First box. First blog post.

by Brie

I am very excited to be taking over blogging at the Life Organic Blog. Thanks Shannon for all the great recipe ideas you have shared here. I know I will be looking through the archives for suggestions!

I am even more excited with my first box (or Tupperware container) filled with fabulous organic fruit and vegetables. Its arrival late on Thursday couldn't have been better timed. By the end of the week we are running low on groceries and I am searching the freezer trying to remember what the brown thing in the glass container is. Now I have a fridge stocked full of fresh organic produce and I couldn't be happier.

As soon as I saw what was in the box I started wondering how to use everything. I don't have to think hard about the fruit. I predict that before I could ever get around to baking with the fruit it will be consumed by my two young kids. The pint of blueberries will disappear as soon as my four year old daughter gets home from school and we will eat the Granny Smith Apples, Anjou pears and bag of kiwis as snacks throughout the day. 

My plan for the lovely looking acorn squash is soup. Mmm, soup. It is perfect weather for soup. I am going to make this recipe, which will also let me use one of the crisp green apples, some shallots and a carrot. The rest of the carrots will be grated and made into carrot cake, topped with cream cheese icing of course, to share with friends this weekend. The carrots are so great looking I am sure my kids would eat them whole.

I am a bit of a purist when it comes to green beans. I like them steamed with some butter and salt. Simple but really my favorite.

The only difficult choice with this week's basket is what to do with a box of crimini mushrooms and spinach bunch. I am tempted to make a cheesy rice and spinach casserole or one of these great spinach recipes from around the world. Even a nice spinach salad with mushrooms and red onion would be nice. But I think I will make these mushroom and spinach calazones using our favorite homemade pizza dough recipe. This should make enough for dinner and have leftovers that can be frozen for lunches.

This is what's on my menu plan this week. What are you cooking?

Brie loves eating food and is learning to love cooking food. She also blogs about motherhood at Capital Mom and about Ottawa with kids at Kids in the Capital.

Organic Harvest Box for September 24, 2010

This week's harvest box is full of fresh, local goodies!


You know Fall is here when a delightful green acorn squash arrives on your doorstep! I adore squash of all types, and acorn squash is a particular favourite in our home. This green winter squash has sweet, yellow-orange flesh and is wonderfully versatile. Soup is a great place to start and you can't beat this Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup - especially if you have a kitchen full of fresh harvest apples lying around. A cold weather favourite of many is Stuffed Acorn Squash, and another autumn pleasure is Baked Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Butter. A wonderful way to truly enjoy an acorn squash's sweet and rich flavour is this Sweet Roasted Acorn Squash.

If you're looking for something new and different for your squash, take a look at this recipe for Creamed Oysters in Acorn Squash - definitely sounds interesting! Also big hits are this Penne with Acorn Squash and Pancetta and Acorn Squash and Sage Mac 'n Cheese. The mac and cheese dish is always a huge hit with kids.

Ready to grab that bag of summer squash and get going? Why not slice up those fresh turnips and toss them into a Summer Turnip Slaw? Or for something with a little bit of kick, serve these Turnip Fries with a main weeknight meal. A cool fall evening begs for a batch of Turnip Soup and for added flavour, serve it with these Carrot and Turnip Buns. Braised Turnips with Mustard Sauce are absolutely delicious and this Potato and Turnip au Gratin is also mouth-watering.

Fall brings forth another harvest of luscious, crisp apples! We currently have dozens in our house, and I'm excited to get down to the business of cooking with them. First off, I suggest you take a look at these ten fantastic apple recipes - I guarantee they will not disappoint. Everyone has their own favourite apple recipes, often tried and true from old family recipe books. Why not challenge yourself to try something new this year? I've compiled a lovely list to get you started.

Grab your best cast iron pan and start working on this Apple Bake - it's not difficult at all and will have everyone coming back for seconds. Enjoy a steaming cup of coffee or tea while you nibble on these Apple Buttermilk Bread or Muffins and you won't regret it. This Vegan Apple Cake is a healthier alternative. These Maple Glazed Baked Apples are chock-full of raisins and brimming with flavour. And who can say no to a heavenly Apple Crepe? Two of my kids' favourites are good old fashioned Apple Crisp and Apple Pie. Topped with fresh whipped cream, of course! And I'm sure I've found the best Crock Pot Applesauce recipe around . . . I've been making this one for the past three years and never have enough to last more than a day or two.

