CSA Shares

Good-for-You Super Green Pilaf with Fresh Breakfast Sausage

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Mmmmm…. fresh sausage…..

Good-for-You Super Green Pilaf with Fresh Breakfast Sausage

Adapted from Food52’s One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

2 c. salted water

1 c. washed quinoa

8 oz. chopped kale

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/2 orange, juiced

2 scallions, minced

1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil

3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts

1/4 c. Feta cheese

Big pinch red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

2 2 oz. patties fresh breakfast sausage, cooked

Bring the water to boil in a covered steep-sided pan. Add the quinoa, cover, and lower the heat until just simmering. Simmer 10 mins., top with the kale and re-cover. Simmer 5 minutes more, turn off the heat, and stem an additional 5 mins. or until the kale is just tender and the water is absorbed.

While your quinoa is cooking, combine the lemon and orange juices in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, scallions, oil, pine nuts, red pepper flakes and feta.

Add the pilaf to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve topped with a 2 oz. patty of fresh breakfast sausage.

Serves 2 for dinner with enough left over for lunch.

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: CSA Box #9

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CSA Box 9

1 lb. strawberries
5 Fair Trade bananas
5 Gala apples
3 local Florida Valencia oranges
4 bunches local East Coast tatsoi
2 local East Coast sweet potatoes
1 local East Coast Evangeline sweet potato
1 pint sweet colorful mini peppers
3 tomatoes on the vine
7 scallions
1 bunch cilantro
2 heads broccoli
1 bunch collards

How I Used My Share

I used the Tatsoi, carrots, celery and scallions in a stir fry over soba noodles

I baked the sweet potatoes and served them with bacon and broccoli

I made a hash with the Evangeline sweet potato in a hash

The collards I braised with the mini peppers and served with grits

I ate the tomatoes, oranges and bananas out of hand

I made jam with the strawberries

My Favorite Recipe From This Box

Grits & Greens

1 Year Ago

1 lb. strawberries
6 oz. blueberries
3 Packham pears
2 lemons
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 cucumber
2 slicing tomatoes
2 Haas avocados
1 pint sweet mini peppers
1 head garlic
2 big Russet potatoes
17 Crimini mushrooms
7 carrots
1 big bunch rainbow chard
2 small heads broccoli

What I Made: Creamy chicken with greens tacos, Italian stir fry, Shrimp with mushrooms and spinach, poblano and potato hash, Asian stir-fry

Grits & Greens

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So tasty I almost forgot to take a picture

Grits & Greens

1 onion, halved & sliced thin
1 pint sweet mini peppers, sliced
1 head collards, washed, de-stemmed & sliced
1 tsp. Hungarian hot paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground chipotle
1/4 c. Water
1 c. Good quality tomato sauce
Batons of cooked bacon
1/2 c. Yellow grits
2 c. Mixed water & milk
Splash balsamic vinegar

Sautée onions and peppers over medium until very soft and starting to caramelize. Add 1/2 of the tomato sauce, collards, spices & salt & pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally 2 mins or until well incorporated. Add water and cook, stirring occasionally and adding tomato sauce when the mixture looks too dry, 15 mins. Or until collards are softened and look done. Add remaining sauce and vinegar, taste for seasoning and adjust.

While the greens are cooking, make the grits. Over high heat, combine milk and grits with 1/2 tsp. Salt in a saucepan. Whisk continuously until the mixture comes to a boil. Cover and reduce eat to a simmer. Simmer 5 mins.

Serve immediately.

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: CSA Box #8

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CSA Box 8

2011 CSA Box 8

1 lb. strawberries
7 Fair Trade bananas
2 red Bartlett pears
2 local Florida Valencia oranges
1 pint local Florida grape tomatoes
1 1/2 lb. carrots
1 bunch celery
4 yellow onions
1 huge bunch curly parsley
4 red beet roots
5 oz. baby spinach
1 head broccolini
1 lb. 8 oz. fingerling potatoes

How I Used My Share

I made jelly with the strawberries and some leftover blueberries.

My DH ate the bananas after running.

I had 1 pear in a sandwich, the other pear I ate as an evening snack.

I used half the pint of tomatoes and half the spinach in an easy orzo lunch with some feta.

The other half of the spinach I ate on sandwiches.

I simmered half the carrots, some of the celery, 1 onion and half of the potatoes and served with chimichurri steak.

I used the broccolini in a simple and light chickpea salad.

My Favorite Recipe From This Box

Quick Berry Jam

1 Year Ago

1 lb. strawberries
3 Pink lady apples
3 ruby grapefruit
3 red pears
5 Fair Trade bananas
1/2 lb. local Florida green beans
2 local Florida zucchini
1 bunch local Florida curly kale
1 bunch local Florida celery
4 jumbo onions
3 carrots
1 cucumber
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 pint grape tomatoes
5 Yukon Gold potatoes
1 bunch broccolini

What I Made: Mediterreanean Tacos, Quinoa with Spring Vegetables and Pesto, Apple Citrus Salad with Avocado and Bacon, Fresh Potato and Chorizo Tacos, Citrus WIld Rice, Potato Salad with Hummus Yogurt Dressing, Middle-Eastern Inspired Chicken, Sauteed Green Beans and Nutty Meatless Loaf.

