We are now on our Summer Market schedule: Fridays 3:00 - 7:00 P.M.
Cooking Tips and other Foodie Talk
At our market, we talk about food - a lot. Customers and vendors can often be heard chatting up about their latest foodie adventures in the kitchen. One such conversation took place just last Friday between Susan (a Very Valued Customer) and myself. Susan shared a tip that I had heard about from time to time but had never tried: massage your greens.
Yes, massaging your greens has many benefits. Massaging the greens softens them and makes them more palatable and easier to digest. This is especially true for the sturdier greens such as kale, but also applies to Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, collards, and other greens. And while you're adding nutritional benefits to your diet, you'll also have really soft hands. Some of the olive oil will also be massaged into your skin, thus the oil will be doing double duty. Kids might also like to participate in the massaging activity. There is also the extra benefit of knowing you are supporting your local producers, thus contributing the the local economy because, except for the salt and pepper, all the ingredients used in the following "recipes" are available at our market.
Following is how I've used massaged greens to make delicious and nutritious raw salads, first with Chinese cabbage, then with kale. After washing the Chinese cabbage thoroughly, I cut the wide white center section from the leaves. (Here's a side tip: I use these as a celery substitute. Think peanut butter on "celery," or sliced in a lettuce salad, or ....) I tore the Chinese cabbage leaves into large chunks (no need to be precise) and placed them in a large bowl. Remember that greens usually "shrink" in volume so use about twice as much as the amount you want for the finished product. I drizzled a couple tablespoons of Mt. Kofinas olive oil over the greens, and then with my hands massaged the greens for a couple minutes until I achieved the consistency I wanted. To finish the salad I added a chopped hard boiled egg and some shredded cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and then drizzled in about a tablespoon or so of Mt. Kofinas Balsamic vinegar, stirring to blend all. Taste and adjust oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper as needed. Oh so totally delicious - and nutritious, too.
For the kale salad I used the same method, removing the tough stems and the center rib. Because kale is sturdier than Chinese cabbage I massaged it for about five minutes. I finished the salad by adding a chopped hard boiled egg, grated cheese, and some grated beets. You can use raw or cooked beets, either works equally as well. The beets added color, texture, and a special zing to the salad. Salt, pepper, and Balsamic vinegar to taste, mix to blend all and enjoy.
This method can also be used for collard greens or beet greens. Yes, the tops of beets that some folks discard are actually quite edible, delicious, and nutritious. Therefore, when you purchase beets you are getting double your money's worth.
I hope you enjoyed this week's Cooking Tips and Foodie Talk. Feel free to share your tips with me and I'll be glad to include them in a future newsletter. Either reply to this newsletter/email or email me at LEWFMLOCAL@GMAIL.COM. Or, join in our foodie chat each Friday at market.
Yes, massaging your greens has many benefits. Massaging the greens softens them and makes them more palatable and easier to digest. This is especially true for the sturdier greens such as kale, but also applies to Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, collards, and other greens. And while you're adding nutritional benefits to your diet, you'll also have really soft hands. Some of the olive oil will also be massaged into your skin, thus the oil will be doing double duty. Kids might also like to participate in the massaging activity. There is also the extra benefit of knowing you are supporting your local producers, thus contributing the the local economy because, except for the salt and pepper, all the ingredients used in the following "recipes" are available at our market.
Following is how I've used massaged greens to make delicious and nutritious raw salads, first with Chinese cabbage, then with kale. After washing the Chinese cabbage thoroughly, I cut the wide white center section from the leaves. (Here's a side tip: I use these as a celery substitute. Think peanut butter on "celery," or sliced in a lettuce salad, or ....) I tore the Chinese cabbage leaves into large chunks (no need to be precise) and placed them in a large bowl. Remember that greens usually "shrink" in volume so use about twice as much as the amount you want for the finished product. I drizzled a couple tablespoons of Mt. Kofinas olive oil over the greens, and then with my hands massaged the greens for a couple minutes until I achieved the consistency I wanted. To finish the salad I added a chopped hard boiled egg and some shredded cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and then drizzled in about a tablespoon or so of Mt. Kofinas Balsamic vinegar, stirring to blend all. Taste and adjust oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper as needed. Oh so totally delicious - and nutritious, too. 
This method can also be used for collard greens or beet greens. Yes, the tops of beets that some folks discard are actually quite edible, delicious, and nutritious. Therefore, when you purchase beets you are getting double your money's worth.I hope you enjoyed this week's Cooking Tips and Foodie Talk. Feel free to share your tips with me and I'll be glad to include them in a future newsletter. Either reply to this newsletter/email or email me at LEWFMLOCAL@GMAIL.COM. Or, join in our foodie chat each Friday at market.
NOTICES
AND THE WINNER IS ........
The winner in last Friday's Free Market Bag drawing is Patti B. Patti has been an every week customer at LEWFM for a very long time. I'm sure she will get loads of use from her new bag. Remember, we will be giving away a free market bag every week through the middle of October. You could be the next lucky winner. To learn how, see the Previously Announced section.
- Market Location: This week only, market will be held outside on the front lawn of the church. This one week location change is due to the church being used for Vacation Bible School.
AND THE WINNER IS ........
