The Box Meal Plan
Every market day, we seek out recipes to make it easy for you to use all the items in the box. We recommend looking through previous posts if you don't like this week's recipes.
Posted 3/24/2013 5:10pm by Bill Pastellak.
This recipe comes from newsletter reader Brittany who says this is a great recipe for kids and adults alike. With a double share of strawberries in the box, this is a great (and easy) way to use up some strawberries.
Mushroom Soba & Miso-Braised Mustard Green
This is really two recipes, but they are meant to go together. The mushrooms soba uses the eggs, scallions, and mushrooms while the miso-braised greens use up the mustards (obviously...). I prefer to use lighter colored miso. It's rich in umami flavor and is a perfect vegetarian substitute for chicken stock.
Mushroom Soba & Miso-Braised Mustard Green
This is really two recipes, but they are meant to go together. The mushrooms soba uses the eggs, scallions, and mushrooms while the miso-braised greens use up the mustards (obviously...). I prefer to use lighter colored miso. It's rich in umami flavor and is a perfect vegetarian substitute for chicken stock.
Roasted Kale Chips with Sea Salt and Vinegar
Like salt & vinegar chips, but with kale. I like to mix up the vinegar, oil, and salt with a 1/2 t. of cornstarch before mixing with kale to help the seasonings on the kale during the baking process.
Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
This recipe is fancy, but by using high quality ingredients you can create a salad dressing that beats the pants off anything at the grocery store. Strawberries have a crazy short shelf life, so make sure to make this recipe right away before your berries get the fuzz.
Posted 3/20/2013 4:10pm by Bill Pastellak.
This recipe comes from newsletter reader Brittany who says this is a great recipe for kids and adults alike. With a double share of strawberries in the box, this is a great (and easy) way to use up some strawberries.
Turnip Greens with Corn Meal Dumplings
Mustards and collards are more common, but I've always thought turnip greens to be the best. Not as spicy as mustards and not as bitter as collards, they combine the best of the both worlds. This recipe also use the polenta in the box to make dumpling to soak up all those wonderful juices.
Turnip Greens with Corn Meal Dumplings
Mustards and collards are more common, but I've always thought turnip greens to be the best. Not as spicy as mustards and not as bitter as collards, they combine the best of the both worlds. This recipe also use the polenta in the box to make dumpling to soak up all those wonderful juices.
Pickled Mushrooms
The earthiness of mushrooms can turn some people off, so this recipe is great way to add in some assertive flavors to balance it. These work great on an antipasto plate or as simple finger food.
DIY Grapefruit Bitters
Now that citrus season is coming to its bitter end (oh, how I love puns...), its time to preserve some of that great citrus flavor for the rest of the year. The herbs may sound strange, but they can all be found locally at Maypop Herb Shop.
Posted 3/12/2013 12:25pm by Bill Pastellak.
Swiss chard is my favorite green, hands down. The colors of rainbow chard look great on a dish and its earthy, slight spinach flavor separate it from the more common bitter greens like mustards, collards, and kale. Make sure to use quality Parmesan for this recipe.
Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamom
This dish plays on the subtle sweetness of turnips and adds in some assertive flavors to make up for the turnips mild flavor. Feel free to use half turnips, half sweet potatoes, as the spices in this recipe go well with both vegetables.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans & Maple Syrup
If you ever wondered what the farmers did with their produce, here you go. This recipe came straight from the facebook page of Frank Fekete Farms, the grower of the brussel sprouts in this week's box. You'll need to pick up an extra pound or so of brussel sprouts, but I assure you its worth it.
Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
I've made olive oil cakes with every other type of citrus, so I thought "why not grapefruit?". The slight bitterness of grapefruit makes this cake doable for either a light weeknight dessert or as a breakfast pastry. I highly recommend a bundt pan for this recipe, It makes a beautiful cake and makes clean up a cinch.
Posted 3/10/2013 6:14pm by Bill Pastellak.
Until I started working at Hollygrove, radishes were non-existent in my diet. Fortunately, after an encounter with some delicious pickled radishes, I decided to give them a chance. This quick pickle adds a nice crunch to sandwiches or with a cheese and meat plate.
Roasted Beet and Strawberry Salad
Strawberry and beets make a delightful combo and serve as the focal point of this flavorful salad. Fee free to sub out the regular red onions for the smaller spring red onions in the box. To make this salad (almost) 100% local, use local honey and goat cheese from the market.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans & Maple Syrup
If you ever wondered what the farmers did with their produce, here you go. This recipe came straight from the facebook page of Frank Fekete Farms, the grower of the brussel sprouts in this week's box. You'll need to pick up an extra pound or so of brussel sprouts, but I assure you its worth it.
Spicy Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
This hearty vegetarian dish is a packed full of nutritional goodness thanks to the sweet potatoes and kale. Lentils are a great go-to legume and make a great base to tie all these flavors and ingredients together.
