As I stared hard at the photo above, I had to ask myself, "when did I receive this CSA box?" Oh yeah...like 3 weeks ago (maybe even more!). Normally, I complain of time flying by, but these last several weeks have felt like an eternity. In the midst of the series of misfortunate events that recently took place, my bi-weekly pick-up at the farmer's market had to be put on hold and with that my fresh veggie consumption has suffered...Meager would be a generous description. Well I say, "No Mas!" I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I'll be the first person in line to pick up my much-anticipated box. You watch.
Dear Hungryman, you don't have to come with me since I know you like to sleep in on Saturdays. But if you do, I shall buy you a bfast taco ;).
For now, let me do my best in recapping how I incorporated these beauties into my meals. Bi-weekly deliveries have been working really well mainly because it's just the two of us - there's PLENTY to go around, and it's also a bit more economical. I haven't had to throw away anything until this most recent box, and that's simply because I was away from home so much.
I think I've finally found my groove and secured a game plan on how to use up the abundance of produce without feeling too overwhelmed and stressed out. During the first week, I like to prepare all the items that are more perishable - so this time that included spinach, swiss chard, basil, salad mix, and zucchini. For the second week, I'll cook up the rest, which normally consists of the heartier varieties, like root vegetables.
So here are my creations from this time around...
Basil: Last summer, we grew basil in our humble garden (very), and boy did it thrive like a weed. It made it onto just about every dish we ate, and I couldn't make pesto fast enough. This year, we have no herbs growing so I decided to bring back the pesto - the first homemade one of the year. If you're on Pinterest, you know that pesto-making is its own entity. Apparently, there are a million ways to make it (like zucchini basil pesto), but I didn't venture to the wild side this time. We simply added it to some pasta and used it as a sauce for naan pizza. Recipe coming soon..
Zucchini: For 2 out of 4: After cleaning, I sliced them into thin, moon-shaped pieces and stored them in a tupperware for easy access. They were mainly enjoyed as a snack (dipped in hummus) or used in salads. As for the other 2, I sliced them quite thinly using a mandoline and made Korean zucchini pancakes (pictured in top right corner).
Swiss chard: What a gorgeous bunch! I already shared about my experience as well as the recipe for this Swiss Chard and Bacon Quesadilla, so be sure to check it out!
Beets and fennel bulbs: These would've been roasted at the beginning of the second week, but that did not happen this time. Thank goodness these good ol' sturdy veggies (minus the fennel fronds) have patience! I didn't have much energy to spend when I returned home so they were simply tossed in walnut oil along with salt+pepper and roasted in the oven.
Spinach and salad mix: Added to smoothies and salads
Broccoli and carrots: As I previously shared, the broccoli florets were far gone by the time I got to them. I did manage to save the stems and added them to this crunchy Asian Chopped Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing along with some carrots.
So there you have it! Now I'm ready for my next box ;).
In the past:
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
I love seeing what you get in your CSA box. Our garden is finally flourishing and we have basil, tomatoes and squash growing like crazy. I can't wait until it is ready for harvest, but it is always a challenge trying to use it all up. I hope you had a great weekend, Min!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
I am so moving to Texas. I want to have been getting zucchini three weeks ago. That is months away at this point in Vermont! Love seeing all this. It is like a peek into the future for me 🙂
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
Having paused (well, stopped) our own vegetable box ahead of our move to England, I'm enjoying seeing how you use yours. I found it a little stressful in that first week after delivery with a bulging fridge and perishable items to use, but you are reminding me that it's possible to manage the timing / produce!
Trisha says
This was such a helpful post! I've always wanted to try a CSA box, but been intimidated about all the ingredients. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