A List of CSA's for My Favorite Friends in Texas, California, & Virginia!

Calling all of my friends in Texas, Virginia, and California—here is a list for you!

Do you have a desire to eat more fruits and vegetables this year? Perhaps it was a New Year’s Resolution. Here is your chance! Support your local economy by supporting local agriculture! Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a program set up by local farmers to provided boxes of produce to the community. The boxes can be picked up, delivered to a drop-off site, or delivered to your home depending on the ability of the farm. These boxes are full of nature’s local bounty! Look back at post of mine in November to get an idea of what the boxes can look like. Some CSA’s are set up where you pay a weekly price, and others have you pay for a season. Either way, it is worth the investment. Choosing to participate in CSA’s will give you the opportunity to eat, feel, and live better!

Just for my friends & family, here is a list for you. Click the links and familiarize yourself with what is available, and perhaps you’ll find it is time for you and your family to join a CSA, too!
California
San Diego Area:
Be Wise Ranch http://www.bewiseranch.com/
J.R. Organics http://www.jrorganicsfarm.com/
Tierra Miguel Farm http://www.tierramiguelfarm.org/
Garden of Eden Organics http://www.gardenofedenorganics.com/
Seabreeze Farms http://www.seabreezed.com/
Morning Song Farm http://www.morningsongfarm.com/

Texas
Austin Area:
Johnson’s Backyard Garden http://www.johnsonsbackyardgarden.com/
Green Gate Farms http://www.greengatefarms.net/
Hairston Creek Farm http://www.hairstoncreekfarm.com/
Wild Type Ranch http://www.wildtyperanch.com/
Montesino Ranch http://www.montesinoranch.com/
Walnut Creek Organic Farms http://www.walnutcreekorganicfarms.com/
*More farms available at http://www.localharvest.org/ {click CSA and type in your zip code}

San Antonio Area:
Scott Arbor Farm http://www.scottarbor.com/
Native Texan Farm Contact Miranda Hitchings @ (210) 846-0047
My Father’s Farm http://www.mfhfoundation.org/
Braune Farm Contact Julie Braune @ (830) 303-4507
Smiley Dog Farm http://www.smileydogfarm.com/
Lost Truffle Farm (waiting for contact information)
Millberg Farm Contact Tim Miller @ 512-268-1433

Dallas Area:
Eden’s Garden www.edensorganicfarm.com/CSA.htm
Barking Cat Farm http://www.barkingcatfarm.com/
Artisan Baking Company http://www.artisan-baking-company.com/
Windy Acres Farm Contact Charles Richardson @ acpa4u@peoplepc.com
Summer Gold Farms http://www.summergoldfarms.com/
*More farms available at http://www.localharvest.org/ {click CSA and type in your zip code}

Midland/Odessa Area:
Wholistic Gardens Contact Matthew Hanson @ 432-695-4114

Virginia
Virginia Beach/Norfolk Area:
New Earth Farm http://www.newearthfarm.org/
Mattawoman Creek Farms http://www.mattawomancreekfarms.com/
Full Quiver Farm http://www.fullquiverfarm.com/

Did I miss one? Is there an area you would like me to list? Let me know, and I will be happy to help! Also, if you get a vegetable or fruit you are totally baffled on how to prepare ask me! This is what this blog is all about! Enjoy y’all!

Shake It Up: Quick & Delicious Smoothie for All

After a nice run/hike with my two labs I felt the need for a quick snack. Hmmmm...what looks good...yogurt (had it with my breakfast), fruit (yes, but I need something more), toast (not enough of the good stuff), cereal (same response as toast)...what looks good? There, peaking out at me, was my Pacific Foods Almond Milk that I just bought. So, I pondered, "What goes great with almonds?" Bananas! Thus, became the heart of my shake. Almond milk tastes fabulous, is 60 calories per serving, and only 2.5grams of fat. Here is a great recipe for a recovery shake to try after your next workout:
Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup Almond Milk
1 scoop Kashi's Go Lean Protein Powder (my favorite because it has 7grams of fiber per serving)

Directions:
Blend and serve. How easy is that? Let me know what you think!

Eating Single? Try this quick dish...

