What is in the box? May 21

Today we received:

navel oranges
Valencia oranges
a blood orange or two
grapefruit
tangelos
apricots
nectarines
peaches
avocados
lemons
limes

zucchini
patti pan squash
yellow squash
corn
carrots
bell pepper
green beans
broccoli
tomatoes

What's in the box? May 7th

This week we received:

Valencia oranges
Navel oranges
blood orange
passion fruit
tangelos
Eureka lemons
Meyer lemon
Limes
Fuerte avocados
apricots
strawberries

spring onion
carrots
beets
tomatoes
broccoli rabe
bell pepper
zucchini
yellow squash
green beans

what's in the box? April 9

This week the full order included:
blood oranges
navel oranges
cara cara oranges
tangelos
valencia oranges
eureka lemons
avocados
limes
grapefruit
passion fruit


spinach
tomatoes
grape tomatoes
beets
green onions
carrots
cabbage
cauliflower


For our Easter picnic, I made a blood orange loaf cake. It was fabulous. This recipe does not disappoint. Kids and adults always have to have a second slice. The best thing about the recipe is it works with any citrus fruit. I have done them all, well not grapefruit, with equal success.
I chose blood oranges because they were the last of the citrus I had on hand AND the frosting comes out a lovely shade of pink!

What's in the box? March 26th

Today's order full orders included:

spring onions
spinach
carrots
cabbage
romaine lettuce
zucchini
beets
tomatoes(slicing and grape)
broccoli

avocados
navel oranges
tangelos
meyer lemons
eureka lemons
limes
grapefruit
blood oranges

The grape tomatoes are really great!

What's in the box? Feb 26th Delivery

We received a great variety in this last delivery. The full order included:

navel oranges
Eureka lemons
Meyer lemons
avocados-Fuerte
limes
grapefruit
tangerines-two varieties

green onions
broccoli rabe
cauliflower
spinach
carrots
zucchini
tomatoes
asparagus

More Paltrow

The zucchini. That vegetable used to only have one use in my house before Farmer Steve began delivering to our home. Zucchini bread. Once he started delivering regularly, the zucchini started stacking up. The resulting bread or muffins were always in the freezer ready to defrost. Eventually I had to find some other ways to use the stuff. Up until that point, all the kids would not eat it without the addition of sugar, flour and eggs. Then I found  Deborah Madison and her Slow cooked zucchini coins and everyone, save one little one decided they could eat zucchini and like it without sugar and the rest.

And now I have fried zucchini spaghetti from Gwyneth's new book to fix and serve with the approval, ie. they eat it, of my family. Try it. It is simple, quick and fresh. It is another vegetarian dish to add to the week's line up.

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti (adapted from Paltrow's my father's daughter)


1 lb spaghetti
3 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tbs all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more to serve
1/4 cup pasta water, to thin
freshly ground black pepper
hand full of fresh basil leaves

Boil spaghetti in salted water until just al dente. Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with flour. Heat
the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and add as much zucchini as will fit in a single layer. Cook, stirring and flipping occasionally, until well browned and a little crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove the zucchini to a plate and sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat until you have cooked all of the zucchini.

Meanwhile, whisk the cheese together with the remaining 2 tbs of olive oil in a large mising bowl. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the pasta water, adding a bit more if necessary. You want the consistency to be creamy. Drain the spaghetti and add to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Toss together, season with salt and pepper and fold in two-thirds of the fried zucchini and all of the basil.
To serve, portion the pasta into four shallow bowls and evenly distribute the rest of the zucchini on top of each, along with a couple grating of cheese.

This all should only take about a half hour.

Peach Muffins

Many times in my kitchen I make do. Sometimes I don't have everything a recipe requires. Sometimes I have something that I really want to use but no recipe that calls for it. And so I make do. Which is how I came up with this lovely gem of a muffin Wednesday night when I wanted something baked, something that could carry some frozen sliced peaches, something that would be tasty alongside the roast chicken and applesauce I also had cooking.

I happened upon a copy of Gwyneth Paltrow's, my father's daughter, at Target a couple weeks back which, I must say, is very lovely. My husband on the other hand thought I was a bit ridiculous. But I don't take cook books lightly, there needs to be substance and recipes I would actually want to cook as well as photography that makes you want to cook even if you don't like to. This here book does that.  And here was where I found my inspiration for the peach muffin.

Peach Muffins (adapted from Paltrow's Healthier Blueberry Muffins)

1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 sour cream
1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 peaches, peeled and sliced

Preheat oven to 425. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with papers.
Mix wet ingredients together, stir in the dry ingredients, and fold in the
peaches. Divide among the muffin cups and bake until a toothpick tests
 clean and the muffins are golden brown, 15-25 minutes.
Let cool before eating.


To make vegan: replace milk with soy milk and omit sour cream.