Vegetables to Support Postpartum
After delivering a baby it is vitally important to replenish and nourish your body with vibrant nutrient dense vegetables. The term postnatal depletion is being used more now to describe the physical and emotional fatigue a mother experiences after delivering a baby. Focusing on foods that are nutrient dense, easily prepared, and easy to digest is a great place to start. Possible ideas include smoothies (berries, avocado, chia or hemp seeds, and spinach), soups (easily blend seasonal vegetables in a high speed blender), stews or roasts with vegetables and herbs, bone broth made with vegetables and herbs, and cooked grains (like oats, quinoa, or buckwheat) with roasted or steamed vegetables.
For snacks consider vegetables with hummus, Greek yogurt with herbs, or beet dip, fermented vegetables, nuts and/or seeds with seasonal fruit or vegetables, and yogurt bowls (add beets, carrots, fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut, etc.). During the postpartum period it remains essential to maintain balanced blood sugar to help maintain energy levels, balance changing hormones, and support mood.
We've curated a collection of vegetables to support post-partum.
Best of the Season Box
Carrots
Lettuce
Beets
Leafy Greens Box
Summer Squash
Greens
Powerhouse Vegetable Box
The complexity and healing power of vegetables can not be underestimated. That’s why we created the Powerhouse Vegetable Box. This box features vegetables from the CDC Powerhouse Vegetable list that are known to be high in vitamins and minerals which support health. Numerous studies have shown to be beneficial in prevention and as part of a treatment strategy for chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Our Powerhouse Vegetable Box is designed to provide you with a wide variety of seasonal freshly picked vegetables known to be high in vitamins and minerals. This box provides you with “Food as Medicine” to help support you on your wellness journey whether you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle or are currently using nutrient dense foods as part of your treatment plan.
Check out the article “About the Buzz: Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables - Defined” to learn more!
Is this a gift? Add a gift message at checkout!
Subscribe & Save
Enjoy the convenience of recurring shipments! Sign up for a recurring order to be delivered to your door as often as you'd like! Customize your delivery frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) and you can change, pause, or cancel at any time.
Mark your calendars! Sign up for your recurring subscription box to receive an exclusive invitation to our quarterly virtual event for subscribers only. You’ll get to discover what's currently in season, find out what’s coming up and get cooking tips! Upcoming events will be in August and November.
Additional discounts cannot be applied to subscription orders.
Learn more about the perks of a Vegetable Subscription
Powerhouse Boost
Our Powerhouse Boost is a smaller version of our Micronutrient Vegetable Box - but still packs a mighty nutrient punch to your health! Perfect for someone who is curious or a smaller household.
Vegetables
Your box can include:
- Rainbow Swiss Chard
- Beets
- Carrots
- Fall Radishes
- Mixed Kale
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Spinach
- Micro Parsley
- Micro Superfood Blend
- Micro Chives
- Watercress
- Ruffled Red Mustard
You may have noticed your lettuce and greens look and feel a little different. That's because we have moved them indoors to our greenhouse "still soil grown" to protect them from the Ohio elements. They have the same great flavor and nutrients but are a little less sturdy. Hope you enjoy them just the same!
Visit How To Store Vegetables to learn how to keep your vegetables fresh longer. And check out our Recipes for inspiration!
Nutrient Dense
Your box will include a variety of Powerhouse, nutrient-dense vegetables, depending on the season, to help reduce the risk of chronic disease. As a result of our regenerative farming practices, we have found that our products often contain more minerals than the USDA average! The vegetables in this specially curated box are rich in potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K.
Green leafy vegetables are full of vitamins (A, B vitamins (including folate), C,E,K) and minerals (Mg, K, Ca) and are low on the glycemic index. Green leafy vegetables are also a source of nitrates which when eaten over time may help reduce blood pressure. They also contain antioxidants (ex. carotenoids) which contribute to their benefits for cancer prevention. Studies have shown consuming 2 to 3 servings of green leafy vegetables per week may reduce the risk of stomach, skin, and breast cancer.
