Organic Harvest Box for May 31, 2012

It just might be a soup weekend again, given that I have to close the windows in the house as it is getting too cold!!  I picked up my box today and the small coloured peppers are just about gone as they were my lunch when I was late for an appointment this afternoon.  Then I could barely keep them on the table to get the photo before little fingers were grabbing at them and just eating them raw.  I really shouldn't say too much because about a dozen blueberries snuck their way into my mouth pre-photo shoot as well.  I took the tomatoes out of their packaging in order to set up the photo and if the other ones are like mine, it would be best not to keep them in the packaging too long as they are ready to eat.

I am excited about the eggplant this week.  I didn't write about the eggplant last time as it was a late substitution so all week I've been thinking about it and what to write about.  There is this recipe that my uncle made when we were visiting him in Edmonton last year.  I tried messaging him and voice mailing him and he still hasn't gotten back to me - so I am going to do my best to wing it with the recipe because it is delicious.  Some quick tips first:

• To store the eggplant,wrap it in a paper towel or the paper it came in, 
• Place it in a plastic bag with holes and/or in the veggie crisper, 
• Eggplant shouldn't be left for more than about 4 days in the refrigerator as then it starts to get bitter,
• Try to use the eggplant as soon as possible for best flavor and results.  

My uncle would slice the eggplant, brush it with some olive oil and then grill it until soft.  He then cut it into strips and marinated it in . . .this is where I get stuck - I'm sure it was olive oil, garlic, some salt, and . . .whatever else was in there made it absolutely delicious served on crackers or sliced baguette or your favorite crispy bread.  (I'm sure he'll call me back sometime and I'll be able to fill you in.)  This Calabrian recipe for Melanzane Arrostite (Marinated Eggplant with Olive Oil, Garlic and Mint) looks delicious and very similar to my uncle's eggplant.  I also came across this recipe for Spicy Grilled Eggplant that I think would be very tasty and the slices could be used on a sandwich for a meal.  The eggplant could be roasted with the coloured peppers (stove or grill) with some olive oil, chopped and then added to some chopped tomatoes and fresh herbs to make a bruschetta.

The baby bok choy looks fantastic, so fresh and full, but make sure to give them a good wash when you are ready to use them.  Bok choy is a member of the cabbage family and apparently has some of the highest anti-oxidant levels compared to other veggies in the cabbage family.  It is also a great source of Vitamins A and C, fibre, folic acid, and calcium.  It can be stored in the veggie crisper for up to a week.  Chinese cabbage of any variety usually ends up in a stir fry at our house, and it's easy to use but a bit time consuming to do it right.  The stems take a bit longer to cook than the leaves so I often end up taking a little extra time when slicing the bok choy in order to put the stems in to cook before the leaves.  You might have to go get some shitake mushrooms, as the most appealing recipes that I found for baby bok choy included shitakes.  And coincidentally, all my favorite recipes for bok choy are from LCBO's Food and Drink (my vast collection sits in the bookcase next to me as I type each week).  Four different ideas for bok choy:

• Cold Noodle Salad
• House Noodles with Chicken - use the peppers as well in this one
• Steamed Chicken Breasts with Aspargus, Baby Bok Choy and Shitake Mushrooms 
• Bok Choy Stir Fry - for an easy side dish

I do get a bit wordy doing this but I have so many yummy food ideas all the time for all these veggies.  I don't ever get to cooking all of them, but I daydream about all of the fantastic recipes that I would have endless to make - and they would all turn out delicious of course.  Bear with me for two more things. Number 1 - cauliflower - my absolute favorite way to eat it is to toss the florets with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, roast it in the oven at 400F for 20 min or so.  While it is cooking, mix up some cream or preferably creme fraiche, a bit of dijon mustard, and a small squeeze of lemon juice.  When the cauliflower is done cooking, toss it with the sauce.  

Number 2 and last thing for this week - field cucumbers - I know I had one witty post about uses for cucumber, but I have to admit, they are lunch box fare in general for us.  Cukes are so good just sliced up on their own, or with just a dash of salt to curb that craving for a salty snack that it's hard to make a point of "cooking" with them.  I do have one recipe that I use regularly that makes great use of the cucumbers - Gingery Pork and Cucumber Pitas.  My mom found it in Real Simple magazine and every time I make it, my husband and I say to ourselves, "why don't we make this more often?"  It's so easy, and so good and now I feel like I've given you a real recipe for cucumbers.

