It’s Easy To Eat All Locally Grown Michigan Produce, In The Winter Too!

Just returned from the Saturday morning, 10am-1pm, Fulton Street Farmer's Market!  After the colon cancer I vowed I was going to change my diet.  And I did!  Throughout the summer I purchased everything from the Fulton Street Farmers Market.  It was WAY cheaper than I thought possible.  It was WAY easier too!  Each week I brought home some locally grown vegetables and I blanched and froze them.  It never took me longer than 30-40 minutes, to prepare between 5-10 pounds of stuff.  (Blanching is to put in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. DON'T overcook it...less is always more).  Summer veggies from the market included Locally Michigan Grown asparagus, brussel sprouts, potatoes, green beans, blueberries, cauliflower, and broccoli.   (For the tomatoes, I blanched them, then peeled them, then put them into the food processor before transferring to freezer bags or containers. They are so sweet!). Great for winter soups and spaghetti sauces.  Simple & Yummy.

In the fall I purchased some squash.  I never bought squash before because I didn't know how to prepare them and some are pretty ugly (like the hubbard, it's grey looking).  But those are the ones that are really sweet:)  You can nuke them whole or bake them.  I mostly went with baking unless they were acorn or something like that.  Go with the normal sized ones too, as opposed to the gigantic things, because they don't take as long to bake and the nutrients are more dense.  

Today's market had LOTS of fresh locally grown meats, cheeses, eggs, milk (I like the non-homogenized.  You have to shake it the old fashioned way to get the cream to mix in.  It's sweeter and creamier, even the 2%), ice cream available too.  I picked up today, some rutabegas, parsnips, beets, potaotes and sweet potatoes, plus some other essentials.  Those root veggies are so sweet plus they're packed with everything good for you!  Here's a recipe to prepare the root vegetables.(everyone who sampled this dish I made for a little get together LOVED it)  

Plus the farmer's at the market can help you personally with every question you might have.   Keep It Local!!!!! That way you end up eating better AND the dollars stay right here in Michigan!