Orange vegetables (like carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes) are a good source of Vitamin A (beta-carotene) and can help reduce inflammation, support brain health, eye health, immune health, and reproductive health. Cooking many orange vegetables along with adding fat such as high polyphenol olive oil, pasture-raised butter, or coconut oil increases the amount of beta-carotene that your body can absorb. Yellow vegetables (like summer squash and yellow peppers) are anti-inflammatory and may help with reducing inflammation, and promoting eye, immune, and heart health.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, bok choy, and cabbage contain sulforaphane, which is a sulfur-rich compound that has been shown to provide a number of health benefits. Potential benefits include anticancer properties, heart health, and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Click here to read more about sulforaphane and its healthy properties.
The best way to consume nutrients is through fresh vegetables. We’ve curated a variety of recipes for you to enjoy these nutrient-dense vegetables at home.
At The Chef’s Garden nutrition goes hand-in-hand with flavorful, quality vegetables. It is so important that in 2019, we opened an on-site agricultural research facility. We study how to maximize the flavor, color, and nutrition of our vegetables in order to bring the highest quality to your door.
As a result of our regenerative farming practices, we have found that our products often contain more minerals than the USDA average!
Heirloom Tomatoes
Gourmet Vegetable Box
Micro Broccoli
Kale
Baby Arugula
Eat the Rainbow Box
We are so excited to share with you our new “Eat the Rainbow” box, which is not only filled with beautiful regeneratively grown seasonal vegetables that represent each of the colors of the rainbow but is also full of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and more!
There is nothing more beautiful (and Instagramable) than a box full of vibrant colorful vegetables just harvested and delivered right to your door! There is unlimited potential to be creative in the kitchen with this box. Create colorful salads, wraps, bowls, stir fry, and other plant-forward meals that will be packed with color and plant-produced compounds (also known as phytonutrients).
Phytonutrients are a big part of what makes vegetables beautiful and healthy! Phytonutrients have many potential functions in a plant, two of which are imparting color and flavor. Phytonutrients are considered non-nutritive, meaning they don’t have any caloric value but they have a ton of value when it comes to health. There are over 8,000 identified phytonutrients, and each plant has several hundred, making vegetables a preferred source of phytonutrients over a supplement that may contain only one or two single phytonutrient extracts.
People who consume more phytonutrients have been shown to be less likely to experience cancer, diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and diabetes as well as other conditions. Eating a wide array of phytonutrients is also a great way to support a healthy immune system and mood.
This box is a delicious, creative, sensory eating experience delivered right to your door.
Every month the ingredients in the box will change so you can experience the colors and benefits of the season. Each box will also include a specialty item grown or created right here on the farm.
This month's featured recipe Roasted Potatoes with Peas and Mascarpone
Stay up-to-date on tips, trends, and recipes with our Health & Wellness newsletter. And if you’re feeling social - join our exclusive Farmacy at The Chef's Garden Facebook Community! We are excited to share all things Health and Wellness from the farm.
Is this a gift? Add a gift message at checkout!
Subscribe & Save
Enjoy the convenience of recurring shipments! Sign up for a recurring order to be delivered to your door as often as you'd like! Customize your delivery frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) and you can change, pause, or cancel at any time.
Mark your calendars! Sign up for your recurring subscription box to receive an exclusive invitation to our quarterly virtual event for subscribers only. You’ll get to discover what's currently in season, find out what’s coming up and get cooking tips! Upcoming events will be in August and November.
Additional discounts cannot be applied to subscription orders.
Learn more about the perks of a Vegetable Subscription
This Month's Vegetables
Your box will include:
- Mixed Red Sweet Peppers
- Yellow Romano Beans
- Green Oak Leaf & Romaine Lettuce
- Purple Potatoes
- Sweet Corn
- White and Orange Carrots
- Orange Paruche and Green Doctor Cherry Tomatoes
- Huckleberry Tomato
*Products may changed based on availability
Red Peppers
This thoughtful curation of red pigmented peppers is a secret weapon in the kitchen. In the mix, you may find the sweet heat of Jimmy Nardello, the crunchy flesh of the baby bell, or the fun shape and profound fruitiness of the Mad Hatter pepper. In many cases, a small amount goes a long way. Raw applications and short cooking times are advised if you seek to preserve the incredible citrus and fruit flavors present in these peppers. Consider making quick pickles out of this assortment. Doing so will not only extend their shelf life and preserve their flavor, but transform them into a panacea of a condiment.
