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!

Simple Ratatouille Recipe aka "Rat-tat-tat-too-eeee!"

This vegan dish with a complicated sounding name (unless you have seen the Disney movie) is a hearty entrée perfect to make on a Sunday and enjoy all week. You can change up the proportions of vegetables to your liking and adjust spices as well. While I used fresh herbs, if they aren't in season you can easily use dried herbs in their place, although the amounts may need to be adjusted. I developed this recipe as part of the round three Project Food Blog challenge of pairing wines at a six-course vegan dinner party.

To modify this for the HMR Healthy Solutions Diet, omit oil, use 6 ounces of vegetable broth and two tablespoons of vinegar in place of wine.

1 1-lb eggplant, skinned and diced
2 tsp salt
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
1 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb yellow onion, diced
 2 bell peppers, any color, diced (I used four small peppers but they are hard to find sometimes)
1 1/4 lb zucchini, diced
6 oz dry white wine of your choice

Spread eggplant in a single layer on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. After twenty minutes, press eggplant with fresh towels to remove liquid that the salt has brought out. Do not rinse.

In a deep pot, cook tomatoes, garlic, ground pepper, basil, and parsley on medium heat.

In a skillet, cook onion and bell peppers in olive oil for ten minutes on medium-high heat. When the vegetables have started to brown, add mixture to pot with tomatoes. Add eggplant and zucchini to tomato mixture as well and stir to combine all ingredients.

Cover the pot and cook on medium-low for 45 minutes. Add wine and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

I served the ratatouille with a brown rice couscous I found at Whole Foods. This filling dish made a tasting portion for 10 with tons of leftovers and could easily make 8 entrée portions. Nutritional information does not include couscous. One serving has 120 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 5.75 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein.

Strawberry Basil Sorbet in a Sweet Rice Ring

When I read the ingredients for the Royal Foodie Joust (strawberries, basil, whole grain), I knew immeadiately I wanted to make a strawberry-basil sorbet. However, my sorbet is not really sweet, so when considering the grain to pair with the sorbet, I chose a sweet steamed rice cake (also known as puto). I cut the rice cake into a ring and filled it with the sorbet.

Strawberry Basil Sorbet

2 cups diced strawberries
1 cup chopped basil
5 cups water
2 tbsp honey
1 lemon

Bring strawberries, water and honey to a boil. When the liquid begins to boil, remove pot from the heat. Add basil and juice the lemon into the pot. Chill. Once chilled, blend ingredients. Follow directions on your ice cream maker to turn mixture into sorbet.

Sweet Steamed Rice Cake aka Puto

2 cups rice
2 cups light coconut milk
4 packets Truvia*
dash of salt
1 tbsp baking powder
4 tbsp water

Grind rice into powder. You can use rice flour but I prefer to grind my own so it is still a bit chunky. Mix ingredients together and let sit for ten to thirty minutes. Pour into a tin and steam for 20-25 minutes. Cut into rings and let cool slightly. Fill with sorbet and serve immeadiately.

* I chose to use Truvia because I wanted to use a low calorie natural sweetener. You can sweeten the cake with your favorite sweetener, just taste it before you add too much!

I am entering this recipe in the Leftover Queen's Royal Foodie Joust!