Organic Harvest Box for September 3, 2010

It's been a quiet summer here on the Life Organic Blog, mostly because I have been away or busy for most of the summer. I'm hoping to get weekly recipes and tips moving again, because I figure it's almost time for fall, and back to school and work for many. Who can't use a few extra tips???

This week's Harvest Box looks fantastic - full of local, organic produce at its best this time of year. We'll be back next week with photos, I ran into some technical difficulties this week.

Red Leaf Lettuce - I love it. For some reason, this is by far my favourite type of lettuce. I love it squished into a thick sandwich, exploding from a giant bowl of salad, or used as a garnish with a delicious fall meal. I serve a green salad with red leaf lettuce almost every night with dinner. I came across this fabulous resource with great tips on how to refrigerate red leaf lettuce , so be sure to check it out! It's very helpful. Also be sure to take a look at this Red Leaf Lettuce Salad. If you're looking for something for the more discerning palate, try this Leaf Lettuce Salad with Goat Cheese Stuffed Pears. Other tasty salad choices include this Red Leaf, Pear, and Walnut Salad or Martha Stewart's Red Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes. And don't forget that there is really nothing simpler and tastier than a basic leaf lettuce salad with local cucumbers or tomatoes and a little olive oil on top!

Sometimes I am looking for something a little different to try with my chard. I came across this Pasta with Swiss Chard recipe and am looking forward to trying it. Be sure to check out this website with detailed info on Coloured Chards, including storage and uses, plus a delicious recipe for Swiss Chard and Goat Cheese Galette. It looks absolutely delicious!

If you're a real foodie, check out this recipe for Grilled Madras Razor Clams with Sautéed Rainbow Chard and Cornish New Potatoes - now that would be impressive to serve for dinner one night. Coloured chard can be served quickly and easily, and doesn't need to be "fancy" to taste great. Try this Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts or Curried Rainbow Swiss Chard - they are fast and delicious, and full of nutritional value.

I am sometimes at a loss for what to do with an eggplant - and nothing beats a local, organic eggplant! I enjoy them cooked a variety of ways, but I find my children usually have issues with the texture. What about a good ole' Grilled Eggplant Panini - it makes a healthy lunch or even a nice light dinner with a salad. Barbecue season is still in full swing, so why not try this Grilled Eggplant with Korean Barbecue Sauce? This Curried Eggplant, Lentil, and Quinoa Burgers with Onion-Pepper Relish also promises not to disappoint. Prefer it baked? Give this Oven-Baked Breaded Eggplant a go and watch everyone gobble it up. And, last but not least, check out this recipe for Broiled Summer Eggplant - which includes three very important eggplant rules that you don't want to miss (including whether or not to refrigerate eggplant - I certainly didn't know I wasn't supposed to keep it in the fridge!).