Greetings my peeps to what is going to be a fun-filled blog post today. I’m super excited for you, so cue music and let’s go.
I’ve got a couple of things on the agenda, and one will be announcing the winner of my giveaway for a Citrus Zinger, while the second, and somewhat less exciting, item will be announcing the winner of the summer long Battle Royale between my CSA and little ol’ me because I’m sure it’s perfectly sane to go to war with your produce.
I’m also going to share some of the highlights of the season because I didn’t get a CSA share last week; something about the farmers needing a week off so they could enjoy the holidays with their families. Pfft, you’d think they do manual labor day in and day out and feed the country or something.
Before I get to all the great food from the past several months, I’m giving a shout out to two champions, at least in my book, because these ladies have hosted our weekly link up parties all summer long, continuing into the fall, so please give a warm Clean Eats welcome to:
and Kristy at Gastronomical Sovereignty
Before I get into how it all went down this summer, a few words about CSA’s in general, and let’s do it in bullet points because they make me happy. If you’re a smarty pants and already know everything there is to know about CSA’s, skip the bullet points and proceed directly to the food.
- I love a good acronym, and CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.
- At the beginning of the season, you purchase a “share” in the local farms and in return you get fresh, local (and in my case organic; aren’t I fancy), produce every week for the duration of the season.
- It’s like Christmas because each week is a surprise and you never know what you’re gonna get, but it’s gonna be good.
As much as I’d like to say CSA’s are all fairy dust and pink sprinkles (not the rainbow kind because it offends my self-diagnosed OCD, and I’d have to separate out all the colors), they’re just not. CSA’s are no joke and can be a ton of work. For me, the reward is well worth the effort though, and just to prove it, we’re going to take a stroll down CSA lane. One note: all of the below eats were lovingly prepared by moi, using my CSA produce in some shape or form. And I’m feeling French today, so let’s roll with it.
This summer I learned how to love beets. We ran away and got married and are now living happily ever after.
I ate a lot of Huevos Rancheros for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and let me just say, it doesn’t matter the meal; Huevos works Every. Single. Time.
I went on a serious salad bender too.
Spinach Salad.
Chickpea, Basil and Tomato Salad.
Grilled Peach Salad with Fried Goat Cheese Balls….mmm goat cheese balls. I like living in a world where cheese balls exist, and not the sappy kind.
I also whipped up some pretty (and I do mean good-looking) Veggie Tians.
Vegetable Tian with Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Tomatoes and Zucchini.
Apple and Sweet Potato Tian.
I got my funny on in a couple of great posts, and of course, I think they’re a laugh a minute. Nothing like a healthy ego to keep you going, so read at your own peril.
More CSA Fun: I Got This Shit!
Week Eleven CSA and the Panic Hits
The Week I Kicked My CSA’s Ass
I learned how much fun it is to cook and then eat stuffed food. I think it’s fair to say this is the summer I became a master stuffer. While it sounds awkward, I gracefully (snort) own the title now.
Stuffed Patty Pan Squash.
Stuffed Sweet Potato.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed Acorn Squash.
I whipped up soups, stews, and chili.
Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk, Jalapeno and Ginger.
Patty Pan Squash Stew.
Three Bean Chili with Short Grain Brown Rice
I had some really mouth-watering and drool worthy dinners.
Veggie Kabobs.
Veggie Stir Fry with a Seven Rice/Grain Medley.
Bok Choy, Carrot and Green Bean Pizza.
Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Kalmata Olives, Garlic & Feta.
The list goes on and on, and while I’d love to share many more delectable and delicious dishes, I’m not sure this post (namely Word Press) can handle any more photos. It’s already starting to freak out on me, and not in a good way, so I’m going to take it as a sign to wrap it up.
