It's Blueberry Season!

On my to-do list for the last few years has been to go berry picking.  I have grown up picking apples in the fall as many of us Upstate New Yorkers do and have taken up pumpkin picking as well which is equally enjoyable.  There is nothing quite like the taste of a fresh picked apple, so I really wanted to see if the same went for fresh berries.  I was not disappointed.

Earlier in the summer, my family and I found a really great berry patch in Baldwinsville called Hencle's Berry Patch, which specializes in a variety of berries including strawberries, raspberries, and even gooseberries.  With the unusually warm spring we had, the farmer's told us that everything was a bit early this year, but we were lucky enough to catch the end of the strawberries and pick a large number of fresh raspberries.  I had never experienced true fresh picked strawberries before and they were by far the best I have ever tasted.  The raspberries were pretty amazing too, reminding me of when I used to race down to my parent's raspberry bushes behind our house in hopes of picking the berries before the birds could feast on them.  Not only was this a great experience as far as finding fresh, healthy, and local produce, but it was a really fun family activity.  It's a great way to get outside and even a really good opportunity to teach your kids a bit about where their food comes from.

Well, the season for strawberries and raspberries has sadly come and gone, but luckily there are still blueberries to enjoy.  The other day, I packed Addie and Ryan up for yet another jaunt to the farmlands of Baldwinsville (I know, quite a journey).  We found a number of blueberry patches in a row and chose to stop at Reeves' Farms because they are known for their sustainable farming methods and particularly their organic blueberries.  We had a great time and picked enough blueberries to throw in the freezer and enjoy into the autumn months.  With our fresh blueberries, we enjoyed a great summer breakfast of Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes, here's the recipe:

Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

2/3 cup buckwheat (or any other whole grain) pancake mix
1 egg
2 tsp canola oil
1 cup milk*
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

*I prefer to make whole grain pancakes a little thinner because they tend to burn before the inside is fully cooked, but if you prefer thicker pancakes use a little less milk.

Stir together ingredients until just combined, do not over mix.  Grease a griddle or flat-bottomed skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto the hot griddle.  When the edges of the pancake appear dry and the middle starts to bubble, flip and cook for a few more seconds.  This recipe yields about 6 pancakes.

I really like to double or even triple this recipe and make a lot of pancakes because they're great to throw in the freezer and they're healthy and whole grain, so they're a wonderful option for kids or toddlers.  Keep in mind that they do contain eggs, so beware of feeding them to little ones under a year if they haven't had egg whites yet due to possible allergic reactions.

Remember, there's still plenty of time to enjoy the fresh fruits of summer and it's way more fun to get out there and pick them yourself!

So many markets, so little time!

I was recently having a conversation with my sister and she brought up a great point about farmer's markets.  Why do they always have to be on Saturday?  Everyone already has a packed schedule on weekends during the summer with traveling, graduation parties, weddings, marathon viewings of the Olympic coverage (maybe just in my house), who has time on a Saturday to add another thing to the list?  Well, there's good news!  Although it use to be true that most farmer's markets were held on Saturdays and the larger ones still are because they get the most traffic then, there are many smaller ones popping up all over Central New York on just about every day of the week and at various times of the day to accommodate everyone's schedule.  So if you weren't a farmer's market fan before because you didn't want to take the time out of your Saturday morning, you're not alone, but give one of these other markets a try and support a local farmer this week!

Upstate Farmer's Market

This market has two locations on two different days of the week.  On Thursdays from 11-3:30 it's located at Upstate at Community General Hospital on Broad Rd.  On Fridays from 11-3:30, it's located in the parking lot of the Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital on Irving Ave. right next to Crouse Hospital.  If you work at or near either of these locations, stop down on your lunch break and check out the fresh, local produce.  Both locations opened this week and will run throughout the summer.

You can find more information on Upstate's website by following this link or liking "Upstate Farmer's Market" on Facebook:

http://www.upstate.edu/specialevents/farmers_market.php

Cicero Farmer's Market

For those of you who live and/or work north of Syracuse, this is a new farmer's market this year located in the Driver's Village parking lot next to Burlington Coat Factory.  This one is great for the "after work" crowd because it runs from 3 pm-7 pm on Tuesday evenings.  It opened earlier in the summer and will run all the way until October 30th.  For more info on this market, you can like the "Cicero Farmer's Market" page on Facebook or contact the Cicero Youth Bureau Parks and Recreation Department at 699-5233.  You can also E-mail the market's coordinator at jraddell@ciceronewyork.net.

