What do you do with your CSA box?

Ok, so I just wanted to take a little time to show you what I work on every week after getting my box from the Graber CSA. This week we received Broccoli, Swiss Chard, Cilantro, Radishes, Blueberries, Red Raspberries, Black Raspberries, Hot Peppers, Onions, Beets, Spinach, Cucumber, Kohlrabi and Yellow Squash. Here's what happened with it all...

Blueberries get frozen (they are Larry's absolute favorite and he is out of town right now). When frozen, they are transferred to a baggie and they aren't frozen in one block.

We didn't get very many raspberries, so I'm making shrubs with them. Cover with apple cider vinegar for 10-14 days on the counter. Then drain and add equal amount of honey to the liquid. You can use this to flavor water and tea--it's delicious and keeps forever in the fridge. I usually just eat the berries after I drain them or you can throw them in chuntney.

Washing lettuces--for salads

Steaming the beets. (I hate beets, but you gotta use them! You'll see how below)

Pureeing the beets

Washing the broccoli, beet greens, collard greens and spinach.

Steaming all those as well, separate from the beets.

Two purees for hiding in food.

Pink Pancakes

3/4 c. quick oats processed in food processor

1 scoop protein powder

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1Tbsp. baking powder

1 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 c. pureed beets

Mix together. Makes 20 4-5 inch pancakes

Not so pink after cooking, but the kids love how pink they are during.

This water left over from the steaming does not go to waste...

Use it to make rice. Just measure and use half as much rice to have vitamin-filled rice waiting in the fridge. My picky son eats rice with brown sugar sprinkled on top and I feel a little better giving him this rather than white rice.

One cucumber, one kohlrabi, some apple cider vinegar, water, sugar and dill from my garden are combined for a refreshing salad waiting in the fridge.

I won't need my cilantro for a while so I chop it finely and place 1 Tablespoonful in each ice cube spot and fill with water. These can be used in soups or defrosted and used in mexican recipes and salsa.

One cuke chopped for snacks.

This pepper is sliced thinly and then placed in the freezer for a recipe that only Larry would eat, like the casseroles he takes to work (no one else likes these in the house).

We will use the yellow squash browned with s&p and parmesan cheese in a skillet in the next few days. The onion? Still not sure. I do not like onions, but I usually grate them and put them in ice cube trays to use in sauces or recipes for Larry's work.

The small onions? They will just go into my broth bag...

My broth bag is a bag of veggie scraps that I save in the freezer until it is full. I will then make veggie or chicken broth (with chicken scraps saved in the same way). This makes the broth absolutely free! I haven't purchased broth in 8-10 years!

Even the water isn't wasted. All the water used to wash the veggies and lettuce has been saved and will be used to water my potted garden plants outside. We pay waaaay too much for water to let it go down the drain! Oh, I dream of the day we are in the country and have a well...

I also have the green puree to make brownies. That will be done tomorrow. I will also have to make broth as you could see, the broth bag is full!

Well, that's it! I used all my CSA veggies! Although I'm a little picky and don't like everything, I still find ways to use it all and get nutrition snuck into our food.