VIDEO: Zoodles with Creamy (Vegan) 'Alfredo'

This is a great recipe for anyone looking for a plant based menu item that is high in protein. Also safe/appropriate for bariatric patients on the soft solid stage. You won't miss the cream and cheese!! ENJOY!

 

It's cucumber season, and man oh man do I have cucumbers!! We've never had such a large harvest, in more ways then one! The cucumbers themselves got away from us and are much to big to be delicious raw, BUT, they make great pickles! 40 jars later, I have pickles for days ...or months and still have a mountain of cucumbers to go. The limiting step in the process is the jars. I can't find glass jars fast enough.While I'm taking a break from pickling, I thought I would share the recipe for these refrigerator pickles with you. No need to boil the jars to seal the lids, just mix up everything, put it in the jars and store in the refrigerator. Because they are pickled they will be good for years as long as they stay cold. And don't forget, pickled and fermented foods are great for GI health ;)

For one jar (12-16oz)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1.5 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 sprigs dill
1 large cucumber, sliced into chips (you can also do spears but you won't fit as much into the jar)

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the cucumber and dill in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once the brine boils turn heat off and let come back to room temperature. 
2. Meanwhile, slice up cucumber and place cucumber and dill sprigs in the jar.
3. When the brine has cooled, pour over cucumbers. Cover all the vegetables. If you don't have enough liquid, top off with a little more vinegar. 
4. Close lid and place in refrigerator. Let pickles sit in brine for 72 hours before taste testing. 
ENJOY!!

VIDEO: ROAST CHICKEN

 Fool-proof recipe for perfectly moist, crispy skin, roasted chicken every time! Fabulous idea for dinner parties or a casual night at home, one chicken is enough for 4 people. Enjoy the video antics and the chicken :)

VIDEO: Coconut Curry Shrimp

This recipe is a definite crowd favorite at parties as an appetizer or can be made as a fast and simple weekday dinner entree. It is also suitable for anyone who has had bariatric surgery and is at the soft solid or solid food/regular diet stages. 

ENJOY!!

High Protein (AND Vegan!) Creamy Tomato Soup

This Creamy Tomato Soup is high protein AND vegan! It was created to be an example of a puree stage food for bariatric patients but it is delicious for everyone! In the process of making this we realized it can be enjoyed hot, warm, or cold like a creamy gazpacho. ENJOY!!

 

VIDEO: Hummus a Pantry Staple!

The first video in a 10-segment series with my good friend and fellow bariatric dietitian Vivianne Donahue. Stay tuned for more healthy, EASY, tasty recipes. Great for weight management, or those having bariatric surgery, and we also have four vegan recipes in the series!!

 

"The Range" Restaurant Review

When your friends are in town and want to meet for lunch what is a girl to do during these COVID times? My answer was shower up, find an outfit that can get sopping with sweat sitting outside on a high 80s degree day and grab my cutest mask. Off I went to Hingham (MA) to meet the girls at a driving range complete with a local favorite restaurant, The Range Bar & Grille.

I have no qualms about sitting outside COVID or not. I much prefer it to the over air conditioned, dark dining rooms at most establishments. This place did a great job of keeping people separated and keeping the service level up. The dining area was well stocked with giant umbrellas and while our table was more like an outdoor booth we still had plenty of shade. It would have been nice to have a cushion under our bottoms but we understood why they had been removed.

It was a 'ladies who lunch' event so obviously we ordered a bottle of prosecco to start. The only option was Chloe, it was a little flat in flavor department, but it was cold and refreshing, and beggers can't be choosers right?!


Our food order came. A strawberry and goat cheese salad with added salmon ($13+$11), a turkey club wrap with sweet potato fries ($12) and a 'veggie sandwich' with sweet potato fries ($14). The portions were very large, in my opinion definitely enough food for two lunches. The serving of salmon was a dinner portion size but had good flavor and the salad was light, crisp and fresh. The turkey club adorned some excellent additions like avocado which are not usually seen in a club sandwich. The veggie sandwich was a portobello mushroom cap with cheese and pesto on top of a Beyond Meat patty with normal vegetable accouterments. It had a good amount of flavor, but the patty was unnecessary and made the sandwich to heavy. I would have given people the option of the mushroom cap or the patty but not both. The sweet potato fries were a big hit among all three of us. They did not appear to be frozen, prepackaged fries, and they were wide which is much more to my liking as opposed to the shoe string varieties.

