So I realize it's been a long time and that I keep making promises that I will write more and I never do. I think the CSA has been wonderful, amazing quality vegetables and getting to try ones that I have never even heard of. It is also VERY overwhelming when you are a single gal working full time. I have had a lot of waste lately and it's frustrating. I work Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday every week, second shift and it's starting to get to me. So, I am going to summarize some of the things that I have made over the past 3 weeks.
Corn, Soy Chorizo, and Sweet Potato Chowder
Roasted 6 ears of corn in the oven, browned the soy chorizo, added diced celery, onion, garlic and carrots. Put in a crock pot with enough vegetable broth to cover and turn on high. Once all the veggies are cooked, use an immersion blender to puree soup. Serve with a dollop of soy sour cream and lots of black pepper.
Bow Tie Pasta with Soy Chorizo, Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes in a Cream Sauce
Cook pasta according to box. Drain and reserve a cup or so of pasta water. Brown chorizo and add about 1 C. plain soy creamer, 3 T. vegan cream cheese, 1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts and 3/4 C. sun dried tomatoes. Toss with pasta and add enough pasta water to make the sauce a little thinner. Season well with salt and pepper.
The Magical Loaf Studio
This is an amazing website. My loaf was delicious and I served it with vegan gravy and roasted red potatoes. Directions copied and pasted from the Magical Loaf Studio.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts
2 TB olive oil
One onion, diced
One large garlic clove, minced
One large carrot, peeled and grated
2 cups mashed firm tofu
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal or oat bran
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth, as needed
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
2 TB nutritional yeast flakes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a loaf pan or 8x8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside (an 8x8 pan makes a crisper loaf).
Grind the walnuts into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Sauté any vegetables you've chosen in the olive oil until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny (you may not need to add any liquid if the grains and protein are very moist). Add more binder/carbohydrate as needed if the loaf seems too wet.
Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or platter and slice. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and vegetarian gravy, if desired.
Cold leftover slices of make a great sandwich filling.
Roasted Red Potatoes
Chop potatoes in to small pieces, they will cook while the loaf cooks and don't need high heat. Coat with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Cook for 30-35 minutes.
Vegetarian Gravy
The gravy was amazing! Such a great compliment to the rest of the meal!
I probably won't be blogging weekly anymore, but I would still like to put up some recipies when I am feeling inspired. Fall is here and it's soup season!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Week 12, meal 1
What does one do with kale? I thought about putting it in a vase with water and keeping it on the table. I thought about giving it away. Then i looked up some info about it and decided to make this soup, partly two receipes combined, partly my own creation.
Sweet Potato, Corn and Kale Soup
3 L good quality vegetable stock (I used better than bullion)
1/2 C. corn starch
1/3 C. water
1 C. chopped of each tomato, carrot, celery,leek, sweet potato (I used 2 C sweet potato and ommitted celery since I have a friend who HATES celery HI Stephanie!)
1/2 lb kale, chopped
2 cloves garlic
6 ears of corn
1 can canellini beans
3 bay leaves
1 t. dried thyme
Take every vegetable but the kale and bring to a boil with the stock. Reduce heat to a high simmer. Add bay leaves abd thyme. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender enough to eat. Whish together corn starch and water and then slowly whisk into the soup. Add the kale and cook until the kale only has a slight bite to it. This is also when I added the tomatoes since I forgot about them in usual fashion until it was nearly time to serve. This is also when you would add the drained and rinsed beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While the flavors meld, you have enough time to make some delicious grilled slices of ciabata bread! Heat up a grill pan and drizzle a little olive oil on the bread. Place bread oil side down and grill until it browns and you have some good color. Flip over, toast for a minute. Rub a clove of garlic on olive oil side and lightly salt. So perfect with the soup!
This actually makes a TON of soup, enough for 10 people. I froze all my leftovers since Stephanie and I were the only ones eating it but I'm thinking I might pull it out at my next dinner party, soups only taste better the more time the ingedients have together. Highly reccomend trying this soup!
Sweet Potato, Corn and Kale Soup
3 L good quality vegetable stock (I used better than bullion)
1/2 C. corn starch
1/3 C. water
1 C. chopped of each tomato, carrot, celery,leek, sweet potato (I used 2 C sweet potato and ommitted celery since I have a friend who HATES celery HI Stephanie!)
1/2 lb kale, chopped
2 cloves garlic
6 ears of corn
1 can canellini beans
3 bay leaves
1 t. dried thyme
Take every vegetable but the kale and bring to a boil with the stock. Reduce heat to a high simmer. Add bay leaves abd thyme. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender enough to eat. Whish together corn starch and water and then slowly whisk into the soup. Add the kale and cook until the kale only has a slight bite to it. This is also when I added the tomatoes since I forgot about them in usual fashion until it was nearly time to serve. This is also when you would add the drained and rinsed beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While the flavors meld, you have enough time to make some delicious grilled slices of ciabata bread! Heat up a grill pan and drizzle a little olive oil on the bread. Place bread oil side down and grill until it browns and you have some good color. Flip over, toast for a minute. Rub a clove of garlic on olive oil side and lightly salt. So perfect with the soup!
This actually makes a TON of soup, enough for 10 people. I froze all my leftovers since Stephanie and I were the only ones eating it but I'm thinking I might pull it out at my next dinner party, soups only taste better the more time the ingedients have together. Highly reccomend trying this soup!
Week 12
I know that I've eaten, and I've eaten well over the last 10 or so days, but recalling what I had is proving to be quite difficult. I know that there was a huge pasta salad that I ate for 3 days and there was some corn on the cob. There were many tomatoes sliced with salt and pepper, tomato and vegan mayonaise sandwhiches. Nothing complicated or fancy to stand out, just simple food enjoyed at home. There was a recreation of my cherry tomato pasta sauce, this time with the welcome addition of some sun dried tomatoes I bought in a massive jar. So, instead of trying to test my already crap memory, I will say I did good, wasted little and enjoyed myself. Now on to week 12.
1 bunch radishes
6 ears of corn
1 bunch kale
1 eggplant
1 zuchini
basil
2 plum tomatoes
4 (5?) slicing tomatoes
huge bag of green beans
1 cubanelle pepper
1 green pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
I'm sure that I will edit this later with more additions to the list as well as to correct a riety of spelling mistakes that my phone doesn't care enough to pick up. I'll also be writing soon about my first adventure in canning! It's going to be happening soon, I really want to make tomato sauce and learn how to preserve beans and corn. I have the equipment ($40 from Tags in Porter Square!), I'm waiting for 2 things. One is a book telling me what the heck to do and the second it time .
