october saturday in east van

i spent a lovely fall day in the heart of east van.  i met friends at my favourite café - continental caffé - for an yerba mate latté.  then off to the last trout lake farmers market for the season.  my kitchen is now full of organic tasty delights!

• walter harvey's biodynamic aubergine for baba ganoush, red sensation pears & honey crisp apples to be eaten with joy, while wiping the juices from my chin (cawston, bc)

• helmers biodynamic larouge red potatoes for potato salad (pemberton, bc)

• wild products' pine mushrooms for pasta delight (forest floor, bc)

• ann friesen's organic multi coloured carrots (abbotsford, bc).  the carrots will be used in everything, but first up, they will be in miso noodles for sunday morning breakfast, and then i`ll be making some salad rolls with brown rice vermicelli, green onions, cucumber, cilantro, and ann`s carrots

• celyddon farm's organic english cucumber for the spring rolls & salad

it was a nice visit with my pals askia & jeremy, who picked a few market treats for themselves and doubled as my sherpas, making my market trip possible.

i then had a visit with some friends with backyard chickens.  by dog, blue, and one of the polish hens, blanche, have a bit of a love affair going.  it is sweet to see them excited to see each other, nose to nose through the coop.  i could spend all day chatting with the girls.

chicken fun!

mindfulness

"The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

fresh fall veggie pâté

fresh fall veggie pâté

organic sunflower seeds (soaked for optimal nutrition & digestion)
organic nutritional yeast (norway, iowa - purchased in east van, bc)
organic helmers potatoes (pemberton, bc)
organic sapo bravo onions (lytton, bc)
organic root down carrots (pemberton, bc)
backyard garlic (east van, bc)
backyard oregano (east van, bc)
organic nuts to you tahini (paris, ontario - purchased in east van, bc)
organic amano tamari (richmond, bc)
maison coté unrefined sea salt & pepper (vancouver, bc)
organic monkey in the garden 12 chili pepper blend (spences bridge, bc)
organic coconut oil (purchased in east van, bc))

*this version was specifically made gluten free for a gathering.  organic flour can also be added, giving the pâté a more loaf like texture.   without the flour, it has a very spreadable texture.

great served on a crispbread with olives!

plant based diet ~ for the health of it

Bill Clinton recently turned to a plant based diet - for his health.
http://www.good.is/post/bill-clinton-loses-24-pounds-starts-vegan-revolution/

happy world food day!

sending much love & gratitude to all of the farmers & stewards of the land, to each person who has planted a seed, tended the land, nurtured the soil, whispered to the plants, to each person with soil under the nails.  thank you for the hard work, dedication and love you put into nurturing & nourishing us. ♥

last farmers market date of the 2010 season

   Saturday, October 16                             

9am - 2pm 

Trout Lake Farmers Market

North parking lot - between Templeton & Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley 

Vancouver, BC

this is my last farmers market date for the 2010 season & world food day

*hot of the press* 2011 calendars
each month a local fresh foodie delight
i will also have my foodie photos:
* framed in original handcrafted frames made from east van reclaimed wood
* photocards
* postcards
* magnets

the community letter writing project will also be on the go. pop round & type a few words on an old school manual typewriter & say hi!

map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=49.258013%2C-123.061101&spn=0.00094%2C0.002411&t=h&z=19

*if you can't make it to market, feel free to contact me directly if interested in any pieces.

farm fresh

farm fresh meal tonight :: seasonal zucchini tomato delight

fraser common farm organic zucchini (i think a heritage italian variety)
sapo bravo organic onion & garlic
backyard basil
jamboree canning collective marinara tomatoes
maison coté cowboy salt & kitsilano pepper
nutritional yeast

layer zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic & basil.  and s&p to taste.  cover & bake covered 40 minutes @ 350°.  top with sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a creamy nutty taste & a little hit of b vitamins.

side salad of fraser common farm organic seasonal greens with a splash of apple cider vinegar.  inspired by the vinegar @ the alibi room in vancouver, i've made an organic apple cider vinegar with organic garlic and backyard red chili peppers.  a quick & tasty salad dressing.  a gentle mix with the zucchini tomato delight & the fall greens wilt slightly, to be all the gentler on the ileocecal valve.  coarser fibre can be scratchy to the ileocecal valve, causing irritation & potential digestive woes.

a sprinkle of organic hemp seeds for essential fatty acids (EFA's), protein, iron, and a fresh nutty texture.  yum!