All in all, I would go back here. It was a nice quiet location, the food was good and it was sold at reasonable price. And hey if you get bored of your dining companions you can always watch the peeps at the driving range smashing balls around!

Spicy Vegetable Juice

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this beverage with a hint of cayenne but it has become a great addition to my afternoon beverages. My brother in law has been making it for his breakfast based off a recipe from Dr. Gregor. The creator toted it as a metabolic booster, and let's be honest the jury is out on that, BUT it is a great way to get in extra vegetables, especially this time of year when you might have to much produce kicking around that is bound to go bad before you can roast and eat it. If you are having the girls over for brunch or cocktails this would also double as a great Bloody Mary mix :)




1/3 of a Beet
1 cup Greens (kale, spinach, arugula etc)
1 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground Turmeric
1/2 Lemon
1 Grapefruit, peeled
2 stalks Celery
1 Carrot
2 Scallions, roots removed
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 cup Tomato juice, low sodium (we used Trader Joe's Garden Patch juice)

1. Toss it all in the blender whole and zap it until it liquefies!

Hello Again Old Friend

Hello again old friend. It's been a terribly long time since we have interacted, 2.25 years to be exact. My husband has been telling me for quite some time that I needed to keep this blog going, but a recent binge watching of Sex & City rekindled my interest. As I watched Carrie write her columns and filter through thoughts in her mind, I remembered how much I liked bringing this blog to my patients and friends on a weekly or sometimes even daily basis.  I can't interact with the audience of my books like I can with people here and for that I am very excited.

You might notice that the interface looks a little different. I just hope that you all will still have access to the vast library of recipes we built up together. To get things started again I thought I would once again share one of the recipes my friends ask for most frequently, that of the roast chicken. Roast chicken is a dinner staple that so many people love, yet are scared to cook. They fear the chicken being underdone, raw and riddled with salmonella, so they overcook it and dry it out. The key to a perfect chicken comes from three things:

1. Size - 3.5-4# bird
2. Heat - 450 degrees
3. Cooking time - 55 minutes

You have to trust that this equation will yield perfect results every time. A 3.5-4# chicken is actually on the smaller side and you will most likely find it with an 'all natural' tag on it. One chicken will be enough for 3-4 people, if you have a larger group for dinner I would cook 2. It is a wonderful item to impress guests of a dinner party with, and since you have almost an hour of cooking time without needing to pay attention to the bird you can go back to hanging out with your guests. 

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Set up a roasting pan or Pyrex dish with a roasting rack inside it.
3. Rinse the chicken, inside and out (make sure to remove the bag of organs if it had one), and using paper towels dry off the bird inside and out as well. Place in pan on roasting rack.
4. Now we need to liberally salt and pepper the bird. And I do mean LIBERALLY - don't be shy here (notice in the picture that you can still see the salt and pepper after the bird is done cooking). You are going to give a good coating of salt and pepper all over the outside of the bird, top and bottom, and throw some into the cavity. You should be able to see the salt and pepper on the skin but its not going to be encrusted if that makes sense. 
5. The final step is to cross the chicken's legs and secure them. It doesn't matter which direction you cross them but for the ease of writing I will do it this way. Take a paring knife and cut a slit through the flap of skin next to the left drumstick. Holding the tip of the left drumstick in the center of the bird, pull the right drumstick over the top of the left and stick the end of it through the hole you made on the left side. All done! Legs are crossed!
6. Place chicken in oven. Set timer for 55 minutes and leave it. Do not open the door to check on it. When the timer goes off, removed chicken from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. 

The great Thomas Keller of The French Laundry in Napa, California, suggests serving roast chicken with lemon wedges and stone ground mustard. These are delightful additions to your meal.

ENJOY!!

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

A patient sent over this favorite recipe of hers from allrecipes.com. She said it delicious out of the pot and freezes really well too! She likes to use chicken broth which will add more flavor, for a vegan variation use vegetable or mushroom broth.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch ground allspice
4 cups vegetable, mushroom or chicken broth, divided
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

Directions
1. Combine olive oil, red onion, garlic, cumin, salt, cinnamon, black pepper, and allspice in a large pot over medium-low heat; cook and stir until onion and garlic are browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine 2 cups vegetable broth, black beans, and tomatoes in a blender; puree until smooth.
3. Pour remaining 2 cups vegetable broth, pureed black bean mixture, and pumpkin puree into the pot. Simmer soup, uncovered, until thick, 40 to 45 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar before serving.

ENJOY!!

