I adore farmers markets. There is something so special about being able to put your money into the hands of someone who had a part in creating the food you're buying. Back in May, Trey and I made our first trip to an amazing farmers market located a sweet three miles down the road from us in little Worthington Town Center. We've had crazy schedules and were out of town for so long that I didn't even make my second trip over there until this past Saturday. Trucks overflowing with fresh corn, tables filled with ripe fruit and the greenest greens, the smell of fresh baked bread and brewed coffee. It's an experience for all of the senses. Even when I don't need to buy much, it's the best way to start a morning.

Peach Army - When your fruit is ripening faster than you can eat it, freeze these little suckers for smoothies, dipping in melted chocolate, adding to yogurt, etc. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 2 hours then transfer fruit to freezer bag.

As of late, I'm on an especially tight budget so I've been making a strong effort to live a minimalist lifestyle, which sadly includes food. Actually food is my biggest expense so it's taking the biggest hit. HOWEVER, that does not mean nutrition is going down with it. Eating/grocery shopping on a budget simply means going back to basics. Try to mainly choose produce that you can split between multiple meals and dishes, there's endless room for creativity. There's no NEED to purchase all the fancy-named products just because we see them in the "organic" and "natural" aisles. Those buzz words also do not necessarily mean "healthy" so beware! More often than not I make a list before heading to the store or market to avoid the dangers of aesthetic persuasion; although sometimes it's good to switch it up and go in without specific recipes in mind, grab whichever veggies ignite a bit of inspiration and create from there. For those of you that are artists, I think this process resonates greatly. I am not an artist but I see food as my canvas. That's not to say the end result is always pretty - many, many kitchen failures - but sometimes that's not the point.

My best advice for shopping healthy on a budget: do not hit more than 3 aisles.

This might sound ridiculous to some people, but I spend about 75% in produce, 5% in dairy, and 20% in grains/other. "Other" includes hummus, pesto, legumes and other staples that round out a meal or snack. Most of the aisles are filled with crap which both eats away at your budget and is nutritionally useless, depleting your energy levels rather than sustaining them like real whole foods do. That being said...don't forget your dark chocolate!

Alter Eco is my absolute favorite brand. The Dark Blackout is INSANE. They typically use 100% organic and Fair Trade Certified ingredients, a label which is near and dear to my heart. Check out Fair Trade USA's site  to read about how the third party certifier is expanding across industries.












At this time next week I'll be getting ready for my maiden voyage to Chicago! Squeezing in a few days with good friends, Lollapalooza music festivities, and of course, checking out the food scene. Stay tuned for my discoveries!

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Reconnecting

Hi friends, it's been a while. I guess you could say I took a little unplanned hiatus, possibly from a lack of inspiration. Last I wrote we were just entering Spring and here we are in July! For me at least, the change of season has brought on a whole slew of life changes. I just recently re-read my very first post and couldn't help but laugh because my life can be currently characterized by the exact uncertainty I wrote about eight months ago. The transition to life in Columbus came much easier than expected, in part because I was welcomed into a great group of people to work and play with. I'm so glad I took a chance on myself, really, and moved to a new city. I guess I should say I'm also glad my boyfriend persuaded me in the first place. It's the best decision I've made/been coerced into in a very long time.

But now our lease is up and it's time to find a new apartment in a different part of the city. I also left the stability of an income - just barely enough to pay my bills, but an income nonetheless - in hopes of pushing myself to find a job more in line with my longer-term "career" goals. "Career" refers to the general non-profit world but will remain in quotations because I'm still on an unclear path. And that's OK. I saw a quote posted by a young world-traveler that read: "This is the time for big adventures and small paychecks". In a way, I completely agree. At the same time, my rent is due soon. Life is one funny dilemma in that sense.

Right now I am back home in Concord, MA enjoying the inconsistent weather, my bike, and catching up with old friends. When asked what I'm "up to", it's safe to say I don't know what I'll be doing tomorrow, let alone months from now. As I aim to (quickly) find an answer in these next weeks, I'm soaking in all the New England charm I can get, and then it's back to Ohio for a different chapter in this odd book of mine.
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Last week my mom and I ventured out to one of our family vacation spots,Westport Point, where we visited every summer when I was little. The tiny town located along Massachusett's southeastern shore has a harbor dock with what seems like more boats than people; what was once the general store fifteen years ago is now a quiet set of law offices that don't appear to conduct much business; the Inn right on the harbor point offers a total of nine rooms; a picturesque scene to say the least. Other main attractions: beach & local ice cream shop, the summer essentials. There's nothing like the smell of sunscreen and melting sugar to complete a summer day.

A few days after our weekday excursion it was time for a lobster boil. Classic but smelly meal. I elected to bury myself in the pastry portion instead. I've made this dessert twice now and it's just so perfect. It's essentially a topless pie but for some reason it has a more eloquent name.

Peach and Blueberry Crostatas

I've only ever used peaches and blueberries for the filling although I'm sure most other fruits would be equally delectable. I've found that I like this dessert so much because it's the perfect amount of sweetness. There's roughly 1/3 cup of sugar in each of the two crostatas this recipe makes. The best part of the process is making the dough - something so magical about shoving your hands into a big hunk of flour and butter. You try and you'll see. You do need a food processor to make the dough and part of the filling.

Recipe from Plum Pie

Happy baking!
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