New Tomato Lover, Keonte Murphy, with Kevin and Sheri Tuckey at the CHEW Farmer's Market in Anacostia
On Saturday, I demonstrated and gave free samples of my Fresh Tomato Salsa with Watermelon at the “Community Harvest for Education Ward 7,” a new Farmers Market in the middle of Anacostia, a beautiful part of the city with rolling hills, classic homes, huge, ancient trees, and some of the most lovely people you’ll ever meet. There, I had the pleasure of meeting Keonte, his family and others, who were amazed at how easy and delicious fresh, home-made salsa can be. Keonte and other children were especially delighted with the salsa, which confirmed my belief and experience that children do love vegetables, if they are prepared well and offered positively. Keonte, his Dad and others promised they’d make my salsa at home and bought plenty of the vine-ripe tomatoes abundant at the CHEW Market where I have the honor of volunteering periodically.
When I was young, one of my most vivid memories is the taste of my Grandmother’s vine-ripened tomatoes. I’ll never forget how soft, plump, sweet and deep red they were. Definitely not today’s traveling kind. They were the kind you picked and ate, still warm from the day’s sun.
The memory of these delectable treats makes tomato season my favorite time of year – for eating, that is. Nothing is as delicious as a vine-ripened, field-grown tomato, which, lucky for us, we can get from our local farmers at the Rose Park Farmers Market on Wednesdays, Burleith on Saturdays and Dupont Circle on Sundays.
Today is the 7th of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
Silvestro’s Gazpacho
This recipe was provided to me by Burleith resident, and authentic Italian, Silvestro Conte.
Tomatoes, technically a fruit, are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and a powerful antioxidant called “lycopene,” which gives the tomato its red color. Lycopene in tomatoes may help prevent prostate cancer and heart disease.
Men who consumed 10 or more servings of tomato products a week had a 35% decrease in risk of prostate cancer relative to those who consumed 1.5 servings or fewer per week, according to a major Harvard study. This benefit is largely attributed to the pigment lycopene found in the tomatoes, a phytochemical or a beneficial plant compound. Lycopene can also be found in other red fruits such as watermelon, pink grapefruit, and guava. Lycopene is a potent scavenger of gene-damaging free radicals. Men with lycopene levels in the top 20% had a 46% decrease in risk of heart attack compared to those in the bottom 20%.
Apparently, each fruit and vegetable is a little factory of nutrients and chemicals called phytochemicals (“phyto” meaning plant in Greek). These chemicals end up in your body’s tissues, where they have potent disease-preventing and life-enhancing properties. The phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables, when eaten whole, have antioxidant effects, stimulate the immune system, enhance cancer-fighting enzymes, positively influence hormone metabolism, and even have an antibacterial and antiviral effect. These important properties help reduce the incidence of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases of aging.
Serves 16+
Ingredients
6.5 lbs Vine Ripe Tomatoes, washed, cored and chopped, with skin and seeds
2 Green Bell Peppers, seeded and chopped
4 Red Bell Peppers, seeded and chopped
4 Celery Stalks, Including leaves, chopped
4 lbs. Peeled and seeded Cucumbers, chopped
1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
4 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar (more if you like it tart, but be careful)
6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste (Optional)
Sprinkling of Cumin (Optional)
Instructions
After careful washing, cut all vegetables into chunks to make them easier to blend. Blend with a food processor or Hand Blender, until you have the consistency you enjoy. My friend, Silvestro likes it a little chunky (as do I).
Once blended, add the olive oil, the vinegar, and, if you wish, the salt, the black pepper, and the cumin. Silvestro says “Cumin is optional : I like that extra richer flavor it adds.” I’ve made this gazpacho without adding salt or pepper and it is delicious. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for later. If you want a denser product, add bread crumbs.
Makes one gallon of Gazpacho, about 2,000 calories for the entire pot. Divided into 16 servings, that’s 125 calories per serving… And if you don’t add salt, it contains 0 sodium!
My Aunt Betse has been making fresh salsa since the 1960s when she and her engineer husband lived in South America. So I have been exposed to fresh salsa long before its popularity took off in the United States. In fact, I suppose I could have been a multi-gazillionaire by now if my college roommate and I decided to go ahead with our idea of packaging and selling my fresh salsa in the early 1980s. Oh well…
Salsa is traditionally made with tomatoes, onions, hot pepper, cilantro, lime juice and salt. But I like to add seasonal fruits and vegetables to keep it interesting. In the spring, I add strawberries, in the summer, it’s watermelon, which is especially sweet this year. You could even add celery, carrots, greens, mangos – really, anything goes. In the winter, use canned Italian plum tomatoes.
Today is the 6th of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
So that your salsa is enjoyed for Labor Day festivities, I recommend you buy the tomatoes, watermelon, onion and peppers at the Glover Park – Burleith Farmers Market on Saturday, Dupont Circle’s Fresh Farm Market on Sunday, and Georgetown’s Rose Park Market on Wednesday.
