Localvore

Every so often I'll get a #FollowFriday on Twitter for being a resource for local foods. I'm even in the feed on the side of Simple Good & Tasty even though I am writing about my weight more than I am writing about food. Well, sort of related. Honestly, I don't really understand it, until I take the time to look in the other shopping carts at the grocery store.

My trips to the grocery store this time of year are incredibly short. There is lactose free milk for the husband, yogurt (Greek for me, easily digestible for him, poor lactose intolerant guy), sandwich fixings, soup for lunches, cheese, some fruit (cheaper at the grocery stores, and most comes from the States this time of year), paper products, cleaning supplies, and occasionally meat. If I look in others there are processed food products, lots of meat, canned veggies and fruits, frozen meals, and a variety of things that are in season locally.

To me, there just isn't another way to eat. I forget that not everyone grew up on an organic veggie farm. If it is available locally, and I have any inkling how to cook it, I buy it at the farmer's market. This morning I bought potatoes, carrots, green, yellow & purple beans, tomatoes (mine aren't ripe just yet), locally made brats (tasty) and some locally made pastries for breakfast. I have in my fridge from the last week, garlic, onions, cauliflower & beats. I also picked out of our garden peas, green beans (half a meal's worth), two jalepenos and more cucumbers than I know just what to do with.

This week well have those brats, burgers made from ground beef from our meat share, and lots of veggies at every meal.

This is my time of year. This is the time of year when I lose the most weight. I feed my sweet tooth with in season fruits like watermelon, berries, and tomatoes. I feel free to eat as much as I can of my favorite foods, because they are in season and priced right.

If you are not shopping at your local Farmer's Market, I'm wondering why. They are all over the place, on nearly every day of the week. It doesn't require a trip to Minneapolis to find one any more. They are all over the burbs. If you are in the city however, every neighborhood has them. Even North Minneapolis where I live.

When I am at the market, I focus on locally grown food. I also try to support the minority farmers whenever possible. (for a good piece on that, see this) I know that there are some that avoid them, and their sometimes foreign offerings, but I know that they often have the best food, and the best price.

If you're in MN and would like to find good local food, try here. If you are not local, find your own local market and explore. Bring cash, some reusable bags, and an open mind. You will not be disappointed.

Pickled Dilly Green Beans

Realistically, I won't be eating much of the tomato jam that I made. It just doesn't fit with my new lower sugar lifestyle. I've already figured out what lucky family members will be getting jars of it for Christmas. These however, may never be tasted by another person. I'm pretty sure that I could eat an entire jar in one sitting.

So in love was I that I went and bought a lot more veggies at the market today so that I could pickle more things. That means there will be more posts in this canning series for sure.

I think I ended up with a little too much salt, since I had to make more pickling solution when I realized I would run out, but I am sure they will taste just fine. The proportions here are for 6 pints.

2.5 Cups Water
2.5 Cups Vinegar (One recipe I saw had more vinegar than water, so I leaned a little this way)
.25 Cups pickling salt

Each jar has 1 large clove garlic, 1 full head of seeded out dill. They will be dilly.

I used wide mouth jars that are shorter than standard mouth, mostly because I don't have a funnel for putting in the liquid. I thought it would be easier. That turned out to be a slight problem because the beans were just a wee bit too tall. I had to smush them down and break them to make them close right.

Of the 12 jars I made (one was only half full, hehe) one didn't seal enough. It is in the fridge and I've already tried one. They are good already, but really should sit for a few weeks minimum to soak up all of the garlic/dill goodness.

PS. All ingredients except the salt and vinegar were procured at the Thursday downtown Farmer's Market. Yay local!