This is why I shop at the farmers' market

Several weeks ago, I wrote this post about personal responsibility. It goes along with an earlier commitment to buy locally grown and/or organic produce whenever possible. Because we had such a successful shopping trip at Saturday's KCC Farmers' Market, I was motivated to cook dinner on Sunday night.

Here's what we ate:
1) Oven-roasted Molokai Sweet Potato
2) Braised Kale with Soy-Ginger Dressing (garnished with fresh Waimea strawberry)
3) Homemade Vegan Patty


This image was not digitally altered - the colors really were that vibrant. Wifey said it was the best meal I have EVER made for her. Wow. I wish I could say it was all me, but it really comes down to using the freshest ingredients possible.

Next week, I plan to try something a little different by picking up a CSA box from Ma'o Organic Farm (@maoorganicfarms). Stay tuned for posts from that adventure!

Here's the veggie patty recipe I came up with for those who are interested:
• 1 can black bean (pureed in blender)
• 1C cooked Oatmeal
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2 package panko
• 1/4 cup soy-based mozzarella
• 2T egg replacement
• 2T shoyu
• 1T garlic
• 1T ginger
• 1t curry powder

Mix all the above in a bowl and form into patties. Brown in a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil.

Personal Responsibility

I apologize for the text-heavy post, but I don't want to get in trouble with any logo or copyright police.
In case you haven't noticed, I am a foodie. I believe dining should be an experience that involves all the senses. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about where our food comes from, how it's processed, what what its true cost is. I'm not saying I make the best decisions all the time, but I am making a conscious effort to better understand what I'm consuming and how it affects me.
I can't tell you when it happened, but I'd like to share with you some of the things that have influenced my thinking along the way. A couple of months ago, I wrote this blog post about meeting Chef Leslie Ashburn (@macrohawaii) and the Kapiolani Community College Farmers' Market. I had been to KCC a time or two before that, but it was never really a priority for me. I would rather have some extra sleep on a Saturday than fight the crowds for a few fruits and veggies. Somehow, though, that meeting and the subsequent visit really inspired me to start making a change. A few weeks after that, I watched a little documentary called Food, Inc. It radically altered the way I perceive the entire food industry and I can pretty much guarantee that it will do the same for you. Fast forward to today and you have @loodge, a friend of mine, retweeting this @veggietweets post about a one year old Happy Meal.
You may be reading this saying to yourself, "Yeah, so what? I'm still going to keep eating the things I like because it tastes good. Who cares what's in it or where it came from?" Sadly, in this case, ignorance is not bliss. Choosing to ignore the facts won't stop the inevitable from happening. Just ask the person in this Oprah video who lost her leg because she refused to come to terms with the fact that she was diabetic.
So what can you do? Author Michael Pollan puts it like this, "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much." Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? You can also start shopping at a LOCAL farmers' market (for a listing of the ones in Hawaii, click here) or get involved with a Community Supported Agriculture initiative like this one with Ma'o Organic Farms (@maoorganicfarms).
You know, there's a lot of talk these days about health care reform. People want to blame insurance companies or doctors for the rapidly rising costs. In my opinion, we're starting to pay the real price for cheap, convenient, non-nutritious food. The biggest change to the health care system will come when people like you and me start taking personal responsibility for the decisions we make on a daily basis. I am ready and willing to try something new for the sake of building a sustainable future. Will you join me?

Kapiolani Community College Farmers' Market | Honolulu, Hawaii

This past Friday at the Phởriday tweetup, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting chef Leslie Ashburn (@macrohawaii). We started talking about buying local versus organic. Despite living in Hawaii, it is difficult to find locally grown organic produce in any of the grocery stores. There are places like Whole Foods Kahala (@wfmkahala) that sometimes stock locally grown organic, but generally speaking we, as consumers, must often choose one or the other. Leslie's advice to me: go for what looks freshest and remember that variety is important. Our conversation, coupled with my personal goal to go out and do more with my family, motivated me to get everyone up on Saturday morning and head over to the farmers' market at KCC.

Kapiolani Community College Farmers' Market
4303 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 947-3804
Website

We got there around 10:00 and, as you can see, it was crowded. In fact, some of the vendors were already running out of stuff and packing up when we walked by.


Ma`o Organic Farms (@maoorganicfarms) is one of the few places where you can actually find locally grown organic produce. Look for their signature green tent right smack in the middle of all the action. You need to get there quick, though, because they sometimes sell out.


It was quite warm that day, so the three of us each got a strawberry lemonade. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the shop, but while I was waiting in line, Grace Lee (@gracelee9)came by and chatted with the owner! So naturally, I tweet about the experience, which apparently garnered me some stalker points according to @ryankanno.


Overall, it was a great experience. We didn't buy very much to take home because we spent most of our cash on lunch and lemonade. Next time, we'll know what to expect so we can plan out schedules a little better (and bring more money!).

It is my personal opinion that we should support local businesses by shopping at farmers' markets whenever possible. Where do you buy your produce? Do you usually buy local or organic?