Here's what I can't wait to find in my box this week:
- Pink Lady apples
- Navel oranges
- Bartlett pears
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Mango
- Potatoes
- Rutabaga
- Lettuce
- Collard greens
- Zucchini
- Cucumber
- Sweet mini peppers
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Coming this week: Thursday, April 14 2011
by Brie
Here's what I can't wait to find in my box this week:
Here's what I can't wait to find in my box this week:
Monday, April 11, 2011
Organic Harvest box for April 10, 2011
by Brie
Our box this week had four lovely small yams. I love yams for how versatile they are. You can throw them in chili or soup for added colour and flavour. My four year old's favorite way to eat them is baked with a little butter and brown sugar. She will happily eat them with a spoon! I have no problem with her eating two or three for dinner, as she has been known to do, because they are a good source of vitamins C and B, potassium, manganese and are low in saturated fat and sodium. Plus they taste good!
I was pleased to see some garlic in our box. I love garlic. I would be happy to just fry it up in some olive oil and eat it over pasta. But as a great cold cure, and we have a cold sneaking into the house right now, it will be the perfect base for roasted garlic and onion soup and mushroom soup with parsley and garlic. Those two soups are also a great way to use the bag of yellow onions and box of mushrooms we received this week.
Parsley is a herb that forms the basis of many popular dishes, like tabbouleh, lamb with persillade and gremolata. It can also be used, along with garlic, celery and onion in the Italian dish ossobuco alla milanese. Parsley is also widely recognised for its medicinal purposes in teas or when cooked in dishes. I am tempted to try crushing it and seeing if it is really an effective treatment for mosquito bites this summer!
Peppers and zucchinis make a great dinner combination. You could make a quick and easy zucchini and pepper pasta or, if you have more time, try stuffing zucchinis and peppers with turkey, parsley and onion.
I usually think of serving broccoli and cauliflower separately, like in broccoli risotto or cauliflower curry but they are also good combined together. Broccoli is a power food full of vitamins, minerals and protein and cauliflower isn't too far behind..They can be combined in dishes as simple as broccoli-cauliflower salad and broccoli and cauliflower pasta or served together in tandoori grilled broccoli and cauliflower kebabs.
The fruit we received this week, a grapefruit, a kiwi, pears and oranges are all a great source of Vitamin C. A bunch of yellow bananas were perfectly ripe and are great for snacking or trying flambed. The mango is a wonderful treat, and once you know how to cut it properly, easy to eat. Fabulous to eat on their own, these fruit would make an excellent fruit salad tossed together or a sweet addition to a lettuce salad.
These are some of the ideas 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.
Our box this week had four lovely small yams. I love yams for how versatile they are. You can throw them in chili or soup for added colour and flavour. My four year old's favorite way to eat them is baked with a little butter and brown sugar. She will happily eat them with a spoon! I have no problem with her eating two or three for dinner, as she has been known to do, because they are a good source of vitamins C and B, potassium, manganese and are low in saturated fat and sodium. Plus they taste good!
I was pleased to see some garlic in our box. I love garlic. I would be happy to just fry it up in some olive oil and eat it over pasta. But as a great cold cure, and we have a cold sneaking into the house right now, it will be the perfect base for roasted garlic and onion soup and mushroom soup with parsley and garlic. Those two soups are also a great way to use the bag of yellow onions and box of mushrooms we received this week.
Parsley is a herb that forms the basis of many popular dishes, like tabbouleh, lamb with persillade and gremolata. It can also be used, along with garlic, celery and onion in the Italian dish ossobuco alla milanese. Parsley is also widely recognised for its medicinal purposes in teas or when cooked in dishes. I am tempted to try crushing it and seeing if it is really an effective treatment for mosquito bites this summer!
Peppers and zucchinis make a great dinner combination. You could make a quick and easy zucchini and pepper pasta or, if you have more time, try stuffing zucchinis and peppers with turkey, parsley and onion.
I usually think of serving broccoli and cauliflower separately, like in broccoli risotto or cauliflower curry but they are also good combined together. Broccoli is a power food full of vitamins, minerals and protein and cauliflower isn't too far behind..They can be combined in dishes as simple as broccoli-cauliflower salad and broccoli and cauliflower pasta or served together in tandoori grilled broccoli and cauliflower kebabs.
The fruit we received this week, a grapefruit, a kiwi, pears and oranges are all a great source of Vitamin C. A bunch of yellow bananas were perfectly ripe and are great for snacking or trying flambed. The mango is a wonderful treat, and once you know how to cut it properly, easy to eat. Fabulous to eat on their own, these fruit would make an excellent fruit salad tossed together or a sweet addition to a lettuce salad.
These are some of the ideas 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.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Thursday, March 31st: Meal planning and April Fools Day
by Brie
You would not believe how excited I was to get this week's box. With no box last week I was forced to confront exactly how dependent I have become on it for my meal planning. I was at a bit of a loss as to what to make for dinners last week!
I had visions of baking as soon as I opened the box. The apples, which are perfect for eating whole, using in a Waldorf salad or adding to a grilled cheese sandwich, made me want to bake an apple pie. I am tempted to hide the blueberries from the kids, who will want to sit down and eat the whole container immediately, so that I can try this blueberry tart. When I saw the avocado I knew I wanted to make this chocolate avocado cake/ cupcake recipe. I have heard avocados make for a great cake but I haven't tried it yet.
Carrots are such a great staple to use in dishes. The add flavour and crunch to soups, salads and casseroles. Not to mention anchoring carrot cake. Yum. This week I will be using my carrots to make some carrot fritters. I am excited to try these. The recipe calls for them to be fried but they could probably be baked too.
The rainbow chard pie I made last month was a great success and I would highly recommend it. I will either make it again this week or try out one of these new recipes I found. I like the look of the rainbow chard salad and risotto with chard.
Broccoli is so perfect eaten with butter or an easy cheese sauce. But this week I am going to use it to make a broccoli quiche. I love the idea of trying a broccoli pizza. Maybe next time!
The tomatoes this week would be great roasted in the oven with some sea salt and then tossed with pasta and feta. Or even used in homemade salsa. However, I am a huge fan of tomato soup and will probably use the lovely cocktail tomatoes in the box to cook up some homemade tomato soup. The only problem is deciding with recipe to choose! Roasted tomato soup with garlic? Chilled tarragon roasted tomato soup? Gazpacho?
The best item in the box this week had to be the pineapple. I love pineapple and I'm happy to eat it cut into pieces, on my pizza or added to a stirfry. It would also be great in fresh pineapple salsa, sweet potato pudding or pan fried rings.And perfect for April Fools Day are these pineapple fish sticks!
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.
You would not believe how excited I was to get this week's box. With no box last week I was forced to confront exactly how dependent I have become on it for my meal planning. I was at a bit of a loss as to what to make for dinners last week!
I had visions of baking as soon as I opened the box. The apples, which are perfect for eating whole, using in a Waldorf salad or adding to a grilled cheese sandwich, made me want to bake an apple pie. I am tempted to hide the blueberries from the kids, who will want to sit down and eat the whole container immediately, so that I can try this blueberry tart. When I saw the avocado I knew I wanted to make this chocolate avocado cake/ cupcake recipe. I have heard avocados make for a great cake but I haven't tried it yet.
Carrots are such a great staple to use in dishes. The add flavour and crunch to soups, salads and casseroles. Not to mention anchoring carrot cake. Yum. This week I will be using my carrots to make some carrot fritters. I am excited to try these. The recipe calls for them to be fried but they could probably be baked too.
The rainbow chard pie I made last month was a great success and I would highly recommend it. I will either make it again this week or try out one of these new recipes I found. I like the look of the rainbow chard salad and risotto with chard.
Broccoli is so perfect eaten with butter or an easy cheese sauce. But this week I am going to use it to make a broccoli quiche. I love the idea of trying a broccoli pizza. Maybe next time!
