The Box Meal Plan
Blueberry Peach Salsa
-Blueberry & peaches are a great combo for a variety of dessert dishes, but they also work well for savory dishes. Use this salsa for chips or as a topping for grilled chicken. If you don't have Aleppo pepper, mix equal parts paprika & cayenne as a substitute.
Strawberry Syrup
-Strawberries are almost done for the year, so this recipe ensures you will have some strawberry flavor for at least a little while longer. The corn syrup (not high fructose) called for in this recipe is the Karo syrup found at all grocery stores. Use this for your kid's strawberry milk or as a topping for pancakes.
Pickled Eggs & Onions
-Strong flavors abound in this recipe, but pickled eggs and onions are a wonderful delicacy for those that can handle it. Like all recipes we post, these pickles don't require canning.
Cucumber Water
-To call this a recipe would be a bit of a stretch, but it doesn't change the fact that it is quite possibly the most refreshing drink ever. The recipe says 2-3 slices, but feel free to use much more if you like the cucumber flavor. With a half a cucumber, you can refill 4-5 times before the flavor starts to dissipate.
Blueberry Peach Salsa
-Blueberry & peaches are a great combo for a variety of dessert dishes, but they also work well for savory dishes. Use this salsa for chips or as a topping for grilled chicken. If you don't have Aleppo pepper, mix equal parts paprika & cayenne as a substitute.
Strawberry Syrup
-Strawberries are almost done for the year, so this recipe ensures you will have some strawberry flavor for at least a little while longer. The corn syrup (not high fructose) called for in this recipe is the Karo syrup found at all grocery stores. Use this for your kid's strawberry milk or as a topping for pancakes.
Leek Salad
-I'll take leeks any day over the other alliums (garlic, onions, shallots). Their flavor is well-rounded and doesn't overpower dishes like garlic or onion. This Mediterranean salad is perfect fit for the summer produce in the box.
Roasted Beet Ice Cream
-You'll need an ice cream maker for this one, but I guarantee its worth it. This recipe comes from Jenni's Splendid Ice Creams which is quite possibly the best home ice cream book ever. There's a number of expensive ice cream makers out there, but I've found this old-fashioned rock salt one to make ice cream as good as anything in stores without costing an arm and a leg.
Fried Green Tomatoes
-My fried green tomatoes always come out rock hard and tasteless, but the author of this recipe has seemed to have that taken care off. I like to make a po-boy out these guys topped with goat cheese and remoulade sauce.
Glazed Carrots
-This simple recipe that almost everyone has probably made is fancied up by the addition of five spice powder. Make sure to half this recipe with the amount of carrots in the box.
Blueberry-Chevre Scones
-Blueberry + Chevre + Baked Goods = Yum! Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a slight lemon flavor that compliments the blueberries.
Summer Squash Soup with Basil
-This soup recipe takes the mild flavored summer squash and livens it up with quality vegetable stock and fresh basil.
Yellow Squash and Mozzarella Quiche
-Quiche is one of those dishes I wish I made more. It's got everything you could want in a breakfast dish: cheese, veggies, eggs, and some starches (the crust). This recipe pairs thyme with the mild flavor of yellow squash (or zucchini) for a great breakfast/brunch dish.
English Cucumber Sandwiches
-Why not? Cucumbers (to me) mean either pickles or cucumber water, so I figured I'd step out on a ledge with this one. Mix up a Pimm's Cup with these sandwiches for a 100% English cocktail hour.
Sriracha Fridge Pickles
-This recipe takes advantage of the often discarded chard stems and turns them into a delish quick pickle. Not a fan of Sricacha? Try this recipe instead.
Spicy Spinach & Feta Hummus Dip
-This dip takes the great flavor combo of spinach, feta, & cumin and combines it with hummus to make a wonderful dip for all you Jazz Fest festivities.
Blueberry Basil Vinaigrette
-Homemade salad dressing are the easiest things in the world to make and taste infinitely better than anything in stores. Toss 3-4 basil leaves in the recipes and make sure to use balsamic vinegar.
Colcannon
-Colcannon is staple in my dinner rotation thanks to its quick preparation and loads of healthy veggies. The white potatoes in the box this Saturday are a fine substitute for yukon gold potatoes.
Penne with Green Beans & Basil
-Green beans and basil are a lesser know combination, but a good one nonetheless. The bunch of basil in the box should be sufficient to make both this and the blueberry vinaigrette if so desired.
Spicy Spinach & Feta Hummus Dip
-This dip takes the great flavor combo of spinach, feta, & cumin and combines it with hummus to make a wonderful dip for all you Jazz Fest festivities.
Roasted Curried Cauliflower
-Roasted cauliflower is like candy to me. Add some curry powder to the mix (which pairs perfectly with cauliflower) and you have a perfect side dish or healthy snack.
Cajun Rice Risotto
-Risotto is typically done with short grain arborio rice, but it can easily be adapted to work with the whole grain jasmine rice in the box. The key to this recipe is stirring the rice constantly in order to release the starches from the rice and make the dish creamy.
