Week 2: Bag Contents, Meal Plan, & Recipe Links

It's no secret that I love Mexican food (at least as Mexican as food can be in Ohio).  For pretty much every birthday, anniversary, holiday, etc, I choose to eat at a Mexican restaurant.  Chipotle is my fast food of choice (again, I realize this is not really Mexican food, but there is guacamole and salsa so it's good enough for me).  My past two trips to Chicago I made sure we stopped to eat at a Rick Bayless restaurant.  So it should come as no surprise that I am really excited about this week's CSA delivery.  Here's what we got:

Small bag contents:
-2 lb black turtle beans
-1 bag corn chips
-1 lb chorizo sausage
-1 bunch green onions
-1 bunch cilantro
-1 head red leaf lettuce
-1 bunch Swiss chard
-1 head jumbo white stem bok choy
-1.5 lb red slicing tomatoes

Large bag additions:
-1 head cauliflower
-1 bunch red kale
-1 lb snow peas
-2 ct zucchini
-1 package chicken brats
-1 bunch beets

My tentative meal plan:

Thursday:    Summer Squash Pizza (Cooking Light); Simple Salad

Friday:         Cold Sesame Noodles (Cooking Light); Stir Fried Bok Choy & Snow Peas

Saturday:     BLT's; Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

Sunday:       Hamburgers & Potato Salad (Father's Day, so this was husband's request!)

Monday:       Baked Black Beans & Chorizo (Cooking Light!)*; Chips & Salsa

*Note that this recipe requires modification as it calls for Spanish chorizo which is a cured sausage. Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage and requires cooking first.

Tuesday:      Chicken Brat, Cauliflower and Brown Rice Bake

I can't really say that I have a single favorite food. But if you asked me to make a top ten list, beans would be on it.  Besides being delicious, they're cheap, nutritious, and adaptable.  Fortunately for me, my whole family loves beans, so they're included in our meals at a minimum of twice a week.  Canned beans are a nice convenience (Trader Joe's canned beans are BPA free, as are Eden Organic), but making your own dried beans is even better.  I make a pound or two at a time and we eat them all week in soups, quesadillas, burritos, pasta, etc.  They also freeze well when cooked, so you can package them in small containers and thaw as needed.  I typically follow the Rick Bayless slow cooker method for preparing dried beans.  This is a basic recipe that allows you to use the cooked beans in a variety of preparations.  If you want to turn the pot of beans into a meal, season as desired, add vegetables and/or meat, and dinner is done.

Home-Cooked Beans (Slow-Cooker Variation)
From Mexican Everyday, By Rick Bayless

-1 lb (about 2 1/2 cups) dried beans
-2 T. oil or lard
-1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
-Salt

Wash and sort the beans.  Pour the beans into a medium-large pot, pour in two quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat; then pour into the slow-cooker.  Add the oil or lard and onion.  Allow the beans to cook for at least 6 hours on high in order for them to become tender, though they may continue cooking up to 10 hours.  When the beans are tender, stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.  Taste and add additional salt if needed.

*A note about soaking beans - According to Rick Bayless, Mexican cooks don't soak beans.  It doesn't do much to make them more, um, digestible (as you include beans more and more in your diet your body adjusts), and it makes the beans turn out pale in color and flavor.  I never soak my beans and I have never had any problems.

Below are links to some other recipes that you might like for this week's bag.  Some of these I have linked to before, some I've never tried.  Remember, a recipe can always be modified to fit your taste!  If you're having trouble adjusting a recipe to fit your needs, leave a comment and I'll try to help.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and check out my recipe boards there. 

Mexican Beans with Chorizo & Greens (Dinner & Dessert)
Zucchini Mushroom Tacos with Chorizo (Cooking Claire)
Salt & Vinegar Kale Mashed Potatoes (Edible Perspective)
Kale with Black Beans & Sweet Potatoes (Healthy Girl's Kitchen)
Chard & Gruyere Grilled Cheese (Sprouted Kitchen)
Stir Fried Bok Choy with Ginger & Garlic (Robin Miller)
Kale Caesar Slaw (Bon Appetit)

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