1 bunch radishes
6 ears of corn
1 bunch kale
1 eggplant
1 zuchini
basil
2 plum tomatoes
4 (5?) slicing tomatoes
huge bag of green beans
1 cubanelle pepper
1 green pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
I'm sure that I will edit this later with more additions to the list as well as to correct a riety of spelling mistakes that my phone doesn't care enough to pick up. I'll also be writing soon about my first adventure in canning! It's going to be happening soon, I really want to make tomato sauce and learn how to preserve beans and corn. I have the equipment ($40 from Tags in Porter Square!), I'm waiting for 2 things. One is a book telling me what the heck to do and the second it time .
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Week Eleven
I did fantastic keeping up with my veggies this week! I even froze some yellow beans that I blanched first, something that I will enjoy once this nice weather has passed. Making the ratatouille was an excellent way to use up a lot of veggies and it came out so good! I washed and separated the greens from the vegetables, making it last longer and making it easier to use since I can just grab it from the refrigerator and go. I wish I had been doing this from the beginning! As usual, my share contents from week eleven follows.
6 ears of corn
1 eggplant
1 bunch of radishes
1 bunch of beets
1 bag of yellow beans
5 slicing tomatoes
3 plum tomatoes
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 green pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
6 ears of corn
1 eggplant
1 bunch of radishes
1 bunch of beets
1 bag of yellow beans
5 slicing tomatoes
3 plum tomatoes
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 green pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
Week 10, Meal 3
Ratatouille. Something that for awhile I had no idea how to make. The name of a kids movie. Also, the delicious dinner I just made.
Ratatouille
1 eggplant, peeled and cut in to thick slices
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 2 small fresh onions or 1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium to large green pepper chopped to bite size pieces
2 cloves of garlic
5 tomatoes, peeled and de-seeded, chopped up
3 T. tomato paste
1 small can of whole tomatoes
1 large handful fresh basil, chopped
Salt & Pepper
1 T. nutritional yeast
1-2 t. dried thyme
Start by brushing your eggplant with olive oil and grilling it on both sides. Do the same for the zucchini. Next, saute the onions and garlic. Once softened, add the green peppers. Cut the eggplant and zucchini in to bite size pieces and add it to the pot along with the fresh and canned tomatoes, nutritional yeast, thyme and tomato paste. Season well. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Your vegetables should be mostly cooked from the grilling it. Add the basil and serve! I enjoyed that all the food was fresh (save the canned tomatoes and paste) and that all the veggies still had a little bit of bite. I served it with bread to mop up all the delicious sauce.
I had looked for a recipe and instead decided to do what I usually do and make one up. I also learned how to peel tomatoes and found it surprisingly easy. I boiled water and salted it. I prepped my tomatoes by cutting out the stem and slicing and X on the other side. I placed them in to the water for 20 seconds and then in to ice water for 1 minute. After that, the skins should easily come off and you can take the seeds out by squeezing the tomatoes.
Ratatouille
1 eggplant, peeled and cut in to thick slices
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 2 small fresh onions or 1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium to large green pepper chopped to bite size pieces
2 cloves of garlic
5 tomatoes, peeled and de-seeded, chopped up
3 T. tomato paste
1 small can of whole tomatoes
1 large handful fresh basil, chopped
Salt & Pepper
1 T. nutritional yeast
1-2 t. dried thyme
Start by brushing your eggplant with olive oil and grilling it on both sides. Do the same for the zucchini. Next, saute the onions and garlic. Once softened, add the green peppers. Cut the eggplant and zucchini in to bite size pieces and add it to the pot along with the fresh and canned tomatoes, nutritional yeast, thyme and tomato paste. Season well. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Your vegetables should be mostly cooked from the grilling it. Add the basil and serve! I enjoyed that all the food was fresh (save the canned tomatoes and paste) and that all the veggies still had a little bit of bite. I served it with bread to mop up all the delicious sauce.
I had looked for a recipe and instead decided to do what I usually do and make one up. I also learned how to peel tomatoes and found it surprisingly easy. I boiled water and salted it. I prepped my tomatoes by cutting out the stem and slicing and X on the other side. I placed them in to the water for 20 seconds and then in to ice water for 1 minute. After that, the skins should easily come off and you can take the seeds out by squeezing the tomatoes.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Week 10, meal 2
A cold, rainy day was all the excuse I needed to take the chili that I made out of the freezer and heat it up. It was looking a little sad so the first addition was a can of diced tomatoes. Next came sauteed green and red peppers along with some soy meat crumbles. It was served alongside homemade biscuits with vegan butter and sliced avocado, tomatoes, and soy sour cream. Came out even better than the first time!
Week 10, meal 1
When I woke up last Friday morning, I decided that I needed to make myself some treats to take to work. First, I used some lettuce and tomato in a sandwich with Nayonaise and "Turkey" slices. Then, while I ate breakfast I tried to think what I could do with all of my cherry tomatoes. What I made was east and delicious!
Pasta with a Quick Cherry Tomato Sauce
8-10 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 large (or 2 small) cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tiny onion, finely minced (a 1/4 or a regular onion would suffice)
Handful of fresh basil, torn
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Nutritional yeast
2 servings of pasta, cooked
Saute the onions and garlic in some olive oil till the onions are translucent. Add in the cherry tomatoes and cook until they are very soft and will easily pop if you push on them with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper, add a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast and add a little more olive oil. Throw in pasta and basil. Toss and serve.
This came out so good! It was nice to eat a cooked tomato since I have been snacking on so many raw ones.
Pasta with a Quick Cherry Tomato Sauce
8-10 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 large (or 2 small) cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tiny onion, finely minced (a 1/4 or a regular onion would suffice)
Handful of fresh basil, torn
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Nutritional yeast
2 servings of pasta, cooked
Saute the onions and garlic in some olive oil till the onions are translucent. Add in the cherry tomatoes and cook until they are very soft and will easily pop if you push on them with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper, add a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast and add a little more olive oil. Throw in pasta and basil. Toss and serve.