Pickled Cucumbers and Red Onion
-The first cucumbers of the year are hear plus we have some beautiful full sized onions from Holden, LA. Pickling is the perfect technique for mild flavored summer produce and preserves your food for up to three weeks in the fridge.
Soy Sauce Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms
-Pickled shiitakes are a nice change of pace from your run of the mill pickles. Half or quarter the amount of ingredients in this recipe depending on how many shiitakes you have.
Roasted Beets with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction
-For the few of you who actually make it home before eating up all your blueberries, here's a simple recipe that makes the most out of the first blueberries of the year.
Colcannon Soup
-Colcannon is basically just potatoes, onions, and some cabbage all mashed up. A staple Irish dish, its filling, nutritious, and cheap. This dish is great turned into a soup (I've done it a dozen times) and makes the ingredients go a little further. Substitute equal parts kale for the cabbage called for in the recipe as it works equally well.
Quick Strawberry Jam
-Strawberries can go from perfect to mushy and overripe in no time flat, so it's important to use them right away. This recipe for strawberry jam takes 10 minutes and will keep in the fridge (covered) for up to two weeks.
Herbed Vinegar
-Herbed vinegars are a great way to preserve your herbs and add a complex flavor to your vinaigrettes and salad dressings. Any herbs will work with this recipe, but take note of the type of vinegars and their herb pairings.
Pasta with Fava Beans, Kale, and Bacon
-Sticking two starches in one dish (pasta & beans) is often a recipe for disaster, but not here. All the ingredients in this dish complement one another and end up creating a tasty pasta dish without the need for a tomato or cream sauce. Use high quality olive oil, Parmesan, & bacon since this dish utilizes only a few ingredients.
Zucchini Bread
-I never quite understood who came up with the idea to put zucchini in a spice cake, but I imagine it was someone trying to get their kids to eat more vegetables. Regardless of its origin, zucchini bread is a wonderful as a breakfast pastry or a (healthy-ish) dessert. Substitute raw sugar for white and use local pecans from the box to make this dish almost entirely local.
Quick Strawberry Jam
-Strawberries can go from perfect to mushy and overripe in no time flat, so it's important to use them right away. This recipe for strawberry jam takes 10 minutes and will keep in the fridge (covered) for up to two weeks.
Brown Rice Pudding
-Good rice pudding is a nice treat everyone once in a while. I'm sure everyone has a nice supply of the Cajun Grain rice in your cupboard, so this recipe can start to put a dent in it. Rather than dried fruit as the recipe recommends, top with the quick strawberry jam.
Carrot & Sweet Potato Mash
-This week we are fortunate to get some honest to goodness full size carrots (no more tiny, baby carrots). Kids will go crazy for this slightly sweetened mash without even realizing there is almost two pounds of vegetables in the dish. Sweet potatoes & carrots are full of sugar, so I would eliminate the brown sugar for a tablespoon or two of local honey. Sprinkle some roasted pecans on this to put this dish over the top.
Scrambled Eggs with Leeks, Fava Beans, Crispy Breadcrumbs
-This recipe makes use of the leeks and fava beans plus the wonderful yard eggs we have at the market. Rather than scrambled eggs, I would recommend turning this dish into a fritatta. Follow all the steps until it says stir the eggs. At this point, turn the heat down to medium low until the a light golden brown crust forms on the bottom which releases east from the pan. At that point, finish the dish in a 375 degree oven until the eggs set. When done, slide out of non-stick pan and cut into slices or cubes.
-Strawberries can go from perfect to mushy and overripe in no time flat, so it's important to use them right away. This recipe for strawberry jam takes 10 minutes and will keep in the fridge (covered) for up to two weeks.
Brown Rice Pudding
-Good rice pudding is a nice treat everyone once in a while. I'm sure everyone has a nice supply of the Cajun Grain rice in your cupboard, so this recipe can start to put a dent in it. Rather than dried fruit as the recipe recommends, top with the quick strawberry jam.
Fresh Fava Bean Hummus
-Fresh fava beans take a little bit to process, but once you taste the results you'll see why its worth the effort. This simple fava bean hummus will blow away anything you can buy in stores.
Kale & Sweet Potato Soup
-Greens and sweet potatoes are a "can't miss" combo. The spicy coconut milk broth ties these ingredients both together for a quick vegetarian soup that can act as a dinner in itself with the addition of rice.
-I know, I know...rhubarb is most definitely not local, but so what when a pie is this good. Straight strawberry pie can taste a bit flat, so the rhubarb brightens it up and gives it a little texture. If you purchase pre-made pie crusts, the prep time is about 20 minutes, making this recipe doable on a weekday night.
Pickled Zucchini
-The pickling craze continues, this week with the first zucchini of the season. Quick pickles (of any kind) are a great way to process your produce and will hold (covered) in your fridge for up to two weeks.
