Anyway, the reason I thought of coming here today is that I need a place to capture my family's experiment for the summer. We are not healthy eaters - we eat out a ton, we eat alot of meat, fried foods, pasta/carbs and NOT alot of fruits and vegetables. That would be why most of us are overweight and low on energy most days.
But....I decided this is the summer that I, and thus the family since I am the grocery shopper and main cook, start to eat a bit healthier. The goal of the summer is to try new things that we can add to our menu - various salads, veggies, fruits, etc. At first it will just be to add those items to our diet and not worry about removing the other items. The eventual goal is to cut way back on the less healthy foods and enjoy the majority of our meals with healthier options. However, we have to like the fruits and veggies first and that's a big challenge, especially for me.
To help in this endeavor I bought a share at New Century CSA - a produce co-op. I am so excited to start receiving these bundles of produce every Friday. Dave asked - couldn't we just buy these items at the store? Well, sure we could...but we don't. This way I am paid for the entire summer and we will get the produce whether we 'want' it or not. It will definitely be an adventure!
Our first delivery comes in three days. Here's what we will be getting:
1 Lettuce, Leaf (red or green) (1.0 head)
1 Spinach (1.0 bag)
1 Radishes (1.0 bunch)
2 Green Onions (1.0 bunch)
1 Kohlrabi (1.0 bunch)
1 Strawberries (1.0 basket)
1 Cabbage, Napa (1.0 head)
So, here's where I need your help! Give me suggestions for great salads or other things we can make with these items. They don't have to be the healthiest of options (such as eating the strawberries with cream and sugar). My goal is to try them in a variety of ways so we can figure out how we like to eat them.
I will keep you apprised how the meals go!
4 comments:
It's nice to see you back! Spinach and strawberries together make a great salad. Fresh radishes are delicious as a snack. Green onions are great to cook with. Good luck!
Do you just eat the radishes like you would an apple? Just take a bite and go?
I've found in trying to eat healthier around here is to try to make the food look as appetizing as you can- especially with the kids (granted mine are young), or incorporate the new veggies into recipes that you already are familiar with. My kids were incredibly leery of zucchini (and the monster plants in my backyard) until I first introduced it to them in the style of chocolate chip muffins.
With the list you have, if you want to incorporate them into a single meal (or are looking for a theme), check out doing some sort of Asian-inspired chicken on the grill with a fresh salad (incorporating the greens, sliced radishes & crunchy cabbage) with mandarin oranges, a soy-based dressing (see below) and garnished with the onions bias-sliced. Now I'm hungry!
Radishes can be finely chopped and blended with dill and chives into a really good compound butter; you can sneak them onto people's plates that way. :)
Consider a quick jam of the strawberries; with a bit of sugar and lemon juice atop the stove you can create a fresh preserve that will last much longer than fresh. (To store fresh, just sit them in a colander in the fridge unwashed, wet berries go moldy/mushy faster, and wash before using.)
Dressing suggestion (I can look up others if it sounds good, this seems to follow along what I've done before):
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/asian-ginger-dressing/
http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/809695/8-things-to-do-with-napa-cabbage
http://www.thekitchn.com/afternoon-snack-radishes-with-85341
Aside: Writing about food when you're hungry is sort of like grocery shopping when you're hungry. You tend to go overboard...
W
Glad I kept you in my Google Reader all this time!
As for the radishes and kohlrabi, no idea.
But I know I would make a strawberry spinach salad with the lettuce, spinach, and strawberries, throw on some grilled chicken and toasted pecans (ok, I know you don't like nuts, but they are SO GOOD). Toss with some raspberry vinegrette dressing and yum! there you go!
Do you like cole slaw? That would be a good way to use the cabbage.
Also, strawberries...we eat tons of them. I wash them and cut them up and then toss them with some powdered sugar. Yep, that's right I sugar them. I know its not as healthy, but I will serve them as a side dish with lunch or dinner like that and they get eaten up like crazy. If I just put them out whole or not tossed with sugar no one will eat them.
I know your kids are not little, but seriously, if you serve something with toothpicks they will be more likely to eat it! I still to this with strawberries, pineapple, etc.
As for salads in general, get lots of different dressings. I like Italian for a garden salad, Ranch for a BLT salad, vinegrette for a fruity salad, Thousand Island for a chef salad, etc. I just got an asian dressing that is Panera's brand (found it at Target) at it is seriously yum. I think that can make a big difference. Don't just stick with your go-to fall back dressing.
Thats all I got for now. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this produce and what you get over the summer!!
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