Enjoy your fall harvest box this week!

Organic Harvest Box for June 25, 2010

Check out this week's luscious Harvest Box! It looks delicious . . .

Did you know that you can use your broccolette almost anywhere you would normally use broccoli? Yes, it's true! Broccolette is as versatile as its cruciferous sister, broccoli. Try it stir-fried in this easy Stir-fried Broccolette and Cashews, or sauteed in a Broccolette Saute. It's easy to add to any pasta dish, and I especially like this Bowties and Spicy Broccolette. And nothing says summer like a Warm Broccolette Salad on a mid-summer night's eve. For something a little bit out of the ordinary, check out this interesting Hunanese Smoky Bacon with Bean Curd and Broccolette.

Acorn squash in summer, you ask? Why of course! Fire up your barbecue and try your hand at Grilled Acorn Squash, you may never want to eat it any other way. This Grilled Acorn Squash with Balsamic Drizzle is similar, and also looks fantastic. And I have a feeling this BBQ Acorn Squash with a Brown Sugar Glaze will not disappoint. Like to stick to the more traditional method of baking acorn squash? Check out this very helpful video for Maple Glazed Baked Acorn Squash for step-by-step instructions and a fabulous recipe.

Fresh lettuce simply can't be beat this time of year. We love all types of lettuce, especially romaine. On hot summer nights I often serve a light grilled meat with just a salad, or even a large salad as a meal. I put together a nice list of some favourite romaine-based summer salads for you. If you have a special one you'd like to add, be sure to leave us a comment!

Chicken-Romaine Salad

BLT Salad with Basil Mayo Dressing

Gorgonzola Walnut Salad

Southwest Steak and Salsa Salad

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Romaine Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

Harvest Box for November 20, 2009

Unfortunately my camera battery died on me and I didn't get a shot of my Harvest Box this week. So close your eyes and try to imagine the goodness! This week's box contains lemons, Macintosh apples, avocado, acorn squash, carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, baby bok choy, salad greens, beets, vine tomatoes and garlic.

If you're like me, you may have been confused about what to do with your Jerusalem artichokes. A Jerusalem artichoke is a North American sunflower with an edible, lumpy, brown-skinned tuber that looks somewhat like a ginger root. Leave it to chef Jamie Oliver to come up with this delicious and simple recipe for sauteed Jerusalem artichokes. Or perhaps you might like to check out this Jerusalem artichoke and potato soup. If you fancy salads, dive into a bowl of this Jerusalem artichoke and arugula salad with parmesan.

Grab your baby bok choy and get ready to enjoy a healthy and delicious treat. Braised baby bok choy is absolutely divine, and you can visit more braised baby bok choy from cooking expert Martha Stewart.

Check out these beet recipes from Foodland Ontario. I also came across this recipe for roasted beet salad with bacon, and beets, potatoes and mint. I think it's important to think outside the box when preparing beets . . .

Instead of my using my acorn squash in a soup this week, I'm hoping to try out this baked chicken and acorn squash recipe - it looks tasty and different. And have a look at this acorn squash stuffed with apples and greens - mouth watering!!

And lastly, I stumbled upon this fabulous resource for lemon recipes this weekend and it's full of great ideas - be sure to have a look!

Enjoy this week's Harvest Box and be sure to check in next week for more . . .

Harvest Box for October 23

This week's Harvest Box from Life Organic is full of fresh fall fruits and veggies!

I love grape tomatoes and especially enjoy cooking with them. Their flavour gives a burst of taste to many dishes, particularly pasta. I stumbled upon this recipe for Chicken with Grape Tomatoes and Fried Basil and think it looks like a great match - basil+chicken+grape tomatoes must be totally divine. When I'm rushed and looking for a quick and easy side dish, I often slice my grape tomatoes in half, throw them in a bowl and toss them with olive oil and salt and pepper. Ridiculously simple and very flavourful.

Why not try this week's cabbage in a pungent Hot and Sour Cabbage Soup? It promises to be a tasty treat on a cool Fall evening. This Poached Salmon with Sauteed Cabbage looks like another rewarding way to get some mileage out of your cabbage.

I always get excited when I see avocados in the Harvest box. My husband's absolute favourite meal of all time is Cayenne-rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa. It is so fast and so easy and so darn healthy, I try to serve it a couple times a month.

In the mood for something lighter? Why not use your grape tomatoes and avocado in one zestful salad? Try this:

Avocado Tomato Salad

2 Hass Avocados from Mexico, diced small
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons sweet onion, diced small
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
1 head baby red romaine lettuce, trimmed and left as whole leaves
1 medium head frisee, washed and chopped
1 bunch watercress, washed and chopped

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, gently mix, and season with salt to taste. If preferred, add more cilantro and fresh lime juice to taste.
2. Refrigerate for thirty minutes prior to serving.
3. Just before serving, toss salad with romaine, frisee and watercress. Season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.

You won't be disappointed - it's a crowd pleaser.

Although I'm not a huge fan of shiitake mushrooms, I found this great resource full of Shiitake Mushroom Recipes - I'm especially excited about the Shiitake and Brie Pizza! I think I'll definitely be trying that this week.

This is definitely the season for acorn squash, so check out the low down on Basic Acorn Squash or serve up a bowl of this Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup, which is absolutely divine served with a loaf of crusty bread or rolls.

In a pickle over how to use your beets? Check out Foodland Ontario's best Beet Recipes and you'll be searching no further.

I often use baby bok choy in some sort of stir fry, and this Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry is simple and fast. (Oh, and yummy too!)

My family loves red peppers, and I came across a few new recipes that we haven't tried. This Grilled Sweet Peppers and Corn looks equally tasty as it does easy, although corn is harder to come by this late in October. This is a new variation of Sweet Red Pepper Soup that I haven't tried before, but my *recipe of the week* is most definitely this Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup . My taste buds were tingling just reading the ingredient list and I am sure it promises to deliver a hearty and satisfying meal.

Until next week . . . enjoy your harvest box!!

Harvest Box for October 16

Welcome to the new Life Organic Recipe Blog! Check in here each week to find helpful tips and recipes for all the food in your Harvest Box. Not a customer yet? No problem, you can find more information and sign up for delivery service in Ottawa at the Life Organic website.

Life Organic delivers "fresh Harvest boxes filled with delicious seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, and other ethically produced foods straight to your doorstep. They are committed to high quality; source as much as possible from local growers, ensure that farmers receive fair prices for their produce, look after the environment and always strive to keep customers absolutely delighted with friendly and convenient service".

Ready to take a look inside this week's Harvest Box???


That big green leafy stuff is Baby Kale - here are some easy ideas to use for your kale. One of the tastiest and simplest ways to cook kale is to saute it in a frying pan with a bit of oil (add onions or garlic if you like). Kale is full of nutrients and is a fabulous source of vitamins C and A . . . you're doing your body a favour by eating this stuff!

Here is some great information on washing and cooking with leeks. My favourite way to cook leeks is in soup, and you can find a whole slew of leek recipes at www.leekrecipes.org. This Potato Leek Soup is one of the my family's favourite recipes . . . and is a hearty, warm treat on a cool fall day.

Looking for a new way to use up your squash? I use any type of squash in this Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup. It's rich and filling and incredibly healthy!

I've got this Chilled Squash and Carrot soup on my radar as well. Looks delicious and I can only imagine how decadent the flavours of squash and carrot mixed together will taste.

Although I am usually a little boring when it comes to asparagus (I often just roast or grill the stalks and serve them with a little olive oil and salt and pepper), there are dozens of asparagus recipes I'd like to try out. Here are a few to get you started!

Asparagus and Cashews
Asparagus with Brie
Asparagus Wrapped in Proscuitto
Asparagus with Poached Egg

Although these are more work than I might ever have time for, check out these Shrimp, Pork, and Sugar Snap Pea Spring Rolls! What a unique way to use up your sugar snap peas and this is definitely worth a try if you are having people over and want to completely impress them with your culinary expertise.

My kids don't boast the most impressive palates for veggies, but they are dedicated to their daily bowl of raw carrots. They love them raw, or slightly cooked, alone, or with a side of dip.
But if you're interested in getting a little creative with this week's carrots, try this absolutely to-die-for Carrot Cake, or this Velvety Carrot Soup.

Ready to gobble up those tasty bosc pears in your box? Why not try something completely different this week and add them to a healthy dish of Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta. It's super easy and very delicious!

Be sure to check back next week for new ideas for your weekly Harvest Box.