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Local, Delicious, and Winter Geared Recipe

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In the last year I took up a new hobby of buying cookbooks that promote healthy, local, seasonal eating. While I have a few favorites, Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson is definitely one of my favorites.

Her recipes span a variety of tastes and styles, but offer healthy, delicious, and natural options from breakfast to dinner, and even snacks and hors d’oeuvre.

As breakfast is my most favorite meal of the day, I naturally tried those recipes first. While there are several that I really like, this one for Baked Oatmeal I make over and over again. Below is the recipe!

Ingredients:
2 cups – rolled oats
1/2 cup – toasted and chopped walnuts
1/3 cup – cane sugar or maple syrup (I suggest trying a brand local to the Hudson Valley such as Crown Maple or from Lanza Farms)
1 teaspoon – aluminum free baking powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons – ground cinnamon
Scant 1/2 teaspoon – fine grain sea salt
2 cups – milk (Alla Ronnybrook or Hudson Valley Fresh perhaps?)
1 large egg
3 tablespoons – unsalted butter, melted, and slightly cooled
2 teaspoons – pure vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 and 1/2 cups of huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the top 3rd of the oven.
  2. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch square baking dish.
  3. In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar, if using, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, if using, the milk, egg, half of the butter, and the vanilla.
  5. Arrange the bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  6. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the oats.
  7. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture.
  8. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats.
  9. Gently give the baking dish a couple thwacks on the countertop to make sure the milk moves through the oats.
  10. Scatter the remaining berries and remaining walnuts across the top.
  11. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set.
  12. Remove from the over and let cool for a few minutes.
  13. Drizzle the remaining melted butter on the top and serve.
  14. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar or drizzle with maple syrup if you want it a bit sweeter.

This is definitely one of my favorites!
If you have any other winter breakfast recipes, please share!

CSA or no CSA?

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I have spent a great deal of time in the last few weeks researching local CSAs. I love the concept. For those that don’t know, CSA is short for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, you pay a yearly membership, and in turn, are provided with a “share” of the farms harvest to which you belong. It can be for just veggies and produce, but can also include fruits, juices, wines, and sometimes community pot-lucks, and educational programs. Some even offer a ‘you-pick’ component (I imagine that may be a perk for people with children especially).

In the past, I participated in a CSA located in New Paltz that I loved. It was the Brook Farm Project CSA. I had outstanding veggies from June through October, and was able to participate in a few community pot luck’s that were really fun. They sold fresh eggs and local goat cheese on pick up days as well, and I loved supporting a local farmer and eating fresh and seasonal vegetables.

The debate that I am having now is whether or not to join a CSA that is closer to my new home, or to just shop at local farmers markets and farms as my shopping routine. I am at most, shopping for myself and my boyfriend, so in my experience, the CSA shares are often enough produce for an entire week, plus some! My boyfriend is not in favor of the CSA as he likes to cook what he would like, and not have the menu depend on what if provided. Additionally, as we have at least two, but likely three weeks we are away this summer, its possible we will miss those share weeks, and still have to spend money elsewhere on food. He also prefers to go to a place like Blooming Hill Farm in Blooming Grove, NY. They have outrageous produce that they supply to major restaurants in NYC. On the weekends, they open to the public to sell produce, as well as fresh and homemade items right on the farm (personal favorites include the ramp pizza, and breakfast pizza, as well as the homemade ice tea!) While their produce is delicious, and I love the experience of going to the farm, eating breakfast, and sitting by the stream while I wait for the food, it’s also a bit pricier than a place like Adam’s Fairacre Farms or a CSA.

I’m still doing more calculating, but these are the CSA’s I have found most recently and am still considering.

Obercreek Farm CSA – http://www.obercreekfarm.com/

Fishkill Farms CSA – http://fishkillfarms.com/csa_fishkillfarm.html

Stonegate Farm CSA – http://www.stonegatefarmny.org/

Anyone have any experience with any of these farms? Or shed some insight on how the CSA’s have worked for you?

I want to shop local, I want to eat fresh and seasonally, and I want to support safe farming practices. I need a solution to address all of those things on a budget…I really do want it all!