & pepper then form burger patties.

4. Cook the patties in a frying pan with a small amount of oil for 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Serve the pumpkin burgers on whole grain buns with lettuce, mushrooms and garlic mayo. Top with pomegranate seeds if desired.

* Pumpkin puree—cut your pumpkin in 1/2, avoiding the stem, then pull apart. Scoop out the seeds (clean and roast them if desired). Heat the oven to 400° Place the pumpkin cut-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the pumpkin can be easily pierced with a fork. (45-60 minutes). Allow to cool slightly, then scrape the soft flesh in to a food processor, process 3-5 minutes until smooth. Refrigerate for up to a week, freeze for 3 months.

Roasted Veggie Orzo with Garlic-Balsamic

(recipe by thegardengrazer.com)

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Servings: 5

1 medium eggplant

2 bell peppers

1 small onion

8oz mushrooms

3 roma tomatoes

Dressing:

3.5 T balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic

1 t dried basil (2 t fresh, minced)

1 T water

1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)

Toppings:

Fresh parsley, basil, chives, feta, olives

1. Preheat oven to 425°

2. Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.

3. Dice eggplant, onion, peppers in to small bite-sized pieces. Halve or quarter the mushrooms.

4. Place all vegetables on the baking sheet, salt if desired. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning 1/2 way through.

5. Cook orzo according to package directions.

6. While orzo is cooking, make the dressing: mince garlic and add all ingredients to a small bowl, then stir to combine.

7. Dice tomatoes and place in a large bowl. When vegetables are done, add to bowl along with the dressing and stir.

8. Combine with orzo and serve immediately warm, or chilled. Salt & pepper to taste.

Notes: On this recipe, you could prepare risotto, pasta, or any grain of your preference instead of orzo. The recipe originally called for zucchini, but since we were offering eggplant this week, we made the substitution; you could also use roasted pumpkin cubes in place of or in addition to any of the vegetables.