Perfectly Imperfect Produce: Box #14
Perfectly Imperfect Produce: Box #14
We made it to February 2020! At my house, we started off our February with another box of surprise produce. Our favorite! When I opened the box, I was excited to see the heads of iceberg lettuce and cabbage as I do not buy either of them very often! I also found some new favorite recipes this week, including baked coconut shrimp with an orange sauce and chicken lettuce wrap salads! See what else I made below!
Over Christmas break, I had the yummiest wedge salad at a steak house, and honestly, I have been craving it ever since! So when I saw the head of iceberg lettuce, I immediately knew I was turning it into a wedge salad.
One of the best parts of a lettuce wedge salad is that while it looks fancy, it is actually quite easy to make. All it takes is the right ingredients and some simple assembly. My lettuce wedge consisted of crisp iceberg lettuce with crispy bacon, crumbled blue cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, and homemade ranch. Absolutely delicious!
I grew up on homemade buttermilk ranch, and it is still one of my favorite salad dressings. Plus, it only takes four ingredients! The dressing paired perfectly with the blue cheese crumbles, almost turning it into a blue cheese dressing. Yum!
What would you put on your lettuce wedge salads?
Easy Homemade Ranch:
Whisk together...
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
{*I just eye-ball the parsley and garlic salt when I make the dressing. Taste the dressing and if you think it needs more flavor, add more garlic salt. If too strong, add more buttermilk.}
Orange: Baked Coconut Shrimp with Lemon/Orange Dipping Sauce
On Saturday morning, Ree Drummond prepared fried coconut shrimp on her cooking show, and they looked amazing! One problem for me though: I can not stand the smell of fried foods in the kitchen. For some reason, ever since elementary school, the oily smell gives me migraines. So, I usually look for baked alternatives! (They are healthier, and I don't get headaches!) With Pioneer Woman's recipe as my inspiration, and following the recipe attached below, I baked coconut shrimp for the first time. They were absolutely delicious, and I will be making them again and again! They are the perfect party food or yummy just as a treat!
These baked shrimp, covered in crunchy, sweet coconut flakes and panko bread crumbs, paired perfectly with the orange dipping sauce. I even added lemon juice and zest to the sauce to increase the citrus flavor. If you don't feel you need the sauce, the shrimp also taste delicious with just a spritz of lemon juice. Recipe below!
Recipe: Here
Tweaks:
I used unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened, but you would be fine either way.
The recipe suggests you double dip the shrimp in the egg and coconut mixture, However, I felt the coating was plenty thick, so I only dipped them in the egg and coating mixture once.
In addition, I only cooked them for 10 minutes instead of 15, as I could tell the shrimp were crispy and cooked through.
Carrots: Chicken Lettuce Wrap "Salad"
Lettuce wraps are one of my favorite dishes to order at Chinese restaurants. In my opinion, The Mandarin in Bountiful, Utah has the best lettuce wraps! But since I am across the country, I had fun trying a different version! This recipe turns the lettuce wrap into a salad, and this salad is absolutely delicious. The chicken is flavorful, and the salad dressing adds different flavor notes. I tweaked the recipe by adding pinenuts instead of cashews, but I am sure cashews would be delicious in it too!
This recipe calls for ground chicken. Now before you turn away because you do not usually cook with ground chicken, give it a chance! I was skeptical as I had never bought it before, but the Mandarin uses ground chicken in their lettuce wraps, so I was willing to give it a try. The ground chicken was easy to cook and tasted delicious in the wraps! It reminded me of cooking hamburger, only it took just a bit longer for the chicken to start turning dark brown. I was pleasantly surprised and will be cooking with it again!
This recipe is my favorite recipe of the week, and I will be making it over and over again. The chicken lettuce wrap salads are healthy, flavorful, and taste delicious. Give them a try!
Recipe: Here
Tweaks:
The first time I made them, they were a little spicy for me. The second time I made them, I halved the Sriracha, and the heat level was perfect. If you do not like heat, or are cooking for kids who do not like spicy foods, cut the Sriracha completely. There are plenty of other flavors going on that the dish will still be flavorful.
I also subbed the cashews for pinenuts, as that is what I had! Highly recommend!
Radish & Beets: Citrus Beet Salad
Roasted beets, citrus, and goat cheese go perfectly together. Check out this citrus and roasted beet salad! Delicious!
Recipe: Here
Bananas, Celery, & Cucumbers: Snacks for the Med Student
The bananas, celery, and cucumbers went fast this week! We turned the celery into "Ants on a Log" (only we used chocolate chips instead of raisins! Yum!) What would you have done with the bananas, celery, and cucumbers?
