how i spent my summer vegetables

week... 9? and cole slaw.

we've been enjoying the veggies immensely lately!

1 head green cabbage – certified organic – Bellview Organics
1 bunch Detroit red beets – certified organic – Farmdale Organics
1 bag red Norland potatoes – certified organic – Green Valley Organics
4 green zucchini – certified organic – Autumn Blend Organics
2 candy onions – certified organic – White Swan Acres
1 bunch Swiss chard – certified organic – Organic Willow Acres
1 bunch dandelion greens – certified organic – Hillside Organics
1 bunch red bor kale – certified organic – Life Enhancing Acres
3 cucumbers – certified organic – Goshen View Organics
1 head magenta lettuce – transitional – Taste of Nature

this week we have the whole share, as our partner in veggie-crime is away for the week. so it's a lot of vegetable eating to be done, but the share this week is so awesome, i don't think we'll have any problems. and we totally swapped out the rainbow chard for more of my favorites - beeeeeeets! - so i'm looking forward to lots of beety goodness between now and next thursday!

i made a simple cole slaw again with the cabbage from last week, but i didn't core enough of the tough white center and i managed to goof up the slicing blade on erik's food processor (erik likes kitchen toys way more than i do!), so i wasn't too happy with the cabbage itself in the slaw. the simple recipe for the vinagerette is really tasty, though.

3 T oil
3T vinegar (i used white, but red wine is really nice in it)
1/4 t dry mustard (i sub'ed in table mustard in a pinch)
1 t hot sauce (erik made his own a few weeks ago, which is awesome)
pepper to taste
1/2 t celery seed (optional - we never have these)

it's nice and light for the summer, and super simple to prepare. enjoy!

(one day soon i'll post photos. i never have my point-and-shoot from the house at the studio where i keep my computer. but one day they'll meet again, and presto! photos!)

beets and nuts, greens and fruit

summer is so awesome because eating five vegetables a day is not only easier, sometimes it feels unavoidable. for breakfast, i've basically been chopping and tossing into my blender whatever fruits and greens i want to use up. yesterday's smoothie was two peaches on their last legs, a frozen banana, OJ, and spinach. totally perfect for a pre-gym breakfast.

since i've been home around lunchtime the past few days, i've had fun putting together nice, big salads for lunch with all the veggies we have around. yesterday i realized, much to my delight, that i had the makings of my absolute favorite kind of salad - beet, walnut, goat cheese. so i boiled the beets for about 15 minutes, crumbled the goat cheese and lightly toasted the walnuts. i dressed it with balsamic and olive oil, and topped it with some red onion, salt and pepper. perfect summer lunch. 

today is a little different - i wanted to use up some of the carrots and celery we had leftover from a platter of chopped veggies we made last weekend, then i added some of the bazillion scallions we've been getting in the farm share lately (using the plethora of scallions we have is a huge challenge - scallions, scallions, scallions!), some pine nuts that i lightly toasted and a little of last week's broccoli. i topped it with some of my new guilty pleasure - yogurt based ranch dressing. one of the best things about the CSA is the noticable difference in the salad greens vs. what's available in the grocery store - basically, every salad is completely awesome no matter what, since the greens are so delicious.

week four: grocery list

1 head broccoli – certified organic – Farmdale Organics
1 bunch Hakurai turnips – certified organic – Hillside Organics
1 bunch white scallions – certified organic – Country Boy Farm
1 bunch Lacinato (or dinosaur) Kale– certified organic – Goshen View Organics
1 bunch tatsoi – certified organic – Hillside Organics
1 bag wildfire lettuce mix – certified organic – Farmdale Organics – 1 lb
1 bag young rainbow chard – certified organic – Elm Tree Organics – ¼ lb
1 head red leaf lettuce – certified organic – Farmdale Organics
1 pint Chandler strawberries – certified organic – Friend’s Road Organics

so this week's challenge veggies will be the tatsoi and the turnips - and i'm sure you all have amazing turnip recipes that i'm excited to hear about, so link away! not to just totally leave us out on a limb with strange veggies, our CSA provided this recipe as an idea for the tatsoi from epicurious:

 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb mixed baby greens such as kale, mizuna, tatsoi, mustard, arugula, and spinach (16 cups)
1 1/2 oz edible flowers (optional)

whisk together vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. add greens and flowers and toss until coated well.

notes:
· greens can be washed and dried 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with paper towels. · vinaigrette can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered. bring to room temperature before using.