This came out so good! It was nice to eat a cooked tomato since I have been snacking on so many raw ones.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Week Ten
I'm at the halfway point and already thinking about next season. I am on the fence as to whether I should be doing a CSA or just to my local farmer's market. I love what I get from Farmer Dave's and love that I am supporting a local farm, I'm just not sure if I can justify buying a small share just for myself. I will be thinking about this until the last pick-up and would love to know other peoples thoughts.
I did something new this week, something I should have been doing from week one. I purchased some of the Debbie Myer Green Bags a few weeks ago and have been using them inconsistently with mixed results. I have used them in the past and they worked great. They key to them is washing and drying the produce prior to putting the vegetables in to them. I washed and dried everything except for the lettuce and am crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. The line up in my refrigerator is pretty fantastic right now!
1 head of green leaf lettuce
5 ears of corn
4 garden tomatoes
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 pint of ground husk cherry tomatoes
1 heirloom tomato
1 bag of yellow beans
2 small onions
2 chili peppers
1 bunch of Basil
2 green peppers
1 misshapen eggplant
I am starting to think that I should be making sauce and canning some of these tomatoes, but the last few weeks I have just been enjoying them sliced with salt and pepper. My other idea is slow roasting them using this recipe , it looks and sounds amazing. I will keep you posted on what I make!
I did something new this week, something I should have been doing from week one. I purchased some of the Debbie Myer Green Bags a few weeks ago and have been using them inconsistently with mixed results. I have used them in the past and they worked great. They key to them is washing and drying the produce prior to putting the vegetables in to them. I washed and dried everything except for the lettuce and am crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. The line up in my refrigerator is pretty fantastic right now!
1 head of green leaf lettuce
5 ears of corn
4 garden tomatoes
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 pint of ground husk cherry tomatoes
1 heirloom tomato
1 bag of yellow beans
2 small onions
2 chili peppers
1 bunch of Basil
2 green peppers
1 misshapen eggplant
I am starting to think that I should be making sauce and canning some of these tomatoes, but the last few weeks I have just been enjoying them sliced with salt and pepper. My other idea is slow roasting them using this recipe , it looks and sounds amazing. I will keep you posted on what I make!
Weeks Eight and Nine
Weeks 8 & 9 were filled with meals not prepared by me because my hand was a mess, but I am back (for the most part) and ready to start afresh on week 10. Thinking back to what I ate the past 3 weeks, pasta salad, tomatoes and corn come to mind. I haven't wasted much and I even ended up giving a share away when I went to Martha's Vineyard for 5 days. It must have been a funny sight to see a Farmer Dave's box attached to a backpack, upside down with tomatoes squirting out (only one didn't fare well). I'm off now to do week 10.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Week 7, meal 1
Since I am off these next 2 weeks so my hand can heal, my wonderful roommate Kim (Hi Kim!) has been doing the cooking and baking. First we started off with the St. Patric's Day zucchini muffins and they came out great. I was reading the directions off and forgot to tell Kim 2 ingredients, those being sugar and walnuts. The walnuts got added to the top along with a cinnamon crumb topping but the sugar was forgotten about until I took a bite and noticed that something was missing. Next time we will be making sure that there are more raisins and that all the ingredients get in there before baking! There was also a banana bread made after this which looks amazing but is a gift present so I haven't eaten it yet. Kim made a glaze of walnuts, brown sugar and vegan butter. It made a toffee sort of thing on top. I'll let you know how delicious it is!
Our kitchen was already a disaster from all the baking so we decided to make a big pasta salad for dinner. After cooking a box of tricolor rotini, a light olive oil vinaigrette (from the Newman's own line) was added. Kim chopped up tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers and added to the bowl. I served mine with a sprinkling of vegan cheese and a Tofurkey sausage that I quickly browned in a pan. Kim used cheddar cheese and pepperoni to go with hers. A couple ears of corn and 2 Shirley Temples on the side, 1 with extra cherries and 1 without!
This made a ton, more than enough for 4 people or for 2 very hungry women who like to have leftovers so they don't have to cook everyday. Try the Shirley's, you won't regret it!
Shirley Temple
Grenadine
Ginger ale
Cherries
Ice
Take a tall glass, fill it with ice. Add a generous splash of grenadine and a few cherries and top off with ginger ale. Serve with a straw and feel 5 again!
Our kitchen was already a disaster from all the baking so we decided to make a big pasta salad for dinner. After cooking a box of tricolor rotini, a light olive oil vinaigrette (from the Newman's own line) was added. Kim chopped up tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers and added to the bowl. I served mine with a sprinkling of vegan cheese and a Tofurkey sausage that I quickly browned in a pan. Kim used cheddar cheese and pepperoni to go with hers. A couple ears of corn and 2 Shirley Temples on the side, 1 with extra cherries and 1 without!
This made a ton, more than enough for 4 people or for 2 very hungry women who like to have leftovers so they don't have to cook everyday. Try the Shirley's, you won't regret it!
Shirley Temple
Grenadine
Ginger ale
Cherries
Ice
Take a tall glass, fill it with ice. Add a generous splash of grenadine and a few cherries and top off with ginger ale. Serve with a straw and feel 5 again!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Week Seven
This weeks haul made me pretty happy! So much new stuff, such an adorable green tote. I'm keeping this short since I'm typing one handed and it's pretty difficult.
2 medium onions
1 green pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 green chili
1 bunch of mint
3 ears of corn
2 tomatoes
1 eggplant
1 head of lettuce
1 cucumber
1 small bag of beans
3 tiny eggplants
1 bunch purslane
I'm excited for the eggplant and tomatoes. Hopefully I will gave some help cooking this week because I can't wait to see what I can come up with!
2 medium onions
1 green pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 green chili
1 bunch of mint
3 ears of corn
2 tomatoes
1 eggplant
1 head of lettuce
1 cucumber
1 small bag of beans
3 tiny eggplants
1 bunch purslane
I'm excited for the eggplant and tomatoes. Hopefully I will gave some help cooking this week because I can't wait to see what I can come up with!
Week 6, meal 2
With the return of cooler weather and the abundance of veggies left in my fridge, I decided to make Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chili. I made an enormous batch so that I would have something to eat after my hand surgery. (Note- Cooking is very difficult with one hand and even more so when the hand that had surgery is your dominant hand!). I had friends over and it was truly a fantastic meal. I make it different every time, but I'll share the one I did on Monday.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chili
1 medium onion
1 small can of corn
1/2 cup of chopped peppers
1 large can of both kidney & black beans
1 regular size can of both Cannellini i beans & chickpeas
2 regular size cans of tomatoes. I did one of chopped, 1 whole
1 small can of tomato paste
1 zucchini
1 squash
1 palmful of both Chili powder & nutritional yeast
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
Vegan cheese, avocado, tomatoes and tortilla chips to serve with the chili.
