One last little thought for game day snacks. This idea uses lots of things from your box, too. Let's see... grape tomatoes and red onion... maybe pick up a focaccia loaf... some olive oil...
Variations on this antipasto dish exist all over Italy. Some add olives, some add cured meat, all toast the bread either with or without toppings. The simplest version involves mixing tomatoes, finely shredded basil, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, and piling that on top of thin slices of toasted bread. Variations on the theme:
It's here! It's here! It's Spring Crop Share time! Although it's starting to feel a whole lot like summer around here. For this round, we will be seeing more and more local produce. The first of the season local tomatoes we had last week were already on point. Makes me so excited for tomato sandwiches, watermelon and all things summer.
I came to love eggplant kind of late in life. I really discovered it when I went vegetarian for a few months and had the most delicious eggplant lasagna. Something I would never order before. Since then, I've used eggplant in stir-fry, pizza, burgers and more. Having it lightly breaded with a little mozzarella, marinara and basil is probably my favorite way to have it. Turn it into a fun appetizer, and I am in.
Try out these snack sticks as a side dish or an appetizer at your next gathering. Get the recipe from Taste of Home here.
Want to make your own dip for these? Use those grape tomatoes and try this recipe.
I get the whole bacon craze, I just am not that insane over bacon (though it was a dark chocolate & bacon bar that caused me to fall off the vegetarian wagon). That being said, if you slap that bacon on a carb and add tomato & lettuce, you better get out of my way because I'm going to go all Shark Week on it! So a few months ago, I had a mad scientist moment in the kitchen and concocted this sinfully good BLT Pasta. Yes, there is lettuce in the pasta, because hey, it's a green, it will saute up like spinach. So, with the cherry tomatoes and Boston lettuce this week, just grab yourself a slab of bacon and your favorite pasta and you're on your way to pastavana (pasta nirvana, but somehow it just sounds like a yoga pose, a yoga pose that I really hope exists and includes eating pasta).
But wait, there's more! With last week's green leaf lettuce and the tomatoes in store, I whipped up some Triple Decker BLT's. Now a traditonal BLT needs no recipe because duh it's toasted bread with lettuce, a slice of tomato and crispy bacon. Easy enough. But most folks slather mayo on them, and since the Mister has an egg allergy, and I forgot to pickup Veganaise at the store, I decided to pull out some leftover homemade basil & almond pesto and slather that on instead. I never want to see mayo near my BLT ever again! Pesto is king!!! For the pesto, use this Cilantro & Pistachio Pesto recipe as a base and sub in the basil and almonds for the cilantro and pistachio. OR...I just came across a recipe for Broccoli Pesto that I'm dying to try, so why not weave another Crop Share veggie from this week into your BLT and use some of the broccoli for a pesto! I know I'll be leaving out the cheese and adding more garlic to my version, because if you don't have dragon breath after eating pesto, then you didn't do it right. The Boston lettuce will work great for your "L" but I suggest grabbing some larger tomatoes in store for your "T" as the cherry tomatoes will just fall the heck out of your sandwich. BUT! As an added bonus I made Brussels Sprouts Chips, as a healthy side to my leaning towers of bacon. Let me just say, move over Kale Chips, there is a new green chip in town and it is the muscles from Brussels! So I'll provide the recipe for those after the photo.
Coarse ground salt & pepper to taste (or instead throw on some Dizzy Pig's Cow Lick Seasoning -- in store -- that's what I did!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pull apart leaves of Brussels Sprouts and spread evenly on a baking sheet. You may need to core them a bit more to get all of the leaves off. Then drizzle with olive oil and toss in your seasoning of choice. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until the chips have started to brown and caramelize. Proceed to eat them all before you walk away from the oven.
When I was unpacking my Crop Share box I kept staring at the romaine and grape tomatoes and thinking, "mmm BLTs." But grape tomatoes aren't exactly the best suited type of tomato for making a BLT sandwich, and since I've been posting far too many healthy recipes on here, it was high time to release the kraken, and by kraken I mean...BLT Pasta! So if you're looking to use up all of your romaine and tomatoes in one fell swoop that isn't in salad form, then this pasta is for you.
Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti (I use Bio Nature's gluten free as it tastes like fresh pasta)
1/2 lb thick cut bacon, cubed (Boar's Head bacon is gluten free and generally just darn delicious)
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, ends trimmed and diced
1 head romaine, rough chopped
Ground black pepper
Cook pasta to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add in bacon and cook until much of the fat has liquefied and the bacon begins to slightly brown (you can use turkey bacon to cut down on the fat, but you will likely need to add additional oil in the end as you won't get much from the turkey bacon, and yes, everything gets cooked in the bacon fat here, *gasp*). About 3-5 minutes. Add in tomatoes and green onions and cook until tomatoes begin to burst and they'll start to thicken the sauce. Toss in chopped romaine and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until it is wilted. Remove skillet from heat.
Drain pasta and add to skillet. Toss to evenly coat pasta and season to taste with fresh, ground black pepper.
Serve to husband and wait approximately 4.3 seconds to hear, "Oh my gosh I love you so much" said through a mouth full of pasta.
So if you've seen our Facebook posts about this Mango Mango stuff and have wondered what on earth is all the fuss about, let me illuminate you. Mango Mango is this great product made by 3 women in the Virginia Beach area. We at Nalls Produce carried it for over a year now and it sold fairly decently and then...Shark Tank. Unbeknownst to us, these ladies appeared on a episode of Shark Tank about a month ago, and ever since we cannot keep the mangoliciousness on our shelves. No joke, we've had people buy 10 jars and we know one woman who keeps a jar at home, a jar a work, and one spare in case of emergencies. There's even a gentleman out there that has asked for Mango Mango for Christmas. We love the product, but the gals at Mango Mango say there are over 100 ways to use it, so I felt it was time to explore the full range of fun instead of just slathering it on a carb. And the grape tomatoes and leaf lettuce in this week's Crop Share had visions of shrimp salads or wraps dancing in my head. Fans of Destiny's Child (I should just say humans, because really, who doesn't love them and long for a full reunion tour. That Superbowl half time show was not enough and the lights in the stadium protested as such!) should check out the Mango Mango website because it's sly reference after sly reference to the song "Bootylicious". So, it begs the question...are you ready for this jelly? Because this Mango Mango Chili Shrimp may be too mangolicious for ya babe! Buckle your seat belt, it's time for take off!
Mango Mango Chili Shrimp Salads
Ingredients:
1 head Romaine or Red Leaf Lettuce
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 Tbsp Mango Mango Preserves (in store now!)
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 inch knob ginger, diced
1/8 tsp coarse ground salt
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp sriracha (more if desired for extra heat, and if it's my plate, oh I do desire)
1.5 lbs cooked shrimp, tails removed
2 Tbsp corn starch
Coconut or olive oil
Chop off ends of lettuce (don't discard, see how we reuse it!) and rinse leaves thoroughly, setting aside to dry. Rinse and slice tomatoes and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together Mango Mango preserves, garlic, ginger, salt, paprika and sriracha, set aside. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and toss in 2 heaping Tbsp corn starch (corn starch is my miracle batter for frying sans gluten, dairy or egg, it coats things just enough to give the skin a crispy finish). Heat about 1/4" of oil in a pan over high heat. Once your oil is hot enough drop in coated shrimp to begin lightly frying. You'll likely have to do these in batches to prevent over crowding if you don't have a huge skillet. Once shrimp have curled and the outsides have crisped, remove from pan and rest on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all shrimp are fried. Drain off excess grease from the pan and wipe down with a paper towel. Reduce the heat to medium high, and toss shrimp back into the pan and pour your mango chili sauce over top. Cook until the sauce is thick and some of it begins to crisp up, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve a scoop of shrimp on a bed of lettuce with some sliced grape tomatoes and finish with an extra drizzle of sriracha if you need a final kick. I ate mine as lettuce wraps and the Mister ate his as a shrimp salad with a bit of jasmine rice on the side.
Hope you are ready for a taste of summer! It's what we need after a cold, cutting day like today. Really, who would have thought it would be so darn cold the 21st of March?!
You are getting some summertime type goodies this week. Don't forget you can type the name of a vegetable or fruit into the search bar in the upper left of the window and it will pull up recipes that were used in previous Crop Shares.
Here's a new one, too. If you put on a few pounds during winter hibernation, give this a try. Tastes so good it's hard to believe this is good for you
Weight Watchers Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
4 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 medium uncooked zucchini
2 large egg whites, whipped until frothy (almost soft peaks)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together Italian seasoning, flour and salt. Place bread crumbs in another small bowl.
Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise and then each half into 2 pieces widthwise. Next slice each zucchini chunk into 4 fries. Dredge a zucchini fry in flour mixture and then dip into egg whites; dredge in bread crumbs. Place coated zucchini on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining ingredients; liberally coat with cooking spray.
