Vegatables Attack!

Several months ago I mentioned here joining a CSA. I've been eagerly waiting for the first delivery, for our first box o'produce. Deliveries actually started while Don and I were honeymooning, so we got our first box Friday. I think I'm in over my head.

I signed up for a "half-share" on the strength that our household has only two people, neither one a vegetarian. It's the smaller-share option, half the veggies for half the price. Except that our "half-share" was a bushel of green. A bushel! Actually more than that, according to the box. With the exception of half-dozen eggs, it was all vegetables. Writing this from memory, we received:

Cauliflower (a huge head)
Broccoli (same)
Cabbage (same)
Swiss chard
Spinach-- except that it's actually "tatsoi"
Onions
Peas
Asparagus
Herbs-- basil, parsley

Completely overwhelming. I had no way to store it all-- no extra plastic bags, no muslin or anything. I ended up just stuffing it all into the fridge while trying to figure out what to do with so many leafy greens-- more vegetables in a week than Don and I eat in a month! OK, two months. Well, that was Friday. I've eaten most of the Swiss chard scrambled in eggs with onion. I've made a gratin with the cauliflower and broccoli, a quiche with the tatsoi and asparagus, and tonight will be a colcannon soup with the cabbage. I'm going to get some muslin and some plastic bags, research more recipes. On the good side, none of the veg will go to waste before Friday, when it will be time for another box (!!), but. BUT.

One of the major reasons that I decided to do this was to get more healthy veggie stuff into our diets, and as a culinary adventure-- new recipes!, yay. But so far I'm burying the goods in cheese, eggs, and bacon. With the exception of obvious "side-dish" veggies cooked up plain like the peas and asparagus I don't know what to do with vegetables. I am used to serving them on the side of something meaty or putting them in rich dishes, like casseroles and quiche, which defeats the point-- our diet is already rich in dairy and egg, thank you. I need to learn how to serve veggies in healthy ways. As main dishes, in salads, in stir-fries. Because there will be a bushel-box of fresh, organic produce every week and I have to be on top of it! We can't be eating a quiche every week, or cream soups. My primary motivation this week was panic-- don't let the good veg rot! But if I don't figure out what I'm doing, the whole project is for naught.


In other news.

My face is terribly broken-out.
I woke up very early this morning, needing to pee.
My dreams are crazy-vivid.
I feel thirsty all the time.
I'm tired during the day but alert at night.

I could be pregnant again. Or I could still be a little jet-lagged and living on vacation-time. And could be getting a urinary-tract infection. Or, just living in my head; psychologically manifesting the symptoms of my last pregnancy now that I know what it feels like. Really, it's hard to say and too soon to tell. But it sure is fun driving myself crazy with hope, fear, exitement, and panic in the meantimes! What a great way to pass the time until my period is due. Today's emotion is panic, brought to you by the letter B!