monday munchies: tuesday backlog

As I mentioned yesterday, it's been a busy few weeks. Luckily, I have found the time to continue my adventures in the kitchen, using up the ingredients from my CSA at Rare Earth Farm, the East Town Farmer's Market, and my stop at the Madison Farmer's Market (abridged version) on Saturday.

Tonight I may have outdone myself, by concocting what may become my signature summer dish: Cabageless Asian Slaw (it looks a lot prettier in real life than it does in this photo).

Here's the skinny:
1 bulb kohlrabi, peeled, julienned
4 small carrots, peeled, julienned
5 radishes
1 c. sugar snap peas, shelled
small red onion, chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 c peanuts (I just have this neverending jar of Planter's Salted...try to use something healthier!)

dressing:
1/4 c light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Trader Joe's Wasabi Mayo

Prepare and mix veggies and peanuts in small bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in separate bowl and mix well. Pour over veggies and toss together until fully coated. Serve immediately and chill leftovers.

What else have I been up to?

Well, it's not a local treat, but hummus is a quick and easy protein booster that's been sustaining me over my lunches the past couple days.

Today I ate it on pita with a Madison tomato and CSA lettuce and cucumber. Yesterday I enjoyed it with kale chips (easy! toss kale in olive oil and seasoning and bake for 10 mins at 350) and a side salad of ETFM spinach and goat cheese and CSA cucumber.

The kale chips came after several sauteed versions of the hearty green.

With carrots.

Over pasta.

I've also been putting my newfound love of having organic poultry (and goat cheese!) (thanks Ruegsegger Farms) at the ETFM to work in the kitchen, as well as my egg share from the CSA.

Ground turkey patties (with eggs, spinach, onion, garlic and breadcrumbs) tossed with pasta, cilantro, cucumber and goat cheese -- most everything from the market or CSA

Pita with turkey patties, ETFM goat cheese and CSA cucumber and red lettuce


Spinach frittata

We're starting to move past just the early greens and mix it up a little bit too. There were potatoes at the East Town Market...tasty with my cilantro for comfort food:

And my CSA a couple weeks ago had a boatload of basil -- perfect for fresh pesto.

Pesto and cucumber pasta salad with side spinach salad topped with goat cheese.

My food preservation skills are still warming up. I froze the bulk of my pesto from above. I also. froze kale (seriously, I was kinda done for awhile), dried dill and parsley and am froze strawberries to make jam soon!

Of course, not all strawberries made the freezer:

with fresh CSA Wisconsin Maple Syrup

Cucumber-Mint-Cilantro soup and mixed green salad (red lettuce, spinach and carrot tops) topped with goat cheese, sauteed CSA Italian Pole Beans and strawberries.

I'm going to miss those fresh buggers until next year. Farewell tasty friends!