Union Square Farmers Market (NYC)

Hi again!  I went to visit my lovely City Mouse a couple weeks ago, and despite the rainy weather, she took me to the farmers market in Union Square, just as she promised.

She knows me so well.

It was a treat.  The price comparisons were interesting (sadly, I think NYC is sometimes cheaper than Upstate), but even cooler is seeing all these great freshies and wild products set against the backdrop of Manhattan.

Anyway, in case you live around the city, or are heading there soon, I thought you might be interested.

Here's our photo journey:

The man wanted to know why I was taking a picture of his radishes.  "Because they're beautiful!" I answered.

Snacking.

I think this is cheaper than in Albany.

Rooftop honey! Is it really made on rooftops?

Walking through the rain.

I've never even seen these Upstate!

 Love.

Love My Chips

I am a potato chip fiend.  I really will eat them whenever the opportunity arises.  I just love the salt and the crunch!  But then the guilt sets in, and I head out to an extra yoga class.



What's a girl to do?

My buddy Erin made me some kale chips for my birthday, and I've been meaning to try it myself ever since.  I'll warn you, they're not for everybody.  You really do have to like green things.


But to me, they have everything I want: crunch, salt, and 0 grams of guilt.

Kale is all over the farmers market right now.  I bought a bunch this weekend for $2.  It was more than enough for the recipe.

I followed this one from the Food Network.  After washing and drying the kale, I ripped the leaves off the stems, tossed them in olive oil, and laid them flat on a cookie sheet.  They baked at 300 for about 10 minutes.  They have to be in a single layer, so it took several batches. Don't try to do two batches at once!! Lesson learned.

They're fun to munch!  Strangely addicting.  Give it a try :)

Also check out the kale chips on Healthy Eating For Ordinary People for another take on the kale chips, and other yummy summer recipes.

July 4th and Berry Season!

Hello! Hope you had a great July 4th!

We did.  Look at that cake!  Erin's strawberry-blueberry flag cake is now a tradition.  Especially eaten in Washington Park during the fireworks.

It's the tail end of strawberry season, with overlap of the next crop: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

Sadly, I didn't see any berries at the farmers market this week, but I have been running into them pretty much everywhere else.

As yummy as they are straight from the crate, I've been experimenting anyway.  Mostly with the strawberries, since I don't really like them a lot by themselves (thanks to an unfortunate strike of the stomach flu immediately after strawberry shortcake about 4 years ago).

So... I made muffins!

They were very pretty, and made a lovely breakfast.  I just followed my basic muffin recipe but added 1 cup of fresh diced strawberries. (And left out the whole wheat flour to keep them light.)

I still had a bunch left over, so I sliced the really ripe ones and put them over my pancakes with some Hay maple syrup.  This was my best idea yet.  Pretty super.

I mean, that's restaurant quality.

That gave me the idea for my leftover blueberries.

As I was making the pancakes, I let the blueberries cook down in a sauce pan with some water, honey, and a little butter.

(Also notice the superb scrambled eggs complimenting my pancakes.  That's what I call team work.)

Berry season is quick... enjoy them!

Lots of Asparagus

Hello there, asparagus!

I've been waiting for you!


I really love asparagus, and it's one of the first veggies to arrive with Spring, so by May, I'm buzzing with anticipation.  And by June, I can barely wait.

Thursday night I stopped by the Carrot Barn on the way home from work, and they had fresh, homegrown asparagus, picked that morning.  I figured I could get a couple meals out of a bunch.

It was super sweet and delicious.  BUT, three meals later, I was asparagused out, and still had a ton of it left, so I had no other choice but to force it upon my friends.

Picnic!

I don't think they minded.


The many days of asparagus:

Day #1: It's super fresh, so you don't have to do much with it.  I sauteed it in butter and a sprinkle of dill in my cast iron skillet (which is my fave).  Dill + asparagus = delicious.

Day #2:  Asparagus and eggs are a tasty pair for breakfast.  I also bought fresh biscuits at the Carrot Barn, so I made a muffin sandwich.  Yum.

End of Day #2/ Day #3:  So much left, and it's already starting to wilt.  To use it up, I made an easy pasta dish adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laureniis (the one from the Food Network).  It traveled excellently to our picnic!

Directions: Throw your chopped asparagus into the boiling water with the pasta for the last 2 minutes.  When you drain it all, save 1/2 C. of the pasta water.  In a pan, saute some garlic, and toss the pasta and asparagus in it, with the left over pasta water.  Add salt, pepper, sliced prosciutto, and a cheese of your choice (I used smoked chedder, which melted into the pasta and was extra delicious).


