In the February 9 Twenty Bag: Tuscan kale, purple Murasaki sweet potatoes, celery, Bloomsdale spinach, scallions, baby arugula, cilantro, baby carrots—Game Day is off to a great start!

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farm!

I’m so happy to see the fields are still flush with some of my favorite veggies. At the top of the list is spinach—I love it raw in a big salad combined with other lettuces like spicy arugula, crunchy romaine and a shower of finely chopped scallions.

It’s also irresistible (in my opinion) sauteed in good olive oil with a few smashed garlic cloves, kosher salt and a grind of whole peppercorns. And so good for you!

Speaking of good for you and delicious—slice up the Murasakis and sheet pan roast them when the temps drop this weekend and you’re looking for an eco-conscious way to warm up your home.. Roasting caramelizes their sugars, making them an awesome side or snack. While you’ve got the oven turned up, toss in a tray of brats for some great Super Bowl Sunday starters.

It’s not a party without chips and dip, so pair up the cilantro with a few ripe avocados, tomatoes and some spices in this zippy recipe for guacamole I found on the Food Network site. It’s from persnickety host Alton Brown—guaranteed to be awesome.

The farm’s producing some great celery this season—I’ll be prepping it along with the colorful rainbow carrots for a delicious and showy addition to my chips and dip presentation.

A quick search of sweetgrass + grits will take you to plenty more recipes—all curated with an eye toward the weekly Twenty Bag harvest.

Happy Game Day!

Harleston’s storage tips: If greens of any kind begin to wilt at any point or at pick up, put them in a big bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes.  Almost all produce is already washed and should go in the refrigerator.  Remove carrot tops from root portion and discard or juice.  Put the root portion in a plastic bag and they will keep for a month or two at this size.  Kale, celery, scallions, and cilantro should all go into a plastic bag of sorts to retain leaf moisture.  Arugula and spinach can stay in their respective plastic bags.  Sweet potatoes on the counter or in the pantry.