Salsa with watermelon in a rare Butternut Wood Bowl found at a Pennsylvania Flea Market
excerpted from “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations” (LifeLine Press, 2011)
I usually use vine-ripe tomatoes for my fresh salsa, excerpted from my book, Diet Simple. But watermelon is a surprising and exotically delicious substitute for all the tomatoes, or just half of them – as in this version. Serve this salsa with grilled salmon, chicken or beef… even tortilla chips… whatever you may traditionally use salsa with. My friend, Marc Marzullo, said this salsa was “refreshing, light, and delicious, and I especially like the vegetables chopped in larger chunks.” Since this salsa is getting eaten up today, I didn’t bother adding the lime juice. If you would like your salsa to last longer in your refrigerator, use vinegar instead of lime juice.
22 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb vine-ripe, fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped (start with about 1-1/2 lbs)
1 lb chopped watermelon, seeds removed
1 large candy onion, peeled and chopped (about ½ pound)
3 – 4 jalapeno peppers (1 – 2 ounces) – or other hot seasonal peppers, to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 – 4 Tbsp fresh lime juice (1 – 2 limes), optional, or vinegar if you wish for the salsa to last longer in your refrigerator
Add the onion to the tomatoes and watermelon. Finely chop 2 of the jalapeno peppers to start with. Taste. If you desire more heat, add 1 – 2 more jalapenos. Mix in the cilantro. Add the salt and pepper, depending on your taste. Mix in the lime juice, if you wish.
“I didn’t know grapes tasted this sweet!” says client after client, after I offer them a taste of locally-grown grapes from Quaker Valley Orchards. They are sweet as can be, and so delicate, they could never be found in a store – they’re not the hard, sour, traveling variety which passes for grapes these days.
Today is the 5th of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
This recipe, developed by my Swedish mother, would make a very nice luncheon offering. Top on a bagette or stuff in a tomato or half an avacado. Serve with pickles, carrot and celery sticks, radishes. Instead of the grapes or mandarine orances, you can use other seasonal fruits such as strawberries, peaches, or anything ripe and in season.
Serves 4
2 cups chicken breast meat, cooked, chopped (about 2 half breasts or 9 ounces)
1 pint Low sodium, nonfat chicken stock
1/3 cup small mild onion, chopped
1-1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 c seedless grapes, halved
2 ripe peaches, chopped
3 Tbsp Fresh Dill, Chopped
3 Tbsp Chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp or more to taste curry powder
1 ounce almonds or walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup any low fat ranch-style dressing
Poach the chicken breasts in low sodium, nonfat chicken stock until breasts are covered. Let cool and chop in bite-size pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients and chill. Serve chilled.
Per serving: 230 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 19 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 20 g protein
I’ve been told that this year’s peaches and melons are especially sweet and velvety because of the lack of rain. It concentrates their flavor. Whatever! I recommend you quickly run over and buy some melons at Rose Park’s Farmers Market on Wednesday or Dupont Circle’s Fresh Farm Market on Sunday – before the season is over.
Though, getting the melons home takes a little help from my friends…
Anchor Nursery's Jim Breger places the melons into my "carrier" to take home...
Today is the 4th of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
It helps to have good friends to share my recipe with, especially when they help with the physical labor…
Robert Arnold Bringing Recipe to Christ Church St. Michaels "Green" Potluck Dinner
Melon Chunks with Crumbled Feta and Fresh Mint
By Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D.
Author: “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations” (LifeLine Press, 2011)
This is an unusual combination of flavors and textures, and a delight on the palate. Use any kind of melon that happens to be in season.
Serves 8
2 pounds melon chunks (about 1 small cantaloupe or seedless watermelon)
½ pound Feta Cheese or other similar cheese
8 small mint leaves, Chiffonade (Basil will also work)
Combine ingredients in a large bowl and serve!
Photo by U.S. Potato Board
This potato salad has more crunch and color than most, making it impossible to resist. The green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes and onion, are all in season right now, which makes this a particularly delicious, nutritious, and welcome addition to any meal – at home or a picnic with family or friends. The mayonnaise dressing brings out the flavor of any vegetable, especially if allowed to soak into still-warm, just cooked green beans and delicate, small, thin-skinned local potatoes. Make it a main course by topping it with grilled or poached salmon.
Today is the third of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
For this week’s “Salad of New Potatoes, Green and Yellow Beans with Lemony-Garlic-Herb Mayonnaise,” buy your new or fingerling potatoes, green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions at Wednesday’s
Rose Park Farmers Market, on Saturday, or Sunday’s
Dupont Circle Farmers Market.
