What’s in the Box? Recipe Roundup #12

Life in Branson is pure bliss!

There has been Family time…

Harper and her cousin Mila blowing bubbles on a hot summer day :)

Pool time…

Harper showing off her moves at the kiddie pool :)

Adventure time…

Harper and I happened upon a lake during an afternoon excursion :)

and Game time…

My new favorite game…Blokus!

I love spending time with my aunt, uncle and cousins.  And the scenery couldn’t be more beautiful.  With less than a week left of our vacation, we are doing our best to soak it all in.

Speaking of soaking it all in…your veggies!  As much as I have loved all of our travel this summer, I miss my veggies.  So I appreciate all your links because I literally sit at my computer and lick the screen live out my wildest CSA dreams through your posts.  And last week was everything I had ever hoped for.  We had a total of 10 link ups and each one was a super rock star.  For starters, I have a weakness for pretty veggies.  Yes, their nutritional value and tastiness are good enough reasons to shove a handful of crudités in your mouth, but when they are presented well, they taste even better (true story…just go with it).  Which is why I am head over heels in love with A Little Nosh’s Veggies and Dip Garden.  Is that cute or what?  I am also swooning over Farm Fresh Feasts’ Beet Sandwich.  Crunchy raw beets, silk smooth goat cheese and a fresh loaf of bread…what’s not to love?  And finally, can someone please hook it up with some garlic scapes?  You guys are always posting the most amazing garlic scape recipes and I have total garlic scape envy.  This week, Eat, Writes, Shoots linked up a Grilled Halibut with Garlic Scape-Walnut Pesto that has turned my once casual yearning into a full-blown obsession.  Must. Find. Garlic Scapes. STAT!

Thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s recipe roundup.  And since I am still without a box, I have decided to review some of my favorite CSA inspired fish recipes (because warm summer days always makes me long for fresh, simple and delicious fish dishes).

Sole with Grapefruit-Thyme Butter

Salmon with Coriander Rub and Lime Cream

Citrus Crusted Tilapia with Blood Orange Salsa

 

Red Snapper with Lemon

Fish Tacos with Lime- Cilantro Crema

Hope these pics inspire you whip up a fish dish with your CSA this week :)

Your turn: What are some of your favorite ways to incorporate your CSA fruits and veggies into simple and easy fish dishes?  Looking forward to reading your ideas.  

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!

PS:  Don’t forget to tell your readers about the party by linking back to this post and grabbing the official “What’s in the Box?” button at the bottom of my blog.  Thanks!

Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies

 

When it comes to celebrating Mother’s Day, there are a million things you can do for your domestic goddess to make her feel special.  Whether it’s a handwritten card, a bouquet of flowers, or a sentimental piece of jewelry, this Sunday is all about appreciating the wonderful mamas for everything they are to us.

Growing up, it was our tradition to bring my mom breakfast in bed.  In our younger years, my dad would help my brother and I prepare a fancy morning feast, but as we got older, my brother and I were determined to do it all on our own.  Unfortunately for my mom this meant watered down coffee and frozen waffles (which were still frozen).  But it’s the thought that counts ;)

So to redeem myself, I have prepared a fresh batch of Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies for the woman who has helped to shape the person that I am today.  She is my very best friend and forever hero…my mom :)

Ingredients

Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
Zest from 1/2 grapefruit

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
Zest from 1/2 grapefruit

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

 

Recipe slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis via foodnetwork.com

What I love most about these cookies is how light and fluffy they are.  Pretty much makes you feel like you are biting into a cloud.  A grapefruit cloud that boasts just enough citrus essence to give it an awesomely tangy kick.  Sounds like a metaphor for motherhood.  A mother who is soft and sweet but zesty enough that her kids know better than to mess with her.  It’s the perfect balance.

So in honor of the upcoming holiday, why not whip up a batch of these cookies for your mommy dearest, put on the kettle for a nice cup of tea and enjoy your Mother’s Day Weekend :)

What’s in the Box? Recipe Roundup #6

Well hello there!  Did you miss me?  Did you think I fell off the face of the earth?  My apologies for leaving you all hanging last week but this moving thing has been kicking my butt!  So grateful to be settling in to our new home but it hasn’t been easy.  The biggest challenge we had to face was looking for a refrigerator.  Who knew it could be so difficult?  And living without one for a week…now, that was rough!  We had to eat out for every meal, which is something we are not used too.  My poor husband has never been happier to eat a home cooked meal.  I guess the saying is true, you don’t know what you got till it’s gone…

I have yet to find a CSA (although I haven’t been looking too hard since we were without a refrigerator).  But now that the kitchen is up and running it is only a matter of time before a produce box will be delivered to my doorstep.  In the meantime, I thought I would reflect on some of my past boxes and share some of the recipes that never made the blog.

