Locavorious

Make Mom’s day delicious

Rena — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:41:06 +0000

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and at Locavorious we’re excited about helping make the day delicious. Let’s get those creative juices and fruit juices flowing! Serving a mom breakfast in bed? Strawberry-topped French toast along with a peach bellini! Or if she prefers savory over sweet – an omelet packed with veggie goodness or breakfast strata with roasted red peppers. Making brunch this weekend? A lovely asparagus quiche, roasted cauliflower, and blueberry yogurt parfaits may be just right. Health conscious moms might enjoy snacking on a salad of farmers market baby lettuces topped with raspberries and a peach green smoothie. Something decadent? These deserts are always a hit: frozen raspberries with white hot chocolate sauce and peach custard pie. It’s easy to get creative and impress your mom using our recipe-ready local frozen fruits and veggies!

Come see us Saturday, May 12 at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market in Kerrytown, 7 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll be there with ingredients to make delicious meals for moms and others. Have a mom that loves to do her own cooking? Our spring special makes a great gift! Any 8 items for $50.

Who wouldn’t like a basket of homemade cranberry-sour cream muffins? Happy Mother’s Day!

Broccoli and goat cheese galette

Rena — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:48:33 +0000

Broccoli “galette” sounds like it would taste better than broccoli cheese pie, and I have to say, it did! I think I first saw a recipe for a galette in our local food magazine EdibleWOW, and since then I’m sold. A galette is a free-form, rustic pie, either savory or sweet. I like that free-form part, i.e. no need to roll out a perfect circle, which I can never manage to do, or flute edges, or weave strips of dough. You typically get a crispier crust than when baking in a pie pan. For a savory galette such as this one, it worked well to use dough with olive oil, and while the dough rests for a bit, you can caramelize the onions.

For the dough: 2 cups flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup white flour), 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, and cold water.

The other ingredients:

1 very large onion or several small ones, sliced

4 or 5 oz goat cheese, at room temperature

16 oz frozen broccoli florets, mostly thawed

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 heaping T grated Parmesan

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

In a medium bowl, combine flour(s), oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup and a couple tablespoons cold water. With a fork, stir to combine. Knead dough 1 minute. Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third.

Meanwhile, while the dough rests, caramelize the onions. Trust me, it’s worth the time. No fear: just slice some onions, heat up some olive oil (or butter, or both) in a heavy, wide-bottomed pan, and cook the onions over medium or medium-low for about 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally, browning them all over, add a little water if they stick to the pan too much. Here is a great reference: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_caramelize_onions/

Roll out dough to something that approximates a 12 to 14-inch blob; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread goat cheese out across dough, leaving about a 2 inch border around the edges. Top goat cheese with caramelized onions.

If your broccoli florets aren’t quite thawed, run them under some water, drain in a colander, and give them a little squeeze. Everyone can use a little squeeze now and then.

Top the cheese & onions with the broccoli. Sprinkle red-pepper flakes and parmesan over the broccoli, then season with salt and pepper.

Fold dough border over filling. Brush the dough with egg. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mom always said to eat your vegetables

Rena — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:19:42 +0000

And Locavorious makes it so easy! Show Mom the veggie love. With locally grown frozen fruit and vegetables all washed, chopped, and recipe-ready, just think of the yummy things you can prepare for her next week. Here are some menu ideas for Mother’s Day: broccoli quiche, pumpkin bread, a traditional green bean casserole and a strawberry-rhubarb pie. Maybe corn salsa for a snack? Health conscious Moms would probably love a green smoothie with MI peaches.

We’ll be at the Ann Arbor Farmers market on Saturdays May 5 and May 12 ready to assist with your local food menu planning! Looking for a unique and healthy Mother’s Day gift? Set Mom up for a whole winter of delicious locally grown fruits and vegetables by signing her up for our winter CSA! Our spring special makes a great Mother’s Day gift, too.

Spring shares!