Support Group Sweet Potato Hash

The Sweet Potato Hash was a success at support group! Try it for yourself. If you need a visual check out the photos on instagram @kimbaskitchen

Patients came to the conclusion that you could sub ground meat for beans and you could leave out the cumin if you want it have be less 'taco-y' and use herbs instead.

Sweet Potato Hash – serves 4 with leftovers for next day

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup onion, diced

2 large sweet potatoes/yams, shredded

1-2 10oz cans black beans, rinsed (depends on ratio of beans to potato you would like)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 tablespoon paprika

Optional: fresh jalapenos diced, 3 slices bacon – cooked crispy, drained on paper towels

Avocado slices

1.       Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until fragrant about 3 minutes.

2.       Add sweet potatoes, beans, spices and any of the optional ingredients. Cook approx. 10 min, stirring frequently.

3.       Serve topped with slices of avocado

Other Options:

1.       Have as a side dish at dinner with chicken or steak

2.       Reheat in the morning and top with a poached egg and some salsa

3.       Add to salad for lunch

What are Healthy Fats?

Blog entry for Lifespan's Spring Newsletter. All Lifespan blog entries on a variety of health topics can be found here: https://www.lifespan.org/news-events/lifespan-blog/what-are-healthy-fats

February 27, 2018

What are Healthy Fats?

Kimberly Maloomian, RD, LDN

Category: 

NutritionWeight LossCardiology and Cardiac SurgeryHealth Tips

Over the years, oils and fats have gotten a bad rap. Even today, the perception that “fats make people fat” still persists.
Before we tackle this myth, we must first explain the difference between foods that are “fatty” versus “high-fat.” Fatty foods are man-made items, such as highly processed oils or packaged foods and deep-fried items. By contrast, high-fat foods are those that naturally contain large amounts of fat per serving – more than five grams of fat in a serving.
There are also two kinds of high-fat foods: those that are high in saturated fats and those with unsaturated fats. Typically, animal proteins like red meat and pork are higher in saturated fats.
But did you know that the fat profile of meat is purely a result of the animal’s diet? Imagine that you have two types of farm-raised animals: one is given fatty feeds in areas called “feed lots” while the other is “free range” and eats only grasses. The fatty feeds contain processed oils high in saturated fats, which then causes the meat to contain high amounts of saturated fats. On the other hand, grasses have an omega (unsaturated) fat profile. Animals raised in pasture who never see a feed lot will have an “omega fat profile” instead of a “saturated fat profile.”
The same is true of farm-raised versus wild-caught fish. Farm-raised fish have a higher saturated fat profile due to their fatty diet, whereas wild-caught fish have an omega fat profile from eating krill, plankton, and sea grasses. Even in the animal kingdom, the type of fat consumed matters when it comes to health!

The skinny on fat

Fat is a necessary part of our diets and is required for many functions in your body. In fact, fat is needed to absorb and store key vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K all require dietary intake of fat for proper absorption and storage.
Many who strive for a fat-free lifestyle may face issues because their bodies could not get the needed vitamins. This can result in poor eye sight, bone density issues, problems with the nervous system, poor skin health, and bleeding risks.

What is a “good fat?”

How do you know which fats are saturated or unsaturated? The easiest way to find out is to leave it out on the counter. If the item is still solid at room temperature, it is a saturated fat. Butter and coconut oil are two examples. But if the item is a liquid, it is an unsaturated fat.
Let us look at some healthy fat choices for your diet. These will help to keep your body running smoothly.