Quick Berry Jam

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Jelly for the sugar wary

This jam is quick, involves no canning, and makes just the kind of jam I like–not too sickly sweet. Since seeing Jamie Oliver make a version of this jam on one of his shows last week, I have made it two ways: with mixed strawberries and blueberries, 1/4 c. sugar and balsamic vinegar; and with straight strawberries, 2 Tbsp. sugar and Jam Jar wine. I like the sugar content of the second batch and the berry mix of the first batch the best. Unfortunately, I was too busy slathering the first batch on everything I came across to take any pictures. The second batch has yet to make it to any serving vehicle but a teaspoon (and a wooden spoon and a serving spoon). This is proving just the thing for the weekly batch of strawberries I get with my CSA. I hate to admit it, but after a year and some change, I’m kinda fresh strawberried-out.

Quick Berry Jam

Adapted from Creamy Rice Pudding with the Quickest Strawberry Jam by Jamie Oliver

1 lb. berries
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar or fruity red wine

Wash and prep berries; place in a wide pan. Add sugar and skoosh with your hands until the desired consistency is reached–you’re looking for the mixture to look like jam already and the sugar to dissolve.

Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam, 20-30 mins. or until the jam is at a consistency you like. Add the wine or vinegar in the last few minutes of cooking.

Serve with waffles, oatmeal, rice pudding, toast or a spoon.

Quick Berry Jam on Punk Domestics

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: CSA Box #7

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Slightly less crappy pic than last week

2011 CSA Box 7

1 lb. strawberries
6 oz. blueberries
6 fair trade bananas
8 oz. cut n clean seasonal cooking greens
1 lb. sugar snap peas
1 bunch broccolini
3 oriental sweet potatoes
1 pint mini heirloom tomatoes
1 pint sweet mini peppers

How I Used My Share

I ate the strawberries and blueberries with oatmeal for breakfast.

My DH ate the bananas to recover after a run.

I made greens with eggs with the cut n clean greens and half of the tomatoes.

I made a quick lunch pasta with the remaining tomatoes.

I ate half of the sugar snap peas and two of the sweet potatoes in a simple stir fry.

I ate the other half in a Japanese-inspired soba dish with frozen brussels sprouts and steak.

I used the broccolini along with an onion for a simple Thai-inspired stir fry.

The remaining sweet potato I made into sweet potato fries, which I served alongside a steak sandwich topped with the sliced mini peppers.

My Favorite Recipe From This Box

Greens with eggs

1 Year Ago

1 lb. local Florida strawberries
1 fair trade sweet golden pineapple
2 gold Ataulfo mangoes
2 Haas avocados
2 cucumbers
1 bunch scallions
1/2 pint yellow pear tomatoes
1 head broccoli
2 zucchini
7 purple potatoes
1 huge bunch chard
1 bunch asparagus

What I Made: Purple potato hashed browns with spinach; pasta with a quick pan-sauteed pear tomato sauce and creme fraiche; pork sandwiches with spicy mango cucumber slaw; broccoli, chard & chevre pizza; zucchini noodles; saffron pasta salad; fresh spring rice.

Thrown Together Simple Tomato Pasta

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After capturing the tomatoes for posterity, I threw together this quick and simple lunch

After stopping to photograph the heirloom tomatoes for posterity, I threw this quick pasta together for lunch in under 10 minutes.

1 Serving rice noodles

Olive Oil

Double handful tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1 handful parsley

Big pinch red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

Take 1 serving thin angel hair-style rice noodles, place in a medium pot. Add cold water until half full, place on burner on High. Cook according to package directions (approx. 3 mins.) drain.

While you’re waiting for the pasta to cook, slice 1 clove garlic super thin and chop 1 handful parsley. Rinse a double handful tomatoes.

Over medium-high heat, bring 1 Tbsp. olive oil up to just shimmering; add garlic and stir. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until tomato skins begin to split and garlic is deeply golden (but not burnt!)

When pasta is done, add it to the pan, salt & pepper to taste and add a shot of olive oil if the mixture looks dry. Add parsley and a pinch red pepper flakes. Toss to combine and serve.

Serves 1 for lunch.

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: CSA Box #6

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Holy crap this picture sucks. iPhone Fail!

2011 CSA Box 6

6 oz. blueberries
1 lb. strawberries
5 Fair Trade bananas
2 local Florida pink Cara Cara navel oranges
1 bunch local Florida collard greens (I swapped the leaf lettuce I was supposed to get for this item)
1 bunch broccoli raab
1 tiny head cauliflower
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 Israeli red sweet bell pepper
1 bunch green chard
2 lb. Russet potatoes
5 yellow onions

leftover purple potatoes

How I Used My Share

I used last week’s purple potatoes with an onion in my inaugural corned beef dinner, Corned Beef with Roasted Potatoes.