An easy pickle brine recipe is as follows:
- 1 Cup of Apple Cider, White Wine, or White Vinegar
- 4 Cups Water
- ½ Cup Honey or Sugar
- 3 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 2 tbsp Mustard Seed
- 2 tbsp Dill Seed
- 1 tbsp Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Garlic Cloves, minced
Combine all of the ingredients in a 2qt or larger saucepan and bring to a boil. Ensure the salt and honey are fully dissolved before adding up to 1lb of sliced or halved peppers and covering with a lid. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for a minimum of thirty minutes and up to one hour before refrigerating. The pickles will improve over the next few days.
These intoxicating nightshades need only to be present in small amounts to add depth to long cooks. Many braises, sauces, and soups can benefit from the aromatic hum provided by the inclusion of these flavorful peppers. This effect is even more dramatic if the peppers are roasted under broiler or on the stovetop prior to their addition. For a quick weeknight meal with complexity, char or roast a large handful of peppers. Remove the seeds and rub away any skin that is easily removed. Mince the roasted pepper flesh before sweating it in olive oil with slivered garlic and if desired, a pinch of red chili flake. Combine with a jar of prepared tomato sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes to finish the sauce. Use this flavor-boosted nightshade sauce wherever you normally enjoy spicy marinara or sauce arrabiata.
Orange Paruche Tomatoes
Orange Paruche is an especially delicious variety of small tomato. Sweet as can be, these little gems are quite literally encapsulated sunshine. All of the usual suspects for cherry tomatoes are natural homes for this variety, but they especially do well raw. Unless you specifically want them to be cold, we suggest NOT refrigerating your Orange Paruche tomatoes whenever possible. This will maintain their sweetness and supreme texture. If you wish to chill them for any reason, place them in the fridge a few hours before you intend to use them. This of course, is assuming you don’t immediately consume them all. They are incredibly moreish.
If you change nothing other than the quality of your ingredients, you will inevitably change the quality of your experience.
These tomatoes are among the best examples of this concept. Enjoy these tomatoes as you already know how, and experience the difference they make! The best caprése salads, gazpachos, and salsas rely on the best tomatoes.
Green Doctor Tomatoes
Not all green tomatoes are created equally, and these Green Doctor tomatoes are here to prove it. These small tomatoes are mildly sweet and pleasantly tart. They roast well but also add much character to a jar of homemade summer pickles. The natural firmness of this tomato means it will maintain its integrity when cooked. With this in mind, consider adding halved or whole green doctor tomatoes to recipes where you’d like to see the tomato present in the final dish. One easy way to appreciate the firmness of these tomatoes is to skewer and grill them. When the insides are hot and the exterior is blistered, remove them from over the coals and serve them alongside a vinaigrette and finishing salt.
Yellow Romano Beans
Romano Beans are a summer treat that require little if any work to be delicious. Once they are washed, you can remove the ends before serving them up as is! Cold and crunchy, they are quite literally the juiciest fresh beans you can eat.
For ease of use in your cooking, we advise removing the ends before running your knife through them to make short, angular cuts. The end result should resemble bias-cut scallions. The width of your cuts is entirely up to you. The thinner the slice, the less cooking it will need. An unnecessary but optional step for those that prefer even more tender flesh, these beans can be strung just like a string bean. We don't often find that we need to do this, but it is worth knowing that the possibility exists!
Sweet Corn
A long-standing favorite of the family, this sweet corn is the epitome of the summer season. Among our favorite ways to enjoy the Chef’s Garden corn is summer succotash. The beauty of a succotash is the flexibility of its recipe.
To make a simple rainbow succotash, combine and cook the kernels of corn with some of the other vegetables in this box. Sliced Romano beans, diced fresh peppers, and whole cherry tomatoes make wonderful additions in whatever proportions you have available. Cook the vegetables until they are bright in color, heated through, and just cooked. Salt, optional fresh chopped herbs, and a knob or two of butter are all that are needed to finish the dish.
