By now, you might be sick of finding music on a food and fitness blog, but I’m not really tired of sharing it, and I don’t think I ever will be. I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry, and I plan to continue bombarding you with some jams (just being honest), and well this song seemed apropos for today’s CSA post.
Before we get right to it, let me give a big thank you to Kristy at Gastronomical Sovereignty for hosting a linkup party. Man, these things are a good time. We get to find other food addicts and become part of an underground society with a secret handshake and a special password (can someone let me know the password please…) Some might find us cultish but I don’t care. I say sign me up, and I’d prefer to use a glittery pen.
We are nearly done with our summer CSA program. Seventeen weeks down, only three to go, and I’m not even a little bit sad. Ya wanna know why? Because I recently signed up for a winter CSA, and it runs through December, so I’ve got a full three months of produce to go. Now, I have friends in the program who are just begging for it to be over. They have had enough; they are done. They’d be happy if they didn’t see another bell pepper or tomato for the foreseeable future. Not me though. I like the challenge; hell, I thrive on it because going into an imaginary battle with my veggies is completely rational. They don’t know it yet, but I’m winning. At least according to my scorecard.
Before we get down and dirty with my veggies, I need to give a shout out to Heather at In Her Chucks for hosting our weekly link up. A big Kudos for bringing us all together because I love a good old produce party. Plus, it’s good to know there are others out there, who thrive on the madness only a summer of CSA loving can bring. It takes a special kind of crazy to handle twelve thousand bell peppers in three weeks.
Week Seventeen brought us a head of red leaf lettuce, more orange yummy peppers, a green and red bell pepper (no surprise there), six apples, one pumpkin (WTF!), green onions, and as luck would have it (she says while oozing sarcasm) more green beans.
Now I realize I mocked all things pumpkin not too long ago, and I also prayed to the CSA gods to ease up on the green beans. Obviously my plea fell on deaf ears, and the joke’s on my because I’ve got an entire pumpkin to manage. In my defense (of course I have one; I always have a defense), I ridiculed canned pumpkin so I’m hoping the real deal is different. Any suggestions on what to do with him (it feels like a he)? Other than the obvious porch decoration, which really isn’t an option since my OCD would never tolerate the lack of symmetry. Now if I had two pumpkins we could talk, but just one, I’m afraid I’m going to have to eat him…somehow, someway. It’s the age of the internet; I’ll figure it out…hopefully before he rots.
In the meantime, let’s take a peek at what I did tackle in the past week.
I started last weekend with Apple Zucchini Spice Muffins from paleOMG. I was able to use some of the apples plus a lonely little zucchini from the ghost of weeks past, and yes, I realize the photo shows a squash. Consider it my creative license and run with it.
After waiting almost ten days, I finally decided to confront the green beans again, the best way I know how, in a Veggie Pizza, which also incorporated the last of the bok choy from week fourteen (it’s amazing how long it lasts in a crisper). This is my second time eating this bad boy, and it was just as good as the first go around.
I put a small dent in the lettuce with a couple of salads.
I tossed the tomatoes and onions from week sixteen in with my stewed lentils and carrots.
I decided to grapple with the green beans a second time (twice in one week). This time I sautéed them with a red onion (also from week sixteen), pine nuts and feta cheese. It was spot on delicious and brought me back to a time when grean beans and I were still BFF’s. The onion was so sweet and juicy (yes, juicy) and played so well with the creamy feta cheese and the crunchy pine nuts. I’d eat this again in a heart beat, green beans and all.
On the other hand, the fried patty pan squash (the weird thing on the plate to the left of my veggie patty) was really just Eh . Nothing to write home about and certainly not worth the calories. I should have known better than to fry it, but I wanted to try something different from what I’ve done in the past (stewed them, stuffed them, kabobed them).
