From Our Farm: Recipes You’ll Relish

Welcome to The Ranch, where our community farms are just as popular as our pools, parks and other neighborhood amenities.

As an Agrihood, we understand the importance of having easy access to locally-grown, nutritious food. Our goal is always to inspire residents to fully understand the bounty of the lands they live on and to develop a deeper appreciation for the seasonality of the harvest.

Our very own Esencia Farm, Sendero Farm, and Gavilan Farm feature 12,000 square feet of planning space including a variety of in-ground row crops, 14 planter beds, and orchards for that very reason. From avocado to bay trees, to fruits and walnuts, there’s a variety of food produced for Ranch residents and the surrounding communities to enjoy.

Esencia Farm also offers a welcoming courtyard for culinary workshops and demonstrations so friends and neighbors alike can get acquainted with their local food sources. Throughout the community, there are about 40 volunteer opportunities offered biannually to give residents a chance to try their hand at growing their own produce.

We always say, growing isn’t the only fun part, though! Take a look at these recipes, hand-crafted by our very own farm hands!

Sarah’s Radiantly Roasted Watermelon Radishes

Did you know? Watermelon radish is not only in season right now, but it’s one of our most popular specialty crops currently being harvested. Here’s one of our favorite dishes, featuring this ingredient, that’s simple, satisfying, and downright delicious!

Sarah’s Radiantly Roasted Watermelon Radishes

Ingredients

• ½ to 1 lb of locally-grown watermelon radishes
• Olive Oil (or oil of choice)
• Sea Salt

Directions

• Gather a bunch locally-grown watermelon radishes
• Preheat oven to 376º
• Cut radishes into wedges
• Mix radish wedges with 2 tbsp of olive oil (or your desired oil) and place radish wedges into a 2qt baking dish
• Roast radishes for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until fork tender
• Remove radishes from oven and drizzle with 1 tbsp. of oil and sprinkle the entire dish of radishes with sea salt
• Enjoy yourself or share with neighbors and loved ones!

Dan’s Farm-Fresh Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Dan’s Farm-Fresh Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups red quinoa
• 1 butternut squash
• ½ cup roasted almonds
• 4-6 scallions
• 5 oz arugula
• 2-3 avocados
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar

Directions

• For the Quinoa
  • Rinse well
  • Bring 3 cups of water and the quinoa to a boil
  • Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed about 15-20 minutes
• For the roast butternut squash
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
  • Peel the butternut and remove the seeds
  • Chop into 1/4” pieces
  • Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper
  • Spread on a baking sheet and toast for 15-20 min until cooked through and starting to brown
• For the salad
  • Chop almonds and scallions
  • Toss with cooked quinoa, roasted almonds, and arugula
  • When ready to serve, mix olive oil and vinegar and toss into salad
  • Season salad with salt and pepper
  • Top with chopped avocado

Do you have a locally-sourced recipe that you want to share? Reach out to us on social media or post with the hashtag #RMVRecipes! You can connect with our Rancho Mission Viejo community on Facebook or Instagram. We look forward to hearing about your delicious, farm-friendly creations!