Happy Fourth of July! We got our CSA yesterday and there is a lot of potential for Fourth of July menus. Our share also contained an arch nemesis: swiss chard. Swiss chard is like my ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ but I never end up liking it. I have tried here and there, I have tried it everywhere! I have cooked it in a pan and I have used it as a fan! I do like swiss chard, no way. Not in a salad, a sandwich or a saute!

You get the point. I have some ideas on how to use it but I would also love to hear yours. I am determined to find a way to like it! Now, without further adieu, this week’s share:

Swiss chard

Spinach

Spring Mix

Kohlrabi

Broccoli

Pearl Onions

Head of Lettuce

Peas

Swiss Chard: Currently, the only way I can tolerate swiss chard is to mix it in with that sweet spring mix that we also received. I imagine that it could also be good in a BLT sandwich, to give it a little more kick.

Spinach and Spring Mix: Salads! Here is the latest fave salad topping in the Manatee/Badger Girl household:

  • Can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1 small can of diced chilies
  • 4-5 green onions, green tops only, chopped

Mix it all together. You can either eat it cold or heat up. Put it on a salad with some extra salsa and you have a great light, protein rich salad.

Kohlrabi: I have to admit that we often give our kohlrabi to Manatee’s brother because he likes it so much. It’s really good eaten raw. Tomorrow I will be sharing a roasted vegetable dip that would be an awesome pairing with this. Make sure to check back tomorrow!

 

Broccoli: Last week we had Manatee’s cousin over for dinner. He and Manatee agreed that they would gladly take steamed broccoli over dessert any day. My feelings were a little hurt as I had made a peach blueberry rustic tart for dessert but I got over it and they did eat the tart (and made the adequate number of yummy noises to appease me). We will most likely steam our broccoli. Manatee can eat it for dessert but I still like my sweets.

If you want to include it in a salad or uncooked, I suggest blanching it to get rid of the woodiness. Get a pot of water to a rolling boil and prepare an ice water bath. Get the pot going to a rolling boil, add the broccoli for 3-4 minutes, until it is bright green and starting to get tender. Remove from boiling water and put it in ice bath for 30 seconds to a minute. This makes it easier to eat (and digest).

Pearl Onions: We have a food trinity in our house during the summer. I grew up eating it and I am now sharing it with Manatee: Sauteed zucchini, mushrooms and onions.

Slice up some zucchini, mushrooms and onions. Spray a pan with olive oil and saute. If you want an added punch, add worcestershire sauce and sherry vinegar. But beware, a little liquid goes a long way. We eat it as a side dish, with steaks, on a salad, for a snack, you name it.

Head of lettuce: I suspect you get tired of me talking about salads so I thought I would offer a non-salad suggested for our head of lettuce: BLT pizza. This is a Fourth of July favorite with my nephews and my parents.

BLT Pizza Recipe

1 container of crescent dough
1/3-1/2 cup of light mayo
1 tsp- 2 tbsp of dijon mustard
head of lettuce, cleaned and chopped
2-3 tomatoes, diced
4-5 green onions, chopped
1 package of turkey bacon, cooked and cut up into little pieces
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

  1. Spread out the crescent dough on a cookie sheet.
  2. Bake as directed until golden brown. While it’s baking, mix together mayo and mustard.
    NOTE: You’ll notice I have a quite a range in the amounts. It depends on how much you like dijon mustard. We usually make two pizzas. The one for adults we use close to 2 tbsp of mustard and for the kids, we put just enough to give it a little tang.
  3. Let the crescent dough cool to room temperature.
  4. Spread the mayo/mustard mixture onto the dough.
  5. Cover with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

Peas: CSA sugar snap peas are one of my favorite things!

I love them raw and I think they would also be good with the roasted vegetable dip that I will be featuring tomorrow. If you must cook them, try this recipe from Food Network magazine.

Have a wonderful weekend and check back to see my roasted vegetable dip recipe. It will be great for any holiday picnics or BBQs.

 

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