While some of us are basking in the glory of all that is spring, others are upset. Why? Because summer is inching nearer and nearer with each passing moment, and some of us may have gained a few unwanted pounds this past winter. However, don’t let the vicious cycle of the seasons get you down! To get summer body ready, all you need to do is begin your clean eating with the fresh, seasonal produce of April!
Archeologists have found that wild barley is native to what is termed the Fertile Crescent, the region that covers modern southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt. It was first gathered in 9000 B.C.E. for a food grain and was reportedly first used by the Egyptians as cereal. For millennia, people depended on barley for food for themselves and for their horses.
Since subscribing to a CSA box, I find myself frantically making room in the fridge for new produce once a week – the day before my box is delivered, naturally. Even if you’re shopping at the local farmer’s market, chances are you find yourself periodically needing to use up a bunch of on-their-last-legs veggies.
Do you love eating toast slathered with jam? What about peanut butter and jelly? Well I have good news for you: Jam is super easy to make at home! All you need is fruit (frozen or fresh – or even a combo of both), some sugar, and a little bit of water. It's super rewarding to make and totally beats store bought jam because there's no possibility of icky ingredients sneaking their way into your jam (like corn syrup – yuck).
After a long, frigid winter, the warmer weather of spring is more than welcome. Turning from hearty comfort food to light, refreshing meals, spring is bursting with flavor. When the weather turns from cloudy to sunny, it's time to switch from hot to cold soups.
I was recently gifted a jun culture from a local raw and vegan eatery. Being a tremendous fan of kombucha not only for the flavor, but for its gut-health boosting properties, I figured I’d give kombucha’s cousin a little love, too.
Whether you’re sipping your coffee on the couch or spilling it as you rush out the door, some sort of morning fuel is a non-negotiable. For those of us on a plant-based diet, however, many breakfast foods are sadly off the table. Scrambled eggs, French toast, yogurt, sausage, bacon… classic staples, but not vegan-friendly.
Spring is a time of new beginnings, when the world shakes to life again, breathing into beautiful young colors and fresh, full scents of revival. And, amidst all the new life popping forth, one can also find some tasty wild plants, if you know where to look…or smell!
March is finally here, which means it’s time to reintroduce spring! Yay! Feel free to thaw out because warmer weather is headed our way. I’m stoked that I’ll soon be able to enjoy many of my favorite produce items that I’ve gone months without. As winter winds down and we happily greet the sunshine we’ve been yearning to feel again, we can rejoice in this long awaited, special time of year by preparing meals featuring the best, freshest seasonal produce March has bestowed upon us.
Pumpkin pie is my absolute favorite pie. There’s just something about that smooth, dreamy texture that is so sweetly satisfying. For me, nothing says comfort food like having pumpkin pie for dessert, which is why I had to figure out a way to make this spiced, velvety delight without gluten or animal products.