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Are you a CSA member? A regular for years? Just starting with a CSA? Or do you have no idea what CSAs are all about? I must admit I fell into the latter category until just a few years ago. And while I liked the idea of CSAs, I’d never really taken the time to do my homework on joining a CSA. Earlier this year however, I took the plunge, studied up on local CSAs in my area, and joined. And now that the CSA is in the peak of harvest, I thought I’d share my thoughts on my experience here.

Just a quick background on what CSAs are…CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) provides you with the opportunity to buy local seasonal food directly from the farmers growing the food. You support local farms and in return receive fresh veggies (sometimes other goodies too). Typically the farm offers “shares” to the community for purchase. You purchase a “share” of the harvest and each week of the growing season you receive a box of vegetables, fruit, or other farm products based on what is harvested that week.

This week's "box" from my CSA

I’ve been picking up my CSA share for almost 3 months now and I’ve found we’ve tried foods I wouldn’t normally pick up in the grocery store. We’ve had a rainbow of color in our kitchen all summer with white, red, brown, and purple potatoes, melons of red, orange, and yellow, peppers in deep greens, reds, oranges, and yellows, and leafy greens with names I’d never heard. Who knew carrots could be purple or that my kids would ABSOLUTELY LOVE potato leek soup!?!

After reviewing several CSAs earlier this year, I’ll tell you why I picked the one I’m with and what I like about it:

• Allowed monthly payments instead of requiring the lump sum in advance. Most CSAs collect the entire fee for the season up front. They have a system in place to make sure they get payment so people don’t just back out on their end of the agreement–afterall, you are making a commitment to the farm and they are depending on you.
• Allowed 2 vacation credits. Let’s be honest–summer is hectic and there are times you likely will be away and unable to put your weekly box to use. Our CSA allowed us to schedule 2 dates that we would not pick up a box and gave us a monetary credit for those 2 weeks at the farm stand. Now I have a credit to buy exactly what I want. (Don’t worry–if you’ll be out of town at times during CSA season I’ve found I have friends who are more than happy for an excuse to visit the farmer’s market, pick up my goodies, and enjoy some of my box’s bounty).
• Provided a weekly newsletter with a detailed explanation of what was in that week’s box, how you might use it, and some recipes that put the contents of the box to great use!
• Encouraged visits to the actual farm by providing CSA member discounts, activities and events at the local farm.

Now, not everything has been perfect with the CSA membership:

• You do have to realize that there may be some items you don’t really like. I’ve realized that beets and rhubarb are not my family’s favorites (nor do I have any neighbors or friends who cherish them to thus take them off my hands). You may be able to trade items with another CSA member when picking up–I’ve given a few beets away.
• Also, there can be times that schedules get hectic and it has been hard to arrange time to get our box picked up. Lucky for us, our CSA pickup is right next to the public library so we’ve turned our CSA pickup time into a weekly outings to the library as well…enriching bodies AND minds!
• And of course, you have to remember to put that produce to use during the week. I admit–there have been a few items I found tucked back in my fridge and forgotten until it was too late.

All in all, our CSA membership has been a positive experience and a wonderful learning opportunity for our family about food, where it comes from, supporting local economy, and trying new things. If you are interested in CSAs, check out http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ to find a listing of local CSAs in your area. I hope you can find a CSA experience that is right for you.

As Vtrim continues to grow and improve, we’ve decided it’s time to update our logo as well. We’ve narrowed it down to two logos but we need help deciding which one, and who to better ask than Vtrim participants? We want to hear your input, so take the poll and let us know what you think!

September is nearly half over and as the cooler weather begins to creep in, most fruit and vegetable seasons are drawing to an end, but one my favorites is just beginning.  For me, the crisp fall weather always ushers in the much anticipated apple season!  Orchards sell apples by the bagful or welcome customers to come pick their own.  Packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants, apples are not only a great snack but inspire many delicious and healthy recipes.  Check out some favorite recipes:

Cinnamon Baked Apples:  This recipe, from The Eating Well Diet, is a healthy alternative to traditional apples pie and delivers the same sweet cinnamon taste you crave.  The recipe is quick and easy to make. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Create a small well in the center of 4 apples by cutting out the stem and core and leaving the bottom intact.  Transfer apples to an 8-by-8 inch glass baking dish.  Fill each well with 1 tablespoon brown sugar.  Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon cinnamon over the apples.  Pour 1 cup white wine around the apples, cover with foil and bake until soft, about 1 hour.  Let cool before serving.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon-Apple Pancakes: Check out this delicious apple-inspired recipe from Kari:

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 and 1/4 cup milk

*1 apple, chopped or pureed in a food processor, peel left on

In a large mixing bowl, stir together Whole Wheat Pastry flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate mixing bowl, add vanilla, egg, yogurt, milk, honey and apple.

