Classic Shrimp Stir Fry

1 lb. shrimp, raw*

1 lb. baby bok choy, washed and chopped

2 lg. portabella mushroom caps, sliced thinly

2 green onions, chopped

1 T. garlic, minced

1/3 c. plus 2 T. soy sauce

1 T. ginger root

Prep Time: 10 minutes      Cook Time: 10 minutes        Servings: 4

1. In a wok (or fry pan), heat 2 T. soy sauce on low heat. Add the shrimp. Peel the skin from the ginger root and discard it. Then mince the ginger (ginger in small doses adds so much amazing flavor to a dish; in large doses, ginger tastes like lemon pledge) and add it to the pan. Once the shrimp is lightly pink, pour the shrimp into a bowl for a few minutes.

2. Heat 1/3 c. soy sauce in the wok on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and let tenderize, usually about a minute. Add bok choy, green onions, and garlic. Cook until the greens become slightly wilted (for optimal flavor) then add the shrimp. After about a minute, remove the wok from the heat.

3. Serve immediately!

* I use raw shrimp that needs to be cooked and peeled. It takes 5 minutes to peel but it somehow tastes amazingly more tender than the already peeled and cooked shrimp. Plus, it is about 1/2 the price and the way that our 4.5 year old eats shrimp, we need it to be as cheap as possible! If you are using cooked shrimp (you can tell because raw shrimp is grey while cooked shrimp is pink), skip the first step.

Serving Suggestions: My husband and son ate this over white rice. I'm on a special nutritional plan, so I ate it without a side, but next time I will make quinoa so that we can all enjoy an identical dish.

Frugal Friday: Chive Blossoms

Chive Blossom Vinegar

• chive blossoms
• white vinegar

Prep Time: 5 minutes               Cooking Time: n/a

Fill a sterilized mason jar with chive blossoms. Add enough white vinegar to cover the blossoms. Cover and let sit in a well lit area for 7-14 days (Remember: The longer, the stronger... For a milder flavor, filter the blossoms out after 7 days. For a bolder flavor, wait 14 days.)

The vinegar will turn a vibrant pink. When it is done "brewing", it can be used as a substitute in recipes which call for vinegar.

Serving Suggestions: Add equal parts EVOO for a modern twist on balsamic vinaigrette. Use as a side with fish and chips. Or create a base with it for crock pot barbecue chicken.

Roasted Turnips with Greens

Roasted Turnips with Greens, Scallions, & Thyme

• 4 turnips with greens
• 3 scallions
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 T. coconut oil
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper

Prep Time: 5 minutes                 Cook Time: 30 minutes

Begin by washing your produce thoroughly. Cut the greens off the turnips about 2" above the turnip, then cut the turnips into quarters. Slice the scallions in half lengthwise. Heat the coconut oil over low heat in a skillet with a dash of salt and pepper. Add the quartered turnips and scallions. Cover and roast for about 30 minutes or until turnips are tender.

Roughly chop greens with the leaves off a sprig of thyme. In a fry pan, heat EVOO over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes but don't let the greens turn brown. When the roasted turnips have cooked completely, combine both dishes in a bowl and serve.

Serving Suggestion: We enjoyed this with ground chicken burgers. The roasted turnips were amazing and my only regret is that I only made 3!

A Suburban Foodie Living in Rural Illinois

I've always enjoyed experimenting with new foods... Unless you speak with my mom. She will likely recall a time when I ate spaghetti. At restaurants, I literally only ate spaghetti. She would occasionally let me take a "life experience day", which meant that we would both skip out on our responsibilities and explore whatever intrigued us at the moment. Most days began with lunch at Red Lobster, where I would order, yes, spaghetti. But as I matured, so did my palate. I've learned to try everything at least once and preferably cooked in multiple fashions. So when I married, my husband was accustomed to everything frozen and quick. He would at times offer to make dinner and would whip up the most amazing meat loaf known to mankind. But most times, he allowed me creative liberties in the kitchen. Remind me to never share the story of the French Onion Soup. 

Living in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, variety was never an issue. I would pass an Asian market on my way to work or cross the street to grab a quick bite at the supermercado. When we decided to move to central Illinois, I had no idea how bland the dinner menu would become. I've scoured Pinterest and googled recipes, but there are only so many ways to prepare potatoes. While trying to find a local source of raw milk, I happened across a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) named Golden Oldies Farm. This concept is nothing new. There are dozens of CSAs in suburban and even urban localities. But in rural Illinois, there are not many. I contacted them for additional information and quickly signed up. Because there are only 3 of us (DH = dear husband, DS = 4.5 year old dear son, and myself), it made sense to split our share between our family and my parents. I'm going to share our experience here and will include recipes for the produce we collect each week. My recipes are dairy free and often vegan, but I will tag them appropriately for quick reference.

Find a CSA farm near you here. Please bear in mind that they often discontinue selling shares once the season has begun, but still contact them because each is individually owned and may operate differently.

Stay tuned for our meals of the week!