Before I announce the winner, I must say I’m not an impartial judge and if I’m breaking any rules, it doesn’t matter, because I’m coming anyways, and I’m kicking down the door on my way in. It’s official. I have declared myself the winner of my summer CSA. The crowd goes wild, the angels rejoice, the trumpets sound, and unicorns frolic in fields of organic, non-GMO, wheat. What a glorious day, and thank you for spending a summer of CSA loving with me. To my produce, I say, “It was an absolute pleasure to photograph you, a joy to cook you, a thrill to eat you and sometimes madness sharing you on my blog. I can’t wait to do it again next year. Until then, mon amie.” *blows kiss.*
Now the real reason you are all here today. The winner of the Citrus Zinger is……drum roll please…..Aimee. The crowd goes wild for a second time in a single post. It’s madness around here. Ms. Aimee, I will be sending you an email to get your personal information, like mailing address, social security info….I promise, I’m not a stalker.
And with all our Champions officially announced, I’m out. Done, spent, Finito.
What was your favorite meal from the summer? Have you ever participated in a CSA? If not, would you? Have any exciting weekend plans?
You’re meals look absolutely delicious!!!! I really want to start eating “whole” or however you’d say it….like, only all natural, fresh yummy healthy foods! I struggle with breakfast and lunch ideas though….especially because I am limited on prep time…you don’t keep a daily food journal do you? I’d love to see what you eat on a regular basis day in and day out (other than your glorious masterpiece dinners which make my mouth water! I’m talking like normal day to day what’s on the menu? Or do you eat this beautifully every day?! If so, where the HELL do you find time to make it all? I KNOW you work a lot!!!)…I need some ideas!!
I don’t keep a food journal because I don’t really track my food. I eat sweets or junk food (i.e. Beanito chips) on occasion and indulge as much as I want on whole natural foods. I eat eggs, dairy (in the form of cheese), veggies, nuts, grains, beans, lentils, whole wheats, and fruits all the time and because they are whole foods, I go to town so I don’t feel restricted in anyway, which is why it works for me.
What you see here is pretty much what I eat on a daily basis. Lunches for me during the work week are easy because I grab the prepared lunches at Nature’s Bin (my grocery store), and they make them fresh every day using whole natural ingredients. There’s no cooking involved for me though, just a financial expense. Breakfast is usually a smoothie and then some homemade granola with yogurt. On weekends, I make a double batch of granola and bring a big Tupperware full to work on Monday mornings. That way I have a great second breakfast or afternoon snack always ready, and it really doesn’t take long to make the granola; 20 minutes of active time at the most. Smoothies are pretty easy too because you dump everything in the blender and go, and I keep a fruit bowl in my office, which I restock every Monday with fresh apples, bananas, pears, kiwis, whatever’s in season. Again, it’s an easy snack. Since breakfast, lunch and snacks are all covered, the only meal I’m really making everyday, during the work week anyway, is dinner. Although this week, I’ve worked late pretty much every night usually getting home around 8 p.m., so I haven’t done much for dinner: grilled cheese and soup one night, toast and cereal another and Chipolte one more.
Maybe I’ll track a few meals for kicks and do a post on it. That way people can see more of the day to day eats versus one shining meal. As always, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I love hearing from you.
Thanks so much!!! and I’d LOVE to read a blog post by you with your daily menu for a week! No pressure, but I will be waiting……LOL! 🙂
I started keeping track this weekend. Just for you!!
You are daaaa bomb diggity!!!!!!
There is so much deliciousness in this post…. I don’t even know where to turn first!! That peach-goat cheese salad nearly made me gasp. Thank you for including my soup!
Thanks. I almost cried when I ate the peach goat cheese salad. It was so simple, beautiful and delicious. The peaches were perfectly ripe and sweet and warm from the grill coupled with the goat cheese balls and fresh cilantro. It was like my masterpiece, and I can’t wait to do it again next summer.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to war with inanimate objects (namely: food). I totally claim you as the champion too. If only for goat cheese balls. And because I kinda want to lick that picture of your bok choy pizza. I have a sort-of CSA, in that, I have a garden. So more like a PSA (Personally Supported Agriculture?). And yeah, that definitely comes with it’s challenges. I have a freezer full of turnip greens to prove it. And a desire to never eat turnip greens again to match.