When you have removed the kernels of corn, do not discard the leaves or cob! Simmered in water or vegetable stock for 30-45 minutes, they will produce an intense corn stock.
Use this corn stock to cook polenta or other grains, or to make soup. Use corn stock anywhere you might use vegetable broth.
Green Oak and Romaine Lettuce
These summer lettuces are crispier than their winter counterparts. With just a few cuts and a simple vinaigrette you can make a side dish or the base of a substantial salad. Use them as the body of your salads and you will find you need little else to build a delicious meal.
Try halving or quartering the lettuces lengthwise. The exposed crevices and ruffles of the leaves are amazing at holding dressings of all kinds. For extra crispy salads, soak the leaves in cold water before using a salad spinner or kitchen towel to dry them. 10 minutes before serving, set a timer and place the prepared lettuces in the freezer to firm their leaves and make them crisper than ever. Be sure to not let the leaves actually freeze!
As a supporting role, the picked leaves from these lettuces are wonderful in sandwiches of all types. Great BLTs, veggie or beef burgers, and deli subs are all dependent on the quality of the ingredients. Like microgreens, incorporating these lettuces into your everyday foods is an easy way to increase your consumption of greens.
Store the lettuces in a humid bag or box in the refrigerator with leaves pointing towards the sky and a paper towel at their base to absorb any excess moisture.
Purple Potatoes
Purple potatoes are the colorful cousins to the more familiar varieties. Because of their creaminess, purple potatoes mash and roast with great results. We like to recommend a bit of meal prep when it comes to potatoes, as cooking more than you need and storing them in the fridge is a great way to save time during the week. Alternatively, you can make the most of the color and bring down the cooking time by grating your potatoes with a coarse cheese grater. The resulting shreds can be used to form the base of veggie fritters or colorful hashbrowns. Consider this recipe for pomme rosti.
https://www.farmerjonesfarm.com/blogs/recipes/pomme-rosti
White and Orange Carrots
These carrots are very aromatic and full of flavor. We often see carrots alongside other root crops in the winter months, but these freshly harvested umbellifers have the best texture and flavor. For guidance on consuming them in the summer, the cuisines of the mediterranean and middle east are great resources. Cooked and chilled carrots can be treated like potatoes. They can form the base for creamy or acidic salads, and their softened flash will absorb flavors well. Try dressing cooled slices of cooked carrot in zhoug or pesto. If you are a fan of cumin and heat, try them tossed with honey and spicy harissa. Served alongside a flatbread these are the kinds of foods that allow you to savor the beauty of the season.
Huckleberry Tomatoes
These delicate little tomatoes are extremely deep in color due to anthocyanins. Be aware that their flesh and juice are quick to stain clothing should they come in contact with it. Fortunately, huckleberry tomatoes require only slight handling!
These cousins of tomatillos are botanically considered berries. With a flavor that bridges the worlds of savory and sweet, it can be helpful to think of the huckleberry tomatoes in this manner. Use the washed, gently picked pearls with confidence where you might use other berries. Parfaits, baked goods, jams, and pancakes are all wonderful with huckleberry tomatoes. The possibilities do not stop there. Slightly umami and acidic notes accompany the sweetness and color present in the berries. These characteristics make them just as much at home in vinaigrettes, relishes, and savory salads. Keep the tiny tomatoes on the stem until you intend to use them. Before using, rinse the clusters whole before picking the small berries as needed.
Cucamelons
With the attire of the world’s smallest watermelons, these cucamelons deliver crunch. The flavor of these cucurbitaceae is unsurprisingly similar to that of a cucumber. To enjoy them, you need only to pick away any small bits of stem that may be on them. For best results, avoid cooking the cucamelons, opting instead to serve them whole or sliced, in a manner similar to grapes. Natural flavor pairings for these cucamelons are the same as those for cucumber. Consider herbs like dill, mint, and thyme. When not serving them in cold dishes, we enjoy leaving them whole. They are an excellent guilt free snack food, and a mini wonder of the garden in their own right!
Customer Reviews
Eggplant
Mesclun
Specialty Tomatoes
Watercress
Power Boost
Baby Bok Choy
