Published on October 1st, 2009
The sustainability mantra may be “less is more,” but there’s one exception when buying more makes green sense: shopping the last farmers markets. If you’re not gardening and growing your own produce, your local farmers market serves as your easy connection to one-stop local fare shopping.
But as frosts linger and the cold winds start to blow, don’t punt and think your fresh local bounty will disappear till spring. With a little strategic shopping and planning, you can preserve a local meal focus all winter long by taking advantage of those last farmer’s markets.
Here’s another perk of eating local year round: you’re supporting the economic health of your community. Just ask Cindy Torres, manager of the Longmont Farmers Market outside Boulder, Colorado, and an IATP Food and Society Fellow. Passionate about using local food systems as a healthy economic development tool, Torres co-founded the Boulder County Food and Agriculture Policy Council to look at how her area can increase the local food supply to enhance the lives of community residents of all economic backgrounds.
“With a little bit of planning and preparation, we can readily eat local till the spring markets start up again,” explains Torres. Here are her favorite five tips: Read the rest of this entry »
Published on October 1st, 2009
It’s sweet potato central here at my house now that they’re in the farmers market. But while sweet potatoes are very nutritious, they also have that sweet flavor that can overwhelm many diners. One option is to prepare them as though they were savory instead of sweet. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on September 26th, 2009
Sweet potatoes are just starting to show up at my local farmers market. The first sweet potatoes of the season are not as sweet as those that come later. Farmers will set some by to cure, thus developing the super-sweet flavor familiar from holiday dinners. Fresh from the ground, they’re still sweet. But they’re not so sweet that they should be called dessert.
Sweet potatoes have a lot of nutrition packed into relatively few calories. According to NutritionData, a single serving (1 cup) of sweet potatoes has 769% of the daily value of Vitamin A. They’re also high in vitamin C and several B vitamins, as well as minerals such as Manganese, Potassium, Copper, and others. The low glycemic load of sweet potatoes gets them into low-carb diets and many weight lifters include them in their meals. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on September 14th, 2009
Going Meatless on Mondays doesn’t have to mean deprivation of all your favorite foods. By making some simple changes to recipes, you can easily swap out the animal products for vegan options. Here is a simple veganized muffin recipe, so you can start your Meatless Monday off with delicious, healthy, energizing and decadent baked good.
Tibetan Goji Berries are regarded in Tibet as the “Fruit of Longevity and Well Being”. Goji berries have been traditionally regarded as a food that offers your body longevity, strength-building, and sexual potency. Goji’s are a complete protein source and a low calorie snack that strengthens your immune system, increases energy and helps to curb cravings. It has one of the highest antioxidant contents in all food, which helps to fight free radicals, keeping you young and vibrant. Goji’s contain 18 amino acids, vitamin C, beta-carotene, 20 rare trace minerals, vitamin B1, B2 and B6 and vitamin E.
In honor of this Meatless Monday, let’s boost our energy, keep ourselves looking and feeling young and chow down on some delicious vegan, anti-aging muffins.
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Published on September 1st, 2009
A quick trip to the farmers market Saturday afternoon netted me several more pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. The canteloupe vanished soon after arriving home. My daughter had me cut it open and scoop out the seeds for her and she sat down on the sofa with a melon baller. Ten minutes later, it was gone.
While she gobbled down the melon, I surveyed the fridge for dinner. I needed to use up some leftovers from a party earlier this week where I served dips and chips. I had a half jar of salsa and some sour cream left over. With the red potatoes and jalapeños I bought today, I had the makings of a good side dish for dinner. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on August 13th, 2009
I’m not a morning person. When I get out of bed, I want an easy dish to make for my family. This red potato frittata is a big hit in my house. It’s a big hit with me because I can do it with my eyes half-closed.
Frittatas are well-known for their ability to absorb leftovers. Just gather whatever is in your fridge, dump it into an oven-safe dish, and pour eggs over it. Simple. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on August 5th, 2009
My daughter looks forward to shopping at the farmers’ market. I think she’s excited because she never knows what will be there. When one booth owner mentioned that he would have blackberries the next week, she talked about that to anyone who would listen and pestered me about it until we went back. If my husband or I purchase a head of lettuce at the grocery store, even if she’s with us, she won’t eat it. But she eats the lettuce she buys at the farmers’ market, just like she eats the lettuce she grows in her little garden.
I confess that I would do many things to get my daughter to eat her veggies – including eating vegetables I hate – but I, too, like gardening and going to farmers’ markets, so this one is no sacrifice. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on August 3rd, 2009
Meatless Mondays have evolved to include Tofu Tuesdays, Wheat-Free Wednesday (every day is wheat free in our household), Tightwad Thursdays (otherwise known as food on the cheap) and Fun Fridays. Our family enjoys a minimum of two nights a week sans meat and often I sneak in a few more. Fridays are always fun, because this is when we opt for all kinds of new tricks to get kids to eat their veggies or help prepare dinner.
Today, I’ve made a new iced coffee beverage that is so good, I have to share! I’m also posting our dinner for tonight, using the vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe I posted a while back. Can you say… “Yum-O!”? Sorry… I don’t have a photo to share yet, since it’s not dinnertime. 
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Published on August 3rd, 2009
According to the folks over at Eat This Not That, there are certain nutrients you should try to eat every day for optimum health. In case you needed a few more reasons to cut back on overly processed and animal based foods, all of the nutrients just happen to be found in natural plant based sources. Not only will you be helping your body by following these guidelines, but by choosing to eat a diet rich in plant based foods, you’ll be lowing your carbon footprint and saving the environment at the same time. It doesn’t get much better then that. Here’s a list of my top 5 of the recommended plant based foods, along with the nutrients they provide for your body and easy ways to start incorporating them into your diet today.
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Published on July 31st, 2009
Confused by all the information regarding natural eating? You’re not alone!
When you are out at the Farmer’s Market, get to know your farmer. Ask pointed questions, find out if they have an open door policy (can you tour anytime), are they certified organic or do they go beyond organic (beyond organic is a philosophy that USDA organic isn’t enough). If you are a meat eater, find local farmers and arrange direct meat purchase (our plan is every 3 months because we have decent storage space). Some meats we find locally: tuna (which we can ourselves), bison, chicken, beef. Prices average $3.00-$4.00/lb, so this also encourages us to use less meat. For our family of 7 + 3 daycare kiddos, we have meat packaged in 1 lb sizes to ensure we don’t get meat crazy. :) You can probably find local eggs at the farmers market, this usually saves you money and supports small, local farms.
Here are some tips to help you navigate healthier, local eating. Read the rest of this entry »
The sustainability mantra may be “less is more,” but there’s one exception when buying more makes green sense: shopping the last farmers markets. If you’re not gardening and growing your own produce, your local farmers market serves as your easy connection to one-stop local fare shopping.