But before we get to that, let’s check out some of the link ups from the last party.  I was most excited to drool over see Views From Here’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberry Almond Pesto.  How awesome does that sound?  I am also loving all of The 100 Mile Kitchen’s homemade soups right now.  And finally, what’s a WITB link party without a Farm Fresh Feasts pizza?  It’s only been a week and you ladies already have me jonesing for my fruits and veggies again.  Thanks for linking up and sharing your CSA goodies with the rest of the party.

Now it’s time to take a quick jaunt down memory lane and admire some produce stars from the past.

April 24, 2013: What’s in the Box? #71 

Kale Salad:  Ok, so I have been telling you guys about this salad for a while now and I have yet to post the recipe.  But a few weekends ago I made it again and it was so super duper stellar it is back on my radar.  So consider this an IOU.  I can’t wait to share the recipe with you.  And please, continue to bug me if I forget to post it soon.  It is the perfect summer BBQ dish :)

April 17, 2013: What’s in the Box? #70

Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies:  Is this post still considered a recipe roundup if 2 out of the 5 recipes aren’t actually recipes at all?  My apologies again for being such a slacker but at least in this case I have a picture.  I just can’t share it with you yet because I need to write the post.  But it is top of the order on my list of things to do (blog related at least) and I am hoping to get it done this weekend.  Trust me, it’s worth the wait!

April 11, 2013: What’s in the Box? #69

Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Chardonnay Sauce:  So what do you do when you have strawberries coming out of your ears?  Well, you can make a Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake or you can whip up a delicious and nutritious dinner for your whole family (or in my case, you can do both!).  This amazing recipe came from the new Yummy Mummy Kitchen cookbook that my dear friend Sasha picked up for me.  It is loaded with creative and healthy ways to use your favorite farm fresh produce.  It’s the first thing I turn to for inspiration nowadays.

April 4, 2013:  What’s in the Box? #68

Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Shallots:  As much as I love to cook, I LOVE when my mom cooks for me.  And lucky for me when she was in town for my brother’s wedding she totally spoiled me with a ton of fresh and delicious home cooked meals.  But this one was by far my favorite.  Served with a side of rice pilaf this dish is affordable, easy to make and oh so scrumptious.  Can’t wait to recreate it again soon.

March 27, 2013: What’s in the Box? #67

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese:  So I recently broke my own rules and indulged myself in a batch of homemade Pumpkin Mac and Cheese.  And I have absolutely no regrets.  The sage made me do it.  And between the aroma of fresh pumpkin and the intense food coma I was in afterwards, I could have sworn it was Thanksgiving all over again.  Note to self:  Make this for Thanksgiving from this year forward.  It is an amazing addition to a traditional feast.

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite CSA recipes?  Feel free to link up some of the CSA inspired meals that you are the most proud of.  Looking forward to drooling over your dishes :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!

What’s in the Box? #70

Love is definitely in the air.  As I mentioned last week, my brother got married this weekend and it was nothing short of incredible.

What a special day for our family.  I couldn’t be happier for Quincy and Koko and wish them a lifetime of happiness.

And apparently Harper decided to get started on her husband search ASAP because look who we found snuggled up in the bed during our play date Monday afternoon?

Too adorable.  Nothing makes me happier than seeing my little girl smile.  Although I have to admit, fresh fruits and veggies are definitely a close second :)  So let’s jump in to the party, shall we?

Last week we had 14 link ups.  And thanks to My Yummy Local Life and Views From Here, I am inspired to add my CSA goodies to my breakfast.  I mean, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to enjoy a plate full of Carrot Cake Waffles and Egg White Puffs to start your day off on the right foot.  Makes me want to hurry to bed so I can enjoy a breakfast of champions in the morning :)  Thanks to everyone who linked up and shared their fruits and veggies with the rest of the group.

