I am home for the holidays, and all the farmers markets in this town close shop for the winter. So I’ve been eating about 0.5% local. That small percentage comes from the local kale that is sold at the Whole Foods here. Anyway, I miss my delicious fresh food and the farmers that I’ve gotten to know in this process. I look forward to getting back to school and to the market once again. Stay fresh my friends!
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I’ve been committed to eating locally for about two months now. Exciting!
This week has been preparation for finals at school, and eating locally has fallen to the way side. I’ve been so busy that taking the time for preparing food is difficult. I have food in my fridge that isn’t being eaten! I’m really seeing how it’s a luxury in a way, for many people to eat naturally and locally. It takes planning, preparation, and lots of time. I have been on a mission to do this affordably and very time efficiently, but its certainly a challenge sometimes.
I find that the rewards are very sweet though. Two months in I notice that I enjoy the food that I eat so much more, as the flavors are more powerful. I enjoy paying for the food so much more, because I KNOW who I’m supporting. I enjoy participating in the natural flow of the seasons, because there has always been something off about eating bananas and coconuts in December in the snow. Even if my selection is more limited, that is how it’s SUPPOSED to be. It brings me back to reality out of the mecca of selection at the modern grocery store, and back in touch with nature.
So this week I’ve been eating less local food, and I can feel the difference. Take out just doesn’t have the vibrancy that fresh local food does.
Yesterday I trekked in the ice cold and bright sun to get some produce before one of my finals. I purchased about nine bunches of kale (the cashier laughed when I got to him, given I had kale up to my chin!), carrots, some raw cheese (this i eat very sparingly, i will share with my friends), plums, and a baby salad mix. All looking incredibly delicious stuffed into my fridge. 
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Dark days have indeed arrived.
I can make a round at the market in about five minutes as the stands are getting smaller, and more farmers stop coming for the winter. I am still very grateful to have a year round market at all though, and shopping takes less time.
Today I purchased one massive bunch of collards, some tiny carrots, five bunches dinosaur kale, some tiny lettuce, “braising mix”, a 20 pound box of cameo apples, a squash, and some dried fruit.
While the selection might be waning, the deliciousness of the greens is off the charts! Last week I got two bunches of kale and I had finished them a day later, so this week I was more prepared and bought much more.
Making a daily 95% local meal is becoming increasingly difficult, because I like to supplement with other ingredients for the sake of flavor. The kale has really been my favorite though, and I’ve been making big bowls of steamed kale with dressing and some avocado. It’s savory and very filling on a cold night.
This week, I plan to enjoy the greens, squash, and all those cameo apples for snacks and fresh juice! Yum.
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Today the farmers market felt so bare! While there was still a nice assortment of produce, many of my favorite vendors have packed up for the winter. I got several bunches of picture perfect dinosaur kale, carrots, baby mixed greens (kale, chard, arugula, etc), and some wild bok choy. Sadly there was no organic lettuce! I have a choice now to either supplement with lettuce and other food from the grocery store (more than I have been) or to tough it out and eat kale, cabbage, and potatoes! I’m thinking supplement it…
This week my local meals have been predominantly salads: half a bunch of mixed lettuce (red leaf, romaine, whatever I have), several leaves of finely chopped and lightly steamed kale, and chopped carrots. Then I’ll add some miso dressing and a small handful of pinenuts, and I’m in vegetable heaven! It’s warm and hearty on these cold nights, it fills me up, and creates a very “clean burn” where I feel full and fueled without any negative side effects. Yum!
I’ve also been making a morning juice with kale, parsley, carrots, apples, celery, and ginger. (The celery and ginger are not local). It’s really tasty and has a fresher flavor than juice made with store bought produce.
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Is it week five? I’ve only been keeping track by this blog.
As usual, local eating doesn’t feel so unique. I have fallen in love with my old friend the cameo apple. Normally I’m a macintosh girl, but the cameos this year are amazing. But the cameo is simply the perfect apple: tart, sweet, and extremely crisp. (I feel like an old lady blogging about socks.)
I got a big box of fruit again (20 lb) but i’m not really feeling the pears so sadly it isn’t being eaten quite yet. They’re the green d’anjou’s and I find them too sweet. anything I can do with them?
My meals are far too simple and boring to blog about them. When I have time I’ll make something beautiful from local ingredients, but for now it is still salads, soup, and smoothies.
[p.s. I am so sorry I have been absent for so long! I promise I will be back soon — my tests end (for now) this coming Tuesday so I should have some time. My mind is overflowing with thoughts and ideas so stay tuned!]
image via jacklail.com
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This week I earned some squash points by trying about the adorable delicata squash. I chose it by happen stance when a chatty woman started raving to me about how delicious they are and recommended I bake it whole. So when I got home I washed one, poked a few holes, and popped it in the oven. It took 30-40 minutes to bake, and I then sliced it in half and scooped out the seeds.
