I first tried microgreens from Little Wild Things City Farm after meeting Mary Ackley at RootingDC. I was hooked! They are the very nutritious and delicious first sprouts of a plant, and are good to throw into any recipe - a seasonal grain bowl, on top of tacos, or on any salad. I love them so much, they're one of the seasonal vegetables featured in Harvest.
0 Comments
Sometimes you just want a chip. When you’re pregnant that might be more often. So when you see both sweet purple potatoes at the farmer’s market, you can’t help but buy a half pound of each and make your own chips at home. Or maybe you just buy a bag on your way home… but seriously these are worth trying.
You may be surprised at the soaking step - this actually helps to remove some of the starch, allowing the potatoes to crisp better. This is especially important for the purple potatoes, as I find them much starchier than the sweet potatoes. It’s also a bit tedious to flip every single slice over, but I found it helped immensely to create evenly-crisped slices. You’ll want to use a separate baking sheet for each type of potato as the cooking times may also vary. I found the purple potatoes took about 5 minutes longer. I know you’re hungry mamas to be! So without further ado -
The food we eat - what fuels us to get through every day - is planted, nurtured, harvested, and transported to us by people. Sure, there are machines that assist in much of the work, but behind every meal there are farmers, workers, harvesters, packers, drivers, and others who keep our food system humming along.
Ever come home from the farmer’s market with tomatillos and the best intentions only to have no idea what to make? This simple tomatillo and poblano salsa is a delicious and quick way to use tomatillos as well as delicious poblano and spicy serrano peppers. It comes together quickly and stores in the fridge for about a week.
Serve this salsa with chips for dipping, as a sauce for enchiladas or tacos, or even on top of eggs for a Mexican-inspired breakfast. I can’t wait to share Harvest with you. It’s a program that’s been years in the making and brings together 3 of my passions - healthy eating, social justice, and living lighter on the planet. I have spent years studying health, international trade, and global warming, and realized that where we shop for food, how we prepare it, and what we eat can change our lives and change the world.
The program provides simple principles for purchasing ingredients and cooking delicious meals. It will guide you through 3 weeks of this new lifestyle so you can practice your knife skills, try new foods, explore new farmer’s markets and local restaurants, and know you’ll be making a positive impact that goes far beyond you - supporting your local and global communities and the environment. Let’s look at the first element of the program - why it’s good for you. There’s nothing like fresh corn on the cob. Steamed, grilled, even roasted, it’s delicious. And sometimes, if you have a few extra minutes, it’s worth cutting that fresh corn off the cob and throwing it into a salad, taco, or simple summer soup.
It’s another vegan recipe day, this one is a simple corn chowder made with the freshest summer ingredients and topped with homemade vegan bacon. The creaminess comes from a squash, my ever-helpful immersion blender, and a splash of coconut milk. The vegan bacon is not so much like the real thing but the salty smoky flavor is a nice complement to the fresh, sweet corn. Imagine a friend asks you to sign up for a triathlon to take place next May. The only catch is you’re not allowed to prepare. No training schedule, outdoor swims, or weekend bike rides for the 9 months leading up to the event. I’d venture to guess you wouldn’t sign up. Many women argue that labor and delivery is the most physically and mentally intense experience that we can put our bodies through. So why would we not prepare? We’re told to indulge in ice cream and prop our feet up, but why not work also to strengthen our bodies, calm our minds, and prepare for welcoming our babies into the world?
Beyond the aspects we can see and feel, maintaining a yoga practice can actually improve birth outcomes. Women in a study in India who practiced yoga postures, breathing, and meditation saw improved birth weight and a decrease in preterm labor as compared to women who simply walked 30 minutes twice a day.
It’s best to attend a prenatal yoga class or work one-on-one with a certified instructor to ensure you are practicing safely. Prenatal classes are also a wonderful way to connect with other mamas-to-be and build a community to support your pregnancy, labor, and little one after his or her arrival. It is important to check with your doctor or midwife before starting a prenatal yoga practice. Once you have the all-clear, get started with the following simple 10-minute sequence you can try at home (or on the beach!).
|
Archives
February 2018
Categories
All
|