It is supposed to be a beautiful day tomorrow, a perfect day to stop on by the market, soak up some sunshine, breathe some not-so-humid air, and get some great food.
LI Ranch Corp was away Saturday, but will be back this week, and we will be featuring their ground beef in our cooking demo. Stan-Pat farms will also be back this Wednesday, and we are happy to report that our newest vendor A Taste of the Middle East, is a big hit and will be with us permanently. Be sure to stop by and try their hummus, it is truly delicious.
Melons are rolling out now, and the rest of the summer produce is still going strong.
We'll see you on the plaza!
Now a nutritional word from Dana:
I have a great feeling the tides of health and wellness are beginning to turn. An exciting new program in New York City actually has doctors prescribing fruits and vegetables instead of medicine! The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription program, started by Wholesome Wave in 2011, has just expanded its program with Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx and Harlem Hospital Center being the first locations in New York State to participate.
Health care providers and farmers market partners are working together (!) to enroll overweight and obese kids in the program. The kids and their families then meet monthly with the doctor and a nutritionist, where their fruit and vegetable intake is assessed, their BMI is taken, and the Fruit and Vegetable prescriptions (or FVRx as they call it) are distributed. The prescription comes in the form of $1 per family member per day in Health Bucks, which are coupons that are redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets.
The program lasts 4-6 months per family, and many participants are already seeing huge changes in their weight and eating habits. I think this is a wonderful program, not only because of the collaboration between health care providers and farmers markets, but also because it is teaching families about nutrition and healthy eating while providing them direct access to the healthy foods they need. At the same time, it benefits the small farmers by giving their revenue a boost and bringing new customers to the market.
Kennedy Plaza farmers market also offers a form of Health Bucks. Those using their EBT card at the market can get a $2 Health Bucks coupon for every $5 spent in EBT. So come on down to the market this week and take advantage of this great opportunity (only while supplies last) to stock up on even more of our incredible summer harvest!
Article and recipe written by Dana M. Youkilis, MS, RD. Dana is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, mom, and resident of Long Beach. She will be cooking at the market every Wednesday from 11-1 PM. Dana loves working with families and is available for private nutrition counseling, group presentations, farmers market tours, and cooking classes. Come say hi at the market or contact her at dyoukilis4@gmail.com. Also be sure to check out her blog at www.brilliantbites.wordpress.com .
Asian Lettuce Wraps
By Dana M Youkilis, MS, RD
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 head Boston or Butter lettuce, leaves separated, cleaned, and dried*
1 lb ground beef*
2 tsp ginger grated or finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced*
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
� cup scallions, chopped*
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
� cup carrot, grated*
� cup cucumber, chopped*
� cup cilantro, chopped*
Asian hot sauce (such as Sriracha), optional
Instructions
In a skillet over medium-high heat, saut� beef until brown. Pour off most of the fat from the pan and stir in the ginger, garlic, � cup scallions, water chestnuts, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. Continue cooking for 3 minutes. Season with pepper and remove from heat.
Spoon beef into lettuce leaves and garnish with carrot, cucumber, cilantro, reserved scallions, and hot sauce if desired. Wrap filling inside lettuce and enjoy.
*Available NOW at the market
Nutrition Facts (per serving for 4): Calories 281; Total Fat 18g; Saturated Fat 6g; Cholesterol 69mg; Sodium 386mg; Total Carbohydrate 7g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 2g; Protein 24g
Lots more to come folks so please stay tuned!!!