Thank you!! To the victor go the spoils…or goat cheese balls anyway. The bok choy pizza was ridiculous too; it blew me away, and I even made it a second time when we got more bok choy. I would say your PSA absolutely qualifies as a CSA; hell you own chickens. You need to be participating in these CSA links ups, and you can go to battle with your produce too. Think of all the fun you’ll have, or how many more turnip greens you can freeze. By the end of summer, I didn’t think I could look at a green bean again, and I can safely say it’ll be another couple months before I’m ready to jump back into that pool. There’s always something you OD on.
Goat cheese balls, green bean pizza . . . I’m drooling over and over!
Wonderful post!
Awww thanks. There were so many more pictures too, but wordpress crapped out on me. In any case, it was nice reliving all the great meals while doing this post.
Now i’m hungry…for everything!
Thanks for sharing and linking up 🙂
That’s how I feel about your boxes!
Before this year I had never even heard of CSA. But now you are the third blogger who has mentioned it. Angela from Oh She Glows always makes amazing stuff from her CSA vegetables. And my BGSU teacher talks about it a lot in our business class (she’s a blogger too).
All of the fresh produce you get from CSA seriously looks more vibrant and more colorful than anything you could get in the grocery store. And you’ve probably already answered this question before (heck, you may have even answered it in the above post… I always miss those and ask stupid questions…) but how is CSA cost-wise? Would you say that the amount you get for the amount you pay is pretty equal to that of a grocey store? I feel like it would be awesome try out CSA this summer and see if any of the farmers near me participate.
Your questions are completely fine. I actually love that you’re curious about CSA’s and have questions at all. I get a “single” share which according to their website is enough for two to three people a week, and the cost comes out to roughly $22 a week. Early and very late in the season, the amount of produce I get may not amount to $22 weekly, although it is all organic, so it’s close in cost. In the middle of the summer, the amount of produce is above and beyond the weekly cost, so much so, it’s hard to keep up, but you are definitely getting your money’s worth. There was one week, we got a ridiculous large amount of basil, which easily was worth $30, and that was just one of the many things we got that week. Right now, I’m splitting the winter share with a friend so it’s about $10 a week. One of the reasons I really love it is because it’s all local, the produce has ripened in the sun and was picked the day before or the very same day I receive it, so it’s not only vibrant in color, but the taste is out of this world. Far superior to anything at the grocery store. Ya know how corn or peaches taste so amazing when you buy them from some farmer selling them on the side of the road? The taste of all the CSA produce is similar. You should look into doing one with your family.
Holy food porn batman!! Seriously, everything looks so good, I don’t even know where to start! I adore huevos rancheros, so I pretty much want to eat them directly from the screen. And that chickpea tomato basil salad looks awesome! I make something similar, but with bocconcini cheese 🙂
I’m a fan of adding cheese to anything and everything so the bocconcini cheese sounds like a wonderful addition. Huevos are so easy and delicious. I eat it every chance I get.
Everything looks DELICIOUS, especially the pizza! Wish we had a CSA in our area. We do have a great local produce market, though. Great prices and variety.
The local markets are great too. I love my CSA, but it took some time to find one close enough to make it worthwhile.
your post makes me MISS having a CSA so badly! since moving to toronto we’ve i’ve been trying to get settled, etc… and haven’t had the chance to sign up for one here yet. my plan for spring though is to get back on the CSA bandwagon – it’s just such an inspiration for dishes. without one i feel like i’m floundering. lovely post!
thank you for sharing with us at the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up! I hope to see you again this week with more seasonal & fresh/real food posts. xo, kristy
CSA’s are great inspiration because hell you already have the food. Now ya just gotta find something to do with it. I hope you find one for next spring.
All of these pictures have my mouth watering! Everything looks so healthy, fresh, and delicious!
Thanks. That’s pretty much how I felt eating each one too.
Cold green bean salad is one of my favs!
I know. I think you made it a zillion times this summer, at least. The flavors are just so fresh and crisp.
Stumbled on this as a link at the bottom of your current post and I’m glad I did! Girl you are a CSA machine and I’ll be happily looking back here as the summer goes on and my own produce takes over my tiny “kitchen” 🙂
Thanks Sunshine. CSA are wonderful things, especially when you find yourself getting all competitive with your produce.