This week’s CSA harvest is packed with vegetables that can go in so many different directions!
Half orders received cucumbers, a medley of squash, potatoes, and spinach, while our Full orders received all of those goodies plus okra, eggplant, and yard-long beans.
If you’re looking at your box wondering what to make first, we’ve got you covered. This week we’re keeping things EASY with simple preparations that let fresh vegetables do most of the work.
🌿 Ridiculously Simple Roasted Okra
If you think you don’t like okra because of the texture, roast it! High heat gives okra browned, slightly crispy edges without the texture people sometimes associate with boiled okra.
You’ll need:
- Fresh okra
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Optional: garlic powder, smoked paprika, or Cajun seasoning
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Wash the okra and dry it really well. Trim the stem ends and either leave the pods whole or slice them lengthwise.
Toss lightly with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any seasonings you’d like.
Spread the okra in a single layer on a baking sheet. Don’t crowd the pan—giving it some room helps it roast rather than steam.
Roast for approximately 15–20 minutes, turning once, until browned around the edges.
That’s it!
Eat it straight off the pan as a side dish or serve it with ranch or another favorite dipping sauce.
🥒 R’s Late-Night Cucumber Snack
Here’s another cucumber idea inspired by a favorite from Trim Healthy Mama—and it couldn’t be much simpler.
You’ll need:
- Fresh cucumber
- Salt
- Nutritional yeast
- Cayenne pepper
Slice a cold cucumber into rounds and sprinkle with salt, nutritional yeast, and just a little cayenne.
That’s it!
The nutritional yeast adds a savory, almost cheesy flavor, the cayenne adds a little heat, and the cucumber keeps everything cool and crunchy.
Start lightly with the cayenne—you can always add more!
🍆 Crispy Parmesan Eggplant Bites
Eggplant doesn’t have to become eggplant Parmesan or require an afternoon in the kitchen. These little bites make an easy side dish or snack.
You’ll need:
- 1 eggplant
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Olive oil or cooking spray
Slice the eggplant into approximately ½-inch rounds or bite-size pieces.
Beat the egg in one bowl. In another, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Dip each piece in egg and then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
Arrange on a baking sheet, lightly drizzle or spray with oil, and bake at 425°F for about 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Serve with warm marinara for dipping.
Kid tip: Calling them “eggplant bites” and giving everyone marinara for dipping may get a much warmer reception than announcing that tonight’s side dish is eggplant!
🥔 Crispy Smashed Farm Potatoes
These are somewhere between roasted potatoes and French fries—and they’re incredibly easy.
Boil small or medium potatoes until they’re fork-tender.
Place them on an oiled baking sheet and gently smash each potato with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Roast at 425°F for 25–35 minutes, until the edges become golden and crispy.
Sprinkle with Parmesan or fresh herbs if you have them, or serve them just as they are.
🌱 Garlicky Long Beans & Squash Skillet
Here’s a quick way to turn two CSA vegetables into one easy side dish.
You’ll need:
- Yard-long beans, cut into 2–3 inch pieces
- Yellow squash or zucchini, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Butter or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan, optional
Heat butter or olive oil in a large skillet.
Add the long beans first and sauté for about 3–4 minutes. Add your squash and continue cooking until everything is tender-crisp.
Add the garlic during the last minute or two of cooking so it doesn’t burn.
Season with salt and pepper and finish with Parmesan if you’d like.
The biggest tip here is don’t overcook your vegetables. Fresh squash and long beans are wonderful when they still have a little bite!
🌱 Don’t Forget the Spinach!
Your spinach may be the easiest ingredient in the entire box to use.
Toss it into scrambled eggs, add a handful to smoothies, pile it onto sandwiches, sauté it with garlic, use it as the base of a salad, or stir it into pasta and soups during the last few minutes of cooking.
And if you still have a little bit of everything left by the end of the week? Chop your squash, potatoes, eggplant, and okra, toss them with olive oil and seasonings, and make a big CSA clean-out sheet pan dinner.
Add sliced sausage or another protein and suddenly those last few vegetables become dinner instead of leftovers!
From Our Farm to Your Table 💚
Part of the fun of a CSA is getting to cook with what’s actually growing on the farm that week. Sometimes that means familiar favorites, and sometimes it means trying something you might not normally pick up at the grocery store.
We hope these recipes make it a little easier—and maybe help your family discover a new favorite along the way.
Thank you for supporting Wesley Wells Farms and choosing to eat local!