Week 12 – August 27 & 29, 2026
Delivery dates: August 27 & 29, 2026
A kit, not just a bin. Week 12 brings beets, kale, sweet peppers, broccolini, eggplant, and ground cherries — plus a Salsa Kit that’s already grouped six crops into one thing to make.
This Week’s Highlight — Salsa Kit
Section titled “This Week’s Highlight — Salsa Kit”Cold Springs has already grouped several crops into something immediately useful to make: a Salsa Kit, ready to become fresh salsa with almost no planning.
In the kit:
- Garlic
- cured Red Onion
- Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 Roma Tomato
- Jalapeño
- Cilantro
Anabel demonstrates two traditional methods for turning the kit into salsa — pick whichever fits your night:
- Boiled and blended — the ingredients are simmered until soft, then blended smooth.
- Pan-fried and crushed — the ingredients are charred in a hot pan, then crushed to a chunkier salsa.
Either method works for the meals below.
This Week, Handled
Section titled “This Week, Handled”Let us take a few decisions off your plate.
Here’s one practical way to turn this week’s bin into meals, with one grocery list and a backup for the night cooking just isn’t happening.
Designed for a household of about 4. Adjust quantities for your household.
Sheet-Pan Chicken or Black Bean Fajitas with Sweet Peppers, Eggplant & Salsa
Uses: Salsa Kit · Sweet Peppers · Eggplant
Roast sweet peppers and eggplant on a sheet pan at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, tossed with oil. Cook chicken thighs or warm a can of black beans alongside. Make a batch of salsa using either of Anabel’s methods, and serve everything with warm tortillas.
Make enough salsa to save some for Meal 2. Roast extra peppers + eggplant tonight — Meal 2 is already mostly handled.
Roasted Vegetable Wraps with Salsa
Uses: Sweet Peppers · Eggplant · Salsa · Kale
Warm the tortillas, add the reserved roasted peppers and eggplant, spoon over the leftover salsa, and add a handful of finely sliced or briefly wilted kale if desired. Finish with whatever creamy or protein element works for your household — hummus, black beans, shredded cheese, plain yogurt, or just the vegetables and salsa on their own.
Easy add-on: use hummus you already have, or add Cold Springs Roasted Garlic Hummus to your bin for an even quicker, creamier version — see “From Cold Springs” below.
Your peppers, eggplant and salsa are already made. Meal 1 already did most of the work.
Beet, Kale, Chickpea & Feta Bowls
Uses: Beets · Kale · optional Ground Cherries
Roast the beets, warm a can of chickpeas, and massage or lightly wilt the kale. Build bowls over rice or quinoa, topped with feta. Ground cherries make a sweet-tart addition on top — or skip them here and see below for the easiest way to eat them.
Prefer your ground cherries on their own? Peel back the husks and eat them as a snack.
And leave yourself a free night — leftovers, pizza, dinner out, whatever your week needs.
5:40 Dinner
The night nobody feels like cooking is part of the plan too.
Bolognese + Pasta + Broccolini
Section titled “Bolognese + Pasta + Broccolini”15 MIN
Pick up a family-size Cold Springs Lentil Bolognese or Beef Bolognese, both confirmed available in the online store this week. Boil pasta, heat the bolognese, and quickly steam, sauté, or roast this week’s small bunch of broccolini. Serve.
One Grocery List
Section titled “One Grocery List”Cold Springs Organics
Week 12 — August 27 & 29, 2026
This Week, Handled
- Sheet-Pan Chicken or Black Bean Fajitas with Sweet Peppers, Eggplant & Salsa
- Roasted Vegetable Wraps with Salsa
- Beet, Kale, Chickpea & Feta Bowls
- 5:40 Dinner — Bolognese + Pasta + Broccolini
One Grocery List
Open this on your phone at the store.
Already in Your Bin
Beets · Kale · Salsa Kit (Garlic, cured Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, 1 Roma Tomato, Jalapeño, Cilantro) · Sweet Peppers · Broccolini · Ground Cherries · Eggplant
This list assumes you are making all three core meals plus the optional 5:40 Dinner. Designed for about 4 people. Adjust quantities for your household.
Buy This
Produce
Bakery
Protein
Dairy
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From Cold Springs — optional add-ons, not required for the plan above
Section titled “From Cold Springs — optional add-ons, not required for the plan above”Optional shortcut for Meal 2: 1 Roasted Garlic Hummus — 250g. Want the easiest version? Add it to your bin and use it as the creamy base for the wraps — but the wraps work fine without it.
