For the love of Produce...

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Replies

  • purplefizzy
    purplefizzy Posts: 594 Member
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    I'm going to an Asian market for the first time this week. I'm going out-of-town soon so I can't buy a lot, but want to try some new vegetables. The only produce I don't like are beets, celery, avocado, and coconut. Any must haves?

    Kabocha squash- in season and cheap!
    Golden kiwi (my Asian store has best ones)
    Chinese cauliflower (different density to it, roasts up really crispy)
    Something green you’ve never tried before :)
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    I'm going to an Asian market for the first time this week. I'm going out-of-town soon so I can't buy a lot, but want to try some new vegetables. The only produce I don't like are beets, celery, avocado, and coconut. Any must haves?

    Chinese eggplant (long skinny ones) - the skin is much less tough and they cook down better imo.
    Daikon radish - good crunchy filler and pickles well.
    Lotus root - maybe from the freezer. I just had it for the first time this week and I like it a lot! If I had to describe it, it would be like water chestnut but firmer and dryer, and with a good bite and woody flavour.

    Fruit - lychees are around right now, here anyway.
  • PAPYRUS3
    PAPYRUS3 Posts: 13,259 Member
    isyyb2zdcbbb.jpg

    Not so pretty - Kale/mushrooms/ Daikon (mandoline)/garlic/red onions/Bok Choy/broccoli/Shirataki noodles- usually would use cauliflower and sweet potato or some squash would be have been good too.

    Salmon with spices and a bit of egg whites pan fried -

    Fresh squeeze of lemon on top.

    Nori sheet (I'm weird...I rip up in little pieces and make mini 'wraps' as I get through it all - topped with hot sauce too...lol!!)


    All for 350 calories and I'm stuffed.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    My produce guy, Tony. Aka my crack dealer! Lolqb0a3znz791m.jpg
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,135 Member
    Thank you for your suggestions! I thought I could stick to just a few things, I came out with 2 bags of vegetables! @Purplefizzy when I saw kabocha I had to get it as it's had me curious from you posting it! I may have to wait to eat it until I get back from vacation but look forward to trying it! I picked up Chinese cauliflower as I'm curious how it tastes different than American. @MelanieCN77 I went with Chinese eggplant too, I've only made eggplant once and didn't cook it enough so I decided to give it a second chance.

    The stuff I bought is Taro, Opo, You-choy-sum, Chinese eggplant, pea shoots, choyote, lemongrass, and baby bok choy. I just finished a Daikon radish I had in my Imperfect produce box. I recieved my box Monday too so I'm probably going to have to eat only vegetables before I go out-of-town!
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I made spicy garlic eggplant for lunch today with a Chinese eggplant. I cooked it maybe 15-20 minutes tops and it was good - with a regular one it still would have been tough. Good luck, hope you enjoy it more this way!
  • purplefizzy
    purplefizzy Posts: 594 Member
    PAPYRUS3 wrote: »
    isyyb2zdcbbb.jpg

    Not so pretty - Kale/mushrooms/ Daikon (mandoline)/garlic/red onions/Bok Choy/broccoli/Shirataki noodles- usually would use cauliflower and sweet potato or some squash would be have been good too.

    Salmon with spices and a bit of egg whites pan fried -

    Fresh squeeze of lemon on top.

    Nori sheet (I'm weird...I rip up in little pieces and make mini 'wraps' as I get through it all - topped with hot sauce too...lol!!)


    All for 350 calories and I'm stuffed.

    I do the same with the nori. I’m a hand eater :)
  • purplefizzy
    purplefizzy Posts: 594 Member
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    Thank you for your suggestions! I thought I could stick to just a few things, I came out with 2 bags of vegetables! @Purplefizzy when I saw kabocha I had to get it as it's had me curious from you posting it! I may have to wait to eat it until I get back from vacation but look forward to trying it! I picked up Chinese cauliflower as I'm curious how it tastes different than American. @MelanieCN77 I went with Chinese eggplant too, I've only made eggplant once and didn't cook it enough so I decided to give it a second chance.

