A Vinegar Friday Fourth of July... Macaroni Salad, anyone?

TGIVF!

I had a dilemma today since Vinegar Friday (the first Friday of every month) fell on Independence Day here in the U.S. I don't, for a second, want to overshadow the importance of this holiday. Today, we celebrate our freedom... freedom that cost many people their lives. It shouldn't be taken lightly.

But it's also a day for picnics, family gatherings, pool parties, parades, and fireworks. So... what to do about Vinegar Friday? Then it came to me. I'll post my nearly-famous macaroni salad recipe, which can be found in my book on page 67. After all, what's a summer picnic without macaroni salad, right?

Fortunately, I visited the Etna, PA Farmer's Market yesterday. I went there specifically to buy produce and eggs from my favorite farmers... the Farm Kings of Freedom Farm. If you've never heard of them, you can catch them on Thursday nights when the show starts up again for its fourth season in August. Check your local listings.

The King family of Freedom Farms

I have a tip for you about farmer's markets. When you approach a stand, ask, "Is your food GMO-free?" If they say, "GM... what?" thank them and walk away. If they don't know what you're talking about, you can be darn sure they're not growing anything you want to be eating. 

That's what happened to me with the first stand yesterday. The man was selling pasta and pasta sauces. He had no clue what a genetically modified food was, so I asked him if his food was organic. Again, he was clueless. I thanked him and walked away. 

Then I asked one of the handsome brothers of the King family who was manning the Freedom Farms stand. He assured me over and over (because I kept asking for assurance) that there were no funny frog genes, or something like that, in their food. Yeehaw! Before my eyes was a gorgeous spread of just picked, first of the season, non-GMO corn. YES! And let me tell you, we ate it last night and it was amazing.

Freshness from Freedom Farms

I also bought zucchini, yellow squash, garlic flowers, onions, strawberries, carrots, green beans, eggs, and pickling cucumbers. I can't wait to try the pickle recipe guest blogger, Courtney, posted last month for Vinegar Friday! The bad mood I'd been experiencing earlier disappeared quickly. Poof! I felt like singing and dancing. I was that happy to have bags full of fresh food that was actually going to be good for me. 

If you're in the Pittsburgh area, check out the Freedom Farms website for where they'll be this summer. I know they're in Etna on Thursdays and in the North Side on Fridays.

Okay, back to the recipe I promised. This was my dad's favorite macaroni salad, and since he was born on July 4, 1919, I dedicate this post to him. Miss you, Dad.

Green Grandma's Macaroni Salad

• 1 lb. macaroni 
• 1 small onion, finely diced 
• 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped

              Dressing

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 TBSP mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• Salt to taste

Cook macaroni until soft, but firm. Drain and chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Add onion, eggs, and carrot. Mix dressing ingredients and add to macaroni. Mix well and sprinkle with paprika.

That's it. Now, to make mine extra special today, I'm using eggs from Freedom Farm, which are incredibly fresh, and an onion and carrot right from the farm. Organic DWV makes the dressing extra special as well.

So, enjoy your day. Enjoy your macaroni salad. And enjoy your freedom. And, if by chance, you stop by a Freedom Farm stand this summer, make sure you tell them Green Grandma sent you!

Happy Independence Day!

Keeping it green with vinegar,

 




For more recipes using vinegar and tips on vinegar use throughout your home, check out my book, now on sale for only $6.99 on Amazon!

 

 

3 Tips for Shopping the Local Farmers Markets

 As spring harvest season is upon us, the opening of our favorite shopping venues is just around the corner -- the Farmers' Market. I can't wait to gather some farm fresh fruits and veggies, home-baked breads and numerous other goodies from the markets in my area. Guest blogger, Maria Rainier, is a freelance writer and blog junkie! Currently a resident blogger at First in Education, Maria writes about education, online colleges, online degrees, etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming and avoiding her laptop! Today on the blog, she is sharing her best tips for shopping the local farmers' markets.

Farmers' Market offerings from WillowHill Springs Farm

3 Tips for Shopping the Local Farmers' Markets

Farmers' markets are one of the best ways to find locally sourced, natural, and fresh produce. As obesity and diabetes continue to threaten the health of our society, a real food revolution has taken place throughout the United States. Many individuals, stores, and restaurants are placing more importance on fresh, all-natural products rather than highly processed and unhealthy items. We have also become more inspired to buy our food locally in recent years, supporting our local economy and finding truly fresh items.  Of course, one of the best ways to accomplish all of these things in one place is by scrounging the local farmers' markets. As the warm summer months roll in, farmers' markets are going to crop up more and more often. Farmers' markets are one of the best ways to save money on your produce and find the best quality product out there. Use these three tips to be as successful as possible at your next farmers' market trip.  