Dinner Saver for the 5:40 Dinner: 1 Family Lentil Bolognese or 1 Family Beef Bolognese.
Shop Cold Springs prepared foods →
Prep Once, Benefit Twice
Section titled “Prep Once, Benefit Twice”Prep Once, Benefit Twice
Make salsa once. Roast vegetables once. Tomorrow's meal is mostly assembled already.
Make the Salsa Once — use Anabel’s boiled-and-blended or pan-fried-and-crushed method, and make enough to use for both Meal 1 and Meal 2.
Roast Extra Vegetables Once — during Meal 1, roast extra sweet peppers and eggplant. Reserve the extra portion for Meal 2 instead of starting from scratch.
Do This When You Unpack
Section titled “Do This When You Unpack”About 10 minutes.
Do This When You Unpack
Ten minutes now makes the rest of the week easier.
- Store the kale right away — a damp paper towel, loosely bagged, into the fridge.
- Set the cured Red Onion aside whole, in a cool, dry, dark spot — no need to refrigerate it until it’s cut.
- Use kale, broccolini, and eggplant first, then peppers, beets, and ground cherries.
Want to get ahead? Make Anabel’s salsa now and refrigerate it for Meal 1 and Meal 2.
Want to Do Something Different?
Section titled “Want to Do Something Different?”The plan above is just one easy way through the week. Everything below is the usual VeggieVault library — bin contents, storage tips, more recipes, and videos.
What’s in Your Bin
Section titled “What’s in Your Bin”| Crop | |
|---|---|
| 🟣 | Beets |
| 🥬 | Kale |
| 🌶️ | Salsa Kit — Garlic, cured Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, Roma Tomato, Jalapeño, Cilantro |
| 🫑 | Sweet Peppers |
| 🥦 | Broccolini — small bunch |
| 🟡 | Ground Cherries |
| 🍆 | Eggplant |
Cantaloupe update: We were able to get enough ripe cantaloupes into the Thursday bins this week, just as we were hoping. After only having enough for Saturday last week, we’re glad our Thursday members get their turn this week too.
Watch This Week’s Unboxing
Section titled “Watch This Week’s Unboxing”Featured This Week — Salsa Kit & Late-Summer Crops
Section titled “Featured This Week — Salsa Kit & Late-Summer Crops”The central feature of Week 12 is the Salsa Kit + Anabel’s two preparation methods — see This Week’s Highlight above.
A few more quick wins from the rest of the bin:
Roasted Vegetable Wraps with Salsa — see Meal 2 above; it turns Meal 1’s leftovers into a 15-minute dinner. Hummus is a nice optional add-on, not a requirement.
Ground Cherries — eat them straight from the husk, or try them in salsa, in the beet-and-kale bowl, or stirred into a roasted tomato sauce. See Ground Cherries — Your Choice below.
Broccolini — the fastest side in the bin; roasted or blanched-and-sautéed in under 15 minutes. See the Broccolini guide.
Beets + Kale — the base of Meal 3’s bowl, and both keep well if you want to hold them for later in the week.
→ Peppers Guide · → Eggplant Guide · → Beets Guide · → Kale Guide
Use These First — Days 1–2
Section titled “Use These First — Days 1–2”The most time-sensitive items in the bin.
| Crop | Why |
|---|---|
| 🍆 Eggplant | One of the more perishable items in the box — deteriorates fast. |
| 🥦 Broccolini | Yellows faster than regular broccoli — best within 4–5 days. |
| 🥬 Kale | Sturdy for a green, but best within 5–10 days. |
Mid-Week — Days 3–5
Section titled “Mid-Week — Days 3–5”Hold a few more days but best used before the end of the week.
| Crop | Notes |
|---|---|
| 🫑 Sweet Peppers | Refrigerate in the crisper; keeps 1–2 weeks but best used within the week. |
| 🍅 Cherry Tomatoes | Keep at room temperature. Use as they ripen. |
| 🍅 Roma Tomato | Keep at room temperature, stem-side down, out of direct sun. |
| 🌿 Cilantro | Trim stems, store in a glass of water in the fridge; use within a week. |
| 🌶️ Jalapeño | Refrigerate in the crisper; keeps about a week. |
Save for Later — Days 5+
Section titled “Save for Later — Days 5+”The hardiest items in the bin — can stretch into next week if needed.
| Crop | Notes |
|---|---|
| 🟣 Beets | Remove any greens and refrigerate roots separately — keeps up to 3 weeks. |
| 🧄 Garlic | Cool, dark, and dry — whole heads keep for months. |
| 🧅 cured Red Onion | This week’s onion has cured in the field — store it whole in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place. Refrigerate after cutting. |
| 🟡 Ground Cherries | Keep in their husks in a cool, dry spot — they’ll hold for weeks this way. |
Storage Tips
Section titled “Storage Tips”Item-by-item notes
Section titled “Item-by-item notes”- Beets — remove any attached greens and refrigerate roots separately in the high-humidity crisper.