    The stuff I bought is Taro, Opo, You-choy-sum, Chinese eggplant, pea shoots, choyote, lemongrass, and baby bok choy. I just finished a Daikon radish I had in my Imperfect produce box. I recieved my box Monday too so I'm probably going to have to eat only vegetables before I go out-of-town!

    Be careful cutting the kabocha. They can be sorta brutal. If all else fails, wash it really well, and micro till soft enough to cut, then cut, scoop seeds, Cube and whatever.. :)

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,566 Member
    FWIW, one of my favorite ways to attack hard squash and similar stuff is with a sturdy cleaver and a rubberized dead-blow hammer. Get a little bit of a groove going, carefully, so the blade won't slip dangerously, then follow up with a big whack of the hammer on the cleaver. Very satisfying. ;)
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,989 Member
    My first harvest of pea shoots for tonight's salad. Also put a larger quantity of broad beans in a tray of soil so hopefully will have enought to stir fry in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the peas will provide a second crop.
    gx54zfld8wrw.jpeg


  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,566 Member
    Pea shoots, raw or barely stir-fried: Yum. Someone asked me why I would eat pea shoots?!?! Tasty: Why wouldn't a person eat them? ;)
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,989 Member
    I love pea shoots. I am trying fava bean shoots too for the first time. Though last summer I messed up and forgot about the tray of pea shoots on the balcony. When we finally got around to harvesting and eating them they were tough and gnarly.
  • purplefizzy
    purplefizzy Posts: 594 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    FWIW, one of my favorite ways to attack hard squash and similar stuff is with a sturdy cleaver and a rubberized dead-blow hammer. Get a little bit of a groove going, carefully, so the blade won't slip dangerously, then follow up with a big whack of the hammer on the cleaver. Very satisfying. ;)

    Now gonna have to look up cleaver.
    I’m picturing the scary knife I never learned how to properly use.

  • purplefizzy
    purplefizzy Posts: 594 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    My first harvest of pea shoots for tonight's salad. Also put a larger quantity of broad beans in a tray of soil so hopefully will have enought to stir fry in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the peas will provide a second crop.
    gx54zfld8wrw.jpeg


    Stunning.
    I’m so into the microgreens and shoots lately, still haven’t made space or time to grow my own. Love them.
  • lg013
    lg013 Posts: 215 Member
    edited July 2019
    My parents have made fun of me my entire life for my love of produce. Some of my favorites:

    Steamed artichoke, for a dipping sauce I combine the juice from 1 lemon, Greek yogurt or vegan mayo, salt, pepper, and tobasco sauce. I love it and it’s a meal you take time to savor as you pick away the leaves

    Peach salad (I’m from Georgia where the peaches are gooood), 2 sliced peaches raw. The dressing is 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice from one lime, 1-2 freshly diced jalepenos, and a half teaspoon of raw sugar mixed together

    Steamed asparagus, tomato salad. Chop it up and dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Tomato and lemon will form a really nice dressing.

    Green bean salad-grilled green beans with a tablespoon or less of freshly made mustard vinaigrette and lemon juice with a half tablespoon of creme fraise to dip

    Arugula with a tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, juice of one lemon, salt, pepper, and tobasco sauce (or I dress with a lighter Hollandaise recipe with no butter and tobasco, red bell pepper)

    I could go on forever.
  • lg013
    lg013 Posts: 215 Member
    Also, somewhere I have a beet and carrot burger recipe with a yogurt dill dipping sauce that is SO GOOD. I’m a LOVER of squash in everything as well—especially homemade soups and chili. Lately I’ve been trying to play around more with beans Bc I don’t love a black bean generally.