Start by finely dicing your onion and sauteing it in about 1 T of olive oil. When the onion is fully cooked and translucent, add the squash and zucchini and cook and cook for 5 min. Add the beans, they all should be drained. Add the tomatoes and spices and simmer for 20-30 min, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice or on it's own, adding toppings as desired.
This makes enough for 10 people to have generous portions and it freezes well. Enjoy!
Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chili
1 medium onion
1 small can of corn
1/2 cup of chopped peppers
1 large can of both kidney & black beans
1 regular size can of both Cannellini i beans & chickpeas
2 regular size cans of tomatoes. I did one of chopped, 1 whole
1 small can of tomato paste
1 zucchini
1 squash
1 palmful of both Chili powder & nutritional yeast
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
Vegan cheese, avocado, tomatoes and tortilla chips to serve with the chili.
Start by finely dicing your onion and sauteing it in about 1 T of olive oil. When the onion is fully cooked and translucent, add the squash and zucchini and cook and cook for 5 min. Add the beans, they all should be drained. Add the tomatoes and spices and simmer for 20-30 min, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice or on it's own, adding toppings as desired.
This makes enough for 10 people to have generous portions and it freezes well. Enjoy!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Week 6, meal 1
So I made a delicious meal that I have made before, but for some reason it was much better with my local veggies!
Tofu Sausages with Peppers and Onions
1 medium size onion, chopped in to slices
2 small to medium peppers
1 T. olive oil
1 t. sugar
Oregano
Salt & pepper
Cook the onions on medium heat, stirring frequently. It took me about 30 minutes to make the onions caramelize and then I added the peppers. You should add them sooner because I ended up having to add water so the peppers could soften. It ended up tasting amazing, but next time I would add the peppers MUCH sooner. I then seasoned it and added some dried oregano. I had Tofurkey Sweet Italian with Tomato and Basil sausages and they are amazing! I sliced them in half lengthwise and browned them on both sides. Serve on hot dog buns, rolls or good bread. I also served some corn on the cob on the side and it was nice and sweet. I even had enough for leftovers for work the next day!
Tofu Sausages with Peppers and Onions
1 medium size onion, chopped in to slices
2 small to medium peppers
1 T. olive oil
1 t. sugar
Oregano
Salt & pepper
Cook the onions on medium heat, stirring frequently. It took me about 30 minutes to make the onions caramelize and then I added the peppers. You should add them sooner because I ended up having to add water so the peppers could soften. It ended up tasting amazing, but next time I would add the peppers MUCH sooner. I then seasoned it and added some dried oregano. I had Tofurkey Sweet Italian with Tomato and Basil sausages and they are amazing! I sliced them in half lengthwise and browned them on both sides. Serve on hot dog buns, rolls or good bread. I also served some corn on the cob on the side and it was nice and sweet. I even had enough for leftovers for work the next day!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Week Six
I am super excited to share with you what I got in my box this week! Not only do the shares come in adorable little lime green boxes, but they included some things that I have been waiting for!
2 fresh onions (they look gorgeous)
1 bunch of basil
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of turnips
1 bag of green beans
1 cucumber
3 ears of corn
1 bunch rainbow swiss chard
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 green bell pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
It seems like a lot, but it's nice because it's a little of everything and when you are the only one eating everything, that is a very good thing!
I have hand surgery next week, so I am hoping it won't cramp my ability to cook for too long, but I will make do and hopefully have a friend pick up my box next Wednesday. Some ideas I have for the next week are Tofurkey sausages with peppers and onions, a big salad with grilled tofu and lots of veggies and something with mint that hasn't yet been determined. What would you make with this assortment?
2 fresh onions (they look gorgeous)
1 bunch of basil
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of turnips
1 bag of green beans
1 cucumber
3 ears of corn
1 bunch rainbow swiss chard
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 green bell pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
It seems like a lot, but it's nice because it's a little of everything and when you are the only one eating everything, that is a very good thing!
I have hand surgery next week, so I am hoping it won't cramp my ability to cook for too long, but I will make do and hopefully have a friend pick up my box next Wednesday. Some ideas I have for the next week are Tofurkey sausages with peppers and onions, a big salad with grilled tofu and lots of veggies and something with mint that hasn't yet been determined. What would you make with this assortment?
Week 5, meal 3
I ended up going to New Hampshire for 3 days and brought most of my leftover veggies with me. My sister and I did another cous cous creation, but this time she suggested shredding up some carrots and it was a great addition. My nephew ended up eating lots of cucumbers so the only things I really had left were green beans and I am hoping that she enjoys them this week.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Week 5, meals 1 & 2
I have been doing much better with my produce this week. I roasted my beets and ate them with vegan butter, salt and pepper and they were delicious. I was thinking about making a veggie chili, but decided that it was a bit too hot out so I used a recipe for Swiss Chard Pie from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen (love that site!) and it was AMAZING. The topping had a definite cheesy flavor due to the nutritional yeast and it got all brown and crisp. I served it with some green beans and almonds. The pie serves 4, but I was very hungry, so I ate 2 slices along with the green beans. I was a little afraid to try this recipe, something about it just freaked me out. After a bite or two, I was convinced that I should have made it ages ago. You should try it!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Week Five
I realized that I have been slacking on the updating and writing down what I'm cooking department. I will try to be better, but to be honest I have just been having an amazing summer. Lots of nights out with friends, dinner and dancing and most recently a bunch of shows. None of these things are conducive to cooking every night, but I am attempting to institute a dinner at my place on Wednesday nights when my refrigerator is at it's fullest and my veggies are at their freshest.
I got some awesome things this week that I am really excited about- carrots, gorgeous red leaf lettuce, green beans...I could go on, but I was happy to leave the stand without a zucchini or squash as I traded them for swiss chard (which is not allowed to go bad, so I need to eat it asap).
