Tag Archives | lettuce

Local Box Meal Plan: April 25-29

By on April 26, 2011 in Uncategorized

Well, hello heirloom tomatoes. So nice to see you again! If you’ve been sweltering in the 90-degree days we’ve been having lately, at least take heart in the fact that the heat is helping local tomato crops.

Spring Lettuce Mix – Tecolote Farm
Chard – Bradshaw Farm
Brussels Sprouts OR Green Beans – Hillside Farm OR Naegelin Farm
Summer Squash – Acadian Family Farm
New Potatoes – Green Gate Farms
Flat Leaf Parsley – Tecolote Farm
Heirloom Tomatoes – Bluebonnet Hydroponic
Mango – G&S Groves
Crisp Green Leaf Lettuce – Lund Produce Company

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPH8Ol1glOM&w=448&h=252&hd=1]

Tangy herbed lettuce soup – I told you last week I’d find you a lettuce soup recipe! This one even uses up some of the potatoes you’ll get this week. Use the green leaf lettuce you get for this recipe, and stick with using the spring mix in salads. Also, use parsley instead of basil (unless you happen to have basil on hand, in which case I’d use both).

Tomato-squash skillet – I usually don’t cook heirloom tomatoes because they have such an amazing raw flavor, but if you’re tired of salads and don’t feel like eating them raw this week, try this recipe. I might add a few chickpeas to round out the protein here and make it a vegan main course, or mix in some diced, cooked chicken if you eat meat.

Chard-mango smoothie – What? Chard in a smoothie? I know! Sounds weird, but I’m a fan of spinach in smoothies and this isn’t far off. Just give it a shot if you’re skeptical – I think you’ll be surprised at how non-chardy it tastes. I would add about a cup of a liquid to this recipe, maybe some almond milk or orange juice. 

For the brussels sprouts and green beans, I’m thinking a nice turn on the grill would work for both – I’m loving grilled veggies these days. Grease a grill wok and add the veggies tossed in some olive oil and your favorite seasonings (I’ve been using lemon pepper lately). Grill over medium-high heat until tender, around 10 minutes, stirring often to keep the ones on the bottom from burning. Make sure to trim the green beans or halve the brussels sprouts before cooking. If you don’t have a grill wok, just put the veggies on a big piece of aluminum foil on the grill, or use your broiler instead.

- Stephanie

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Local Box Meal Plan: April 18-22

By on April 19, 2011 in Uncategorized

Here are some easy recipes that you  can serve at any holiday meals you might host this weekend.

Easter Egg Radish – Animal Farm
Red Beet Bunch – Acadian Family Farm
Kale – Texas Natural
Mushrooms – Kitchen Pride
Scapes – Green Gate Farms
Garlic – Fruitful Hill Farm
Mustard Greens OR Escarole – Tecolote Farm
Spring Mix – My Father’s Farm
Strawberries – Naegelin
Red Leaf Lettuce – Naegelin

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=espfbPjp0ak&w=448&h=252&hd=1]

Garlic scape and almond pesto – This would be good over fish, or pork, even.

Strawberry and beet tartare – This sounds so interesting! I’m thinking it makes a good spread for water crackers.

Radish tart – A good vegetarian brunch dish.

Fettucine with mustard greens and mushrooms – Escarole will work here if that’s what you get. This recipe makes a lot, so you’ll probably have to halve it because you won’t get enough mushrooms for the whole recipe.

Kale with caramelized onions and garlic – I like the addition of onions to the traditional sauteed kale.

As the lettuce we’re getting is a pretty tender kind (as opposed to tougher varieties like romaine), I’m just going to use it in salads. I’m working on digging up some other ways to use lettuce, but most of the more tender varieties just won’t stand up to cooking.

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Local Box Meal Plan: April 4-8

By on April 5, 2011 in Uncategorized

We’re getting lovely Easter egg radishes this week! Not only are they mildly flavored, the aptly-named radishes come in shades of red, pink, purple, and white. Here’s your entire list, video, and meal plan.

Pea Shoots – Acadian Family Farm
Green or Red Leaf Lettuce – Acadian Family Farm
Strawberries – Oak Hill Farm
Green Chard – Naegelin
Spring Onions – Gundermann Acres
Multicolored Beets – Animal Farm
Heirloom Garlic – Lund Produce
Romaine Lettuce – Tecolote
Easter Egg Radish – Animal Farm
Turnip Greens – Revolution Gardens

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_3jOtwgHo&w=448&h=252&hd=1]

 

Braised radishes and spring onions – The original calls for icicle radishes, but just thickly slice the ones you get and cook until tender. Toss in some sliced spring onion bulbs to add flavor to this simple side dish.

