On Wednesday of next week I will be celebrating Healthy Kids Day with Sage Fruit!  As you know, Sage Fruit is one of the produce industry’s leading brands for Washington Apples, Pears & Cherries.  They are based out of Yakima, Washington & I just learned today that temps can reach well over 100 during the summer in Yakima!  Surely I’m not the only person who thought the state of Washington was a mountainous region with lots of rain & mild temps?!  Yes, there is a desert in Washington & that’s where your Apples are grown.  And yes, I probably could have paid closer attention during my high school geography classes

Healthy Kids Day is on June 19, 2013 and it is basically a day when Sage Fruit, in partnership with other leaders & wellness advocates in the Yakima Valley, will be recognizing children who have participated in a local childhood obesity prevention program known as ACT! (Actively Changing Together).  Children must be referred to ACT! by a medical professional and have a BMI at or above the 85^th percentile for their age group.  Sadly, 1 in 3 children in the Yakima Valley region qualify for ACT!  These statistics are not far from the national average & they are nearly identical to the statistics of my hometown.  There is a waiting list for the ACT! program.

Because of the support from people like Sage Fruit, the ACT! children are exposed to everything from counseling to cooking demonstrations.  They are provided with free memberships to the YMCA and they are empowered with the opportunity to discuss eating, activity habits, quality of life, self-confidence, depression & more… all in a very caring & supporting environment.

Real results are happening thanks to the ACT! program.  The juvenile participants are decreasing their BMI number, embracing exercise & eating more fruits and vegetables.  And the family members of ACT! kids are citing improvements in their weight & lifestyle as well.  Like many things in life, healthy habits can be contagious.  Inspire someone in your circle by being the example.

Join me in celebrating on June 19^th with Sage Fruit.  To make the day even more memorable, Sage is bringing NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne to Yakima to meet with the kids, talk to them about life in the fast lane and the general importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Gain some inspiration from the valiant ACT! participants & the great partnerships that make Healthy Kids a reality.  Encourage a child in your life to get healthy and get moving.

Stay tuned for a heart-warming story about a young boy who overcame obesity.  Told by his mom.  It’ll be my 1^st ever guest blog and I cannot think of a better day to do it than June 19^th… #HealthyKidsDay.

xoxo Produce Mom

First, it’s a true honor to be affiliated with BlogHer.  This site is the 3rd largest food website & the content is supported by the best of the best in the blogger-sphere.  I am truly humbled to be an official member of this network.  In addition to the conference, I was able to help promote some of my favorite produce items, Mann’s Veggies Made Easy, to fellow bloggers at a cocktail party on Austin’s famed 6th Street.  And finally, I was able to connect with one of my Find Your Favorite heroes & support Graham Rahal at the Texas Motor Speedway for the Indy Car Firestone 550.

Thursday night blogger event sponsored by Whole Foods – I got to meet some of Texas’ top female chefs. Here I am with pastry chef Kendall Melton from Contigo. Her grapefruit & hazelnut macaron was my favorite bite of the entire night!

Met many wonderful people at BlogHer, including the ladies from CommonGround. They are a group of farm women dedicated to helping consumers understand how their food is farmed & why fresh produce is always an excellent choice.

Dole was an official sponsor of BlogHer Food. I had a lot of fun catching up with my friends from Dole & sipping on their new age fruit cocktail… add Malibu Rum & Banana Liqueur to their frozen pineapple tidbits. So yummy & simple!

It was such an honor to be the VIP guest at Mann’s Cocktail Party.  Gotta love Mann’s Broccolini.  Sugar Snap Peas, too.

Gina Nucci from Mann & I – I’m so excited to be working with Mann… I absolutely LOVE their “Veggies Made Easy!”

Crunch Pak was the co-host of our cocktail party. Don’t you just love their “Foodles” & all the other apple products that make healthy snacking super convenient!

Promo shots with 2 of my favorite products – the Crunch Pak Monster Inc Apples & Mann’s Sugar Snap Peas.

The Broccolini Cocktail: vodka, sake & pickled broccolini

Pre-race at Texas Motor Speedway with Laken Kurtz, Graham Rahal’s girlfriend & the manager of the Graham Rahal Foundation… Laken & Graham have been so great about promoting my school foodservice program!