    Sadly, I have an allergy that prevents me from eating broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and some veggies I would assume are delicious...so I play around with recipes to remove them

  • lg013
    lg013 Posts: 215 Member
    My boyfriend also makes a fennel, lemon, and dill salad that I cannot stop eating. I’ll ask him for that one too.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,989 Member
    Growing pea and bean shoots is very easy, and much cheaper than buying them. A fun project to do with kids.
    https://verticalveg.org.uk/how-to-grow-pea-shoots/
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,135 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    My first harvest of pea shoots for tonight's salad. Also put a larger quantity of broad beans in a tray of soil so hopefully will have enought to stir fry in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the peas will provide a second crop.
    gx54zfld8wrw.jpeg


    What company did you order the pea shoot seeds from?
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,135 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    Growing pea and bean shoots is very easy, and much cheaper than buying them. A fun project to do with kids.
    https://verticalveg.org.uk/how-to-grow-pea-shoots/

    Just saw this post, would frozen peas work? I just tried pea shoots and really like them.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I'm hitting up my nice worldly market later this afternoon. I successfully ran through all the veg I got last week (exception of the frozen lotus root) and am ready for another go. I made a small pan of soup with the last tired bit of cauli and wilting broccoli and whatnot. Blended it, threw in some cooked orzo I had for salads and the last cubes of baked acorn squash to warm through. Perfect lunch day after I made myself sick on pick n' mix chocolate!
  • suzyjmcd2
    suzyjmcd2 Posts: 266 Member
    lg013 wrote: »
    My parents have made fun of me my entire life for my love of produce. Some of my favorites:

    Steamed artichoke, for a dipping sauce I combine the juice from 1 lemon, Greek yogurt or vegan mayo, salt, pepper, and tobasco sauce. I love it and it’s a meal you take time to savor as you pick away the leaves

    Peach salad (I’m from Georgia where the peaches are gooood), 2 sliced peaches raw. The dressing is 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice from one lime, 1-2 freshly diced jalepenos, and a half teaspoon of raw sugar mixed together

    Steamed asparagus, tomato salad. Chop it up and dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Tomato and lemon will form a really nice dressing.

    Green bean salad-grilled green beans with a tablespoon or less of freshly made mustard vinaigrette and lemon juice with a half tablespoon of creme fraise to dip

    Arugula with a tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, juice of one lemon, salt, pepper, and tobasco sauce (or I dress with a lighter Hollandaise recipe with no butter and tobasco, red bell pepper)

    I could go on forever.

    These sound wonderful and uncomplicated! Thank you!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,989 Member
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    My first harvest of pea shoots for tonight's salad. Also put a larger quantity of broad beans in a tray of soil so hopefully will have enought to stir fry in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the peas will provide a second crop.
    gx54zfld8wrw.jpeg


    What company did you order the pea shoot seeds from?

    I just use whole dried peas sold for cooking. Cheaper than ordering seeds. I bought a kilo bag of dried peas for cooking 3 years ago and have been planting from that one batch successfully every summer since.

    Soak the seeds 12-24 hours before planting densely but in a single layer. A tray about 2 inches deep with holes at the bottom is the ideal depth for the compost. A good way to recycle those plastic containers that supermarket fruit and veg such grapes and cherry tomatoes are sold in (with holes on the bottom). After sowing cover with soil about the depth of a pea. Water well and check daily in warm weather if soil is moist. You'll have a crop in 2 or 3 weeks in warm weather.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,989 Member
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    Growing pea and bean shoots is very easy, and much cheaper than buying them. A fun project to do with kids.
    https://verticalveg.org.uk/how-to-grow-pea-shoots/

    Just saw this post, would frozen peas work? I just tried pea shoots and really like them.

