Friday, June 19, 2015

Go out and meet some local farmers this week - Toronto market listings!




Eat local. Support local. Buy local.

Years ago my father sent me an email higlighting the importance of buying locally made (or made in Canada) products & ingredients as much as possible.  The main reasons of course being - keep our economy alive, support local workers in order for them to keep their jobs, maintaining & creating jobs (super important) and it feels (and tastes so) good!  

Eat with ALL of the colour!!

Since then I've passionately maintained that motto especially in my own community (west end Toronto): markets, stores, restaurants, salons and shops!  There's nothing better than getting to know people and their stories - where they came from, where their business ideas came from, passions, dreams - the whole lot!  Myself as an entrepreneur and business owner - I definitely appreciate my city and community supporting me and my efforts.   I could go on about this for days...anyway this leads me to one of my MOST favourite things to do: shop for FOOD at markets.  

Trust me take an hour, get on your bicycle and ride to YOUR nearest farmers market!

Swoon.


 Here's some of Toronto's best East to West courtesy of Toronto.com (If you don't find one near you on this list - hit link for entire listing!)



East Toronto.

East Lynn Park
June5  – October 16
Days: Thursdays
Time: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: East Lynn Park
Neighbourhood: Woodbine

 

Evergreen Brick Works
Year round
Days: Saturdays; Sundays June 21–November 1
Time: Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. starting May 3; Sundays: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Evergreen Brick Works
Neighbourhood: Rosedale


 
East York
May 12 – October
Days: Tuesdays
Time: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: East York Civic Centre
Neighbourhood: East York

 
Leslieville
May 17 – November 1
Days: Sunday
Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Jonathan Ashbridge Park
Neighbourhood: Leslieville

 
Fairmount Park
June 3 – October 21
Days: Wednesday
Time: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Fairmount Park
Neighbourhood: Upper Beaches

 
Withrow Park
May 23 – October
Days: Saturday
Times: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Withrow Park
Neighbourhood: The Danforth


 

West Toronto.


The Junction Farmers Market
May 23 – October
Days: Saturday
Times: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Junction Train Platform
Neighbourhood: The Junction

 
Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market
(You can find me here!)
May 5 – October 27
Days: Tuesday
Times: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: Trinity Bellwoods Park
Neighbourhood: West Queen West

 
The Stop’s Farmers Market
Year round
Days: Saturday
Times: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the summer
Location: Wychwood Barns
Neighbourhood: St. Clair West

 
My Market Liberty Village
June 1 – November 27
Days: Sunday
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Green P on Hanna Ave.
Neighbourhood: Liberty Village

 
Dufferin Grove Farmers Market
Year round
Days: Thursdays
Time: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Dufferin Grove Park Rink House
Neighbourhood: Dufferin Grove

 
Montgomery’s Inn Farmers Market
Year round
Days: Wednesday
Time: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: Montgomery’s Inn parking lot
Neighbourhood: Etobicoke

 
Sherway Farmers Market
May 8 – October
Days: Friday
Time: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Sherway Gardens parking lot
Neighbourhood: Etobicoke

 
Sorauren Farmers Market
Year round
Days: Monday
Time: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Sorauren Park
Neighbourhood: Roncesvalles


Then when you're back & snacky & hot... make my Very Berry Watermelon Smoothie - super hydrating and cooling for the perfect summer breakfast or snack!

 ___________________________________________________________________

 Very Berry Watermelon Smoothie

(gf, vegetarian)

What you need: 

1/2 small watermelon 
1 cup mixed berries (strawberry, rasp/blue & black)
3/4 coconut water (water works too)
1/4 cucumber
1 tsp raw ginger
2-4 mint leaves
3 tsp fresh parsley
1 cup fresh greens (spinach, kale, chard)*
1 tsp bee pollen
1 tbsp hemp hearts
1/2 lemon (I keep skin on)
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)

What to do:

Blend blend blend.  Add extra liquid if needed.  Finish with extra berries or hemp hearts!  **Can be made without greens to keep pink BUT better for digestion to include!  Nom nom nom.  Enjoy. xox

BONUS IDEA:
Here's a super simple salad that I made for Josh and I yesterday après market - using hormone-free chicken & some of our own Urban Rooftop Garden that we're fortunate to have!  **Salad is dressed with OLIVE THAT! extra virgin olive oil & fresh lemon juice!

Arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, blueberries & dandelion!  Easy peasy and oh so pretty!!!




 Enjoy darlings & happy wknd!  LMK if you visit a neighborhood market this weekend!

xox
rbn.

 

Monday, June 15, 2015

Two fresh new recipes & a super great country media trip!

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Happy Monday World!  Today's post is all about one of my favourite vegetables in the world! Its great for you, super versatile and is currently in season...
 
Can you guess...


Is related to onions & garlic (Lily family)..
Aside from North America - China, Peru & Mexico are some of the top suppliers...
Present day is still harvested by hand...

Anyone?  Anyone?

Last hint:  It makes your pee smell (roughly 20-40% of population cannot smell it)...

Asparagus people! 

A couple weeks ago I was invited by our friends (Toronto) Foodies on Foot to join the #Asparabus tour.  This included a media bus which brought us to Norfolk County to enjoy a day of asparagus farms, lavender farms & a lunch prepared by future chefs that was oh so good!  As if this wasn't enough we were sent home with 11lbs of fresh Ontario asparagus to create some tasty culinary inventions!  I decided to do something raw & something cooked to highlight the ingredient without losing its delicate flavour!  Super simple & nutritious for you to recreate at home!

Here's a recap of our day & my new recipes! Mmmmm.

 Mission: 
 Learn all about #asparagus.

Where: 
Welsh Brothers Farm, Simcoe ON

Where the magic happens: trimming, bunching and packaging.

The star of the day: ASPARAGUS

Shared selfie with Asparagus!

Asparagus grow in individual little rows.  Can be harvested every 2-4 days and will harvest for up to 15 years!

The bluest of skies!

 
Ready to take home or ship to stores!  We went home with a box each!  Eleven pounds of goodness!







Next up:  
Bonnieheath Lavender & Winery

Where: 
Norfolk, ON

 Mission: 
Eat & Network with all the Lovely People

Oh so pretty - last years lavender (doesn't harvest until late summer)

Lunch is served: Mixed local pork bbq, variety of asparagus dishes & rhubarb desserts!
Mmmm so much beautiful & local food!

My plate:  YES I eat a lot!

All natural lavender shop: I bought bug repellent, soaps & body lotion!

Obviously I had to bring some lavender & cider home for Josh & I!


The smell! Oh so delicate and fragrant!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now for some new & delicious (modest right) recipes!!

Spring Goddess Salad
(Gf, Vegan)
Yeilds 2 mains or 4 sides.

What you need:

1 cup chickpeas, (cooked)
1 cup fresh peas,
1 small handful fresh mint
1/2 English cucumber, julienned
1 bunch of asparagus (steamed gently and trimmed)
1 handful of basil
1 lemon, juiced
1 fennel, julienned
3 tbsp of olive oil
 sea salt and pepper

What to do:

Gently steam asparagus.  Mix all ingredients minus the asparagus.  Taste and season accordingly.  Arrange asparagus on plate and then place the mixed salad atop.  Finish with fresh mint and lemon wedges.  Perfect accompaniment to shrimp, chicken or great with goat cheese!




 
Asparagus & Jalapenos Cornbread Muffins
(GF, Vegetarian)


What you need:
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup apple sauce or reduced/cooked peaches
1 large egg 
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
1 cup coconut milk 
1 cup cornmeal 
1 cup gf flour (Bobs Red Mill) 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
Sea salt & pepper
1 red chili/ jalapenos, diced
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped BUT save tops for garnish.
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350 and coat muffin tin with coconut oil.  Mix all wet ingredients together with peppers and asparagus.  Mix dry ingredients together thoroughly & slowly incorporate into wet batter.  Pour into muffin tins approx. 1/4 full.  Finish with aspara-tops. Bake for 15/20 minutes until golden.  Good for up to 4 days fresh OR freeze for a couple weeks.  Great with a fried egg, with preserves or what we did at home is use for shhhhmancy #sloppy Joe's using Walter All-Natural Caesar Mix as our sauce!
Shhhhmancy Sloppy Joe's with Walter All-Natural Craft Caesar BBQ sauce!

Pretty little things ready for the oven!

Yummers.

Updated cornbread without all the bad stuff!!  Feel good about feeding your family these!




As always, send us a tweet when you replicate any of these!  Yay.

Until next post lovelies,

rbn
xoxox


THE TROUBLEMAKERS!

Anna & moi!

The one and only Steven Hellman!