CSA Week 2: KALE KALE KALE

ALERT: My children consumed a green vegetable!!

I made kale chips this week for the first time and they were an amazingly big hit. I just tossed the washed kale with olive oil and then sprinkled on a little sea salt, and baked them in a low oven for just under 20 minutes. I was a little shocked they even tried them, but then they found that they loved them. They asked me to make them again. They begged me for more. "Can I have a few before dinner?" Uhm, sure. You do that. "Can we put the bowl between me and Adam?" Why yes, yes you can. "Do we have any more kale?" No. "Will we get some in the CSA share tomorrow?" Molly was also charmed at the amazing kale consumption and she gave us an extra head of kale, so... kale chips it is.
Seriously, watching them eat the kale chips was one of the highlights of my parenting career. Maybe I will video it tonight so I can watch it again and again.

Sam didn't pose with the produce this week because he collapsed in exhaustion after we went to Music Time at the Central Street Farmhouse.

This week's share:
1 lb salad mix
1 bunch Hakuri turnips
1 lb beet greens
1 bunch kale
1 bunch green garlic
2 heads lettuce
1/2 lb spinach
1 bunch beets

Tentative meal plan: lots of salad. And kale chips.

Mixed green salad with roasted beets(recipe in our farm newsletter), 5 min. bread
Grilled chicken, salad, salt and vinegar potatoes with rosemary
Pasta with greens and white beans
Turkey burgers, giant salad
Tomato soup, salad, 5 minute bread
Spinach quiche, mixed green salad, 5 min. bread
Waffles, fruit... and salad.

Zero Waste Food Challenge: Day 2

Another decent day. I threw away no produce and no leftovers, and again ate a very strange lunch. The kids did great at breakfast and at lunch (no crusts!) but dinner was again a challenge. Adam hates pasta and Rachel hates pasta with anything on it. I served them some plain pasta as well as some with the arugula pesto. They tried everything, though, so I'll count it has a half-success. Maybe starting this the last week of school (when kids in transition are naturally a little oppositional and tense!) was not the best idea. It has increased their mindfulness around waste, though, even just a few days in, and they both have been paying attention to my planning (today, I knew I would have a leftover egg white from a cookie recipe I planned to make. So I made scrambled eggs for breakfast, including the extra white. Adam watched me store the yolk and said, "That's zero food waste!")

If I ever do make pesto out of grass, Sam will collect it for me.

The arugula pesto was excellent-- I combined several recipes and made it like this: 4 c. arugula, 4 (thawed) ice cubes of chopped basil from last summer, 1/4 c. olive oil, 1/3 c. parm, 1/3 c. toasted walnuts, dash salt, dash lemon juice. It was spicy but not overwhelming. I couldn't taste the lemon but according to multiple recipe comments, it makes it not taste like it is made of grass. I haven't ever made pesto out of grass so I can't comment.

CSA Week 1

Today we picked up our first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share from the Brewer Farmer's Market. We are doing a full share with Nettie Fox Farm this year. We bought produce from Molly a lot last year and I was always happy with the quality, so when we decided to switch CSAs this year we went with her.
This week's produce:

what WILL you do with all that kale? this picture is at a funny angle because I had to hold onto him while I took it-- still not so steady with the sitting thing.

 This week's share: 1 lb salad mix, 1 bunch radishes, 1 head pac choi, 2 bunches kale, 1/2 lb arugula, 1 bunch green garlic, 1 baby head lettuce, 1 bunch radishes, and 1/2 lb spinach









Tentative Menu Plan for this week:

1. Kale-Cheese Burritos with Blender Hot Sauce (adapted from Moosewood)-- 1 bunch kale, green garlic
2. Father's Day Meal: Roast Chicken, Spinach Salad, 5 minute artisan bread (we're having company, so I'll roast two chickens)
3. Giant Salad with leftover chicken, radishes, 5 min bread
4. Arugula Pesto on whole wheat pasta, tossed salad
5. Chicken Soup with Kale and White Beans (made with final leftovers of chicken)
6. Shrimp Stir-Fry with Pac Choi/ remainder of green garlic, brown rice
7. Kale Chips