Week 8: pick up and hoisin eggplant

I forgot to post last week after our pick up! We received:

-red spring onions
-celery
-basil
-cucumbers
-summer squash
-japanese eggplant
-green peppers
-purple potatoes

Over the weekend I made still more pickles, this time cutting the cukes into quarters instead of eighths to make for a bulkier pickle. Still using the same brine, though I think this third time will be the final one before I refresh it.

Last night I made grilled japanese eggplant and summer squash with hoisin sauce from this recipe, and served it with baked marinated tofu and brown rice. The eggplant and summer squash was topped with some sliced spring onion greens. This was one of my favorite meals of the summer thus far. It was very easy, though the draining and marinating of the tofu took some time. I also got to use my new grill pan, which was excellent. I was worried it would be difficult to clean, but it was a piece of cake: non-stick is the way to go. I have a little of the hoisin left over, and I think I might grill up the second summer squash, the red spring onions, and the other two green peppers with it later this week.

I am also happy to have added rice to the list of things I can cook. I often feel like I skipped basic cooking skills, but I have now made delicious brown rice two tries in a row, and feel quite accomplished.

I am eating last week's carrots and this week's celery and some of the green peppers with ranch dip as part of my lunches this week.