• Olive oil: This popular oil is probably the most commonly known “good” fat source, and is readily available. There are two popular kinds of olive oil: the green one, which is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), and the yellow one, which is just olive oil. EVOO is made from the first pressing of the fruit and has the most flavor. However, this version should only be added after the food is cooked. Because EVOO burns easily, it is not recommended to heat it. That is why it is commonly used for salad dressing. Yellow olive oil is a better choice for cooking as it has a higher smoke point, which means it will not burn as fast.
• Avocado oil: Many people eat avocados, but few are aware that you can buy avocado oil. It is another great addition to salads or can be drizzled over roasted vegetables or grilled chicken breasts. Like EVOO, you should not heat avocado oil as it can burn. If you prefer avocados themselves, they are an abundant source of healthy unsaturated fats. Add them to salads, tacos, chicken, swordfish, or steaks. Or try the new trend: avocado toast! Prepare with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt on a slice of hearty-multigrain toast.
• Flax seed oil: Many people are less aware of this oil. Flax seeds are very common toppers for breakfast cereals or in breads, but because it has a strong flavor, their oil can be just as useful. Avoid heating flax seed oil. In fact, it should be kept in the refrigerator as it goes rancid easily with temperature fluctuations. You can add it to oatmeal, cream of wheat, or muesli in the morning or drizzle it on toast with honey and peanut butter. Men should be cautious of flax intake, though, as some studies have shown that it can be harmful for prostate health.
• Walnut oil: This is another great oil for salads or breakfast cereals. Like some other oils, walnut oil cannot be heated, but its flavor is best when added just prior to eating. Compared to other oils such as avocado, almond or sesame, this oil tastes truest to its source -- walnuts.
• Sesame oil: This is a reliable, healthy oil for cooking. You only need a little to get a lot of flavor and you can heat it unlike most of the other oils listed. As an added bonus, sesame seeds have the highest content of calcium per serving than any other food. Even though you can heat sesame, you should store it in the refrigerator to ensure freshness.
• Fish oil: Most people avoid using fish oil for cooking because of the excessive flavor. But the health benefits of fish oil have long been known. Cod liver oil was the first marketed fish oil product for health and, while it might have been miserable to swallow, it did keep people quite healthy. Now, fish oil supplements are available to help maintain heart health and immune system function.
• Nuts: Go nuts for these little powerhouses! A handful of almonds or chopped walnuts as a snack, on top of a salad, or in yogurt give you the healthy fats your body needs and extra flavor for your meal.

Go ahead, add these healthier oils to your list. For more tips on heart-healthy eating, visit our website.

CBS February Newsletter Recipe - Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Just because you missed support group, doesn't mean you should have to miss out on the recipe! Sara's pick recipe of the month from the Yummy Mummy Kitchen .

Chia seeds are a nutrient-rich food that is packed with omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, numerous vitamins and minerals such as manganese and phosphorus and even protein. In fact, just one serving (2 Tbsp.) of chia seeds contains 10 grams of dietary fiber, 6 grams of protein and provides 10% of the daily value for iron. Chia seeds can easily be added to smoothies, yogurts and hot cereals such as oatmeal. Enjoy this recipe for a healthy Valentine’s Day chocolate treat.


Serves: About 2

Ingredients & Materials Needed:
•Mason jar with lid (or other small container with lid)
•1 cup (8 oz.) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
(or other fat free/low fat milk of choice)
1.5 Tbsp. unsweetened cacao powder
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
Stevia to taste (start with about 1Tbsp.)
Optional toppings: Fresh raspberries or strawberries,
chopped walnuts, unsweetened coconut flakes or
a dollop of fat free whipped topping

Instructions:
1.Place almond milk, chia seeds, cacao and stevia to taste into a canning jar and cover with the lid. Shake until well combined or stir thoroughly with a spoon. Place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours.
2.Divide into two servings. Serve as is or top with any optional toppings listed above.

ENJOY!!!

Part II from the 10/24/17 Support Group with Sara Stiles, RD, LDN. This recipe was also taste tested at group. The turmeric-date balls can be used as part of a breakfast, snack or dessert! You could add a little ground cinnamon (I prefer Saigon Cinnamon) for extra anti-inflammatory help and for a little extra flavor.

Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Date Balls

Adapted from www.Spinach4Breakfast.com

Makes about 8-10 balls

 

Ingredients and Equipment Needed:

§  1/3 cup walnuts

§  1/2 cup rolled/old fashioned oats

§  1 Tbsp. ground turmeric (plus extra for rolling)

§  1 cup soft pitted dates

§  Stevia to taste

§  1-2 pinches of black pepper

§  High speed blender

Instructions:

1)      In a high speed blender, add the walnuts, oats, turmeric, stevia and black pepper and blend until thoroughly broken down.

2)      Add in the dates and blend for about 5-10 seconds.  It is acceptable to see tiny chunks of the dates in the mixture.

3)      Shape and roll desired amount of the mixture into balls and roll each ball into more turmeric to evenly coat.

4)      Store in air tight container (preferably in the refrigerator).  May also be stored in the freezer as well.

Spotlight on Turmeric:

§  Contains the active compound curcumin which numerous studies have showcased it’s power in reducing inflammation. Many studies are now investigating curcumin’s effects as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

§  Turmeric use has been associated with increased wound healing as well as helping to control psoriasis flare-ups.

§  Studies has shown the effectiveness of turmeric’s curcumin on arthritis management (including rheumatoid arthritis).

§  More natural sources for pain relief as opposed to NSAIDs or acetaminophen. 

