Happy veg box day to me

Recently I watched a documentary called Food Inc. This hard hitting reality check of a movie is about how the demand for low cost food has a high cost for people, animals and the planet. It was so crammed full of information that it warrants a re-watch, notebook in hand, to do it justice and it deserves its own post. Here's the trailer.

To give you an idea if you haven't seen it, here's some thought provoking lines from the end of the film. These simple, powerful words about how our actions can change the way things are really inspired me.

Here are the lines that stuck with me:

You can vote to change this system three times a day.
Buy from companies that treat workers, animals and the environment with respect.
When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season.
Buy foods that are organic.
Know what's in your food.
Read labels.
Know what you buy.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket.
Buy foods that are grown locally.
Shop at farmer's markets. 
Plant a garden (even a small one)

You can change the world with every bite.

It's true! Also, my ever optimistic self also appreciates these kind of 'can-do' comments about people power.

So, with that mantra resounding in my head, I decided to get a locally sourced organic veg box this week. On twitter (I'm @hazeloftheshire) I was following Goldhill Organic Farm (@GoldhillOrganic) and knowing them to be locally based providers I gave them a call and put in my order.

Yesterday: IT ARRIVED.

Here's what I got and what I'm probably going to do with them:

Spring onions (stir fry)
Lettuce (salad)
Chard (stir fry)
Basil (salad/pasta)
Tomatoes (salad/pasta)
Potatoes (boil 'em? mash 'em? put 'em in a stew perhaps?)
Runner beans (...still thinking)
Green chillies (stir fry)
Garlic (so many things - including warding off vampires of course)
Celery (celery and cashew nut soup - sounds weird, tastes amazing)

It's like having a vegetable based birthday! I'm looking forward to cooking all these delish veggies. I've already had some tomatoes and they tasted amazing. In fact, I am so in love with this veg box malarkey it feels like a good time to throw out my best (only) vegetable based chat up line.

Here it is:

If you were a vegetable, you'd be a cutecumber.

Sorry...I'll get my coat...

Any outlandish ideas for the runner beans? Let me know!