Check out the Local Scene

 Mill City Farmer's Market (DT Mpls)

Farmer's Markets are in full swing during the summer months and you do not want to miss the abundant local and seasonal goodness that is cropping up in your neck of the woods. 

Use this link to locate a farmer's market near you.

 Farmer's Market in Oakland, CA (July 2010)

Yes, Farmer's Markets are great for gathering ingredients (fruits, veggies, meats), but they are also wonderful places to:

 

Abelskievers - Sort of like pancakes (Mill City, Mpls)

• Support Local Agriculture and Local Businesses
• Dine out
• Find Homemade Products or pre-made goodies
• Artisan Breads, Cheeses, Chocolates, Candies
• Raw Honey
• Jams and other canned foods read for storage
• Local Artists, Jewelers, Clothing
• Performances
• Activities for the kiddies
• Flowers

The BEST part about farmer's markets is the cost. You can load up on super fresh and nutritious foods for much less than a grocery store. So go, have fun and load up on yummy goodness while making a difference.

Share with us!
What's your favorite farmer's market? 
Any tips we should be aware of when shopping local?

High-end smore's - love using a blow torch! (Mill City, Mpls)

Farmer's Market in Oakland, CA (July 2010)

Coffee stand (Midtown Market, Mpls)

Wood oven pizza (Midtown Market, Mpls)

Kiddy Performance (Midtown Market, Mpls)

Eggstatic

I love eggs.  Although, for a long time I thought eggs were bad for my health because they contain high amounts of cholesterol. As a person who wanted desperately to be healthy I avoided them.

When I started to revamp my health in a holistic way eggs were reintroduced into my diet. In fact, the holistic practitioner I worked with had me eating eggs daily. I noticed that I my energy increased and I wasn't starving a few hours after breakfast.

Our bodies actually need cholesterol to function. Cholesterol is an antioxidant and therefore helps us rebuild and fight off free radicals. That said there are plenty of junk foods and prepackaged foods that contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated fats that are highly toxic and are damaging to our health. These fake foods have been highly refined and are extremely taxing to the body. These are the fats you want to avoid. Sticking to traditional whole foods whenever possible, like eggs, is a good bet! These whole foods have been eaten for hundreds of years and have stood the test of time.

These days I do not eat as many eggs as when I was rebuilding my health, but they are definitely a staple in my home. We also eat more eggs in the fall then in the heat of summer. You might be wondering if it is the heat of summer why all this tak about eggs?

Recently, my lovely neighbors (yes you!) asked us if we would be interested in being part of a hen cooperative and we jumped at the chance. The signatures were gathered from surrounding neighbors and then the coop was built. The inspection took place and we were off to pick out some chickens.

The Coop

Getting ready to search out some chickens (above) Hens getting used to their new diggs

Hens hanging in the coop

Brahma one brown and one gray (the hawkish one)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma_%28chicken%29

Barred Rock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barred_Rock

Dominique (the dominatrix)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominique_%28chicken%29

Gold Laced Wynadotte
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyandotte_%28chicken%29

Buff Orpington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff_Orpington

Are you a fan of urban farmer fresh eggs? Do you have any tips or words of wisdom for new urban farmers? If so please post a comment below!

Gourmet Burger Class

Last weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a healthy cooking class. I focused on the health benefits of incorporating certain foods to create truly magnificent gourmet burgers.

The class turned out to be a ton of fun (of course!).

If you have spent any time reading this blog you will know that I am not a vegetarian, but that I love to eat loads and loads of veggies. There are so many vegetarians out there that do not get the benefit of a tasty, satisfying burger. Instead, the option is a veggie patty that usually comes out of a box and has little to no nutritional benefits (blah!). I wanted my class to have an easy option that would be quick and delicious to show their guests that they really care.

This recipe is great for on or off the grill

Portobello Burger

Ingredients:

• 4 Portobello Mushroom Caps (small enough to fit on a bun if you prefer, reserve stem)
• 1 Tbsp of Dijon Mustard
• 5 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• A few cranks of Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt
• A crank of Pepper
• Optional - Dash of Balsamic Vinegar
• Optional Minced Garlic

Directions:

1. Clean the portobello mushrooms in cool water or use a damp cloth as these mushrooms can be delicate
2. Cut the stem off the mushroom and reserve the stem (you can cook them up too - yum)
3. Put all other ingredients in a bowl and mix
4. Then brush the mushrooms with the marinade/paste so that they are covered
5. Let them sit for 15-30 minutes
6. If you are cooking these mushrooms in a saute pan then put a bit of extra oil in a medium heat pan
7. Once the pan is hot - add the mushrooms, turn the heat down to medium/low
8. Watch the sides of the mushrooms and when the bottom looks like it is shrinking then flip it over
9. Cook the mushrooms on low-medium for about 5-10 minutes (depends on your range)
10. If you like you can top the mushrooms with sauteed leeks (again seems so fancy!)
11. Slice up the leeks and saute them in extra virgin olive oil
12. When the leeks are translucent spoon them on top of the mushrooms and enjoy

  Serving - 4 burgers
Now you are ready to enjoy these burgers on a bun or over mixed greens. Personally a meal isn't a meal without the greens so load up!

Love this article: Saving Time and Stress With Cooking Co-ops

Now this is a great idea! First, enlist your favorite foodie friends who eat similarly to you! The similar eating part is important. So get started on that list ASAP! Set-up some ground rules with your lovely peeps so everyone knows what is expected. Then take some time to prepare a fabulous meal in bulk! Next, package up those goodies for all the enlisted members. Last, meet up with these fantastic people to swap your delicious meals. Dinner Co-op = Fabulous idea. Doesn't it?

While you are meeting up share a cup of tea and delight in seeing your friends in the flesh instead of via Facebook or Twitter!

Gosh this whole thing is making me hungry!