Eggplant, patty pans, cucumber mix, rainbow carrots, beets, sweet onion, head lettuce and aromatic Italian basil—its lovely scent so strong it filled my car as I drove home this morning with my Twenty Bag!

And during the drive, I tuned in to a segment on NPR’S 1A exploring regenerative farming and its future in the US. In this system, emphasis is placed on the small farm model, as opposed to commodity farming, and its role in feeding people and its relationship as a member of the local community. Listen to the episode, part of a series called Deeply Rooted, and spread the word—we need more food producers like the Towles farm.

Adorably shaped like little flying saucers, patty pan is a sweeter squash and a bit less watery than other types. It can be used interchangeably in recipes calling for yellow squash, as in one of my all-time favorites to make when the stars align and I have on hand fresh basil, eggplant and some kind of squash—genius ratatouille!

Or…

Grab your trusty sheet pan, chop up the pattypan, and follow this super simple recipe for a lightly herbed side that goes great with…everything! The squash will keep in the fridge for a few days stored in a reusable bag.

Here’s a recipe from Food Network’s Bobby Flay that stars the tender Japanese eggplant and is super simple to make. Lots more ideas for the rest of the week’s haul here on sweetgrass + grits. Just do a quick search, and there you go—ecoLiving curated recipes at your fingertips!