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apples

Keeping the Lunchbox Fresh

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by Jodie Fitz

Saratoga Apple, photo by Pattie Garrett

All meals have their challenges whether it’s a pandemic or not; packing the lunchbox is no exception.

I have three children and I’d like to tell you I figured it all out after the first, but I did not. Each child came with their own sets of likes and dislikes. My youngest was, and is, my pickiest eater with a fickle palate that’s forever changing. She is NOT the traditional sandwich eater.

Carmella Making Apple Parfait, photo by Jodie Fitz

Whether you are homeschooling, fully virtual, or schooling in a hybrid fashion here are few lunchtime prep tips that are tried and true:
● Use the weekend to organize the plan.
● Separate shelf-stable snacks in containers or Ziploc® bags and put them in a basket so that the kids know they are for lunchbox packing only.
● Prepack refrigerated items into containers for several days at a time, label and keep those items in the fridge ready to grab.
● Include your children in the entire process.

The goal? Keeping you from spending more time than needed in the kitchen during the busy weekdays. Not only will these steps save you time, but they will also help to promote independence in the kiddos and hopefully feel-good vibes in your kitchen (wink).

Here are some easy prep ideas that include apples:

Toby making fruit dip, photo by Jodie Fitz

1. Cinnamon Apples: Simply wash, core, slice your apples. Place them in a Ziploc® style bag. Add a few shakes of cinnamon, seal the bag, and shake. This helps to avoid brown apples, enhances flavor and they keep in the fridge for several days.
2. Dip: Make yogurt dips to serve with the cinnamon apples and keep in mini containers. Try my Creamsicle Fruit Dip by folding 6 oz. low-fat vanilla yogurt with 6 oz. of Greek yogurt and the juice freshly squeezed from half of a navel orange.
3. Apple Pie Parfait: Layer vanilla yogurt, granola, and cooked apples that have been cooled. Simply wash, core, peel, and dice two apples. Cook them in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. These will keep for several days in the fridge.

*Apples, cinnamon, yogurt, and granola are all available at the farmers’ market.

Cheers to a successful school year.

Jodie Fitz is the creator of the Price Chopper/Market 32 Kids Cooking Club. You can learn more about her, her recipes, and her online classes by visiting JodieFitz.com. She is also the author of Fidget Grows a Pizza Garden.

This week’s recipe: Peanutty Apple Wraps

Week 8: Apples

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Saratoga Apple, photo by Pattie Garrett

 

Extra resources:

Here’s a visual of the bird feeder activity: Homemade Apple Bird Feeder

Apple | How Does It Grow? (video – recommended for older kids)

Fruit for Kids with Blippi | Apple Fruit Factory Tour (video – recommended for younger kids)

Top 10 Easy Apple Recipes For Kids To Try Out Today (listicle)

6 Apple Recipes to Cook with Kids (listicle)

Farm to Pantry: Making meals with ingredients on hand

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By Julia Howard

Pleasant Valley Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Our responsibility, by direction, is to stay at home and only head out for essentials when absolutely necessary. As we settle in safely for the weeks to come, many are looking to foods that store well, foods that are easy to prepare, and, most importantly, foods that are available right now.

While food bloggers hail smart and savvy ‘pantry meals’ that utilize canned goods, rice, and beans, the farmers’ market offers an expanded palette of foods that are easy to store and last longer than most produce found at grocery stores.

Vegetables like onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots are often at the core of savory, hearty meals. They are durable and have a good shelf life, and these vegetables work well in diverse meals depending on preparation methods and seasonings. Please note that garlic is currently unavailable at market.

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Milk, butter, cheese, and eggs are staples that most of us keep in constant rotation in the refrigerator. These binding ingredients are often what pulls the meal together. Milk may be used to create a creamy finish to soups and sauces like a classic roux – which is made from butter, flour, and milk. Eggs can be used to create satisfying omelettes and frittatas with endless possibilities for fillings. Cheese is essential for homemade pizza, quesadillas, baked ziti, and numerous other dishes.

Saratoga Apple, photo by Pattie Garrett

Shelf-stable vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, and turnips can last for several weeks when kept in a cool, dry place. These vegetables can be the main stars of any meal, soup, or salad, and they are high in nutritional value. Even fruits like apples can keep for 2-3 weeks. Having a variety of these long-lasting fruits and vegetables inspires cooking that’s creative, comforting, and simple.

Meat and poultry are necessities for most, and they can be bought directly from farmers. Ground beef, whole chickens, and steaks and roasts can be kept frozen and thawed under refrigeration once you are ready to prepare them. Leftovers from a large roast or a whole roasted chicken may be used in a variety of dishes and soups as well.

While shopping at the farmers’ market, please remember to follow universal precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19. Please try to send one member of the household to shop and give 6’ space while shopping. Only touch products that you commit to buy and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before and after shopping.

If you plan to shop for something specific, please check our website and social media pages for updates. These are changeable times and we are working to keep you up to date with vendor and product availability each week.

