Friday, January 15, 2010

This week at the CSA

I thought it would be useful to post what I get from the CSA, and what I actually USE it for. One of the biggest ways to be "frugal" with food is to actually eat what you get - tossed food is money down the drain.

I've been thinking a lot lately about eating frugal. Less is Enough is starting a new challenge, and I'm looking forward to reading her progress. My own frugal goal from last year kind of petered out in September due to work constraints. And truth be told, rather than get hard-core like that this year, I'd rather focus on eating locally.

Don't worry, the menus are still going to be frugal as they will be made from frugal ingredients. (Including free food - can I tell you that folks from work have been bringing in cherimoya, grapefruit, oranges, persimmons, apples, satsuma mandarins, and avocados? Yum!) But I'm not likely to have the time or inclination this year to carefully track every penny and show you how one person can eat on $100 a month. Although I could probably hit that value, considering how many pounds of cherry tomatoes I got from one seed I planted. My hub just picked another one yesterday (tomato, not pound. It's cute.)

Last week's haul was:
One bunch long onions: spaghetti sauce, red cabbage slaw
One 4lb head of red cabbage: 1/2 went to the slaw, half to sweet and sour red cabbage and apples (which I'm finishing for lunch today. I think I've eaten 2.5 lbs of cabbage in 5 days).
One large head romaine: two nights of really big salads
One bunch carrots: salad and cole slaw and sticks. Still have some left for this week.
Cilantro: Sesame Cashew Noodles
Kale: Kale chips
Turnips: Sauteed turnips with butter and apple juice
Lemons: haven't used these yet, will probably put in salad dressing

This week:
green cabbage: will try fermented kimchi with onions and last week's carrots
1.5 lb apples: just eat 'em, maybe make a dessert since I bought a 3 lb bag also
LARGE head romaine: salad. And lots of it.
1/4 lb spinach: sandwiches or salad or smoothie
1 bunch arugula: probably pesto
1 bunch beets: steam and put on the salad
broccolli: mmm...steamed broccoli
bunch long onions: soup, kimchi

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

SO TRUE about eating what you got!!!!!! I make up recipes and meals from what we have. I RARELY go out and buy something for a recipe. It cracks me up because some people say they have "nothing" in the house to eat and they have loads of stuff. We usually eat most everything and then go out and buy just enough for the week. Great topic!