I’ll be honest. I’ve got a touch of writer’s block today, and I’m not totally sure why.
It might be because I’m still recovering from a week of family fun or maybe because I’m preparing for another weekend of debauchery, this time of the sentimental variety. I think the real reason though is I know how today’s post has to end, even if I don’t know how to say it.
Friday’s are CSA days in my world and since these are some of my favorite posts, far be it from me to let a little thing like lack of words stop me from writing. Quite frankly, I make it a point not to let anything stop me, although creepy crawly bugs do me in every single time. There also was an “incident” recently with a three-inch slug. I’m not sure if he survived, but I do know I’m damaged.
Enough about icky things, let’s talk CSA. I picked up week four two Thursday’s ago.
I’m going bullet points today because they’re satisfying and particularly important when words just aren’t materializing. I don’t even have a song playing in my head right now, which is how you really know I’m stumped.
- Massive head of green leaf lettuce: Check.
- Bundle of romaine lettuce: Check.
- Collard greens: Check.
- Green onions: Check.
- Strawberries: Check.
- Beefsteak tomato: Check.
- Beets (rhymes and rhythms): Check.
I can remember the first time I got beets (rhymes and rhythms) in my CSA share three years ago and how scary I thought they were. I also remember cooking them a multitude of ways and being let down with each and every one. I had almost made up my mind that beets simply weren’t for me, that is, until I started drinking them.
I truly don’t know what it is about juicing that I find appealing, but I do know I can’t get enough. Now when we get beets (rhymes and rhythms), I get excited. So it’s no small surprise that two of my three beets went into beverages. I’m saving the third for something special.
For the most part, my strawberries got eaten up quicker than I could take a picture. I usually added them to bowls full of granola and yogurt or even cereal.
I’m a huge fan of the Mom’s Best Sweetened Wheat-fuls. I get my sweet tooth satisfied, without any sketchy ingredients. I ❤ them.
Enough about breakfast, even if it is my favorite meal.
Let’s talk about lettuce and green onions. Let’s also ignore that really awkward transition. You can’t say I didn’t warn you.
It should be known when I picked up this glorious haul of food, I still had an entire head of red leaf lettuce leftover from week three, which brings our total to three ridiculously big heads of lettuce for two smaller people. That’s an awful lot of lettuce, especially when only one of us really loves her greens.
The last of my strawberries, coupled with the leftover red leaf lettuce became an integral part of my picnic dinners. I also put down lunch time salads like it was my J.O.B., and I guess with this CSA, it kind of is.
Side salads aside (try saying that three times fast), I shared two show stopper salads with the general public (translation: I brought them to family gatherings).
The first salad is stuffed with veggies: cucumber spears, CSA green onions, carrot ribbons, red bell pepper, hard-boiled eggs, and cheddar cheese.
My second salad creation was a Greek salad with Feta, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, more CSA green onions, tomatoes, homemade croutons, cucumber wedges, and more Feta because you can never have enough Feta.
For the dressing, I whipped up a flavor infused vinaigrette from Ina Garten because I love her. She can do no wrong in my book, unless of course she starts throwing around racial slurs and makes money hawking diabetes inducing recipes followed thereafter by diabetes medication. (Yeah, I’m talking to you Paula!)
Most of my green onions made their way into my salads, but I did make another round of Cheddar Green Onion Puffs because they’re easy and they’re frickin’ delicious. You can’t go wrong with these puppies, unless you call them puppies.
Last but certainly not least, my beefsteak tomato and the very last of the green onions jumped into a Greek pasta bowl.
In olive oil, I sautéed a small yellow onion, artichoke hearts and a few sun-dried tomatoes, which got added to my cooked pasta, along with my diced beefsteak tomato, green onions, Kalamata olives and Parmesan. I would have used Feta, but I was fresh out, so I guess you can have too much Feta, especially when it leaves you wanting on other occasions. The Parmesan was a worthy substitute.
That pretty much covers my CSA produce from week four, except you may have noticed the Collard Greens never made their way into a pretty food picture.
It’s because I haven’t actually done anything with them yet. The little shits are still sitting in my fridge, along with a bundle of Romaine lettuce and one final beet, which brings me to the part of today’s post, I definitely don’t want to write.
I’m sorry to inform you that in the summer long, battle royale between my CSA and I, today’s point goes to the CSA. You have no idea how much it pains me to admit this. There goes my winning streak, and I can kiss my undefeated season good-bye. Stupid collards. Grumble, grumble.
No questions today. Instead, tell me what you’ve got planned for this weekend.
Sam says
July 12, 2013 at 9:55 AMDon’t feel too bad about not getting to all of the produce. Collards, beets, and Romaine are pretty hardy. They’ll keep. I have sort of a triage system with my CSA–I worry about the things that will go bad first. Try one of these for your collard greens: http://cookingmywaythroughmycsa.blogspot.com/2013/06/eggs-baked-in-collard-greens-with-black.html or http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2012/06/recipe-black-eyed-pea-cakes-with.html. They’re two of my favorites.
