MCLV Mange: Farmer’s Market Fare

Welcome to the second installment of my new reader requested series called MCLV Mange, where I’ll be discussing quick, easy and healthy meal ideas, desserts and snacks, entertaining and even wine pairings. You can read the first segment of this series on using healthy coconut milk to cook your vegetables here. Please feel free to email me with any questions or topic suggestions.

Now let me ask you, is there anything more delicious than a simple meal made from fresh ingredients?

This past weekend I went to the Carmichael Park Farmer’s Market in Sacramento and picked up some fresh produce and when I got back to San Francisco Sunday I made a delicious dinner for myself and a friend.

So what did I make?

A massaged kale salad with Trader Joe’s hummus salad dressing. Your hands get pretty gooey when you massage the dressing into the leaves, but the end result is definitely worth the effort and minimal mess. Here’s a basic How To from the brilliant Gena at Choosing Raw. 

Some people find that kale is an acquired taste, but it is definitely one that you should acquire – kale is high in fiber, Vitamin A, easy to absorb calcium, antioxidants and smaller amounts of Vitamins C and B. Like I said, its worth getting to know!

Brightly colored vegetables are another extraordinarily healthy addition to any salad. Purple cabbage is high in Vitamins A, C, K and iron while radishes are rich in Vitamins C, K, B6 and dietary fiber. They are both also sources of antioxidants. 

Did you get a chance to watch the lecture by Dr. Terry Wahl’s that I included in Sunday’s Links You’ll Love post? If not you should take a quick look at her Minding Your Mitochondria lecture, which will explain just how beneficial kale and bright vegetables are for your health.

Since it was such a chilly night I also wanted to serve something warm so I sliced up some of the multicolored carrots that I had picked up and a sweet potato, and roasted them with extra virgin olive oil, cumin and Himalayan sea salt. Carrots are high in Vitamins A, C, K and potassium and sweet potatoes are a good source of Vitamins B6, C, D, iron and magnesium.

What was the final product?

I hope that the simplicity of this meal inspires you to make a trip to your local farmer’s market and try a healthy, fresh, vegetable-based dinner as well.