Now on to my fruits and veggies for the week…

Mustard greens…hmmm.  I am sure I got these before, but I can’t for the life of me remember what I did with them.  Knowing me, I am sure I sautéed them and will probably do the same this time around.  Might even have to throw in some green onions and chives.

But I will have to make sure to save some green onions and chives for those potatoes.  Because there is nothing more delicious than a loaded baked potato.  I love to smother mine in butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon.  Sinful, but good.  And because a loaded baked potato doesn’t quite qualify for a meal on its own, I will add in a side salad topped with grapefruit and avocado, and maybe some shredded chicken for an extra dose of protein.  Uh…I’m totally hungry right about now.

So while I type this I will curb my hunger with a few of those tangerines.  Because they are oh so juicy and oh so sweet.  And while I am at it, why not grab a few of those strawberries too.  Heavenly.

And finally, the artichokes.  Those adorable little artichokes.  I remember making Lauren’s Grilled Artichokes last year and boy are they delicious!  In fact, they are so good, I will probably eat these all myself.  Because like I mentioned earlier, I am hungry and apparently stingy too (my husband can confirm that).

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite ways to use the fruits and veggies shown?  Any special recipe, tips or tricks you’d like to share?  Looking forward to reading your responses :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!

PS:  Don’t forget to tell your readers about the party by linking back to this post and grabbing the official “What’s in the Box?” button at the bottom of my blog.  Thanks!

What’s in the Box? #68

 

So, let’s jump straight to the chase…how was your Easter?  Was the weather nice?  Was the food good?  Was there an adorable little toddler dressed up on the patio, posing for pictures in her fancy dancy Easter dress?

 

Well, if you couldn’t tell by the pic, our Easter was lovely!  It started out with huge breakfast complete with a fluffy Hootenanny and homemade sausage, then a lovely trip to church, and finished off the day with a delicious Easter feast with great company.  It was potluck style and I was in charge of dessert (and veggies of course!).  So I brought a Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake and 2 batches of Lime Squares with Pistachio and Graham-Cracker Crust (with a side of roasted asparagus and steamed broccoli…eaten with the meal, not the dessert).  Needless to say, we all left with our stomach’s happy and full :)

And from the looks of it, I wasn’t the only one eating well this past weekend.  Last week we had 15 link ups and after reading all their delicious recipes, I think Easter deserves another round.  There was Caramelized Onion Duck Fat Baked Poutine, Pasta with Shrimp and Mint Pesto and Butternut Mole Sauce.  And if that’s not enough for you, Kirsty from Farm Fresh Feasts hooked us up with an Easter 2013 Recipe Round Up.  Next year can’t come soon enough :)  Thanks ladies for all of your delicious dishes.  I appreciate you sharing your farm fresh goodies with the rest of us.

Now let’s check out my first haul of April… 

 

Holy greens!  They come in all shapes and sizes.  Balls, stalks, leaves and bouquets!  I love greens :)  And I am digging into the Brussels first.  I always do.  They are just too good.  And I am excited to serve them alongside a new recipe that I found for those strawberries.  Even after 2 Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cakes, daily snacking and some naughty late night indulgences, I still have strawberries coming out of my ears!  And I hate to see them go to waste so I am doing my very best to scarf down all these berries on my own (the hubs isn’t a fan and little miss Harper can only eat so many with her tiny little frame).  Hoping to share the recipe with you soon.

Speaking of Harper and her tiny frame, she has practically barreled through the broccoli on her own.  I steamed it up last night and she barely left any for the grown ups.  I LOVE how much she LOVES broccoli :)  I just wish she would share a little…

I know it’s hard to see from the pic, but that celery, is HUGE!  It barely fit in the box.  And it is perfectly crisp and fragrant.  Not quite sure what I have in store for it except for using it for the usual base of a yummy homemade sauce or soup and an easy snacking option (along with those tangerines…which are almost gone!).

These Turkey Ricotta Meatballs always seem to be my go-to recipe for spinach, but it’s such a hit I can’t resist.  And it has been a while since we made it.  Of course, the meal wouldn’t be complete without a side salad and that beautiful head of romaine lettuce will be perfect!  Might even throw in a stalk of that celery for some extra crunch.

I am determined to make some grapefruit cookies this week.  In fact, Harper promised to help me.  So we plan to get busy (and messy) in the kitchen tomorrow and make it happen.  Recipe coming soon.

