CSA Box: Eggplant, Tomato, Basil, Kale, Okra, Radish, Garlic, Arugula, Onion

This week my CSA box screamed BAKE ME. Maybe it was the small sample loaf of multi-grain bread from a local bakery, Bread and Bun, that was included this week. Or maybe it was the lack of vegan calzones in the freezer. Or perhaps it was just the dizzying array of fresh goodies in this week's box. In addition to the bread, this week included:

• Thai Basil
• Italian Eggplant
• Red Russian Garlic
• Arugula
• Red Russian Kale
• Long Red of Florence Torpedo Onions
• Okra
• Easter Egg Radishes
• An Heirloom Tomato
• A Slicing Tomato

First, I HAD to make kale chips. You knew that was happening. I am sure there are other ways to prepare kale, but with my busy life and my love of dehydrated kale, I couldn't see another use. Red Russian imparted a different flavor profile, a little less sweet than curly kale, but still very good!

Since I had extra trays in the dehydrator, I decided to slice the heirloom tomato thin, lay it in a single layer on the tray, and sprinkle it with Italian seasoning. Now I also had herbed tomato chips! These were super yummy as an evening snack a plane trip.

I also fell back on another favorite. I made Okra Fries with the small bag of okra pods. To answer a question from last week, baking the okra in this method doesn't leave them super slimy. They are soft on the inside but crisp on the outside which I think helps.

It may not be a real "calzone" but I used a number of ingredients to make 8 vegan sandwich pockets which then were individually wrapped and frozen for quick lunches and dinners. Using the dough recipe from these pockets, I diced the eggplant, sprinkled it with salt and let it sit for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I sauteed the onions and garlic (which I had diced) in organic canola oil. I squeezed the excess liquid from the eggplant and added it to the pan. Then the slicing tomato was added along with the basil. I added nutritional yeast after cooking and filled the dough with the prepared mixture then baked according to the instructions.

The arugula and garlic was used in a cold barley salad. I cooked the barley with some of the garlic then tossed it with an unfiltered olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette along with peas, cherry tomato quarters, and the arugula. The leftover arugula became a simple green salad that paired nicely with the pocket sandwiches.

The radishes and onion were so pretty, I had to make another salad! This one involved slicing the radishes, an onion, and an English cucumber thinly. I sprinkled them lightly with salt and then pressed the water out of them. I made another dressing with olive oil and red wine vine and some of the dried chili peppers from last week and tossed the vegetables in the dressing.

If I didn't enjoy making my own bread, I would definitely order more from Bread and Bun. This multigrain loaf became my afternoon snack for several days. I would slice a couple of thin slices off the bread and put creamy almond butter and Nutella on it. So tasty!

CSA Box: Squash, Turnips, Okra, Tomatoes, Corn, and more!

Produce picked fresh the day you pick it up from the farm. Who could imagine something better that delicious goodies you can see being grown and prepare that evening in your home! Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has been growing in popularity around the country. A CSA is when a local farm offers up limited "shares" of the harvest for sale to community members. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to purchase a half-share at Full Circle Farms in Sunnyvale, Calif. After picking up my first week of produce, I posed a question to Twitter to see if anyone would be interested in how I am using my CSA box each week. You asked, and I delivered. This was my box for the week of October 11th.

This delivery included:

• Silver Queen Corn
• Red Russian Kale
• Oils of Paicines Organic Olive Oil Sample
• Yellow Borettana Onions
• Sage
• Mixed Peppers: Poblano, Hot Wax, Dried Cayenne
• Slicer Tomato
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Hakurei Turnips
• Sweet Dumpling Squash
• Okra

I knew I would be traveling for part of the week at a debate tournament. Which meant that I both wanted to ensure I used the produce before traveling but also wanted to bring some of these goodies with me on the plane.

Corn: I did a quick partial steam on the corn to set the milk. Once it cooled, I used the OXO Good Grips Corn Peeler I scored from IFBC, to shuck the kernels. I then dehydrated them and bagged them for use later this winter. Snuck a couple bites for a snack and it was sweet and country. Can't wait to throw them into a dish or just munch on them one afternoon!

Kale: This one was easy. Kale chips!

Olive Oil & Sage: I washed and left the sage leaves to dry between paper towels. I then sliced the sage leaves into ribbons and added it to the oil to infused. I should have sage oil soon!

Onions: Sliced thin, I added these to a homemade miso soup.

Mixed Peppers: Sliced and dried to spice up future recipes!

Slicer Tomato: Sliced and ate fresh by itself. Fresh local tomatoes are amazing!

Cherry Tomatoes: These were cut in half and tossed into the dehydrator. After drying, I had snacks for the plane.

Turnips: These were sliced super thin, tossed in a drizzle of organic canola oil and some sea salt and chili powder. Dried to make turnip chips for traveling.

Squash: Sliced and drizzled with coconut oil. Roasted. Yum.

Okra: Spicy Okra Fries to enjoy on my trip to the airport.

Hopefully this gave you some ideas! I look forward to sharing the bounty and how it is used each week. However, I would love your ideas. How would you have used the goodies in this week's CSA box?

Easy Pear Chips in the Dehydrator

I was one lucky blogger last Friday at BlogHer Food when the USA Pear Council was packing up their table and offered me a giant glass vase full of pears. There were many varietals of pears and my mind was a flurry with everything I could do with them. With travel plans in my near future, I knew the first thing I had to make was travel friendly fare: Pear Chips!

If you had the chance to meet me at BlogHer Food, you may have had a chance to sample kale chips or several other dehydrator experiments that are in the works. Confession: I am glad no one is around to sample these pear chips because they are just so darn good! The vitamin C tablets help prevent discoloration. The darker chips below are a varietal that has more natural pigment than the other chips.

Pear Chips made from several pear varietals. Regular chips on the left and cinnamon chips on the right.

Dried Pear Chips
Four Semi-Ripe Pears, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch on a mandolin
6 Vitamin C Tablets, crushed
Water
Ground Cinnamon (optional)

Mixed vitamin C tablets with water. Add sliced pears and soak for ten minutes. Remove slices and pat dry. Lay on dehydrator trays in a single layer, do not overlap! You can sprinkle the slices lightly with cinnamon.

Dry at 135 degrees for five to seven hours until you reach desired crispness. Store in airtight container away from light. If you even get around to storing them :o)

Makes two servings: 141 calories, 7.5 grams of fiber

Super Easy Crispy Kale Chips (that aren't baked!)

While reading an article in the latest copy of Vegetarian Times about using your dehydrator to make healthy snacks, a friend told me that Ellen recently gave Lady Gage a kale bikini. I turned the page and there was a recipe for kale chips. I was inspired. And it didn't hurt that I found a Nesco dehydrator on sale the next day. It was like someone was telling me I had to make kale chips. So I did.

These chips are crunchy, sweet, and salty with a hint of citrus. It was quick and easy to prep and ready in one night. I portioned the chips out and will be taking them to this weekend's debate tournament to munch on instead of the less healthy snacks that will be available. Can't wait!

In addition to the incredible flavors, these kale chips are also good for you. Kale is rich in vitamins A, C, and K as well as a good sources of calcium. There are also a number of studies that suggest diets that include cruciferous vegetables like kale may reduce your cancer risks.

This recipe also includes nutritional yeast which is a dry, yellow, inactive yeast that has a cheesey flavor. It is a good source of B12, protein, and fiber. You can usually find it in the bulk section of health food stores. If you haven't tried it before, don't be afraid of it like I was the first time I bought it. It has a distinct smell but one I have grown to love. In addition to using it in this recipe, I also recommend sprinkling it on air-popped popcorn after drizzling the popcorn with unfiltered olive oil. Yum.

Using the dehydrator has several advantages over attempting to make kale chips in your oven. First, is that the chips maintain their bright green color instead of browning and don't get brittle. Second, you have the option to prepare the chips at a lower temperature if you prefer to eat a raw foods diet. Finally, according to "How to Dry Foods" written by Deanna Delong, energy costs are much higher using a traditional oven.

 

Kale Chips

1 bundle of curly kale leaves, approximately a lb

5 tsp organic canola oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1.5 tsp sea salt

4 tbsp nutritional yeast

Tear kale leaves into pieces about the size of your palm or slightly smaller. Tear around the more bitter center stalk to avoid including this tough and chewy part of the leaf. Wash and spin dry the kale pieces.

Toss kale with oil, juice and salt. Make sure to coat the leaves. Add the nutritional yeast and toss to coat the leaves.

Lay leaves out on the dehydrator in single layer and set temperature to 125 degrees. It will take two to four hours to dry to a crisp chip. Check at the second hour and then again periodically, removing the smaller leaves which will become crunchy before the larger, more dense leaves. You can choose to set the temperature lower if you are only eat raw foods, but it will take longer to come to a crisp.

Store in an airtight container in a dark cool place.

Makes approximately 5 servings - 89 calories, 5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein

(modified from "DIY Fruit & Veggie Chips," Vegetarian Times, October 2010)

Kale