Posted 3/5/2013 12:10pm by Bill Pastellak.
Pickled Radishes
Until I started working at Hollygrove, radishes were non-existent in my diet. Fortunately, after an encounter with some delicious pickled radishes, I decided to give them a chance. This quick pickle adds a nice crunch to sandwiches or with a cheese and meat plate.
Balsamic Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta
There's nothing I love more than a flavorful, refined dish (like this one) that literally takes less than 20 minutes to put together. There are a ton of flavors in this dish, but they all work really well together. Make sure to use high quality balsamic vinegar for this recipe. Tip: Add a few cracks of black pepper to this dish. It helps to bring out the floral notes of the strawberry.
Until I started working at Hollygrove, radishes were non-existent in my diet. Fortunately, after an encounter with some delicious pickled radishes, I decided to give them a chance. This quick pickle adds a nice crunch to sandwiches or with a cheese and meat plate.
Balsamic Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta
There's nothing I love more than a flavorful, refined dish (like this one) that literally takes less than 20 minutes to put together. There are a ton of flavors in this dish, but they all work really well together. Make sure to use high quality balsamic vinegar for this recipe. Tip: Add a few cracks of black pepper to this dish. It helps to bring out the floral notes of the strawberry.
Colcannon
There's nothing fancy about colcannon, but then again, its not meant to be. This comfort food composed of mashed potatoes and cabbage is a great way to get some greens into an otherwise empty side dish. Tip: You can jazz this recipe up by tossing in some crisped bacon or smoked meat like kielbasa.
Italian Greyhound with Rosemary Sugar
I don't often put drinks on here, but this cocktail is a perfect way to highlight to grapefruit in this week's box. If you don't have any access to rosemary, let us know and we can get you a sprig from on-site.
Posted 3/1/2013 1:31pm by Bill Pastellak.
So far, this uniquely German dish has been the best recipe I have found to prepare red cabbage. The ingredients are simple, but the depth of flavor to this dish is great. Plus, the color of the finished dish is a deep, dark purple (how cool is that?!). For a complete meal, serve with mashed red potatoes (or sweet potatoes to keep it local) and pork chops.
Balsamic Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta
There's nothing I love more than a flavorful, refined dish (like this one) that literally takes less than 20 minutes to put together. There are a ton of flavors in this dish, but they all work really well together. Make sure to use high quality balsamic vinegar for this recipe. Tip: Add a few cracks of black pepper to this dish. It helps to bring out the floral notes of the strawberry.
Blood Orange Vinaigrette
Unfortunately, blood oranges are on their way out, so it's time to start using recipe that makes them last a little longer. Blood oranges are particularly sweet, making them a great fruit to use for a well-balance vinaigrette. This salad dressing will last two weeks (covered) in the fridge.
Cream-Braised Brussels Sprouts
Braising the brussel sprouts in cream help off-set their bitterness. I like a to add a 1/4 t. or so of fresh ground nutmeg to add another layer of flavor to this dish.
Posted 2/27/2013 4:28pm by Bill Pastellak.
German Red Cabbage
So far, this uniquely German dish has been the best recipe I have found to prepare red cabbage. The ingredients are simple, but the depth of flavor to this dish is great. Plus, the color of the finished dish is a deep, dark purple (how cool is that?!). For a complete meal, serve with mashed red potatoes (or sweet potatoes to keep it local) and pork chops.
Vegetarian Collard Greens and Black-eyed Peas
Collard greens and black eyed peas has been a staple for decades upon decades (centuries maybe?) in the south and is really a complete meal in itself. Typically flavored with a smoked ham hock, this recipe substitutes liquid smoke to give it that great flavor while still keeping it vegetarian. Serve over grits or with cornbread to round out the meal.
So far, this uniquely German dish has been the best recipe I have found to prepare red cabbage. The ingredients are simple, but the depth of flavor to this dish is great. Plus, the color of the finished dish is a deep, dark purple (how cool is that?!). For a complete meal, serve with mashed red potatoes (or sweet potatoes to keep it local) and pork chops.
Vegetarian Collard Greens and Black-eyed Peas
Collard greens and black eyed peas has been a staple for decades upon decades (centuries maybe?) in the south and is really a complete meal in itself. Typically flavored with a smoked ham hock, this recipe substitutes liquid smoke to give it that great flavor while still keeping it vegetarian. Serve over grits or with cornbread to round out the meal.
Crunchy Kale Chips With Sea Salt & Sesame Seeds
Kale chips are catching on these days and now can even be bought at Whole Foods or Rouse's. While I'm glad to see they're becoming more mainstream, there's no need to pay and arm and a leg for something that can be made at home in a jiff. Make sure to coat the kale leaves in liberally in olive oil otherwise they'll dry out in the oven and the salt won't stick to them.
