CSA Adventures has been an ongoing project here at Soul Munchies over the year. In the past I’ve tried to report on how we’ve used our share each week, but once peak harvest season hits I get so busy in the kitchen that I don’t take great notes about what we’re actually eating. So I’m trying something new this year and sharing my meal planning process with you before we’ve used our produce, instead of after.
Each week, I’ll share a list of what I’ve picked up from the farm for the week, and give you some ideas of recipes to try using those ingredients. I have found this is how CSA season works best for me. I make a list, and then brainstorm how I can use the ingredients. As the week goes on, I have a list of meals I can plug in to the calendar based on weather, schedule, or my own cravings.
I like to think of meal planning as an exercise in stewardship: How can we make the most of what we’ve been given, being careful to waste as little as possible?
Alright …. here we go!
Spring Week One
1 head lettuce
1 bag fiddleheads
1 bag salad mix
2 bunches asparagus
1 bag spinach
Recipes to Try
Lettuce/Salad Mix
I grabbed a tomato and some bacon at the farmstand so I can have BLTs for breakfast this week.
I love this Chopped Salad recipe for the head of lettuce. I leave out the radicchio because we don’t like it, and I’m excited to use some new black chickpeas I got in my latest bean club box.
The salad mix will make beautiful side salads for pork chop dinner tonight, as well as for lunch this week. When it comes to making side salads, I throw whatever I can find in the fridge on some baby greens, top with some pecans and goat cheese, and call it done. The secret is in the dressing, and I highly recommend this Best Salad Dressing.
Asparagus
This Shaved Asparagus Pizza is AMAZING. It’s my favorite way to launch into asparagus season. We’ll also have grilled asparagus with pork chops for dinner tonight. And it wouldn’t be Spring without this hash.
Spinach
We have several evenings this week that need quick meals, so I’m thinking of making this Skillet Ravioli with Spinach. It’s fast and there are no complaints when it’s on the table.
I may also try a one-person version of these Chickpeas with Spinach for lunch one day next week.
Fiddleheads
I’ve had fiddleheads once in my life. And I was not a fan. But I am committed to eating seasonally and locally, and fiddleheads scream Spring in New England, so I’ll try again. This is a terrific article about fiddleheads and has lots of great recipes to try. I think I’m going to try roasting half of them and pickling the other half. Who doesn’t love a good fiddlehead pickle? (I’ll report back…)
Happy Spring eating my friends!
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