Add wet ingredients to dry and combine. Pour onto hot skillet in 1/4 cup amounts. Makes 8 -10 medium-sized pancakes.

*To puree in a food processor, slice off apple around the core. Place apple slices in the food processor and puree until it reaches the desired consistency. Add a few tablespoons of water for a thinner applesauce.

Chicken and Apple Salad:

12 ounces apples, peeled, cored and sliced

4 (6 ounce)  chicken breast fillets

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces green beans, trimmed

12 ounces cos lettuce, washed

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small red onion, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juice and zest of

1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

On a cutting board, lay out chicken then gently beat the chicken until it is ¼ inch thick.  Brush pan with a little of the oil and heat until it is really hot. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides until charred.  Brush the griddle pan with a little of the oil, then heat until it is really hot. Add the apple slices and cook for 1-1.5 minutes each side until charred on both sides.  Cook the beans in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Drain, rinse in cold water then drain again.  Shred the lettuce into pieces, place in salad bowl, add the tomatoes, beans, onion and half the cilantro.  For the dressing, mix the remaining cilantro with the remaining oil, lime rind and juice, honey and salt and pepper to taste.  Add the chicken and apples to the salad and toss.  Top with the dressing.

There are plenty of other great apple recipes out there so take advantage of the season!  Make apple picking a fun family activity, it’s cheaper than purchasing imported apples at the store plus it’s a great way to get out and be active.

What are your favorite apple-inspired recipes?

Sure, we all wish we had both the time and motivation to hit up the gym each day, but for most of us that is just not a reality.  Working all day at home or at the office can be exhausting enough so getting up an extra hour earlier to make it to the gym isn’t going to happen for everyone.  This can be a serious barrier to weight management for many, but it doesn’t have to be your downfall.  Lifestyle exercise can be a great way to stay active when you can’t sweat it out at the gym for an hour on the elliptical.

• Walk, walk, and walk some more!  It may not strike you as a way to squeeze in some exercise, but walking is actually a great way to get fit.  When you’re at work instead of spending your lunch hour lounging in the office break room, go outside for a brisk walk.   Ask a coworker to join you and make a routine of it to help keep yourself motivated.   If you take the bus, get off a few stops before your destination and walk the rest of the way.  I recommend purchasing a pedometer to keep track of your steps and challenge yourself to take more steps each day.

• Clean up the house:  Vacuum, mop, dust, do laundry, or do whatever needs to be done.  Whether it’s the accumulating dust that motivates you or the prospect of burning calories, cleaning is a great way to fit more movement into your day.

• Bike to work:  Ditch the traffic jams and hefty gas bills for a leisurely bike ride to work.  If you live close enough, biking to work is a great way to squeeze in exercise before and after work.  If you live too far away for that, locate a commuter parking lot closer to work so you can drive part way then bike the rest.

• Steer clear of the elevator:  It’s second nature to press that up or down arrow for a quick ride to whatever floor you want.  While you might argue you are saving time, you certainly aren’t doing yourself any favors.  Start out slowly by climbing as many floors as you feel comfortable with, then take the elevator the rest of the way up.  Build up your stamina by adding another floor once you feel ready.  Stairs are a great workout for your hamstrings, butt, quads, and calves. And often you’ll find you can beat the elevator!

• Play:  Instead of merely supervising the mayhem of your kids’ games, join in.  Play tag, hide-and-go-seek, soccer, or whatever it is that your kids enjoy.  If you don’t have kids then play with the dog or get a group of friends together for a weekly activity that will get you moving.  Not only is this a great way to be active, but it’s fun too.

How do you sneak in your workout time? Share your ideas with us!