Pickled Beets with Orange and Rosemary
I made this dish for a dinner party this past Monday and it did not disappoint. Despite being chock full of different flavors, the quick pickle comes together incredibly well, creating a flavor that is much more than the sum of its parts. Tip: Use an extra 1/4 c. of apple cider vinegar in the recipe to give this dish a little more acidity.
Posted 2/22/2013 11:24am by Bill Pastellak.
Originally from northeastern Pennsylvania, this dish (pronounced ha-loosh-key) is as common there as red beans and rice are in New Orleans. This is comfort food at its best --- simple flavors, lots of butter, and a healthy dose of pasta. Surprisingly, the star of the dish is cabbage (and lots of it!). This recipe calls for bacon grease to saute the cabbage and onion, but vegetable oil can easily be substituted to make this dish vegetarian.
Spring Turnip Chopped Salad
This salad intrigues me because it uses turnips in way I've never seen before. This dish is almost like a cobb salad, but without the heavy ranch dressing or watery iceberg lettuce. The biggest surprise of this dish is the use of the turnip greens as the salad green, providing the dish with some much needed bitterness and spiciness. This dish is a bit out there, but is an interesting way to prepare turnips outside out "roasted" or "mashed".
Crunchy Kale Chips With Sea Salt & Sesame Seeds
Kale chips are catching on these days and now can even be bought at Whole Foods or Rouse's. While I'm glad to see they're becoming more mainstream, there's no need to pay and arm and a leg for something that can be made at home in a jiff. Make sure to coat the kale leaves in liberally in olive oil otherwise they'll dry out in the oven and the salt won't stick to them.
Pickled Beets with Orange and Rosemary
I made this dish for a dinner party this past Monday and it did not disappoint. Despite being chock full of different flavors, the quick pickle comes together incredibly well, creating a flavor that is much more than the sum of its parts. Tip: Use an extra 1/4 c. of apple cider vinegar in the recipe to give this dish a little more acidity.
Posted 2/15/2013 11:45am by Bill Pastellak.
Collards are usually flavored with a big piece of smoked meat, but can made just as easy (and tasty) with a good quality vegetable stock. There's not much to this recipe, which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners. Serve this over steamed rice (in the box) or with a baked sweet potato for a light vegetarian dinner.
Shiitake mushroom & ginger broth
The strong, earthy flavor of shiitake mushrooms make them great as the base flavor for soup. This broth is pretty versatile and can be either served on its own or with a healthy dose of fresh vegetables and some tofu.
Crunchy Kale Chips With Sea Salt & Sesame Seeds
Kale chips are catching on these days and now can even be bought at Whole Foods or Rouse's. While I'm glad to see they're becoming more mainstream, there's no need to pay and arm and a leg for something that can be made at home in a jiff. Make sure to coat the kale leaves in liberally in olive oil otherwise they'll dry out in the oven and the salt won't stick to them.
Making Herbal Vinegars
Making herbal vinegars is a great (and easy) way to preserve the flavor of your fresh herbs. The following guide gives you all you need to make fantastic herbal and fruit vinegars at home for a fraction of the price you would pay at the store.
Posted 2/13/2013 4:30pm by Bill Pastellak.
Tangelo-Tangerine Pudding
Despite the fact I've made countless citrus curds, it never crossed my mind to make a citrus pudding .This light dessert is a great way to utilize the tangelo, which, despite its great flavor, can be a bit seedy and not so fun to snack on.
Shiitake mushroom & ginger broth
The strong, earthy flavor of shiitake mushrooms make them great as the base flavor for soup. This broth is pretty versatile and can be either served on its own or with a healthy dose of fresh vegetables and some tofu.
Despite the fact I've made countless citrus curds, it never crossed my mind to make a citrus pudding .This light dessert is a great way to utilize the tangelo, which, despite its great flavor, can be a bit seedy and not so fun to snack on.
Shiitake mushroom & ginger broth
The strong, earthy flavor of shiitake mushrooms make them great as the base flavor for soup. This broth is pretty versatile and can be either served on its own or with a healthy dose of fresh vegetables and some tofu.
Crunchy Kale Chips With Sea Salt & Sesame Seeds
Kale chips are catching on these days and now can even be bought at Whole Foods or Rouse's. While I'm glad to see they're becoming more mainstream, there's no need to pay and arm and a leg for something that can be made at home in a jiff. Make sure to coat the kale leaves in liberally in olive oil otherwise they'll dry out in the oven and the salt won't stick to them.
Carrot-Blood Orange-Beet Juice
Fresh, raw juice after a long night of parades and partying is the swift kick in the ass that will help you get your day started. Be sure to include the beet greens and a few stems of the carrot greens. They're chock full of vitamins and minerals and their bitterness will help balance the sweetness of the juice. For those without juicers, head on over to Satsuma for a selection of equally delicious and healthy juices.
