By: Elizabeth Whalley R.H.N.

Do you smell that?

It’s the smell of fresh local tomatoes, coming soon to the Royal City Farmers Market! That’s right summer is just around the bend; bringing with it all the delicious harvests of the local farm. Get out your reusable shopping bags folks and experience all that Lower Mainland has to offer at the Summer Market!

I celebrate local summertime flavours in my take on this classic.

Purple Kale Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup almonds (blanched or raw)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4-5 kale leaves, stems removed
• 3 sprigs basil, stems removed
• pepper to taste
• 1″ square of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:

Soak almonds for four or more hours; this makes easy work for your food processor. I like to use almonds in this recipe but pine nuts also work well, no need to soak though.
Combine almonds, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a food processor (if you’re using Parmesan add it in now and omit salt). Pulse until a finely minced consistency is reached, add more oil if needed.
Add in kale and basil, continue to pulse until desired consistency is reached (I like my pesto coarse with lots of big basil leaf chunks). Season to taste.

This pesto makes a lovely salad dressing with the addition of a little more oil and lemon juice. Or it is the perfect complement to any whole grain (and gluten free) pasta, hot or cold.

Personally, nothing says ‘summer’s on its way’ quite like a little pesto over a goat cheese and heirloom tomato salad.

By Elizabeth Whalley R.H.N.

I’ll bet as part of your spring cleaning regimen you’ve dusted away all those cobwebs from even the hard-to-reach corners, wiped the winter grime from windowsills, and even thrown out that questionable jar of who-knows-what from the back corner of your refrigerator. But have you given any thought to what may have built up in your body over the past year?

Cleansing and detoxifying are important aspects of maintaining a healthy body. These days we live in a world where our bodies are faced with harsh toxins, chemicals and radiation at every turn. If not in our daily beauty routine then in our cereal bowl or along our morning commute. Our bodies are strong and very resilient, equipped to do lots of detoxing in our ever changing world, but giving your body a break every so often means it can get a leg-up on the competition. Shopping at the market is a great place to start! Local organic fruits and veggies mean no pesticides and less carbon emissions to get them to your plate. And naturally raised, organic meats mean your liver is not bogged down with hormones and antibiotics unlike supermarket products.

This simple springtime salad features lots of foods that support a little spring cleaning in your body;

Fennel and Radish Slaw

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 medium apple
• ½ medium fennel root
• 3 stalks celery
• zest and juice of half a lemon
• zest and juice of half an orange
• ½ cup oil (sunflower or grapeseed works best)
• chives and fennel leaf to garnish
• sea or rock salt to taste

Method:

A mandolin makes quick work of all the veggies in this recipe, however, slicing them all into matchsticks will work in a pinch. Combine the vegetables, apple and citrus zest in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl, combine the lemon and orange juice and slowly and whisk in the oil to emulsify. Drizzle over the salad, season with salt and toss.  Garnish with chopped chive and fennel leaf.

By Elizabeth Whalley,

You know what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have you ever bothered to ask, why?

What’s the most greedy of all of your organs? Your brain! That’s right, starting your day off with a good breakfast is not only important to kick start good digestion and metabolism for the day, but it’s also key in keeping your mind sharp!

A nutritionally balanced breakfast is one that will supply you with lots of nutrients, but will also keep you full and provide you with energy for the rest of the morning. How exactly do you manage to pack all that into your cereal bowl? Simple; lots of nutrient dense food with an extra hit of protein, healthy fat and fibre, things like; nuts, seeds and WHOLE grains. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but those “whole” grain Cheerios, don’t make the cut!

Lucky for you there are some great ingredients hidden throughout the market to add to your morning bowl of brain power! I picked up some of the best dried cranberries I have ever tasted from the BrainFood Snack Co. There is a great selection of local nuts at various vendors, I chose almonds from Greendale Herb and Vine.

Great Granola

The best part about this recipe is it is easy to incorporate any nut, seed or fruit you have in your cupboards. Get creative and try any combination!

Ingredients:

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp rock or sea salt

1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter

1/2 maple syrup or honey

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt butter or coconut oil, I just put the oil in my glass measuring cup and then leave it in the preheating oven for a few minutes.

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, stir until combined. Gently mix in the honey or maple syrup and oil or butter. Spread the mixture out evenly on a baking sheet. If needed, line the baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking. Bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring the mixture a few times throughout so it browns evenly.

The granola has finished baking once it is crispy and golden brown. Let the granola cool on the baking sheet before transferring it to an airtight container. It will remain fresh for 2-3 weeks in the cupboard.

Now for the best part; yummy toppings! For this batch I used market cranberries (3/4 cup) and organic unsweetened coconut (1/2 cup).  I mixed the toppings right into my storage jar for the perfect grab and go breakfast.

Some of my other go-to toppings are apples and nut butters (both of which are also available at the market). Or you could transform this breakfast into a sweet treat with blueberry compote and a little whole milk yogurt. I’ve seen lots of frozen blueberries at the market lately and they are easily made into delicious sauce for granola or pancakes;

Put a cup of frozen berries into a small pot on medium heat. Let them simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often.  Add a tbsp of maple syrup and voila; homemade blueberry compote!