What is the difference between a green onion and a scallion? Nothing, they say! Well, I beg to differ. A scallion (or bunching onion) is an allium that will never form a bulb. A green onion is an early harvested onion that would otherwise form a bulb and become what we are accustomed to calling an onion. What is the difference used in cooking? Well, there I have to agree. Use them interchangeably. There. It is settled.
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Now, let me tell you, there is more to do with a scallion than used it for garnish. If you look around, you can find excellent recipes that include scallions like in quinoa salad (or noodles) with scallions, scallion pancakes, scallion dumplings, and more. They have a sweet flavor that is brought out by roasting. I came across this recipe in my search and am looking forward to trying it. I have copied the important parts below.

Miso Roasted Scallions (from a website called Saveur):
Roasting scallions brings out their sweetness; finished with a tangy miso dressing, this surprising, simple dish makes a great appetizer or side.

Ingredients: 2 bunches (about 1 lb) scallions, 1/4 cup olive oil, Kosher salt and black pepper to taste 1 tbsp. white miso (I say use what you can find/have), 2 1/2 tsp Rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 1/2 tsp hony.

Heat oven to 450°. Toss scallions with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake, stirring once, until golden and wilted, about 15­-20 minutes. Transfer scallions to a serving dish. Whisk miso, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey in a bowl until smooth; drizzle over scallions.

Radishes. So many winter radishes. Ready to try doing something new with them?

Daikon Patties:  <-- follow the link ;)
I make a version of this recipe from my brain, but it is too variable to type out. Basically, grate the daikon, mix some flavor in, ball it and coat it with the crunchy and fry it in a pan.
I am going to try the linked recipe tonight. I love the addition of peanuts and powdered ginger. If I see you tomorrow, ask me how it was and I will give you a review.

Roasted Turnips, Sweet potatoes, apples, and dried cranberries!
Here is a link to a recipe I recently discovered while trying to get creative with our remaining storage crops. It combines a nice assortment of seasonally available produce into a delicious dish! Changes to make? I recommend replacing the brown sugar with honey at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, the granny smith apple can be replaced with whatever tart apple is is currently available (read: ask your farmer!) I also suggest using your oil of choice in leiu of cooking spray. If you are feeling fancy, you can always toast some walnuts to top this off. Yum Yum! 
Let me know how you like it!

I have heard the term braise before, but felt I didn't really know what it was. Here is Wikipedia's definition: Braising (from the French word braiser) is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature while sitting in some (variable) amount of liquid (which may also add flavor).
Turns out, I have been doing it all along! So here is how I braise greens. The ones we are bringing this week are ideal candidates

Braised Greens with (optional) sweet potatoes:
Chop greens coarsely, stems and all. At high heat, add some oil/butter/fat of choice to a pan along with the greens, garlic and pepper (cayenne for me!) Stir 'em about until the greens start to soften. Add some lemon juice /red wine/apple cider vinegar/water, and allow simmer while the liquid cooks down. If you want the sauce to thicken up, you can always mince up an apple and put it in there (apples are rich in pectin). If you want a more hearty dish, roast some sweet potatoes in advance and toss them in when you add the liquid. The sweet potatoes add to the sauce. I like to eat it with some eggs, rice, pearl couscous or other delicious starchy-carb.

​Microgreens are the tasty baby leaves of the plant, harvested while small, tender, and packed with flavor and nutrients. What to do with them? Eat them atop your breakfast. Add them to your sandwiches. Sprinkle them on your hot dishes (baked potatoes/sweet potatoes/roasted vegetables). You can even toss them in some olive oil, add some salt and enjoy them on their own. They really bring some green delight to the table, especially this time of year.

Sweet potatoes! You can do so much with them! Here below is a recipe for sweet potato pancakes, but it isn't what you would expect. I think, shredded, latka style. This? Roasted, mashed and griddled. Someone at market told me about them and my jaw dropped. A new, and amazing sounding, way to consume sweet potatoes. And with some greens on top? Yogurt on top? Applesauce on top? What could be better Really, what?

Sweet Potato Pancakes: 
Roast and cool the sweet potatoes (1 medium potato for every serving desired). You can even do this ahead of time. Remove the peel, and mash/whisk the potato with 2 eggs. Add any spices you desire (cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, pepper, salt- all, none, or some). You may consider adding some honey too. Heat a skillet with a fat (butter/bacon grease/oil of choice). Scoop a 1/4 cup of batter in and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the cake can be flipped. Cook another 3-5 minutes on the other side. EAT THEM! Add a topping, snack on the solo. Either way, don't fight the smile that overtakes your face.
Here is a link to googled recipe.

Choi and Kale Flowers! The sisters of broccoli, these buds are every bit as tasty. Some say they are even better. The stems and flowers are edible and are great raw in salad, sauteed, or even grilled. Experiment and tell me what you like best. 

Sauteed Choi flowers with garlic: 
Simple Simple: Mince some garlic and chop the choi blossoms. Heat oil (any kind!) and sautee garlic for about thirty seconds, being careful not to burn it. Add choi blossoms and cook until wilted! That is it! If you have some lemon juice on hand, that can add a nice zing zang! These can be eaten alone, over rice, as a side dish, on some good bread with mozzarella-- there really so many ways to enjoy them!

​It is the last week for daikon (although the spring radishes we seeded last week are already germinating)! I say we all eat radishes this week.  

Roasted Radishes: 
Preheat oven to 450. Slice the radishes, toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme, and distribute them upon an oiled baking sheet. Roast them for 15 to 20 minutes, giving them a stir about every five.  They are done when they are tender, but still firm in the center.  You can drizzle them with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, or any of your other favorites. You can have them as a size or mix them into another dish. You could also try roasting them with meat, just like you would a potato or carrot. Celebrate the last of the winter radishes in preparation for the spring ones.