NOTICE
Celebrate the return of nice weather with fresh, healthy meal ideas
TRY THESE RECIPES REQUIRING SPRING INGRIEDIENTS
Chuck Haren, Stillwell sophomore, says he enjoys going grocery shopping with no meal in mind and picking ingredients based on what looks good. He created this "simple, fast, easy and pretty delicious" pasta dish last week.
PHOTOS/ ANNA FALTFRMFIEI
1/2 lb pasta
1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
Small handful of fresh basil
Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For other spring recipes, head into The Community Mercantile and check out their recipe corner or talk with the vendors at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers' Market.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat olive oil and chopped garlic together over medium heat. Add red pepper chunks, basil and salt and pepper, and sauté for a few minutes until soft. Toss with cooked pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Serves 3-4.
Fresh herbs are abundant in spring and give dishes much better flavors than dried herbs, says Hilary Brown, owner of Local Burger. Here is her recipe for dairy-free pesto, which substitutes white miso for Parmesan cheese and walnuts for the pine nuts found in the traditional Italian recipe.The miso and walnuts add essential fatty acids and omega-3s,which benefit the brain,increase metabolism and keep blood sugar levels stable.
1/3 cup olive oil
5 cups loosely packed fresh basil
1-2 small garlic cloves
SPRING EATS
1/2 tablespoon light white miso paste
by Katrina Mohr
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
Put the basil in a food processor first and pulse a few times. Add the walnuts and pulse a few more times and then add garlic, miso, olive oil and salt. Blend until smooth and add more garlic or salt to taste. Makes enough for a small crowd to use as a dip or spread, or enough to serve over pasta for 6-8 people.
After months of hearty comfort food, a variety of fresh spring ingredients are now available in Lawrence. Take advantage of the spring harvest, and enjoy a clean, healthy meal you can linger over while sitting outside and embracing the warm weather.
When you don't want to cook
Many Lawrence restaurants use local seasonal produce in their menus. Pachamama's, 800 New Hampshire St., and Local Burger, 714 Vermont St., are two that take advantage of what every season has to offer.
Pachamama's
Spring is a new beginning, says Ken Baker, owner and executive chef of Pachamama's. "It's my favorite time of the year," he says. Lots of crops are coming up and there are many fresh ingredients available.
Pachamama's changes its menu every month so that the items contain the best seasonal ingredients, many of which are producedlocally.Bakersays.Some of Baker's favorite ingredients to include in his spring menu are morel mushrooms, fava beans, asparagus, snap peas and young chicken or lamb.
For a taste of spring, try the 24-hour leg of spring lamb with vidalia onion, minted pea cream, pea shoots, curry oil and lentil crispes ($12) or the taglietelle with blonde morels, chive crème fraiche and Parmesan ($13) on Pachamama's April menu.
Local Burger
Spring produce has good energy and flavors, says Hilary Brown, owner of Local Burger, 714 Vermont St. "I like the colors and the freshness," she says.
"They really make meals come together."
Local Burger emphasizes sustainability and awareness of where food comes from. Dishes are made using local and regional ingredients. "Buying local produce does so much, from benefiting the economy to tasting better and being better for you," Brown says.
Trythechickensaladmadewith local chicken, parsley, peas and thyme ($7.50) or a turkey burger topped with feta and pesto ($8) paired with a strawberry hemp milk smoothie ($4).
When you do want to cook
Lawrence has plenty of grocery stores,but to find local produce the options are a little more limited. Here are your best bets for finding fresh local ingredients.
The Community Mercantile
Seasonal staples such as asparagus, fresh herbs and peas will be at The Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa St., in abundance very soon, says Laura Cowden, produce manager at The Merc. Now that spring has arrived, people are buying more fresh foods and ingredients they don't have to cook to enjoy, she says. The Merc has more than 125 produce items in store during the year and has the only USDA Certified Organic Produce section in Lawrence.
Chuck Haren, Stilwell sophomore, says he shops at The Merc because of the great selection of organic produce. "I buy organic because I like the idea of putting pure food into my body that has no pesticides or chemicals," he says.
Buying quality organic food is often more expensive than the non-organic alternatives,but Haren says it's worth it because
he feels better and it's better for the environment. As a college student, Haren says he has to make time to cook, but he enjoys cooking, so he makes it a priority. "You have to be open-minded. I sometimes go shopping with $6 and get what I can and make something delicious," he says. "It's kind of a challenge."
The Downtown Lawrence Farmers' Market
The Downtown Lawrence Farmers' Market is the oldest farmers' market in Kansas and includes more than 80 vendors. Everything offered is grown or made in northeast Kansas.
Buying directly from the vendors at the market allows people to ask questions about how the product was grown or raised. Vendors also encourage people to try ingredients they wouldn't otherwise use because they can advise people about how to prepare an unusual ingredient, Taylor-Puckett says.
Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, market coordinator, says the local community aspect is what makes shopping at the market different from shopping at a grocery store. "Food at the market is fresher and more nutritious because it only has to travel an average of 15 miles to get to Lawrence compared to hundreds of miles some food has to travel to get here," she says.
The market offers a variety of products ranging from herbs, greens, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meats, preserves and baked goods. The market won first place for best fresh vegetables in the Best of Lawrence 2006 survey. It's open from 7 to 11 a.m. at 824 New Hampshire St. on Saturdays and from 4 to 6 p.m. at 1020 Vermont St. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
(left) Jam from Cardinal Hill Farm is available at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers' Market.
(top left) Julie and Joe Randtke, Lawrence residents, shop for tomatoes at the "Pendleton's Country Market" stand at the Lawrence Farmers' Market Saturday morning.
04. 26.2007 JAYPLAY <09