Finally, I recently shared this Swiss Chard Smoothie recipe with My Yummy Local Life and it made me want to make one for myself.  Sounds like a great way to jump-start the morning :)

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite ways to use the fruits and veggies shown?  Any special recipe, tips or tricks you’d like to share?  Looking forward to reading your responses :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!

PS:  Don’t forget to tell your readers about the party by linking back to this post and grabbing the official “What’s in the Box?” button at the bottom of my blog.  Thanks!

What’s in the Box? #66

Happy First Day of Spring everyone!!  And to celebrate I bought you a few bouquets of flowers…

Tulips!  My fav :)

Harper and I were walking out of Whole Foods yesterday and she said, “Look Mama, those beautiful flowers”.  I stopped and turned and in front of me was a rainbow of budding blooms.  I nestled my nose in the center of the silky petals, saturating my nostrils with the sweet scent.  Indeed, spring has sprung.

And with warmer weather comes a whole new batch of delicious fruits and veggies.  I can’t wait until the spring produce starts rolling in.  It only gets better from here.

But in the meantime, we must continue to celebrate the goodies of winter harvest.  And despite some cold temps in other parts of the country, everyone seems to be doing the best with what they have.

Last week we had 14 link ups!  The most we have had in a while.  And boy did they deliver.  AnnieRe Unplugged hooked up us with a decadent Tuscan Bean Soup complete with thick cut bacon.  How I Ate My Box shared a mouthwatering Chicken, Carrot and Leek Stew that I will be making ASAP despite my “no stews during warm weather” rule.  And finally, Farm Fresh Feasts is busy hiding veggies in Meatloaf.  Although I like to refer to it as “nutritionally enhanced” meatloaf :)

Thanks everyone for sharing your CSA goodies with the rest of the party.  I appreciate your support and participation.

Now it’s time for me to reveal my Best Box Ever…

I am beyond giddy about this week’s haul.  Summer is usually my favorite time of year for produce, but this box is definitely the best of the best as far as Spring goes!  It has all my favorites in one place.  Makes my heart (and tummy) happy :)

To start, I am jumping for joy over the 2 PINTS of strawberries!  I kind of don’t know what to do with myself.  Luckily, I recently pinned a strawberry cake that will be perfect for this abundance of berries.  In most cases, I find using fresh fruits in baked goods a cardinal sin, because, let’s face it, they taste so good as is.  But this recipe looks too good to pass up, and I just happen to have all the ingredients on hand.  Can’t wait to share it with you.

Next, I feel the need to shout this out at the top of my lungs…ASPARAGUS!  Ok, so it makes your pee smell (sorry…too crude for a food post?), but it might just be my favorite veggie.  And like most of my favorite veggies, I like to keep it simple.  Trim the stems (I always use this method), drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast (on 400 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes).  So easy, and so good.

And with the roasted asparagus, I will no doubt be serving it with a side of the white sweet potatoes.  Believe it or not, these things are so yummy, I used to eat them as a dessert.  Plain.  Just baked and then devoured.  Although, now that I have mentioned dessert, I can’t get my mind of these little gems.  Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies anyone?

I have barely gotten through 3 pieces of produce and so far more than half of my meal ideas involve dessert.  But it seems that I just have sweets are on my mind tonight (might be the Triple Berry Chocolate Bar I scarfed down while in the midst of writing this post…my new sinful indulgence).  And I am slightly ashamed to say, it doesn’t stop there.  I have a cookie recipe for the grapefruits that I am dying to try.  I have a few bread recipes (here and here) as well as a scrumptious fish recipe I could use, but cookies sound so naughty…and yet, so right :)

Speaking of naughty, look who I found getting fresh in the CSA box…

A pair of spooning carrots.  Something you will only find with farm fresh produce.  Gotta love it.

And because the theme of this post is clearly “how to turn your healthy fresh fruits and veggies into decadent and delicious desserts”, I plan on turning these carrots into more cookies or cupcakes.  Because with Easter around the corner, I like to make something fun and festive for the Easter Bunny to nosh on.

As for the rest of the box, I promise to behave.  Steamed broccoli, celery sticks and tangerines for snacking and a batch of AnnieRe Unplugged‘s Tuscan Bean Soup with a lovely green salad on the side.  I strive to achieve balance :)

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite ways to use the fruits and veggies shown?  Any special recipe, tips or tricks you’d like to share?  Looking forward to reading your responses :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!

