Recipes for your CSA Box

Article & Photographs by Carolyn Manney

Back in January I started a Dinner Project on my blog where each week I write down what I eat for dinner then post it up there, usually accompanied by a photo of one of my more memorable meals. Or if I happen to forget to take a photo of a meal you may find a random picture of a plant, or maybe even a goat. Like this guy from Noble Springs Farm. 

I didn't really think much of it when I started this project, I just thought it would be kind of fun, which it is. But now I'm entering week twenty-something and as I go back through these last few months, it's become apparent that I may in fact have an actual cooking style. One that makes me realize even more how much I am like my mother, in the best way. If there's one thing she taught me about cooking, it's that ideally a meal should be as easy to make as it is delicious. So now that's how I roll in the kitchen. 

This is also the first year I've ever had a CSA and even after a mere two weeks of picking up my weekly box, I feel as though the whole CSA concept was designed specifically for me. It's like having a personal shopper. Did I mention that the other trait I inherited from my mom is my tendency to dislike grocery shopping? I like farmers markets because the options that are laid out in front of me are the best of the best and there are always just the right amount, never too many. And combining that type of shopping experience with a CSA really makes the whole grocery shopping/what-to-cook-for-dinner decision-making process rather enjoyable. I crave simplicity, if you haven't already noticed. 

The one thing I will tell you though is that a CSA box is a whole lot of food. And come Tuesday night when you have to clean out your fridge to make room for Wednesday's box, there you see it out of the corner of your eye, an entire bundle of chard you could've sworn you'd eaten over the weekend. And not only is it just sitting there patiently waiting for you to whip it up into something spectacular, it's also hiding that head of lettuce that you were pretty sure you'd eaten alongside the chard. Such is the life of the CSA member, but there are far worse problems than having too much delicious food. 

That being said, it's important with a CSA to have a steady stream of new recipes coming in to keep things fresh and fun in the kitchen, or else it can get a bit overwhelming. I tend to seek out recipes that allow me to change things up depending on my mood, what I'm craving or what happens to be left in the fridge, but that I know will taste good every time. 

For instance, I am a little bit obsessed with anything delicious wrapped in two soft corn tortillas. I blame Mas Tacos directly for this obsession because when I first had her fried avocado taco, it sort of blew my mind how good a taco could taste. I had no idea. So now, I usually make some sort of taco-related dinner at least two or three times a week. They're virtually impossible to screw up and always taste pretty delicious no matter what. And I find they're the perfect way to use up those CSA leftovers. 

Some of my favorite taco combinations include:  Caramelized Onions & Chard; Chipotle Shrimp & Mango Salsa; Grilled Steak & Onions;  Chipotle Black Beans, Cilantro & Sour Cream; Pulled Chicken & Kale (photo below). Pick your favorite combination, jazz it up with queso fresco, sour cream, yogurt sauce or salsa, and you're pretty much good to go. 

My other recent go-to recipe comes from Mark Bittman's latest cookbook, The Food Matters (By the way, this is a great cookbook full of healthy, delicious, earth-friendly recipes). 

Green Barley Pilaf

This recipe is great as is or you can fancy it up however you want. The other night I added sauteed shrimp mixed with about 2 Tbsp canned chipotle peppers (the amount depends on how spicy you like your food) and then I squeezed a lime on top of the whole thing. It was pretty delicious, if I do say so.

Mark Bittman also recommends adding chopped nuts or olives and serving alongside tacos or refried beans.

Preparation & cooking time: about 45 minutes with pearled barley, or 90 minutes with hulled barley

Serves: 4

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving

1 onion, chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 cup pearled or hulled barley

3 cups vegetable stock or water

Salt and black pepper

1 pound spinach, roughly chopped

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or large saucepan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the barley and cook, stirring, until glossy, about 1 minute. Add the liquid and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

3. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook until the grains are tender and the water is almost entirely absorbed, 15 to 25 minutes for pearled barley or 30 to 45 minutes for hulled. (Add a little more liquid if the grains are not ready but begin to look dry). Uncover, remove from the heat, and stir in the spinach. Replace the lid and let rest off the heat for at least 10 minutes or up to 20 minutes. Combine and fluff the grains and spinach with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil if you like. Enjoy!

Or when in doubt, make a salad, top it with a poached egg and call it dinner. This too, hits the spot.