A visit to the CSA & blueberry picking

July 14, 2012 by · 6 Comments

I’ve wanted to visit our CSA farm since joining and when they announced blueberries being ready for U-pick, I knew it was the time to go. I picked a beautiful 2 lbs of blueberries and paid $4. The weather could not have been more beautiful and one of the owners, the husband of the husband-wife team, gave us a tour of the farm with its history, goals, weather woes, and everything in between. They are kind souls (I’ve met Karen when she’s delivered our CSA share), so it was great to meet her other half and some of their staff. It’s a very rewarding feeling to not only know but see where your food comes from and to meet the people that work day-in and day-out, literally, to put wholesome, local food on our table.

If you’re in the southwest Michigan or Chicago area (they delivery shares to Chicago and attend several of the Chicagoland area farmer’s markets), be sure to check out Big Head Farm!

Here’s some pictures from the day…

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Be well,

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Filed Under: farmer's market, fruits and vegetables, Uncategorized ·

Peach Pineapple Crumble

July 7, 2012 by · 13 Comments

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The second I saw white peaches in stores, I bought 3 pounds. I seriously love peaches, especially white peaches.

It just so happened that the first peach appearance of the summer happened to fall during a 10 for $10 pineapple special at Kroger.

Needless to say, I had a ton of peaches and a ton of pineapple. I also had some coworkers I wanted to spoil just a bit before my last day of work.

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Kristen asked me this weekend how I organize my recipes, and my method is somewhat unconventional. While there are things like Pinterest to help organize, I do most everything through email, so I go that route.

When I find a recipe online that I want to try, I copy and paste it into an email. I make the subject the title of the recipe and copy and paste the URL for the recipe along side the recipe title. I then send the recipe to myself and label it “recipe” in my Gmail inbox.

I can’t explain it, but this seems to work best for me. I’m able to comb my “stash” for recipe that include certain ingredients, like radishes, or collard greens, or…pineapple and peaches.

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I emailed this recipe to myself way too long ago, and thanks to my crazy recipe “organization” I was able to find it. :)

I am not new to crumbles, but the peach + pineapple combination was a first for me and…wow.

The slightly tart pineapple is perfectly complimented by the ever sweet peaches. The tender, soft peaches were offset by the firmer, meatier pineapple cubes. The diced fruit was liberally covered in a sweet, salty, and buttery crumble that only makes fruit taste better. The result is a nutrient-rich, high-fiber dessert that’s perfect for summer’s best.

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Peach Pineapple Crumble slightly adapted from Teenage Taste

4 medium ripe peaches, diced
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Toss diced fruit together in an 8-inch square baking dish. In a small dish, whisk together 3 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup of flour. Toss the mixture with the diced fruit. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Add the cold butter cubes. Use your fingers to break up the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture. Add the oatmeal and toss together.

Pour the oatmeal mixture over the prepared fruit. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until juices from the fruit bubble up around the sides of the pan.

Remove the crumble from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings (about 3/4 cup each)

Nutrition Information: 261 calories; 8.5 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 176 mg. sodium; 43.7 g. carbohydrate; 4.2 g. fiber; 2.0 g. protein

Result: Simple and refreshing…perfect for summer! I love that crumbles come together in a jiff, but have a very homemade taste. This crumble was not short on the crumble and between the whole heat pastry flour and oats (along with the fruit), this crumble is high in fiber and nutrients. Enjoy!

 We are officially acquainted with a new vet in town (a University of Illinois grad!). Miss Lily made it just over a week before coming down with a major eye issue (inflammation? scleroderma?) and she suddenly developed a hot spot on her forehead (if you Google that, beware – not pretty!). Ugh.

I am biking downtown for the farmer’s market this morning. I must admit, with the heat…the workouts have not been happening, and I can tell in my energy level and sleeping that I need to get back in my routine!

Be well,

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Filed Under: 300 calories or less, exercise, farmer's market, fiber, fruits and vegetables, guilt-free, kid-friendly, recipe, Uncategorized, vegetarian ·

Rhubarb Chia Seed Jam

June 30, 2012 by · 12 Comments

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Who’s the most influential man when it comes to nutrition? A household name. Someone with their own afternoon TV show. And books…galore. Does Dr. Oz come to mind?

I always enjoy talking to supermarket dietitian and personal friend, Gina, about the inquiries she receives at the store. She can almost pin-point based on a customer’s request if it is something Dr. Oz touts as the next best food that will save your life, cure cancer, or reduce cellulite. Or heck, all of the above! *eye roll*

I don’t know Dr. Oz and his claims well enough to determine their credibility, but I do know he speaks fondly of chia seeds, and rightfully so.

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Chia seeds are an unprocessed whole grain (seed) that offer up a great source of omega 3 and loads of fiber (11 grams in 2 tablespoons!) and antioxidants. A lot of people have heard of these powerful seeds, but may not know exactly what to do with them.

Unlike the very similar flaxseed, chia seeds do not need to be ground in order to receive their nutritional benefits. In fact, chia seeds are unique in that they act more like a gelatin and absorb water and other liquids readily. Outside of adding chia seeds to smoothies, or sprinkled on oats, jam seems to be a natural fit for chia seed use. The seeds are generally considered tasteless and take on the flavors they’re combined with perfectly.

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When my student shared stalk after stalk of fresh rhubarb from her backyard, I was happy to accept (thanks, Nicole!). With the move upcoming, I wanted something I could keep for a week and use in simple meals. I was also steering clear of the oh-so-0bvious choice of desserts. (Nicole made a killed rhubarb pie for our picnic!)

Though rhubarb most certainly requires a sweetener of some sort, I opted for a natural sweetener (honey) and kept it at a minimum. If you’re looking for something sweeter, just add to taste. Agave or maple syrup would work great, too. :)

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Rhubarb Chia Seed Jam

4 cups rhubarb, finely diced
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 cups of water

Directions:

Bring all 4 ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Pour into jars and allow to sit at room temp for 1 hour before refrigerating.

Yield: ~5 cups (40 servings; 2 tablespoons each)

Nutrition Information (per 2 Tbsp): 37 calories; 0.9 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 2 mg. sodium; 7.2 g. carbohydrate; 1.3 g. fiber; 0.6 g. protein

Result: A subtly sweet rhubarb jam that is simple to make and goes great on everything from oats to toast. For a sweeter jam, increase the amount of honey or add sugar, to taste. Chia seeds are the perfect way to make jam packed with nutrition. Feel free to switch out the 4 cups of rhubarb for the fruit of your choice. Berries, perhaps? Mmm! Enjoy!

I think we’ll check out the farmer’s market this morning and cross our fingers for some beach weather. Only 1 more day without a bed!!! And still, plenty of chores to be done. I even have an assigned book to read about management before starting my job on the 9th! I should probably zap out of vacation mode and get on that!

Be well,

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Filed Under: 50 calories or less, antioxidants, carb-controlled, farmer's market, fiber, fruits and vegetables, gluten-free, guilt-free, kid-friendly, low-carb, recipe, reduced-calorie, snack, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian ·