Spring CSA Week 1

I've had a grin on my face all day.  Because...

Today was the first day of the year for our veggie CSA!

We got a newsletter beforehand telling us what to expect, and since I saw bok choy and harukei turnips on there, I decided to set the rice cooker before we went to pick up, because I could throw together a mean stir-fry with those field-fresh veggies.  After doing that, the kids and I headed to the farm...which happens to be about 5 minutes away, smack dab in the middle of the Chicago suburbs.

Here's what we got:

Spring garlic, beets, harukei turnips, lettuce, and bok choy.  It might not seem like much yet, but the amount of each is decent, and we've been having a very cold, wet spring so far, not the greatest for spring production.  

So, once I got it home, here's how things went:  I prepped myself to process the veggies by having my good knife and a couple of cutting boards ready, and some plastic bags in various sizes.  I also have a handy chart from way back in the first year that I did the CSA that tells you how everything is best stored, for reference.  I have most of it down pretty well after the years, but I like to have a safety net.  Don't want any of that precious veg to go to waste!  If you're curious, the on-line version of it is here.

So, I started by removing the turnip greens from the turnips, bagging each separately.

Then I bagged the lettuce.

Then I trimmed the ends of the garlic leaves to make it easier to store.

Then I separated the beets from their greens.

So, this is what I had to go in my fridge:

And this is what I saved out for dinner:

Bok choy, one of the larger harukei turnips, a spring garlic, and some of the turnip greens.

So, I chopped up the turnip greens.

And the bok choy.

And the garlic.  Spring garlic can be used just like green onion, but it has a stronger garlic flavor.

And I grated the turnip.

Three other easy ingredients, and dinner is ready to throw together.  Oil, meat, and a good teriyaki sauce.

Heat the oil and brown the meat.

Throw in the veggies and cook for a couple of minutes.

Toss in the sauce and bring it to a simmer.

Serve it over rice or noodles, and there you go!  Spring CSA stir fry!

If you're local, and if you're interested, rumor has it that Green Earth Institute still has open spots in the regular season and fall CSA shares.  Check out their website for more information.

As for the rest of it, my plan is for risotto with beet greens tomorrow, salad with dinner, probably use some of the greens in some grits for breakfast, try a new beet muffin recipe using the teeny beets grated up, and the garlic?  Well, we love garlic, so I'll throw that in just about anything...except for the muffins.