- Kale — refrigerate unwashed, wrapped loosely in a dry or slightly damp paper towel; keeps 5–10 days.
- Garlic — keep whole heads in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot; never the fridge or a sealed container.
- cured Red Onion — this week’s onion has been cured in the field, not a fresh onion. Store it whole in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place — not the fridge. Refrigerate only after cutting, and use within a few days once cut.
- Cherry Tomatoes & Roma Tomato — store at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Never refrigerate.
- Jalapeño — refrigerate in the crisper drawer; keeps about a week.
- Cilantro — trim stems and stand in a glass of water in the fridge, loosely covered.
- Sweet Peppers — refrigerate whole and unwashed in the crisper drawer.
- Broccolini — refrigerate unwashed in a produce bag or damp paper towel; use within 4–5 days.
- Ground Cherries — keep in their papery husks in a cool, dry place; refrigerate once husked.
- Eggplant — cool room temperature for 1–2 days, or the fridge for up to 5; use promptly.
Crisper note
Section titled “Crisper note”Kale, peppers, broccolini, jalapeño, and beets all want the high-humidity crisper. Tomatoes are the exception — counter only, never the fridge. Garlic and the cured red onion belong in a cool, dark pantry spot, not the fridge, until cut. Cilantro does best standing in water like cut flowers, refrigerated.
Recipe Ideas
Section titled “Recipe Ideas”Main Meals
Section titled “Main Meals”Sheet-Pan Fajitas with Salsa — sweet peppers and eggplant roasted with chicken or black beans, finished with fresh salsa. See This Week, Handled above. 35 min
Beet, Kale, Chickpea & Feta Bowls — roasted beets, warm chickpeas, massaged kale, and feta over rice or quinoa. 35 min
Quick Wins
Section titled “Quick Wins”Roasted Vegetable Wraps with Salsa — leftovers from Meal 1, assembled in 15 minutes. See Meal 2 above.
Broccolini, Simply — toss with oil and salt, roast at 425°F (220°C) for 12–15 minutes. See How to Cook It on the Broccolini guide. 15 min
Ground Cherries, Simply — remove the husks and eat fresh, or scatter over a salad. 5 min
Roasted Eggplant — slice, brush with oil, roast at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 minutes. See How to Cook It on the Eggplant guide. 25 min
Sautéed Kale — torn kale with garlic in olive oil, a splash of water, covered briefly then finished with lemon. See How to Cook It on the Kale guide. 10 min
Make Ahead
Section titled “Make Ahead”Anabel’s Salsa, Two Ways — boiled and blended, or pan-fried and crushed. Make a double batch and use it across Meals 1 and 2. See This Week’s Highlight above.
Ground Cherries — Your Choice
Section titled “Ground Cherries — Your Choice”Easiest
Section titled “Easiest”Peel back the husk and eat them as a snack.
Want to try something different?
Section titled “Want to try something different?”Ground cherries also work well:
- added to salsa for a sweeter, tangier variation;
- stirred into the Beet, Kale & Feta bowl;
- added to roasted tomato-style sauces;
- in salads or salsas generally.
A couple of outside ideas worth a look: a ground cherry salad and a ground cherry salsa. See also the Ground Cherries guide for more ways to use them.
Still Have Something Left?
Section titled “Still Have Something Left?”A few days in, still have some of this around? Here’s the fast way to use it up.
- Beets — no rush, these keep for weeks. See the Beets guide whenever you’re ready.
- Kale — sauté with garlic, or fold raw into Meal 2’s wrap. See the Kale guide.
- Leftover Salsa — spoon over eggs, pasta, or grilled protein — it doesn’t have to just be for tacos.
- Salsa Kit ingredients on their own — garlic and the cured red onion both keep for weeks; use the tomatoes, jalapeño, and cilantro first.
- Sweet Peppers — roast, sauté, add to eggs or pasta, or freeze. See the Peppers guide.
- Broccolini — the most perishable thing left in the fridge; use it next. See the Broccolini guide.
- Ground Cherries — husk and eat as a snack, or see Ground Cherries — Your Choice above.
- Eggplant — roast or grill promptly; it doesn’t hold as long as the rest of the bin. See the Eggplant guide.