PS:  Don’t forget to tell your readers about the party by linking back to this post and grabbing the official “What’s in the Box?” button at the bottom of my blog.  Thanks!

What’s in the Box? #64

Today was a big day!  Today, Harper and I dropped off all the paperwork for her preschool.  Which means her first day will be Friday.  I can’t believe my little girl is going to start school already!  Where did the time go?

I actually hadn’t planned on Harper starting school until the fall.  When looking into preschool options after Harper was born, I learned about some co-op preschools in town and loved the concept of being able to work at the school one day a week.  However, those programs start when they are 2 years, 9 months.  Which, to be honest, sounded perfect to me.  But Harper had other plans.

Ever since her first experience with daycare at church, Harper asks if she can go to “church tomorrow” everyday.  Through a mommy friend of mine, I learned that the church offers a preschool as well.  So we went ahead and looked into it and were very happy with the program.  After two weeks of working on the large packet of paperwork, we finally turned it in today.  Which means, it’s official.  My baby is going to school.

So in the spirit of celebrating this important milestone, let’s get wild and crazy with another weekly produce party :)

Last week we had 6 link ups!  And from the looks of it, everyone is ready for St.Patty’s day.  Greens all around.  There was Green Eggs No Ham, Kale Pesto, and a delicious Broccoli and Cheese Pizza.  My Irish roots have me doing a little jig over these delightful dishes.  Thanks ladies for sharing your festive eats :)

Now let’s take a look at what I will be working with this week…

After 2 years of participating in my CSA, it is rare that I receive a veggie that I have never tried before.  So this box will go down in history for my introduction to Romanesco broccoli.  Thanks to this party, I have seen other folks get it in their box before, but I have never had the pleasure of trying it for myself.  I can’t wait to start looking up recipes.

I am also excited to see another 2 lbs worth of red garnet sweet potatoes.  I was immediately inspired to whip up another batch of this Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.  We have company coming over for dinner on Friday and this will be the perfect meal :)  I plan on serving it with a side salad using that gorgeous head of red leaf lettuce.

Apparently I am on a comfort food kick because those turnips make me want to spend my weekend cooking up this Beer-Braised Beef with Onion, Carrot, and Turnips dish.  It is DIVINE!  I would love to make this for my company except for it takes hours to cook, and on a Friday night after a day of music classes and toddler fun, I just don’t have the time.  So I like to save these recipes for the weekend, when I can start preparing it early enough that dinner can be served at a decent hour.

Speaking of the weekend, I love to juice on the weekends.  And those grapefruits, apples and beautiful bunch of kale would make a killer combo.  I might even have a few carrots left over from last week to throw into the mix too :)

I have been on a Greek yogurt kick lately (maybe because they were on sale at Ralphs and I bought a boatload).  And I love the addition of fresh berries sliced on top.  It is a delicious daytime snack or after dinner treat.

Finally, I will be making this Apricot Pork Chops recipe and serving the sugar snap peas on the side.  I like to give them a quick boil and then toss them in butter, lemon zest and garlic.  Yum!

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite ways to use the fruits and veggies shown?  Any special recipe, tips or tricks you’d like to share?  Looking forward to reading your responses :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!

PS: Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!  You only have until March 11th to get your entries in.  Remember to leave a comment on the original post letting me know that you have completed the tasks.  Your comments act as your entry into the giveaway.  Good luck!

What’s in the Box? #46

Every week I get a bit too excited about my produce box.  But this week my excitement is inflated to the umpteenth power.  Why?  Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words…

My amazing husband hooked it up big time for my 30th birthday and surprised me with a new juicer.  The man knows the way to my heart…through produce :)

This juicer has taken my fruit and veg consumption to a whole new level.  No need to worry about cooking up all my produce anymore (although I still plan on incorporating them in my daily meals).  Any and all leftovers can now be thrown into the juicer and made into a delicious and vitamin packed beverage any time of the day.  Yay!  I am officially in veggie heaven.

