produce

Getting the usual bargain buys at the grocery store gets sort of old, after a while, don’t you think? Luckily, a little imagination and creativity goes a long way! It’s much easier than you’d think to transform those tired kitchen staples into seemingly new, refreshing, and impressive dishes that one might even dare to describe as somewhat fancy. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy a luxurious meal without the luxurious price tag?

For those of you who are curious about these food co-ops that you see popping up, you should know that these grocery stores with a twist are called food cooperatives for a good reason—they’re all about cooperation. Food co-ops thrive in communities that are interested in working together for the common good.

Let’s start with a few harsh facts. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, if just one-fourth of the food currently wasted or lost globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million people in the world. Frankly, when so much of the world is hungry, undernourished, underfed and starving – food wastage is a crime in itself.

Believe it or not, baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is capable of doing much, much more than just helping your baked goods rise. Before I learned of all that baking soda can do, I always wondered how people could ever even go through entire boxes. I mean I know cookies can be addicting, but seriously? Now, I know that being a baking superhero is probably the least impressive job on baking soda’s resume. If you’re someone who seeks enlightenment about how a super cheap household item can be used for numerous varying tasks, this one’s for you!

Now that the holidays are long gone, I’m gettin’ a little tired of this whole winter thing. I’m more than ready for springtime to warm up the frozen tundra that lies right outside my front door. Okay, I live in California. So, that may or may not have been a bit of an exaggeration. However, in all seriousness, I truly cannot comprehend how people even survive the subzero winters outside of California; I salute y’all.

Admittedly, the rutabaga is a homely vegetable with a fun-to-say name. You’ve probably seen them in the produce section, and quickly walked by, avoiding a direct look at them in case they might turn into fairytale trolls out to get you. So call them by their other name, swedes, and keep reading.

I used to get really bad headaches all the time (I’m talkin’ tons of tears). Thankfully, I only suffer from headaches occasionally now, and I’m convinced the improvement has to do with diet.

The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) in California is making great strides with the Farm to School program it started in 2008. Through this program, OUSD sources the majority of their produce from local farms, and in 2016, they won a “California Farm-to-School Network Golden Seed Award” from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers.

In 2011, I moved from the lush greenery of Olympia, an hour south of Seattle, to Philadelphia, one of the densest cities in America. Never in my life had I seen so much brick, so much pavement, and so little green space. I loved the city—I moved there to pursue opportunities that weren’t available in a smaller town. But I missed the green. And something about that made me suddenly interested in healthy eating. If I couldn’t have much green foliage around me, at least I could have some on my plate.

It’s December. It’s cold. Fresh produce reminds you of the sunny, warm seasons. So, produce this time of year can’t possibly be all that, right? Honey, you couldn’t be more wrong (sorry for settin’ you up). Winter fruits and veggies are just as fabulous as the summery ones; they’re simply different, and that’s absolutely fine!