Cooking the Box: Week 1

June 21, 2022

Welcome to another CSA season! I say that so energetically, but I won’t lie that it was a little bit of a struggle to crawl out of bed at 1:45am this morning. Yes, you read that correctly, 1:45am. Every CSA Tuesday begins at 2am so that we are able to get trucks on the road by 7am and shares delivered throughout the morning. We couldn’t do this without our amazing packing crew, delivery drivers, or the crews that harvest all of the produce for shares each week, so the big thank you goes out to all of them.

 

For those of you that are new here, I like to take the Weekly Newsletter one step further and share some additional ways to enjoy the contents of your weekly share, and that usually comes in the form of how I will be using the box that week. Disclaimer: I don’t cook fancy meals in the summer. Summer is super busy for me, so I need quick and easy ways to enjoy my share each week and I know many of you are in the exact same boat. So, with that disclaimer let’s dive into Week #1!

 

Syrup: This is something I typically tuck away for a cold and rainy Saturday morning when all I want is some comfort food like pancakes or waffles. If you are wanting to enjoy it now, pick up some peaches and bake them, yes, I said bake them, serve with some ice cream, and drizzle with maple syrup for an extra special treat.

 

Kale: In all honesty, I love kale. I could it eat every day, but that wasn’t always the case. If it still isn’t your thing, don’t make it your thing, but find ways to sneak it into your diet. I’m a huge fan of throwing some in my morning smoothie…the health benefits are great and you don’t even taste it. Chop some up and add it to a stir fry. The kale cooks down quite a bit, so you almost don’t notice it. My personal favorite way to enjoy kale is to tear it all off the stalk, toss it in a bit of olive or avocado oil, massage the leaves and then stick on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 or 400 degrees, stirring it occasionally so it doesn’t burn. I take it out when the leaves are to my desired crispiness. Sprinkle with a little salt and you’re good to go!

 

Zucchini: My zucchini will be turned into noodles tonight for a quick and easy dinner. I like to spiralize the zucchini, saute them in a bit of olive oil until soft and top with some type of protein. Shrimp will likely be my go-to tonight since I know I have some in my freezer and it thaws quickly. Finish this quick and easy dish with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of parmesan cheese. If I have the time, i’ll roast some grape tomatoes and add them to this dish as well.

 

Rhubarb: Honestly, I’ve never really cooked with rhubarb before, but I’m going to give it a try. I’m going to try and make a strawberry rhubarb pie. I’ll pick up some fresh strawberries when I grab my share this afternoon and attempt a pie tomorrow afternoon.  This is the recipe I plan on trying out.

 

Chub Cukes: A true sign of summer! You see these small cukes in the stores so much more now than you used to, but the flavor just isn’t the same…or at least I don’t think so. These are perfect for snacking or adding to a salad. I’ll likely add them to a giant salad later this week, or I’ll slice them and mix them with some sliced great tomatoes for a great side dish for dinner.

 

Radishes: As a kid I always remember my dad getting radishes at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and I thought they were awful. It took me a long time to appreciate them, but I think I am finally to that point. These are super mild so they are great for adding to a salad if you are wanting to enjoy them fresh. Another fun way to enjoy them is to roast them in a bit of olive oil and salt and enjoy with some ricotta cheese and a little drizzle of honey. If you want to sneak them into your kid’s meals, try dicing the radishes with some potatoes and roasting them….they won’t even notice them!

 

Asparagus: Unfortunately, it is the last of the season, but it’s still exciting to get some fresh asparagus. Steamed, grilled, or roasted, you can’t go wrong. I have some weekend plans that include hosting some friends, so I’ll likely serve some bacon wrapped asparagus alongside dinner.

 

Basil: Just the smell makes me happy! Keep the basil cool, but not cold or it will turn black. Chopped and served with some fresh tomatoes, you can’t go wrong. Adding freshly chopped basil to salads or to a pasta sauce is another great way to enjoy this treat.

 

Grape Tomatoes: They basically taste like candy in my opinion! If they make it past the ride home, I’ll roast them and serve with zucchini noodles this evening. You can always enjoy them on top of a salad or as an afternoon snack as well.

 

Lettuce: The perfect amount for an awesome salad this week. Taste the difference between fresh, locally grown lettuce and store-bought lettuce. The difference is truly amazing. Fresh lettuce also keeps for quite a while when stored properly, so you don’t need to rush into eating it right away.

 

There you have it, week number one! The shares and the contents will only continue to grow as we get into the season. This share is a fun kickoff to summer and I hope you all enjoy it!

 

Happy Cooking,

Jenna