I really like these. They are easy to cook, rich and sweet in taste, and I feel that they taste the most delicious eaten plain. When I tried butter and salt it really took away from the flavor. And it was as easy as baking a potato!
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This week eating local has felt…. non-existent?
Not sure why. Partly it has become habit. Since I have shifted to buying all of my produce at the market, it doesn’t feel so different anymore. It’s also partly because I’ve been busy and eaten at a friend’s house & restaurants several nights this week, so I haven’t felt as connected to my own food. (Also I undershot it a bit at the market and am running low on salad stuff and food in general…so meals have been very boring.)
It’s still great though! I’ve been eating lots of squash, zucchini, salads, fresh veggie juice, carrots, broccoli, apples, pears, and smoothies. I didn’t prepare anything fancy or unique thus far this week.
I can feel a difference in my body from eating more of the “condiment” stuff, like chocolate and cookies, compared to last week when most of the things I consumed were fresh. Always a good connection to observe Stress just seems to put a damper in all of the plans, but I think I’ve maintained my goals and stuck to one 95% local meal per day. Yes, still usually a smoothie.
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I was thinking today about how when I bought most of my groceries from Whole Foods, I would watch prices meticulously and cringe while I waited to see the total. I would hold my breath as each item was scanned, and I would feel relieved if it was less than $50. It’s close to impossible to walk out of Whole Foods without spending at least fifty dollars. While I tried to remind myself that I was purchasing really good quality foods to support my health, I still felt guilty about how much it cost and like it was way too much money to be spending on food.
Since I have shifted to shopping primarily at local markets, that whole price issue is gone. I don’t cringe while the farmer adds the total. I don’t feel resentful when I hand over my money. If anything, I feel surges of gratitude where I want to hand them extra and tell them to keep the change! I love spending my money at the farmers market.
For one, I like knowing that my cash is going straight into the hands of the people who grew it (with the small percentage paid to the market). I like talking to the farmers, learning about them, how they like to enjoy their bountiful produce at home, and where they’re coming from. I like that my money is supporting the local economy and the person who deserves to be profiting actually is. There is no billionaire CEO taking a cut from my kale purchase.
Groceries at the market cost less too. I know I could walk out having spent as much as at Whole Foods, but I’ve learned tricks to avoid that (buy in bulk, avoid the processed stuff). The whole experience feels good. It’s one of my favorite parts of the week and I love feeling like a part of the community. I love that there is a farmer who knows what kind of lettuce is my favorite and will pull it out when I walk up to his stand.
I love being connected to the people who grow our food. What is really more important than that?
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I’ve settled into this local eating thing and it feels really good. I have used up almost all of the vegetables in my fridge so I’m very ready for the market, but I still have so much fruit left! I hardly made a dent in my huge box. Luckily apples and pears keep beautifully in the fridge.
One of my most delightful surprises was this guy:
After awkwardly peeling and chopping it, I steamed it. It only took a few minutes. I mashed the cooked pieces with a fork and they took on a whipped consistency almost immediately. I put a little coconut oil, cinnamon, and agave on it. Ammmmazing! I’m definitely not a fan of squash, but this is just delicious.
I am so thrilled with the ease of not having to go to the grocery store several times a week. Market lettuce lasts for one to two weeks, while the grocery store stuff can rarely go past one. I’ve also been eating vegetable soup, big salads embellished with fresh veggies, apples for snacks between classes, and big pear green smoothies in the morning. Non-local stuff has been chocolate, flaxseed oil, and food eaten at restaurants/friends houses.
YUM!
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This week it has been rainy and cold — the perfect weather to make garden vegetable soup! (or in my case since I don’t have a garden, simply local)
I threw in a bit of everything in my fridge, including
the non-local bits are vegetable boullion, tomato paste, and the stick of celery
it was unbelievably tasty though. I have a feeling I’ll be making this a lot through the winter. It’s also the perfect meal for a college student because it’s cheap, healthy, fast, and you can keep it in the fridge for a great meal all week long! If you want to make it more hearty, you could serve it with some fresh bread, noodles, rice, etc. I like it as is.
Other wise I’m eating lots of salad and making my way through that huge box of pears and apples. I put it in the fridge so I have less pressure to eat 20 lbs of fruit this week.
This week I’ve hit more snags with my plans to eat locally, because of mid-terms and the stress that comes with that. I’ve had more food out, made less healthy options, and taken to comforts of chocolate. I didn’t stress about that though because I’ve maintained my local meal per day (usually a huge smoothie) and part of my plan is to stay calm when my plans get ruffled.
On a side note, I bought this on an impulse and have no idea what to do with it:
any ideas????
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