Last night we set out on another Thai feast adventure in hopes of not letting any of our CSA treasures go to waste.  Each time we get a delivery I plan out the meals for the week so I don’t waste anything and I don’t wait until 6:30 pm to figure out what I am making for dinner.  Some people might be able to do this but this spells disaster (aka spending way too much on takeout when there is perfectly good food in the fridge) for me.

This also let’s me anticipate what I am making.  And believe me, I was thinking about these dishes all day long.  Both of these are adapted from recipes provided by our CSA.

Quinoa Thai Salad with Citrus Lime Vinaigrette

Not sure if Quinoa is quite “Thai” in nature, but it is my go-to grain as it is incredibly simple to make and full of protein and  whole grain goodness.

Salad Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• ~ 1 cup shredded carrots and cabbage (I used my leftovers from this recipe)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, minced

Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 1 cup  cilantro leaves, chopped
• pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup Thai Basil leaves, chopped
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Combine 1 cup dry quinoa with 2 cups water in a pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for ~ 15 min (or until water is gone)
2. Meanwhile combine all vegetables in a bowl.
3. Combine vinaigrette ingredients and blend until smooth (either in a blender or I used my immersion blender).
4. Once quinoa is done, add to bowl with vegetables.
5. Mix in vinaigrette and let sit for 20 minutes so flavors can expand.

Curried Eggplant and Green Beans

• 4 tablespoons high heat vegetable oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves (we used giant cloves so more like 6 if you love garlic the way I do), chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 4 small eggplants, peeled and cut into 2 x 1 inch sticks
• 8-10 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 in pieces
• 1 Tbsp grated lime peel
• 1 cup light unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat
2. Add garlic and ginger, stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add eggplant and green beans, cook and stir until veggies are tender (about 8-10 minutes).  Cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Remove eggplant and green beans from heat and transfer to another bowl.
5. In same skillet, add 1 more Tbsp oil, lime peel, and curry paste and stir for 20 seconds.
6. Add coconut milk, bring to a boil and whisk until smooth.
7. Return the green beans and eggplant to the skillet, toss with the sauce, and sauce to reduce and thicken, about 3-4 minutes more.
8. Turn off heat, mix in cilantro, onions, and mint.

Make sure you cut your eggplant into small enough sticks.  Ours were a bit too thick and overwhelmed the dish. 

Otherwise it was delicious.

Enjoy!