Know Your Farmer Series: 18 February 2023

Spinach, Garlic, Onions, Carrots, Freeze Dried Blueberries, Mixed Greens, and Vegan Plain Bagels

These were my finds from the Culver Farmers’ Market this week.

The spinach, orange carrots, garlic, and onions were from Flower Hill Farm. The baby-ish spinach bag, bagels, heirloom carrots, mixed greens, and freeze dried blueberries are from Hole In The Woods Farm.

There are many benefits to getting your food from the local Farmer’s Market:

1) Healthier eating because you increase the amount of vegetables and other plants in your diet.

2) Food has higher nutritional density because it is not transported through long distances and it is harvested at peak season.

3) You support local businesses and families.

4) It tastes better!

As part of our Metamorphosis Holistic Weight Loss Program, we will feature our haul from the Culver Farmers’ Market and showcase full meals using their ingredients.

I tend to “batch cook”. I will make only a couple of recipes per week which can be then eaten as left overs or “repurposed” as part of other meals.

With these goodies, I batch made about 4 cups of winter pesto (omitted the green onions) and I roasted the carrots from Flower Hill Farm along with a couple of russet potato wedges that we still have from our garden. The heirloom carrots I am saving to eat raw with pesto as a snack or part of a meal later this week.

I am not a big salad eater, but I am detoxing by eating more Whole-Foods, Plant-Based this month. I am still feeling the effects of eating like a “filthy vegan” over the holidays and when the kids were home for long weekend and Valentine’s and my birthday. I don’t regret any of these meals, but my body is asking me for a detox break.

The solution: eat more produce from the Farmer’s Market!

Please note: I only drink water with meals and in between meals. I intermittent fast from 8 pm to about 11:00 am. I do not snack in between meals. I eat until I am satisfied at lunch and dinner.

Simple Meal: Grilled vegan plain bagel slices with smashed avocado, lime juice, and salt. Over a bed of mixed greens with fresh mandarin orange slices, chia seeds, lime juice, a tiny bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper. You can use any fruit with this meal, including the freeze dried blueberries.

Elevate the Meal with Pesto

Once I made the pesto, I had the exact meal as above, but added pesto. Yum! Talk about leveling up!

Mixed Greens, Pesto, Roasted Veggies Bowl: I roasted carrots and some potato wedges that I still have from our fall garden. The mixed greens are at the bottom of the bowl, topped with a cutie, pesto, rice crackers (from Costco), and the roasted veggies. I did not use oil to roast the veggies, just a bit of salt and pepper. I do not use salad dressing, just a bit of olive oil, salt, and lime juice.

More Meal Ideas

Using the roasted veggies, pesto, and greens, I put together a variety of meals.

For a quick lunch: Tortilla Fresca as wraps: Avocado, pesto, and mixed greens. Flavor with salt and lime juice. Side of berries.

Simple Detoxifying Dinner: Raw carrots, pesto, strawberries, chia seeds. Flavored with lime juice and salt. Eat as much as you want of this meal. There is no need to restrict portions when you eat Whole-Foods, Plant Based.

Simple Detoxifying Lunch: Reheated the roasted carrots and potatoes in a dry cast iron skillet. Big dollop of pesto. Raw heirloom carrots. Bed of greens with chia seeds and fruit. Flavor with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and lime juice. This will keep you going all afternoon!

Freeze Dried Blueberries

Xenia from Hole in the Woods Farm freeze dries these blueberries from another local farm (from North Judson) for tasty treat. They seriously taste like candy even though they have no added sugar! You can eat them as a snack or an easy breakfast on the go or as a heartier breakfast with some coconut yogurt or peanut butter.

Our Metamorphosis Holistic Medical Weight Loss Program offers three levels of commitment. Choose the one that best fits your time, budget, and goals. This body-positive, Veggies Over Pills program guides you to become the most vibrant version of yourself, whether your goal is to lose weight, gain energy, or improve your overall health.

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