The street is cleared of traffic, the tents are up, and the vendors are selling summer squash, cherries, and herbs. It’s the second week this season the farmers’ market has been open in town, and my husband escapes from the office so we can enjoy lunch together and wander by the open-air booths. We buy bread (baked from scratch) from one of our favorite vendors and discuss what we can grill, cook, and drink over the next few days.
As we walk, I start thinking about how I’ll be spending a lot more time at farmers’ markets this summer than I have in the past – it’s easier to find local, sustainably-grown food here than at the grocery stores. I’ve always enjoyed farmers’ markets, but I’ve tended to reserve them for “special occasions.” When I lived in Los Angeles my friends and I would load up with market goodies before going to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, or for a picnic at the beach, or if we had guests coming to town.
With over 3500 farmers’ markets in the United States (visit LocalHarvest.org to find one near you) there are plenty here on the east coast where I currently live. I’ll be visiting more of them over the next few days to get a feel for the ones I prefer, talk to vendors, and gather local meat, eggs, and more fruit and veggies. I know I have my work cut out for me this summer as I learn how to prepare meals, can tomatoes, and make my own salad dressing. But taking the first step and creating the intent to eat clean is one of the biggest hurdles. Besides, it feels good to realize that what used to be a “special occasion” will now be a part of daily life.
The other night I made brown rice risotto.
Well, kinda.
I ripped the recipe out of O magazine awhile ago and have been hanging onto it. The chef/writer, Colin Cowie, promised he was sharing a “labor-free” variation of the dish that usually requires a lot of stirring. Labor-free – now that’s my kind of meal.
Here’s what I did: I cooked 1 cup of brown rice in an organic free-range chicken broth. Meanwhile, I cooked mushrooms in a skillet for a few minutes (the recipe calls for an assortment of cremini, white jumbo, and shiitake, but we only had one type) and then I set the mushrooms aside. When the rice was ready, I mixed in the mushrooms. Then I mixed in 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. I served it with a crisp greens salad. It was delicious. You can use other vegetables (asparagus) or ingredients (seafood) in place of mushrooms.
It’s one of those meals that will go into the “let’s make this again” category in my recipe box.
Avanafil is the latest erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment medication to enter the ED market. Its brand name, Stendra, is made and manufactured by Vivus Inc. Avanafil is classified as a PDE5 inhibitor drug and competes directly with the likes of Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. The last ED drug was released in 2003 (with the exception of Staxyn which was released in 2010 but is very similar to Levitra in nature) which is why many are a bit amazed as well as perplexed as to why in 2012, a new ED drug was released in the market that is notably dominated by the big three. However, the confusion was gone when those men with ED braved to test the new ED drug.
For those who were brave enough to buy avanafil and test the new ED drug, they were amazed to find out that the drug was very effective in providing the necessary erection needed for a successful sexual intercourse. Not only did the new drug provide them with a high efficacy, but the drug also had lesser side effects than the more popular ED drug Viagra. Despite being new in the ED market, it simply proved that the new ED medication has what it takes to compete against the big three in ED medications. Read more…
Ingredients
1 can (6 ounces) albacore tuna in water
1 tablespoon kalamata olives, chopped fine
2 teaspoons sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped fine
1 tablespoon roasted red pepper, chopped fine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black peppert to taste
8 pieces Wasa Fiber Rye Crispbread
Directions
Drain tuna and place in a small bowl. Mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon 1 tablespoon tuna mixture on each crispbread.
TIP: Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days for a quick snack.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 2
Nutritional Value Per Serving
| Calories |
283 |
| Total Fat |
12 g |
| Saturated Fat |
1.2 g |
| Cholesterol |
38 mg |
| Sodium |
373 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate |
31 g |
| Dietary Fiber |
9 g |
| Protein |
24 g |
| Calcium |
12 g |
