As I sit down to write this at 3:30am on Tuesday morning, it’s cool and quite enjoyable outside. We started packing the shares at 3am today and by 7am all of them will be on the road to you all. While CSA season definitely messes with my sleep schedule a bit, I do love a few good hours of undisturbed work time in the office this early in the morning. This week’s share gives everyone the opportunity to be creative in the kitchen, so I can’t wait to see what you all turn your shares into this week. Let’s dive in:

Kale: Oh, the vegetable that people either LOVE or HATE. Personally, I fall into the love category so when I was told we could put it in the shares this week, I was pretty excited. Kale is super versatile, and you can use it in so many different ways. I like to keep things simple and tear off the leaves, massage with a bit of olive oil, toss with a bit  of salt & pepper, and bake until a bit crunchy. You can chop the kale up and mix it with some of your fresh lettuce for a great dinner salad. Chopped kale sauteed and served with scrambled eggs is another way to sneak in some extra greens. If you really aren’t into kale, try adding it to a fruit smoothie….the fruit masks the very mild flavor of kale, but you still get those extra vitamins.

Lettuce: Who else is guilty of buying lettuce at the store only to let it go bad in your refrigerator? Oh, am I the only one? Yes, I’m very guilty of letting store-bought lettuce go bad in my fridge, but this lettuce is different. I brought some lettuce into the house for dinner last night and called it ‘real lettuce’. Honestly, I don’t do much with this except make a giant salad or two. Add some grilled chicken or steak, some sliced cucumbers, diced onion, maybe even leftover radishes from last week, a sprinkle of cheese and some dressing for a full meal. I highly suggest enjoying a large salad in a mixing bowl instead of a salad bowl….it just tastes better when you can mix it all together.

Chub Cumbers: The first of many cucumbers for you all this season. These are perfect for adding to salads, slicing for an afternoon snack, or turning into a great summertime salad. There are so many different recipes out there for cucumber salads, but if I have to recommend one to try this week, I highly recommend Grandma Punky’s Refrigerator Pickles. If you try the refrigerator pickles, don’t try and substitute the tarragon vinegar…it doesn’t work.

Onions: The first of our Epicurean onions. Small in size, but perfect for a variety of uses within the kitchen. Whether you add the onions to a batch of refrigerator pickles, slice and enjoy raw on a burger, grill alongside zucchini, or dice it and add it to tacos, enjoy them.

Green Garlic: Much milder than mature garlic, this is perfect for adding to just about anything that calls for garlic. I’m going to attempt to make some green garlic herb butter this week. Simply roast the garlic cloves like you would regular garlic until soft, chop up ½-1 cup fresh herbs, and grab 2 sticks of butter-room temperature. Once the garlic has cooled, add it to a food processor or blender, along with the butter. Whip it together and then add the herbs. Pulse a few times and you have a great herbed butter that is perfect for adding to potatoes, enjoying on top of a steak, or spreading onto some crusty bread.

Garlic Scapes: Perfect for a fresh batch of pesto or simply add them to meals throughout the week. I love to mix some garlic scapes into scrambled eggs in the morning for a little extra pop of flavor. These are also perfect for sautéing and adding to stir fry or even a batch of pasta.

Zucchini: It’s truly on the menu multiple nights a week at my home. It’s easy to prep, fast to cook, and delicious. Zucchini noodles are typically one way enjoy this vegetable regularly. I like to spiralize the zucchini, toss in a bit of olive oil and sauté for a few minutes….not too long though, or the noodles get soggy. Sometimes I top with grilled shrimp, other times I’ll made a batch of spaghetti sauce to put on top…it all depends on my mood that day. I also love to slice the zucchini into disks and put on a baking sheet. Bake at about 400 for 20-25 minutes and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese. Simple yet delicious.

Kohlrabi: I always think kohlrabi looks like little aliens…but it’s a fun vegetable to cook with. It’s not one I typically buy at the grocery store, but I always enjoy it when it’s in season each year. I keep things simple and just peel the kohlrabi with a paring knife, dice it, and roast it like you would roast potatoes. Depends who is eating dinner with me, but sometimes I mix potatoes in with the kohlrabi and nobody knows the difference. You can always enjoy the kohlrabi raw on top of a salad or turn it into a quick slaw to serve alongside a meal as well.

Honey: Local honey for the win. Enjoy honey in your tea, drizzled on top of morning toast, or even over ice cream. Local honey is also supposed to help with seasonal allergies, so give it a try.

There you have it, some ideas on what to do with your share this week. Please remember that next week’s share will be delivered on WEDNESDAY, JULY 5^th instead of Tuesday the 4^th due to the holiday. I hope you all have a great week and enjoy cooking your share!

Cheers,
Jenna