Tag Archives: produce

Got meat?  I know you do!  From lean beef to juicy pork tenderloin, our carts get filled with these excellent sources of protein each week at the grocery.  Some of us buy small portions and others buy the large value packs.

Regardless the size we need to always remember that although tasty, the meats can easily become health hazards if certain precautions aren’t followed!  Below is a list of tips for Smart Mamas and Dadas to remember when shopping the meat case.

Make the refrigerated meat case your last stop to ensure meat stays cold as long as possible until you get home. I’ve seen SmartMamas using bags like these to keep their meats cold when transporting from the grocery to home.  I’ve never personally used one.  Have you?
Be sure to choose packages that are cold, tightly and completely wrapped with no tears or punctures.  I like to dig …

Bowties with Eggplant and Portobellos is a fantastic pasta dish, ideally using organic ingredients for the best taste.  I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS!  It’s a fairly easy recipe.  It would make a great dish for a dinner party!  It’s super colorful and plates well! Let me know what you think.
Ingredients:

1 bulb garlic
1 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed, about 2-3 cups
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf basil
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, or 3 to 4 fresh peeled diced tomatoes
1 box of bow tie pasta
1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°.  Combine eggplant, mushrooms, vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, basil, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Meenwhile, peel garlic and place in foil. …

With organic zucchini in the drawer from last week’s produce pick up, I needed to find a yummy recipe! (I have a pretty standard recipe I typically follow with zucchini but getting bored with that one – you know what I mean!)
I came across this recipe in the Miami Herald recently, gave it a shot and really like it!
Zucchini Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
5 cups chicken stock, homemade or canned
3 tablespoons raw rice
1 pound zucchini, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 egg
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Saute the onion & garlic until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the stock and rice.  Simmer over low heat, covered, about 10 minutes.  Add zucchini. Season to taste with salt & pepper and simmer until the zucchini is tender, about …

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Continuing our Food Revolution…I have been using all sorts of different fruits and veggies in my cooking.  (Many thanks to my produce club subscription - Annie’s Organic Produce Buying Club.)
Well, this week we received something that I certainly had never heard, seen or tasted before.  What do you think it is?  I’ll let you know that it is a vegetable that I sliced and baked. (Hint: It is not a beet.)
Person with the best guess gets a big pat on the back – aren’t I generous!?
Answer: 
Congrats to @greenandhealthy of healthychild.org who tweeted the right guess!  The mysterius vegetable is an organic PURPLE POTATO! 
I used the potato as a replacement for a traditional white potato in a casserole dish.  The taste was richer than a white potato and worked great.  The look, deep purple, was actually amusing to look at.  My husband kept thinking I was …

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has inspired us all, especially in this house.  One battle we took on since the show’s premier is teaching my 3 1/2 year old to use a knife.  Certainly wasn’t as hard as we feared!
If you remember, the elementary school in West Virginia thought Jamie was out of his mind for wanting the kids to use knives during lunch.  At first I was too.  I thought back quickly to the days just post Columbine when school security and safety took on a complete overhaul.  Gone were the days of unlocked doors and any type of anything that could possibly, with any stretch of the imagination, be used as a weapon.  But Jamie had a point.  If we weren’t going to teach them in the elementary years, when on Earth would they learn?
I set Isa’s place setting for dinner with a knife (one of ours …

          I’m thinking most kids love toy stores, right?  Not in this house.  I can’t say that she doesn’t love them.  We honestly haven’t really been in one all that often.  (We had an unfortunate incident happen at our local toy store a few years ago and we haven’t step foot inside since then.)  However, one place my little Isa has gone PLENTY of times to is the grocery store.  She LOVES Publix, primarily because they give kids free cookies in the bakery.  Too bad the moms aren’t offered free wine – I’d be there every day! 
       Lately though, she has an obsession with Whole Foods.  We have two to choose from – the one with the elevator and the one with the shopping cart.  That’s how she distinguishes them!  Yesterday we headed to the one with the shopping cart after picking up our …