Eat some asparagus!  And do it outside, it's finally nice out.  (Don't forget to pack the wine.)

Spring Pizza

Aaaaaaand.... It's Spring!

I think we're a month behind schedule though... do May showers bring June flowers?

Anyway, we're finally getting a few greens growing up here in New York, so I decided to make the most of them with a spring pizza, since I already had a shell hanging out in the fridge, ready to be topped.

I got the bunch of fresh spinach at Gade Farm here in Guilderland.  The tomatoes I found at Hannaford, by a company called Backyard Farms.  They're a regional company, so the produce is coming from nearby, and their website claims to use environmentally-friendly greenhouse technology.  I have to say, they actually tasted really good.  Like middle-of-the-summer good.

I loooove the contrast of the goat cheese to the sweet tomatoes.  And, even better, this pizza was so easy to throw together for a quick, light, veggie-licious dinner.  Just a little chop-chop, and you're ready to go.

Spring pizza

a pizza shell
a few garlic cloves, minced or crushed (to taste)
olive oil
1/4 red onion, sliced
3 or 4 small tomatoes, diced
a bunch of spinach, chopped, stems removed
goat cheese

1. Prepare your pizza crust by slathering on some olive oil, and sprinkling your garlic.  A little salt and pepa never hurts, either.
2. Scatter your tomato pieces as evenly as you can.  This will act as your "sauce" so be generous!  Then add on your spinach, onions, and finally, the goat cheese.  Feel free to spring on a little parmesan if you'd like, too.
3. Bake at about 400 for about 10 minutes, just to crisp everything up.   Yum!

This pizza is at its best right out of the oven.  You should be able to get a lunch out of it, too.  But more than a couple of days will make it soggy, so eat up!

Chicken on a Stick, Etc.

This weekend, I had chicken on a stick, and it was delicious.

Please excuse the terrible photography...

I had this because it was my birthday, we were in Boston, we had just witnessed the Bruins sweep (and I learned what that meant), and somebody literally brought it out of the restaurant and into the street for me.  Someone I had never even met!

Chicken on a stick with Joe.

The Bruins are sweeping!

I love birthdays.

While still in Boston, we got yummy donuts and breakfast sandwiches at this little place.

I can't say the service was great, but the donuts were.  AND we were entertained while we waited..

AJ is enjoying his breakfast sandwich.

I also got some thoughtful gifts from friends and family that know me so well...

Awesome shampoo, conditioner, and soap by Aveda.  Besides just being lovely, Aveda uses "green" ingredients and packaging.  Does Adrienne know me or what?

A Nook!! Book recommendations pleeeeaaaaassse!!

Additionally, this weekend was Mother's Day, and I picked up some pampering products for my mom, who is also a nature-dork like me.

The lovely-smelling soap came from the Schenectady GreenMarket, which is now outside!  There's nothing like walking around the market on a sunny Spring morning.  The body oil and loofah are from The Body Shop, another green company, and the maple candies are from a local maple producer (I bought them from a fundraiser at school).



So the morals of this story are:

Always eat your way through cities as you visit them (and take pictures).

Take the time to pick out personal gifts for the people you love, and it will be appreciated.  When you can, support local businesses and companies that make the effort to be healthier. Your gifts will be that much more considerate, and often more original.



I'll be back soon with some food... there's finally a few veggies coming up in Upstate New York.  I made a yummy Spring Pizza tonight (recipe to come!) aaaand maybe some asparagus by Thursday?

Gade Farm Store, Guilderland, NY

Back!

Sorry, it's been a while.  It's been a busy couple of weeks.

Last week was spring break, and I spent it in 3 different states!  The biggest chunk being in the Windy City.

Unfortunately, Chicago was cold, windy, and rainy.  I guess it gets it's rep for good reason.

I also can't say I did all that much that was green, and the most local I got was a deep dish pizza.

However, I did get my first experience in a Trader Joe's!  Flat Stanley and I were very excited.

From here we stocked our hotel room with some healthy, reasonably-priced snacks and... umm... refreshments...

Who doesn't chill wine in a garbage can?

We also ate some amaaaaazing food...I think because the weather is so crappy, and Chicagoans have nothing better to than eat out, they put great pride in their restaurants and bars.

So that's my excuse! I definitely lack a tan, but I ate and shopped myself silly, and had a wonderful spring break (minus the cold and rain and allergy attack).  Chicago really is a nice city, I just need to return someday in the summer.

And now that spring seems to have finally arrived in Upstate New York, I'll be back soon with something good.  Til then!