What's on Your RDs Plate?

Happy Friday and the 1st day of June, Good Lifers!

The week before Memorial Day weekend, some great friends of mine brought a new, precious little boy into the world! He looks like an angel and according to the new Mom and Pops, he’s been acting like one too – so far anyway. J



Liam Noble - isn't he the cutest?!



What does this have to do with food and nutrition?

Well, I signed up to help the new parents by bringing over some tasty eats. Having a newborn around can certainly throw a kink into what used to be your “normal routine”! There’s an awesome website resource available called Meal Baby – it’s an online FREE meal registry that creates a calendar for friends and family to sign up to bring meals to a family in need – read more about it here: About Meal Baby.

Since my friends are not picky eaters and frequently enjoy vegetarian, I signed up to bring a roasted vegetable enchilada casserole – something fresh, but also easy to freeze and save for later in case their fridge was already packed. As a small addition, I threw together some no-bake energy bites to serve as something quick and easy to grab up during some late-night or early-morning baby feedings.

Both recipes are chock-full of nutrients to nourish the recovering and breastfeeding Mama – and super tasty to boot! So naturally, I made enough for my own little family of 2 to have some for our own! J

Check out the recipes after the jump...

April Showers bring May Flowers, more Farmers’ Markets, and a crowd of Holidays to boot!

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Well for some reason, the last few weeks of April felt more like the normal temperatures for March, unlike the March temperature which soared into the 80's and even the 90's on more than one occasion! Nevertheless, our flowers are blooming and thankfully we’ve gotten some very much needed rain over the last few weeks.

Back in March, I listed for you all of the Farmers’ Markets that opened up in April. A few were left off that list, so I’m including them all for you now. Just in time for the First of May! Check out this link here for all of Richmond’s Farmers Markets.  There’s bound to be fresh, local produce near you!

What about some other exciting events in May?

How about Cinco de Mayo!

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Translated as the Fifth of May, this holiday is a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. Contrary to widespread popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico—which is actually celebrated on September 16.

In any case, I’m a huge fan of Mexican cuisine so in celebration of this Saturday, here are a few tasty (and healthier) versions of some classic Cinco de Mayo recipes...

Spring into the Season!

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I could never say that I prefer one season more than the others, with each having their own special qualities; but Spring is definitely one of the most exciting to me. It’s exciting because, along with the warmer temperatures and longer days, the earth starts to come alive again. Trees and flowers blossom, gardens are reborn… there are signs of transformation everywhere and promises of abundance to come.

It’s something about Spring that brings people back to life as well. Everyone becomes cheerier, perhaps from a little extra “spring in their step” (pun intended)! J Moreover, maybe it’s more than a coincidence that with the Spring season also comes Easter and Passover – two holidays that highlight messages of hope and renewal.



http://gosoutheast.about.com/od/tripplanningmaps/ss/springtrips_8.htm



So with these rejuvenating thoughts in mind, I’d like to present to you with some healthy, Spring-inspired recipes (some with some traditional holiday flair). Check them out after the jump, then post a comment and let me know what you think! J

Farmers’ Market Openings

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It is officially the first day of Spring! Also known as the Vernal Equinox, this is the time of year in which the daylight hours become increasingly longer than the dark. Hooray for more after-work sunshine! 



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The arrival of Spring means different things to different people. To me, it means balmy daytime temperatures and cooler nights, with beautiful blooming foliage giving home to cute chirping birds; it’s that time of year to dust off my fishing rod and get outside more often in general. But perhaps one of my most favorite reasons for loving Spring is… (drumroll)… the reopening of local Farmers’ Markets! Hooray for fresh, local produce!

As we've discussed before, there are many great reasons to shop from a Farmers' Market: (1) Buying foods locally helps support local farmers and local economy; (2) They can inspire you to try new foods, as you'll likely see various varieties of produce that you may not find in the conventional supermarket; (3) Purchasing your foods locally increases awareness of where your food comes from (freshly picked from a nearby farm!); and, (4) Buying from farmers eliminates the cost of the middleman and pricey shipping, so you get more value for your dollar! Hooray for extra savings in my pocket!



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So after three great reasons for some extra "Hooray" in our lives, I have listed some of the Farmers’ Markets, CSA’s and local farms open for business now or starting in April, 2012

Follow the link below to see the complete list.