6 Tips for Preparing Your CSA Produce

The shift towards seasonal eating can be difficult, but having the joy of farm fresh vegetables is well worth it. With CSA registration, you are about to take off on a culinary adventure, so we’ve put together a few tips to help you out along the way.

1. Roast. Nearly everything that you receive in your CSA box can be roasted, including the greens! Quickly broil them in the oven, toss them into a sandwich or lettuce wrap, add them to eggs or eat them as a side dish!
2. Risotto. Risotto is a rice and chicken broth based dish that veggies can be added to. Try inventing a new risotto recipe with unique finds from your CSA box!
3. Salsa. When tomatoes ripen in late summer, you should have everything you need to make an extremely fresh homemade salsa straight from your CSA box. You are the master of your own spice level, seasonings and consistency!
4. Sauté. You can put any vegetable from your CSA box into a sauté. Simply, chop up a veggie combination that fits your mood, then add them to a sauté pan with olive or coconut oil. Toss in garlic and onion first for a big flavor boost before adding your veggies one by one. Serve over rice, quinoa or on its own.
5. Soup. Make a garden-fresh soup any day with the produce from your CSA box. From gazpacho to a hearty minestrone, soup is always in season! Freeze any extras for a warm taste of summer when winter is in full blast. You can even save discarded ends of onions, carrots and celery in the freezer to make your own vegetable stock. 
6. Salads. Kale salad, cucumber salad, pasta or potato salad… your can make it all with your CSA produce box. Try adding roasted vegetables and local meats, make a salad without lettuce, or infuse white vinegar with fresh herbs for a flavorful salad topping twist!

The trick to eating seasonal is basing your meals around your produce rather than your produce around your meals. Use a variety of veggies in each meal to avoid spoilage. Only have a small amount of something? Use your produce as a pizza topping, mix it in with macaroni, add to an omelet, or spruce up your dish with a garnish. Be creative with your food and stay connected for more meal inspiration! 

Kale: Trending Now

How did Kale become such a hit? We’re not entirely sure, but it probably has something to with its unsurpassed health benefits. A simple one-cup serving can pack an enormous nutritional punch.

Kale Facts:

•         More vitamin C per gram than an orange.
•         More calcium per gram than milk.
•         More vitamin A & vitamin K than spinach, parsley, and collards.
•         Excellent source of manganese.
•         Contains fiber and protein.
•         Kale can reduce inflammation, cleanse the body of free radicals, and help prevent cancer.
•         A source of Omega-3 fatty acid, essential for brain health.
•         Nonfat and low in calories.
•         Other noteworthy nutrients include vitamin B, potassium, iron, and magnesium.

This super-food superstar is especially good for the eyes, heart, skin and bones. It helps with weight loss and lowering cholesterol. Kale is extremely versatile when it comes to cooking and is best paired with healthy fats and acids; this helps the body absorb the nutrients to it’s fullest potential. Steaming kale also aids in nutrient absorption.

This powerhouse of a plant is very hearty and can survive snowfall. It is one of the first to rise and the last to fall here in Michigan. Look for it in your CSA box all throughout the growing season!

Click here for 52 ways to eat kale! 

References:

www.worldshealthiestfoods.com