Camillus Farmer's Market

This market is held on Fridays from May through October rain or shine.  It's located on the corner of West Genesee Street and Male Avenue in front of the Camillus Municipal Building.  A great thing about this market is that the organizers require all products to be homegrown or homemade, so you can be sure that you are supporting your local farmers and artisans.  Fruits, vegetables, baked goods, flowers and shrubs, and a variety of crafts are available for purchase.  For more info on this market, you can contact the Camillus Town Clerk's office at 488-1234.

Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmer's Market

This one is located at Westcott Community Center on Euclid Avenue and is another great one to try if your work schedule keeps you from visiting the ones held during the day.  It's on Wednesdays from 2-7pm and is running now until October.  For more info, you can call 751-1067.

These are just a handful of farmer's markets that have been added to the growing list all over Central New York.  Some are new this year and some have been around awhile.  With all of these choices, you have no excuse now not to try one.  Go out and buy local this week!

Strawberry Arugula Salad

If you're a resident of the Syracuse area and a fan of Fleet Feet Sports, you may have seen this recipe already.  I actually just began writing for their Nutrition Blog as well, but I thought this recipe was too great not to share again and it's perfect to make from local seasonal ingredients.  I found this one from The Taste of Home website, so this one's not my own, but the info is listed below so you can find more of their great recipes.

We've been thoroughly enjoying the arugula growing in our garden for the past few weeks.  We've been using it for salads of course and sandwiches, but I thought this recipe was great because it pairs something else that's in season right now in Upstate New York, strawberries.  The flavor combination is really delicious because there is nothing like the taste of a freshly picked strawberry and it compliments the great peppery flavor of the arugula very nicely.  This is also a great recipe to try any weeknight because it's quick and easy and perfect for when the temperature begins to soar.

Strawberry Arugula Salad
From: The Taste of Home

Ingredients

            2 cups torn fresh arugula or baby spinach

            3/4 cup quartered fresh strawberries

            1/4 cup slivered almonds

            1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

            2 tablespoons chopped red onion

            2 tablespoons olive oil

            1 tablespoon thawed orange juice concentrate

            1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

            1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel

            1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

            In a salad bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, orange juice concentrate, vinegar, orange peel and ginger. Pour over salad; toss gently to coat. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1-1/4 cups equals 295 calories, 25 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 13 mg cholesterol, 199 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 7 g protein.  Nutrient information is based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet.

Serve as a side dish or as a main course topped with grilled chicken or a mild fish.

Reference:

The Taste of Home.  http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Strawberry-Arugula-Salad. Accessed 6/22/12.

Explore a new local market

It's summer and it's time to go on vacation!  While you're away this summer, try to get out and explore what kind of food the area has to offer.  No matter where you're traveling, there's sure to be a special product to find at a local market.  While you're visiting these local markets, be sure to get some tips from the vendors or growers if you can on ways to prepare the food you're buying.  You'll be able to pick up some great advice or new recipes from those who are really familiar with the food.  This is something you should always try at you're own local farmer's market to get some insight from the people who know the food the best, the farmers!

This weekend, I traveled to the Finger Lakes and visited one of my favorite little gems in the town of Naples, NY.  Joseph's Wayside Market is a small market on the main street running through Naples that sells everything from locally grown produce, beautiful annual flowers, a wide variety of fruit, vegetable, and herb plants, and a vast array of locally made bakery products, jellies, jams, sauces, and other Finger Lakes products.

There's so much the Finger Lakes area has to offer, it's impossible to explore it all in a weekend.  I'll continue to enjoy my new local food discoveries throughout the summer and I encourage everyone to find something local and delicious in your favorite vacation spot!

