Seasonal/ farmers Market meal plan

[jldumm]

Just checking in to see if anyone else if trying to plan their menu around what is in season and at the farmers market.

can you share?
how do you make it work?

[BetsyS]

I do this. For several reasons, this year, I decided not to do a CSA. Instead, we go to the farmers' market on Saturday mornings. I buy whatever looks pretty, in about the same quantities as the CSA members get (so it's enough to last us a week or so). Then, on the way home, I start thinking of ways to cook the bounty that we get.

Sometimes, I grocery shop at the store on Saturday afternoons, after I make a menu. Sometimes, I grocery shop on Fridays, buying only staples, and planning simple meals for the week, with lots of room for the veggies. Stuff like "grilled chicken, two grilled veggies, and a fruit". Then, I fill in with whatever we got from the farmers' market. On those weeks, I know that there will be more stray stuff leftover, so I plan on having a frittata or soup late in the week to use up any stragglers.

This was my favorite recipe last week. IT's a frittata with chard, basil, and tomatoes. http://www.greensgrow.org/recipes/4.21.html

[BlueStateMama]

I do. I go grocery shopping and meal plan after my CSA pick-up.

Last night was pork chops and a big tomato/fresh mozzerella salad.

The spinach will be made into chicken florentine (with a green salad on the side with the bunches of lettuce I got)

The zucchini will be shredded into the turkey meat sauce we're having on
Sunday with spelt thin spaghetti. Green salad with that too.

The chard went into the big pot of chicken soup I made (lunches for today through the weekend.)

Strawberries and sugar snap peas for snacking.

[karma_momma]

want to do this! Subbing for ideas!

[dolcedaze]

I do this too. Every Saturday we get our CSA stuff, and then I brainstorm a bit and buy a week's worth of groceries to go with them on Sundays.

[sunnylady303]

We shop at Whole Foods once a month and try to stay stocked with the basics (lots of cheese mostly) and then order from a natural foods coop. We shop at the Farmer's Market every Saturday and after I shop I plan my meals for the week. It's a little harder but manageable.

[~Megan~]

We have a CSA. Tomorrow we will be getting lettuce, sugar snap peas, Swiss chard, green onions, and arugala.

Please share your recipes. This is our third time getting chard and I still don't know what to do with it. The last time I made roasted potatoes and added it at the end until it started to wilt. It was okay. I'd like something really good to do with it.

[jldumm]

mmmm chard
this is one of our very favorite eggs in a nest by
barbara kingsolver
http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.co...20A%20NEST.pdf

i also tried chard and cilantro soup this year from the local flavors cook book. it has recipes put together by season and when them become ripe. ichecked it out from the library but it has been invaluable
http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/...7903498_1.html

she also had a great recipe that was basically just red beans (i used pinto and it was good) chopped chard onions cilantro some tyme and bay leaf and feta on top. we ate it with crusty bread and it was yumm.

[puddle]

I get produce delivered on Tuesdays, but get a list of what to expect on Fridays. I plan meals based on the Friday list, then after I get my delivery Tuesday I get what groceries I need to go with it. (I wait until after delivery to make sure there were no substitutions.) If there's something on the list I don't know what to do with, I just google for recipe ideas.

This week we got tons of fruit, so that's mostly just getting snacked on. Watermelon, canteloupe, peaches, blueberries YUM. Zucchini is lunch today (with cherry tomatoes). Eggplant will be in E. parmesan tonight, along with most of the basil. May use up some more basil and a tomato to make bruschetta. Used a tomato for a grilled cheese/tomato/basil sandwich yesterday. The small head of lettice, sprouts, cherry tomatoes, cucumber will be side salads for Thursday and Friday.

Originally Posted by ~Megan~

We have a CSA. Tomorrow we will be getting lettuce, sugar snap peas, Swiss chard, green onions, and arugala.

Please share your recipes. This is our third time getting chard and I still don't know what to do with it. The last time I made roasted potatoes and added it at the end until it started to wilt. It was okay. I'd like something really good to do with it.

I like chard in quiche with cheese and cherry tomatoes, or just sauteed with tons of garlic, a little red pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil. You could also throw the chard, snap peas and green onions in a stirfry.

[snowbunny]

I do this--we buy all our produce and animal foods locally and often at the farmers market. I posted my meal plan here. Our cherries just came into season and I am beyond thrilled.

[BlueStateMama]

Here's what I got this week: lettuce mix/lettuce, salad turnips, beet greens, garlic scrapes, tomatoes, cabbage (green) and peas (in the shell.)

Someone please meal plan this week for me - please???:

[snowbunny]

Originally Posted by BlueStateMama

Someone please meal plan this week for me - please???:

What else do you have in your cupboards? Initially, I'm thinking you could do greens with garlic scapes, tomato salads, and maybe peas with parsley.

[BlueStateMama]

I'm an omnivore and going grocery shopping tomorrow - so anything is game.

[~Megan~]

We just got our box and this week we got (we share so this is the part I kept) sugar snap peas, mixed lettuces, brocolli and this thing. I have no idea what it is!

For zucchini something fun to do is to put it in an egg and milk dip and then roll it in half bread crumbs half parmesan and then bake till crispy. Dip in marinara like mozerella sticks.

[BlueStateMama]

Starting to plan...

Tonight - Chicken w/ garlic scapes and capers; peas (I'm just going to cook them simply)

Lunch tomorrow - Crunchy cabbage salad w/ chicken

Dinner out

Saturday lunch - chicken soup and put the beet greens in that...

Saturday night - Pasta w/ garlic scape pesto

[puddle]

Originally Posted by ~Megan~

We just got our box and this week we got (we share so this is the part I kept) sugar snap peas, mixed lettuces, brocolli and this thing. I have no idea what it is!

looks like kohlrabi!

[Bad Horse]

Originally Posted by ~Megan~

We just got our box and this week we got (we share so this is the part I kept) sugar snap peas, mixed lettuces, brocolli and this thing. I have no idea what it is!

For zucchini something fun to do is to put it in an egg and milk dip and then roll it in half bread crumbs half parmesan and then bake till crispy. Dip in marinara like mozerella sticks.

That's exactly the same thing I thought the first time I got one! Yeah, kohlrabi. Still haven't ever quite figured out what to do with them, though. I've seen recipes out there, I think.

[Bad Horse]

One of my favorite things to do with chard, kale, spinach, whichever type of greens:

Ghop garlic to taste, I usually do 4-5 cloves, sautee lightly in olive oil, add chopped greens, wilt. Add a can of rinsed canellini beans, and a can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Heat through.

SO quick and easy, takes no time at all. Serve with a salad and crusty bread! I usually will go for balsamic & oo on my salad and the greens are good if a bit of the balsamic mixes in, too:

[selena_ski]

We also have a CSA in utah all we have so far is greens, three weeks of greens and i am saladed out. I can wait til we have tomatoes and squash and peppers. but anyways back on topic. We have a hard time planning during the summer as it is. there are always so many things going on.

we shop every other Saturday at the grocery, getting milk in between ans get our CSA box on Tuesdays so it is hard to plan ahead cause we never know what is in that box. I have pretty much thrown the planning out, which makes it hard for DH cause there are rarely leftovers for his lunches.

[BlueStateMama]

I'm sick of salad too...I love veggies, but I'm getting a bit sick of lettuces...