I've gone on and on about how I LOVE the various farmers markets and farmers stands in New Orleans. I think we're incredibly lucky to be able to source whole and delicious foods from within our community (without going to the grocery store).
That being said, sometimes it can be tricky to choose which products you'd like to take home. I have a REALLY bad habit of over-buying product (especially if it's shiny, and colorful and delicious!!). Andrew gets sooo frustrated when he consistently comes home to a pickling shop in our kitchen when I don't know what else to do with the pounds of cucumbers I've just bought. I do the same thing with strawberries, just buying them by the flat thinking "I KNOW I'll want these frozen in the winter", and by taking a look at the bags and bags of strawberries in my freezer, you can easily they assume that they get forgotten or just thrown into some kind of breakfast smoothie.
Bon Appetit came out with a great article on "shopping the crop" in last month's issue.
It basically sums up which produce TO buy if you're on a limited budget.. or can only carry so much. The following items really give you the best bang for your buck as far as nutrition is concerned.
Here goes!!
Carrots:
Only buy the carrots that still look like carrots (stems attached at the top). The "baby" carrots that you'll find pre-sliced and pre-cut into cute little nuggets are the inner-most part of the carrot, which really don't have near the nutrients as the outer layers. The baby ones do make great dog treats, though!
Kale:
One serving has more calcium than 6 ounces of milk and more fiber than 3 slices of whole wheat bread.. now isn't that nice all in one leaf?
Cherries:
Bing cherries have the most inflammation-fighting agents.. look for green, flexible stems. It's a true sign of the healthiest varieties.
Watermelon:
The vibrant, red flesh is a sign that's its packed full of lycopene.. A good suggestion is buying the kind that's already quartered or halved, so you can really see the inside. If you're buying it whole, look for one that has a nice, flat dirty spot.. A true sign that it had a nice life getting plump and delicious.
Beets:
Go for the dark red variety, which have the most cancer-fighting compounds. Get the ones with the stems attached; they make a great side dish just lightly cooked or sauteed in a little olive oil and lemon or garlic.
Peaches:
WHITE peaches have 6x more antioxidants than the yellow-fleshed kind, which is contrary to what most people think! I LOVE peaches.. and PLEASE PLEASE leave them out on your counter. Refrigerating can make them chalky.
Tomatoes:
Probably my all time favorite because of the versatility. Usually you want to go for the smaller, darker varieties (cherry, grape, etc..). These tend to have the most lycopene (cancer-fighting). I usually like to buy a bunch of different varieties and throw them in one big bowl with a little arugula, olive oil, S&P, and fresh water mozzarella, but they are just as good by themselves.
Lettuce:
Big shocker?? Go darker. The most nutrient-dense are red, purple, & brown varieties. These usually have the most antioxidants. Other (non-lettuce) varieties that are wonderful are arugula, radicchio, endive and spinach (not baby.. mature).
Hope that gives you a couple clues! Happy shopping.
xoxo
Celeste
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