Most recently, I’ve been putting the bell peppers, the onions and the last of the tomatoes to use in Huevos Rancheros. This is so easy and so freaking good that I’ve had it the past two nights for dinner. It’s all melted cheese, succulent tomatoes, crisp green onions, carmelized veggies, and tender black beans on a bed of eggs with a base of corn tortillas. Can you say lick the plate good? Let me just say (as if you had a choice) if I wasn’t out of eggs, I’d be eating this tonight too. I may just have to hit up the grocery store on my way home from work. Mmmm, heuvos……
When it’s all said and done, I’ve still got lettuce. I’ve still got peppers (boy, do I still have peppers), I’ve still got green onions, and even one last serving of green beans, and I’ve got a pumpkin. Yep, so pretty much everything from week seventeen still remains, but it’s safe to say I demolished my produce from weeks past, and I have a freezer full of homemade chili, lentil stew, minestrone soup and pasta sauce. I’m like a squirrel stock piling my huevos before the cold weather hits because “winter is coming” (followed closely by Game of Thrones).
What the hell do I do with a whole pumpkin? Anybody else sign up for a winter CSA? Any exciting weekend plans? Any not so exciting plans?
Jade says
You are a champ with your produce! And I love that you used to phrase “good old produce party.” I moved at the beginning and end of summer, so no CSA for me. I don’t know what to do with 99% of that pumpkin but definitely roast the seeds!
Meghan says
Thanks for the tip. It’s too bad you couldn’t do a CSA this year…hopefully next year though. I love mine, but I’m kind of crazy about veggies.
McFeinics says
That veggie pizza sounds delicious! I got a whole pumpkin this week too! So many things you can do, pumpkin risotto, soup, chili, ravioli, smoothie, and of course any number of pumpkin sweets (I’m particulary fond of pumpkin rolls). If you roast and puree the pumpkin in also freezes really well. Good luck!
Meghan says
What great ideas. Thank you so much; it’s really helpful. The risotto and the soup sound really appealing. So does the ravioli, but that’s more work than I want to take on this weekend. I appreciate it you stopping by and saying hello.
Luv What You Do says
So fun that you will have a winter CSA!
Those muffins look incredible. I will have to save that recipe!
BTW, I totally sang that Queen song when the 100th one of my friends got engaged…ha ha!
Meghan says
This song works in so many different ways, and Queen is classic.
I’m super excited to see what the winter CSA brings…
Heather @ In Her Chucks says
Everything looks so delicious I don’t even know where to begin. I hope to make those lentils soon. They sound amazing 🙂
Thanks for linking up and sharing your delicious eats…
Alaine @ My GF & DF Living says
All these dishes look great especially that veggie pizza! 🙂
Meghan says
Thanks Alaine. Appreciate you stopping by.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
Hahaha! I find it hilarious that they sent YOU a pumpkin! Chop that baby up and roast it! Peel it after roasting…then you can eat it as is or puree it in a food processor/blender. 😀
I’ve never had pan patty squash before…guess I missed out on that opportunity this year, but I never knew what the heck to do with them! The green beans look/sound AMAZING!! Love the flavor combo with the salty feta, sweet onions, and pine nuts!
Mmm, huevos!!!!
kristy @ Gastronomical Sovereignty says
now “Before we get right to it, let me give a big thank you” to YOU for giving us a little Queen to listen to. i ADORE queen – and i’ll never be sick of listening to music whilst reading your blog. its fabulous 🙂
Right. Pumpkin. So many pumpkin recipes out there right now but with good purpose! Pie Pumpkins (likely what you got in your CSA) deserve R_E_S-P_E_C_T – they are way more tender and delicious than the ordinary store bought ones.
http://www.gastronomicalsovereignty.com/2012/10/punpkin-doughnuts.html
http://www.gastronomicalsovereignty.com/2011/11/pumpkin-puree-pumpkin-pie.html
http://cravingchronicles.com/2012/10/26/cheesy-pumpkin-risotto/
thank you for sharing with us at the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up! i look forward to seeing you again this week with more seasonal & fresh/real food blog posts 🙂 xo, kristy
Meghan says
Oh my…pumpkin risotta sounds wonderful. Or punpkin donuts. I actually cooked him up this weekend and now I’m left with this beautiful puree so I’ll have to use one of these wonderful recipes. Thanks for sharing.