Each week on the farm we create seconds vegetables as we wash and sort vegetables for the weeks CSA shares and wholesale orders.  These seconds go to the food shelf in great numbers, but we are always striving to find uses for them.  This year we are trying to make a perfect roasting root vegetable medley, making it easier for our members to prepare a quick dinner.  Our roasting root medley contains various potato varieties, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, and kohlrabi.  These come to you raw, ready to be tossed into your roasting pan. Store in your fridge for up to three days. 

To use, simply preheat oven to 400°F.  Place vegetables on a cookie sheet or roasting pan, and then drizzle with sunflower oil, olive oil, or canola.  You can sprinkle with rosemary, thyme or another herb that compliments the rest of your meal menu or just leave them plain.  You can salt and pepper now, or later to taste.  Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  You can add chopped garlic to the pan now if you wish, or just continue roasting.  Veggies are done when they are browned on edges, and easily pierced with a fork.

Asian Joi Choi Slaw

Great with seared tuna, halibut or salmon. Also terrific on black bean burgers.

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
pinch of sea salt

3 cups Joi Choi, thinly sliced
1 cup salad turnips, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Whisk together wet ingredients. Add vegetables and toss will. Correct seasoning as necessary

HEATHER's FALL HARVEST PUMPKIN SOUP

1 pie pumpkin, about 3 lbs
2 medium or 3 small white turnips
1 or 2 fennel bulbs
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbs olive oil
1 qt chicken or vegetable broth
1 qt water, as needed
Fresh or dried herbs to taste: thyme, sage, parsley, fennel greens
Pinch or red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350; cut pumpkin in half, place in baking pan cut side down, add 2 inches water. Bake until tender, about an hour. Cool to handle, discard seeds, scoop out flesh and chop up a bit if it's in large pieces. Set aside for now.
Now you could make a nice vegetable stock with the pumpkin shell, and the parings from the onions, fennel, and turnip. Cover with water in a large stock pot and simmer 15 minutes. While this cooks, you can chop and sauté the vegetables.
Dice the turnip, fennel bulb, and onion. Mince the garlic.
Heat olive oil in large soup pot, add onion, sauté 5 minutes; add the rest of the vegetables and sauté until fragrant and slightly browning. Add the salt, pepper, and seasonings. Stir around a couple of minutes, and then add in the pumpkin. Set a mesh strainer over the pot and very carefully pour in the vegetable stock. Simmer about 30 minutes, adding more stock or water as needed.
This can be a thick chunky soup or a velvety smooth puree, so add as much broth or more water as needed to make the desired consistency. A splash of cider is also lovely. Puree if you wish.
Garnish with fresh snipped parsley/fennel greens and/or some roasted pumpkin seeds.

Topping

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk with 1 tsp lemon juice)

For Filling:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix sugar, flour and cloves in large bowl. Add strawberries and rhubarb and toss to coat with sugar mixture. Transfer filling to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish.

For Topping:
Mix flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with fork until moist clumps form (do not overmix). Spoon topping evenly over filling.

Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is tender, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Topping
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
4 small potatoes*
3 medium carrots*
1 medium turnip*
3 small to medium beets*
1 tsp crumbled dry thyme leaves or rosemary
1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper to taste
2 TB sunflower or olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 oz chevre or blue cheese

For the crust, combine all of the dry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to combine. In a large measuring cup, stir together 1 cup warm water, honey and oil. With the food processor running, slowly pour the liquids through the chute. If needed, add the rest of the water a bit at a time, until the dough all holds together nicely. It should be slightly sticky. Process for a total of 2 minutes. Form the dough into two tight balls, rub with oil and cover with plastic wrap or a dish towels. Leave in a warm place to rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Don't be worried if the dough doesn't double.

Preheat oven to 500F.

While the dough is rising, cut all of your root vegetables into a 1/2 dice. Combine the roots with the garlic, onion, herbs, oil, salt and pepper on a large baking sheet. Toss to coat. Roast in a 500 degree oven for 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven, cool slightly and toss with the cheese.