This week’s box included: apples, butternut squash, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, collard greens, turnip greens, okra, cucumbers, tomatoes, green lettuce, red butterleaf lettuce, hot peppers. You can see a photo that can help with identification on our Facebook page or check out our weekly video on Instagram.
I’m not usually anxious to push the season, but for the past two weeks I’ve been craving hot apple drinks and spiced tea. I haven’t indulged because … 90 degrees? But any minute now the weather will turn cool (do we have to wait for November?) and the recipe below for Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal will be just the thing. I’m counting the minutes. I’ll try not to eat all my apples as slices topped with nut butter (which is a fabulous hot weather snack, by the way, and is craved not only by me but by my pups who sit at my feet quietly looking hungry when I make this snack) and save some for that soon-to-come cool weather and this oatmeal.
In the meantime, with beautiful tomatoes and cucumbers and two gorgeous heads of lettuce in this week’s box, I’ll be making Chile-Crisp Tofu, Tomatoes and Cucumbers from the recipe below and serving over lettuce instead of rice. Like me, you may be trying to get more tofu into your household, and this recipe should do the trick. And if not, make it with diced chicken breast or thighs. You just can’t go wrong.
Our box also had the first collards of the season and a bunch of turnip greens. We have tons of collard green recipes, most of which could also be adapted for those turnip greens. And I just finished testing a recipe for collard green cheese dip from Southern Charm restaurant in Blue Ridge. There’s nothing healthy about that one with its cream cheese, Parmesan and cheddar jack but it’s pretty darn tasty. I can share that recipe as soon as it publishes. It will be great for fall entertaining.
Does everyone know that the little bag of peppers are hot peppers, not sweet ones? At least that’s usually the case. I just set the bag aside when I unpacked the box and haven’t had a minute to check it, but I am pretty sure I saw at least one jalapeno in there.
And the box had all the usual suspects …. yellow squash, slicer cucumber, okra. Summer hangs on. And a pretty butternut. I took a butternut and a white sweet potato and put them into a big pot of chili I made this weekend. As I said, my brain has moved to cool weather dishes even if the weather is refusing to cooperate. But the butternut and the sweet potato were the perfect addition, tender and just the tiniest bit sweet. I’ll be putting them in chili from now on.
Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Adapted from Ellie Krieger
2 tablespoons neutral tasting oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, canola, plus more for brushing the pan
3/4 cup pecan pieces, chopped, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups low-fat milk
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 medium apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish or 9-inch deep dish pie plate with oil.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and the brown sugar.
In a medium bowl stir together the oats, the remaining 1/4 cup pecans, baking powder, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. In another bowl whisk together the milk, maple syrup, egg, oil and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the apple and raisins.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with the pecan-brown sugar mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until it is set and the top is golden.
Chile-Crisp Tofu, Tomatoes and Cucumbers
Adapted from the New York Times
The note from Ali Slagle that accompanied the recipe: “With cucumbers, tomatoes, browned tofu and a punchy dressing, this recipe’s combination of hot, cold, juicy and snappy makes for a refreshing lunch or light dinner. Inspired by Chinese smashed cucumber salads, many of which include dried chiles or chile oil, this recipe’s piquant and spicy dressing uses chile crisp as well as lemon juice, raw garlic and soy sauce. The only cooking that’s required is searing the tofu, which helps it drink up more of the dressing. Eat it over rice or salad greens, and feel free to embellish with thinly sliced snap peas or celery, cilantro and sesame oil, seeds or paste.”
2 Kirby cucumbers
1 or 2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size dice
2 tablespoons chile crisp, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (14- to 16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and patted dry
Salt
Rice and/or salad greens, for serving
Smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until ragged and split. Rip into roughly 1-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, chile crisp, lemon juice, soy sauce and garlic and stir to combine. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the tofu, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour the tofu into the large bowl and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and chile crisp, then serve right away or let sit for up to 2 hours. Leftovers keep for up to 2 days, though cucumbers will soften as they sit.