Oakdale Farms in Rehoboth, MA, grows produce all year round. They have cold frames and indoor gardens through the winter, so the beets and carrots that I bought yesterday at the Natick Farmers Market were just picked. Cold frames are covered structures that use solar energy and insulation to create a warm environment for plants. They are often used the shield plants from the winter elements and allow farmers to grow year-round. I also bought spinach and new potatoes from Oakdale Farms, and sunflower microgreens from We Grow Microgreens, an indoor farm in Roslindale, MA. My basket was full this week!

I decided to cook up some root vegetables this week with a little maple syrup from Natick Community Organic Farm. I visited them last month for Maple Magic Day, and I’ve already used almost the whole bottle of syrup that I bought (I went through a lot of it a couple weeks ago when I made acorn squash pancakes). Adding maple syrup and a bit of orange zest to roasted beets makes them a perfectly sweet compliment to the plain grain quinoa. Quinoa has a ton of fiber, iron and protein, so if you wanted to make this dish vegan and skip the salmon, you’d still be getting your protein. But besides the protein, salmon is great for getting your omega-3 fatty acids. The beets are high in vitamin c, potassium, and fiber; and carrots are high in beta-carotene, fiber and antioxidants. This is a super nutritious meal, and it’s quick.

Baked Salmon over Orange Maple Beets and Carrots with Quinoa

Makes 2 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

In my Basket:

2 medium Beets (from Oakdale Farms, Rehoboth MA)

2 medium Carrots (from Oakdale Farms, Rehoboth MA)

1 Salmon filet (from Jordan Brothers Seafood, Stoughton MA)

2 tbsp Maple Syrup (from Natick Community Organic Farm, Natick MA)

 From the Pantry:

1/2 cup Quinoa

1 medium Navel Orange

1 cup Water

1 tbsp Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Wash and medium dice the beets and carrots. Spread in a single layer in a baking dish, drizzle with maple syrup. Zest the orange and add zest over the beets and carrots, then squeeze the orange and add the juice to the baking dish. Toss the veggies to coat evenly.
3. Place salmon in a separate baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place both baking dishes in preheated oven on separate racks, both as close to the middle as possible. Bake for 20 minutes, then toss the veggies to coat again in the juices. Check the salmon every five minutes or so until done, about 20-25 minutes. Veggies are done when tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 minutes.
5. While the veggies and salmon bake, combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 7 minutes or until white threads form on each kernel.
6. Add the cooked quinoa to a large bowl, top with beets and carrots, then the salmon. Sprinkle some feta or goat cheese over the top, if desired. Enjoy!

Alice Kathryn Richardson is a new media photojournalist and creator of The Clean Food Club. She previously spent two years working on Deserts in the District, a series of short-form documentaries exploring food access and hunger in Washington, DC. She is committed to supporting local and sustainable food businesses by telling their stories with photo and video. Follow her on Twitter @AKR_Pictures.