Local Box Meal Plan: Nov. 2-6

I’m beyond belief excited that we’re getting green tomatoes again. When we were planning our trip to wine country, one of my friends passed along a newsletter from the Visitors Bureau that had a few great green tomato recipes. I’ve been saving it until we get green tomatoes again!

This week, we’re getting serrano peppers from Lundgren; herb, arugula or watercress from Pure Luck; yellow beans and Thai eggplant from Animal Farm; Mars oranges from G&S Groves; beet leaves from My Father’s Farm; turnips from Hands of Earth Farm; butternut squash from Massey Farm; green tomatoes from Green Gate Farm; red or green lettuce from Bluebonnet or Bella Verdi; and apples from Top of Texas.

So I’m making:

Snacks:

• Pickled beans
• Oranges
• Tomatillo-serrano salsa (it’s for the PSU/OSU game, so I couldn’t bring a red salsa!)

Side dishes:

• Butternut squash and apple casserole with herbs
• Mashed turnips
• Wilted turnip greens with pecans
• Green salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner:

• Pasta with beet greens
• Thai green curry with eggplant

Dessert:

• Green tomato cake with brown butter icing

Local Box Meal Plan: Oct. 19-23

This week, we’re getting: Corno di Toro sweet peppers, bell peppers, an assortment of herbs, cucumber, Meyer lemon, gala apples, Thai eggplant, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and either baby bok choy or sweet potatoes, depending on your delivery day.

So I’m making:

Lunch:

• Eggplant croquettes in a pita with lettuce, sliced cucumber, and tzatziki

Dinner:

• Roasted turkey breast stuffed with lemon, garlic and herbs
• Grilled shrimp with Romesco sauce (a traditional Spanish sauce made with garlic, chiles, almonds, tomatoes and peppers)

Side Dish:

• Roasted sweet potato with shallots and sage

Dessert:

• Apple confit with vanilla ice cream

Plenty of produce that’s perfect for fall!

Local Box Meal Plan: Sept. 28-Oct. 2

This week, we’re getting okra from Bradshaw Farms, summer squash, onions and red potatoes from Naegelin, bell peppers from My Father’s Farm, elephant garlic, portabello mushrooms from Kitchen Pride, tomatoes from McCall Creek Farm, herb from Pure Luck, pears from Lightsey, lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics and green Meyer lemons from G&S Groves.

So I’m making:

Side Dishes:

• Grilled Portobello and tomato tart with herbs
• Summer squash and potato gratin

Condiments (no idea what else I would call this?):

• Pickled okra — I had the best pickled okra at the Pearl Farmer’s Market this weekend and I was inspired to make my own.

Desserts:

• Pear-ginger sorbet
• Lemon chiffon cake

I’ll use the lettuce and bell peppers to put on my wraps for lunch, and the garlic and onion while making dinner.

Local Box Meal Plan: Sept. 21-25

It’s cold and rainy outside, so this meal plan reflects the weather! Lots of soups, stews and stick-to-your ribs food. You know as soon as I get my Local Box on Thursday we’ll be in the 90s again. Oh well.

This week, we’re getting sweet corn, summer squash from Naegelin, southern peas from Animal Farm or Lightsey, purple eggplant, herb from Pure Luck, tomatoes from McCall Creek Farm, lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics, pears from Lightsey, a variety of citrus from G&S Groves, green chiles and serranos from Lundgren, and pickling cucumbers or radish from My Father’s Farm.

So I’m making:

Appetizers:

• Panzanella with cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs (crossing fingers for cucumbers and basil!)
• Eggplant and squash caponata on bruschetta
• Green salad with pears, blue cheese and candied pecans

Dinner:

• White chicken chili with hot peppers and southern peas
• Corn chowder

I use citrus in so many of my dishes that I can’t think of anything I won’t use it in!

Local Box Meal Plan: Sept. 7-11

We’re actually going to be in Napa and Sonoma this weekend, so we won’t be getting a Local Box from Greenling this week. But I still have a few ideas for ways to use this week’s box contents, so I thought I would share them anyway.

This week, we’re getting cucumber melon and lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics; eggplant and long beans from Animal Farm; canary melon, edamame and a variety of peppers from Tecalote; Texan pears and black-eyed peas from Lightsey Farms; basil or herbs from Pure Luck; shallots from Lundgren; and okra from Naegelin.

Here’s what I would have made:

Lunch:

• Chicken salad with herbs and lettuce

Side Dish:

• Quinoa salad with edamame and black-eyed peas
• Sauteed okra with pancetta and shallots

Dessert:

• Pear and melon skewers with honey-cinnamon yogurt dip

Dinner:

• Minced pork with eggplant, peppers and long beans

I’m bummed we won’t be getting a box, but I can’t say that we won’t be eating and drinking well!

Local Box Meal Plan: Aug. 31-Sept. 4

I’m a little late with the meal planning post today — sorry!

In our Greenling boxes this week, we’re getting summer squash, yellow onion and red potatoes from Naegelin, basil and lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics, crimini mushrooms from Kitchen Pride, microgreens from Bella Verdi, red long beans from Animal Farm, jalapenos and serranos from Lundgren, okra from Bradshaw or Arnold Farms, and black-eyed or purple hull peas and Texas pears from Lightsey Farms.

