All posts tagged black radishes

Keeping It Fresh — More Vegetables, Please!

A new Boston Organics box is here and I working up a whole new list of things to make with this week’s treats. Now that we have had a taste of that early spring weather, some of my favorite vegetables are making an earlier appearance than normal (*cough* kale *cough*) — no complaints here! But this got me thinking — instead of my usual half-and-half delivery, how about changing it up to a mix of 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 fruit?

That is one of my favorite parts about my delivery, as long as I make my delivery changes by noon the day before my delivery — the Boston Organics team will make it happen. This includes changing my veggie to fruit ratio and updating my “no list” — sorry, I still don’t eat peas or lima beans and even I have a limit as to how many potatoes and onions I can use in a two week period.

So while I didn’t get the kale I was keeping my fingers crossed for — I still ended up with a nice selection of vegetables to keep me cooking, and eating, light over the next couple of weeks.

The vegetables:

  • 1 bunch chard
  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • 1 package pea shoots — a first for me!
  • 1 package white mushrooms
  • 2 packages carrots
  • 2 black radishes — so happy I can give Shulie’s Indian-Inspired Black Radish Salad another try!
  • 1 rutabaga — hmmmmm, what’ll I do with this?

The fruit:

  • 3 apples
  • 3 bananas
  • 3 blood oranges — so excited for these, I absolutely love them in salads and smoothies
  • 2 kiwis

This was a great change of pace for me. Believe it or not, I was starting to feel overwhelmed by all of the fruit. I was starting to get worried my crisper drawer was going to launch a rebellion. All of this aside, my last box gave me a lot of snack options — including a personal favorite, celery stalks with peanut butter (and maybe some nutella) — and fresh fruit for smoothies. Not one bit went to waste, and I did get to try out some new recipes.

A couple of new dishes that I tried:

  • Sautéed chard with garlic and lemon — this is a new favorite dinner side dish
  • Braised dandelion greens with pancetta — pancetta, my favorite kind of bacon, makes everything better. So much that I can eat this in a bowl like ice cream.

What would you make with any, or all, of the treats I got in this week’s Boston Organics box? Please link to your favorite recipes or tips in the comments below!

2 Comments
by Lena on March 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in In the Kitchen
Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Lena on March 29, 2012

https://lenaonthebeach.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/keeping-it-fresh-more-vegetables-please/

Keeping It Fresh — Take 1!

What's in the box?!

There’s something about spring being right around the corner that makes me start taking stock of my habits. Particularly in the kitchen.

I rummage through my cabinets and pantry to get an inventory of my existing staples together. I start pouring over any cookbooks that have been left somewhat abandoned over the past several months. I make a wish list of new foods that I want to try and recipes I want to test out. I start researching any vitamins and nutrients that may have been lacking, and come up with new ideas in order to get a bit of a boost as I move forward.

While all of this is great, there is one thing that I have been struggling with over the past year though. And that is letting too much good food go bad. Whether it’s because I overstock my fridge, or I run out of time and inspiration, throwing money in the garbage is not what I consider a good time. And what better place to start getting this in line than with my biweekly Boston Organics delivery box?

So starting with today’s delivery, I am making a commitment to promptly unpack my box of goods and then reach out to my friends here for some help. From recipe ideas to cooking tips, I will need some help with at least one ingredient and I am open to new ideas for most of the others. And of course, I will share my success — or experimentations, in some cases — as I work my way through each box.

This week’s box contained a little bit of the usual, a little bit of the unusual, and a little bit of the usual that I wish I could make a little bit more memorable.

The usual:

  • 3 apples
  • 1 avocado — these always come in handy, particularly considering my obsession with this recipe
  • 4 bananas
  • 1 grapefruit — have you tried broiling a grapefruit with just a touch of honey? No? You’re missing out.
  • 2 kiwis — these could easily get tossed in a salad or my morning yogurt, either way they won’t go to waste
  • 3 oranges
  • 2 lbs red potatoes — considering how close we are to St. Patrick’s Day, it may not be a bad idea to set these aside for another week or so
  • 1 head of green leaf lettuce — I do believe a citrus salad or two may be on the menu soon

The unusual:

  • 2 black radishes — I have absolutely no clue what I’m going to do with these, but I really don’t want them to wind up in the trash
  • 1 package mung bean sprouts — although I am intrigued by the Vegan Bibimbap that Laura whipped up over at Sprint 2 the Table

The usual that I want to make memorable:

  • 1 head of cauliflower — I would love to try my hand at a cauliflower and potato dal, but I have no idea of where to go for a reliable recipe. Can you help a girl out?

What would you make with any, or all, of the above? Please link to your favorite recipes or tips in the comments below!

9 Comments
by Lena on February 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in In the Kitchen
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by Lena on February 29, 2012

https://lenaonthebeach.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/keeping-it-fresh-take-1/