Rena — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:35:57 +0000

Now spring is *really* here, and the farmers and gardners are busy planting! While those seeds are growing, you can still keep eating the local harvest that has been preserved. There are some extra items in the big Locavorious storage freezer, so we are running a spring special while supplies last. The spring special is a “build your own share box” of any 8 different fruits and veggies for $50! To reserve your favorites, sign up here, and choose your favorite 8 from the list below. Or just come out to the farmers market and check out these goodies we still have left:

blueberries, cranberries, peaches, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, corn, edamame, garlic scapes, green beans, roasted pumpkin puree, summer squash medley, organic heirloom sweet peppers, stewed and whole organic tomatoes and tomatillos.

If your freezer is still full from the winter share, will you please spread the word to friends? The Spring share is a great way to try out some Locavorious locally grown frozen fruits and veggies!

4th Annual Local Food Summit – April 2 @ WCC

Rena — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:27:17 +0000

The 4th Annual HomeGrown LOCAL FOOD SUMMIT takes place on Monday, April 2, 2012 from 8am-4pm at Washtenaw Community College. This Summit is a one-day grassroots gathering of people interested in strengthening all aspects of our regional food system. Our theme this year is “Local Food Victories Past, Present, and Future.” Our keynote speaker will be Michigan historian and author Larry Massie whose illustrated lecture is titled: “Rubaboo, Kalamazoo & Pasties Too: Aspects of Michigan’s Culinary Heritage.” In addition to building the network of food system stakeholders, we seek to develop a shared context of understanding and care for the place that we inhabit together. To register, see Registration link at: http://localfoodsummit.org

Following the keynote, we will present “Local Food Victories” highlighting the bright spots in our community, and will invite interaction for the victories of the future. A delicious, locally sourced lunch will provide a time for sharing and networking, and a slate of breakout sessions addressing topics of the day will fill out the afternoon schedule. We’ll come together as a group again at the end of the day before heading off for happy hour at the Corner Brewery. Space is limited so please register soon if you would like to join us. We do not expect to have walk-up registration at the Summit.

SUMMIT DETAILS

Date: Monday, April 2, 2012 from 8:00am to 4:00pm

Location: Morris Lawrence Building, at Washtenaw Community College

Cost: $35 (before March 26), $45 (after March 26)

Registration: http://localfoodsummit.org

Map: http://bit.ly/Api8jV

PRE-SUMMIT EVENT – FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - SUNDAY APRIL 1, 2012

- 1:00-3:00pm: Tour/Open House of the Washtenaw Food Hub, Tilian Farm Development Center, and Food Gatherers

- 6:00-8:00pm - Film Screening/Spoken Word: “Getting Real About Food and the Future” at the Morris Lawrence Bldg., Washtenaw Community College

- Map: http://bit.ly/Api8jV

- RSVP: localfoodsummit@gmail.com

Leading up to the Summit, we are planning a self-guided tour of three locations that could anchor a new “Food Innovation Zone” in Washtenaw County: the Washtenaw Food Hub, Tilian Farm Development Center, and Food Gatherers. These three locations will be hosting open houses, free and open to the public, from 1:00-3:00pm, on Sunday April 1st. Please RSVP to: localfoodsummit@gmail.com

After the open house/tour, please join us at 6:00pm for a film screening and spoken word event honoring our friend and Michigan food advocate Chris Bedford. Chris’ final film “”Getting Real About Food and the Future” was released in 2011. The film tells stories of the food revolution and features interviews with Bill McDonough, John McKnight, David Korten, Lester Brown and others that create a vision for community renewal and reinvention starting with good food. Leading up to the film, local spoken word artists will riff on the meaning, form, pleasure and place of food in our lives.