Roast, turning once, until desired crispness, about 12 minutes. Yields about 8 fries per serving.
Notes
Use this technique with any summer squash or eggplant. It also works great with thick-cut onion rings or even green tomatoes.
For extra crispy fries, increase the oven temperature to 500ºF and knock 2 minutes off the cooking time.
Enjoy! Weight Watchers has a great list of recipes on their website, whether you are a member or not.
Lunch is served. This is a nice and light dish that stays fresh. It's packed with protein from the chickpeas and filled with vitamins from all the colorful vegetables.
This week, you're getting a little taste of summer. The weather is gross right now, but we decided to take full advantage of the warm weather in Florida and get some produce that would remind us of higher temps and things like the sun. We even got some avocados and cilantro so you could make this delicious recipe! Ingredients: 2 avocados (cubed) 2 pts grape tomatoes (halved) 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1/2 red onion (finely diced) 2 garlic cloves (minced) 2 limes (juice) 1 tsp lime zest 1 tbsp honey (agave nectar, acacia or orange blossom honey) 1/2 tsp cumin 2 small jalapeño peppers (minced) Sea Salt
You can do a lot more with cauliflower than you think. It's a great alternative to use for carb lovers like myself. One of my favorite things to make with it is cauliflower crusted pizza. It's not only delicious, it's good for you. You can get creative with the toppings or just have it plain, it's that good! Ingredients: 1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp crushed garlic 1/2 tsp garlic salt olive oil (optional) pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings (I used roasted grape tomatoes with goat cheese and caramelized onions)
I discovered warm potato salad a couple weeks ago and I am a fan. I may never have cold again. Now that fall is here, you can transition the favorite summer side dish into the season.
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs white or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
white wine for cooking (optional)
6 oz green beans
6 oz mini bella mushrooms
1.5 cups grape tomatoes cut in halves
2 veggie or turkey sausages
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
4-5 cups spinach
Dressing
1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
1.5 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 shallot, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
This has become an easy favorite to make on a busy weeknight. It's a great hot dinner, but it's also delicious when it's leftover cold for lunch!
Ingredients: 1 cup penne or any other pasta of your choice (I like bow tie) 1 cup boneless skinless chicken, poached 3/4 cups grape tomatoes, halved 1 1/2 tbs olive oil/ butter 1 tbs flour 1 cup milk salt n pepper to taste 1/2 cup pesto sauce 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small pieces grated Parmesan
How beautiful is this salad? It's a great way to incorporate all the great spring vegetables available. You can add fresh corn to it or tomatoes to give it even more color and nutrition. Yield: 2 Ingredients:
This recipe makes an easy, colorful, healthy and quick dinner for two.
Ingredients
2 cups grape tomatoes 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 cups arugula 12 oz skirt or flank steak 1 1/2 tsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions 1. Heat oil in a cast-iron or stainless-steel pan (or grill pan) on medium high. When the pan is very hot, season steak with a few pinches of salt and pepper and add it to the pan. Cook steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it's caramelized and slightly firm to the touch. Remove it to a cutting board to rest.
2. Meanwhile, lower the heat to medium and add tomatoes and garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 2 additional minutes, until the skins of the tomatoes start to split. Remove the pan from the heat; add salt and pepper.
3. Slice steak thinly against its grain. Divide arugula between 2 plates, top each pile with steak slices, and pour on cherry tomatoes and pan drippings.
It's here! It's here! It's Spring Crop Share time! Although it's starting to feel a whole lot like summer around here. For this round, we will be seeing more and more local produce. The first of the season local tomatoes we had last week were already on point. Makes me so excited for tomato sandwiches, watermelon and all things summer..JPG)
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You can do a lot more with cauliflower than you think. It's a great alternative to use for carb lovers like myself. One of my favorite things to make with it is cauliflower crusted pizza. It's not only delicious, it's good for you. You can get creative with the toppings or just have it plain, it's that good! 
I discovered warm potato salad a couple weeks ago and I am a fan. I may never have cold again. Now that fall is here, you can transition the favorite summer side dish into the season. 
This has become an easy favorite to make on a busy weeknight. It's a great hot dinner, but it's also delicious when it's leftover cold for lunch!
How beautiful is this salad? It's a great way to incorporate all the great spring vegetables available. You can add fresh corn to it or tomatoes to give it even more color and nutrition.
