CSA and the Agriculture Support Collective: Remembering the Times

October 28th was our last Plan B CSA box delivery date. Actually, Oct 14th was the official end date for the summer share, but because it came on so suddenly and unexpectedly, I ordered one fall share to soften the blow.

The program went smashingly. Many people were interested in participating, but for 5 of us, our curiosity and appetite took us further, and we formed an Agricultural Support collective and signed up for CSA summer share program. It took a few weeks to figure out the delivery system, having some complications due to the fact that we live in an apartment building that does not have a live person on-site to receive shipments. But with some cooperation and coordination, we all made it work. In the end, we received a summertime's worth of fresh, local, organic fruits and vegetables; the ingredients for an endless number of great meals and memories.

My final CSA box contained tomatoes, red onions, broccoli, boston lettuce, arugula, shiitake mushrooms, apples, shanghai bok choy, leeks and butternut squash.

This transformed into:

Kimchi noodle soup with steamed bok choy
Arugula, tomato and shiitake mushrooms with pasta
Boston lettuce and avocado salad with lime dressing
Tomato and cheese sandwiches
Broccoli, leek and smoked cheddar cheese penne casserole
Vegan, gluten-free apple pancakes
Leek and butternut squash soup (photographed with freshly crocheted red baby booties, *ahemshamelessselfpromotion*)

Thank you, Plan B and Agricultural Support Collective, for making this happen!

Squirrelling Away Squash

The cold weather is upon us. Sadly, that means goodbye to our warm weather friends, like tomatoes, peppers and zucchinis. But hey, squash is in season. My favourite cool weather vegetable. Even saying his name, Squash, is kind of fun.

I rented a car for the weekend for a short Thanksgiving trip up north, which presented the perfect opportunity to load-up on those heavy gourds at the market. Three butternuts, two acorns and one something-or-other. I brought them home and cut them into cubes, to store in the freezer for the winter months.

I soon found out that peeling 6 squash (or squashes?) at one time
can be sweaty work. The acorn and something-or-other squash was particularly hard to cut, and required holding a super-sharp knife at strange and uncomfortable angles. Grotesque images of accidentally slicing off all 4 tips of my fingers popped into my head; no doubt instigated by a recent visit to the emergency room after I sliced off the tip of my thumb cutting kohlrabi.

In the end, I had 2 fat freezer bags full of cubed squash, and retained all fingers and thumbs intact. A lot of work for a Saturday morning, but I know it'll be worth it when it's minus 1000 degrees outside and I'm curled up on the couch with a steaming hot cup of squash soup.

Recipe: Leek and Roasted Squash Soup

This is one of my favourite soup recipes, because it's so easy to make and understands if you have don't have enough (or too much) leeks or squash sometimes.


Leek and Roasted Squash Soup
Season: Late summer to autumn.
Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

2 leeks --- washed well and sliced thinly (green and white parts)
1 medium butternut squash --- skin and seeds* removed, cut into 3/4" cubes
oil --- e.g. local canola or soybean oil, or olive oil
salt and pepper
1" piece fresh ginger (optional) --- finely minced
3 cups vegetable stock (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss cubed squash with oil in a bowl to coat. Sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper. Place squash on baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 30 mins, or until cubes are soft and have caramelized slightly.

In a heavy-bottomed, large stockpot, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add leeks, stirring occasionally, until leeks are cooked (about 3-5 mins). If desired, add ginger and stir. Add vegetable stock or water, and roasted squash. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 20 mins. For a chunkier soup, mash squash in soup with a whisk. For a smoother soup, blend in batches. Add salt and pepper as desired.

*Note: squash seeds can be saved and roasted for a delicious snack, or even to sprinkle on top of the squash soup.

Photo: Leek and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (made very thick and chunky, the way me likey), with Veggie Pizza slice and Red Cabbage and Carrot slaw. The slaw dressing comes from The Veganomicon, and the pizza is my own creation. Send me a msg if you're interested in the recipes.

Recipe: Toasted Squash Seeds

A crunchy snack that's easy to make and addictive to eat. The whole seed (including hull) can be eaten. Spices, such as curry powder or cayenne, can be added for a kick.


Toasted Squash Seeds
Season: Late summer to autumn.

Ingredients:

Squash seeds - pumpkin, butternut, acorn --- pulp removed, rinsed and patted dry (or air dried)
oil --- e.g. local canola or soybean oil, or olive oil
fine sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F. Toss seeds with a little oil, just enough to coat. Sprinkle salt and toss. Spread seeds onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast for 8-15 minutes, until slightly browned. Be sure to watch the seeds every so often to ensure they don't burn.