CSA - Week #3

I swear to all that is holy, I don't plan on doing a weekly recap of our CSA box.

Think I'm fooling? I don't even remember everything we got this week. Broccoli...radishes...beets...lettuce...potatoes...and I know I'm forgetting something. So, there. Neener. Not recapping the whole thing because I'm a total slacker.

I AM, however, loving trying the new foods. So, when I find a recipe that works for us, I share. That's what my mother always taught me to do, so here I am.

I really think I should start calling these Iron Chef CSA Challenges or some such thing because you seriously have no idea what you'll be getting and at least one ingredient is usually something you've NEVER cooked with in your life. This week, beet will be my challenge. (I've only ever had Harvard beets and pickled beets, both delicious, but never from scratch.)

Week #2's "mystery ingredient" was bok choy. I've heard of it...knew it was used in some Chinese dishes...and that was it. So, I didn't get creative or reinvent the wheel. I threw some brown rice on the stove and looked up some recipes for stir-fry. Then, as per usual, I tweaked it. Hmm. Maybe that'll be my superhero name: Recipe Tweaker. I can see the leotard now.

Stir-Fry with Chicken and Bok Choy

- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. grated ginger (ours is local hydroponic; we keep it in the freezer and slice right off the frozen piece, no need to peel!)
- several tsp. olive oil (whatever oil you like; coconut would work well, too)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or slices
- 2 carrots, washed & chopped
- 1/2 - 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 head bok choy, separated: leaves chopped, white part sliced or diced

Sauce :
- 1/4-1/2 c. soy sauce (we were low)
- 1/4 c. water
- 1-2 tsp. corn starch
- 1-2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- dash+ red pepper flakes

Mix together sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat up oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high and add garlic and ginger, cooking about 1 minute (watch it!). Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add carrots, pepper, and white parts of bok choy and cook until crisp-tender. Add bok choy leaves and cook until wilted. Add sauce and cook until thickened.

Serve over rice or noodles. Add another dash of red pepper flakes or soy sauce if you wish. Peanuts over top are yumm-o, too.

*Seriously, use whatever vegetables you have on hand. ALMOST anything will work.*

The verdict? Hadley's not a big stir-fry person, but Dave and I liked it. I might have liked it more (like, REALLY liked it), but he's super polite. I didn't notice a hugely overpowering flavor, especially considering how much bok choy was in the dish, but a mild flavor. Will definitely make again, now that I know what to do with the thing.

Now, on to the beets. I'm envisioning reddish purple hands.

What about you guys? Try any new foods lately? Have any suggestions for a beet recipe the little man will actually tolerate? (I have some pickled beets in the cabinet I may try on him, just to see how he feels. He loves sour stuff, usually.)