Wendy Van Wagner is a public health educator who has spent the last ten years providing direct nutrition education to rural communities in Northern California. Wendy has seen how increased health literacy and education can positively impact our health behaviors. She enjoys collaborating with artists to create compelling health messaging tools that invite the habits we wish to include in our lives. Prior to her career in public health, Wendy founded In the Kitchen cooking school and catering in Nevada County where she built a thriving business that connected people to delicious, wholesome food and imparted the skills to take charge of their health and happiness at home. Wendy has a master’s degree in health education and lives in Nevada City, CA.
CSA Tips and Menu Ideas for Early Summer
As delightful as these weekly boxes are, it’s best to have a plan for managing your produce haul, and remembering tot stay flexible for when you receive new-to-you items or 5 pounds of zucchini ;)
1. Brace your kitchen & have cookbooks at the ready.
Make sure you’re prepared for the influx of produce that’s coming your way. Clear out ample space in the fridge, give yourself a refresher on the best ways to store fruits and veggies, and have some veggie-centric cookbooks on hand for recipes and inspiration. The night before I pick up my CSA, I like to do a quick fridge inventory and use up anything left from last week.
2. Deal with the items in your pickup right away.
A good way to manage your CSA — to make sure you get the most out of your fruits and veggies, and prevent anything from going to waste — is to deal with everything as soon as you get home. Clean and store the produce immediately, have a plan in place for how to use everything, and prep what you can right away.
3. When it doubt, roast it, stir-fry it, or make soup.
Whether you have more radishes than you know what to do with, you’re bogged down with greens, or you’ve got a new-to-you veggie that leaves you stumped, you can always fall back on these three cooking methods. Just about any vegetable can be roasted, stir-fried, or tossed into a soup.
*Roast for an easy way out
When I first joined my CSA, I was overly ambitious about the recipes I could make from the wildcard shares like eggplant, purple cauliflower, and beets. My go-to now is to throw about two-to-three servings of any fibrous and root-like veggies in the oven with some olive oil and, 40 minutes later, they’re a beautiful, edible mess. I eat some of it that night, save the rest for lunch the next day, and repeat until my supply runs out.
4. Wait to plan meals until after your pickup.
Typically we plan meals and then go shopping, but when you have a CSA, it’s best to work in the opposite direction. First see what’s in your box, then plan meals around what you have. I have rotating “concept meals” that I rely on and create variations on based on what comes in the CSA. My current rotation is something like this: Pasta and salad, rice and bean bowls with veggies sides and lots of condiments and toppings, soup and salad with fancy bread and cheese, Sheet pan roast, tofu and veggies over rice, pizza/savory tart and salad night.
5. Wilt down greens asap.
As great as they are, leafy greens take up a lot of space in the fridge. Since it’s easier to store a few cups of chard than a few bunches, consider wilting them down as you get them and adding them to dishes as needed. Don’t overlook the beautiful greens on beets and radishes! Wash them well, chop and cook as you would other greens.
6. Pickle, can, or preserve your haul for later.
If you’re finding it too difficult to use everything in your delivery immediately, then don’t. Instead of getting stressed about finding recipes to cook everything now, consider pickling or canning or freezing for use later.
7. Go big or go home by stocking condiments/toppings that amplify simple meals.
Tahini is a godsend (see one of my favorite recipes below)
Local kraut
Sour cream
Yogurt
Soy sauce
Miso paste
Hot sauce
Flavorful cheeses
Toasted nuts and seeds
Nutritional Yeast
Lemons
Quality olive oil
A Few Staple Recipes to Try……
In the last class I taught, many people were very interested in the exit strategy concept. This what to do with the last delicious food from your CSA prior to getting your next box.
I have several tried and true strategies for this, but the ones I keep coming back to include: a savory tart, a power salad, and everyone’s favorite… A tray of roasted veggies and bits and bobs.
