The CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) challenge is a fantastic way to embrace seasonal eating, and this week’s box from Jones Valley Teaching Farm was bursting with fall inspiration. As I prepped my meals, some thoughts struck me about our relationship with food in today’s world, and the simple joy of cooking with fresh, local produce.
Firstly, hasn’t the sheer mental energy we dedicate to meal planning become overwhelming? While eating is fundamental, the modern food landscape, with its macro calculations, protein targets, and endless nutritional considerations, can feel excessively complex. Secondly, accessing local, safe, and vibrant fruits and vegetables simplifies everything. When produce is this good, minimal intervention is needed, and everyone deserves this access. Thirdly, even when faced with unfamiliar vegetables (like Italian frying peppers!), the culinary exploration is genuinely exciting. And lastly, in a world of rising grocery costs, the gift of community-supported, accessible vegetables is deeply appreciated. Let’s be honest, finding weekly inspiration to create meals that satisfy everyone at home is a continuous quest.
This post is dedicated to all the home cooks seeking fresh ideas, to the farmers who tirelessly nourish our communities, and to those advocating for affordable, healthy food for all. Let’s dive into some fall “Food Revival” with these simple, delicious recipes.
Roasted Vegetables: The Essence of Food Revival
When you have vegetables this fresh, roasting is the ultimate way to highlight their natural flavors. Simply toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400-425°F (200-220°C) until tender and slightly charred. The stars of today’s roast, courtesy of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, were:
Butternut Squash: Grown by the dedicated farmers at Woodlawn High School farm, this squash is destined for a farro salad with gorgonzola and microgreens. You can learn more about their squash journey here.
Kale: Chopped, oiled, salted, and peppered, the kale transforms into crispy chips in just 8-10 minutes. These kale chips will add a delightful crunch to various dishes throughout the week, including the potato soup below.
Snacking Sweet Peppers: Roasted at 425°F (220°C) for about 20 minutes with onions and garlic cloves, these peppers become intensely flavorful. Combined with farro, lemon juice, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, they create a vibrant and satisfying side dish or light meal.
See? These vegetables shine on their own! A touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper is all it takes to unlock their inherent goodness. Enjoy them as is, in salads, grain bowls, or as versatile side dishes. This is food revival at its simplest – celebrating the natural flavors of fresh ingredients.
Hearty Potato and Leek Soup: A Fall Comfort Food Revival
This potato and leek soup is a testament to intuitive cooking and kitchen confidence. Inspired by online recipes but ultimately created without strict measurements, it’s a bold invitation to trust your instincts and enjoy the process. Embrace the spirit of food revival and make it your own!
To start, chop two leeks (use the white and light green parts, soaking them in water to remove dirt – a pro tip for clean leeks!). Dice half an onion and two celery stalks. Sauté these vegetables in a Dutch oven or pot with a tablespoon each of oil and butter for about 8 minutes, until softened. Add 4 grated garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, cooking for another couple of minutes.
Next, add diced potatoes (around 5 small russets, peeled – leftovers work perfectly!). Incorporate 4 teaspoons of roasted chicken Better Than Bouillon and about 5 cups of water. Throw in a couple of bay leaves, season generously with salt (start with 2 teaspoons and adjust to taste, considering your dietary needs), and pepper (1-2 teaspoons). Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Remove the bay leaves and blend the soup until smooth (an immersion blender works wonders). Return it to the pot and stir in a cup of half-and-half for creamy richness. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon (oven-baked for less mess!), kale chips, and a drizzle of chili crunch for an extra layer of flavor and texture. This soup is pure comfort food revival – transforming simple ingredients into something truly special.
Italian Frying Peppers: Discovering New Flavors through Food Revival
Italian frying peppers were a delightful surprise in this week’s CSA box. Unfamiliar at first, a quick online search revealed the best way to enjoy them: simply fried in oil and sprinkled with salt. The internet also suggested their incredible potential in an egg sandwich – and the internet was right!
The breakfast sandwich creation was a revelation: toasted sourdough layered with fontina cheese, fried Italian peppers, a perfectly cooked egg, and fresh basil. It was an instant escape to Italy, a moment of pure culinary bliss. This is food revival through discovery – embracing new ingredients and expanding your culinary horizons.
Inspired by the sandwich, leftover frying peppers were transformed into egg bites for easy weekday breakfasts. Eight or nine eggs blended with a cup of cottage cheese, basil leaves, grated Romano cheese, salt, and pepper formed the base. Fried peppers were placed in greased muffin tins, topped with the egg mixture, and baked at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes. These egg bites are a perfect example of food revival through repurposing – minimizing waste and maximizing flavor.
Cooking in abundance like this is a strategy for a busy week, reducing reliance on takeout and supporting mindful portion control. For me, cooking is also therapeutic – a silent, creative space for chopping and contemplation. No podcasts or music, just the rhythm of cooking and the quiet process of thought.
As a pressure-filled week approaches, fueled by an upcoming annual fundraiser, this foundation of nourishing food feels essential. Food, in its simplest form, sustains us all. And for those who have read this far, here are some quotes that have provided strength and perspective recently:
“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plentyof lives and whole towns destroyed or aboutto be. We are not wise, and not very oftenkind. And much can never be redeemed.Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps thisis its way of fighting back, that sometimessomething happens better than all the richesor power in the world. It could be anything,but very likely you notice it in the instantwhen love begins. Anyway, that’s often thecase. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraidof its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.” -Mary Oliver
“Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. To see reality-not as we expect it to be but as it is-is to see that unless we live for each other and in and through each other, we do not really live very satisfactorily; that there can really be life only where there really is, in just this sense, love.”― Frederick Buechner, The Magnificent Defeat
“It is often in the cradle of friendship — a word not to be used carelessly — that our creative energies are strengthened and renewed. Through its tendrils, we find community — a place where our own creative work is reflected and refracted through that of others to cast a shimmering radiance of mutual magnification that borders on magic.” – Maria Popova
