Spinach:
Spinach is one of those handy vegetables that can be used raw or cooked. Used in salad,
it’s a nice change from the norm. Try using thinly sliced green onions, cucumber, and
apples from this week’s box in yours! For dressing, vinaigrettes go well with spinach. I like
to mix balsamic vinegar with olive oil but just about any dressing will do.
Spinach is used in cooking just as often as it is used fresh. It makes a great addition for
scrambled eggs, sandwiches, tacos, wraps, pasta, or sauté. Some like to sauté it up in just
a little olive oil and garlic and eat it like Popeye. I even enjoy adding a handful to my
smoothies.
Cauliflower:
There are so many ways to use this vegetable I don’t even know where to start. They can
be chopped up and added to salad or soup, roasted in the oven, tossed in a stir fry, boiled
and pureed as a stand-in for mashed potatoes or to make a creamy soup, baked into a
pizza crust as a flourless alternative, or simply eaten raw. The options are endless! You
don’t even have to cut it up. Try baking it whole by simply cutting off the leaves and stem
so it can sit upright, baste in olive oil, salt and spices of your choice, and bake on a cookie
sheet or cast iron skillet at 450° for about 45-60 minutes or until a knife can be inserted
easily. Because of its mild flavor, cauliflower goes well in spicy dishes or curries as it soaks
up all the other flavors.
Recipe: Baked Eggplant
Ingredients:
• 1-2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch slices (no thinner or they’ll burn)
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/8 cup Italian parsley
Directions:
1. While the oven is preheating to 475-500 degrees Fahrenheit, lay the sliced eggplant
in a single layer on lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush each slice with the olive oil.
2. Press garlic slices into the eggplant and season with the salt and black pepper.
Make sure the garlic is pressed as much as possible into each slice to ensure the
flavor soaks into the slices.
3. Bake the eggplant for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be golden brown. Remove
them from the oven and let them cool.
4. Once they are cool, sprinkle with the parsley, if desired, and serve.
Try adding cherry tomatoes or topping with a slice of tomato. Topping with mozzarella
cheese is also a great addition, either cold, or boiled until melted.
Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com