Mango-Matcha Green Tea Smoothie

If you missed support group with Sara Stiles, RD, LDN on 10/24/17, don't fear we have the recipe and handout right here for you!! You might have missed the taste test but you can try it at home for yourself.

Mango Matcha Green Smoothie

from www.MyLifeCookbook.com   

Serves 1

Ingredients & Equipment Needed:

§  ½ avocado

§  ½ teaspoon matcha green tea powder

§  ½ cup mango (can be frozen mango chunks)

§  2 handfuls of baby spinach (or other leafy green of preference)

§  1 cup unsweetened almond milk

§  Stevia (natural calorie free sweetener) to taste

§  High speed blender

Instructions:

1)      Add all the ingredients except the avocado to a high speed blender and blend thoroughly for about 1-2 minutes.

2)      Then add the avocado and blend until creamy and smooth.   Feel free to add additional almond milk or water in small amounts if mixture is too thick.

Spotlight on Match Green Tea:

§  Rich in catechins, a type of antioxidant that can help with the body’s detoxification system as well as defend against cancer.  It is reported that one cups of matcha green tea contains as much antioxidants as 10 cups of regular

green tea.

§  Contains L-theanine, a type of non-essential amino acid found mostly in teas.  L-theanine has been shown to increased levels of dopamine and GABA in the brain which can help promote a sense of calm and even improve anxiety. 

CBS November Newsletter Recipe: Cinnamon Turmeric Roasted Sweet Potatoes

FEATURED RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Cinnamon Turmeric Roasted Sweet Potatoes

From One Green Planet at www.onegreenplanet.org

Ingredients & Materials Needed:

§Large bowl

§Spatula or large spoon

§Baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray)

§3 medium-large sweet potatoes

§2 Tbsp. ground turmeric

§2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon (Ceylon or Saigon)

§2 Tbsp. dried thyme

§2-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

§Salt & pepper to taste

§

Instructions:

1)Preheat the oven to 400º F. 

2)Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Place the potatoes in the large bowl and evenly drizzle the 2-4 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil over all of the potatoes.

3)Next, sprinkle all of the spices over the potatoes and toss thoroughly to evenly coat with the olive oil and spices.

4)Spread the potatoes out onto the spray baking sheets. Be sure to avoid over-crowding and over-lapping of the potatoes.

Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the potatoes start lightly browning. 

ENJOY!!!

CBS September Newsletter Recipe: Sara's Golden Milk

Spices have long been known to have medicinal properties. Turmeric in particular when combined with black pepper is a known anti-inflammatory, cinnamon is good for reducing reflux, and ginger helps to settle the stomach!

Ingredients& Materials Needed:

§Small container with lid

      (to store leftover spice mix in)

§Small sauce pan & small wire whisk

§Small strainer

§1 tsp. ground turmeric

§1 tsp. ground cinnamon

§1/8 – 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

§1/4 tsp. ground ginger

§1/4  tsp. ground cloves

§1/4  tsp. ground allspice

§8 oz. unsweetened almond milk or other fat free milk/unsweetened milk of choice

§Pure vanilla extract to taste (optional)

§Stevia or monk fruit natural calorie-free sweetener to taste (optional)

Instruction:

1)Add all the spices to your small container and mix well. 

2)Heat the 8 oz. of almond milk in the small sauce pan over medium heat until you see steam rising from the pan. 

3)Once steam is rising from the pan, add in 1 teaspoon of the turmeric spice mixture along with the pure vanilla extract to taste. Continue to stir this golden milk frequently using the wire whisk for about 2 minutes.

4)Pour the golden milk through the strainer into a mug and feel free to add any stevia or monk fruit sweetener to taste.  Store the remaining spice mixture in your small sealed container away from heat and light.  Enjoy the anti-inflammatory benefits of this golden milk.

ENJOY!!

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

It can be tricky to know how long to cook your eggs for when hard-boiling them since you can't see the inside. You want the yolk and white to be solid but there should be no discoloring between the yolk and white (that green/black color). If there is discoloring you over-cooked the eggs (you can still eat them - but I know you want to master this so they look pretty!!) This method always works great for me.

1. Use a small sauce pot (I like one that is ~ 3 cups)
2. Place large eggs in pot and cover with water (doesn't need to be hot water)
3. Put on small burner of stove, turn heat to high, set timer for 14-15 minutes
4. When timer goes off, pour out water boiling water and run cold water over eggs for about 20-30 seconds to shock them.
5. Crack eggs on counter top, and gently peel off shell. You will notice that if you can peel the shell with the membrane attached on the inside, then the shell comes off almost all in one piece, if the membrane is not attached to the shell then you end up with a whole bunch of shell fragments which makes peeling more annoying.