Speaking of veggie heaven, last week we had a total of 34 link ups!  That’s a whole lot of CSA goodness.  And from the looks of the links, autumn weather is rolling in.  There was a great variety of soups and stews this week.  Everything from good old Chicken Soup and Chicken Chili to Sagey Butternut Squash Soup and Roasted Garlic Beet Soup.  And who can forget that Eggplant and Lamb Stew?  Nothing like some delicious comfort food to warm your soul and please your tummy :)  Thank you to everyone who participated.  I appreciate your enthusiasm about this party and your ongoing support.  Hooray for veggies!

Now let’s take a look at my veggies…

The first item to catch my eye was that butternut squash.  Oh, how I love butternut squash.  Sure I like to fancy it up and make it the star of the show, but simply roasting it with some cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt and pepper is enough to make my taste buds sing.  Mmmmm.

You know what else makes my taste buds sing?  Cilantro.  Is there any flavor more bright and refreshing?  Unless of course you are part of the small group of people who find the taste and smell of cilantro reminiscent of soap and thus find this lovely herb to be repulsive.  According to Wikipedia, the reason for this strong aversion to cilantro is “likely genetic, with some people having no response to the aromatic chemical that most find pleasant, while simultaneously being sensitive to certain [offensive fragrances]”.  Interesting right?  Well, either way, the possibilities for this cilantro are endless.  Green rice anyone?

Speaking of bright and refreshing, that pretty much sums up my feelings for this grapefruit.  I love eating my grapefruit for breakfast in the morning with a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds sprinkled on top.  Talk about a breakfast of champions :)  As for the rest of the fruit…it already has a nice sized dent in it.  We have been snacking on the plums and apples all day.  I am hoping to get some sort of apple dessert made this weekend.  After all, what is fall without a warm apple treat topped with some vanilla ice cream *drool*.

Being that we were gone for most of the week, I wasn’t able to use up all of my spinach from last week’s haul.  Part of me wants to throw it in the juicer (which would be amazing!) but the other part of me wants to add it to this bunch, sauté it with some onion/garlic/shallot or all of the above and call it a day.  It makes such a lovely side dish.

Cauliflower makes for a pretty great side dish too.  Especially when you steam it using the new rice cooker that your brother and sister-in-law gave you, and then throw it into the new ricer your Uncle Joe got for you and top it with a slab of butter and a dusting of salt and pepper for some seasoning.  Why eat potatoes when you can enjoy faux-tatoes?  (ps: loving all my new birthday gifts…)

And then of course there is the mother of all sides…the side salad.  Guess whose mother makes the best salads around?  Yep, my mom!  Who also happens to be in town for a few weeks.  So in an effort to eat every last leaf of this lovely head of lettuce, I am going to have to ask my mom to whip up one of her magical side salads.

Finally, it’s all about those bright red tomatoes and peppers.  I have yet to make a batch of homemade tomato sauce this season and these tomatoes would be perfect for it.  I am also interested in trying some sort of roasted pepper sauce.  Tossing both with my new favorite obsession, quinoa pasta, topped with freshly grated parmesan.  Yum!

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite ways to use the fruits and veggies shown?  Any special recipe, tips or tricks you’d like to share?  Looking forward to reading your responses :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!  PS:  Don’t forget to tell your readers about the party by linking back to this post.  Thanks!

PS:  Don’t forget to double your dose of fresh fruits and veggies by visiting this week’s Fresh Foods Link Up from Gastronomical Sovereignty

What’s in the Box? #40

 

Break out the gag gifts, inflate a bunch of balloons and get the party favors ready, because What’s in the Box is Over the Hill!  That means I have drooled over, gushed about and enjoyed around 400 varieties of fruits and veggies during the last 9 months.  And each and every piece of produce has been divine!  The fun part about this milestone is, that like a good bottle of wine, as we move forward on this journey together, it is only going to get better :)  The more I receive fresh, local produce, the more I learn how to cook, enjoy and prepare it.  And now that I have you all partying with me…well, I have more ideas than I know what to do with!  So, WITB…40 is looking real good on you :)

Last week might have been a small turnout (compared to some of our recent parties) with 33 link ups, but each and every post was chock full of delicious CSA goodness.  And tomatoes stole the show!  Everything from Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Crepes a la Piperade, Vodka Sauce and Tomato Cobbler.  Truth be told, I wasn’t always a fan of tomatoes, but I’m definitely warming up to them.  And these recipes have me drooling over tomatoes now!  Thanks to everyone who participated in the link party last week.  I appreciate your continued support and creative ideas.

