10/24/2023
Happy Tuesday, loves! I have already gotten messages from so many of you saying you devoured some of your food last night. Love hearing how you literally can't wait to put it in your mouth ;-) But seriously, I love your feedback, even when it isn't all positive, your feedback has shaped the way I have changed things up over the years, so please don't hold back. Either way, always a huge thank you for ordering. Cooking for you gives me such purpose, and now connecting you with more local farms is even better. Thanks for the opportunity to connect with you every week.
Just the Tip - How to Make these meals "the best you ever had":
Put your meals in your own tupperware when you return home for maximum freshness!
Add a piece of paper towel to "moist" meals like salad.
Eat your salads first!
Try to heat your food stovetop or in the oven vs. the microwave.
Add a drop of moisture like water or EVOO to meals when heating them covered in the oven so they don't dry out.
Remember if you are ordering 3 or 4 meals, it pays to order the "partial" or "full" order vs. buying a la carte.
"Know What You're Puttin' In Your Mouth (and where it came from)" -
Carrots in the soup and Bang Me Bowl from Indian Neck Farm.
Butternut squash in the soup and stuffed peppers from Sang Lee.
Spinach and sweet potatoes in the salad from Sang Lee.
Jalapenos from my garden, Cabbage from Sang Lee, and Carrots from Indian Neck in the Bang Me Bowl.
Peppers and tomatoes are from Lil' Farm Stand
Fresh herbs from Sang Lee and my garden!
And the yellow onions in all of the meals are from Indian Neck Farm too!
This week's "food for thought":
Not sure if you already devoured the stuffed peppers, but this might be my favorite this week. As you may know, I am a huge fan of lentils in place of meat (but you know I still love my meat) and this meal is packed with plants, plus all the protein, fat, and fiber you need for one meal. I managed to squeeze in fresh all local tomatoes, butternut, and onions into your lentils and rice this week, and then I stuffed all that into fresh peppers from Lil' Farm Stand. I purposely left the peppers raw so when you reheat you preserve the flavor, fresh crispness, and nutrients in these beautiful autumn vegetables! This meal may be enough to share with someone you love.
My recommendation for reheating the peppers is in the oven, 375 in in a covered pyrex until heated through.
You can definitely eat your salad cold or hot this week - right out of the box or saute it stovetop if you are feeling cozy.
I actually can't decide if the stuffed peppers of the Bang Me bowl is the favorite this week - you decide! You could reheat the chicken or eat it cold, right out of the box and honestly there is likely enough jazz in this one so you can save your spicy mayo for a veggie dip, salad dressing, or burger night later this week.
The pumpkin bread this week was a hit in my house and I tried it yesterday like fried cornbread and OMG, so good. A little heat, some butter and....WOW. But really, this one is packed with protein, low in added sugar (just a little maple syrup) and a great way to start your day if you're on the go (or if it lasts that long.)
Weekly Fun Food Fact
Generally speaking, when it comes to knowing which fruits and veggies to choose organic, I like to try and use the guidelines: If you eat the skin, or it grows as a root, try and buy organic. However, some fruits and vegetables are simply grown with higher amounts of pesticides than others so the EWG comes out with an updated annual list, or the "dirty dozen". These are the fruits and veggies you should try and only choose organically grown. There is also the "clean fifteen" list which helps you know which foods are safe to buy conventionally grown.
Research done at the University of California at Berkeley conducted a 12-day study with families across the U.S. For the first six days, the participants ate a conventional diet. Urine tests on day 6 showed detectable levels of organophosphates (cause cancer, kidney failure, lung damage, and brain development abnormalities), neonicotinoids (associated with Parkinson's, Alzheimers, and Breast Cancer), pyrethroids (associated with neurological issues like ADHD), and 2, 4-D herbicide (insecticide and weed killers used on a wide range of food crops and are cancer causing). Participants were then put on an entirely organic diet and just six days later a urine test revealed a 60.5% decrease in toxic urine levels! JUST SIX DAYS!
Try this:
This week's soup is perfect to use as a pasta sauce! Cheese lovers in the family? Add a little Ricotta (or cashew ricotta). Fresh basil, and BAM - food for the whole family.
Add a little chili powder, cumin, and paprika to the stuffed peppers dish, chop up the peppers, place them over tortilla chips and you've got a healthy take on nachos for a large group.
This time of year, organic berries can get super pricey. Try buying organic to save money! Plus some fruits retain more nutrients when frozen. Double team..I mean, win!
Thanks again, foodies. Don't forget to place your order for next week!
xoxox