Tag Archives: locavore

Adventures in CSA (week 2): Surprised yet again!

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OK, seriously, I wasn’t expecting to see savings 2 weeks in a row. Really. But, there it is:

Week 2 CSA

Weight
(lb)

Grocery Store Unit Price
(per lb)

 Grocery Store Total Item Cost
Red Potatoes 1.97 $1.29 $2.54
Butternut Squash 3.73 $0.99 $3.69
Yellow Onions 1.20 $1.49 $1.78
Macintosh Apples 0.64 $1.59 $1.02
Asian Pears* 4.00 $2.00 $8.00
Beets* 1.00 $1.99 $1.99
Scallions* 1.00 $0.99 $0.99
Garlic** 1.04 $2.99 $3.11
Kale 0.95 $1.29 $1.22
Romaine Lettuce 1.07 $1.49 $1.59
Grocery Store Total Cost $25.93
Week 2 Savings (Deficit) $5.93
Program-to-Date Savings (Deficit) $10.28
Notes:
* Items are priced by the unit or bunch; I checked for rough equivalency (and they were close enough).
** Garlic from CSA was on the stem and thus might have weighed slightly less from the store. Difference would’ve been negligible.

So, now the question is: how long will this be sustained? Of course, this is an odd smattering of things – I’ve never even HAD Asian Pears before, and I’ve never been a fan of beets. Still, it’s interesting to see how it’s going so far and I’m curious as to how it’ll continue over the remaining 6 weeks of the program. The kale chips still need to be made, and I have some ideas of what I’m going to do with the beets (they’re destined for the crock pot tomorrow, along with one of the onions & some beef). I’ll post the recipe if it’s edible, including suggested mods if it’s promising but not *quite* all there yet.

Adventures in CSA (week 2): Beets, huh?

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OK, I’ll admit it: I’ve never been a huge fan of beets. As root vegetables go, it’s not one that I routinely gravitated towards. Potatoes, yes. Sweet potatoes, OH MY YES. Beets…? Well, not so much. BUT since part of the point of doing this CSA was to get myself branched out on the fruits and veggies that I eat, now’s as good a time as any to give beets another shot. So, when beets appeared in the CSA box this week, I said, “OK, time to make something with beets! Woo hoo!”

 

CSA week 2 box

Onions and apples and beets, oh my!

 

This week’s box contents:

  • Red skin potatoes
  • Butternut squash
  • Yellow onions
  • Macintosh apples
  • Asian pears
  • Beets
  • Scallions
  • Garlic
  • Kale
  • Lettuce

I haven’t yet figured out everything we’re going to do this week; plus, not everything needs to be used this week (or is fully ripe enough to use just yet). The squash is more likely to get cooked next week, after it’s had a chance to finish ripening. The potatoes are likely to be turned into rosemary-garlic fries again, and the kale is destined to be our first batch of kale chips (thanks to Daily Cynema for the recipe and to My Kinda Rain for inspiring her!). Don’t be surprised if the beets end up in the crock pot. Pretty much everything gets a go in the crock pot in this house, eventually.

Price comparison for the week 2 box will go up sometime on Monday, after I’ve had the chance to go to the store. Sunday, our usual grocery shopping day, DH and I will be walking a marathon (YES YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY) to raise $$ for the Jimmy Fund. So, cooking’s not super high on the priority list this weekend. That’s okay – it just gives me fodder for talking about what it takes to train to walk a marathon, assuming I’m able to make my way across the finish line Sunday under my own power. Wish me luck!

Tomato-Cucumber-Bean Salad

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The CSA box for week 1 gave us tomatoes and cucumbers. My first thought: why not make a salad? But, what else should I add…? Not having tons of time to make complex dishes or tons of stuff from scratch every day, making a simple salad like this helps out by providing a good salad that can be a side for lunch or dinner. Adding some beans gives it color – and more fiber (yeay!) – and helps me ignore the fact that I’d really like to add some feta. Since DH has not yet climbed on the feta bandwagon, I figured beans were the safer addition. His verdict: tasty win!

Tomato Cucumber Bean Salad

Pretty colors = Pretty tasty

 

Prep Time:  5-7 mins

Cooking Time: n/a

Serves: 4-6

 

Ingredients

1 large slicing or heirloom tomato, washed and chopped into small pieces

1 large cucumber, washed and chopped into small pieces

15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

15 oz can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

2 Tb lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

 

Make it Happen

Stir to combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use either a few grinds of salt and pepper or a small amount, checking for taste as you go.