Up close & personal with Indy Car – So proud of my Kiwi Hero!!!

Of course I saved time for lunch at the Salt Lick. Their BBQ Beef Ribs are my new favorite vegetable. hah!

Austin is a beautiful city… Thank you to Texas for the memories.

My husband came with me & has been my biggest fan since the beginning. It was great to share this monumental weekend with the man I love the most! Believe me, there would be no Produce Mom without his support.

Excited to put all my knowledge from BlogHer to work & make The Produce Mom a more informative and enjoyable experience for all you fans & followers!  Thank you so very much for all the support.  Big things coming – all for you & because of you, too <3

xoxo Produce Mom

One of today’s feature recipes on Indy Style used the Blackberry Splash Vinaigrette – simply mix 1 bottle of this dressing with 2 blocks of cream cheese to make the ultimate cracker dip – unique & sophisticated, perfect for your entertaining

Don’t delay!  Our VidaliaValley.com promo code PRODUDCEMOM will expire on July 5th!  I love all the sauces, dressings & relishes… this website has everything from fresh Vidalia Onion gift boxes to Organic Tomato Basil Salad Dressing!  Check it out, all their products are dynamite – the sauces make great gifts, too!

Vidalia Valley is also on Facebook.  Give them some love.

Enjoy!
xoxo Produce Mom

HOMEMADE CROUTONS

• Day-old Country Italian Bread
• 3 T olive oil
• 4 T melted unsalted butter
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Cut bread into 1″ cubes & place in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil & melted butter, toss well to coat.  Season with garlic powder, salt & pepper.

Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 6-8 minutes, until lightly browned.
Enjoy… and don’t blame me when you can no longer eat a pre-packaged crouton!
xoxo Produce Mom

Let’s talk basics today – what is a Vidalia Onion, where are they grown & why are they considered a favorite by chefs & consumers around the globe?

Vidalia Onions are Yellow Granex Onions that are grown in Southeast Georgia.

If you have ever purchased an onion set for your home garden, you are familiar with the Yellow Granex variety.  The Yellow Granex can grow almost anywhere; however, NOT all Yellow Granex Onions are Vidalia Onions – they gotta be grown in Southeast Georgia to be a Vidalia!  There are 4 factors, known as the “4 S to Sweet Success” that give Vidalia-grown Yellow Granex onions that delectably sweet & famous flavor:

• Seed… only a yellow granex hybrid can become famously sweet when grown in Vidalia – the same seed grown elsewhere will not be as sweet.
• Soil… sulfur in soil makes onions “hot” or “pungent”.  The soil in South Georgia is sandy & because of the regular rainfall, the naturally-existing sulfur in the soil washes down to the clay which is far below the root bed of the onions.  This leaves farmers with a very low-sulfur soil & the perfect environment for growing the famously sweet Georgia Vidalia Onion.
• Season… Vidalia seed will only mature during winter at a latitude where the short days are also mild.  South Georgia’s ample rain assures bulbs have high water content, another secret to the Vidalia’s sweet flavor.
• Special Care… This is the love that you can only find in a Georgia.  It is the combo of passion, technology & traditions that have now been passed down for more than 3 generations of Vidalia Onion farmers.  Most Vidalias start in seedbeds & are hand placed in the field when they become seedlings.  Furthermore, most Vidalias are hand-harvested/picked.

Brian Stanley of Stanley Farms educates my son Joe about the official vegetable of Georgia

The reason people love Vidalia Onions is the reason why people love other types of food… Vidalia Onions taste good.  They are sweet & mild and super versatile.  You can make everything from a savory appetizer to a decadent dessert with a Vidalia Onion.  Plus they are affordable & always Made in the USA… with an immense amount of Southern pride

Stay tuned for the continuation of this blog series.  We will talk more about the field & packing facility, Stanley Farms’ dedication to food safety & traceability, and of course – I’ll be sharing lots of recipes!

