Day 2 of the Food for Change Challenge sponsored by Slow Food International. I am joining thousands of other activists around the globe who are working to reduce CO2 emissions. I am going 100% local, meatless, and zero food waste for one week, from October 16 – 22. It is only the second day and I have learned so much.
On the menu today: (pictured above)
Scrambled farm eggs, mashed potatoes, sliced tomatoes, steamed kale with chili pepper, zucchini with sauteed tomatoes, and grilled eggplant drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Everything is local, organic and beyond delicious. I am so very grateful to live in such abundance.
Today is Farmers’ Market day
This is absolute bliss because I get to chat with the farmers and support them by purchasing the ingredients they have so lovingly nurtured. Even better I get to create dishes using these foods and enjoy the benefits of eating foods that are grown in quality soil, are high in nutrients and are in season.
I had a nice visit with Barbara from Tierra Vegetables.
She is the farm market and marketing manager. The farm is less than 3 miles away and offers items such as Carmen Sweet Pepper, Jimmy Nardello’s Sweet Italian Frying Pepper, ancient legumes and myriad veggies such as kale, onions, cauliflower and carrots. They even make their own hot sauce using peppers grown on the farm. They use sustainable farming practices and are the epitome of integrity in farming.
Eliminating or reducing meat in one’s diet can be challenging. One can only eat so many vegetables, and getting enough protein is a consideration. One of the best non-meat sources of protein is beans and legumes. Tierra Vegetables produces over twenty varieties of heirloom dried beans. Today I bought the Mitla Black Tepary bean. 
Barbara told me that Tepary beans are low on the glycemic index and have a high protein content (Native Bean website for more info). In other words, they have substantially more protein than your average legume and they will not spike your blood sugar. That works for me!
I spent $12.70 at Tierra Vegetables and bought a pound of beans, carrots, celery, onions, kale. All beyond organic, local, in season, and grown with love. I can’t think of a more nutritious way to eat and to make a difference in the world, one meal at a time. I am supporting a small, local farmer, not a huge conglomerate with questionable farming practices. I am so grateful to live close to the Santa Rosa Farmers’ Market.
Tonight, I am soaking Barbara’s Tepary beans and tomorrow I will make a soup using these local ingredients. Stay tuned!
I would love to hear from you! What are your favorite meatless recipes? What are your thoughts on going local?