Here’s this week’s all-organic Essentials Box lineup:

• Pink Lady apples
• Lemon
• Bananas
• Green cabbage
• Yellow onion
• Red potatoes
• Yellow squash
• Cilantro (from Dharma Ridge Farm)
• Red leaf lettuce (from Dharma Ridge Farm)

Recipe Starters

This week, DGC volunteer Agen Schmitz provides some starting thoughts for what to do with the contents of this week’s produce box.

One of the most game-changing recipes I’ve discovered in recent years comes from Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen (by Richa Hingle) is her Cabbage with Mustard Seeds and Coconut. I cook Indian dishes a lot at our house, and this recipe is a great way to use up a bunch of cabbage you have on hand, and we often use it as a base instead of rice to reduce our carbs.

It uses 3 cups of shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, and a 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion (either red or yellow).

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add some mustard seeds for a minute. Then add the onions and a finely chopped green chile plus curry leaves (we prefer dried fenugreek leaves, or you can use some marjoram). Cook about 6 minutes, then add the cabbage and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric. Cover and cook for 15 minutes (stirring once halfway through).

Next, add the shredded coconut and 1 teaspoon of salt, mix well, and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook until cabbage is cooked through (about 10 minutes; add a tablespoon of water to deglaze if necessary). Stir and cook uncovered for a couple minutes if too wet, and serve hot.