1 bag of string beans
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of rainbow swiss chard
1 bunch of scallions
1 bunch of radishes
1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 bunch of garlic chives
2 pickling cucumbers
I still had quite a bit left from last week, but it was all in great condition. I separated the greens from my beets and put them in water like flowers (thank you for mentioning that last week Nicole!) and they are still crisp now. I roasted the beets today, peeled and sliced them and am going to eat them tomorrow. I was thinking of sauteing the greens with a little spinach I have left and possibly adding some balsamic vinegar and honey. I can't wait to oven roast the carrots by wrapping them up in tin foil and adding vegan butter, white wine, salt and pepper. I'm also thinking of doing a spicy bean dish with the green beans and a white bean and garlic scape dip sometime this week. I'll let you know what I do with my beets and turnips, I am committed to eating everything this week.
Happy cooking!
I got some awesome things this week that I am really excited about- carrots, gorgeous red leaf lettuce, green beans...I could go on, but I was happy to leave the stand without a zucchini or squash as I traded them for swiss chard (which is not allowed to go bad, so I need to eat it asap).
1 bag of string beans
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of rainbow swiss chard
1 bunch of scallions
1 bunch of radishes
1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 bunch of garlic chives
2 pickling cucumbers
I still had quite a bit left from last week, but it was all in great condition. I separated the greens from my beets and put them in water like flowers (thank you for mentioning that last week Nicole!) and they are still crisp now. I roasted the beets today, peeled and sliced them and am going to eat them tomorrow. I was thinking of sauteing the greens with a little spinach I have left and possibly adding some balsamic vinegar and honey. I can't wait to oven roast the carrots by wrapping them up in tin foil and adding vegan butter, white wine, salt and pepper. I'm also thinking of doing a spicy bean dish with the green beans and a white bean and garlic scape dip sometime this week. I'll let you know what I do with my beets and turnips, I am committed to eating everything this week.
Happy cooking!
Week Four
All this nice weather has been keeping me busy and not in the mood to cook. I have been doing my best, but I still feel overwhelmed. I didn't realize how much I would have to be home and plan to cook all the food that I need to eat. Working second shift isn't helping either. I did manage to make a fantastic meal for my friends, it was based on a repeat of the cous cous dish I made a few weeks ago. I feel like I wasted a lot last week, some peas, and the turnips and chard. I did better this week at storing the food that I couldn't eat and keeping it fresh for the next week. My box had lots of great stuff!
1 head of romaine lettuce (which I forgot and it gave me a chance to catch up on eating the salad I had left over from the last 3 weeks!!)
1 bunch of beets
1 bunch of turnips
1 HUGE zucchini (traded for a bag of peas I didn't need)
2 small zucchini's
1 yellow squash
2 pickling cucumbers
1 bunch garlic scapes
1 huge bunch of scallions
I also had quite a few salads and ended up only eating a couple of turnips so they will be finished next week. I also made a delicious pesto with garlic, basil and walnuts that was a nice change from all the other pesto's I have been eating. Since I am writing this the day I got week 5's pick-up, I will keep this short and look forward to doing much, much better.
1 head of romaine lettuce (which I forgot and it gave me a chance to catch up on eating the salad I had left over from the last 3 weeks!!)
1 bunch of beets
1 bunch of turnips
1 HUGE zucchini (traded for a bag of peas I didn't need)
2 small zucchini's
1 yellow squash
2 pickling cucumbers
1 bunch garlic scapes
1 huge bunch of scallions
I also had quite a few salads and ended up only eating a couple of turnips so they will be finished next week. I also made a delicious pesto with garlic, basil and walnuts that was a nice change from all the other pesto's I have been eating. Since I am writing this the day I got week 5's pick-up, I will keep this short and look forward to doing much, much better.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Week Three
So I will admit, I have not done my best with my share this week. Part of the problem has been my refrigerator being too cold (?) and wilting my swiss chard and my turnip greens. I still have a ton of stuff left, but I am hopeful that I can use the majority of it on an impromptu dinner party I am having tomorrow night. It has also been 98 degrees and humid, so things like soup, swiss chard pie and even stir-fry are out till it cools off. My haul was a big one this week!
1 bunch of basil
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 bag of snap peas
1 bunch haruki turnips
3 pickling cucumbers
1 salad cucumber
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
2 bunches of amaranth greens
My first cooking foray was to make zucchini muffins from FatFree Vegan Kitchen blog and they were amazing and healthy. You should give them a try even if you're not vegan!
I have also eaten a lot of salad this week and enjoyed walnuts and cranberries on top of my lovely green leaf lettuce with a balsamic dressing. I will you know how my meal for tomorrow comes out, I am hopeful to use everything I have left up. I am angry at myself for not making better use of this weeks share, I had planned on using it tonight, but tomorrow looks to be cooler. I will say that I ended up throwing out my amaranth because it was so wilted from my fridge, I can't bring myself to get rid of the swiss chard. I will do better next week!
1 bunch of basil
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 bag of snap peas
1 bunch haruki turnips
3 pickling cucumbers
1 salad cucumber
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
2 bunches of amaranth greens
My first cooking foray was to make zucchini muffins from FatFree Vegan Kitchen blog and they were amazing and healthy. You should give them a try even if you're not vegan!
I have also eaten a lot of salad this week and enjoyed walnuts and cranberries on top of my lovely green leaf lettuce with a balsamic dressing. I will you know how my meal for tomorrow comes out, I am hopeful to use everything I have left up. I am angry at myself for not making better use of this weeks share, I had planned on using it tonight, but tomorrow looks to be cooler. I will say that I ended up throwing out my amaranth because it was so wilted from my fridge, I can't bring myself to get rid of the swiss chard. I will do better next week!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Week 2, Meal 3
I just made something quick to take to the beach with me tomorrow as I am really trying to use everything up! I used some leftover cous cous, added lime juice, cilantro, sauteed kousa squash, snap peas, wilted arugula and tons of salt and pepper. Perfect cold salad to take to the beach, healthy and nutritious!
I am struggling to cook when it is as hot out as it has been here. I don't have air conditioning and it's been very humid and in the high 80's. I am planning on making a pesto with my remaining spinach, arugula, and garlic scapes, serving it over pasta with grilled zucchini, summer squash and snap peas. I am trying to convince my girls that we should be going out for desert, not dinner! If I say I'm cooking, maybe they will try my creation?
On another side note, I am in the process of fixing up my camera so I can actually post pictures of my recipes and my weekly haul from Farmer Dave's, so be on the lookout!
