When buffeting winds, driving rain, and blankets of snow make it impossible for any human to stand being outside for more than five minutes, we have to appreciate the persistent hardiness of Virginia-grown veggies and the farmers who brave the winter weather to harvest them.

While February isn’t the most exciting month for local, seasonal produce, the variety of veggies on-hand can still make for a near-endless rotation of well-rounded meals.

Here at Relay, we’ve made a commitment to providing you with a Bounty Basket year-round — a seasonal share of the freshest local produce available. Think of it as a CSA that lets you decide when to opt-in and when to pass. While many of you may decide to be fair-weather Bounty Basket devotees (and that’s perfectly fine), we thought we’d provide an enticing little view of what’s on offer even when the winter months are at their harshest. The veggies may not be as picturesque as the summertime jewels, but this basket is still full of nourishing, surprising, delicious offerings. And it’s a real reflection of the commitment of our Virginia farmers.

One might suspect that during the winter months the items can get a little dull, but when you see what the box contains, it’s pretty evident that the winter months still yield a surprising variety of fruits and veggies.

Armed with a few great recipes (one of which we provide for you!), you can certainly whip up severeal meals that will please your palate with the winter produce you receive.

This was last week’s haul for the half-share Virginia’s Bounty Basket (the full-share has double the produce and is great for families). Here’s what was included in the box: Local Food Hub butternut squash, sweet potatoes, cabbage and spaghetti squash; Saunders Brothers Orchard apples, Perryhill Produce carrots, Heartland Harvest Farm potatoes and The Farm at Red Hill salsa.

Despite immense planning, sometimes our local farmers are unable to provide an item that we have designated for the weekly Bounty Basket. In such a case, we choose something local and delicious to substitue for the unavailable item. Last week The Farm at Red Hill salsa was a substitue for Local Food Hub salad mix. Not a bad trade, right?

Using produce from this combo of wintertime treats, one of our employees whipped up a healthy and tasty Cabbage, Apple and Carrot salad. It’s so good, we thought we would share it. Enjoy!

Cabbage, Apple and Carrot Salad

(one-click in Charlottesville, Richmond, and DC/Northern Virginia/Baltimore)

Ingredients

• ½ medium head of cabbage, chopped and shredded into bite size pieces (about 5-6 cups)
• 2 apples, chopped into thin strips
• 2 carrots, shredded
• ⅓ cup roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup raisins

Tahini Dressing

• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp seat salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 3 Tablespoons water, or more if needed to thin out the dressing

Instructions

1. Prepare the dressing: in a food processor, add all ingredients and process until smooth.
2. Toss the cabbage, apples, carrots, sunflower seeds and raisins with the dressing. Serve and enjoy.

In the mood to try a Virginia’s Bounty Basket for yourself? Check out what’s in this week’s box on our website.