Salads with roasted beets, pea shoots, romaine lettuce, toasted walnuts, and this strawberry vinaigrette – Just use regular balsamic vinaigrette if you can resist how tasty this dressing looks.

Fresh strawberry bread – I’m thinking I’m going to toast thick slices of this baby for breakfast. Yum.

Turnip greens and chard with green garlic – This recipe calls for prosciutto, which may be my favorite of the salted, cured meats. Leave it out if you’re anti-pork.

- Stephanie

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Two Local Box Salads

By on March 28, 2011 in Uncategorized
Salad with roasted beets, orange, cilantro, lettuce, and dandelion greens

 

The thermometer on my porch tells me that spring in Texas is over. The highs have  been in the 80s all week, and I have been compulsively checking the weather forecast for some sign that the Texas summer isn’t really starting yet. Today’s overcast skies and cool breezes give me hope. And did you know that some parts of the country had a blizzard this week? There must be hope for a spring snow day in Austin, right??

 

I probably won’t hold my breath. One good thing about this season-straddling weather is the simultaneous availability of local avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, citrus, beets, spring greens and winter greens. Having so many beautiful veggies together in my fridge a sign from above to make salad.

 

This week I created two new salad recipes that each come together in about 10 minutes, no cooking required. (Roast the beets ahead of time!) Each recipe makes an easy vegan main dish for two, or the perfect starter for a dinner party for 6.

 

The first recipe uses winter flavors of roasted beet, orange segments, and bitter greens for oomph. The second recipe is a classic guacamole salad, with cumin, cayenne and green garlic for heat since jalapenos aren’t in season yet. The inspiration for both salad dressings came from Elise Bauer’s Orange and Beet Salad Recipe. Her dressing base of olive oil and wine vinegar is genius in that she adds a little powdered mustard to help the dressing emulsify. I added some local ingredients–like Round Rock honey and cilantro from Naegelin farms– to her dressing recipe to enhance the flavors of the veggies and help them shine in each salad. I also opted for Texas pecans and dandelion greens in my version of the beet salad. You can’t beat the nutty pecan flavor against the pucker of bitter dandelion greens.

 

Salad of Roasted Beets, Oranges, Dandelion Greens
1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
1 bunch dandelion greens, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
3 beets, roasted and skins removed, chopped (Do this ahead of time so they are cool!!)
2 navel oranges, peeled and segmented
1/4 cup pecan halves
Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare all veggies and fruits and combine in a large bowl. Whiz the dressing ingredients together in a blender, or mix them together in a small jar. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss, serve immediately.

 

Salad of Avocado, Tomato, Cilantro and Green Onion
1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
1 bunch green onions, white part reserved, green parts chopped
1 bunch green garlic, white part reserved, green parts chopped
2 avocados, peeled with pits removed, chopped
3 tomatoes, cored and chopped
Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
white parts from one bunch green garlic
white parts from one bunch green onions
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare all veggies and combine in a large bowl, reserving the white stalks of the green garlic and green onions for use in the dressing. Combine stalks with remaining dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse until veggies are completely pureed and dressing emulsifies. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss, serve immediately.
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Local Box Meal Plan: March 14-18

By on March 15, 2011 in Uncategorized

Happy Last Average Frost Day in Central Texas! We continue our march toward spring with more slicing tomatoes this week, along with some tasty cool weather produce.

Slicing Tomatoes – Gundermann
Lettuce Heads – Fruitful Farm
Spinach – Naegelin Farm
Mustard Greens – Gundermann
Shallot Scallions – Lund Produce
Navel Oranges OR Grapefruit – G&S Grove
Bok Choy OR Green Cabbage OR Collard Greens – Naegelin Farm
Green Garlic – Texas Daily Harvest
Multicolored Carrots OR Beets – Animal Farm

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNWTDFKLnQ4]

Stuffed tomatoes – These are filled with a cheesy spinach mixture. I’ll add chopped shallot scallions or green garlic for more flavor.

Mustard greens with honey orange vinaigrette – Use grapefruit instead of oranges if you get them, and add sliced green garlic or shallot scallions.

Chicken lettuce wraps – If you’re looking for something to do with your lettuce besides make salad. You can leave out the carrots if you don’t get them, but I think it would be tasty to add some chopped collards, cabbage, or bok choy to the mix, whichever you get.

If you get beets, this honey-balsamic beet recipe looks awesome.

- Stephanie

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