This question arises often in my mind. Now, I know what I eat, and most of the time, I am satisfied that I am meeting my nutritional requirements. But when I’m super busy, or when I look around at the supermarket checkout, or notice what folks are leaving with from the “farmer’s market”, I have to ask the question.

How do we do it? The food guide pyramid suggests we consume more dark green veggies and more orange and red veggies. Whole grains are recommended over processed ones. Simple grilling and baking is suggested above other methods.

Try preparing simple meals using fresh ingredients and whole foods.

What are whole foods? Whole and unadulterated foods are those you find at the farmer’s market or around the perimeter of the grocery store. Have you ever noticed the foods that do not have long ingredient lists that you can’t pronounce, are those in the produce section, dairy section and butcher? You can improve your diet immensely by avoiding the middle aisles.

Why eat whole foods? Whole foods have intense flavor and satisfying taste. Vegetables, fruits and grains that are minimally processed boost our energy and maintain our blood sugar levels. Whole and unadulterated foods contain natural fiber that fills our tummies and satisfies our hunger for longer periods of time, discouraging snacking between meals. Foods prepared without a lot of processing and additives don’t encourage weight gain, rather encourage the body to burn calories evenly and consistently according to energy used. Minimally processed foods have their naturally occurring amino acids and enzymes intact, and vitalize our bodies natural processes of cell building and maintenance, keeping us healthy and immune.

A diet that includes simply prepared meals of fresh ingredients from your local farm market or supermarket perimeter can only be good for you and your family. Follow these simple guidelines and eat your way to a healthy lifestyle:

• I encourage recipes that contain five or fewer ingredients.
• I highly recommend leftovers. Cook a simple, healthy meal and plan to take leftovers the next day for lunch, or offer it to the kids after school.
• Prepare single ingredient dishes and save in the refrigerator to be added to snacks, salads and simple dishes later in the week, utilizing what is fresh, healthy and local.

Try this technique with goodies from the farmers market –

Pinwheels – Using healthy, whole grain tortilla shells or flat breads, spread fresh ingredients on the shell, roll up and slice about 1 inch thick. Can be dipped in lowfat sauce, such as lemon aioli, for added flavor!

Suggested ingredients include – one ounce of healthy cheese of your choice (goat cheese, lowfat cream cheese or thinly sliced cheddar), something green (arugula, spinach, basil, leaf lettuce, or sautéed kale or mustard), something red (sundried tomatoe slices, sliced fresh or pickled peppers, pickled beets or radish slices), something kinda spicy (thinly sliced red or white onion or some good, spicy mustard). Add a small amount of meat, if you like (skinless chicken breast meat or turkey) .

Roll up tightly, slice and dip for a healthy, light “whole food” meal.

-Maria

Learn more about our organic farm and farm to table at http://ourlocalfoods.com

Our Local Foods and Chef Sean Brock from McCrady’s Tavern in historic Charleston, SC celebrated the garden this week in an extraordinary way. We hosted “dinner on the porch” as fulfillment of a pretty classy auction item from the coffers of the local fundraiser circuit.

The wonderful meal consisted of vegetables freshly harvested from the damp rows that afternoon, as they were hastily collected in the rain for the evening event.

Guests arrived just as the rain subsided to find the table all set with linens and candles on the screened-in front porch of the cabin that will become our farm store. Mini-lights and citronella lanterns filled the space with a soft welcoming hue of light that said “settle in for a comfortable evening with the chef…”.

With a glass of champagne in hand, poured by the classic Andre from the same restaurant, we loaded into the six passenger golf cart and took a tour of the garden at dusk. The rows were tidily laid to bed, with glimpses of squash blossoms folding in their petals for the evening. The low shadows of the grand oak that stands in the middle of the garden told of a restful day, being that this dinner on the porch was on a Sunday evening in May.

After the tour, and back at their respective assigned seats, each guest was greeted with a celebration of “turnips!” Chef Sean had elegantly attired these springtime tenants in fine fashion. A triptych of preparations, the cylinders of raw root and roasted triangles of the same were sandwiched between a disc of gelatinous seaweed and a silky broth of turnip puree. Sound exciting???

The second course consisted of an explosion of fresh ingredients. Some thirty in number, the collage of freshness was the backdrop (or not) of a simple pan roasted portion of indigenously (from Alaska) harvested halibut. Chef draped the mélange in his version of a pistou, elegantly infusing the palate with fireworks from the earth!

And if this is not more than we could imagine, the next course was “steak and eggs”! A digitally controlled “bain marie” was the cooking method of choice for both, and the results were amazing. A slow and delicate cooking process resulted in texture to sleep on. It turns out that you can cook slowly at a temperature that will not melt butter and keep all the flavor completely intact. Our garden fresh poached eggs were nested in a plump bed of Russian Red Kale. Amazing!

For a finale that was a true celebration of the earth, Chef prepared Chocolate Dipped Carrots! Dig that!

Many thanks to the chef, McCrady’s staff, Joan Perrie, and the lovely dinner guests that spent a Sunday evening in May on the porch at Thornhill Farm.

Planning your meals around what’s in season can be a tasty experience and satisfying way to enjoy food.  It may be daunting to imagine only utilizing fresh food that’s growing nearby, but here are some tips that may help:

• Purchase seasonal foods in enough quantity to last for several meals.
• Wash and cook what you purchase right away.
• Use the freshly cooked ingredient in several meals by creatively adding it to different dishes.
• Divide and store in the refrigerator to be used throughout the week.

Let’s take an example from OurLocalFoods at Thornhill Farm.  We’ll plan a few meals around a yummy seasonal item from the CSA box!!

Our spring garden is in full bounty of seasonal greens.  We have an abundance of Curly Mustard, Russian Red Kale and Turnip Greens.  Yummm!

Let’s cook two pounds of curly mustard.  Wash the beautiful lacy chartruese leaves and leave in the collander to drain.   Finely dice some garlic or shallots.  Heat a tablespoon of fresh green olive oil in a large wok or saute pan.   Have a half cut fresh lemon for the finish.

Coursely chop the mustard leaves.  Add shallots and curly mustard leaves together to the wok at medium heat.  Simply stir the greens as they wilt and gently saute to tenderness in about 10 minutes.  Finally, drizzle with about a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, then salt & pepper.

Bowtie Pasta with Curly Mustard – Add the cooked chopped mustard greens to some al dente bowtie pasta!  Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toasted pine nuts.   Finally, top with a dusting of good quality parmesan cheese.

Serve bowtie pasta with curly mustard alongside grilled pork tenderloin and garnish with a bouquet of beautiful red radishes, fresh from the farm!

Later in the week, think about a lovely Rice Pilaf, with curly mustard, garbanzo beans and sundried tomatoes.  Served with some flat bread and hummus, or a 6 oz portion of grilled free range chicken breast, you’ll be satisfied with a light mediterranean meal.

Finish the weeks seasonal serving of bright green sauteed curly mustard by making a Pizza a la Springtime! For a healthy and fast weeknight meal, top a thin pizza crust with dollops of sauteed curly mustard, some local goat cheese and diced sundried tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil before baking, then dust with salt and pepper as it comes out of the oven.  A spring arugula and radish salad will complete a healthy week of eating locally!

Enjoy-

Maria