The tomatoes this week would be great roasted in the oven with some sea salt and then tossed with pasta and feta. Or even used in homemade salsa. However, I am a huge fan of tomato soup and will probably use the lovely cocktail tomatoes in the box to cook up some homemade tomato soup. The only problem is deciding with recipe to choose! Roasted tomato soup with garlic? Chilled tarragon roasted tomato soup? Gazpacho?
The best item in the box this week had to be the pineapple. I love pineapple and I'm happy to eat it cut into pieces, on my pizza or added to a stirfry. It would also be great in fresh pineapple salsa, sweet potato pudding or pan fried rings.And perfect for April Fools Day are these pineapple fish sticks!
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.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Coming this week: March 31, 2011
by Brie
I just got my email invoice for this week's box. I am very excited by what will be arriving on Thursday and have started to think about what to make. This weeks box has:
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.
I just got my email invoice for this week's box. I am very excited by what will be arriving on Thursday and have started to think about what to make. This weeks box has:
- Gala apples
- Blueberries
- Pineapple
- Avocado
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Cocktail tomatoes
- Rainbow chard
- Yellow pepper
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.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17th box: Meals from around the world
by Brie
I love opening up our box and imagining all of the meals we could make with the produce inside. It's like looking at an empty canvas. The hard part comes when I have to narrow down all the choices.
I love opening up our box and imagining all of the meals we could make with the produce inside. It's like looking at an empty canvas. The hard part comes when I have to narrow down all the choices.
The bag of beets and crimini mushrooms are going to be part of a Ukrainian meal we are making for a weekend dinner party. I tried making homemade pierogies once before and they turned out great. This time I am going to make them with a potato and mushroom filling. The beets are going to be turned into borscht, with a little help from the big bag of celery from our box.
(I am trying to find new recipe ideas for beets. I thought this beet cake with cream cheese icing looked good. Do you have any yummy beet recipes to share?)
The broccoli and leaf lettuce are going to form the basis of two Thai meals. I am thinking of a broccoli and tofu stirfry served with noodles, although I still haven't decided on a sweet ginger sauce or peanut sauce. I love lettuce wraps because there are so many filling options. I love these soba noodles and vegetable lettuce wraps with hosin and chili sauce and curried chickpeas an quinoa recipes.
Finally, the spinach and basil are going to be used to make an Italian meal. I am still deciding between a spinach-walnut pesto and a warm spinach-basil sauce.
This week's box had bananas, blueberries and navel oranges. All great fruit to be eaten for snacks or as dessert!
(I am trying to find new recipe ideas for beets. I thought this beet cake with cream cheese icing looked good. Do you have any yummy beet recipes to share?)
The broccoli and leaf lettuce are going to form the basis of two Thai meals. I am thinking of a broccoli and tofu stirfry served with noodles, although I still haven't decided on a sweet ginger sauce or peanut sauce. I love lettuce wraps because there are so many filling options. I love these soba noodles and vegetable lettuce wraps with hosin and chili sauce and curried chickpeas an quinoa recipes.
Finally, the spinach and basil are going to be used to make an Italian meal. I am still deciding between a spinach-walnut pesto and a warm spinach-basil sauce.
This week's box had bananas, blueberries and navel oranges. All great fruit to be eaten for snacks or as dessert!
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.
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.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10th: Making muffins and roasting vegetables
by Brie
Our box this week arrived after dinner and the kids had to open it as soon as we dragged it into the house. They they had to sit and eat half the strawberries. I managed to snag one for myself and it was good!
Some anjou pears arrived in the box which means I will be making my favorite spiced anjou pear bread. This bread recipe has been one of my best discoveries and is perfect for taking visiting. It also got me thinking about how I could bake with the grapefruit. Grapefruit muffins anyone? And because we go through muffins like crazy in this house I am also going to turn the big bag of carrots into spiced carrot muffins. I like to make the mini muffins and freeze some to be pulled out when needed for snacks.