To be continued.
xoxo Produce Mom

WATERMELON & GOAT CHEESE SALAD
yields 4 servings

• 12 oz Garden Cut Watermelon Chunks
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin
• 5 oz baby arugula
• 12 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 2 T white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1.5 cups balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low 7 simmer, about 10 minutes, until reduced to a syrup consistency.  Set aside & allow the balsamic glaze to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the baby arugula & red onion.  Pour the white balsamic vinegar & extra-virgin olive oil over the arugula mix & toss gently until coated well.  Season with salt & pepper.  Arrange watermelon chunks & goat cheese on top of dressed arugula & drizzle with balsamic glaze.  Serve immediately.

ENJOY!
xoxo Produce Mom

DID YOU KNOW…

• Turnips are a root vegetable
• Plenty of antioxidants, vitamins & minerals – Great source of Vitamin C
• Great source of Fiber
• Available year-round & always affordable
• and my favorite – Turnips are LOW CARB, and when you roast them… I promise they taste like a starchy potato.

Turnips are delicious raw, but simple to roast too!

my favorite way to enjoy turnips – oven roasted!

OVEN ROASTED TURNIPS
yields 4 servings

• 5 medium size turnips, peeled & diced 3/4″ thick (larger or smaller dice will change cooking time)
• 2 T olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Toss together all ingredients & arrange turnips in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Roast at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.  Turnips are ready when they start to brown.

You can view the Indy Style segment here online.  I’ll be back on Indy Style in June to talk about my experience at BlogHer Food & share another one of my favorite produce recipes

Add turnips to your grocery list this week!  Let me know what you think… it’s not that people dislike turnips – it’s that most consumers have never tried turnips!  Don’t be so sheltered.

xoxo Produce Mom

Don’t let that fancy-schmanzcy pronunciation & presentation fool ya… Niçoise is EASY!

NICOISE SALAD
serves 12

• 2 bags tender green or chopped romaine salad mix
• 1lb green beans, trimmed & blanched (I love the haricot verts/baby French beans – no trimming necessary!)
• 2lbs baby red potatoes, boiled & quartered
• 8oz pitted Kalamata Olives
• 6 hardboiled eggs, quartered
• 4 large tomatoes, sliced
• 18oz tuna (I use the StarKist Roasted Garlic Tuna)
• Capers, to taste
• 1 small red onion, diced (optional)
• Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
To blanch green beans:  Bring salted water to a rolling boil.  Rinse beans under cold running water & trim if necessary.  Add Green Beans to boiling water; cook for approximately 3 minutes.  Drain well & shock beans in an ice bath to stop the cooking process/complete the blanch.  Set aside. *this step can be done in advance – store blanched green beans in a ziploc bag in your fridge overnight*

To boil potatoes: Wash potatoes under cold running water & slice into 1″ wedges or cubes.  Put in a stock pot & fill will cold water.  Bring water to a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium & cook for approximately 12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain well & return potatoes to pot.  Allow to cool to room temperature in pot. *this step can be done in advance – store boiled potatoes in a ziploc bag in your fridge overnight. do not seal in baggie until potatoes are at room temperature*

To hard boil eggs: ahhh… this is like meatloaf – everyone has “the perfect method” yet everyone’s recipe seems to be slightly different.  Put eggs in water & turn the heat on high.  As soon as the water starts to boil, start the clock – let ‘em boil for exactly 6 minutes.  When the timer is up, remove the eggs from the heat, drain them & shock them in an ice bath or run them under cold water until they are at room temperature.  Your result is a perfectly cooked yolk & a shell/membrane that is easy to peel. *this step can be done in advance – store peeled eggs in a ziploc bag overnight*

Now…. to assemble salad:  Toss greens with vinaigrette, season with salt & pepper.  Arrange dressed greens in a base layer on a large serving platter or bowl.  Arrange toppings in sections on top of mixed greens – drizzle vinaigrette over salad & sprinkle with capers and red onion (optional).  ENJOY!

BASIC LEMON VINAIGRETTE

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice – for a time & budget saver, check out Volcano Lemon Juice
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves de-stemmed & minced
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.  Store in refrigerator overnight in airtight container.  Serve at room temperature.

National Salad Month Celebrations…  To Be Continued.

xoxo Produce Mom

The news story focused on the ability of stretching your dollars by purchasing seasonal produce.  Agriculture has evolved to the point where many fresh fruits & veggies are available year-round.  Produce distributors like Indy Fruit are shopping the world everyday to make sure retailers are stocked with a wide variety, regardless of the season or time of year.  We buy “summer” fruits, such as peaches, from Chile during the winter months.  And “winter” fruits like oranges are sourced during the summer months from South Africa.  Every country is farming – either for sustainability or trade – and it’s really fascinating when you think about the geography & global business that is represented in your produce department.