The Savory Tart
The savory tart has several key elements. First of all starting with a delicious tomato is essential… The recipe from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters (see below) is the one I always use. After I’ve rolled the dough out I begin to layer my ingredients. I like to start with some type of base… Most often I use a tomato sauce of some kind. I’ll either make a quick sauce with a can of tomatoes or if I have a little bit of pre-made sauce I’ll use that. The idea is to give it that umami flavor and yet prevent it from turning into a pizza so a little bit goes a long way. Next, I add either fresh or caramelized onions. Caramelized takes an extra step and it gives extra flavor but fresh is also easy and wonderful. Then I layer some pre-cooked greens on top and if I have additional vegetables I’ll add them in… Then I sprinkle on top whatever cheese I have on hand… Anything from feta cheese to blue cheese to Parmesan to grated cheddar cheese… and anything in between. The idea with the tart is that you are using up anything left over, not only from your CSA box but from your fridge that needs to be used. Pop it in the oven at 400 for 30 to 40 minutes and enjoy delicious decadence with a side of economy.
The Power Salad
Another way I frequently utilize elements of my CSA is something I call a power salad! Begin with freshly washed and dried greens… This can be arugula, spinach, Romane lettuce, Gem lettuce, cabbage… Or a combination of whatever you have left. I like to add some protein, that could be tuna or smoked salmon or beans or anything you wish… Then I like to add something sweet, often times this is fresh sliced fruit like apples or pears or peaches… But it can just as well be dried fruit like raisins or dates or dried apricots. The third element is crunch… For me this means toasted nuts and or seeds… And finally I love a good bit of cheese in my salad… I love Parmesan feta or blue cheese but of course it is your salad so think about what your preferences. Think about the composition of color and texture in your salad. Could you grate a carrot or a beet and toss it in to enhance the flavor and use what you have? Give it a try! What about that last crown of broccoli? Try chopping it up and tossing it in with the salad… Sky is the limit and remember in the summer, raw vegetables are king!
I like to keep things simple so the dressing is usually a whole fresh squeeze lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper… I toss it gently and well and serve myself a hearty portion for lunch.
The Classic
And finally the classic exit strategy that many people utilize is a sheet pan of roasted veggies… This can be an exit strategy but this can also be a beautiful main dish anytime during the week! In a big bowl toss chopped broccoli, sliced carrots, sliced onions, sliced or chopped tomatoes if you have them, feel free to add a can of drained chickpeas… Toss everything with olive oil and salt and pepper… Sometimes I’ll add a drizzle of soy sauce or various spices… Get creative here and let your personal palate guide you. Spread everything evenly out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes at 400°. I like mine extra crispy and charred so I tend to cook them longer but you might like them less cooked. Serve this is rice and or meat, fish or chicken of your choice!
The California
This taco is another classic and simple exit strategy and I also use this method for being creative with our CSA ingredients every week. The basic ingredients are good quality corn tortillas… We love the ones that are locally made by Hola tortillas, beans… Pinto or black beans… I love cooking beans from scratch but I often use a can of beans for ease and convenience. My children like to make California tacos themselves and so the can of beans is really helpful. Of course you can also use chicken or steak or other kinds of protein. After those two base ingredients, I like to add something crunchy… Often that is a grated carrot or beet or chopped raw broccoli… Next I like to add cooked greens or fresh chopped greens… Spinach is great… Make sure to squeeze the liquid out of your cooked spinach… Or arugula or shredded cabbage. I am a nut for cheese so I always like to include some crumbled or grated cheese, and I also add a spoonful of sauerkraut for a little Tang… And then of course some good hot sauce.
I like these crazy tacos to be filled with colors and flavors and overflowing with texture… We’ve had some pretty kooky tacos over the past year with our CSA but it is always a fun way to try new food combinations.
Oh yeah and sometimes we do use normal ingredients like tomatoes, onions and cabbage lol!
Savory Tart Dough
Alice Waters tart crust is my no-fail go-to recipe. For one open-face tart, you need.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter cut in cubes
• 1/4 cup ice-cold water
Use a pastry blender or (my preference) your hands and a plastic scraper to cut the butter into the flour and salt until a few large clumps remain. Pour in 3/4 of the water and stir it in with a fork. Using your scraper (or another tool, but I find a scraper to be the best for this), continue lifting and folding the dough over onto itself until it holds together, which should take about a minute. Add more water a few drops at a time if needed. Wrap it all in plastic and refrigerate it for an hour.