Saturday, July 9, 2011

Bountiful Baskets

Okay, so this is my third time doing Bountiful Baskets.  What is Bountiful Baskets?

Basically, for $15, I get a basket of produce.  Half vegetables, half fruit -- and so far, at least 98% wonderful...  Ours is an every other week thing, so every second Saturday, I trek into town EARLY to get produce.

This week, I ended up getting TWO baskets, and their special Asian pack.  Maybe next time I'll get some pictures, but essentially, what we got in each basket (so multiply by two):
  • A pineapple
  • Four bananas
  • 6 oz. package of figs
  • three bunches of broccoli
  • two heads iceberg lettuce
  • a head of cauliflower
  • spinach
  • three organic tomatoes
  • two red pears
  • seven apricots
  • seven plums
  • 8 oz. package of mushrooms
 In addition, in the Asian package ($7.50, I think) I got a bunch of stuff too:
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • snow peas
  • Thai basil
  • green onions
  • bok choy
  • napa cabbage
Or at least I assume that is what the last two items are...

We're eating a broccoli casserole for dinner, using leftover chicken.  The kids have had plums, those who went with me had an apricot.  I had a fig.

I know the pears, apricots, plums, bananas and pineapple will get chowed on this week.  Spinach and mushrooms are going to be making their way into my breakfasts.  Tomatoes, garlic and green onions are easy to use.  We've been doing a lot of salads lately, so the lettuce will be a good addition.

I'll do some recipe hunting to use the Asian pack. 

But figs?  I don't know what to do with them...

Cauliflower?  HELP!  This is like my least favorite vegetable that I will eat (radishes and/or beets are my absolute least favorites).  I found a couple recipes that I will probably try.  But this is just such a tasteless vegetable!

Broccoli?  I love the stuff, but wow, we have a lot in the house right now...  especially as I got a couple of bunches yesterday with our CSA share. 

Ideas anyone?

And I am grateful.  My money is stretching so far... and my kids are getting to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.  This is fantastic.  But yeah, I'm still trying to use limes from a couple of weeks ago, and I still have a head of cabbage from then too.  And apples.  My fridge is full... and I'm being forced to be creative.

7 comments:

Michelle Smith said...

I've seen some yummy looking "faux mashed potato" recipes for the cauliflower, Debra.

On the figs, you can eat them plain. :) Other than that, you could probably chop them up and add them to a baked good or dessert. Maybe a fig-whatever fruit you have on hand crisp with oats-butter-brown sugar-cinnamon-nutmeg topping? Some people around here make preserves with them, too.

Cristi said...

You can steam and mash cauliflower, add butter, and serve the way you'd serve mashed potatoes.

As for broccoli, my kids love it best if I make tempura (i.e. batter and fry it).

Tristan said...

Stir fry with the broccoli. Hide the cauliflower in the stir fry or in a casserole?

Johanna said...

My favorite time to eat cauliflower is at breakfast - I use it as a potato substitute with eggs. I steam small cauliflower pieces until they are tender and keep them in the fridge to use some each morning. I brown about 3/4 cup in a skillet with butter and sometimes bacon if I have it. Then I put that on a plate (think hash browns, but healthier) and scramble some eggs in the same pan. I eat my eggs and cauliflower pieces mixed together, but you could keep them two dishes side by side if you preferred. This is surprisingly good!

Debra said...

Great ideas! Thanks. :) And it is nice to see you, Johanna... :)

Lynn @ TDHGP said...

How cool! I wish something like this were offered in our area.

My kiddos would LOVE getting the different fresh fruits each week. Yummy!

Amanda @ BB Weightloss said...

When I get cauliflower from my basket I like to make a faux alfredo sauce. The recipe is on my blog if you're interested. I know I got cauliflower this week, and it seems like we get a lot in the wintertime.