Each week when we pick up our CSA box I am slightly scared to see the produce it holds. Last week, we got a LOT of funky, new to me, veggies. Unlike week 1 of our CSA, I really didn’t have the time to research recipes and to go grocery shopping mid week. Instead, I got creative and just rolled with it.
The first dish I created was a open faced spinach, tomato, and mozzarella sandwich. I started by sauteing a full bundle of chopped spinach and 1 tbsp of minced garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once the spinach was wilted down I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Next, I toasted 2 slices of Ezekiel bread and to it added the sauteed spinach, balsamic reduction (bought at Trader Joe’s), sliced tomatoes, and sliced mozzarella. The dish turned out great and was super easy to make!
Sunday afternoon I tackled the mustard greens, turnips, and red kale.
For the first dish I sauteed diced turnips, turnip greens (the tops of the turnips), and garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil. I then added the chopped mustard greens and sauteed until wilted. The mustard greens are naturally spicy, so I didn’t add any seasoning aside from salt and pepper.
This dish was perfect with some Kim Kim Korean hot sauce. Delicious!
The red kale, which was probably my favorite produce from last week’s box, was so fun to cook with! I started by sauteing half a red onion with 1 tbsp of garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Next I added 4 slices of chopped turkey bacon. Next, I added the chopped red kale and cooked it until it was wilted down. I finished the dish by seasoning it with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
I’ve got to tell you, I LOVED this dish and will make it again. I loved eating it as a side dish and served it Sunday night with spinach ravioli. I was also thrilled because Neal loved it and that’s huge!
The last two ingredients that I had to get creative with were the rhubarb and the strawberries. I LOVE making strawberry-rhubarb crumbles, but I wanted to do something different with the produce.
I started by chopping the 4 stocks of rhubarb and pint of strawberries. Next I added them to a pan and added 3/4 cup of water and 1/2 a cup of sugar. I cooked the strawberries down for about 5 minutes and then added 2 tbsp of pectin.
This pseudo jam is going to be perfect over yogurt or with cottage cheese. Neal plans on enjoying it with his ice cream.
I had a lot of fun winging it with my CSA box last week! It reminded me that I don’t always have to have a plan.
Produce can be scary… but I want to challenge y’all to get creative in the kitchen. If you feel more comfortable with a recipe, take to google! You’ll be amazed by how many awesome recipes are out there.
What produce are you scared of cooking with?
This post is also featured on WIAW.