How did I do with this week's produce? What would you have made? Let me know your ideas and if you recreate any of the recipes above!
 |
| Surprise Box of Produce |
We made it to February 2020! At my house, we started off our February with another box of surprise produce. Our favorite! When I opened the box, I was excited to see the heads of iceberg lettuce and cabbage as I do not buy either of them very often! I also found some new favorite recipes this week, including baked coconut shrimp with an orange sauce and chicken lettuce wrap salads! See what else I made below!
What's in the box?
Bananas
Cucumber
Iceberg Lettuce
Sweet Potatoes
Apples
Beets
Raddish
Cabbage
Avacado
Carrots
Orange
Celery
Iceberg Lettuce: Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedge Salads
Over Christmas break, I had the yummiest wedge salad at a steak house, and honestly, I have been craving it ever since! So when I saw the head of iceberg lettuce, I immediately knew I was turning it into a wedge salad.
One of the best parts of a lettuce wedge salad is that while it looks fancy, it is actually quite easy to make. All it takes is the right ingredients and some simple assembly. My lettuce wedge consisted of crisp iceberg lettuce with crispy bacon, crumbled blue cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, and homemade ranch. Absolutely delicious!
I grew up on homemade buttermilk ranch, and it is still one of my favorite salad dressings. Plus, it only takes four ingredients! The dressing paired perfectly with the blue cheese crumbles, almost turning it into a blue cheese dressing. Yum!
What would you put on your lettuce wedge salads?
Easy Homemade Ranch:
Whisk together...
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt* (add more to taste)
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
{*I just eye-ball the parsley and garlic salt when I make the dressing. Taste the dressing and if you think it needs more flavor, add more garlic salt. If too strong, add more buttermilk.}
 |
| Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedge |
Orange: Baked Coconut Shrimp with Lemon/Orange Dipping Sauce
On Saturday morning, Ree Drummond prepared fried coconut shrimp on her cooking show, and they looked amazing! One problem for me though: I can not stand the smell of fried foods in the kitchen. For some reason, ever since elementary school, the oily smell gives me migraines. So, I usually look for baked alternatives! (They are healthier, and I don't get headaches!) With Pioneer Woman's recipe as my inspiration, and following the recipe attached below, I baked coconut shrimp for the first time. They were absolutely delicious, and I will be making them again and again! They are the perfect party food or yummy just as a treat!
These baked shrimp, covered in crunchy, sweet coconut flakes and panko bread crumbs, paired perfectly with the orange dipping sauce. I even added lemon juice and zest to the sauce to increase the citrus flavor. If you don't feel you need the sauce, the shrimp also taste delicious with just a spritz of lemon juice. Recipe below!
Recipe: Here
Tweaks:
I used unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened, but you would be fine either way.
The recipe suggests you double dip the shrimp in the egg and coconut mixture, However, I felt the coating was plenty thick, so I only dipped them in the egg and coating mixture once.
In addition, I only cooked them for 10 minutes instead of 15, as I could tell the shrimp were crispy and cooked through.
 |
| Baked Coconut Shrimp with Lemon/Orange Dipping Sauce |
 |
| Baked Coconut Shrimp |
Carrots: Chicken Lettuce Wrap "Salad"
Lettuce wraps are one of my favorite dishes to order at Chinese restaurants. In my opinion, The Mandarin in Bountiful, Utah has the best lettuce wraps! But since I am across the country, I had fun trying a different version! This recipe turns the lettuce wrap into a salad, and this salad is absolutely delicious. The chicken is flavorful, and the salad dressing adds different flavor notes. I tweaked the recipe by adding pinenuts instead of cashews, but I am sure cashews would be delicious in it too!
This recipe calls for ground chicken. Now before you turn away because you do not usually cook with ground chicken, give it a chance! I was skeptical as I had never bought it before, but the Mandarin uses ground chicken in their lettuce wraps, so I was willing to give it a try. The ground chicken was easy to cook and tasted delicious in the wraps! It reminded me of cooking hamburger, only it took just a bit longer for the chicken to start turning dark brown. I was pleasantly surprised and will be cooking with it again!
This recipe is my favorite recipe of the week, and I will be making it over and over again. The chicken lettuce wrap salads are healthy, flavorful, and taste delicious. Give them a try!
Recipe: Here
Tweaks:
The first time I made them, they were a little spicy for me. The second time I made them, I halved the Sriracha, and the heat level was perfect. If you do not like heat, or are cooking for kids who do not like spicy foods, cut the Sriracha completely. There are plenty of other flavors going on that the dish will still be flavorful.
