May 26, 2009
Posted by Michelle
Look at me — I’m a hippy!
A few months ago my husband and I decided to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). After some researching, we settled on Spiral Path Farm in Pennsylvania because they were affordable and they deliver to our local farmers market. The appeal mostly had to do with getting fresh, local produce… plus the thought of getting this mysterious box filled with who-knows-what and figuring out what to do with it each week was totally exciting! I must add, though, that I have usually avoided organic produce in the grocery store only because of the additional cost. I understand why I should be eating organic, but the price tag has been hard to stomach. When I priced out the CSA, it came to $15 per week. I’m not certain, but I am pretty sure that we spend that much on an equivalent amount of conventional produce from the grocery store. This turned out to be a great way to start eating organic at home. I did learn, however, that getting organic produce sometimes means finding bird poop on your spinach. Lesson learned.
So the first box came this weekend. It included:
- Fresh spinach bunches
- Spring baby lettuce mix
- Spring onions
- Broccoli
- New red potatoes
- Baby spinach
I called it our Beginners Box. All of the items were things that I buy on a regular basis and know how to make. Awesome, I can’t screw up my first CSA box! So then the big question… what am I going to make with all of this stuff?! I love to grill. LOVE to grill. My immediate thought was “can you grill spinach?” I do grill broccoli and I do grill red potatoes and I do grill spri
ng onions. All set to grill as many of these ingredients as possible as a way of welcoming these items into our home, a thunderstorm. Fall back plan — my ultimate clean-out-my-fridge meal turned use-lots-of-CSA-items meals: Frittata. This is a win-win! I sliced the potatoes and roasted them with a little black pepper; cut the broccoli into spears and roasted them with some cayenne (everything has a little heat in this house); and sauteed some of the spinach and spring onions with some garlic. The pan was layered potatoes – spinach/onion mixture – egg whites – broccoli – goat cheese crumbles and a sprinkling of dried basil. Let it set on the stove top on medium heat, then under the broiler to finish. First CSA meal was a success!
But wait… how would one who usually buys conventional veggies store these super fresh organic veggies? I confess, I had to turn to google for the answer. (Thank you, University of Missouri Extension School.) Veggies are resting in our fridge and my mind is racing through all of the meal possibilities for the next few nights. Any suggestions?
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5 Comments
May 26, 2009
I suggest making good dinners that your husband likes.
Nice first post!
May 27, 2009
Wow Michelle that frittata sounds delicious! I would have never thought of doing that! Now if only I can get my girls to eat spinach!
Love the website by the way!
May 27, 2009
The beauty of the frittata is that you can add whatever you like! I have used sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, sun dried tomatoes, peppers, anything that they’ll eat.
May 27, 2009
Looks great! Invite me and Keith over for delicious food. We’ll bring you vino and wear bright-smiling faces!
May 28, 2009
Hi Mish, That chicken with pesto is a great idea. I didn’t know that you joined a CSA. Surprise, we are members of one too! Are you starting a compost in the backyard? I suggest it. I know you have plenty of room you are going to have a ton of debris from all of your fresh veggies. Lots of leaves, stems and extra stuff attached. Plus you will have great food for your garden.
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