Over a week ago I shared a post on eating seasonal produce, I’ve been asked to go a little more in depth on the benefits of consuming seasonal foods so today I am grateful to be shining a little more light on this topic plus share some juicy recipes with you all.

Everyone has probably been told, “Eat local, eat what’s in season” and it sounds great, completely makes sense yet we might not truly understand why this is such a magnificent idea and way to live.

Eating seasonal foods will aid in saving money, if you can also find local seasonal foods that will be ideal. This way you are supporting your town, farmers, and supporting the change we would like to see in the world. Local farmers can possibly start growing even more delicious foods, keep their business thriving, and have the money to sell at markets and other locations.

Honest to goodness, seasonal foods taste better. They conditions are ideal for their soil, nutrients, the temperature and environment they need to be in.

For most of us, the taste of the food we buy is every bit as important as the cost, if not more so, especially when it comes down to produce (many struggle to get the recommended intake of fruits and veggies). When food is not in season locally, it’s either grown in a hothouse or shipped in from other parts of the world, and both affect the taste. Compare a dark red, vine-ripened tomato, still warm from your garden or the farmer’s market with a winter hothouse tomato that’s barely red, somewhat mealy, and lacking in flavor.

When transporting crops, they must be harvested early and refrigerated so they don’t rot during transportation. They may not ripen as effectively as they would in their natural environment and as a result they don’t develop their full flavor. There is a whole science to this if you think I might be going off in some sort of hippie dippy granola crunchy daze.

Foods lose flavor just as they lose moisture when they are held in refrigeration, storage, hothouses, shipment trucks and so forth. Foods that are chilled and shipped lose flavor at every step of the way – chilling cuts their flavor, transport cuts their flavor, being held in warehouses cuts their flavor. Fresh, locally harvested foods have their full, whole flavors intact, which we grateful enjoy this release when we eat them.

This is why when we try to eat something like a peach or tomato now in November it doesn’t taste good at all. Even if we typically are a peach or tomato maniac for once we can pass on these fruits. There are more nutrients in the seasonal produce since they haven’t been lingering around for a while, they are more “activated” and nutrient filled. Like I mentioned in my previous post, eating seasonal and or local also saves gas, fumes, our environment and this beautiful Mama planet Earth ❤

To find local and seasonal foods in your area please check out Local Harvest this site provides a listing of farmers that sell more than just produce but also things like dairy, meat, eggs and possibly anything else you are interested in. Please check it out, it’s amazing to see and understand what is grown where, to see the work farmer’s are up to and just how beautiful your state is.

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I hope I managed to keep that short, sweet and to the point! Now here are some recipes using mostly all seasonal produce. May be sharing some of my concoctions can get some ideas flowing into your kitchen 🙂

1 cup coconut water

2 kale leaves, destemmed and ripped into pieces

1 small handful spinach (about one cup)

1 rib of celery chopped

1/2 cucumber diced

1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple

1/2 lemon, peeled

1/2 lime, peeled

2 tablespoons chopped parsley (cilantro is also wonderful)

1-inch piece ginger root, peeled, minced or grated

This should make enough for two people to enjoy or one super happy person! Blend until completely smooth and enjoy. If you want a heavier smoothie feel and taste, please feel free to add the meat of one young thai coconut or 1 cup sprouted and soaked almonds. Bon appetit!

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Here are two dishes I came up with randomly in the kitchen when I felt like my fridge was so empty but as you can see it was all in my head 😉 haha! It’s amazing how much inspiration can come when we end up working with less things, and more of our mind instead.

On the top we have a salad made of Chiffonade Beet Tops & Romaine with a Beet Hemp Hummus that was made with no nuts or beans. On the bottom we have Cucumber Noodles with an Arugula Kale Hemp Peso, also made with no nuts, beans, just living plant based yumminess.

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I was asked for more tonic recipes and I know this might feel a little random on this post, but tonics are a wonderful way of getting warm and using Chinese Herbs.

Mocha Maca Madness Tonic

Serves One

1 cup your preferred herbal tea (I use a homemade blend of dehydrated dandelion greens that I have ground up)

1 cup coconut water

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1-2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (if you are caffeine sensitive please use carob)

A dash of cinnamon

1 tablespoon maca powder

A dash of salt

Instead of coconut water, for a heavier drink, blend the meat of one young thai coconut or use a cup of your preferred alternative milk

Blend with your preferred herbs (I usually add He Shou Wu and Astragalus)

Blend and enjoy ❤ May be even create a beautiful shape from the foam 😀

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Thank you all truly for taking the time out of your day to read my post. I love sharing information with you all and hope you are enjoying some of the recipes and information on here too. Wishing you all a wonderful and delicious week! Much love ❤ and raw power 😉

Jess