Thursday, February 17th box: Greens and reds

by Brie

The best part of this week's food box didn't need to be cooked. The big container of fresh organic strawberries were inhaled by my two kids as soon as they woke up. Strawberries make a good breakfast I say!

The other bright red container in this week's box was a pint of grape tomatoes. I like to eat grape tomatoes raw, or sauteed with garlic and basil. They would also be great in a baked tomato sauce or in these cute tomato and mozzarella appetisers.  And tomatoes are also perfect in soup.

There were lots of green vegetables this week. A bunch of snap peas had me thinking about all the fun things I could make, like snap pea and brussel sprout sautee or mushroom, tofu and snap pea stir fry. But what I really want to try is this garlic and snap pea soup. I am also going to be throwing baby bok choi in this garlicky soup (perfect for the flu making its way through our house). You could also try soy glazed baby bok choi or garlic bok choi. Yum.

My first thought when I get spinach in my box is to make a salad, but I am always pleased when I try something different, like this chana masala recipe. Spinach is also great in any kind of pie or casserole. Like this spinach phyllo pizza or eggplant and spinach lasagna.

The hardest vegetable for me is celery. While it can be useful to throw into other dishes, I wasn't sure how to use it as a main ingredient. Now I know. If you are looking for some good celery dishes try pear and celery soup, watermelon and celery salad or spinach and celery salad. I'm going to try making this sweet and sour celery.

We love to eat roasted vegetables and one of my favorites are parsnips. For something a little different I am going to try these parsnip fries. They would also be yummy glazed with honey and roasted with carrots. Parsnips would also be great in parsnip fritters or a parsnip pie.

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 October 22, 2010

It's time for another colourful, local, organic Harvest Box for October!  Take a look:

While there are a variety of different ways to cook baby bok choy, one of the simplest recipes you can find is this one for Easy Garlic Baby Bok Choy  that I stumbled up on via You Tube.  Fast, easy, and delicious.  This can be served as a side dish for almost any meal.  I also like this very basic Bok Choy, and if you scroll down you will find a couple other easy recipes on this page. This Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry makes a fantastic weeknight meal and is not time-consuming at all.  If you prefer a more ethnic taste, try Baby Bok Choy, as a traditional Chinese side dish, or Baby Bok Choy and Garlic in Sweet Chili Sauce.  Another big favourite is Baby Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushroom - a lovely light meal with something for everyone.

Squash is in abundance at this time of year, and their versatility is often overlooked. Why not slice up your butter cup squash and make a delicious Glazed and Roasted Butter Cup Squash?  Or serve up a steaming hot bowl of Butter Cup Squash Soup with some fresh, home-made bread?  Penne Pasts with Roasted Butter Cup Squash is a delectable treat that will tickle your tastebuds and have you coming back to fill your plate a second time.  And if you're keen to use your squash in some non-traditional recipes, what about a Butter Cup Squash Custard?  Sounds absolutely fantastic!  Don't forget to end your meal with a slice of  Butter Cup Squash Coffee Cake . . . 


That large root vegetable in your Harvest Box this week is a celeriac root.  It is a kind of celery, but also a root vegetable and it can be eaten raw or cooked.  It has a celery taste and is often used in soups and stews.  A fine example is this Celeriac and Celery Soup.  Celeriac root is also enjoyed mashed, as in this Mashed Artichokes, Celeriac Root and Potatoes Recipe.  Or it can be sliced thinly and enjoyed as Celeriac Chips!  Other options for your celeriac root include this Celeriac and Carrot Salad, a delightful Celeriac Remoulade, or you can add it to these fragrant Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary.

Enjoy your Harvest Box!

Harvest Box for January 29, 2010

Look at this week's luscious harvest box!! This is really winter in Ottawa these days (my toes are blue to prove it), so be sure to try and bring your harvest box inside as soon as it arrives so your produce doesn't freeze. Doesn't take long when it's -30 outside!


