My dear Community,
How’s summer rolling along for you? Have you been making anything especially delicious you’d like to share? Send us a picture and we’ll post it on our blog. I’ve been making a lot of gazpacho, pesto with different herbs (not just basil!), zucchini in various forms: cold salads, zoodles and bread. Last week I roasted an epic spaghetti squash with sundried tomatoes, olives and chicken. Being a Leo, I feel I really vibe with the hot weather and summer produce. At the same time, I run a few different businesses, have two little boys and so need my nourishment to be able to be quickly prepared. Getting the CSA box home and taking 20-30 minutes for produce prep is key to my success. I take off the carrot tops, wash lettuce and chop it up, roast squash (later in the evening as things cool down) and make an herb based dressing. This regular practice in our household helps diversify our meals, otherwise we just end up eating a lot of noodles.
Hope you had a great weekend. I spent it in Big Sur soaking up the palpable energy that comes from basking in mother nature and the spiritual place that is Big Sur. Running through the canopies, swimming in waterfalls and spending all day at the beach watching the ocean crash its mighty waves. Maybe it’s being forced to disconnect from technology, or the coast line splashing up against you, but it’s a reminder of how healing mother nature is.
Be good to each other.
CSA Contains:
RED LEAF LETTUCE
BROCCOLI
CARROT
RED BELL PEPPER
CROOKNECK SQUASH
STRAWBERRY
CUCUMBERS
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
YELLOW ONIONS
MOUNTAIN MAGIC TOMATOES
BIG BOX ADD: CARROTS, BLACKBERRIES, DELICATA SQUASH, FINGERLING POTATOES, RED BUTTER LETTUCE
JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
STRAWBERRIES
RED BELL PEPPER
BROCCOLI
JUICE FEAST:
CARROTS x2
ROMAINE LETTUCE
CUCUMBERS
BLACKBERRIES
LACINATO KALE
STRAWBERRIES
CELERY
ITALIAN PARSLEY
RED BELL PEPPER
FUJI APPLES
FRUIT EXPANSION: STRAWBERRIES + STONE FRUIT
LETTUCE of the WEEK: RED BUTTER LETTUCE
MUSHROOM MIX: SHIITAKE + OYSTER from WOLFE FARMS
Coconut Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie (with sneaky veggies)
Ingredients:
For the smoothie:
2 pitted large Medjool dates
1 cup light coconut milk, plus more to thin if necessary
1 cup frozen cauliflower (I omit this because it tastes horrible to me)
¾ cup sliced zucchini (about ½ a medium zucchini, sliced – freeze beforehand to make your smoothie super thick)
1 tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter (any nut or seed butter will work)
1 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at The Ambitious Kitchen)
Spicy Pesto Cheese Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers
Ingredients:
3-4 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
1 zucchini or yellow summer squash, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups tomato sauce
red pepper flakes
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
3/4 cup basil pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
1/2 cup pepperoni slices (optional)
fresh basil, for serving
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Half Baked Harvest)
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Zucchini Soup
(Also gives slow cooker and stove top directions)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
kosher salt and pepper
3 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
4 cups broccoli florets
2 bay leaves
1 cup whole milk (or sub coconut milk)
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Half Baked Harvest)
Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
Ingredients:
1 head broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces
4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
¼ cup red onion chopped (sub yellow)
¼ cup red cabbage chopped into slivers (sub red bell pepper)
¼ cup carrots shredded
Honey Dijon Dressing
2 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at With Sweet Honey)