SUMMIT PROGRAM INCLUDES

- Rich Pirog, Director of the Center for Regional Food Systems: “Using food hubs to build healthy, resilient communities”

- Gary Cox, General Counsel Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund: “Food Sovereignty: Let’s Make it Work”

- Diana Dyer, Dietician, Author and Farmer: “School to Farm: A Dietitian’s Journey and Vision for Connecting Food to Health”

- Lisa Bashert, Founder Local Honey Project: “Power to the Pollinators! Local Honey Project is sweet on sustainability”

- Angela Barbash, Slow Money Financial Advisor: “Book Clubs? Gardening Clubs? How about Investment Clubs!”

- Jeff Holden, Grantwriter: “Secrets of Successful Agricultural Grantwriting: A Beginner’s Guide”

- Randy Burns, Senior Buyer, and Jon and Karlene Goetz, Farmers: “Scaling Up Local Food Access: What do institutional buyers want and what do mid-size farms have?”

- Nate Ayers, Director Chiwara Permaculture: “Edible forest gardens and the transition to perennial agriculture”

- Jennifer Fike, Director FSEP, and Lindsay Scalera, Organizer for NSAC: “Getting a Fair Farm Bill in 2012″

- Mary Wessell Walker, David Klingenberger, and Stefanie Stauffer, Entrepreneurs: “Lessons learned on starting up your local food business”

- Michaelle Rehmann, FSEP Farm to Food Service Program, Neha Shah and Elissa Trumbull, Educators: “The State of Farm-to-School in Washtenaw County”

- Rosanne Bloomer, Greenstone Farm Credit Services and Ginny Trocchio, Director Conservation Fund: “Farm Real Estate Options and Micro Loan Opportunities”

REGISTRATION AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Registration for the day-long program (before March 26) is $35 including food for the event. After March 26, the fee is $45. Please consider contributing toward our scholarship fund to make this gathering as accessible as possible for all. Scholarships for the registration fee are available to those for whom the cost is unaffordable. Please visit our website for more details at: http://localfoodsummit.org

ZERO WASTE – NOTE: as always we are attempting to make this a zero waste event. Please bring your own tableware, including water bottle, for breakfast and lunch.

Thank you and we hope to see you on April 2nd, 2012!

- The Local Food Summit Planning Committee

Web: http://localfoodsummit.org

Email: localfoodsummit@gmail.com

March share recipes

Rena — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:07:38 +0000

March’s share of locally grown frozen food is berry mania: blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, plus broccoli and edamame, and peaches and roasted pumpkin puree. Here’s the recipe handout link: RecipeHandoutMarch2012Share.

The pumpkin puree is one of my favorite items in the share. Our Mystic pie pumpkins came from the Goetz family farm in Riga Township. During the course of a couple of autumn days, the Locavorious kitchen crew washed, cut, de-seeded, roasted, scooped and pureed 250 pumpkins. I’m sure you’ll find the taste of this local, roasted pumpkin puree far superior to canned with its bright, pumpkin-y flavor. The pumpkin puree makes quick and wonderful soups, and it works well in risotto, casseroles and pasta sauces. You can create delicious pumpkin pie, cheesecake, bread or muffins.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Rena — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:58:36 +0000

Tastes like summer, but perfect for a winter day’s lunch! Do you love the fresh tomatoes of summer, but are not so sure what to do with these Locavorious *frozen* tomatoes? Here’s a soup that’s easy, flavorful and hearty. It does not come from, nor taste like a can. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches and wax nostalgic, or update this classic into a vegan version with olive oil and coconut milk. Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook by Ina Garten.

2 tablespoons good olive oil (or 1 T olive oil + 1 T butter)

1 red onion, chopped

2-4 carrots, scrubbed, unpeeled and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic (~ 3 cloves)

1 cup water or veggie stock

16 oz frozen whole tomatoes

15 oz frozen stewed tomatoes, thawed enough to get out of the container

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream, half & half, milk or coconut milk (or a combination – I used 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup half & half)

Grated parmesan cheese, for garnish. Can also garnish with croutons, sour cream, or some chopped herbs.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the water, whole and stewed tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, salt, and pepper and stir well. Increase heat, and gently break up the frozen stewed tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, and when the tomatoes are fully thawed, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 -40 minutes.