That being said, due to transportation costs alone it’s going to be less expensive for a consumer in the United States to purchase a peach that was grown in South Carolina versus a peach that was grown in Chile, or a mango that is grown in Mexico versus one that is grown in Thailand.  Factor in seasonality & it’s really a no brainer – seasonal produce will always cost the consumer less money.  The deep discounts and ad prices that are promoted in your grocery store’s weekly circular typically reflect “seasonal” produce.

Seasonality is a way for produce industry professionals & consumers to identify the time of year when crops have the highest yields.  Produce classified as “in season” is just a classic example of economics and supply & demand.  The supply of seasonal produce is usually abundant so therefore farmers are selling the crop at a lower price to stay competitive.  That savings travels down the supply chain – every stage of the supply chain operates with the sales goal to ALWAYS sell out… we sell it or smell it in the produce industry!  The high volumes of seasonal produce put us produce sales reps in a pressure cooker.  We have truckloads upon truckloads of watermelons to sell leading in to 4th of July weekend.  Farmers are hustling their abundant crop & offering quantity buy specials to distributors like us.  We commit to quantity by the truckload & then we turn around & offer pallet or bin specials to the retailers.  Then YOU read that whole watermelons are less than $3 in your store’s 4th of July ad & before we all know it… watermelon is an Independence Day icon.

Shop the ads & buy only what you need to make your money go further in the produce department, but know that apples are always a smarter purchase than apple jacks.

You can read about my segment with Fox 59 & view the news story here online.  The segment’s other contributor, Beth from IN Good Cents, is a published author who is a true voice of authority when it comes to couponing & budget grocery shopping.  And of course many thanks to Fox 59 News & Jenny Anchondo for their interest in The Produce Mom

Savor the Season!
xoxo Produce Mom

Salads are a great way to boost your veggie intake & in my opinion… the perfect addition or main course to any meal.  It’s hard for us busy moms to make dinner – much less whip up a gourmet side salad.  Thank goodness for the convenience salad lines from trusted industry vendors like Dole & Earthbound Farm!  I swear I would NEVER eat lettuce if it weren’t for those pre-washed/bagged salads.  Don’t worry about washing your bagged salads.  They are pre-washed & classified as a convenience item for a reason.  Add ingredients to these convenience blends to make fancy salads more realistic in your busy life.  I honestly cannot tell you the last time I purchased a bulk lettuce item.  The bagged salads have expanded where you can get everything from baby romaine to butter lettuce to arugula all cleaned, trimmed & ready-to-eat.

SO – I’ll be sharing my favorite salad recipes all month long… this BLT Salad is always a hit (probably because bacon + anything = amazing) and the recipe is compliments of my dear friend, Chef Concetta.  The salad is so simple.  Carve out time to actually make the gorgonzola dressing from scratch – it’s a star!  Enjoy!

BLT SALAD with GORGONZOLA DRESSING

• 1 Small Red Onion, diced
• 3 Medium Tomatoes, diced
• 8 thick slices of bacon, cooked crispy & chopped
• 1 bag Dole Butter Bliss OR 4 heads of bibb lettuce, cleaned & chopped
• Gorgonzola Dressing (recipe follows)

In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients.  Plate salads & season with Salt & Pepper.

GORGONZOLA DRESSING

• 1 clove peeled/chopped garlic
• 6oz Gorgonzola cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor except for the fresh herbs.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl & stir in the fresh herbs.  Store in an airtight container & refrigerate.

TPM tip – I love baking my bacon!  It always cooks up crispy & flat!  Simply line a baking sheet with aluminum foil & spray liberally with non-stick spray.  Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on sprayed/lined baking sheet.  Cook at 375 degrees for +/-15 minutes, cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your bacon!  Keep an eye on it.  Use kitchen sheers to cut your crispy bacon; I think it’s easier than using a knife & chopping.  While bacon is in the oven… make the Gorgonzola dressing!  It’s amazing & takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.

ENJOY!
xoxo Produce Mom