Less than two weeks until Thanksgiving. Don't forget that means you'll be getting TWO deliveries in a row: this week Nov. 18 and next week, the day before Thanksgiving on Nov. 25.
Even if you don't normally do it you should make a plan for your these two veggie boxes. Use this Menu Planning Template to keep track of what you receive in your winter share boxes.
Here's what I would do:
- Plan my Thanksgiving meal
- mashed potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- salad
- stuffing etc.
- apple pie
- pumpkin pie
- Decide what vegetables do I need for these dishes? How much?
- Customize my box for this week and next week to make sure I get what I need:
- onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash that will keep until next week
- Plan to get fresh greens in next weeks box for a nice salad on Thanksgiving.
- Plan to purchase extras: fromage blanc for creamy mashed potatoes, cheese, apples, eggs, brioche and sourdough bread.
- Plan the rest of this week's share for this week's meals.
- Plan next week's meals around Thanksgiving leftovers and using up the remainder of my share for the next two weeks.
Last year I asked my kids what the essential Thanksgiving meal has to have. The winners were pasture raised turkey from Deep Roots Valley Farm, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes with fromage blanc from Haven Farmstead, sweet potato casserole with gluten free nut topping, cornbread stuffing, cranberry salsa and lots of homemade pies! Click on the links to get those recipes.
What are our favorite pies? sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie. You do know that butternut squash makes the best pumpkin pie, right?
Lastly, I made another one of our favorite fall meals this week: Curried Vegetables with Dahl is pictured above. It's a vegetarian dish with lots of interchangeable veggies. See recipe below.
We'll keep farming for you!
Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
Curried Vegetables with Dahl - adapted from Moosewood Restaurant
Notes from Tessa:
- This may look complicated but it really is not. Just prep your vegetables and go. This recipe doubles well for lots of leftovers.
- It is super versatile and great for using up those vegetables in your farm share box. You could even try using winter squash in place of the sweet potatoes.
1 ½ cups red or yellow lentils
4 or 5 cups hot water
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1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 fresh green chile, minced (or 1 red dried, or chili flakes, or skip)
3 T healthy oil
4 cups sweet potatoes, cubed (2-3 sweet potatoes)
1 T mild curly powder
1 t ground cumin
2 T grated fresh ginger root
2 cups water
4 cups another vegetable: cubed kohlrabi, cauliflower, turnips, rutabaga, bok choi stems,
2 cups bell peppers, chopped
10 oz. fresh greens: kale, bok choi, tat soi, spinach, swiss chard, etc.
2 -3 T fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Rinse the lentils. In a covered saucepan, bring the water and lentils to boil. Skim foam. Reduce the heat, uncover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
In a large soup pot, suaté the onion and chile in the oil for several minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, curry powder, cumin and ginger. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Add 2 cups of water, other vegetable, and peppers, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the vegetables simmer, rinse, stem and coarsely chop the greens. Puree lentils and cooking liquid (with blender, food processor or stick blender) to make smooth dahl. If lentils are very soft and breaking up already, this may not be necessary.
When vegetables are tender, stir in greens, dahl, lemon juice. Simmer just until greens are wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.
Serve with a simple grain like rice or quinoa or even a crusty bread.
Serves 4 - 6