Now it’s time to check out the contents of my Over the Hill box…

Speaking of tomatoes…check out those yellow tomatoes.  I was stumped when I first saw them.  I have never encountered a tomato of that shape and the color made me think it was a pepper or other type of fruit.  So I had to take a bite out of one to make sure it was indeed a tomato.  Score!  I was on my way to the store to pick up some tomatoes for the rest of my meal plans this week and was happy to get some freshly picked ones instead.  Love when that happens :)

I was excited to see another bulb of elephant garlic again.  Although I still haven’t made my way through the last bulb.  Guess I will have to get on that or else I will have garlic coming out of my ears!

After a ton of pluots in my box this summer, I finally got my favorite variety…Flavor Granade Pluots.  I love the color and I love the flavor.  They make for such a yummy and refreshing snack, it’s hard to eat just one.  If I wanted to be naughty, I would make this tart.  Blows my crumble out of the water!

I am loving those little tiny grapes.  I almost didn’t think they were real.  They look like the plastic grapes you see used as decoration.  Harper and I grabbed a handful and gave them a try.  Crunchy and sweet!  I will have to look for this Red Flame variety in the future.

And while we are on the subject of grapes…these grapefruits look mighty nice!  There is nothing like a tart, juicy grapefruit to start your morning off right.  I find that it rounds out my meals with eggs quite nicely.  I will have to try my best to fit it into my meal plan this week.

As for the rest of the haul…The green beans and red bell peppers were cooked up tonight for lunches tomorrow.  Stay tuned for a clean eating post with details.  Expect to see the corn, carrots and Romaine lettuce in the next few days as well.  Lots of delicious and fresh meals on the horizon.

Your turn:  What are some of your favorite ways to use the fruits and veggies shown?  Any special recipe, tips or tricks you’d like to share?  Looking forward to reading your responses :)

Linking up for the first time?  Click here for more info…and Welcome!  PS:  Don’t forget to tell your readers about the party by linking back to this post.  Thanks!

Clean Eating: Day 2 & WIAW

2 days down and 12 to go.  And I’m feeling good so far.  Hungry…but good.

But honestly, I do feel clean.  Very clean on the inside :)  I don’t feel weighed down or foggy.  I don’t feel full and lazy.  I feel energetic, healthy and great!  Just a tinge hungry…

Since I am documenting my eats for the next few weeks, I have decided to participate in a blog link up called What I Ate Wednesday or WIAW.  It’s a fun and exciting link party thrown by Jenn of Peas and Crayons where bloggers from all over the blogosphere share their delicious eats for a day.

This month’s theme is Summer Staples.  When I think of summer, I think of fruit (surprised?).  And drinking a nice cold smoothie filled with fresh and juicy fruit is a great way to stay cool in the summer heat.  Enter today’s breakfast…

Breakfast:

Green Berry Shake:  Blend 1 cup mixed greens, 1 cup blueberry, 1 cup milk (I mixed cows milk and almond milk), 1 tbsp flaxseeds, dash of cinnamon and 6 ice cubes.

1 egg, hardboiled

Snack #1:

2 organic lightly salted brown rice cakes, 1 tbsp unsalted peanut butter, 1 banana and 8 oz organic low-fat milk

Lunch:

2 sprouted corn tortillas each topped with 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 oz turkey and a handful of mixed greens

1 cup organic black bean vegetable soup

Snack #2:

1/2 grapefruit and 1 tbsp flaxseeds

Dinner:

3 oz chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika

3 oz sweet potato, baked

2 cups spinach sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil with 1 clove garlic, minced

Biggest success of the day…

Hardboiled eggs.  I made perfect hardboiled eggs.  I have made hardboiled eggs before, but this hardboiled egg was the best I have ever tasted.  It has been a while since I hardboiled an egg so I googled a how to and follow this “recipe”.  It was perfect!  I highly suggest giving it a try…unless you have your own magical way to make hardboiled eggs, in which case…Please share :)

Since tomorrow is my weekly CSA link party, I won’t be posting my eats.  But I will make sure to post Wednesday’s meals on Thursdays post.  Double the pleasure, double the fun.  Can’t wait until Thursday?  If you want a sneak peek, follow me on Instagram (inherchucks).