Local

http://www.silverlakelocal.com/

Tonight I truly enjoyed dinner at Local in Silverlake. I am so happy that local, seasonal foods seems to be catching on as a restaurant theme on this side of town. I had Fried Chickpeas with Pico de Gallo, Local Sea Bass with Snap Peas, Fennel, Grape Tomatoes, Greens & Toasted Almond Yogurt, and one of today's specials of Bok Choy & Eggplant. I loved each item! My dinner partners had Jidori 1/2 Chicken and the Sea Bass on special. We all really enjoyed our meals and made plans to have breakfast at Local next Saturday. I'll keep you posted on our breakfast experience.

Please visit this local, organic restaurant in Silverlake. It was an outstanding dinner experience.

Today's Rewards

Zucchini, eggplant, cantaloupe, red and green peppers, and peaches! What will I make this week? Stay tuned.

Food Inc.

I finally watched Food Inc. last weekend and was amazed at how in line the documentary was with the themes of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and this blog; the beauty of eating sustainable foods and the importance of supporting small, local farms.

But it also opened my eyes even more to the attention we must give the food machine in this country. America's industrialized food system puts profit ahead of consumer health, the American farmer, and our environment. Rampant obesity, E. coli outbreaks, and epidemic levels of diabetes are all indicators of the shocking flaws that exist in our food system.

What can I do?

1. Purchase organic, local foods. The following website is an amazing tool in the search for local farms, markets, restaurants, and more.

http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home

2. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides. The use of pesticides is associated with cancers, autism and neurological disorders, especially amongst farm workers and their communities.

3. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections. Farm workers are the backbone of our agricultural industry and, at the very least, deserve basic workplace protections.

http://www.ufw.org//

4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks. It is unacceptable that one-third of children and adolescents in this country are overweight or obese. You can start voicing your opinion by signing the petition to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act at the following link.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/reauthorize-a-robust-child-nutrition-act

5. Go without meat one day a week. Most of the 10 billion animals raised and killed in the US annually for our food supply are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions.

6. Educate yourself. If you haven't already, please watch Food Inc. You should also visit their website which has many more suggestions for taking action.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

How to Cut a Watermelon

A watermelon can appear daunting to cut up. Have no fear.

1. Wash the outside rind with regular soap or a vegetable wash. Everything that the knife touches on the outside of the melon will contact the flesh.

2. Trim the end off of both sides.

3. Stand the watermelon up on one side and cut in half (along a dark green stripe to get seeds on the outside of wedges.)

4. Set half down and slice in to wedges.

5. Cut the watermelon away from the rind. (This photo shows the dangerous way to do this. Instead please cut the rind away on a flat surface, not in your hand!)

6. If desired, cut wedges into chunks.

Today's Rewards

Success at the Los Feliz Farmers Market. Green beans, avocado, lemon, cucumbers, onion, strawberries, and brussels sprouts. Oh and thank you Charmed Scones for offering gluten-free scones! GF Lemon with Raspberry and GF Chocolate Chip. Woopee!

Today's Rewards

Well, I had another beautiful visit to the Silverlake Farmers Market this morning. Zucchini, squash, heirloom red zebra tomatoes, grape tomatoes, watermelon and nuts.

And I had yet another delicious dinner this evening from today's seasonal shopping. I love this blog!

Zucchini!

Last night I sauteed sliced zucchini and onions in oil and salt & pepper and ate it with some quinoa. Oh my god! This simple zucchini was delicious! If you are not eating zucchini right now, you are truly missing out.

Cru

http://www.crusilverlake.com/about.html

I went to Cru tonight for the first time and love, love, loved it. Cru is a raw, vegan, gluten-free restaurant in Silverlake. My friends and I enjoyed Bruschetta Rustica, Minted Cucumber Strawberry Salad, Chorizo Tostada, and Mushroom Quinoa Risotto. Everything was awesome but my favorite was the Bruschetta. Please go and savor this delicious, conscious cuisine.

Oh and they also give classes that teach easy raw vegan recipes. This Sunday is taco night with crunchy tacos, plantain chips with a spicy mango salsa and mexican chocolate frozen bananas. Anyone want to join me?

Basil-Blackberry Crumble

from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

2-3 apples, chopped (I used Granny Smith's for tartness)

2 pints blackberries

2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

1 large handful of basil leaves, chopped

1/2 cup honey-or more, depending on tartness of fruit

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the above and put mixture in ovenproof casserole dish. Set aside.

5 tablespoons of flour

3 heaping tablespoons brown sugar

1 stick cold butter

Mix flour and sugar. Cut butter into mixture. Then rub with your fingers to make a chunky, crumbly mixture (not uniform). Sprinkle it over the top of the fruit, bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

My butter mixture came out much more runny than "chunky crumbly," because I used some margarine on hand rather than butter. The result was still awesome. Have it with a couple scoops of vanilla ice creams. Yep!

Mar Vista Farmers Market

http://marvistafarmersmarket.org/default.asp

I went to the Mar Vista Farmers Market today for the first time. It was lovely and I highly recommend it to those in the area. A great neighborhood Market filled with produce, food vendors, flowers, and even a DJ. I had a great time and now wish I could go every weekend. Thanks Audrey!

Organically Yours

Why buy organic?

Organic fruits and vegetables are tougher creatures than those labeled "conventional," precisely because they've had to fight off predators themselves. If nobody is spritzing chemicals on the predators, all a plant can do is to toughen up by manufacturing its own disease/pest-fighting compounds. That's why organic produce shows significantly higher levels of antioxidants than conventional - these nutritious compounds evolved in the plant not for our health, but for the plant's. The same antioxidants that fight diseases and pests in the plant leaf work similar magic in the human body, protecting us against various diseases, cell aging, and tumor growth.

Four other reasons to buy organic.

1. It avoids pesticides. More than 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues are often present in non-organic food. There is research that suggests unnatural pesticides and herbicides have a causative relationship with the development of some cancers, birth defects, and nerve damage. Further, pesticide-related health risks to farm works (and anyone living in the area) are eliminated.

2. No genetic modification. Under organic standards, GM crops and ingredients are not allowed. Genetically modified organisms pose serious unknown and unpredictable health and environmental risks.

3. It's good for wildlife and the environment. Pesticides are responsible for a staggering amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Organic farming is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide and less dangerous wastes.

4. Reduced reliance on chemical and agri-engineering corporations is good for farmers. It is estimated over one million people worldwide are poisoned by pesticides annually.

Eating Neighborly

Buying your goods from local businesses rather than national chains generates about three times as much money for your local economy.

Marketing jingles from every angle lure patrons to turn our backs on our locally owned stores, restaurants, and farms. And nobody considers that unpatriotic? The increased availability of local food in any area is a direct function of the demand from local consumers. In grocery stores, when the cashier asks if you found everything you were looking for, you could say, "Not really, I was looking for local produce." At restaurants, ask the waitstaff or owner which entrees or wines are from local sources. Local and regional policymakers need to hear our wishes: town and city hall meetings, school board meetings, even state commissioner meetings. Federal legislators also need to hear about local food issues. As more people ask, our options will grow.

Forage

http://www.foragela.com/

Forage in Silverlake is amazing! It embodies all of the ideals I hold dear to my heart; community support, fresh home grown foods, and an appreciation for simple, beautiful dishes. I love this place and know you will too.