No exciting plans this weekend, but Monday is beach day. 🙂
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:15 PMThank you so much for the recipe. I made it, I posted it, and I loved it. It is very much appreciated!!
Eating 4 Balance says
July 12, 2013 at 10:35 AMIt seems like you overcame that writer’s block pretty well in this post! Lately I have been finding myself writing shorter descriptions and more pictures…. That has nothing to do with this post but it’s something that I just thought of. I really like more in-depth, borderline rambling type posts personally both in reading and writing. Just flowing thoughts, do you know what I mean? I am going to try to get back to that this coming week.
I’ve never had a beefsteak tomato (blah blah. let me just skip over the usual this-sucks, woe is me! 😛 … ) but I’ve always imagined them to be the epitome of juicy. I guess I’m combing the qualities that I think of when I think of steak and transferring them to the red fruit (or vegetable– I’m not trying to stir up any controversies here).
This weekend I am not going home but staying up at my apartment. I will probably be cleaning, doing laundry, and watching Rookie Blue of which I bought the first season off of Amazon in a moment of weakness. I will also most likely become “weak” again and buy the next season soon after. Yes, I have already seen every episode at least twice, but I am one of those who almost likes watching/reading the same thing again instead of partaking in something new. It’s like catching up with an old friend. There were quite a few smiles and fist pumps last night if you must know as I watched episode 4…
Eating 4 Balance says
July 12, 2013 at 10:38 AMThat’s what happens when I let myself ramble. First of all, I was trying to skip the whole “I’m allergic to tomatoes” thing that I always manage to bring up when I talk about food. But now I realize I ended up talking about it even more. EPIC FAIL.
Also, I am in no way “combing” qualities, which isn’t physically possible. That was meant to be COMBINING. Yikes.
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:18 PMIt’s all good. Your rambling comments make me smile, and I so badly wish you weren’t allergic to tomatoes. Not as badly as you, I bet, but still. The beefsteak ones are juicy and delicious. Think of a peach in it’s peak season and tomatoes are the same. I can’t get enough Caprese or Heirloom tomato salads right now.
I’m glad to hear you spent some time at the apartment and I can’t wait to hear what happens when you start exploring that city on weekends….hint, hint. 🙂
Casey @ Salted Plates says
July 12, 2013 at 10:54 AMCollards have stumped me in the past. Have you thought about using them as wraps in place of tortillas? This weekend I am going to see Furthur play with a bunch of good friends at my favorite venue. Super excited!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:19 PMThe wrap idea is a sound one, although my issue with using greens as wraps is you never use enough of them, unless your feeding a big group.
I hope you had a great time at Further. Sounds like a lot of fun.
caren says
July 12, 2013 at 11:00 AMnow that’s a lot of writing for writer’s block!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:20 PMRight?! Just not great writing though. Ah well, there’s always next time.
caren says
July 12, 2013 at 11:01 AMloving your photography btw….
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:20 PM🙂
Sarah Pie says
July 12, 2013 at 11:19 AMHey if it hasn’t molded you haven’t lost yet 😉 I know I’ve saved some pretty sad green onions and romaine from the depths of our fridge and I’m sure you’ll be able to find something to save those collards!
I don’t have too exciting of plans this weekend, I officially took over my aunts house (and her puppy!) for the next few weeks so I’m just getting settled in there. I don have plans to go to her farmers market tomorrow though 🙂
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:20 PMI like the way you think. No mold = no loss.
Oh, farmers market weekends. I want in.
Brittany says
July 12, 2013 at 12:03 PMI was so frightened reading you had something somber at the end of you post. There goes my mind jumping to the worst conclusion like you are going to stop blogging or you found more slug guts inside your house. As for the collards, to hell with em, you destroyed that CSA haul and made SO many amazing things!! You’re a kitchen wizard!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:21 PMThose slug guts were the worst. thing. ever. I’m still traumatized.
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance says
July 12, 2013 at 12:05 PMI’ve got lots of packing to do–I’m leaving on Tuesday for vacation! So packing and eating up what’s in the fridge. That’s what’s on the agenda. 🙂
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:22 PMCleaning out the fridge and vacation packing sounds like an ideal weekend to me. Have a great time!!
Olivia @ Liv Lives Life says
July 12, 2013 at 1:43 PMYour pictures are just so gorgeous. I love all of the colors.
I’d say you overcame that writer’s block! I find that when I have writer’s block, the best thing to do is just start the post. Usually I end up writing way more than I thought I would (annnnd other times I trash the whole post).
I’m with you about Ina Garten. Her recipes are always, never fail, fantastic.
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:22 PMThanks Liv.
Ina is a culinary genius. Love that woman.
Alex @ Brain, Body, Becuase says
July 12, 2013 at 2:11 PMI have been having writer’s block lately, too, and it’s really effing weird and almost a little uncomfortable.
Anyway, how do you make your salads so gorgeous??? The flavors all sound amazing and the colors are so beautiful. Maybe do a post about salad style!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:24 PMIt’s the OCD side of me that really makes the salads. The one where all things must be grouped together by color. It makes for a pretty picture though so I say embrace your neurosis when possible.
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
July 12, 2013 at 2:42 PM*writer’s block: if it ain’t happening, I don’t push it. Thank goodness I’m only trying to cough up 3 posts a week. I mean, the recipe part is easy, it’s the blah blah blah before the how-to that either flows or doesn’t.
*collards can be thrown into a smoothie, especially if you’ve got your gorgeous beets (I admit the sight of the greens got me drooling) to cover up the color for your kids . . . or you’re jiggy with drinking a mud colored beverage.
*I’m sorry you ran out of feta, that’s a tragedy in my book, though the wonderful combinations that caused the feta to be gone from your pasta look heavenly to me. I did a similar thing last night with the dregs of the pita chip bag, and ate it over some more damn . . . delicious, damn delicious, that’s what I meant salad mix.
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:25 PMI’m jiggy with drinking a mud colored smoothie. If we get collards again, I’ll give it a whirl.
We got a respite from lettuce this week, and I couldn’t be happier. Shh, don’t tell anyone.
Khushboo says
July 12, 2013 at 2:58 PMLove how colorful your salads are- I’d like to see anyone turn ’em down! My weekend plans as of now involve dinner & drinks with friends tonight and tennis on Sunday evening…the rest of the weekend I will play by ear :)! Hope you have a great one, Meghan!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:25 PMDinner and drinks are good plans to me. Tennis isn’t too bad either. I’m not any good, but it sure is fun to play.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
July 12, 2013 at 4:39 PMYou make the prettiest and most colorful salads! Mine never look anywhere near that good!!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:26 PMAw thanks Hannah. I blame my OCD tendencies for the salads. It works, although I bet yours are just as beautiful.
Luv What You Do says
July 12, 2013 at 4:43 PMI liked beets for the first time when I was in Israel. I don’t know why but something about them was better over there : ) We don’t have much planned this weekend as I am still adjusting to life back home. We are going to have our family’s over for a Mediterranean inspired feast one day. Bring on the beets!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:31 PMI want to come over for a Mediterranean feast! I’d be happy to bring the beets.
Sara says
July 12, 2013 at 7:31 PMI love using collards to wrap baked fish or chicken. They taste like grape leaves. How did that smoothie come out with the beets and carrots?
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:32 PMSpectacular, and it include the juice from half a lemon. I like the acidity paired with the beets.
Jen@HealthyFoodandFamily says
July 13, 2013 at 6:28 PMI wasn’t hungry until I saw the pictures of those salads- ummm, YUMMM!!!! They all look amazing!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:32 PMThanks. When you’ve got lettuce, you make lots of salads!
Sabrina @ NutritiouslySweet says
July 13, 2013 at 8:13 PMThose little puffs look so delicious! Reminds me of Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuits, which are so yums.
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:32 PMThe puffs are really delicious. You should make them sometime.
Fran@BCDC says
July 14, 2013 at 6:56 AMCome on, Meghan…don’t put yourself down. I think you’re still a champ. It’s not as if you had to toss the collards in the trash. You can still do something with them. Everything sounds good, but the Greek pasta sounds incredible. Now I need to make pasta! Have a great day!
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:33 PMMaking pasta is never a bad thing.
Elle@thewaybyelle.blogspot.com says
July 14, 2013 at 5:26 PMWriter’s block is the worst! I’ve been stuck on the same chapter of my fanfiction for the past three months. :-/
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:33 PMEek, three months is a long block. Good luck shaking it off.
Jessie says
July 15, 2013 at 3:29 AMWoah, wait a minute! How have I never seen those Cheddar Green Onion Puffs before? …maybe i did… but my Heavens, they sound great! Checking out the recipe now 🙂
Meghan says
July 20, 2013 at 10:34 PMYou need to make these because they are delicious. Seriously, I’ve made them multiply times now without a single disappointment. Well except that they go so quickly. 😉
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
July 24, 2013 at 6:07 AMAwww, don’t be sad!! You totally kicked some lettuce ASS! Besides, collards are hard! I have to say, the only thing I’ve really ever done with them is use them as wraps. Plus, those salads are absolutely magnificent! I especially love the precise arrangement of all the ingredients and those carrot “ribbons” are the cutest! Did you just use a vegetable peeler? I should try that with my purple beauties! 🙂
Mmm, beets, beets, beets (like a snare drum baby!)…love my beets! I almost always roast them these days and then eat them straight up out of the fridge, but the other day I had the genius idea to plop them into some leftover bread and butter pickle juice and let them sit in the fridge overnight…oh my god, YUM!!
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 7:45 PMThe Hubby actually made the carrot ribbons!! He used a regular vegetable peeler.
The things you do with beets are really quite amazing.