Happiness is a warm spring in the Pacific Northwest coupled with the opening of our local farmers markets!
Visiting a local farmers market is a great family outing that is both fun and a chance to learn more about agriculture from area farmers. After meeting and getting to know who grows your food, I think you’ll agree we owe our farmers a wealth of gratitude. (Heraldnet.com lists farmers markets in your locale.)
Becoming a regular at your nearby farmers market ensures you get the best and most reasonably priced produce in season. Having just been harvested, it is fresher and at its peak of nutrition. I often hear people say that the fruits and vegetables they get at the farmers market taste better.
It’s a treat to be able to get produce straight from the farm, just picked and ready to be eaten at your dinner table.
My favorite spring vegetable is asparagus. I grew up with a huge asparagus patch and regularly, before dinner, my mother would hand me the spade and tell me to go pick some! I have included one of my favorite sauces to try on your asparagus. It’s delicious on steamed broccoli and cauliflower too.
One of the most important steps you can take to improve your health is to eat more vegetables and fruit. There’s no better way to do that than making it a habit to visit your local farmers market.
Surveys show that Americans consistently don’t get the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. In Washington only 12.3 percent of us are eating 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and only 9.9 percent eat 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day — and that can have long-term negative health consequences.
When Grandma said “eat your vegetables” she knew they contain many key nutrients for good health, like potassium, calcium, vitamins C, A, K, E, folate, minerals like magnesium and zinc, plus many phytochemicals.
The synergistic combination of this nutrient-rich group keeps our skin, eyes, heart, muscles and bones in top shape. Along with the fiber, water and low calorie satisfaction they deliver, they are a weight watcher’s dream team! They also add texture, variety, flavor and color to our plate — another way they add enjoyment and pleasure to our eating experience.
This is one area of your diet to focus on where eating more is actually better for you.
Would you like tips on how to become a savvy farmers market shopper? Go to this link: www.eatright.org/resource/food/planning-and-prep/smart-shopping/be-a-savvy-farmers-market-shopper.
Kim Larson is a registered dietitian nutritionist, founder of Total Health, www.totalhealth.com, and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition &Dietetics. Follow her at www.facebook.com/totalhealthnutrition and on twitter @healthrd.
Asparagus with tarragon mustard sauce
1½ pounds of cooked fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 pinch of sugar 1/3 cup extra virgin oil
Stir all ingredients except oil in a small bowl. Add oil slowly in a thin stream while whisking constantly until emulsified.
Arrange asparagus on platter and drizzle with sauce.
— Simply Classic, Seattle Junior League cookbook
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