I am struggling to cook when it is as hot out as it has been here. I don't have air conditioning and it's been very humid and in the high 80's. I am planning on making a pesto with my remaining spinach, arugula, and garlic scapes, serving it over pasta with grilled zucchini, summer squash and snap peas. I am trying to convince my girls that we should be going out for desert, not dinner! If I say I'm cooking, maybe they will try my creation?
On another side note, I am in the process of fixing up my camera so I can actually post pictures of my recipes and my weekly haul from Farmer Dave's, so be on the lookout!
Week 2, Meal 2
I feel like I probably have eaten a turnip before, it's not a crazy vegetable. Most people have heard of them, maybe in a soup, maybe roasted. I looked around for recipies for how to cook them, what they taste good with and saw one that had you sautee the turnips and serve them with the greens and some spinach. I amended it to what I had and added flavor since it only had olive oil, salt and pepper. Here's my version of Haruki Turnips with Greens, Asian Style.
1 bunch Haruki turnips, greens separated and set aside
1 lb of greens, spinach and arugula worked well
Olive oil
1 t. of each ginger and garlic
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 T. orange marmalade
Salt & Pepper
Start by thoroughly washing all vegetables, including the turnip greens and then chopping them in to bite size pieces. Set aside. Slice turnips in to rounds, about 1/4 " think. Mine were very juicy, so I dried them off before I put them in a pan on medium high heat and cooked them on both sides until golden brown in just enough olive oil to cook with. Set aside and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Next take your greens and put them in to the pan, turning the heat down to medium low. Add the ginger and garlic. (I have a jar of ginger and garlic already made in to a paste in my refrigerator and I pull it out frequently for things like this. If I had to go through the trouble of chopping garlic and ginger every time I wanted it, I would never use them fresh. I just put some olive oil in it and it keeps well). Cook 1-2 min, then add the soy sauce and marmalade, and cover until greens are finished. Add the turnips back in and enjoy! I served this with some cous cous cooked with vegetable stock and seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper. There is a sauce that comes together from the soy and marmalade that is delicious over the cous cous. This is definitely something that I would make again!
1 bunch Haruki turnips, greens separated and set aside
1 lb of greens, spinach and arugula worked well
Olive oil
1 t. of each ginger and garlic
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 T. orange marmalade
Salt & Pepper
Start by thoroughly washing all vegetables, including the turnip greens and then chopping them in to bite size pieces. Set aside. Slice turnips in to rounds, about 1/4 " think. Mine were very juicy, so I dried them off before I put them in a pan on medium high heat and cooked them on both sides until golden brown in just enough olive oil to cook with. Set aside and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Next take your greens and put them in to the pan, turning the heat down to medium low. Add the ginger and garlic. (I have a jar of ginger and garlic already made in to a paste in my refrigerator and I pull it out frequently for things like this. If I had to go through the trouble of chopping garlic and ginger every time I wanted it, I would never use them fresh. I just put some olive oil in it and it keeps well). Cook 1-2 min, then add the soy sauce and marmalade, and cover until greens are finished. Add the turnips back in and enjoy! I served this with some cous cous cooked with vegetable stock and seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper. There is a sauce that comes together from the soy and marmalade that is delicious over the cous cous. This is definitely something that I would make again!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Week Two
So I learned a few things during my first week, mainly that it is pretty hard to eat that many vegetables without some serious planning and consideration. I realized that I needed something quick cooking grains to go alongside my produce, as well as garlic, ginger, lemons and limes. With these things and a little imagination, I was able to eat nearly everything. The only things that went bad were a couple of radishes. Everything else was eaten or saved for the next week (both heads of lettuce). So for my second haul, without further ado.
2 bags of snow peas
1 bunch of haruki turnips
1 bunch of radishes
1 summer squash
1 zucchini
1 kousa squash
1 small bunch of cilantro
1 large bunch of Spinach
2 or 3 large stalks of arugula
I did use the swap box this time to unload another head of lettuce and get some more radishes. I actually ended up cooking the leftovers from week one with some additions from week two in a fantastic Cous Cous Salad with Peas, Zucchini, Arugula and a Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette. It was delicious and is something that I will be making on a regular basis because it was that good. The vegetables are all interchangeable, I can't imagine you could put something in this that did not taste amazing.
Cous Cous Salad
3/4 C. whole wheat cous cous
1 & 1/4-1/2 C. of vegetable stock
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 T. olive oil
1 zucchini
1/2-3/4 C. snap peas, shelled and lightly steamed
1 C. arugula, washed and copped
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Salt & Pepper
Enough olive to brown vegetables
I prepared my cous cous to package directions, but did toast it in a pan over a medium heat until it got some color. Add the stock, covered and let it sit while you prepared the rest of the food. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and let come to room temperature.
I actually cooked my zucchini the evening before and enjoyed that it was cold, but do what time allows you to do. Cut the zucchini in to long slices, brown both sides on medium high heat and then season with salt and pepper. Using a grill would be even better! Chop the zucchini in to bite size pieces, add the peas, arugula, cilantro and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add additional olive oil if it seems dry.
I served it with a salad of mixed greens with a balsamic vinagrette, sliced almonds and dried cranberries. This makes enough to serve 2 as a main course.
2 bags of snow peas
1 bunch of haruki turnips
1 bunch of radishes
1 summer squash
1 zucchini
1 kousa squash
1 small bunch of cilantro
1 large bunch of Spinach
2 or 3 large stalks of arugula
I did use the swap box this time to unload another head of lettuce and get some more radishes. I actually ended up cooking the leftovers from week one with some additions from week two in a fantastic Cous Cous Salad with Peas, Zucchini, Arugula and a Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette. It was delicious and is something that I will be making on a regular basis because it was that good. The vegetables are all interchangeable, I can't imagine you could put something in this that did not taste amazing.
Cous Cous Salad
3/4 C. whole wheat cous cous
1 & 1/4-1/2 C. of vegetable stock
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 T. olive oil
1 zucchini
1/2-3/4 C. snap peas, shelled and lightly steamed
1 C. arugula, washed and copped
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Salt & Pepper
Enough olive to brown vegetables
I prepared my cous cous to package directions, but did toast it in a pan over a medium heat until it got some color. Add the stock, covered and let it sit while you prepared the rest of the food. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and let come to room temperature.