Flowers are one of my favorite farmers' market finds!

Always Take Cash

Cash is always your best bet at a farmers' market event. While some vendors may accept credit or debit cards with from their smartphones, it's a much safer bet to just take plenty of cash on hand to pay for your items. Many larger farmers' markets will have ATMs set up throughout the area. However, this convenience often comes with fairly hefty ATM charges that just aren't worth it. Take cash with you. To save some money overall, you should go with an idea of what you'd like and only take enough cash for those items. This can help taper your spending. Also, many farmers' markets participate in the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, providing supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education at no cost to low-income women, infants, and children who are found at nutritional risk. This program offers coupons to these individuals so that they can purchase fresh and nutritious fruits, vegetables, and herbs free of charge.

More from the farmers' market and WillowHill Springs Farm

Know Your Seasons

Another key trick to mastering farmers' markets the right way is really understanding your seasons. If you know a little something about what to expect when you get the market, you can make your decisions about what to get more easily. Take the time to learn about what types of produce grow in what seasons. You should try to educate yourself on the specific produce that you are interested in finding at the market as well. The more you know about the product, the more likely you will be to find the best produce available. Learn what things grow in what areas to get a better idea of what might be available. You can talk to the growers about what will be showing up in the markets in the future weeks and what to look for in specific items. Insider knowledge like this can be extremely useful for any farmers' market goer. 

Flowers from WillowHill Springs Farm!

Bring a Cooler

It's also a good idea to consider the easiest ways to carry the items you purchase around before you go to a farmers' market. One thing that many people overlook is actually getting around the event with all of the fresh produce you purchase. Take some bags and coolers with you so that you can easily store the things you purchase. If you decided to take some coolers with ice packs, you can keep them in your car and then put the fresh things that need to stay cool in there. You don't want to purchase brand new, freshly cropped items, just to let them wilt and wither in the summer's heat after you buy them. The whole idea of the farmers' market is to get things that are totally fresh. Think ahead so that you can bring the very best product back home with you. 

What items are you most excited about buying at this season's farmers' markets?

Redux Wednesdays -- A greener way with peas

We live in a preservative-happy culture. Chemicals and preservatives are everywhere. Does that mean you have to spoon-feed them to your precious little one? Absolutely not!

Homemade baby foods are the best choice for your baby and for the environment! Eliminating the waste produced by boxed and jarred baby foods definitely qualifies you as a green parent/grandparent/caretaker. And eliminating the chemicals and preservatives in your baby's diet qualifies you as a smart one.

Even celebrities have jumped on this bandwagon. In a Good Housekeeping article a year or so ago, Gwyneth Paltrow was quoted as saying, "When I'd read about what pesticides do to small animals, I thought, Why would I expose my child to that?...I just want my kids to be as healthy as they possibly can. And I feel like eating well is the best start for living well."

People magazine reported last year that Tori Spelling made all of her own baby food for daughter, Stella.

And let's face facts, folks; Paltrow and Spelling aren't pureeing peaches because of the cost factor! But that is another benefit for those of us on budgets! I picked up a small handheld baby food grinder at a garage sale for 25 cents! Brand new! I don't even have to plug it in, which gives me a couple extra green bonus points!

But don't just grab a handful of peas or a bunch of ripe grapes and start grinding. Age-appropriate foods are important. Stick with Stage 1 food for babies under 8 months of age. This will ensure less chances of allergic reactions. Most experts recommend not giving solid foods to babies under 5-6 months old and starting with cereals, followed by vegetables and fruits, meats, egg yolks (NOT egg whites!), and ending their first year with cheese and plain yogurts during the last couple of months.

Breast milk (or formula, if you must) can be added to foods as you puree them to give them the runny consistency necessary for babies starting out on solid foods. Don't store the pureed food for longer than 48 hours in the refrigerator. However, you can freeze portions by filling an ice cube tray and popping the frozen meals into containers for easy access.

An excellent website for advice and recipes on making your own baby food can be found at wholesomebabyfood.com.

One last thought on going green and healthy with a grinder or mini-blender...shop for local produce! Visit farm markets and look for organic foods.

Of course, it would be more convenient to just drive down to the store and pick up a jar or two. But, as I like to say...who said being a parent was about convenience. To quote Kermit the Frog, "It's not that easy being green."

Keeping it green,

Hana

Photos courtesy of Anna Cervova and Teodoro S Gruhl