Today we had four great volunteers out gleaning lettuce and broccoli for the food bank, and they plan to come back on Thursday for more. Would you like to join them? Just think of how many boxes of produce we could send off with a few more hands! We plan to meet at 8:30, call the farm for information if you want to join in. In other news pertaining to the food bank, there is a picnic downtown on Friday night, called “A Table For Olympia. July 10 from 5-9PM, downtown on Washington Street, between State and 4th. It is billed as a summer picnic, a neighborhood celebration, and a food bank fundraiser. Tables and chairs, artesian water, music and entertainment provided. You bring family and friends, picnic food to share, plates and tableware, and a non perishable donation for the food bank. For more info. Contact Mathias at einmaleins 360-539-6175. We’ll be there!

Brazilian Collard Greens
Recipe from epicurious website, by Melissa Roberts and Maggie Ruggiero
Collards are normally associated with long, slow cooking, but cutting them into thin strips reduces cooking time dramatically. The result is a bright, lively flavor that will make you realize these greens are more versatile than most people think.
Stack half of collard leaves and roll into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into very thin strips (1/16 inch wide). Repeat with remainder. Mince and mash 3 garlic cloves to a paste with 3/4 tsp. Salt. Heat 1 tbsp. Olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it simmers, then cook garlic, stirring, 30 seconds. Add collards with 1/4 tsp. Pepper and cook, tossing, until just tender and bright green, 3-4 minutes.

Beet Burgers
_Beet Burgers –Rose Valley Farm Food Book
_2 cups grated beets 2 TBSP soy sauce_ 2 cups grated carrots 1 cup grated cheddar cheese _1/2 cup grated onions 3 TBSP flour_ 1 cup cooked rice 1/4 cup oil _1 cup toasted sunflower seeds _ 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds 2 eggs, beaten _minced fresh or dried garlic, cayenne, parsley to taste_
_Toast sunflower and sesame seeds in dry skillet or hot oven _several minutes, tossing often. Mix ingredients, form into _patties, and bake at 350 degrees. Unless patties are very _large, it should not be necessary to turn them. Makes 6-8 _burgers. ( the last time I made this, I tripled the recipe and _used more of some things than others, and I baked them for _about 25 minutes, this is a delicious framework of a recipe.)



Beet Chocolate Cake
Beet Chocolate Cake-Zephyr Community Farm
_2 cups sugar 1/4 cup oil_ 2 cups flour 3-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate _1/2 tsp. Salt 4 eggs_ 2 tsp baking powder 3 cups shredded beets_ 1 tsp baking soda
_combine dry ingredients. Melt chocolate very slowly over low _heat or in a double boiler. Allow chocolate to cool then _blend thoroughly with eggs and oil. Combine flour mixture _with chocolate mixture, alternating with the beets. Pour into _2 greased 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes, _or until fork can be removed from the center cleanly. Ten _servings._OK, so I made this recipe with cocoa powder, and oil as a _substitute for the chunk chocolate and it turned out great _and easy, no melty business. I used to use a different beet _cake recipe that called for cooked, pureed beets, and it was _a more moist cake in the end. But this one is fast, and _nobody turned it down when I offered to share it.