Black Bean Tacos

This is a new found favorite recipe of mine because it's easy and it adds some variety to the usual weeknight meals.  My family and I already eat very little meat, but this can lead to some monotony on the menu at times.  Especially during the summer when there's not as much desire to spend a huge amount of time in the kitchen, either because there's too much to do outside or it's just too hot.  Veggie burgers are a great option and don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of homemade veggie burgers, just not every night.  So I came up with this quick and easy recipe that's healthy, flavorful, and gluten-free (if that's something you're looking for).  Almost all of the vegetables are from the farmer's market and the cilantro came from my windowsill at home.  I like to serve these tacos either with a side of brown rice flavored with some cilantro and garlic, or a fresh green salad for something lighter since the tacos are pretty filling alone.  I hope you enjoy it!

Black Bean Tacos

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup scallions, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp olive oil

Small corn tortillas

Add black beans to a large bowl and using a potato masher, mash them lightly.  Add in the tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro and stir.  Stir in cumin and garlic powder.  Over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and place 1-2 corn tortillas in the pan.  Make sure that the entire surface of the tortilla is touching the pan, if two tortillas don't fit, just do one at a time.  Place a spoonful of the black bean mixture onto the tortilla and cook for 1 minute.  Next, fold the tortilla in half, making sure the filling stays inside.  Cook for about a minute more, then carefully flip, cooking for another minute on the other side.  The tacos should be lightly browned and crispy.  Top with a few more scallions or a little bit of shredded cheese.  Enjoy!

Rhubarb Crisp

This week at the Farmer's Market it was hard to ignore the giant stalks of rhubarb everywhere.  If you've never seen it before or aren't sure what it looks like, it resembles bright pink celery.  Many people that I've talked to have discovered it growing in their backyard and we actually just planted some along the side of our house so that we can have it all summer long.  I myself am new to rhubarb, just recently experimenting with it in a dessert.  I'm a huge fan now!  It's great for pies or jams because it's got a great flavor that's sweet, but tart all at once.  It's like a mix between a strawberry and a cranberry, neither of which you would expect from the looks of it.  My recipe that I'm sharing this week is a Rhubarb Crisp which is a really simple summer recipe that's great on it's own or you can serve it over ice cream or Greek yogurt.  It only takes about 10 minutes of prep time so it's perfect for this time of year when even the weekend days are jam packed with activities.  I found this recipe in a great local cookbook called Simple, Fresh, and Healthy: A Collection of Seasonal Recipes by Linda Hafner and made a few alterations.  Follow the link below for more info on this great cookbook!
Simple, Fresh & Healthy: A Collection of Seasonal Recipes

Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients
For the filling:
1 bundle of fresh Rhubarb (about 8 stalks)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the topping:
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and coat a pie pan or glass pie dish with cooking spray.

Cut the leaves and very end of each rhubarb stalk off and then chop the stalks into half inch pieces.

Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and let sit for about 15 minutes.

Next, combine all of the topping ingredients in a separate bowl and stir until all of the brown sugar lumps have broken up and are evenly spread throughout the oats.

Add fruit mixture to the pie dish first and then cover with the topping.  Place in the oven for about 40 minutes. or until the top starts to brown and the mixture is bubbling.

Dish out on it's own or serve it over vanilla greek yogurt or a small scoop of ice cream.  Enjoy!

What's In Season?

Now that it's finally springtime, the Regional Market is busy with more vendors and more veggies and you'll begin to see smaller Farmer's Markets cropping up all around the area.  If you're new to the idea of local foods, it's good to know what's in season and starting this time of year there's a lot.  Right now, in early May, you can find fresh asparagus, spinach, radishes, rhubarb, and broccoli.  I like to use fresh spinach as a lettuce substitute for salads and sandwiches or combine it with some asparagus and fresh eggs from a local farm to make a frittata (great for any meal of the day).  That's one combination that I can't resist so I'll be sharing a recipe for that in the near future.  Rhubarb is great for desserts or jam and radishes are a great vegetable to spice up a salad.  Broccoli is extremely versatile because you can use it on a salad, throw it a stir fry, or pack it into a pita with hummus and some red onion.  Also, broccoli is native to New York (interesting fun fact) so it's plentiful this time of year and would be a perfect addition if you have a small garden since it's definitely suitable for this climate.  So if you haven't yet or it's been awhile, stop by a farmer's market soon to enjoy some great spring produce.  And check back for some recipes featuring our spring harvest items soon!  Happy shopping!

P.S. If you don't live in New York, or just want a great resource for checking what's in season all year, check out sustainabletable.org where you can find what's in season for every region in the US.