I used the broccoli raab on a goat cheese and lemon pizza.

I used the chard in Black Sesame Noodles.

I used the russet potatoes in a hash with the red pepper and some onions in my second corned beef dinner.

I used the collards in a grain salad.

I used the cauliflower and a few onions in a vegetable korma.

The tomatoes served as a great accent for hash leftovers at lunch.

The berries got eaten with plain oatmeal for breakfast.

The oranges made great evening snacks.

The bananas refueled my DH after his long runs this week.

My Favorite Recipe From This Box

Black Sesame Walnut Noodles. This dish was light and satisfying with nutty complexity from the sesame and a bright green punch from the chard.

1 Year Ago

8 oz. local Florida strawberries

6 oz. blueberries

1 Kent mango

4 Fuji apples

2 Bartlett pears

6 fair trade bananas

1 big bunch asparagus

1 head green leaf lettuce

1 bunch broccioli raab

1 eggplant

3 big pieces Daikon radish

2 big knobs ginger

3 baby book choy

1 red bell pepper

1 bunch collard greens

What I Made: Broccoli raab sauce with chickpeas & bacon; chickpea, sausage & collard rice; grilled eggplant with otsu noodles; Thai grilled skirt steak; asparagus and black pepper zabligone; book choy with garlic and sizzled ginger rice; oven-fried chicken; a green leaf and ousted broccoli salad with anchovy dressing; pondicherry lentil salad.

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: CSA Box #5

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2011 CSA Box 5

7 fair trade bananas
6 oz. blueberries
1 lb. local Florida strawberries
2 heads broccoli
4 carrots
1 bunch rainbow chard (swapped in place of the green leaf lettuce listed for a half share)
1 bunch local Florida dino lactino kale
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas
1 pint sweet colorful mini peppers
1 1/2 lbs. purple potatoes
1.1 lb. roma tomatoes on the vine

How I Used My Share

I used the broccoli in a riff on Rice with Roasted Cauliflower from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc At Home.

I used the kale in a ragout with roasted tomatoes served over Chris’ Bomb Ass Grits.

The grits were so good, we decided to make them again for company; this time using the chard, sweet peppers and some of the 17 tons of onions we have accumulated over the past month or so.

I also made a killer butternut squash, spinach and sausage concoction this week using ingredients from previous boxes.

I made a simple stir-fry to clean up the rest of the veggies using carrots, sugar snap peas, and onions.

Unfortunately the tomatoes rotted before I figured out what to do with them and I’m on berry overload. Since I haven’t even looked at the strawberries, I can guarantee they have rotted in the crisper. I should really do something about that.

My DH recently started running again, so he has been the best kind of banana disposal. Which is great, because I’m a little burnt out on fruit in general.

My Favorite Recipe From This Box
Has to be the grits.

1 Year Ago

8 oz. local Florida strawberries

6 oz. blueberries

5 fair trade bananas

1 golden sweet pineapple

1 head cauliflower

1 bunch lactino kale

4 roma tomatoes

1 head local Florida cabbage

1 bunch local Florida celery

3 large carrots

5 yellow onions

8 russet potatoes

1 bunch green chard

2 sweet potatoes

What I Made: Pommes Chef Anne, green curry, pasta pepperonata, veggie biryani with cashews, lentils with cabbage, kale and sweet potato stir-fry.

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: CSA Box #4

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2011 CSA Box 4

6 oz. local Florida strawberries

6 oz. blueberries

5 Pink Lady apples

6 fair trade bananas

1 head cauliflower

2 lb. Red Bliss potatoes

2 red & 6 white onions

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 small local Florida celery heart

5 oz. baby arugula

2 heads broccoli

1 bunch spinach

How I Used My Share

I was out of town during this two-week period, so we have gotten a bit behind.

I used half of the blueberries in the berry raviolis I made for Valentine’s Day. I also used half of the red bliss potatoes for that dinner in the smashed potatoes with bacon dust and the arugula was used up in my failed attempt at arugula spaghetti.

The spinach was used in the Pickle Me Pink Salad with the pickled beets from Box 3.

My DH used the broccoli, celery and a few of the onions up while I was gone inventing new spins on stir fry (isn’t he great?) and most of the rest we still have on hand.

The tomatoes unfortunately went to waste, as did one of the butternut squashes we had left over from I think Box 2.

My Favorite Recipe From This Box

I’ll have to say the beet salad.

1 Year Ago

8.8 oz. strawberries

6 oz. blueberries

2 Kent mangoes

8 Valencia oranges

1 bunch asparagus

1 zucchini

19 Crimini mushrooms

2 heads broccoli

1.5 lbs. fingerling potatoes

1 head Romaine lettuce

2 slicing tomatoes

What I Made: Lemon Smashed Potatoes, Mung Bean Mango Stir-fry with Cilantro Lime Coconut Sauce and Ten Minute Tasty Asparagus and Brown Rice.