http://www.lawrence.com/users/shenning/photos/2011/apr/26/212740/

What am I doing? Oh nothing, just trying to cook away my massive CSA haul before it goes bad.

And yes, that includes the above smoothie. (But more on that later.)

Well, we’re through week 1 and I’ll admit that after a year off (and a trip to the Farmers’ Market in which I FORGOT that my CSA started in two days) I kind of had produce coming out of my ears. Whoops.

But, I got rid of it and I did not throw any of it away, so score one for Bye-Bye Bounty.
OK, so what’d we have and how’d we use it? My first “early bird” pick up from the Rolling Prairie Farmers’ Alliance was last Monday. We picked up mushroom paté, eggs, red kale, pea shoots, asparagus, spinach and green garlic. That’s a lot of stuff. Especially when one’s fridge is already full.

So, we made sure to use it the first night. My husband decided he’d create an usual dish: hard-boiled eggs with asparagus. He swears it was delicious (I had an not-so-photogenic salad — I was trying to clear out the crisper).

http://www.lawrence.com/users/shenning/photos/2011/apr/26/212744/

The next morning, I went to town on our FULL fridge and put some of my CSA spinach into a smoothie with blueberries and a banana.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/shenning/photos/2011/apr/26/212741/

I put in some water, whirled it around and had it for breakfast with the little guy. Now, I know what you’re thinking. It is not disgusting. It’s actually really tasty. Plus, my son likes the purple color. And if you think I tricked him with the color into eating some greens, think again, because the kid is a green smoothie fiend.

We had smoothies for the rest of the week, the hubby ate the paté with some pita chips and as for the red kale, pea shots and green garlic? Well, I didn’t eat them, but I didn’t throw them away either. I gifted them to my friend, Coleen, who loves green smoothies as much as I do.

In fact, she knows my love of green smoothies (particularly kale and cantaloupe) so well that on the same visit she gifted me with this awesome “I Love Kale” pendant.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/shenning/photos/2011/apr/26/212742/

And, no, that’s not for KU football’s Kale Pick, though if he were to become the next Kerry Meier, I might claim that’s the reason I own the necklace.

Anyway, back to kale the food. It can be subbed in place of the spinach if you like for this smoothie, though the “green” taste will be stronger.

Don’t be scared. It’s good. If my 2-year-old can drink a spinach or kale smoothie, you can too.

Spinach CSA Smoothie

2 handfuls spinach, washed and torn

1.5 to 2 cups blueberries

1 banana (add another if you want it sweeter)

1-2 cups water (depending on how thick you like it)

Blend! Enjoy. Drink it soon after making it — blueberries can get a little weird (gloppy?) if they’re not eaten soon after blending.