Last Wednesday evening I stopped by Fulton Street Farmers Market to pick up a CSA share from Groundswell Community Farm. In the share I received kale, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, zucchini, celery, lettuce, broccoli, melon, carrots, and cucumbers. Epitomizing the abundance that a Michigan summer harvest can offer a CSA member, this share left me with a full fridge and exorbitant options for simple, healthy meals.
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When I first got my share I sat down and thought through my meals for the week. I accounted for the quantity of each vegetable I had received and thought through which vegetables would spoil fastest in order to create a rough outline of how to use the share most effectively. Planning out my meals makes it much easier to think through how to use every vegetable and ensure that I have all of the ingredients I need for dishes ahead of cook time.
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I decided to start with vegetable tacos, using plenty of summer squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. This recipe was really simple and left me with plenty of food to share. While I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast I wanted to make a quick salad for lunch so I chopped up a cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and walnuts and tossed them in a bowl with the lettuce. It was easy, quick, and extremely fresh. For dinner, I decided to roast up the potatoes with kale. This is a meal that I usually save for colder months but I had all of the ingredients available and it sounded too good to pass up. Crisp kale and seasoned potatoes pair extremely well together and this dish reminded me that there is something to be yearned for in winter cooking. For my next breakfast, I sliced up the melon and ate it with my cereal and coffee. It was the first melon I had all season and it was incredibly flavorful, I savored every bite!
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I had a camping trip planned for the weekend so I made sure to chop up plenty of raw veggies, including broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and celery. The raw veggies served as a great snack in the car and on the hiking trails. For lunches, I wanted to make one of my favorite childhood recipes, celery succotash. I found a spin on the recipe that incorporated squash and zucchini along with the classic celery, tomatoes, and onions, so I tried it out. It was light, refreshing, and full of nutrients, a perfect meal for camping.
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Cooking this share provided me with several wonderful meals and encouraged me to celebrate all that can be grown during peak season in Michigan.
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Veggie Breakfast Tacos
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Ingredients
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- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into 2-inch long, thin strips
- 1 small yellow squash, sliced into 2-inch long, thin strips
- 1 red pepper, seeded, membranes removed and chopped
- ½ lime, juiced
- Salt
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 6 eggs, scrambled
- Hot sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped
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Preparation
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To make the veggie filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 teaspoons olive until shimmering. Add onions and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the squash is softened and cooked through but not mushy, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and squeeze the juice of ½ of a lime over the veggies. Season to taste with salt, stir to combine, then set the pan aside.
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To scramble the eggs: Scramble the eggs in a bowl with a few dashes of hot sauce, a sprinkling of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Scramble over medium-low heat until the eggs are lightly set. Fold in the tomatoes and transfer the scrambled mixture to a bowl.
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To prepare the tacos: Warm each corn tortilla in a pan over medium heat, flipping occasionally. Transfer warmed tortillas to a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep them warm. Top each tortilla with scrambled eggs, followed by veggies, and garnish with a sprinkle of jalapeño, feta and cilantro. Finish with a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce and/or salsa.
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Recipe adapted from Kate Taylor
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Simple Summer Salad
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Ingredients
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- 2 sliced tomatoes
- 1 bag of lettuce
- 1 sliced cucumber
- ½ onion
- 1 cup walnuts
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Preparation
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Chop up tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl, crumble walnuts on top, and enjoy!
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Roasted Kale & Potato Skillet
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Ingredients
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- 1 bag kale
- 4 T extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 red or gold potatoes, sliced very thinly
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- sea salt & ground pepper
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Preparation
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Heat 2 T of the olive oil in large skillet. Add onion and kale; sauté kale until wilted, adding garlic toward end of sauté. In 12″ cast iron skillet, add 2 T olive oil to cover bottom of skillet. Layer the following in this order: Seasoned potatoes, seasoned kale, seasoned potatoes, and then seasoned kale. Drizzle olive oil generously over top of ingredients, pressing down firmly into skillet. Sprinkle more salt & pepper. Bake at 400 degrees until potatoes are done and kale and potatoes begin to brown & crisp.
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Recipe adapted from Family Savvy
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I simply enjoyed the melon with breakfast.
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Summer Succotash Salad
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Ingredients
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- 2 cups beans
- 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow squash, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- ½ stalk celery, very finely chopped
- ½ cup very thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
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Preparation
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Place beans in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes for fresh beans. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add corn, onion, squash and zucchini and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl of beans. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 1 hour.
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When the beans and vegetables are cool, stir in tomatoes, celery and basil. Whisk vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing is creamy and well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the succotash and toss to coat.
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Recipe adapted from Eating Well
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Finally, I chopped up the remaining veggies to eat raw while camping. Raw vegetables are incredibly easy to prepare and are delicious, especially in the middle of the growing season!