Remove soup from the heat. Add the cream to the soup, stir to combine. Carefully puree with a stick blender to desired consistency. (If you prefer a super smooth soup, process through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that’s left.) Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot, garnish and serve.

Leap into March, the last wintery month!

Rena — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:40:04 +0000

March share pickup begins Monday at Morgan & York. The share is berry mania – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, plus broccoli, edamame, peaches and pumpkin!

Morgan & York – Monday, March 7 after 3 pm

Corner Brewery – Wednesday, March 9, 5 pm – 7 pm

Ann Arbor Farmers Market – Saturday, March 10, 8 am – 1:30 pm.

Brownies with Vanilla Raspberry Sauce

Rena — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:21:00 +0000

Here’s a *fast* Valentine dessert, as in IT’S-AFTER-4pm-ALREADY and I, for one, have not yet hatched a sufficiently chocolate-laden-high-calorie declaration of my love for my peeps. So here’s an adaptable, yet presentable dessert for folks with a household full of special Valentines. Sure to please young and old.

Step one – make some brownies! Here’s a nice recipe from Mindo Chocolate. No time for scratch? Use a mix…Jiffy, made in Chelsea after all. No time for mixes? OK, buy some brownies on your way home.

Step two – vanilla raspberry sauce.

2 cups frozen raspberries (10 oz), 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Yep, that’s all you need, plus 10 minutes more.

Set aside a handful of raspberries for garnish. Bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium heat in a heavy sauce pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spoon leaves an obvious trail – it will close quickly. Add the majority of the raspberries and cook and stir another 5 minutes. You’ll still have a trail, but it will close even faster. Pour the mixture into a fine sieve over a large bowl, and press until only the seeds are left; discard the seeds. (Or skip this step, and enjoy the seeds.) Stir the vanilla into the sauce. Let cool until you’re ready.

Step three – assembly.

Cut the number of brownies you need to accommodate the number of valentines waiting hungrily for dessert. Place each brownie in a small bowl. Top each brownie with vanilla or chocolate ice cream, or whipped cream, or frozen yogurt. Spoon that lovely vanilla raspberry sauce over each brownie and its topping, and top that with a whole thawed raspberry or two. Looking like you planned a fancy Valentine ’s Day dessert now!

What, who ate the frozen raspberries? Don’t panic, this works equally well with frozen strawberries and cherries too!

February share recipe handout

Rena — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:30:18 +0000

February’s share of locally grown frozen food will keep hearts healthy and happy: more blueberries, peaches, and sweet corn, plus cauliflower, green beans, raspberries, and whole tomatoes. The RecipeHandoutFebruary2012Share is posted here.

Yes, frozen whole tomatoes! Frozen whole tomatoes are real “cooks’ helpers” for those hearty, cold-weather recipes that call for 1or 2 fresh chopped tomatoes. You can also use them anytime a recipe calls for canned tomatoes. These whole Romas and San Marzanos, sauce-type tomatoes favored by chefs, will provide great local flavor in the middle of winter. Our tomatoes come from several small organic farms – Green Things, Living Stones, Tantre, Zilke, Dragonwood, and Capella, as well as some from larger family farms – the Goetz’s and the Ruhlig’s.

Frozen whole tomatoes are quite versatile – you can use them directly from the freezer, or partially thaw for easy chopping, or thaw completely and drain. They are easy to peel: run them under hot water, or defrost them slightly in the microwave (e.g. 2-3 mins), or leave them to thaw for ~ 1 hour at room temperature, and the skins will peel right off. Short on time for the soup? Forget thawing and peeling, just toss them frozen & whole into the pot. For baked dishes or a fresh salsa, squeeze partially thawed tomatoes a bit. Yes, a new recommendation from the Locavorious test kitchen; you can thaw, peel, squeeze, and make local fresh salsa in the winter! You won’t find flavor like these tomatoes have in a grocery store this time of the year.