CSA Veggie Stir Fry

I love my weekly box of fresh, organic, local produce.

Oh, have I said that before?

Sorry for sounding like a stuck record, but deciding to receive a weekly CSA delivery is the smallest change, but it has yielded the largest difference.

I am now saving money on groceries, eating healthier, and experimenting with new recipes and produce.

All the while, I’m supporting businesses that I believe in.

A win-win situation.

Here’s how I make the best use of this service.

1. Before Wednesday of the delivery week, I visit my CSA’s online shopping center. There I can see what produce is planned to be included in my weekly vegetable box.
2. Usually I want everything that is scheduled, but sometimes there will be items that I either don’t want or already have left from the previous week’s delivery, take carrots cor example.
3. If I want all but one item, say carrots, I usually keep with the scheduled box but just edit my order to not include carrots.
4. I also have the option to choose a completely different box. Biolandgärtnerei Hüsgen offers 8 different pre-planned boxes for €12.50: Vegetable, Mother and Child, Fruit, Regional Produce,Raw Produce, Single, Quick Cooking, and Full Assortment boxes.
5. If I didn’t want any of the pre-arranged plans, I could create a Wish Box by choosing individual items from the online shop.
6. In addition to the organic produce boxes, their online shop offers almost any other product that can be found in a small organic grocery store. I usually add a box of 6 eggs from Hof Alpermühle.
7. Once my order is placed, I keep my eyes open for recipes that include the items I expect later in the week.
8. I usually plan my meals based on which food items spoil more quickly. The produce with a shorter life-span is cooked earlier in the week than the more resilient veggies. This leads to less waste and better quality.
9. On Friday, my box is delivered to my front door and the real fun begins!

Biolandgärtnerei Hüsgen makes it so simple to choose items and plan my weekly delivery. I rarely need to shop the regular grocery store and as a result, have saved a lot of money.

Although I’m pretty good at planning how to use my weekly veggies, there have been times when my fridge is about to burst with produce that needs to be used.

 

When this happens, I either make soup or stir fry.

My CSA Veggie Stir Fry is less of a recipe and more of a formula for using up any vegetables that linger in the crisper…

This week, my CSA Veggie Stir Fry included pea pods, savoy cabbage, mushrooms, broccoli, shallots, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds.

The garlic and ginger were cooked briefly in hot sesame oil before I added the remaining vegetables. This allows the oil to flavor which will later help to impart an even taste amongst the veggies.

Cooked over high heat, I added a bit of water every now and then to help the veggies steam.

Once the vegetables were starting to soften and brighten in color, I added a simple stir-fry sauce made with sesame oil, soy sauce, miring, agave nectar salt and pepper.

Cooked until tender yet slightly crisp, the last step was to add sesame seeds to the vegetables.

Served with jasmine rice, this CSA veggie stir fry was one of the best I’ve made yet.

CSA Veggie Stir Fry Formula

~ Vegan ~ Vegetarian ~

Prepare the Vegetables and Oil

4-5 cups raw vegetables, all cut to a similar size

2 cloves garlic

1/2 inch nub of fresh ginger,

1-2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

Prepare the Sauce to Taste

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1-2 Tablespoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

1-2 teaspoons agave nectar

salt and pepper

 

Step 1

Heat the wok or non-stick frying pan. Add the sesame oil, heat for a moment then add the garlic and ginger. Cook over high heat until fragrant.

Step 2

Add the vegetables and continue to cook over high heat, stirring frequently. If the vegetables begin to stick, add a couple tablespoons of water.

Step 3

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small cup and whisk well. Once the vegetables begin to brighten, pour the sauce over top and stir to well-coat all ingredients.

Step 4

Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender to the tooth but still slightly crisp when bitten into. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Step 5

Serve the stir fry over cooked rice and enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Crispy Curry Cauliflower

Of all the recipes I’ve found through other bloggers, this is probably the recipe that I reuse most frequently.

Mama Pea’s Cracklin’ Cauliflower is out of this world.

The only change I’ve made is to squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the finished product.

Probably meant to be a snack or side dish, this whole-head of cauliflower easily becomes a main dish under these crispy, spicy, flavorful conditions.

Go on, give it a try.

Read Full Post »

Roman Feast

In the year group I teach, half of the school year is dedicated to studying Ancient Roman life in social studies.

Today, my class celebrated all we’ve learned with a Roman Feast!

I can do feast.

I can do feast all day long.

My day of feasting began with the most decadent breakfast.

Whole Grain Strawberry Pancakes with Nutella Sauce

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 1 cup and 1 Tbsp. whole grain pancake mix
• 1 cup plain kefir (or buttermilk or half yogurt/half milk)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup ripe strawberries

Nutella Sauce

• nearly empty jar of nutella
• splash of milk

Method

1. Mix the pancake ingredients and let rest for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cup pancake batter onto the hot pan.
3. Once the edges begin to harden and bubbles form in the batter, flip over and cook the other side.
4. Put a splash of milk in an almost empty nutella jar and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir well and let sit a minute to thicken.
5. Top pancakes with fresh strawberries and drizzle with the sauce.

These were so good they made me slow down and make a “mmmmnnh” sound with each bite!

Each and every bite was perfect!

The school day started with a math test but quickly found its way to a party of Roman proportions!

Quick Facts About Roman Feasts

1. The Romans loved to show off their wealth through the food they served at their amazing feasts.
2. Commonly served food included exotic choices such as pig nipples, calve brains,  snails, swans, crows, horses, peacocks and mice.
3. At feasts, the Romans ate until they were sick.
4. Some homes even had special rooms for people to be sick in.
5. Once a Roman was sick, they went back to carry on eating.
6. The Romans ate in courses, similar to fancy dinner parties today.
7. Eating was conducted while laying down on large sofas which resemble beds.

I have the best parents in the school. I put out a list of feast items about 2 weeks ago, and today, we had a feast prepared for us!

The parents provided bread, green beans, salad, grapes, cheese, radishes, ham, olives, asparagus, dates, pea pods, cherries, hard boiled eggs, grape “wine” and even a modern day “field mice” dish.

She cut chicken breast into mice shapes then wrapped them in bacon and sage, just like the Romans!

I passed the mice and other meat dishes but my plate was still full and I ended up with a Roman-worthy stuffed stomach!

We had such a lovely feast outside in the shade. The kids dressed up in togas and behaved like rich Romans. It was a blast!

The feasting continued after lunch when we had a good-bye party for one of the students who is leaving after this school year.

His parents came in with tons of fruit and the most delicious strawberry tarts.

The little boy’s grandmother woke up extra early this morning to hand-make these beauties.

They tasted even better than they look.

You might not think that’s possible, but it is.

The school day carried on without eating for about 3 hours… but then the feasting continued at home in the form of a pre-workout protein punch.

Dark Chocolate S’more Protein Bar

It may have been almost a week since my last visit, but I still gave my all at the gym today.

A little bit of strength training and a lot a bit of cardio. I was one sweaty lady.

Dinner was a quick one.

Salad with tomato and balsamic vinegar, steamed pea pods and a sweet potato with cinnamon and almond butter.

Mmm… cinnamon and almond butter… tastes like Thanksgiving!

Who does this remind you of? My favorite Pea Family.

That will do it for my feasting today. I’d better stop before I have to find the sick room.

Read Full Post »

Pasta with Asparagus Peas and Herbs

Happy Saturday!

After a long and exhausting week, I spent last night cooking and relaxing with Sebastian. Let’s go back in time to the highlights of yesterday!

Breakfast

Celery ends, carrots, apples and ginger went into the juicer…..

and this beautiful juice came out!

I also ate a slice of bread toasted and topped with almond butter, 1/2 banana and cinnamon.

Lunch

When it comes to my colleagues, I keep my secret-blogger-life just that… a secret. Only two colleagues know about it, and those two happen to also be people I call friends. Every day, I prepare my lunch in the empty school kitchen, take my plate back to my classroom to snap a photo, then meet up with the rest in the staff room. No one notices my moment of absence. Yesterday, after just returning from the mini-photo shoot, the Year 5 teacher took one look at my lunch and said how it “looked good enough to teach with.” He mentioned that his class is currently learning about nutrition and healthy eating. He then nervously asked if I wouldn’t mind if he could take a photo of my plate before I began eating. He was VERY UNCOMFORTABLE and mentioned how he knew that it was a strange request and all. I wanted to say “Don’t worry, I’ll just e-mail you the photo I took for my blog.” I didn’t though. I let him leave his own lunch, walk to his classroom, get his camera, come back, and take a photo.

I return to my internal debate: why do I feel like I must keep this part of me a secret? Any who, here’s the salad.

Lettuce, carrots, cucumber, celery, orange, strawberries, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and balsamic glaze.

Class Fruit Snack

Apples, pears, and bananas- oh my!

After school, I went to the Big Edeka with the Aussies. Going to the big grocery store is a big deal for me! The variety rivals a small grocery store in the US. Unfortunately, you need a car to get there so I wait it out until the Aussies go then I stock up on naan bread, soy products, and hard to find produce. While shopping, I picked up a bag of beets on sale for 99 cents. I’ve been wanting to try beets in my juice!

We had quite a bit of fruit left over after class fruit snack today, so I brought the remains home and added then to my beet juice. I love how having a juicer allows me to produce less waste.

The frog prince concurs- beautiful and tasty!

Dinner

Sebastian lost a bet which required him to make dinner last night. I helped out a little, but this delicious dish was of his doing!

Pretend Paneer Masala

Made with tofu rather than paneer- hence the pretend.

Ingredients

• 200 grams firm tofu – pressed to drain
• 2 large onions (pureed, I use a food processor)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 large ripe tomatoes (blanch , de-skin and puree)
• 3 tbsps cashew nut paste or cashew butter
• ½ tsp coriander pwd
• pinch of haldi (turmeric pwd)
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsps butter
• 1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large pan over medium heat, add the pureed onion and sauté until brown.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 2 minutes. Add chilli pwd and combine, followed by the cashew paste, stirring well.
3. Add tomato puree, bay leaves, coriander pwd, haldi, garam masala and salt. Stir and let it simmer for 4-5 mts.
4. Cut the tofu into smallish cubes and add to the mixture, simmer for 4-5 minutes.
5. The mixture will become a bit thick and dry, add a small cup of water and let it cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until you get the desired curry consistency.
6. Remove from heat, stir in remaining butter and yogurt.
7. Let the curry sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis, naan , or simple steamed rice.

Dinner was awesome. I ate way too much and could barely move. Luckily, I had no where to go but to bed!

After sleeping for 10 hours (yikes, I must have been exhausted!) I woke up this morning with a bit of a headache. Too much sleep, perhaps? The intro and kick off to the new Body Balance class was happening at 1 so I got myself up and moving in order to make it to the gym on time.

Breakfast

Greek yogurt topped with 1/2 banana, strawberries, berry granola, and almond butter.

I have mixed feelings about the new Body Balance set. The moves are challenging at parts, but too easy at other times. I’m also not to excited about the music, hopefully it will grow on me. Today was a beautiful day in Germany! The sky was blue without a cloud of volcanic ash in the sky! Before class, I rode the stationary bike and watched the happy and bustling pedestrian street below. Everyone was out today enjoying the beautiful weather. There is a clown school in town for children. Today, the clowns were out making balloon animals, doing tricks, kids were on unicycles and stilts, it was a wonderful sight to be seen!

After the gym, Sebastian met me for a trip into town. We were out of ginger garlic paste so needed to visit the Asian grocery store. We were both hungry so went to our favorite bagel store for a quick sandwich. Like I said, everyone was out today!

Because it was such a lovely day, we decided to take a long walk along the Rhine.

It was great walking along and just chatting about life.

Sebastian was such a gentleman, carrying my huge gym bag in the hot sun for the two-hour walk.

This is the kind of day that makes me so thankful for the blessing to be happy right where I am in my life.

Today also marked the first flea market of the season! We walked through the park as the vendors were beginning to take down their stands. Isn’t this the most beautiful flea market setting?

Dinner

The beautiful spring weather inspired a fresh spring dinner!

Pasta with Asparagus, Peas and Herbs

Ingredients

• 8 stems asparagus
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 200 grams whole wheat pasta
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 20 basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Boil a large pot of salted water and add the pasta, cooking according to package directions. Meanwhile, break off the woody ends of the asparagus, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 2 inch lengths.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the red onion, peas and asparagus. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are bright green and have softened.
3. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the creme fraiche to the vegetables, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan. Pour over the vegetable sauce and stir in the herbs and zest. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan, if you wish.

As if a beautiful day weren’t enough, when I went onto the balcony to take my dinner photo, this is the sight I was met by. God is good.

Read Full Post »