So long, summer, it was nice knowing you! Last Monday was our final CSA pickup of the season. There were fewer bags from Rolling Prairie than last year because of our unbearably hot summer, which stinks. But hey, we’re lucky to have all these vegetable farmers around in the first place. And, it’ll be easy to get some very yummy stuff at the Lawrence Farmers’ Market for the next few weeks before everyone packs it up and calls it a season until spring.

That said, I promise I won’t pack it up until spring. I’m planning to blog weekly on local/healthy/family eats on roughly the same schedule I’ve been keeping with Bye-Bye Bounty. If there’s any topic you specifically want me to cover, let me know by messaging me at sarah@lawrence.com.

So, on to this week’s goodies.

During our final week with Rolling Prairie, we got sweet potatoes, potatoes, Swiss chard, peppers and two bags of salad mix.

The potatoes went in storage, the Swiss chard became wraps, and the peppers and salad mix contributed to, well, salad.

On Thursday night, we’d planned to have sweet potato medallions, so I was in for a surprise when I came home from my weekly girls’ run and not only had my guys made the sweet potatoes, but they’d also made a yummy-looking new salad.

It’s from the same book as the butternut squash and apple soup we made a few weeks ago, and it’s just about as awesome. And as a bonus, it uses super cheap and super hearty ingredients (quinoa and chickpeas) as well as some things that can be found locally this time of year (basil, onions and romaine). Oh, and it makes a ton, so chances are, you’ll have it for lunch the next day.

The combination of the sweet potatoes and the salad was absolutely perfect and hit the spot after running 10 miles at the end of a long workday. I highly recommend you try it (whether you have a long run planned or not).

Everyday Chickpea-Quinoa Salad (By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, “Appetite for Reduction”)

2 cups cooked, cooled quinoa

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Optional add-ins: roasted garlic, baked tofu or tempeh, shredded carrot, sprouts, fresh basil

1 recipe Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

In a large mixing bowl, mix all the salad ingredients together. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Keep chilled in a tightly sealed container for up to three days.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup cashew pieces

2 tablespoons chopped shallot (or onion)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon agave nectar

3/4 teaspoon salt

A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper

First place the cashews and shallot in a food processor and pulse to get them chopped up. Then simply add the rest of the ingredients. Blend for at least 5 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides often, until completely smooth.

It’s really important that you blend for the full time, otherwise your dressing may be grainy. Transfer the dressing to a sealable container (a bowl covered with plastic wrap is just fine) and chill until ready to serve.