Friday Fix

For your Friday fix try this fabulous cake "Torta di Mele della Nonna", Grandmas Apple Cake. I found the recipe on the wonderful blog of La Tavola Marche cooking school in Italy. You can stay at this wonderful Inn operated by a cute young American couple who moved to Italy. The blog is an enjoyable browse with lots of great recipes and beautiful pictures of the Italian countryside.

I made this cake yesterday with some substitutions. I used half whole wheat pastry flour, added some applesauce to the batter, and used olive oil instead of plain old vegetable oil. As far as treats go it makes a fairly healthy, yummy treat.....

http://latavolamarche.blogspot.com/2009/04/grandmas-apple-cake-torta-di-mele-della.html

STANTON FARMERS' MARKET

Farview Farm is on Stanton Road (County Road 629) in Flemington, just down the road from the Stanton market. Stop by their stand for your fresh, free-range eggs (or get them at the Stanton Market) and seasonal produce. They also sell angus beef (as quarters, sides, or whole...you'll never ask "where's the beef" again), pork, lamb, and chicken. "We farm using only natural and organic methods. All of our animals are antibiotic and hormone-free, and pasture raised using traditional grazing." Everything is to order---sign up now to get your frozen chickens (I did) and you'll get them in the fall. http://www.farviewfarm.com/

I think these are turnips......???

Here's Elyse displaying her delicious ice cream!
I bought and devoured the caramel chocolate nut...(like a Snickers bar, but no Snickers in sight, of course) and WAY better. She also sells delicious coffee, by the way......

Stanton Farmers' Market

Hi everyone!

Recently I visited the brand-new Stanton Farmers' Market. (This is the first farmers' market to come to Readington Township!) Be sure to check it out, every Thursday from 4pm (I think) until 7:30pm, in the parking lot of the Stanton Reformed Church, 1 Stanton Mountain Road (only about 5 minutes off of Route 31.

I salivated over the certified organic fresh veggies, including asparagus and salad greens, from Green Gourmet Gardens, and sampled some delicious scape pesto (scape, I discovered, is an odd-looking shoot that grows on the tops of spring garlic plants...who knew???) And would you believe they still farm using HORSEPOWER??? How awesome is that???

The Griggstown Quail Farm and Market stand offered a delectable selection of chicken, chicken sausages, game birds, and amazing pies. (I purchased and sampled the chicken sausage with spinach and feta cheese. Delicious!!!) All poultry is all-natural, free range. The Griggstown Quail Farm serves leading NJ and NYC restaurants as well as the well-known D'Artagnan brand. This is quality stuff, folks, and you don't have to drive to Griggstown (near Princeton) to get it! http://www.griggstownquailfarm.com/

Lastly, I drooled over the Millstone River Creamery's ice cream. This is as decadent as it gets, folks. All natural, gourmet ice cream. Owners (and newlyweds) John and Elyse create and sell their amazing concotions in Millstone, New Jersey. It's premium-quality all-natural ice cream with a unique twist: it’s fresh! “We use fresh cream, fresh eggs, locally grown fresh fruit, no preservatives, no chemicals, no artificial flavors—only all-natural ingredients. Our Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip, for example, is made with fresh mint leaves. Virtually everything is made from scratch!" notes their website. You can do your e-drooling at http://www.millstonerivercreamery.com/.... but better yet, come out to the farmer's market, meet Elyse, and pick up a pint (or two or three) while you're there! YUM!!!

There's a lot more to explore...so folks....get out there and tap your inner "locavore." Eat local, and support small NJ farmers who are committed to quality of product and use practices that preserve the integrity of our land.

Happy eating!

Lisa

Thanks!

Another book to read.....

I knew it wasn't my fault! I admit it, I love junk food. Who doesn't like the taste of that squishy bun on a fast food sandwich? No wonder a stroll through the supermarket is like running the gauntlet.


Heck I had my hand on the squeeze cheese the other day. You know, the golden yellow goop in a can for squirting on a cracker, or your finger for that matter. How's that for a quick fix. Fortunately my daughter stopped me and said "MOM, you're writing a healthy eating food blog, don't do it!"

Read this review from the NY Times of a new book, “The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite” (Rodale) by David Kessler, former head of the FDA and Harvard educated pediatrician.

An excerpt from the article...
When it comes to stimulating our brains, Dr. Kessler noted, individual ingredients aren’t particularly potent. But by combining fats, sugar and salt in innumerable ways, food makers have essentially tapped into the brain’s reward system, creating a feedback loop that stimulates our desire to eat and leaves us wanting more and more even when we’re full.

Read it here