I actually cooked my zucchini the evening before and enjoyed that it was cold, but do what time allows you to do. Cut the zucchini in to long slices, brown both sides on medium high heat and then season with salt and pepper. Using a grill would be even better! Chop the zucchini in to bite size pieces, add the peas, arugula, cilantro and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add additional olive oil if it seems dry.
I served it with a salad of mixed greens with a balsamic vinagrette, sliced almonds and dried cranberries. This makes enough to serve 2 as a main course.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Beets!
So I was feeling like I wanted a snack and had a bunch of beets left from last Wednesday. I learned two things. Beets are messy and they are delicious. I can't remember ever trying one before. They always looked so messy and the though of something other than a pickle being pickled just, well...grossed me out. I googled for recipies, but nothing caught my eye. Then I can across an old episode of Good Eats. I love Alton Brown and he taught me a lot about beets and I decided to try his simple suggestion.
Roasted Beets
1 bunch beets, cleaned
Olive Oil
Earth Balance buttery spread
Salt & Pepper
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub olive oil on beets and place in a pan. I had to cut one of mine in half because it was much larger than the others. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until tender. Peel off skins with paper towels, being careful because they are hot. Slice, put on butter, salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Next time am adding rosemarry or thyme. They were so good, a perfect snack!
Roasted Beets
1 bunch beets, cleaned
Olive Oil
Earth Balance buttery spread
Salt & Pepper
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub olive oil on beets and place in a pan. I had to cut one of mine in half because it was much larger than the others. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until tender. Peel off skins with paper towels, being careful because they are hot. Slice, put on butter, salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Next time am adding rosemarry or thyme. They were so good, a perfect snack!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Week 1, Meal 2
In my quest to use all of my produce I decided to make a stir-fry. It's my favorite thing to eat, it's easy and it's always different depending on what I have in my refrigerator and cupboard. I started off with some ginger and garlic sauteing in a pan with some olive oil. I browned some cubed super firm tofu that had marinated in soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Out came the tofu and I threw in the zucchini and a few drops of sesame oil. When the zucchini was done I added some peppers from my freezer and a can of baby corn. The tofu went back in and then soy sauce, coconut milk and a dab of peanut butter made up the sauce, served over basmati rice. It would have been better had I not undercooked the rice for the first time in my life, but it was good.
The only new part of my meal was the side dish of bok choy that I made which was actually quite delicious. I've never cooked it before so I didn't know what to do with it. I looked around and it seemed pretty easy so I made Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic. I would make it again, but next time I'm just adding it to the stir fry because that's where it went once I tasted it.
Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic
1 head of bok choy, stems separated from leaves and washed.
1/4 t. sesame oil
2 T light soy sauce
Sesame seeds to garnish
1 t. each of garlic and ginger
1/4 t. corn starch
Start off by mincing the garlic and grating the ginger. Get it going in a small amount of sesame oil. I then added the stems so that they could start to cook before the leaves went in. I added 1 T of water and put a lid on it for 3 minutes of so, then added the leaves and put the lid back on. 2 or 3 minuted later, it was tender so I added the soy sauce and corn starch and let it thicken up to a light sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top when finished. I ended up adding this to the rest of the food but it was great by itself.
I think next time I will try to do something else with the bok choy, but I could really use some ideas!
Happy Cooking!
Jaclyn
The only new part of my meal was the side dish of bok choy that I made which was actually quite delicious. I've never cooked it before so I didn't know what to do with it. I looked around and it seemed pretty easy so I made Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic. I would make it again, but next time I'm just adding it to the stir fry because that's where it went once I tasted it.
Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic
1 head of bok choy, stems separated from leaves and washed.
1/4 t. sesame oil
2 T light soy sauce
Sesame seeds to garnish
1 t. each of garlic and ginger
1/4 t. corn starch
Start off by mincing the garlic and grating the ginger. Get it going in a small amount of sesame oil. I then added the stems so that they could start to cook before the leaves went in. I added 1 T of water and put a lid on it for 3 minutes of so, then added the leaves and put the lid back on. 2 or 3 minuted later, it was tender so I added the soy sauce and corn starch and let it thicken up to a light sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top when finished. I ended up adding this to the rest of the food but it was great by itself.
I think next time I will try to do something else with the bok choy, but I could really use some ideas!
Happy Cooking!
Jaclyn
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Week One
This is going to be the story of my journey through a 20 week season of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture. I love food, love to cook and find it really satisfying to just make random things in the kitchen and see how they come out. I know that there will be some mishaps (hello roasted veg soup in which I forgot to peel the onion skins thoroughly), there will be meals that I won't want to ever look at again, but I also know there will be some hidden gems thrown in with some new veggies I haven't tried before. I will post another time about my eating habits and beliefs (I am a vegan, have been for nearly 2 years, and before that a vegetarian for 17), but for now I want to be able to tell you about my first CSA adventure.
I belong to Farmer Dave's and I have been looking froward to picking up my first share for weeks! When I got the the pick-up location, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were still plenty of great looking fresh veg out and that they gave me a great tote that looks like it will be very useful in the weeks to come.
There was so much food! I purchased a 'small share', enough to feed 1-2 people. I'm vegan and I am thinking that I won't have to supplement fresh ingredients too much if I plan carefully and cook creatively.
My box contained:
1 bunch of large radishes, red & white
1 bunch of beets
1 head of Romaine lettuce
1 head of Boston lettuce
1 bunch of garlic scape's
1 head of tatsoi
1 kousa squash
1 Zucchini
1 bag of snap peas
1 head of bok choy
I asked to get the pre-boxed share since it's going to be a bit of a tight squeeze to get to my pick-up sometimes and I couldn't have been more pleased with what I got! I only had to look up 2 items in my haul, the Tatsoi and the Kousa. I've had Kousa before and it's delicious, I just couldn't remember what it was called. I somehow made room in my refrigerator for all the leafy greens and then proceeded to think up dinner.
I had had garlic scape's before in a risotto, but felt that there must be a better use for them. While I looked through cabinets, I snacked on a radish that was the largest I have ever seen, just putting some salt and pepper on thin slices. It was so fresh! I have only ever had dried out radishes from the grocery store before and this was a serious upgrade. After looking around, I decided to saute about half of the head of Tatsoi in olive oil and just do a simple seasoning of salt and pepper and I enjoyed it. My final creation involved a Garlic Scape Pesto with Almonds, Artichokes and Cannellini Beans over pasta, I used Campanelle because I thought it would hold the sauce well. To top that off, I also made a Strawberry and Sesame Salad with some of the romaine lettuce. I didn't measure anything, I was just looking through my cabinets, refrigerator and thinking of what has worked with similar vegetables.
