FARMER Javier Perez is starting market this week, Yay! That means fresh garlic and magnificent onions will be soon to follow. Been pulling garlic-scapes off the plants on-farm, cloves still have not formed and the taste is fabulous. Couldn't resist juicing those scapes with some romaine, apple, & carrot but I totally needed a mint tea chaser, flavor was a little strong!
CAFE of LIFE and Chiropractor Josh Siegel joined us last week and was able to donate $140.00 to the West School. All you need to do is book an appointment with Josh and he donates the fee for your first visit to help restore West School. Josh is AWESOME and is on hand with free consultations and spinal scans to help you reach your potential health.
Ok so the weather is starting to shape up a bit, so time to keep ahead of the weeds in the feild. The Crops in Old Westbury seem to be coming along too. Still time to sign up for our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program with 2 drop off locations. So if you are interested in getting involved, whether wanting to volunteer on Farm or purchase a vegetable share, email me: bmartin@ligreenmarket.org
Some nice domestic Olive Oil will be arriving at market today, so be sure to check it out.
Sea Gal will not be at market today.
Casmo planted some early cherry tomatoes, hoping to see them show up soon.
Ok to try the Bacon Ravioli, the flavor is interesting. They didn't freak me out like the Sausage and Pepper Ravioli did, they are amazing too.
Monty's bread seems to be a big hit this season, I love the prosciutto sticks, great to snack on
Chris as Bearberry has great Dog Treats and handmade toys. My Cairn Terrier, has a ton of allergies and does great with the treats, especially the peanut butter, he loves them.
Gluten free Granola bars are new at Next Generation Cookie
Field lettuce is coming in strong now, I just love to put a little hummus and turkey on a nice Romaine leaf!
CAsey's REd Snapper has been served at my place the past two weeks! And for something different try some grilled calamari. I just used a little lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt & pepper on a fiery grill.
Asparagus, should be slowing down now, but I see the amazing cucumbers are back at the Osip's Stand.
Been using Bobby Tomatoe's parsley pesto a lot lately. It's great with lentils and rice, Quinoa Salad, or Israeli Salad too.
See you on the Plaza,
Bernadette
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Dana M. Youkilis, MS, RD.
It seems everyone is a bit cuckoo for coconuts these days, and I have to say I've been eating quite a bit of them myself. I have developed an especially great love for coconut oil, and use it often for saut�ing and baking. It has a mild coconut flavor which I find works very nicely in baked goods, and also pairs well with saut�ed vegetables. I use it in place of vegetable oil for my homemade granola, and for popping popcorn. Coconut oil is a great choice for these applications because it is high in saturated fat, and is therefore very heat stable. It is this very saturated fat though that makes it a bit controversial in the nutrition world.
Traditionally, saturated fat was thought to be the enemy when it came to clogged arteries and heart disease. However, it seems these views are slowly changing, and it is beginning to be widely accepted that the real culprits are inflammation caused by high intake of processed carbohydrates, oxidized vegetable fats (liquid vegetable oils that are heat processed) and trans fats. These foods all contribute to inflammation in the body, whereas saturated fats such as butter, unprocessed and healthfully raised meats, and coconut oil are less prone to oxidation, and therefore more healthful for the body.
Coconut oil has some especially wonderful properties. It contains something called lauric acid, a type of medium chain triglyceride (MCT), which is also found in plentiful supply in human breastmilk. MCTs help to increase good cholesterol in your body (HDL) as well as help the liver burn fat more efficiently. One study even found that consumption of coconut oil not only led to less weight gain but also reduced abdominal fat. Another study showed that intake of coconut oil can lead to improved resistance to viruses, bacteria, and fungus. It is also believed that coconut oil can have a positive effect on the hormones that control the thyroid and blood sugar. It is not only great for eating, but also makes a wonderful skin moisturizer. For 100 more uses for coconut oil, check out this link:
http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/
This Wednesday I will be making a recipe with my beloved coconut oil and full fat coconut milk (because why leave out any of that wonderful lauric acid if you don't have to??). This recipe uses zucchini as a replacement for noodles in a wonderful summer salad.
Zucchini 'Noodle' Salad
Recipe adapted from New Seasons Market, Portland, OR
Serves 6
Ingredients
4-5 zucchini*
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 carrots, peeled and julienned*
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned*
1 Tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup almond butter*
1 clove of garlic
2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1 lime juiced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Red chili sauce (such as Sriracha) to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Using a julienne peeler or a mandoline slicer, cut zucchini into long, noodle-like strips. Using a large skillet over medium heat, cook red bell pepper in coconut oil, stirring frequently, 5-8 minutes. Add zucchini and continue cooking, 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside to cool. Meanwhile using a food processor or blender, blend together coconut milk, almond butter, garlic clove, tamari, lime juice and cilantro leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to blend until well incorporated. In a large serving bowl, toss together cooled zucchini and bell pepper mixture with carrots, cucumbers and dressing. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Garnish with more chopped cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): Calories 252; Total Fat 21g; Saturated Fat 9g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 162mg; Total Carbohydrate 15g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Sugars 5g; Protein 6g
*Available NOW at the market
Article written by Dana M. Youkilis, MS, RD. Dana is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, mom, and resident of Long Beach. She will be cooking at the market every Wednesday from 11-1 PM. Dana loves working with families and is available for private nutrition counseling, group presentations, farmers market tours, and cooking classes. Come say hi at the market or contact her at dyoukilis4@gmail.com. Also be sure to check out her blog at www.brilliantbites.wordpress.com .
