Our First CSA Meal - Adventures in Cooking

G and I decided this year, given our resolution to buy local as much as possible and given our desire to be savvy spenders, that we would sign up for a CSA (produce co-op). Every week we pick up a box of mostly locally grown all organic fruits and vegetables (mostly veggies) for an incredibly reasonable price. Last Friday was our first pickup and because our weekend was hectic, yesterday was the first opportunity we've had to make anything with the produce.

First off, holy hand grenades, kids, there's LOTS of food in a half order. We were worried we wouldn't be able to get through it all (we still might not), but being the nerd I am I created a spreadsheet showing weekly meals and when we'll be using which veggies. I am SO excited for some of these meals.

Secondly, diakon radish. We got a HUGE diakon radish in the order. What? How? I don't...*sigh. You get some unusual things in co-op orders, I guess. The strangest in this order was the gigantic red beet and the diakon radish. I found recipes for both, so hopefully it'll all taste as good as the recipes sound.

Third, I love sitting down at the table to eat. This is a new phenomenon for G and me. Our first apartment together didn't have room for a table anywhere, so we ate on TV trays (nice ones) in the living room while watching TV. Pretty standard for a lot of people actually. We no longer live in a 700sq.ft. apartment and have a dining room and even a dining room table! It's exciting, I know. For Christmas Eve we thought we'd try something new by *gasp* actually eating at the table. It was awesome. It felt like a special occasion (it was, but just go with me on this), so we gave it a whirl again the next day and the day after and pretty soon we discovered that we ate slower at the table...we had good conversation at the table...we enjoyed dinner More at the table. So now it's a theme. No matter how late we're home.

We ate at midnight last night. Not a feat I'm proud of, but when you don't make it home from class until 11p, midnight is just going to be when you eat.

Yesterday's meal was roasted winter vegetables (carrots, russet and purple potatoes, onions), Cuban Black Bean Bisque (store bought), and side salad (red leaf lettuce, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, roasted sunflower seeds and black olives (for me)).