6.06.2008

Is it Veg Friday already?

beluga lentil crostini
Well I guess so, as I have box #3 of our CSA staring me in the face. I have plans for you, little veggies…don’t you worry your pretty little veggieheads!

We had some vegetarian friends over for dinner which encouraged me to come up with alternate protein sources (I should mention now, with my head bowed in shame, that I have a degree in nutritional toxicology, of which I remember next to nothing. Sad, sad, I know, but I’m working to relearn it all).


fava shucking

For Saturday’s veg fest, we made beluga lentil crostini, quinoa salad with fava beans, fennel, spinach, walnuts and feta cheese, grilled veggie sandwiches (fennel, asparagus, onion, zucchini) with pesto mayo, and chocolate beet cake, included for its conversation-inducing properties. In fact, at your next dinner party mention the word “chocolate beet cake” and see what kinds of philosophical conversations ensue


The Rapini (aka broccoli raab, but I prefer “rapini” since I have no idea how to pronounce “raab”) was crazy yummy sautéed and tossed with pasta. I only got a couple spears as my little broccoli enthusiast turned to my plate shortly after inhaling his share.

carrots

The carrots became
carrot orange soup (yummy for spring or winter) and the radishes and lettuce were salad-bound. Much of the spinach stealthily snuck its way into the kid’s peanut butter sandwiches. Esme caught sight of it after her first bite, stared at it for awhile, then apparently deemed it “sandwich appropriate” and continued on with her meal. Whew.

I had a chance to read through
Super Natural Cooking this week and plan most of next week’s meals out of it. I can’t say enough good things about this book, so I’ll just show you next week with photos and menu items. How does that sound?

baseball

Here’s this week’s bin: Baby Romaine, Arugula, Cucumber, Baby Bok Choi, Broccoli, Carrots, Fresh Garlic, Fava Beans, New Potatoes. Wish me luck and have a peachy weekend!

8 comments:

Mary Beth said...

Did you literally just layer leaves of spinach into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Very impressive! And I love that she ate it! Very inspiring meal, you earth goddess.

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

Love steamed wilted bok choy with a a dash of balsamic - great accompaniment to caramel chicken and steamed rice. You did well with last weeks box. It must be kinda exciting to see what produce to get each week!

Anonymous said...

Awesome photo!!! I am so hooked on arugula these days! I need to check out the cook book-because I just don't have enough recipes in my possession!

Simply Stork said...

wow! what a nice friend :o)

I love the last shot....very cool!

~simply~

Shelly said...

Do you have any suggestions for sandwiches beyond the lunch meat and do not contain nuts? My son is deathly allergic and packing a non-refrigerated sandwich is a challenge I have not conquered-beyond just plain jelly-Poor kid. You seem so creative and I can't seem to get beyond the cookbook.

Anonymous said...

I want to come to dinner at your house. You are making me hang my pizza ordering macaroni making head in SHAME.

You have a cookbook in your future! (you know, with your name next to the word author)

Esther said...

Those lentil crostini are cool- I wondered what they were. I'll have to search for those....

Jessica said...

Thanks so much for your lettuce help! I'm following your (and your CSA's) lead and picking the leaves as I go. It looks like you all will have a delicious bunch of fresh food coming your way this week. I hope you had a great Tuesday! Jessica