Veggie Spiral Pasta with Farm Fresh Pesto

Looking for a light, flavorful, and farm fresh meal that’s quick and easy to make? Try this Veggie Spiral Pasta with Farm Fresh Pesto made with ingredients from our local farms — including pesto from Crossings Farm and fresh veggies from Seven Sisters Farm and Ander’s Family Farm!

This recipe takes only 15–20 minutes from start to finish — fresh, simple, and straight from the farm.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Boil your spiral pasta (rotini or fusilli work perfectly!) in one pot until it’s cooked through and tender.

2. Chop your veggies: green beans, carrots, scallion onions from Seven Sisters Farm, and peppers from Anders Family Farm add great flavor and color. Add broccoli if you’d like — it blends beautifully with the other veggies.

3. (Optional) Add water chestnuts for that perfect extra crunch, and steam all the veggies together in a saucepan until they’re tender.

4. Drain your pasta and combine it with the veggies in a large bowl.

5. Add the star ingredient: stir in Crossings Farm Pesto until everything is coated in that fresh, herby flavor.

What’s nice about this plate is that the more veggies you add, the more delicious it becomes — and it’s totally customizable. I even like to add asparagus when it’s in season! You can also top it with freshly cut cherry tomatoes from Anders Family Farm for a fresh, colorful garnish.

Serve warm or at room temperature — it’s light, colorful, and works great as a main dish or side. For even more flavor, top your bowl with an extra spoonful of pesto before serving.

Looking for a quick and delicious after-meal treat? Take some Rabble & Rise Sourdough Bread, toast it, and drizzle with honey from Sunflower Hill Farm. It’s the perfect sweet finish and a great addition to your weeknight meal plan.

Shop local. Eat fresh. Taste the Piedmont.

What’s Your Beef? Understanding Meat Labels and Quality

The way an animal lives has a big impact on both the flavor and quality of the meat it produces. Age, diet, and even the cut of meat all contribute to subtle differences in taste and texture. For example, younger and older animals produce different meat profiles, and even different cuts from the same animal offer unique flavors.

All cattle start life grazing on grass, but it’s the last four to six months that really defines the difference between grass-finished and grain-finished beef. How a cow is finished affects flavor, fat quality, and texture. While the “best-tasting” beef is subjective, healthier beef depends not just on fat quantity, but also on fat quality.

Understanding Meat Labels

Meat labels can be confusing, so here’s a breakdown of common terms you may encounter:

Grain-Finished

• Cows are fed grain in the last four to six months of life, often in a feedlot.

• Some pasture-raised cattle may receive supplemental grain during this period.

Grass-Finished

• Cattle graze on pasture for their entire lives.

• No standard exists regarding herbicide or pesticide use on pastures.

Naturally Raised

• Certified by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

• No antibiotics, preservatives, or added hormones.

• Can be grain-finished or grass-finished.

• Does not mean the beef is organic.

Certified Organic

• Can be grain-finished or grass-finished.

• Feed must be 100% organic, with no GMOs.

• Must be processed at a USDA-certified organic meat processor.

• Certified by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

Certified organic beef can be tricky—many farmers raise cattle organically but cannot label it as USDA-certified organic if the meat processor they use is not certified organic. For ranchers in North and South Carolina, finding a certified organic processor nearby can be difficult. As a result, many farmers market their products as local and pasture-raised instead.

Local

• “Local” has no standardized definition. It generally means raised within a distance that consumers consider reasonable.

• Local does not automatically mean organic or sustainably raised.

• Be cautious: some beef labeled “local” may only spend a short time on a nearby farm before being processed.

Choosing Meat Responsibly

If you want to consume meat responsibly, it’s important to be an informed shopper. Visit farmers markets, ask questions, and get to know your farmers. Understanding where your meat comes from and how it’s raised helps support sustainable local food systems—and ensures you’re enjoying high-quality, flavorful beef.

For more resources and to explore beef cuts interactively, check out:

• Beef Checkoff Source: Organic Prairie

• Interactive Butcher Counter—Beef Cuts

Feature Recipe: Creamy Roasted Winter Squash Pasta

A cozy, versatile dish that celebrates the best of fall. Smooth roasted squash blends with sage, thyme, and garlic for a rich, velvety sauce — perfect over your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

• ½ small butternut squash, halved and seeded

• (or use acorn, delicata, kabocha, seminole, or pumpkin)

• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• Sea salt & black pepper

• ¾ cup water

• Vegan option: ½ cup raw cashews + 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• Non-vegan option: ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 10 fresh sage leaves

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

• ¾ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

• For serving: 12 oz spaghetti (or favorite pasta), reserved cooking water

Instructions

1. Roast: Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast cut-side down on parchment for ~30 minutes, or until tender. Wrap shallots and garlic in foil with olive oil and roast alongside.

2. Blend: Scoop out 1 cup roasted squash. Peel garlic and add to blender with shallots, water, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add cashews + nutritional yeast (vegan) or half-and-half (non-vegan). Blend until smooth.

3. Toss: Cook pasta, reserve 1 cup water, then combine with sauce. Add pasta water gradually until creamy and smooth. Adjust salt to taste.

4. Serve: Top with thyme, pepper, and optional sides — sautéed broccoli, roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or a simple green salad.

Tips

• Swap the squash: Each variety adds its own flavor twist.

• Make ahead: Sauce keeps 3 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

• Boost flavor: Try red pepper flakes or grated Parmesan (or vegan Parmesan).

• Versatile: Delicious over gnocchi, roasted veggies, or grain bowls.

Preserving the Harvest

Want your local squash and pumpkins to last?

Check out “Preserving Pumpkins and Winter Squash” — our quick guide to storing, roasting, and freezing local squash for months of meals.

Shop Local. Eat Seasonal. Stay Cozy.

Support our farmers through the cooler months — shop seasonal produce, dairy, meats, and handmade goods at Piedmont Fresh.

Stay connected with your local food community all winter long.