CSA BOUNTY: RECIPES

my share this week of the Serenbe CSA (community supported agriculture) included beans, kale, chinese cabbage, roma tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, purple basil, lettuce, and sweet potatoes.

• The first night, I needed something quick, easy, and almost clean-up free.  Hello slow-cooker. A fall soup with sweet potatoes and squash.  In went a box of veggie stock, two cubed sweet potatoes, a portion of a leftover onion, and two cubed yellow squash with some sage leftover from the acorn squash pasta recipe last week.  I let all the veggies get soft and blended it with a hand blender right in the pot - full disclosure - I don't like chunky soup with stock so I blend every soup I make into a pureed soup.  It looks prettier too with a drizzle of olive oil and a sage leaf on top. But before you garnish - be sure to add salt and pepper to taste, I do this after blending for a more accurate reading.  I also made grilled cheese to dunk in the soup.  Couldn't be easier.
• Kale chips - I love kale and I make a mean kale salad, but wanted something a little easier (noticing a trend?) and different.  These chips are quick and delicious and can be tailored to your tastes - add garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, taco seasoning, etc to find your craving.  I don't think you could even feel guilty if you ate the whole batch, these are so darn good for you.
• Chinese cabbage - nothing better to make than chinese chicken salad.  If you don't eat chicken like me, this salad is still delicious and filling and you could add shrimp or tofu for protein.
• This week we still have some left over veggies and it may turn into a "kitchen sink" soup here soon since I am picking up this weeks share this afternoon.  I have a lot of beans.