An RD & CSA: Week 2



After looking at the lovely mountains out west for the past 5 days, it's now back to work and reality. It was a wonderful trip with great company, beautiful (and steep!) hikes, and delicious food.


Possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

But like a good RD, I'm ready to get back into my routine..

Before I left, I made sure to cook and freeze all the vegetables from last week's share (minus the lettuce). I'm a Planner (yes, capital P). It makes my life easier and much more enjoyable when I'm not standing in my kitchen after work wondering what to cook that night.

If you're thinking about participating in CSA, it will help if you have a plan. Create your meals around the fresh vegetables you get each week. That's the trick with produce: it goes bad quickly. And since no one likes throwing money away, plan to cook what you can as soon as you can.

And if you dare to get into my crazy head, I'll share my grocery and meal planning ways with you next week.

L to R: Spinach, zucchini, pattypan squash, strawberries, green leaf lettuce, cabbage, garlic, summer squash, one ball squash, eight ball zucchini, red leaf lettuce

{ Week 2 Share }

Strawberries

Green leaf lettuce

Garlic + zucchini : Ravioli with Sauteed Zucchini (recipe below)

Cabbage: Cabbage Stir Fry
Squash + spinach: roasted side dish

Notice the different shapes of the squash and zucchini? Great shapes.. and even better names: one ball squash, eight ball zucchini, and pattypan squash. 

Do you have to cook them differently? Nope. I cooked all the squash together and all the zucchini together. Everything was delicious!



{ Recipe }

 Ravioli with Sauteed Zucchini (modified from Real Simple)

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2-3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
~10 c zucchini, sliced
1-2 lb frozen cheese ravioli

Heat oil in heavy, large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat, then cook garlic and crushed red pepper until fragrant about 2 minutes. Add zucchini, cook about 5-7 minutes (I like my veggies crispy - you could cook longer if you like a different texture).

Meanwhile, cook frozen ravioli (or tortellini) according to package directions. Combine zucchini with hot pasta and serve.

Helpful tip: Scoop out servings with a measuring cup (1-cup size) and have with a side salad.

Have you ever had any differently-looking zucchini or squash (besides the standard grocery store kind)?

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN