Five Tips for Going Farm Fresh!

You’re on a mission. You want to cook more. You want to eat more fresh food. Everybody is telling you it’s better for you – the media, your yoga teacher, and the little voice inside your head! So, you finally get to the grocery store or Farmer’s Market and everyone seems to know what they’re doing in the fresh produce aisle – except you. The veggies look pretty and sound familiar – parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, kale, beetroots, fennel – but you’re not used to seeing them in their true state and you don’t know what to do with them.  What to do?

I’ll tell you what really worked for me. For a while I heard about Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) or Farmer Co-ops, where fresh and in-season fruits, veggies and other organic foods (eggs/meats in some cases) are delivered to your doorstep. For those of us who use “not having enough time” as an excuse to not cook, this is a great option for you! I signed up with a local CSA, http://www.eatwiththeseasons.com/ and it is awesome. I get to choose from a weekly menu of in-season goodies and they get delivered right to my doorstep. If you want to get into the rhythm of cooking and eating more veggies, this is a great way to get yourself to learn about, and enjoy new foods – without excuses. Give it a try! Here are some tips to get you going:

• Think small. Pick the smallest bundle/box for starters. It’s usually more than enough for 2 people.
• Eat up. Make it a goal to get through all your goodies in one week.
• Follow the leader. Most farmers offer recipes with your produce. Try them.
• Show off. Invite friends over and make something yummy using fresh produce. Tell them about where the food comes from over a nice glass of wine. You’ll impress yourself ;0).
• Enjoy. You’ll feel like you’re part of a new community, and you are. So, enjoy the process and your veggies!

How do you find a local CSA? Enter your zip code and voila.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Spiked Pumpkin Cream Coffee

So we have about a month of pumpkin recipes to go before they seem “so last season.” I, personally never get tired of everything pumpkin this time of year, especially pumpkin-spiced recipes. Maybe it’s because I LOVE the Fall – even if “Fall” seems to be the shortest season these days.

Here’s a good one I came up with while in search of inspiration for a new week’s worth of home cooking. As I was flipping through a stack of food magazines (more fun than searching for recipes online), a pumpkin whipped cream recipe in Food & Wine caught my eye and led me to crave a Spiked Pumpkin Coffee! Try this adult beverage for some fall-inspired fun:

Tuaca & Pumpkin Cream:

• 2 1/2 oz hot coffee
• 1 1/2 oz Tuaca
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 oz pumpkin cream

Pumpkin Whipped Cream: Beat together 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree until soft peaks form (thanks Food & Wine Magazine).

As for technique: Pour your hot coffee into a pre-heated coffee glass or mug (al la Buena Vista). Add sugar and mix until dissolved. Add Tuaca and top with your homemade pumpkin cream. Voila.

Inspiration works in mysterious ways. Yummy!