Summer produce is holding strong for another week despite scorching temps. I’m super excited about sweet, juicy local cantaloupe from Acadian Family Farm, and a local avocado too! Glad to see our South Texas friends in the Local Box this week, as citrus and avocados from G&S Groves may be in limited supply over the next few weeks as the farm takes a summer break.
Here are my ideas for this week’s bounty:
How to Use Fresh Herbs? We’re getting 2 bunches of assorted fresh herbs this week, and they could be anything** from basil, rosemary, oregano, dill, chives, or mint. They will wilt quickly since they’re freshly picked and the temperatures are so high, so if you’re not sure how to incorporate them into a meal, a fun way to use them is to make your own Herb Vinegar. You can quickly preserve them and have a yummy vinegar to use in homemade salad dressings for weeks to come!
Meal one: I’m always a big fan of recipes that yield leftovers early in the week, so I’m going to start with a hearty a Tomato & Butternut Squash Curry, served over brown rice. You’ll likely have extra butternut squash, and I’ve got a tasty plan for that in meal three. (Note: You can go ahead and cube all of your butternut squash and store it in a sealed container in the fridge to make it easier on yourself later in the week.)
Meal two: I won’t be able to wait any longer to enjoy those fresh-from-the-field pinto beans, so I’m going to whip up a cooling Pinto Bean Salad with my local avocado and tomatoes. Add a pickling cuke for extra crunchiness! This recipe calls for canned beans, but you can sub your fresh ones in with the same cooking instructions.
Meal three: Okra time! I’ve roasted okra before, but this Roasted Okra Salad takes it to the next level. If you still have sweet potatoes left over from last week, this is a great use for them, and I’ll be throwing in the extra butternut squash from meal one as well. Note this recipe makes 12 servings, so you can easily quarter it depending on how many you are feeding.
Meal four: I’ve been neglecting all the beautiful fruit in this week’s box, so I’ll use it for an end-of-week treat. Cantaloupe and lime go oh-so-well together in this refreshing summer salad, which I’ll serve alongside grilled chicken or fish. And dessert? Baked pears, stuffed with local goat cheese… ’nuff said.
**Need help identifying your herbs? Click here for a helpful pictorial guide with lots of tips, or feel free to email us a pic and we’ll be happy to help!
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