Today I went to Evergreen Brickworks Farmer Market in Toronto to buy some local, organic and delicious fruits and vegetables. This market has more than just gorgeous produce. In fact you can buy everything from natural soap to granola, mustard, goat or sheep milk products (great for those with cow milk intolerance) and more.
Here's what I made with yellow tomatoes and incredibly fragrant basil I bought -- bruschetta!
If you would like to see what else I bought from the market, please watch the video below.
I hope it inspires you to get out of the grocery store and visit a farmers market!!
Shopping at farmers' markets is not only ooooodles of fun, but it helps you and your family to foster a deeper connection to your food. I really encourage you to talk to the farmers who you purchase your food from. They always have great tips and will tell you if they picked that basil just this morning :)
In case you missed my segment a couple of weeks ago from the Global Toronto Morning show, host Dave and I visited Brickworks. I've listed the tips I shared to make your farmers market visit more joyous right here: http://www.joyoushealth.ca/2012/06/25/10-farmers-market-shopping-tips/
And lastly, I mentioned in my youtube video the importance of purchasing the Dirty Dozen foods organic because they have the highest level of pesticide residues and that's after they've been washed or peeled. Here are the list of 12 foods you want to always buy organic, as per the Environmental Working Group:
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Sweet bell peppers
4. Peaches
5. Strawberries
6. Imported nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Spinach
9. Lettuce
10. Cucumbers
11. Domestic blueberries
12. Potatoes
And here is the list of the "Clean 15" -- fruits and vegetables that have the least pesticide residue.
1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Cabbage
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Eggplant
10. Kiwi
11. Domestic cantaloupe
12. Sweet potatoes
13. Grapefruit
14. Watermelon
15. Mushrooms
The chronic health effects of pesticide intake as per Chensheng Lu, an associate professor of environmental exposure biology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said the toxins appear to be connected to a prevalence of diseases, including cancer. And some studies suggest pesticide intake, especially in the prenatal stage, can cause neurological developmental problems in infants, Lu said.
Knowing that this chemical is designed to kill (certain) organisms, you have to be careful ingesting it, he said.
This is a very powerful statement. And one of the many reasons I purchase organic as often as possible.
Have a joyous weekend!
Joy
There's absolutely nothing else like going to the farmer's market. It is one of my very favorite things to do on the weekends. Even my husband loves it! :)
ReplyMe too! I get so inspired whenever I shop at a farmers' market. Thanks for sharing!
[...] came across these gorgeous local ingredients when I visited the farmers’ market last weekend. I bought heirloom tomatoes, which come in a variety of yellow, purple, orange and [...]
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