Get FREE Greens at the Farmer’s Market & Strawberry Lemonade Green Smoothie
source: Tess Masters
Back in October of last year, I posted my top 7 Tips For Boosting Immunity With Green Smoothies.
Tip #5 was: Get Affordable or FREE Greens at your local Farmer’s Market
I want to talk about this again, as I receive countless emails every month from readers who want to include more fresh organic vegetables and leafy greens into their diet but find the cost a challenge.
To recap on tip #5: Most people ask to have the greens cut off of their beets, turnips, and carrots, etc. at market stalls. Ask your local vendor for any tops they have cut off for other customers. These greens are absolutely loaded with nutrients, and very often you can pick them up for free (they are just going to throw them away) or for a couple of bucks.
Another top tip for getting affordable produce is to make friends with the stall owners, and at the end of the day you can pick up large boxes of surplus produce for a song! This can include leafy greens, as well as other seasonal fruits and veggies. You can then create all kinds of smoothies, juices, salads, and other delicious creations for a fraction of the cost.
A nutrient-dense green smoothie is a quick, easy, delicious way to get your daily dose of greens and other fruits and vegetables in one hit. It is also a fabulous way to help inspire confidence in novice cooks and children. Picking up seasonal produce boxes at the market keeps things interesting and diverse, and expands the family’s gustatory repertoire and experiences.
Keep reading…
Should My Salad Be Organic? (and a Cucumber Chickpea Salad)
source: Kim Lutz
I spend a lot of my time thinking about food. Cooking food. Writing about food.
Even with all of that, I still sometimes get overwhelmed trying to figure out what food I should buy.
For example, when do I need to buy organic and when can I spare my overburdened food budget and buy conventional produce?
Lucky for me there’s help figuring that out. I check with the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Every year they produce a list of the “Dirty Dozen” — produce that’s the most impacted by pesticides when grown conventionally that you should buy organic. The current list includes these fruits and vegetables: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, imported nectarines, potatoes, spinach and strawberries. The current list also includes two additions: kale/collard greens and summer squash because when they were tested they carried residues of toxic pesticides that aren’t in use any more.
EWG also produces a list of produce that’s probably okay to buy conventional. These they call “The Clean Fifteen.” These include: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, sweet corn, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi, mango, mushrooms, onions, papaya, pineapple, frozen sweet peas, and sweet potatoes.
Keep reading!
Springtime Frittata & 4 Tips for Making it Perfect
source: Meg van der Kruik
One of my all time favorite dishes to make is a frittata! I love the fact that I can substitute almost any combination of herbs, vegetables, and cheese that I have on hand and it always turns out great. Since asparagus is in season and readily available in my crisper drawer right now I decided that I had to try a variation of my frittata including our favorite springtime veggie.
You may not be new to making frittatas, but here are a few tricks that I have learned along the way that have helped me to master the art of the frittata:
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Searching for Gluten-free Bargains
Gluten-free Bargains from the Ethnic Market
One of the adjustments to switching to a special diet can be sticker shock. Unfortunately, there is a certain amount of specialty shopping that goes along with the transition to a gluten-free or allergy-friendly diet. These specifically designed items can come with a hefty price tag.
What are some tips to keep your food budget within your household budget?
Keep reading to get Kim’s money-saving tips and an easy pasta recipe
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