Garlic Scape Pesto with Almonds, Artichokes and Cannellini Beans
1 bunch of garlic scape's
1/4 C. almonds
enough olive oil to make a sauce, somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 C.
2 T. water
2 t. basil, I only had dried but fresh would be best.
1/2 cup of cannellinni beans
1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
3/4 box of pasta
Salt & Pepper
I set a big pot of water to boil and then set out to make the pesto. I took all my scape's and chopped them in to roughly 1" pieces. I put them in my Magic Bullet (food processor) with the basil and olive oil. They were pretty tough to puree, so I ended up having to add water to looken it up a bit. Once it was close to my desired consistency I added the almonds and then took it to a pretty pureed texture and seasoned liberally with salt and pepper. Once the pasta is finished, reserve some of the cooking water, you will need it once everything mixes. I added the artichokes, beans and pesto to the pasta and then served some panko bread crumbs over the top that I had toasted with Earth Balance vegan spread. This came out amazing! The bread crumbs were the perfect addition and the house smelled wonderfully garlicky. It's surprising that the pesto did not taste to strongly of garlic (is that possible??) but it was really perfect. I will be making this again, possibly with different nuts just to try something new.
Strawberry and Sesame Salad
10-12 medium to large strawberries
3 C. lettuce, I used romaine but it even better with spinach
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. sesame seed oil
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. olive oil, a combo of olive and grape seed is best.
Salt & Pepper
Tear greens up to pieces that you won't have a issue eating and slice then take 5-6 strawberries and slice them up. Next, take the mustard, vinegar, oils and puree. Season to taste and serve over the romaine with a sprinkling to sesame seeds on top. This salad makes a wicked pink colored dressing and is so much fun to serve to other people. I have only ever made it with almonds, walnuts or pecans but the sesame seeds were a nice change.
I had so much fun cooking everything, but next time I will try to pay more attention to how much I am using. Just use your judgment about the quantities of oil and if something is off, let me know and I can adjust accordingly. My plan is that I will get to write the recipe down every time I use an ingredient from my CSA box.
I'm still not sure what to do with my bok choy or what I'll do with my remaining tatsoi, but I'm sure i figure it out.
Happy Cooking!
I belong to Farmer Dave's and I have been looking froward to picking up my first share for weeks! When I got the the pick-up location, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were still plenty of great looking fresh veg out and that they gave me a great tote that looks like it will be very useful in the weeks to come.
There was so much food! I purchased a 'small share', enough to feed 1-2 people. I'm vegan and I am thinking that I won't have to supplement fresh ingredients too much if I plan carefully and cook creatively.
My box contained:
1 bunch of large radishes, red & white
1 bunch of beets
1 head of Romaine lettuce
1 head of Boston lettuce
1 bunch of garlic scape's
1 head of tatsoi
1 kousa squash
1 Zucchini
1 bag of snap peas
1 head of bok choy
I asked to get the pre-boxed share since it's going to be a bit of a tight squeeze to get to my pick-up sometimes and I couldn't have been more pleased with what I got! I only had to look up 2 items in my haul, the Tatsoi and the Kousa. I've had Kousa before and it's delicious, I just couldn't remember what it was called. I somehow made room in my refrigerator for all the leafy greens and then proceeded to think up dinner.
I had had garlic scape's before in a risotto, but felt that there must be a better use for them. While I looked through cabinets, I snacked on a radish that was the largest I have ever seen, just putting some salt and pepper on thin slices. It was so fresh! I have only ever had dried out radishes from the grocery store before and this was a serious upgrade. After looking around, I decided to saute about half of the head of Tatsoi in olive oil and just do a simple seasoning of salt and pepper and I enjoyed it. My final creation involved a Garlic Scape Pesto with Almonds, Artichokes and Cannellini Beans over pasta, I used Campanelle because I thought it would hold the sauce well. To top that off, I also made a Strawberry and Sesame Salad with some of the romaine lettuce. I didn't measure anything, I was just looking through my cabinets, refrigerator and thinking of what has worked with similar vegetables.
Garlic Scape Pesto with Almonds, Artichokes and Cannellini Beans
1 bunch of garlic scape's
1/4 C. almonds
enough olive oil to make a sauce, somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 C.
2 T. water
2 t. basil, I only had dried but fresh would be best.
1/2 cup of cannellinni beans
1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
3/4 box of pasta
Salt & Pepper
I set a big pot of water to boil and then set out to make the pesto. I took all my scape's and chopped them in to roughly 1" pieces. I put them in my Magic Bullet (food processor) with the basil and olive oil. They were pretty tough to puree, so I ended up having to add water to looken it up a bit. Once it was close to my desired consistency I added the almonds and then took it to a pretty pureed texture and seasoned liberally with salt and pepper. Once the pasta is finished, reserve some of the cooking water, you will need it once everything mixes. I added the artichokes, beans and pesto to the pasta and then served some panko bread crumbs over the top that I had toasted with Earth Balance vegan spread. This came out amazing! The bread crumbs were the perfect addition and the house smelled wonderfully garlicky. It's surprising that the pesto did not taste to strongly of garlic (is that possible??) but it was really perfect. I will be making this again, possibly with different nuts just to try something new.
Strawberry and Sesame Salad
10-12 medium to large strawberries
3 C. lettuce, I used romaine but it even better with spinach
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. sesame seed oil
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. olive oil, a combo of olive and grape seed is best.
Salt & Pepper
Tear greens up to pieces that you won't have a issue eating and slice then take 5-6 strawberries and slice them up. Next, take the mustard, vinegar, oils and puree. Season to taste and serve over the romaine with a sprinkling to sesame seeds on top. This salad makes a wicked pink colored dressing and is so much fun to serve to other people. I have only ever made it with almonds, walnuts or pecans but the sesame seeds were a nice change.
I had so much fun cooking everything, but next time I will try to pay more attention to how much I am using. Just use your judgment about the quantities of oil and if something is off, let me know and I can adjust accordingly. My plan is that I will get to write the recipe down every time I use an ingredient from my CSA box.
I'm still not sure what to do with my bok choy or what I'll do with my remaining tatsoi, but I'm sure i figure it out.
Happy Cooking!
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