The winner in last Friday's Free Market Bag drawing is Patti B. Patti has been an every week customer at LEWFM for a very long time. I'm sure she will get loads of use from her new bag. Remember, we will be giving away a free market bag every week through the middle of October. You could be the next lucky winner. To learn how, see the Previously Announced section.
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
While some of you are long-time readers of the newsletter, people who are new to the market are reading the newsletter for the first time; therefore, this section is included each week so new folks can see what's happening around the market and around town.
New Pre-order Promo: Win a Free Market Bag
Beginning June 5th we will be giving away a free market bag to a lucky winner. Actually, there will be 20 lucky winners because we will be giving away a market bag each week for 20 weeks. To be eligible to win a free market bag, you simply need to place a pre-order with any vendor. Each time you pick up your pre-order your name will be entered into the drawing to win a free market bag. To learn more about pre-ordering, see the article Pre-ordering Pays Off (below).
The free market bag give away is made possible by the generous gift of
Erin McDermott, one of the market's volunteers.
Erin, a volunteer from Bridgetown, began spending time at the
market to meet some nearby neighbors. She loves to help make sure things
run smoothly and offer her friendly smile as a market greeter. Erin is a
talented seamstress and recently decided to sew a few market bags to
give away at the market. She wants to thank
the West-siders she sees at Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market for
shopping local, and for taking part in an important community
endeavor. Be sure to introduce yourself next time you see Erin at the
market!
Beginning June 5th we will be giving away a free market bag to a lucky winner. Actually, there will be 20 lucky winners because we will be giving away a market bag each week for 20 weeks. To be eligible to win a free market bag, you simply need to place a pre-order with any vendor. Each time you pick up your pre-order your name will be entered into the drawing to win a free market bag. To learn more about pre-ordering, see the article Pre-ordering Pays Off (below).
The free market bag give away is made possible by the generous gift of
Erin McDermott, one of the market's volunteers.
 |
| Erin, busy sewing market bags |
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Pre-ordering Pays Off
Have
you ever arrived at market to purchase your favorite item/s from your
favorite vendor/s only to be disappointed because the vendor/s sold out
of the item/s? Did you know that that no longer has to happen? At
LEWFM you can pre-order your items and pick them up any time during
market hours of 3:00 - 7:00 P.M. Pre-ordering not only pays off for
you, it also helps the vendors know how much to prepare/harvest, which
greatly reduces waste. Pre-ordering is a real win-win for all, and it
only takes a few minutes of your time to plan ahead and place your
order. Given the importance of Eating Well, getting into the habit of
placing your pre-orders each week will likely become a high priority on
your weekly To Do List. There are two easy ways you can place your pre-orders, in person at market or via email. Here's how the email ordering works: Email me at LEWFMLOCAL@GMAIL.COM and ask to be added to the vendor email pre-order list. Each week you will receive an email from the vendors detailing the items they have available for you to order that week. Reply to their email, letting them know the items you wish to order, then come to market on Friday to pick up your items.
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For a full listing of our vendors, their products, and services including:
- Kids & Krafts, where the kids can have loads of fun so you can leisurely shop the market
- Many food and non-food items
- and a list of vendors who accept credit cards
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Please share this newsletter with friends and family to help spread the word about LEWFM!
Produce Perks
For
those who noticed the logo at the bottom of the newsletter recently
and wondered what it means, here is the good news about a new program. Produce Perks is an incentive program that is
meant to encourage and help those who receive EBT (formerly known as
food stamps) purchase more produce. Produce Perks is a dollar for
dollar match (up to $10), with the matching dollars used on produce.
The Produce Perks website offers the following additional information:
Please
help us spread the word about this very worthwhile program. One way to
help get the word out is to stop by the market management booth to pick
up brochures to share with those you know who receive EBT benefits. You
could also leave brochures at your church, doctor or dentist's office,
or any locations that would permit you to do so. For
those who noticed the logo at the bottom of the newsletter recently
and wondered what it means, here is the good news about a new program. Produce Perks is an incentive program that is
meant to encourage and help those who receive EBT (formerly known as
food stamps) purchase more produce. Produce Perks is a dollar for
dollar match (up to $10), with the matching dollars used on produce.
The Produce Perks website offers the following additional information:“Produce Perks” is an initiative modeled after a similar program in Cuyahoga County. It is administered by OSU Extension, Hamilton County as a partnership of OSU Extension, Hamilton County; the City of Cincinnati Health Department; and the City of Cincinnati Creating Healthy Communities initiative. Focus is on access and affordability of healthy fruits and vegetables for under-served consumers.
Produce Perks are incentive tokens given to customers at participating farmers’ markets who use an Ohio Direction Card (“electronic benefits transfer” or EBT card) to purchase food. A customer wishing to use their food assistance benefits can swipe their card at one central terminal, located at participating market’s information booths, and ask to withdraw a desired amount. The market provides tokens for the transaction and additional Produce Perks that can be spent on fruits and vegetables. As the name suggests, Produce Perks are only good for purchasing fruits and vegetables. All other tokens purchased with the Ohio Direction Card are good to use on eligible items at the market.
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Please share this newsletter with friends and family to help spread the word about LEWFM!
We hope to see you real soon at Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market!
Newsletter compiled by Mary A. Hutten, Market Manager
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