Hey there, epicureans! Here are a few recipes based around the foods that are harvestable RIGHT NOW in the Foundational Roots garden. Happy cooking! -Victoria

Potato and Fennel Mash with Rosemary Butter (serves 8-10):
3 large fennel bulbs
1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 TBS. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1/2 c (1 stick) butter or earth balance
3 lbs. potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-ich pieces
1 1/1 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 c cream cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 375. Toss fennel, onion, oil, and salt in a bowl and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool sligtly, then process mixture in a blender. Boil the potatoes in salted water until very tender (about 25 minutes). Mash potatoes and add fennel mixture. Melt butter with rosemary and add to the potatoes. Mix in cream cheese, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Braised Collard Greens
2 Tbs butter or earth balance
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lbs. collard greens, leaves coarsely chopped
2 c broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 TBS. red wine vinegar (optional)
Melt butter with vegetable oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender. Add greens and saute until beginning to wilt. Stir in broth and reduce heat once it reaches a rolling boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Chilaquiles in Tomatillo Sauce
24 medium tortillas, cut into triangles
1 1/2 c cream
1/2 lb shredded cheese (mozzarella)
Sauce:
30 tomatillos, peeled and chopped
1/2 c water
1/2 c chopped cilantro
5 or 6 serano chiles
1/2 onion
salt
2 TBS. corn oil
Fry the tortilla triangles in hot oil until golden and drain on paper. Puree all sauce ingredients together and saute in oil until thickened slightly. Spread small amount of sauce and cream in the bottom of a casserole dish and top with half the tortilla pieces. Layer with half of remaining sauce, half the remaining cream, and half of the cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce, cream, and cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until sauce is very hot and the cheese is browning.

Leek and Potato Soup (served at first Saturday work party)
4 TBS butter or earth balance
2 lbs potatoes, sliced
1 large leek (white and light green section) washed and sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
5 c stock (veggie or chicken)
1 bay leaf
2 TBS chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add vegetables, stir, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the stock, bay leaf, parsley, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and allow soup to cool. Blend in batches until smooth. Return to the pot for reheating. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

There's more to come. Keep posted, and enjoy!

Veggie Spring Rolls (Pao Phia)

Ingredients:
* spring roll papers
* baked tofu, sliced
* red leaf lettuce
* Asian mint
* shredded carrots
* cucumber
* Somen rice noodles

Supplies:
* Knives and cutting boards
* Graters
* Bowls for ingredients
* Hand towels
* Pan
* Pot
* Strainer
* Tray for finished spring rolls

Directions:

* Cook somen noodles in hot water. Make sure you do not overcook!
* Strain and run cold water through noodles.
* Grate carrots, wash and break apart lettuce. Slice tofu and cucumbers.
* In a pan of warm water, soak a wrapper until soft.
* Lay wrapper out flat on clean towel.
* Place each ingredient down middle of wrapper.
* Fold over each end and tightly roll the wrapper around the contents, as if making a burrito.
* Press to close.
* When ready to eat, slice in two and serve with peanut sauce.

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Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
* 1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
* 1 Tbsp. Red curry paste
* 2 cups Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
* 1 cup Coconut milk
* 2-3Tbsp Tamarind juice
* Sugar
* Salt

Supplies
* Pan
* Measuring cups and spoons
* Large spoon

Directions
* Heat oil in pan on medium heat. Add curry paste and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly.
* Add coconut milk until boiling. Then add peanut butter. Stir.
* Add tamarind juice.
* Add salt and sugar to taste

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Coconut Soup (Tom Kha)

Ingredients
* Coconut milk
* Water
* Vegetable bouillon cubes
* Lemon grass, bottom white part only, cracked open with mortar and pestle
* Galangal, sliced
* Mushrooms, sliced
* Carrots, sliced
* Broccoli, cut into small florets
* Bok choy, chopped
* Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* Limes, juiced
* Dried Thai chilies
* Soy sauce and sugar to taste


