One of the best ways to get the most out of what you eat is to eat locally sourced, in season fruits, veggies, meat, etc. Luckily for you there are still a lot of delicious options that grow into early fall here in our great state.
By choosing to eat local, you are ensuring that you get the most flavorful, nutrition packed produce that you can possibly find, all at a really good price as well! Most of the things that you see at a local farmer’s market or get from a food co-op were picked within days of when you receive them!
When you purchase out of season, non-regional foods you end up paying for the processes that it took to get it to the grocery store. Shipping and preservation methods used to ensure shelf life of these types of foods often rob them of flavor and nutrients as well as require companies to use potentially harmful chemicals to increase crop yield.
Support your local economy and boost your health at the same time! Finding farmer’s markets and co-ops is a short Google search away.
If you’d like a list of what is in season month-to-month here in Colorado you can go here.
Below you will find a recipe for some vegetable soup that you can make with the stuff you find at the market. Vegetable soups are packed full of nutrients and enzymes which can help you fight off that nasty cold that is going around as well as help you heal up from strains and sprains. Bon appetit!
Veggie Soup Recipe:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans (about 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
4 (14 1/4-ounce) cans fat-free beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
4 cups chopped seeded tomato
2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (about 3 ounces)
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 cups shredded green cabbage
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in celery and next 9 ingredients (celery through kidney beans). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Add tomato, macaroni, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until pasta is done. Add cabbage, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes or until cabbage wilts. Serve with cheese.
Note: Refrigerate any remaining soup in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.