Farm Fresh Summer

Kohlrabi
Garlic
Spring Onion
Zuchinni
Ginger
Carrots

.inspiration bulb on.

Fall's Bounty from the Farmer's Market

As I anticipate summer...I remember this photo of produce that I got during the beginning of the Fall season.

For $45 Cold Hard cash: a table full of organic produce. Wow! You can't beat that (even for non-organic). We try to catch a farmer's market to shop for produce for the week or next 2. Last year I discovered the Chinatown/Downtown Oakland Farmers Market and it's so far my favorite. There is this feeling that folks there are just there to shop, so it's down to business as opposed to the sceney 'look at me be cool' feel that some other farmer's markets have (which I appreciate too on certain days). Here's what we bought:

(2) 20-count trays brown Eggs (we were hosting a brunch so we bought A LOT)
Multi-colored Carrots
Spring Onions
Red Onions
Pumpkin
Kabocha Squash
Butternut Squash
Yellow,Purple, Red & Green Bell Peppers
Zucchini
Yellow Summer Squash
Persimmons
Jujubees
Pomegranates( Fuyu & Hachiya)
Collard
Kale
Chard
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Yellow Green Beans
Cucumber
Corn

I just love what fall has to offer. This motivates me to keep going Farmer's markets for better/fresher foods.

Like Babies for Broccoli

My (then) 7 month-old daughter has been really into broccoli these past few days. It's so easy because I can just have her sit in her high chair and she can feed herself from her plate. She also eats super spicy food, which is weird (I think), and sour things. I guess at this age, every sensation is extreme & new anyway, so spicy and sour are just as well. I bought from the Oakland's White Elephant sale one of these heavy baby plates, so it helps reduce (not totally eliminate) the slam-my-plate-and-splatter-everything-everywhere incidents. If she's into the food and wants to eat, it takes her a while before she can slam it all down and pour her food out. But usually if she's into the food, she wont play with the plate too much.

Other things that work well that I don't have to feed her myself and don't make too much of a mess
Roasted Seasoned Potatoes with skin off
Roasted Curry Cauliflower
Bean cakes
Steamed Greens
Fried Eggs
Squash/Sweet Potatoes
Banana & Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes
Zucchini and Cheese (or no cheese Patties)
Really any patties of veggies you can cook, mush, season and combine and make, so it's soft but they can practice eating actual food by themselves.

Other things that make a mess...but oh well
Oatmeal cooked thick, so enough to pick up with fingers
Steamed Beets


It's cool to be exploring food with a new human!

I hella *heart* My African Market

Sometimes I forget  that I can diversify my palate by eating foods from 'HOME' like home home. Traditional foods. I can make versions that are more typical or my adapted fusion versions. While I was pregnant and visiting in Nigeria, I got reminded of what I was missing and how yummy my home dishes can be. It became an obsession of sorts. Thankfully, I was lucky to have my mother around for a good amount of time while I was pregnant to indulge me in my requests for moi moi, okro soup, akamu and more. When she left we slowly chipped away at the freezer full of food she cooked and stored for us. And in the meantime hope to make it to the African food store about once a month to supplement our produce. (Luckily it's close to my favorite farmer's market).

Some of the foods are not the freshest, and as you can see there are a few guilty indulgences of processed & high-sugar foods, but for the most part it's good stuff that sticks to your belly when cooked right!

For $37 and some change, here's what we bought:

Yellow Garri
Ijebu Garri
Cous Cous
Coco Yam (Taro)
Ghana Yam
Plantain
Habanero Peppers
Okro (Okra)
Chin Chin
Schweppes Bitter Lemon drink
Chin Chin
Meatpies
Tomato Paste
Sardines

Farmer's Market Forager!

 Goodness!

Peep the herbs drying on the bottom rack.

Discovery: Will the Real Yams please stand up?!

"I'm going to take this back and show people what a real yam is. Sweet potatoes are NOT yams!"- a friend

Yeah, these are yams. This picture captures one of my favorite places to be. The Backyard of my Grandpa's village home. The Oba is where Yams are stored.

"Yam is a versatile vegetable. It can be barbecued; roasted; fried; grilled; boiled; baked; smoked and when grated it is processed into a dessert recipe. Yams are the staple crop of the Igbo people of Nigeria, in their language it is known as ji, and they commemorate it by having yam festivals known as Iri-ji or Iwa-Ji depending on the dialect." -From Wikipedia, Read More

If you are not in Nigeria (or other local sources), you may find Yams at an African/Caribbean Food store. I'll be posting a plate featuring a yam dish soon. I can't wait!

How to 'Grub a Plate'

Okay here's the short of it:

• A bunch of people send in menus (in form of plates*)
• They are collected (with a collection goal of at least 70 unique menus)
• Then put into a calendar + list + blog article
• Shared with folks

What Else?

Well the format for submissions is inspired by the Plate Method, so you don't just submit a dish, but a balanced 'complete meal' that is:

• Healthy + Nutritional (Avoid/minimal deep-fried, artificial & highly processed)
• Easy + Accessible (Consider foods that can be made in reasonable amounts of time, with ingredients that can be found easily)
• Tasty + Edible (please!)

*The 'Plate Method'?

Take your Plate. Divide it into 4. Put in:

• 1/4 lean protein
• 1/4 healthy carbs
• 1/4 low-carb cooked veggies
• 1/4 fresh vegetables

click to read more about the Plate Method

Certain dishes such as soups, wraps and salads can also be 'plate' worthy if they include a combo of two or more 'sections' of the plate.

Wanna participate?

You can:

• Simply SUBMIT a list for a meal idea
• Then SHARE this blog with your family & friends
• Also include RECIPES for one or more the dishes (feel free to include vegan, veggie or meat-lover variations)
• Take it a step further and include TAGS about special diets, allergies, or cultural info (e.g. diabetic, gluten-free, halal)
• If you know how include HOW to obtain 'special' ingredients (where to shop, how to grow, how to make)

Imagine the possibilities

These help to create more fun around making healthy food.

• Theme Nights: create themes to inspire variety & excitement in meals (Indian, Game Night, Out in the Woods, etc)
• Potluck: have people bring different items from parts of the plate
• Invite Yourself: Tell a friend or family member you would like to come over to eat
• Cook for someone: Make a plate you think someone else would like and invite them over or make them a plate to take to eat at home or take to work.

Grocery!