Supplies:
* Large pot
* Knives & cutting boards
* Can opener
* Mortar and pestle

Directions:
* Bring the coconut milk, water, and veggie broth cubes to a boil.
* Add the lemon grass and galangal. Lower the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes to let the seasonings infuse the broth.
* Uncover and stir in the carrots, broccoli, bok choy, mushrooms, and tofu.
* Cook veggies until ready (do not over cook).
* Remove from heat and season with lime juice. Add soy sauce and sugar to taste.
* Top with cilantro.
* Break up dried chilis and place in bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup into bowl and enjoy!
* Be careful to avoid chewing the lemongrass and galangal

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Pad Thai


Ingredients:
* Package of dried Thai rice noodles
* Vegetable oil
* Garlic, minced
* Shallots, minced
* Bean sprouts
* Napa cabbage , chopped
* Baked tofu, sliced
* Firm tofu, crumbled
* Green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
* Preserved radish, cut into small pieces
* Soy sauce
* Rice vinegar
* Sugar
* Tamarind paste
* Peanuts, groun d with mortar and pestle.
* Turmeric
* Lime
* Ground dried chili pepper

Supplies:
* Wok
* Knives and cutting boards
* Large bowl
* Mortar and pestle
* Spatula

Directions:
* Soak the dry noodles in warm water while preparing the other ingredients, 20 minutes.
* Cut tofu and green onions into 1 inch long pieces.
* Chop napa cabbage.
* Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh.
* Mince shallots and garlic.
* Grind peanuts and save half for serving fresh.
* Heat your wok on high heat and add oil.
* Add shallots, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to brown.
* Drain the noodles and add to the wok.
* Stir quickly to keep things from sticking.
* Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, tamarind paste, sugar, turmeric, crushed peanuts, and preserved radish.
* Stir. The heat should remain high!
* Add bean sprouts, green onions, and crumbled tofu. Continue to stir until noodles are soft. Add a little water to soften noodles if needed.
* Put onto the serving plate and sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Leave dried chili powder and limes out for people to season as they like. Serve with uncooked bean sprouts on the side.

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Mango with Sticky Rice (Kow Neuw Mamuang)

Ingredients:
* Glutinous rice
* Salt
* Sugar
* Coconut milk
* Mango, halved and sliced

Supplies:
* Steamer for sticky rice
* Lid
* Pot
* Knives and cutting boards
* Can opener

Directions:
* Soak the sticky rice in enough water to cover the rice for at least an hour.
* Take your steamer, put water in the bottom and place bamboo steamer on top.
* Pour the sticky rice into the bamboo steamer, cover with a lid and put it on the stove on medium to high heat.
* Steam sticky rice. Stir the rice at least once during steaming to equally steam the top and bottom. It will become translucent when done.
* Separate coconut milk—put the hard fatty stuff from the top of the can into a small pan. Drain the liquid stuff from the bottom of the can into a pot.
* Heat the liquid coconut milk in a pot over medium heat.
* Stir constantly and let the coconut milk simmer.
* Add sugar and a little salt.
* Remove from heat.
* Take steamed sticky rice and out in a large bowl. Pour the hot coconut milk mixture over the sticky rice and cover.
* Let it sit for 5 minutes.
* The sticky rice will absorb all the coconut milk. The rice should be a little mushy.
* Heat the thick coconut milk in a small pan and add salt. This topping is meant to be a little salty to contrast with the sweetness of the rice and mango.
* Peel and slice ripe mango.
* Place sticky rice on a small plate and top with mango.
* Spoon the salty coconut milk on top of the mango and sticky rice.

Vegan Lavender Shortbread Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups of earth balance
2/3 cups sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy milk
1 table spoon minced lavender buds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 table spoons of honey

* Preheat oven to 350*
* Mix dry ingredients into bowl (flour, sugar, salt, and lavender)
* Mix wet ingredients into another bowl (earth balance, soy milk, vanilla extract, and honey)
*Add dry to wet ingredients and beat with electric blender to well mixed.
* Gather into dough balls, flatten, and bake till golden brown