So I’m making:

Condiments:

• Hot pepper jelly (this is great on top of cream cheese at parties!)

Dinners:

• Stir-fry with mushrooms and long beans
• Black-eyed pea curry
• Grilled salmon in lettuce leaves with a sesame-dressed microgreens salad
• Potato and squash gratin with basil

Side Dish:

• Kutchi Bhindi (sweet and sour okra)

Dessert:

• Champagne-poached pears

I’ve never seen Chinese long beans before, let alone cooked with them. How are you using them?

Local Box Meal Plan: August 24-28

In our box this week, we’re getting blueberries from Berry Best, canary melon from Tecalote, basil from Montesino, herbs from Tecalote, limes from G&S Groves, lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics, squash blossoms from Montesino, bell peppers from Tecalote or My Father’s Farm, eggplant from Tecalote, summer squash from Naegelin, baby leeks from Animal Farm, and garlic from Montesino.

We’re traveling to a wedding this weekend, so I’m trying to use up as many of the perishable items quickly.

For the morning before we travel, I’ll make a hearty fritatta with baby leeks, squash blossoms and herbs. I’ll also make grilled veggie sandwiches (made with grilled eggplant, summer squash, and bell peppers) spread with basil pesto to take on the plane.

When we get back, I’ll use the canary melon and limes to make agua fresca (probably add some ginger to cut through the sweetness) and a blueberry clafoutis.

In my neverending quest to cook lettuce, I found this recipe for lettuce soup. Seems a bit strange, but looks easy and tasty. Seems pretty healthy also!

Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps

[Printable Recipe]

I’ve been looking for new ways to use the lettuce that comes in our Greenling boxes. It’s hard! I ordinarily think of lettuce as a component in salads and on top of sandwiches, and not much else. But I’m trying to expand my lettuce horizons. I’ve heard that some use it as a substitute for heartier greens, like kale or spinach, but I’m not exactly ready for lettuce chips yet.

From Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1-1/2 lb. chicken, roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1-1/2 c. portobello mushroom, chopped (I only needed half of the HUGE portobello mushroom that came in our box this week. It must have been at least 8 inches across, no joke.)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, grated
• 1 can (6 oz.) chopped water chestnuts
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce (I ended up using more like 5. I really like hoisin.)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 large lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Directions:

• Over high heat, heat the oil in a skillet, then add the chicken. Cook for ~2 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, then add the mushroom. Cook for another minute.
• Add salt and pepper to the chicken-mushroom mixture.
• Add the garlic, ginger, water chestnuts and green onions, then saute for a ~2 more minutes.
• Add the hoisin and toss everything to coat. Remove from the heat and serve wrapped in lettuce leaves.

Verdict:
Not exactly like PF Chang’s, but pretty close! I really liked the crunch of the water chestnuts and lettuce and the sweetness of the hoisin.

Local Box Meal Plan: August 17-21

It’s that time of week again! We’ll be getting our Greenling Local Box on Thursday and I’ve got to plan for it.

This week, we’re getting chives (or mint) from Pure Luck, squash blossoms from Montesino, blueberries from Berry Best, pea shoots from Bluebonnet Hydroponics or Bella Verde, a pepper mix from Lundgren, okra or eggplant from Tecalote, squash from Naegelin, peaches from Cooper Orchards, lettuce from Bluebonnet, shallots and elephant garlic from Lundgren, and a Canary melon from Tecalote.

So I’m making:

Breakfast:

• Melon halves with cottage cheese (don’t knock it until you try it! Cottage cheese is a great source of protein in the early morning and it’s great when paired with a sweet melon like this.)

Side dishes:

• Grilled Caesar salad with garlic-rubbed grilled croutons
• Pea shoot stir-fry
• Fried squash blossoms stuffed with a chive-goat cheese mixture (if we get chives)
• Corn saute with jalapeno, okra, squash and tomatoes
• Peach-blueberry galette

And if we get mint instead of chives, I’ll be using that in one of the cocktails I’ll be serving at my friend’s lingerie shower this weekend. Champagne, lychee and bruised mint — yummy!

Have you come up with some creative ways to use your lettuce in recipes? I find myself eating it raw most of the time.

Local Box Meal Plan: August 3-7

This week we’re getting anaheim and serrano peppers from Lundgren, blueberries from Berry Best, pea shoots, baby leeks from Animal Farm, a peach from Cooper Orchards, eggplant from Tecalote, lettuce from Bluebonnet Hydroponics, watermelon from Acadian, figs from Purple Goose Farm, basil from My Father’s Farm, and squash from Texas Natural.

So I’m making:

Lunch:

• Grilled squash and eggplant sandwich with a basil-chevre spread
• BLT on a pizza dough roll

Happy hour:

• Baked brie with figs and blueberries
• Watermelon and feta skewers

Dinner:

• Grilled chicken for Cory/salmon for me marinated in lemongrass and ginger, served with a pea shoot salad dressed in sesame oil, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds
• Chile verde (made with peppers and leeks)

Keep in mind that like figs, pea shoots are quite perishable and need to be used ASAP!