Perfectly Imperfect Produce: Box #15

Perfectly Imperfect Produce: Box #15



A colorful box full of produce is just what I needed to end this month of February.  I was extra excited to see the strawberries and baby corn!  I absolutely love strawberries, and I haven't had baby corn since I was little.  Both were great surprises!  Check out below to see what I did with all the produce!

If you are new here, I want to say hello!  Each week I get a surprise box of produce from Perfectly Imperfect Produce, and then I meal plan based on what is in the box.  I love experimenting with new recipes and hope you follow along.

See my past 14 boxes: Here
My Perfectly Imperfect Produce Referral Link: Here
Check out my page on Instagram: @lemonandbutterlove


What's in the box?

Cherry Tomatoes
Baby Corn
Oranges
Apples
Mini Bell Peppers
Bok Choy
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Nectarines
Strawberries
Radish
White Carrots



Cherry Tomatoes & Mini Bell Peppers: Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Vegetables

Easy meals filled with vegetables and flavor are my favorite types of meals, and this meal falls right into this category!  Bursting tomatoes, caramelized red onion and peppers, and slightly toasted gnocchi covered in an Italian inspired seasoning blend simply go perfect together.  The best part was that it all cooked on the same sheet pan for the same amount of time.  The preparation was easy, the result was delicious, and my taste buds were very happy!  I would 10/10 recommend this recipe... it's a good one!

Recipe: Here
*Tweaks:  The seasoning was a little too strong for my taste.  Next time I would mix the seasoning and then had between half and 2/3rds of the seasoning.  Other than that, I wouldn't change anything!  Definitely a new keeper!

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Vegetables

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Vegetables


Nectarines: Nectarine Vanilla Scones 

Vanilla is one of my favorite things.  I always add extra vanilla when I bake, and it's hard to beat a good vanilla ice cream!  So, of course, these Nectarine Vanilla scones fall into one of my "favorites" categories.  I have made these scones a countless number of times, and every time they turn out perfect.  They are easy to make, not super time consuming to bake, and disappear quickly!  Delicious!

The nectarines from this box went perfectly in the scones.  You could always substitute the nectarines for peaches, but I personally really enjoy the flavor from the nectarines.  They add a burst of sweetness and tartness that complement the vanilla flavor perfectly.  Make these scones for breakfast, a snack, or a party, but careful, they will go quickly!

Recipe Link: Here
The recipe calls for vanilla paste, but I just used the same amount of regular vanilla.  They still turned out great, and I didn't have to go to the store for the extra ingredient.  I used both nectarines, which measured more than one cup of fruit.  I think between 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit is perfect.  Yum!

Vanilla Nectarine Scones

Vanilla Nectarine Scones

Vanilla Nectarine Scones

Strawberries: Crêpes

I absolutely love crepes.  I love them for breakfast, dinner, or dessert!  I have the best memories of my mom cooking crepes for me when I was little.  My sister and I would sit up at the kitchen counter, and my mom would serve us a hot crepe right out of the pan.  By the time we finished a crepe, the next one was just coming out of the pan ready for us to eat.  We sure loved them hot!

Now I make crepes when I am craving them or just need an easy dinner.  They are not hard to throw together, and if you use two pans, they do not take too long to cook.  I love crepes with fresh fruit and whipped cream, so the strawberries from this week's box were perfect!  To finish the crepes I added a drizzle of Nutella and a dusting of powdered sugar.  The strawberries went to good use!  Yum!

Recipe: Here

Crepes with Strawberries, Nutella, Homemade Whipped Cream, & Powdered Sugar



Bok Choy: Shrimp & Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

While this was only my second time ever cooking with bok choy, I must say... I am a fan!  Bok Choy has a subtle flavor and adds texture to this Shrimp & Bok Choy Noodle Bowl.  If you are looking for a warm, comforting bowl of broth, veggies, and noodles, this recipe is for you.  Flavored with ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes, this bowl is far from boring but is also simple enough that each flavor comes through perfectly.  Once you start cooking, you can have this done in 20-30 minutes (perfect for a weeknight meal!)  Recipe and my tweaks below... careful with the crushed red pepper flakes!

Recipe: Here and Here
*Tweaks:  I only added 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes, and that was plenty of heat.  I also substituted the seafood stock for water, and I felt it was still balanced.
The shrimp were a bit overcooked, so next time I would add them just when you turn the heat off.  The bubbling broth will cook the shrimp quickly.

Shrimp & Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Shrimp & Bok Choy Noodle Bowl



Broccoli, Baby Corns, White Carrots: Chicken Stir Fry

I love stir fry as you get to eat so many vegetables, and they actually taste good!  We make this meal regularly at our house, and it is my favorite!  The broccoli holds onto the sauce, the bell peppers add a bright flavor, the baby corn and carrots are sweet, and the peapods add a crisp texture... delicious!  Plus, this recipe is customizable!  Wishing you had some mushrooms?  Add them in!  Don't like green beans?  Leave them out!  My favorite combination below!  Enjoy!

Recipe: Here
*Tweaks:  I added a handful of baby corn and a white carrot to the mix of vegetables.

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry


Cauliflower & White Carrots: Roasted Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

It's been so cold and snowy this week in Cleveland, so a warm bowl of Roasted Cheesy Cauliflower Soup was just what we needed.  Plus, I think cauliflower tastes the best roasted!  Roasting your vegetables brings a whole new level of flavor, and I love the roasted cauliflower adds to the soup.  While it might seem tempting to skip the 'roasting' step, please do not skip this step!  It adds a richness of flavor you just can't get anywhere else.

This soup is comforting, and the cheese goes perfectly with the cauliflower.  The soup almost reminded of a twist on a creamy chicken noodle, but instead of chicken and noodles, it had roasted cauliflower and cheese.  Yum!  Recipe and tweaks below!

Recipe: Here
*Tweaks:  I used regular milk instead of almond milk as that is what I had in my fridge.  I also added a chopped potato to give the soup more body.  The recipe calls for cheddar cheese, and I used yellow cheddar instead of white.

Roasted Cheesy Cauliflower Soup


Apples, Oranges, & Radish: Snacks 

The apples, oranges, and radish went quick this week!  My med student sure eats a lot, and I am glad he does!


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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