Inspired by hunger, I decided I needed to share my quick fix dinner from tonight. Pierogi...heard about these tasty dumplings? Mrs. T's Pierogis frequent my freezer, because they are a quick fix for hunger pangs. Of course, I had to add veggies and a little protein to complete the dish; thus, decided to go with bell peppers and Chipotle Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe's. YUM! To top it off, the meal pulled together in less than 10 minutes! So, grab a box of pierogis, a colorful bell pepper (onion, too if you like), and a lean (yes, lean) chicken sausage and let's begin...
Ingredients:
6 pierogis (your choice of flavors--and yes they have vegetarian ones, but not vegan)
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 lean chicken sausage, sliced
Directions:
1. In a soup pot, bring water to a boil.
2. While waiting for that, slice up your peppers and sausage
3. Heat a skillet to medium high heat, add your sausage and peppers, and heat
4. Boil pierogis for 7 minutes
5. Place 3 pierogis on a plate and 3 in a plastic container
6. Top half of the mixture on your plate and the other in your lunch container for tomorrow!
7. Pour yourself a glass of wine (4oz)
8. Sip, relax, and enjoy the taste of your meal (that took less than 10 minutes!)
If you prefer a vegetarian option, try a soy sausage in place of the chicken or use beans.
Eating alone doesn't have to be all about fast food, eating grilled cheese sandwiches, or a bowl of cereal. Keep your pantry and freezer stocked with quick fixes such as pierogis for a fast and fresh meal in minutes! Cheers to another great work day!

Ladle Up Some Curry...Butternut Style

An absolute favorite winter vegetable of mine is butternut squash. It's golden flesh just begs to be blended with savory flavors! When the mood strikes I may combine it with sage and chopped pancetta.....apples and maple.....rosemary and garlic.....or CURRY! Slicing and dicing a butternut squash can be a challenge without a little muscle behind it, but now you can find cubed butternut squash in the refrigerator section of many grocery stores. Inspired by the clouds rolling in overhead I feel the need for a warm bowl of soup! Let me know what you think!
Vegetarian or Not Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 box vegetable or chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. curry powder
½ cup coconut milk, freeze remainder in ice cube trays for later use
¼ cup cilantro or Basil to finish
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Sauté carrots and onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add butternut squash and garlic and sauté for an addition 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and add curry powder. Simmer for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Either in a blender or with a blending tool purée soup. Stir in coconut milk, season with S&P, and serve with fresh herbs on top. Enjoy!

Soup can be prepared in a crockpot for 6-8 hours on low. Add coconut milk right before serving.

Taste the Sunshine

With cold breezes blowing outside there is no reason your food has to be reflective of the weather. Bring the warmth of the sun inside with a fresh salad. Here in Southern California it is the season for lettuce, avocados, carrots, and many more fabulous vegetables. Inspired by my fresh box of goodies from Community Supported Agriculture member Be Wise Ranch, I felt inclined to whip up a quick, California-inspired salad. Turn this side dish into a main dish by adding salmon, boiled eggs, or grilled chicken--yum!

9 Goals for 2009

Welcome 2009! With almost a decade gone by since the millenium Americans are still not reaching the Healthy People 2010 goals set forth by the US Government and health professionals. There are even more diet books, diet pills, colon cleanses, and super foods on the market to help people achieve their "goal weight." Have they worked? Hmmmm.....
What is your goal weight? Is it realistic or even healthy? What works for you? I have the most faith in the theory that moderation is key. In order to achieve moderation, I find adding healthy foods into a diet help with removing some of the foods peole have the biggest problem moderating. With this in mind, here are some ideas of goals for 2009:
1. Eating more fish per week (6+ oz/week)
2. Increase your vegetable intake (3 cups per day)
3. Take a multiple vitamin, calcium, or fish oils daily (based on your needs)
4. Choose wholes foods—go a day without any processed foods, can you?
5. Cook more at home—prepare a new recipe each week, use your crock pot, prepare a meal that carries over to the next night's dinner
6. Go a day per week without simple (white) carbohydrates
7. Try a new vegetable every week
8. Increase your fiber (30 grams per day)
9. Cut your salt intake in half (low sodium soups or broth, no salt on the table, use lemon or lime to substitute)