 

This week’s recipe: Pantry Pot Pie

Mulled Apple Cider

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Adapted from the recipe by The Pioneer Woman, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 1¼ gallons

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

Mulled cider, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

● 1 gallon apple cider*
● 3 granny smith apples*
● 1 orange
● 1 Tablespoon allspice berries
● 5-7 cinnamon sticks
● ½ cup fresh cranberries
● ½ cup sugar
● 1 cup apple brandy* or other preferred alcohol beverage* (optional)
OR USE
● 1 packet Mulling Spices mix from Healthy Gourmet Kitchen or Muddy Trail Jerky*

Instructions
1. Pour the apple cider into a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Dice the apples and toss them into the cider.
3. Peel the rind off the orange in large pieces and toss them in the cider.
4. Add the allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, and the cranberries.
5. Add sugar and stir it around to dissolve.
6. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to
1 hour. Add the brandy if using, then simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Popular Foods Fill Saratoga Farmers’ Market Stalls

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By Julia Howard

Every year, certain foods find a following nationally among chefs, food writers, and other aficionados. These items often are nutritious, delicious, and add diversity to the daily diet. One place to find such foods is the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. Here’s a quick rundown of the top trending foods available at the market now:

Good for the Gut
At the Wednesday and Saturday markets, look for Saratoga Apple. Their table offers not only their well-known apples but also such products as their own apple cider vinegar, made from fermented apple juice. Apple cider vinegar has been credited with reducing cholesterol and lowering blood sugar levels. Try it in salad dressings or marinades.

One regular purveyor of probiotics is Puckers Gourmet Pickles. Look for them and their jars of fermented vegetables on Saturdays. They offer pickles, kraut, and kimchi — all of which give the body a healthy dose of probiotics, which are live microorganisms that promote healthy digestion.

Junbucha, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Junbucha, a creation of Saratoga Urban Farm may also be found at the market on Saturdays. Jun is made by fermenting tea and honey with a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast), creating a naturally effervescent and tangy drink that contains prebiotics, probiotics, and amino acids.

Ugly Produce
New seasonal fruits and vegetables appear at the farmers’ market each week. There is one distinct difference between locally grown produce at the farmers’ market and what is found on shelves at the grocery store. Locally grown produce is not perfect, and people are finally embracing misshapen and a-symmetrical as totally edible.

Different Sources of Protein
Squashville Farm is looking forward to bringing goat meat back to the Wednesday market in June. This meat, described as an “ethical meat” by some, is delicious in stews, burgers, or on the grill. Also, look for bone broths at the Wednesday market from Slate River and Ramble Creek farms. Bone broth is being hailed for it’s nutritional value and immune boosting properties.

Oyster mushrooms, photo by Pattie Garrett

Mushrooms
And, finally, mushrooms. Mariaville Mushroom Men and Ramble Creek Farm are offering a wide variety of mushrooms, including shitakes, oysters, lion’s mane, chestnuts and others. These bites of goodness are filled with potassium, niacin, selenium, vitamin B, and carry a flavor and texture that is unbeatable. Try them sauteed with olive oil or butter, roasted with root vegetables, or stirred into a pasta.

Fall Celebrations at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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by Kristin Cleveland

October brings a cornucopia of special activities to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. Along with sales and tastings of autumn’s abundant harvest, we celebrate the last outdoor markets of 2018 with llamas to cuddle, ponies to ride, a pumpkin contest, crafts and children’s activities, live music, and a Halloween Party! 

Saturday, October 13, 9 am-1 pm: Visit with Llamas

Stock up on fresh local farmers’ market food and beverages and meet the llamas of Dakota Ridge Farm! Pet them, learn about their origins and kind temperament and the many uses of their fiber. Children can also decorate a bookmark with llama fiber and everyone can check out the ponchos, blankets, socks, and other products made from high-quality llama fiber. 

Wednesday, October 24, 3-6 pm,: Customer Appreciation Day

As the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s 40th outdoor market season draws to a close, we say thank you to the community of Saratoga Springs for supporting local farms and businesses! We’ll have fall food tastings and special sales, live music, children’s activities and free pony rides from our friends at Adirondack Dreamcatcher Farm.

Saturday, October 27, 9am-1 pm: Fall Fest

In conjunction with the 17th Annual Downtown Business Association’s Fall Festival, the Saratoga Farmer’s Market will celebrate the fall season in beautiful downtown Saratoga Springs with special activities for people of all ages. Grab a hot breakfast sandwich and cider or coffee and a pastry, stock up on fresh local produce for hearty fall cooking, get a frozen casserole and other locally prepared dishes for quick healthy weeknight meals, enjoy a free fall craft for kids hosted by the Northeast Parent and Child Society, sample pumpkin-spiced treats, and enjoy the seasonal favorites of over 65 vendors gathered in High Rock Park.

Pumpkin display by Burger’s MarketGarden,          photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Wednesday, October 31, 3-6 pm: Halloween Party

Trick-or-treating, a kids’ costume contest with prizes, a pumpkin-painting craft, a children’s activity sponsored by the Saratoga Springs Public Library, music, delicious fall food tastings, and just the right amount of spooky fun!

Also, all of our market days feature fresh produce, dairy, eggs and meat from Saratoga and nearby counties; wine and spirits from our region’s vintners and distillers; cozy wool hats and other fall apparel; unique jewelry, pottery and specialty items made by local artisans; potted mums and gorgeous fall flower bouquets; and fresh baked goods, prepared food and live music! And as our outdoor season draws to a close, get ready to join us at our winter home every Saturday from November to April inside the Lincoln Baths at the Saratoga Spa State Park, 9 am-1 pm. For more details see our Facebook page!