TGIS: Thank God It’s Spring
Spring 2010
By Karim H. Fugel, CHHC www.lettuceandfreedom.com
Opening day of our local famer’s
market is when my body and soul actually releases all reminders of the winter
left behind.
Spring is the time to come
alive, to go outside and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and the
feeling of newness and possibilities in the air.
Eating more healthful can be
almost effortless as the availability of fresh, local produce increases exponentially.
There is something incredible
about being part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or planning meals
around your visit to a local farmer’s market.
Just connecting with like-minded people who
care about the earth and where foods come from is inspiring.
Having a conversation with the person whose
hands nurtured the foods you are ingesting can make
the whole experience of eating very
different from what you are used to. It
can also dissuade any fears from food related stories presented in the news.
Eating high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods is
a basic human right. Where and what you
purchase is your vote to what the future of our foods will be.
For those of you whose schedules
make it challenging to get to the farmer’s market regularly, there are many
on-line ways to order great products.
Fresh Direct offers many local options which support small family farms
in your area (freshdirect.com.)
A new favorite of mine is Abe’s Market
(abesmarket.com.) This is an online natural
products resource
where you can even chat directly with sellers to ask specific questions
about their products.
As mentioned, there is nothing
like connecting with the hands that have created the products you are purchasing!
MISO DRESSED BITTER GREENS
By Karim H. Fugel
Many people have a
hard time figuring out what to do with the bitter greens prevalent in
spring. This recipe is easy and mellows
the bitterness of the greens. Experiment
with all the types of greens that you can find.
Serves: 4
4 cups bitter greens (mustard greens,
dandelion greens, etc…) – stemmed & julienned.
4 cups bok
choi – leaves separated from stalk & both
julienned
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup red pepper – julienned
1 tbsp sesame oil
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
Heat
sesame oil in a large skillet & sauté onions for 5 minutes, until
translucent. Add red peppers and continue sautéing for 4
minutes. Add bitter greens and half of the
water. Cook until liquid has
evaporated. Add bok choi, the remaining
water and soy sauce. Cook until greens
are tender, about 5 additional minutes.
For dressing;
¼ cup white miso
2 tbsp tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp chopped fresh dill
½ tsp turmeric
Stir the miso and tahini together in a
bowl. Add lemon juice and water, mix
well. Stir in the honey, dill and
turmeric. Mix well.
Plate the greens
and top with the miso dressing.