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Christmas Came Early to the MOARfit Kitchen!
For years I’ve wanted to get on board with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program but have always found an excuse–I travel too much, the food will go to waste, I only cook for one, etc. I love the farm-to-table movement and I fully understand the importance of supporting locally grown, healthy fresh produce. By doing so you reduce your carbon footprint, support small farmers and, if you haven’t tried food fresh from the soil that hasn’t had to travel by land, air and sea to reach your plate, it also tastes better.
This May, my excuses ran out and a golden opportunity to dive into the farm-to-front-door movement arose that I couldn’t resist. As you may know, MOARfit is now partnered with Yoga Heights, the yoga studio and wellness center I co-own here in Washington, DC. I’m offering my health coaching services to our awesome community with one-on-one nutrition consultations, seasonal group detoxes and educational workshops (details on our website). This partnership has recently turned into a triple threat as we’ve partnered with the stellar people over at From the Farmer. Their approach, passion and product hooked me instantaneously. The proof’s in the picture. Check out my amazing first bounty of goodies below.
If you live in DC, you should give it a try. Here’s why:
- Each week From the Farmer hand selects what’s local, most delicious and in-season and deliver it right to your door, stoop or apartment complex;
- Even better, you can customize your basket each week so you receive what you want and decrease the likelihood you’ll waste any beautiful food;
- AND you can even suspend your baskets on a week-by-week basis if you know you’ll be out of town one weekend or have a bunch of social events lined up that will keep you from your kitchen.
They’ve made it so easy. With all our busy schedules it should be a no brainer when ease and health go hand-in-hand. Not yet sold? Use code MOARfit at checkout and you’ll save 20% on your first 4 deliveries. I go with a half bushel and it’s easily enough fresh fruits and veggies for two busy working professionals for the week.
Their philosophy is simple: be local, passionate, sustainable, and connected. And when they say local, they mean local. All of their farm partners and artisanal producers reside within 150 miles of DC. I can’t wait to go and see where the food comes from first-hand one of these days!
The weekly produce has been inspiring me to be more creative with my cooking and to keep it simple so as to showcase these fresh ingredients in all their flavorful glory. From baked tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and stuffed with fresh herbs to a gluten-free strawberry balsamic tart with mint (recipe coming soon!), these farm fresh goodies are bringing out my culinary A-game!
Get on board and celebrate summer with tasty, real food all the while doing your part to support family-owned businesses and locally grown produce!
Picnic in the Park: Two Healthy Brunch Salads to Share
We like to brunch here in Washington, DC. Whether you live in Eastern Market, Mt. Pleasant or anywhere in between you’ve got at least a dozen solid options any given Saturday/Sunday. While I’m all for brunch, it makes it way too easy to blow your healthy eating habits—especially after your third (or was it fifth?) bottomless mimosa. And when it becomes more of a ritual than a splurge it can have a negative ripple effect on your overall diet. If you’re a habitual bruncher, why not try a picnic lunch in your favorite city park? When you’re the chef you have control over the menu and can ensure it’s bettering your wellness goals rather than bulldozing them.
Last weekend I went to one of my favorite District parks with three of my favorite people. My friend Jeanine is an amazing cook and is all about healthy eating and fitness. We divvied up the dishes and came up with a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free menu that seemed to please not only us wellness wackos but the men in our lives too. You know you’re doing nutritious the delicious way when your self-proclaimed meathead mates are going back for thirds. J took the lead on the heartier fare with crustless, dairy-free baby quiche and potato pancakes. They were both so light and super tasty. Perfect for a steamy summer morning.
Perhaps not surprisingly, I decided to tackle the fruits and veggies. Dressing up a fruit or veggie salad is all about the quality of the ingredients. To give these simple salads a little boost I went to Whole Foods and picked up ripe, organic and mostly in-season fruits and veggies. The watermelon and heirloom tomatoes (both packed with lycopene as discussed in my Gazpacho post and Active Life DC Watermelon Popsicle article) were calling my name as soon as I walked through those sliding doors. Everything else followed suit.
I like to add a little je ne sais quoi to my recipes—you know, a taste that pleasantly lingers on the palette and makes you immediately ask for the recipe. The wow factor on my Favorite Fruits Salad is in the Ginger Lime Dressing and chia seeds. The acidic bite of fresh lime combined with ginger’s subtle spice and agave’s earthy sweetness bring continuity to the diversity of fruits I selected. And I’m all for texture, so the chia seeds add not only heart-healthy omega-3s but a nice crunch. When it came down to veggie selection time I wanted the tomatoes to steal the show so I balanced them with creamy, ripe avocados (which increase HDL cholesterol and lower the bad LDL kind) and organic basil leaves. After adding a drizzle of delicious Le Roux’s fig balsamic vinegar and a couple cranks of ground sea salt and black pepper, the minimalist in me screamed stop! In both dishes, the beauty of whole, real foods speaks for itself. It doesn’t take much doing when you let the food dictate the menu.
Favorite Fruits Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing
What You’ll Need:
- 1/4 watermelon, cubed
- 1/2 fresh pineapple, cubed
- 1 kiwi, diced,
- 1 ripe mango, diced
- 1 white peach, diced
- 1/2 pint blueberries
- 2 tbs mint, cut into ribbons
- 1 tbs chia seeds
For the Ginger Lime Dressing:
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbs agave
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grater
How to Make It:
- Chop all your fruits and mix together in a big bowl (feel free to substitute ingredients for your favorites or what’s in season).
- In a separate smaller bowl, mixing together the ingredients for your dressing until combined.
- Pour dressing over fruit, sprinkle in chia seeds and mint, and toss to combine.
- Chill, serve and enjoy!
Heirloom Tomato, Avocado and Basil Salad with Fig Balsamic
What You’ll Need:
- 3 heirloom tomatoes
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, whole
- Fig balsamic vinegar (or your favorite flavored vinegar)
How to Make It:
- Thinly slice tomatoes crosswise into rounds
- Thinly slice avocado crosswise into rounds
- Take a platter and create a bed of basil leaves as your base. Layer different colored tomatoes and avocados until the plate is covered
- Drizzle with balsamic and garnish with basil chiffonade