There were two greens in the box this week, Swiss chard and spinach. I am going to cook the chard with chick peas and fresh tomatoes and serve it with quinoa but you could also try a chard and goat cheese pizza or spicy Thai vegetable soup. I am going to try making these spinach brownies. The spinach would also be tasty in this curried lentil and spinach soup.
Whenever I see little potatoes in my box I always want to sprinkle them with some sea salt and roast them. Yum. You can't go wrong with roasted potatoes. I have the same urge with yams, but cut as fries. But they would also be great baked and served with cream cheese. The beautiful cauliflower will end up being roasted with sea salt and thrown into my favorite soup recipe. For something different you could try a cauliflower cheese pie or cauliflower curry.
Our box this week arrived after dinner and the kids had to open it as soon as we dragged it into the house. They they had to sit and eat half the strawberries. I managed to snag one for myself and it was good!
Some anjou pears arrived in the box which means I will be making my favorite spiced anjou pear bread. This bread recipe has been one of my best discoveries and is perfect for taking visiting. It also got me thinking about how I could bake with the grapefruit. Grapefruit muffins anyone? And because we go through muffins like crazy in this house I am also going to turn the big bag of carrots into spiced carrot muffins. I like to make the mini muffins and freeze some to be pulled out when needed for snacks.
There were two greens in the box this week, Swiss chard and spinach. I am going to cook the chard with chick peas and fresh tomatoes and serve it with quinoa but you could also try a chard and goat cheese pizza or spicy Thai vegetable soup. I am going to try making these spinach brownies. The spinach would also be tasty in this curried lentil and spinach soup.
Whenever I see little potatoes in my box I always want to sprinkle them with some sea salt and roast them. Yum. You can't go wrong with roasted potatoes. I have the same urge with yams, but cut as fries. But they would also be great baked and served with cream cheese. The beautiful cauliflower will end up being roasted with sea salt and thrown into my favorite soup recipe. For something different you could try a cauliflower cheese pie or cauliflower curry.
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.
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.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thursday, March 3rd: What do you do with a rutabaga?
by Brie
I knew as soon as I opened the box this week that I would be turning the butternut squash into my favorite soup. It is so simple and so good.
What I had no idea how to use was the rutabaga. I discovered there are actually a lot of different ways to cook it. Like mashed peppered rutabaga, soup or caramelized with onions. I am intrigued by this rutabaga souffle and plan to make it for Sunday dinner.
Whenever I see an avocado I always want to make guacamole. If I can stop myself from just cutting it up and eating it on its own first. So the avocado, along with cherry tomatoes on the vine and two yellow peppers that will be turned into salsa, will be saved for a Mexican feast. Maybe with a taco salad or black bean, spinach and mushroom burritos.
Spinach and broccoli are very versatile vegetables. Both are great in salads or pies. I want to try something different this week so I am going to make spinach and artichoke dip for a party and lemon broccoli risotto for dinner one night.
The box had some great fruit this week. The strawberries were eaten immediately. And the oranges and bananas will disappear soon too.
I knew as soon as I opened the box this week that I would be turning the butternut squash into my favorite soup. It is so simple and so good.
What I had no idea how to use was the rutabaga. I discovered there are actually a lot of different ways to cook it. Like mashed peppered rutabaga, soup or caramelized with onions. I am intrigued by this rutabaga souffle and plan to make it for Sunday dinner.
Whenever I see an avocado I always want to make guacamole. If I can stop myself from just cutting it up and eating it on its own first. So the avocado, along with cherry tomatoes on the vine and two yellow peppers that will be turned into salsa, will be saved for a Mexican feast. Maybe with a taco salad or black bean, spinach and mushroom burritos.
Spinach and broccoli are very versatile vegetables. Both are great in salads or pies. I want to try something different this week so I am going to make spinach and artichoke dip for a party and lemon broccoli risotto for dinner one night.
The box had some great fruit this week. The strawberries were eaten immediately. And the oranges and bananas will disappear soon too.
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.
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.
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