Seed 2 Plate

Today has been a busy day! I volunteered with Jones Valley Urban Farm's Seed 2 Plate Program. It was so much fun, and I absolutely LOVE the concept behind it! It's so important for kids to know where their food comes from and get exposed to trying new healthy foods at a young age.

This slightly cold summer weather still has me in the mood for oatmeal.

In the Mix:

• 1/2 C oats
• 1 C water
• 1/2 C skim milk
• Pinch of salt

Toppings:

• 1 T chia seeds
• Cinnamon
• Apple Walnut Delight Love Grown granola
• Blueberries
• Justin's Maple AB

Jones Valley Urban Farm. It's located right in the heart of downtown Birmingham directly across from a low-income neighborhood and residents are allowed to use the farm to grow their own produce! This used to be an area known as a "food desert", because people did not have access to grocery stores or healthy foods. In addition, many chefs in Birmingham buy produce from JVUF to support the Slow Food Movement and use the freshest ingredients possible.

A group of 3rd graders from Midfield Elementary School came this morning for a field trip. The kids started out by planting bell pepper plants. In order to grow, plants need air, soil, water, and sun. And a little love. The kids kissed each bell pepper plant once it was planted.

Then the kids got a tour of the farm.

Strawberry plants.

Pomegranate trees.

Sunflowers=favorite flowers.

I ate a mulberry right off of the tree!

The chicken coop!

After touring the farm, we headed to the kitchen to prepare a healthy snack. Today we made whole wheat pita pizzas with veggies, a side salad, and fruit for dessert. Each kid got a job in the kitchen.

Some cored apples and pears,

while others chopped herbs.

I got the exciting task of grating cheese (and washing dishes later).

I think the kids are trying to make up their minds about the salad. It consisted of freshly picked head lettuce and turnip roots, which have a surprisingly sweet taste! It was tossed with a homemade "ranch dressing" consisting of plain yogurt, dijon mustard, herbs, and lemon juice.

Even I got a taste! After the cooking demo, we talked about the importance of nutrients found in fruits and veggies. We also talked about things like healthy fats and portion control.

Fruit for dessert.

Ice water with mint and strawberries. So flavorful and refreshing!

Compost.

I came home for lunch and threw together a salad with a mish mash of random leftovers for lunch. It consisted of romaine lettuce, edamame succotash, lemon orzo with spinach, baby carrots, marcona almonds, onions, bell peppers, and hummus. No dressing necessary. I finished it off with a sliced Pink Lady and a slice of Food for Life 7 Sprouted Grains bread spread with Justin's Maple AB and Stonewall Kitchen Bellini Jam.

My workout today was 45 minutes on the arc trainer and 15 on the bike. After a little break, I went back to JVUF for an afternoon session of Seed 2 Plate. This group consisted of middle schoolers from Cornerstone. I didn't take as many pictures this time. We still made a salad and had fruit for dessert but switched out pita pizzas for whole wheat veggie pasta. The kids demolished this pasta and couldn't even tell that it was whole wheat!

We had pasta for dinner at my house tonight too!

Whole wheat bowtie pasta with mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, peas, and chicken. It was tossed with Zoe's Greek Dressing, and I added goat cheese on top. Complete with a whole wheat yeast roll on the side.

The rest of my night includes watching TV and most likely strawberries + dark chocolate + hot green tea. I'm helping out with Seed 2 Plate again tomorrow. Hope you have a great night!