A study published last year in the Journal of HortScience stated that produce in today’s grocery stores have 5-40 percent fewer vitamins and minerals than they did in 1950. For example, in 1950 broccoli had 130 milligrams of calcium, whereas today it has 48 milligrams. One solution to this is buy local organic produce which will contain more nutrients. Our bodies will thank us!

By eating locally, we are supporting local businesses, a healthy planet, and a healthy economy. This month try to eat more local produce either from your own garden, the farmer’s markets, or a local produce stand. Try to eat more whole, organic, and minimally processed foods.

I am the coordinator of the Turnpike area food share. Each month we have about 20 folks that bring their extra eggs, avocadoes, lemons, oranges, and other produce to exchange for something they do not grow. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and get local produce. Personally, I don’t have the space to have a large garden, but I am still able to grow many things in pots.  Right now I have many hot chilies and 2 bell peppers waiting to be picked. I love to watch the plants grow and bear produce. Consider planting something this month and watching it grow. The local nurseries are very helpful if you are a beginner. I challenge you to grow something this month and eat more from our local farmers.

• 4 sweet ears of corn, fresh
• 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced finely
• 1/2 chili pepper, diced finely (to taste)
• 1-2 limes, juiced
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
• Pinch of fresh black pepper
• 1/4 -1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped finely

In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, onion, red pepper, and chili. Take the corn off the cob (raw) and add it to the mixture. Add the lime juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve. Serves 8-10. Good to serve with chips or as a side dish with salmon or quesadillas.

Enjoy the first corn of the season from our local fruit stands….

If you have never had a garden before or don’t think you have the space, try container gardening. You can easily plant lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, salad greens, and a variety of herbs in pots. This especially works well if you have a very small yard or would like a low-maintenance garden. Summer is right around the corner, and this is the perfect time of year to start a garden. The local nurseries are usually a very helpful place to look when getting started. I’m the coordinator of the Turnpike-area gathering of “SB Food not Lawns.” To learn more, visit: http://sbfoodnotlawns.org/. At our monthly gatherings, neighbors get together to share their extra produce with one another, visit, and discuss gardening tips and thoughts on local food. I personally have a very small garden, mostly in pots, but I always have some extra produce to share. I also have a few neighbors who have too many lemons, limes, and oranges which I also share.

We are also blessed to have many local produce stands that have mostly local organic produce. These markets include: Lanes Farms (one on Hollister near Turnpike and one on Walnut, off Hollister also near Turnpike); Mesa Produce; Happy Harry’s in Goleta, and Fairview Gardens (also in Goleta).

This month, I challenge you to try some local produce and/or plant a garden. Once you start to grow your own produce or begin buying from local farmers you will not want to go back—the food is that much more delicious!

Enjoy your bounty.

In health,

Rinse and hull strawberries. Slice them thin and drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp agave or honey and set aside for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Put 1/2 cup yogurt in 4 small custard cups. Top each custard cup with 1/2 cup of strawberries. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve. Serves 4.

ENJOY!

• Avoid foods with a high sugar content.
• Don’t eat high processed foods.
• Avoid food products that contain more than 5 ingredients.
• Don’t eat foods with ingredients that you can’t pronounce.
• Avoid eating food that is advertised on TV.

So what’s considered a healthy snack? Here are some of my ideas:

• Fresh, seasonal fruit such as apples, bananas, berries, and oranges.
• Plain or vanilla lowfat yogurt with fresh fruit and a little healthy granola.
• Almond butter with sliced apples.
• Humus with fresh carrots, jicama and/or red pepper.
• Raw almonds and/or walnuts with dried fruit (raisins, apricots, etc).
• Almond butter on a rice cake.
• Fresh guacamole with oven baked chips.
• Sweet potato with a little butter and pure maple syrup.
• Luna Bars (available at Trader Joes)

.

When you think about making a healthy snack, think simple. All of these snacks are healthy and can be prepared in a short amount of time.

Enjoy!

Come by and say hi.

* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1/2 cup EACH chopped onion and thinly sliced carrots
* 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tsp mild curry powder
* 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
* 1 tsp peeled minced fresh ginger
* 4 cups swiss chard, coarsely chopped
* 2 cups cooked brown rice
* 1 cup cooked quinoa (see below)**
* 2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
* Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes. Add curry powder, ginger, and cayenne; sauté 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients; cook 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6 (serving size: 1 cup).

*1/2 cup of dry quinoa equals about 1 cup of cooked quinoa. Use 1 cup of water and dash of sea salt to end up with 1 cup cooked quinoa.

Adapted from Cooking Lite June 1996

How to cook quinoa:

Place 1/2 cup quinoa in fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold running water until water is clear. Transfer quinoa to medium saucepan; add 1-cup water and dash of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Take off stovetop; cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, fluff with fork and use in the above recipe.

Enjoy,

Before cooking the quinoa you’ll need to rinse it (it may have a coating on it). Place the quinoa in a fine strainer and hold it under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well. To prepare it, use 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa and cook it like you would cook rice. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover it, and cook until the water is absorbed (about 5 minutes).

Even though quinoa can be substituted for rice in most recipes, I like to add ½ part quinoa to 1 part rice in recipes. Quinoa can be found in health stores and at Trader Joe’s. Some examples of recipes with quinoa are: Quinoa Breakfast Cereal, Quinoa Pilaf, Quinoa Corn Chowder, Quinoa Mango Salad, and Quinoa Cookies.

Nutrition chart:

To read the article, click on the site below.

Mom in the Spotlight

Saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili for about 3-5 minutes and then add the spices and butternut squash and apple. Mix well and add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and simmer until veggies are soft (about 25 minutes).

Puree the soup, using an immersion blender or a regular blender. If you are using a regular blender, blend half of the soup first and then add the rest. Blend in the milk.Season with salt and pepper.Serve with a dollop of yogurt and cilantro(opt)

ENJOY!