Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Week 7

WEEK 7:
  • Basil
  • Cilantro
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Garlic
  • Potatoes
  • Purslane
  • Tomatoes (first of the season!)
  • Zucchini

Purslane: another new one to me
Learn about it here!

RECIPES:
Potato salad with purslane
- purslane, cucumber, potatoes, tomatoes
Pesto
- basil
Zucchini noodles with pesto
- zucchini, basil, sun-dried tomatoes
Guacamole
- cilantro, tomato, garlic

Guacamole, my way:
1 avacado, smashed
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1 tablespoon diced tomato
1 1/2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic, diced
Splash of lime juice
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions: just mix it all together!


We also got these beautiful flowers this week!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Week 6

Week 6:
Baby beets with greens
Basil
Bok choy
Cucumbers
Garlic
Swiss chard
Zucchini
and one carrot!

RECIPES:
Spicy Beef with Shrimp & Bok Choy
- bok choy
Skillet gnocchi with chard and white beans
- chard, garlic
Roasted beet greens
- beet greens
Zucchini cookies
- zucchini

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Week 5

Week 5:
  • Basil
  • Braising mix
  • Cucumber
  • Garlic scapes
  • Lettuce
  • Radishes
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Snow peas
  • Tatsoi (that's a new one! what is it?)
RECIPES:
Grilled Halibut with Tatsoi and spicy Thai chiles
- tatsoi and I'm going to substitute radishes for the carrots
Garlic Scape Pesto
- garlic scapes
Chili, Lemon, and Basil Shrimp with Israeli Couscous
- basil
Chicken with sugar snap peas and spring herbs
- sugar snap peas
Lamb pitas (recipe below)
- cucumber, lettuce
Cashew chicken (recipe below)
- snow peas

Lamb pitas
This recipe comes from Susie's meat at the farmer's market - go get some of her delicious gyro meat, you won't regret it!

5 large pita breads
1 pound Susie's gyro meat
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Tzatziki sauce (recipe follows)
1 large tomato, sliced thin
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 ounces Goatsbeard farm feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 red onion, chopped
1. Heat oven to 350. Tear one pita into 1 inch pieces. You will need 3/4 cup pita pieces. Stack remaining pitas and tightly wrap with aluminum foil. Shred pita pieces or process inf ood processor until crumbs. Add lamb to crumbs and mix with hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Gently flatten balls into round disks, about 1/2 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
2. Place foil wrapped pitas directly on oven rack and heat for 1- minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add patties and cook until well browned and crust forms, 2-3 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium, and cook until well browned and crust forms on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer patties to paper towel-lined plate.
3. Spread 1/4 cup Tzatziki sauce inside each pita. Divide patties evenly among pitas; top each sandwich with tomato, onion, 1/2 cups shredded lettuce, and 2 tablespoons feta.

Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or regular yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced finely (about 1/2 cup)
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint or dill (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

1. Line fine-mesh strainer set over deep container with triple layer of paper towels or cheese cloth. Spoon yogurt into lined strainer, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Combine cucumber, 1/8 teaspoon salt and lemon juice in colander. Set over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
3. Discard drained liquid from yogurt. Combine thickened yogurt, drained cucumber, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic and mint in clean bowl.

Cashew Chicken
This recipe comes from a cookbook my elementary school put together!

1 pound boneless chicken breast, sliced
1 T flour
1/3 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 t sugar
3 T oyster sauce
2 cups snow peas
2 T oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup cashews
3 scallions, cut into 3 inch lengths
Cilantro for garnish

In a large bowl, mix chicken, flour, salt, pepper, sugar and 2 tablespoons oyster sauce. Set aside for 10 minutes. Trim snow peas. Wash and drain thoroughly. Heat oil until hot in a large frying pan. Add garlic and onion, and stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken and cashews and continue to stir fry until light caramel brown, about 10 minutes. Add scallions and snow peas and stir fry for 2 minutes longer. Pour in remaining oyster sauce, stir quickly to coat ingredients, then remove immediately from heat. Transfer chicken to a serving dish and garnish with sprigs of cilantro. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and serve with rice.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Week 4

Week 4:
  • Asparagus
  • Basil
  • Broccoli
  • Butter head lettuce
  • Garlic scapes
  • Napa cabbage
  • Peas
  • Radishes
  • Romaine lettuce

RECIPES:
Quinoa primavera
- peas, asparagus
Beef tataki
- radishes
Chopped miso salad
- cabbage
Shrimp & penne
- basil
Garlic Scape Soup from "Super Natural Cooking" by Heidi Swanson (page 146)
- garlic scapes

I'm going to make an herb roasted whole chicken (you can get a whole chicken from Pierpont) and serve the broccoli on the side, then use the left over shredded chicken in the quinoa primavera with the peas and asparagus!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Week 3


Week 3:
  • Asparagus
  • Radishes
  • Swiss chard
  • Arugula
  • Salad mix
  • Some other greens
  • Broccoli
RECIPES:
Fusilli with Italian Sausage & Arugula
- arugula
Wok seared chicken tenders with asparagus and pistachios
- asparagus
Garlic Soba Noodles
- radishes, Swiss chard
Green salad with walnut oil, celery, and radishes
- lettuce mix, radishes
Roasted broccoli with saffron lime butter
- broccoli

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Week 2

Week 2:
  • Radishes
  • Strawberries
  • Bok choy
  • Baby lettuce mix
  • Spicy greens mix
  • Head lettuce
  • Napa cabbage
  • Arugula

RECIPES:
Cabbage and radish slaw with peanut dressing
-radishes, Napa cabbage
Pork and bok choy stir fry
- bok choy
Goat cheese arugula pizza
- arugula (and make your own whole wheat pizza crust!)
Spicy greens with warm balsamic vinaigrette
- spicy greens mix
Meyer lemon spring salad with baby lettuce, herbs, almonds, and goat cheese
- lettuce mix
Strawberry ice cream with cocao nibs
- strawberries

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Week 1: the first and the last


Today is a very exciting day - not only is it the first pick up of the CSA season but it is also my last day of surgery! I am just not cut out for the OR. I am meant to be in the clinic talking to people all day and delivering a baby now and then. Plus, the hours were so bad these last two months I have hardly cooked (and sometimes hardly eaten) at all and I miss it so much. I am happy to get back into the kitchen and back to eating better. The other exciting thing about the end of surgery is that it marks the beginning of my fourth, and last, year of medical school. This is going to be a good season!

Week 1:
  • D'Avignon French Radishes
  • Red Choy Bok Choy
  • Mixed Baby Lettuces
  • Arugula
  • Pea Shoots
  • Garlic Scallions
  • Strawberries
RECIPES:
Spring salad with radishes and pumpkin seeds
- baby lettuce, arugula, pea shoots, radishes
Baby bok choy with sweet chili sauce and garlic
- bok choy
Strawberry arugula salad with ricotta
- strawberries, arugula

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It's the final countdown!

One week until our first CSA pickup of the season!!!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Preparing for the new season: Part 6

Composting!

Even when you store all your food properly to prolong freshness, plan your meals to use all your food resourcefully, and minimize food waste by preserving you will still find yourself with food scraps from preparation and the occasional limp vegetable forgotten in the back of the fridge. So what better way to not waste these either by turning the trash of today into your food of tomorrow by creating some fabulous compost!

This book is a quick and easy read and is a great place to start: Worms Eat my Garbage by Mary Appelhof

I do a lazy man's version of worm composting. I made my own box out of a large Tupperware container that I drilled holes in for ventilation. Then I made some bedding for my worms, primarily out of newspaper, as outlined in "Worms eat my garbage." Then I bought some worms online (they came in the mail!) and now I just throw my food scraps in there. It has been quite low maintenance and has worked great.


This is a picture of my homemade system from when I was setting it up. That is a big ball of worms in the middle!

Of course you can get much fancier and buy vermicomposting systems online or make elaborate backyard composting systems - it is all about what works for you!

Check out some online resources about vermicomposting:
Worm composting
More worm composting


Or if you live in Columbia, MO you can attend a free composting workshop

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Preparing for the new season: Part 5

Preserving food!


Sometimes you just can't eat everything you get in one week while it is fresh. Not to mention, that you will also want to enjoy some of this delicious food in the middle of winter. Below are some links I've posted in the past about preserving food in addition to a few new ones. I'd like to learn more about canning but most likely will not as I a) am lazy, b) generally do not like the taste of canned food, and c) like any good medical student, am terrified of botulism and doubt my ability to can properly (see point a) to prevent it.

How to freeze fruits & vegetables
Home canning
Home canning, freezing and drying
Fruit leather recipe
Preserves
Tomato sauce
Roasted Red Peppers
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Pumpkin puree

New links:
Drying herbs
Guide to freezing fresh produce
Homemade Bouillon

More awesome ideas:
50 ways to never waste food again