I also subbed the cashews for pinenuts, as that is what I had! Highly recommend!
 |
| Chicken Lettuce Wrap Salad |
Cabbage & Sweet Potato Fries: Pulled Pork with Coleslaw & Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet pulled pork smothered in barbeque sauce with cold crisp coleslaw and a side of sweet potato fries is always a favorite. I love a good messy pulled pork sandwich, and this week's pork was fall-apart tender.
For the pork, I buy the Kirtland four-pack of the Pork Sirloin Tip Roast at Costco, which is a super lean cut of meat. Even though the roast has hardly any fat, it surprisingly cooks up perfectly and falls apart every time in my Crockpot. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a well-priced pork roast!
The rub spice mixture in this recipe adds great flavor to the pork. After I rubbed the roast, I still had extra seasoning, so I saved for next time I make the recipe. It's a keeper!
Baked sweet potato fries are another favorite at my house. They went so fast this week, they didn't even get pictured! Recipes below!
Pork Recipe: Here
*Tweaks: I used rootbeer instead of Dr. Pepper as that is what I had. But I have used Dr. Pepper in the past. Both are delicious.
Sweet Potato Fry Recipe: Here
Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbs dijon mustard
1 Tbs vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbs parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 carrot grated
1 small head of green cabbage cut thinly
1/2 head of red cabbage cut thinly
Directions:
Sweet pulled pork smothered in barbeque sauce with cold crisp coleslaw and a side of sweet potato fries is always a favorite. I love a good messy pulled pork sandwich, and this week's pork was fall-apart tender.
For the pork, I buy the Kirtland four-pack of the Pork Sirloin Tip Roast at Costco, which is a super lean cut of meat. Even though the roast has hardly any fat, it surprisingly cooks up perfectly and falls apart every time in my Crockpot. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a well-priced pork roast!
The rub spice mixture in this recipe adds great flavor to the pork. After I rubbed the roast, I still had extra seasoning, so I saved for next time I make the recipe. It's a keeper!
Baked sweet potato fries are another favorite at my house. They went so fast this week, they didn't even get pictured! Recipes below!
Pork Recipe: Here
*Tweaks: I used rootbeer instead of Dr. Pepper as that is what I had. But I have used Dr. Pepper in the past. Both are delicious.
Sweet Potato Fry Recipe: Here
Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbs dijon mustard
1 Tbs vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbs parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 carrot grated
1 small head of green cabbage cut thinly
1/2 head of red cabbage cut thinly
Directions:
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, lemon juice, dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar, and parsley. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Add carrot and cabbages and fold into the dressing.
- Chill until ready to serve.
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| Coleslaw |
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| Shredded Pulled Pork |
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| Pulled Pork Sandwich on Wheat Toast |
Red Delicious Apples: Loaded Apple Oatmeal
My husband eats oatmeal every day, and this week we made oatmeal loaded with apples, walnuts, sprinkling sugar, and cinnamon. It's the perfect way to warm yourself up on a cold morning. What are your favorite add-ins to your oatmeal? This combination's recipe is below!
Oatmeal Recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup milk
1/2 apple - chopped
Handful of walnuts
1 Tbs sprinkling sugar (or brown sugar/honey/maple syrup)
Cinnamon to taste
Directions:
My husband eats oatmeal every day, and this week we made oatmeal loaded with apples, walnuts, sprinkling sugar, and cinnamon. It's the perfect way to warm yourself up on a cold morning. What are your favorite add-ins to your oatmeal? This combination's recipe is below!
Oatmeal Recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup milk
1/2 apple - chopped
Handful of walnuts
1 Tbs sprinkling sugar (or brown sugar/honey/maple syrup)
Cinnamon to taste
Directions:
- Combine oats and milk in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave for 2-2.5 minutes until thick (if too thin, stick in longer)
- Add apples, nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together
- Enjoy
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| Loaded Apple Oatmeal |
Radish & Beets: Citrus Beet Salad
Roasted beets, citrus, and goat cheese go perfectly together. Check out this citrus and roasted beet salad! Delicious!
Recipe: Here
Bananas, Celery, & Cucumbers: Snacks for the Med Student
The bananas, celery, and cucumbers went fast this week! We turned the celery into "Ants on a Log" (only we used chocolate chips instead of raisins! Yum!) What would you have done with the bananas, celery, and cucumbers?
How did I do with this week's produce? What would you have made? Let me know your ideas and if you recreate any of the recipes above!
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