Dual functionality was the goal with my CSA bag.

My mission: Make a delicious meal and also meal prep for my ever-so-food-curious 11-month old.

First, I took my wonderful CSA share filled with the brightest of squash, rossa lunga onions, eggplant and carrots and finely chopped and sautéed with all of the other vegetables I had in my fridge (fennel, celery, bell peppers and cauliflower). I seasoned it with cumin, paprika, and onion powder, all of which are baby friendly spices. I combined that mixture with grains and lentils that I had on hand: quinoa, spelt, farro, brown rice, lentils and chickpeas. I ran the grains and beans through the food processor to breakdown the grains a bit. Adding some flaxseed is a great substitute for egg, making this dish vegan. Once it’s at a texture that’s desirable and seasoned to taste, I used a  portioned scoop on a parchment lined sheet pan and baked them for 30 mins at 350 degrees.

This is a great way to get everything but the kitchen sink in and fortify your kids’ meals with them knowing. That alone is a mission accomplished for many parents with young kids.

These are great because I freeze half of the batch once they’re baked and re warm for a quick meal when baby gets hangry and daycare meals.

My husband and I accompanied our cakes with a cucumber and heirloom grape tomato salad, using the carrot tops and the stems from the onions to make a bright, citrus-forward dressing.

With plenty of lovely eggplant left over, I decided to prepare lunch the next day with a tempura fried eggplant and cauliflower, finished with furikake and a miso aioli. I also grated the rest of the carrots and chopped some of the onions to use in a forbidden ramen stir fry with tamari braised chicken. Suffice it to say, the older kids truly enjoyed the eggplant’s dual role of crunch and meaty.

There’s so much versatility with the crops I received  this week and getting the kids involved in tasting the ingredients as we cook lunch goes such a long way.

Mission accomplished — Bon Appetit!