A Meal Plan in Progress

Well, I attempted the first “meal plan” blog, and I just had to stop and laugh at myself in the middle of it, because anyone who knows me, knows that “planning” anything is absolute torture… or at least putting the fine details down on paper is, anyway. I realized that my typical “meal plan” goes something like this, “Ooooh! Arugula! Yes! I’m going to make that favorite salad of mine one day this week!” and that’s followed a few days later by writing up a grocery list and desperately trying to think of something to make with my arugula, with the faint memory of being excited about making…something.  Maybe you might have this problem too.  I‘ve found the best solution is just to sit down and make myself do it.  In the case of the persons reading this blog, you can just steal mine (which is really the whole purpose of this rambling in the first place). It WILL save you some money at the grocery, and help you to use your CSA vegetables more efficiently. That being said, as  I write this, I decided not to be unrealistic by posting a set-in stone guide for what I’ll do with my week’s share. Instead, I’m posting a “meal plan in progress”. It’s a flexible plan that, maybe, will evolve into something better as I go along.

So here’s what I’m making this week… I think. 

I’m not going to detail all of the recipes, but if you see something I’m making and want to know how. Just leave a comment and I’ll post the recipe.

Strawberries: I’m not cooking with these beauties. If the kids don’t eat them all the first day, we’ll serve them raw as a side with breakfast or lunch.

Lettuce: I'm making Broiled Salmon with Tuscan Salad dinner one night. And since I still have some extra lettuce from the last pick-up, I’ll also make some salads and veggie wraps for lunch.

Arugula: Umm… I’m still not settled on this one, but I THINK, I will make it into a pesto which will either be used for pesto focaccia OR a pesto pasta with scallops. What do you think?

Cilantro: How do you feel about this herb? To be honest I used to not be a fan, as my most frequent encounter with it was in mediocre latin food. And then I discovered Thai…mmmm… I want some right now, and it’s only 8:30am as I’m writing this. Anyway, what I’m trying to say without my mouth watering, is that if you’ve tried it before and not liked it, try it again in a totally different application. In my case, I loved it in Thai food, then tried it again in GOOD latin cuisine and loved it there too. So, be open minded. This week, I’m using my cilantro in some Thai Coconut Soup and possibly in some hummus that I’ll use for my lunch veggie wraps.

Green onions: They are going in my salads and in the Coconut Soup.

Swiss Chard: This green will be accompanied by some other vegetables and rice for a delicious, Southern-style veggie plate, which I will expound on in a moment.

You might notice that I haven’t mentioned the spinach, turnips, or Napa cabbage. It’s because my family has subscribed to the half-share, so we don’t have these items this week. However, IF I did, I would DEFINITELY make the Napa Cabbage according to the recipe on this week’s harvest list. I’m a little jealous, just thinking about it, actually. And for those who read my post about spinach, you better believe I’d be making that spinach salad this week. The turnips, I would add to Swiss Chard veggie meal, which I’m finally going to reveal.

The Chard:

Isn’t chard pretty? They say to eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies everyday, and this vegetable just about contains the entire rainbow in and of itself. This should be an indicator that it is packed with phytonutrients, which is why I’m going to cook the brightly colored stems along with the greens.

First, run your hand along the stem and tear the green portion from tougher stem. You should end up with something like this.

 I used the salad spinner to wash the leaves and set them aside. Then I ran the stems under running water and felt carefully to make sure I had washed off all of the grit.

Next, drizzle some olive oil in a sauté pan and let it get hot over medium heat. Meanwhile, chop the stems and about half a large onion. Also, mince some garlic and set it aside. When the pan is hot, toss in your stems and onions, and sauté until they are tender (about 5 minutes). 

Toss in the garlic, stirring constantly for about a minute, then add the greens. Toss the greens around, mixing them with the stems and onions until they are wilted. Salt and pepper and serve immediately.

I topped these with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano (as suggested in the Farm’s Garlicky Greens recipe) and they were great! The kids even chose to eat the greens over the rice, black-eyed peas, and “baked” fried okra that I served them with, and THAT’S really amazing, because, as many parents know, green anything at the dinner table is like pediatric cryptonite :)

Hope you all get the chance to enjoy this dish too!