ENJOY!!!

Five Ways to Make the Most of the Farmer's Market

From: Living - A Lifespan Blog (full article found here: Five Ways to Make the Most of the Farmer's Market )

Farmers markets have become one of hottest trends in American culture. It’s all thanks to dedicated farmers, our ever-growing search for healthy foods, and desire to keep the planet healthy.

These local markets are popping up everywhere, and lucky for us, New England is no exception. For the 2017 season, there are 40 different farmers markets across Rhode Island alone, most of which will accept WIC and EBT benefits as well as cold, hard cash.

Many might see the farmers market as just another venue to purchase food, but as these five ways highlight, they’ve become so much more than that!

1 - Meet thy neighbors.

While the concept of neighbors and community may have changed over the years, these farmers markets have become hot spots for meeting people and building personal relationships between neighbors, residents, and merchants. Farmer’s markets can foster comradery and a sense of community pride. They’re also helping people feel safer and boosting small, local businesses.

2 – Get active.

Many farmers markets also host weekly activities or events. These might include free painting and cooking lessons, classes on growing vegetables from seeds, massages, or even competitive games for children. They’re designed for people of all ages to come, engage with one another, learn, enjoy themselves, and hang out. It’s a great way for families to spend a weekend day outside enjoying the summer and being active.

3 - Buy food, of Course!

The initial intent of farmers market was to allow local growers to sell their healthy, locally grown, fresh food to the community. The most common items are produce like fruits and vegetables. But there’s also cheese, eggs, jams, nuts, honey, milk, and even fish and meats. It’s an opportunity to stock up on things like greens, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and other staples. It’s also a fun opportunity to buy and try something you may have never heard of or seen. Kohlrabi, anyone?

It’s a myth that food at farmers markets is more expensive than brick and mortar stores. In fact, the prices are competitive with organic produce purchased elsewhere. The appeal is that you’re purchasing seasonal food grown near your house. While you might not realize it, your body has a genetic rhythm that’s designed for you to eat what’s available at certain times of year. Your local farmers market is helping you do what your body wants. Give your body the nutrients it craves!

4 - Get the kids involved.

Any time you can involve your children in food purchasing decisions, the greater the likelihood that they’ll be willing to try it when it’s on the table. The farmers market is a great place for that. It’s far less structured than the grocery store, allowing kids to run around freely, and people to bring their pets. Farmers also love answering questions about what they’ve brought.

Bring your children with you. Ask for their help in selecting the staples for your family’s meals. Allow them to pick one item they’ve never seen before to try each week. Don’t be scared if the item picked is one you have never seen either. Just ask the farmer. He or she will know what to do with it and will likely ask how it turned out when you return!

5 – Educate yourself.

When it comes to nutrition information, we can’t learn enough. Farmers markets can provide insight into what you’re really putting into your body. Strike up a conversation with a beef merchant and ask them about how their beef is raised compared to commercial beef. Learn why grass-fed and finished beef has a better omega fatty acid profile than farm-raised salmon. Ask a fish vendor about fish farming versus overfishing of open water, and the impacts it can have for both the consumer and the ecosystem. Each will usually be happy to answer. The education you’ll gain is invaluable and free!

Farmers markets have an impact on our lives far beyond what we see on the plate in front of us. Healthy food nourishes our bodies and minds. Healthy bodies are able bodies, productive in the workforce and the economy. When a community’s economy is strong, the quality of life is better. It all starts with what we put into our bodies, which comes from the community members who grow it.

For more information on farmers markets in your region, visit FarmFreshRI.org.

Found - Julian Bakery Granola

A patient brought in this Julian Bakery granola she found online. It meets our CBS nutritional guidelines with NO ADDED sugars/NO ADDED fats, and has quite a bit of protein thanks to egg white powder, chia and flax seeds. Pumpkin seeds not only add some protein but also iron. The texture is different from most granola, it is more cereal like then the toasted oats we are used to seeing but it is crunchy nonetheless. Definitely a good addition to yogurt or ricotta cheese. My only complaint is that I could taste monk fruit sweetener, but to those who are used to consuming monk fruit, stevia, splenda etc, the taste will not be as noticeable.

 Current price of the granola is $17.99 for a twin pack. Each bag contains approx 15 - 1/2 cup servings or $1.67/serving.

ENJOY!!