We are big avocado lovers so I always find myself smiling when I see the bumpy-round surface of an avocado inside my harvest box. A family favourite is to slice up an avocado and add to some fresh crusty bread with a couple slices of tomato and cheese. Smear on a little may and freshly ground pepper, and you've got yourself a perfect little sandwich!

I also really like the looks of this Crunchy Avocado Salad and hope to try it out one day this week. For the sushi lovers (of which I am one, although I have not yet forayed into the world of sushi-making), I suggest using both your avocado and mango together in this delicious sounding
Crab, Avocado and Mango Roll. And although my tried and true avocado sandwich has gotten us through the years, it may truly have met its match in this week's Fried Egg and Avocado Sandwich. Doesn't that sound divine? Please let me know if you give it a try - I am dying to know if it tastes as good as it looks!

I offered a few simple ways to incorporate mango into a main meal last week, and I stumbled upon a couple other great recipes I wanted to share. I've learned that beef and mango are a great combo (proved to me with last week's Beef and Mango Wraps) and so I am hoping to give this Stir-Fried Beef with Mango a whirl in my kitchen this week. And for anyone interested in a non-beef option, why not try this Broiled Salmon with Avocado Mango Salsa. Sounds fabulous.

While I enjoy eggplant, my husband and three children are a bit more finicky when it comes to the deep purple vegetable. They don't like the texture, and they don't like the bitter taste. They have not favoured eggplant parmigiana when I made it in the past. So I found this Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad and wonder if grilling the eggplant will make the texture softer and easier for them to tolerate. (Plus, they love goat cheese!) Other choices if you're stumped for how to use your eggplant include this Eggplant Gratin and Lemon Rice and Eggplant-Chick Pea Curry. I really want to try the curry recipe, as so far I've really enjoyed all the Rachael Ray recipes I've made.

Mushrooms are easy to incorporate into so many meals - we throw them into stir fries, add them to omelets, chuck them on top of salads. But the for nights you feel like taking that extra step . . . serve your friends and family this Mushroom Risotto. It wont' disappoint! Baked Mushroom Linguine also makes a delicious vegetarian dinner, and you can't beat the health benefits of
Smothered Mushrooms and Kale - full of nutrients, and tasty too.

I noticed this recipe for King Pao Beef includes an option for baby bok choi, and it looks absolutely delicious.

And I know I've shared this before, but I really do recommend you try throwing your broccoli into a pasta dish. My kids adore Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli and always ask for seconds. I am hoping to try Ina Garten's Broccoli with Bow Ties for one of our week night meals in February.

Enjoy your week and your produce - and stay warm!

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 30

Here's a peek inside Life Organic's Harvest Box for the last week of October.

While there are hundreds of wonderful recipes for cooking with avocado, sometimes simple is best. Why not enjoy avocado at its finest and whip up a batch of mouth-watering guacamole? Not sure of where to start? Check out this informative and easy-to-follow video on how to make guacamole.

If dipping your chip into a bowl of guacamole doesn't float your boat, you'll be sure to find something that appeals to your palate at this great resource full of avocado recipes. Bacon-stuffed avocado? Does it get more rich and decadent than that??

I thought I would try and offer a couple new and unique recipes for this week's kale. I often get stuck in a rut with kale and just don't know what to do with it other than sauteeing it up in some olive oil. This Curried Potato Kale Galette looks divine as does this decadent Squash and Kale Phyllo Pie . I'm hoping I have time to try at least one of these this week!

I like the look of these Cajun Roasted Potatoes and am excited to be able to use some peppers in it as well. It promises to provide a little zing to regular mundane potatoes.

That round orange pumpkin-like veggie is actually a Celebration Squash (yeah, I didn't know that either!). Why not bust out of the regular squash fare and serve up some delicious Roasted Celebration Squash with Lemon and Parsley.

This Chinese-inspired Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy with Garlic would be a great side dish to any Chinese or Asian meal you're serving . . . so why not give it a try?

I tend to slice up my english cucumbers and throw them in tossed salads, but I stumbled upon this Easy English Cucumber Soup and think it looks like a fabulous way to enjoy a little english cucumber on a spoon!

Have yourselves another delicious week!

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!!