    I'm afraid the blanching and freezing process destroys the pea enzymes. You will need dried whole peas sold for cooking.

    https://bbsrc.ukri.org/documents/easypeasy-teachers-pack-and-student-sheets/
  • PAPYRUS3
    PAPYRUS3 Posts: 13,259 Member
    List of Crop Plants Pollinated by Bees


    Bees don't need to pollinate every single crop, but here is just a brief list of some of the foods we would lose if all our bees continue to perish:

    Apples
    Mangos
    Rambutan
    Kiwi Fruit
    Plums
    Peaches
    Nectarines
    Guava
    Rose Hips
    Pomegranites
    Pears
    Black and Red Currants
    Alfalfa
    Okra
    Strawberries
    Onions
    Cashews
    Cactus
    Prickly Pear
    Apricots
    Allspice
    Avocados
    Passion Fruit
    Lima Beans
    Kidney Beans
    Adzuki Beans
    Green Beans
    Orchid Plants
    Custard Apples
    Cherries
    Celery
    Coffee
    Walnut
    Cotton
    Lychee
    Flax
    Acerola – used in Vitamin C supplements
    Macadamia Nuts
    Sunflower Oil
    Goa beans
    Lemons
    Buckwheat
    Figs
    Fennel
    Limes
    Quince
    Carrots
    Persimmons
    Palm Oil
    Loquat
    Durian
    Cucumber
    Hazelnut
    Cantaloupe
    Tangelos
    Coriander
    Caraway
    Chestnut
    Watermelon
    Star Apples
    Coconut
    Tangerines
    Boysenberries
    Starfruit
    Brazil Nuts
    Beets
    Mustard Seed
    Rapeseed
    Broccoli
    Cauliflower
    Cabbage
    Brussels Sprouts
    Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage)
    Turnips
    Congo Beans
    Sword beans
    Chili peppers, red peppers, bell peppers, green peppers
    Papaya
    Safflower
    Sesame
    Eggplant
    Raspberries
    Elderberries
    Blackberries
    Clover
    Tamarind
    Cocoa
    Black Eyed Peas
    Vanilla
    Cranberries
    Tomatoes
    Grapes

    Almost half of bee colonies in the US have collapsed! Pesticides seem to be the main reason...organic produce is the way to go I'm thinking.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,989 Member
    I've just read you can grow microgreens from popcorn kernels too. That's the next experiment.
    https://www.cropking.com/blog/growing-popcorn-shoots
  • skelterhelter
    skelterhelter Posts: 803 Member
    edited July 2019
    I've really been loving brussel sprouts lately! Roasted in a pan with a little bit of oil, garlic, salt and pepper. It gets a little crispy and charred. Sometimes I drizzle with balsamic glaze. So delicious! I also really love tomatoes, green onions, butter lettuce, carrots, sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and butternut squash. I've never really cared for radishes, but maybe I need to try it a different way? I'm just not a fan of the raw stuff.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    lg013 wrote: »

    Peach salad (I’m from Georgia where the peaches are gooood), 2 sliced peaches raw. The dressing is 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice from one lime, 1-2 freshly diced jalepenos, and a half teaspoon of raw sugar mixed together

    I'm totally trying this one. I bought a pack mix for something like this to grill fruit with and it tasted like acid barf, can't lie. I never thought to think more about what the packet was trying to emulate, which is this.
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,135 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    My first harvest of pea shoots for tonight's salad. Also put a larger quantity of broad beans in a tray of soil so hopefully will have enought to stir fry in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the peas will provide a second crop.
    gx54zfld8wrw.jpeg


    What company did you order the pea shoot seeds from?

    I just use whole dried peas sold for cooking. Cheaper than ordering seeds. I bought a kilo bag of dried peas for cooking 3 years ago and have been planting from that one batch successfully every summer since.

    Soak the seeds 12-24 hours before planting densely but in a single layer. A tray about 2 inches deep with holes at the bottom is the ideal depth for the compost. A good way to recycle those plastic containers that supermarket fruit and veg such grapes and cherry tomatoes are sold in (with holes on the bottom). After sowing cover with soil about the depth of a pea. Water well and check daily in warm weather if soil is moist. You'll have a crop in 2 or 3 weeks in warm weather.

    Oh cool, this doesn't sound too hard! I'm going out-of-town for two weeks so I'll give it a go when I get back. I recently purchased pea shoots and really like them. Another new discovery is radian microgreens so I'll look into those too. Thank you for the info!