Salad of “New” Potatoes, Green and Yellow Beans with Lemony-Garlic-Herb Mayonnaise
by Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D., author of “Diet Simple” (LifeLine Press 2011)
Serves 6 to 8
Mayonnaise Dressing:
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise, preferably made with Canola or Olive Oil
Grated Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Garlic cloves (or more, to taste), mashed
1 Tbsp (or more, to taste) fresh Tarragon or other fresh herb such as Dill
Salt and Pepper, if desired (none needed)
Vegetables:
1 quart Green Beans and Yellow Wax Beans, tough end removed, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pint small New Potatoes or Fingerlings with skin, cleaned/scrubbed but not peeled
2 Red Bell Peppers, raw or roasted (if desired) and chopped
1 pint sliced cherry tomatoes or chopped Heirloom tomatoes
1 Bunch (about 4 – 5) Green Onions, or a local “Candy Onion,” chopped
Prepare the dressing in a bowl large enough to fit the finished salad. Mix the mayonnaise, lemon, garlic and fresh herb of your choice. Place in refrigerator to keep chilled.
Steam or boil the Green beans and yellow wax beans slightly (in a small amount of water) for about 3 minutes, until they are al dente (firm, but not hard, with resistance to the bite). Drain and immediately toss in ice water to stop the cooking process. Place in the bowl of cold mayonnaise dressing. Toss to coat with mayonnaise dressing. Put the bowl back into the refrigerator to halt the cooking process.
Slice the small potatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size. Boil the potatoes for about 5 or 10 minutes, until tender when pierced by a fork. Drain and place in the bowl with the mayonnaise and green beans. Toss to coat with the mayonnaise dressing. Place in the refrigerator.
Roast the red bell peppers if desired, chop, and add to the mix. Chop the white part of the green onions, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and place in bowl with the other vegetables; toss.
NOTE: I wait to add the tomatoes at serving time.
Potatoes
Potatoes have been unfairly maligned. They have been blamed for increasing blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, excess weight and Type 2 diabetes. A recent Harvard study that followed large populations and their disease rates linked potato eating with being overweight, blaming it on the blood glucose rise.
But many foods, including whole-wheat bread and whole-grain cereals, cause similar spikes in blood glucose, and are correlated with superior health and lower body weights. How could the higher body weight in the Harvard study be explained? The study lumped all potato products together, including potato chips and french fries, very fattening versions of potatoes usually eaten in large portions alongside hamburgers, hot dogs, and sodas.
“It’s an easy food to attack; but the meal pattern may be the culprit,” said David Baer, a research leader at the Agricultural Research Service of the Department of Agriculture. “Other epidemiological studies have not verified a connection between potatoes and weight gain or any diseases, and no clinical studies have shown a connection.” Learn more about the Harvard study…
Potatoes are a great source of potassium, Vitamin C and fiber that many cultures – Scandinavians, Russians, Irish, and Peruvians – relied on as a nutritious staple for centuries. And they were not fat.
Photo by Alison Eaves
This recipe is always a huge hit. There are many potential variations: Try using Quinoa instead of Bulgur or Soy Beans instead of Chick Peas. Use Tarragon in place of basil. Every vegetable in the recipe – the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, sweet onions, garlic, and basil – can be found at the local Farmers Markets at Rose Park on Wednesday or Dupont Circle on Sunday or any other Fresh Farm Market locations. The possibilities are endless! This is a naturally vegan recipe. But for the meat lovers, it’s great with grilled chicken or seafood on the side.
Today is the second of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
Tabouleh with Chick Peas, Seasonal Vegetables and a Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
By Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D.N., L.D.
Makes about 6 – 300 calorie servings
Time: 20 – 30 minutes
1 Cup Bulgur (Cracked Wheat)
1 15-ounce Can Chick Peas, drained
1 Large cucumber, skinned and seeded, chopped
1 Large Yellow Pepper, seeded, chopped
1 Sweet Onion, chopped finely
1 pint sliced Cherry Tomatoes or Chopped Heirloom Tomatoes
1 Large Handful Fresh Basil, chopped
3/4 to 1 cup golden raisins
3/4 to 1 cup roasted pine nuts
Vinaigrette:
Juice of One Lemon (2 Tbsp) and its lemon zest
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 crushed Garlic Clove (optional)
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
In a large glass bowl, pour 3 cups boiling water over the bulgur and let sit for 15 minutes or longer. While the bulgur is fluffing up, make the salad: In a large glass or plastic bowl, dump in the chick peas, the chopped cucumber, pepper, onion, tomatoes, basil, raisins and pine nuts. Make the vinaigrette in a separate small bowl: roll the lemon on the counter and place in microwave for 30 seconds (this procedure extracts the maximum juice). Let cool. With a microplane, zest the lemon being careful not to use the bitter white pith. Squeeze the lemon juice and place with zest in the small bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk together. Drain the bulgur and add to salad. Toss in the vinaigrette. Chill and serve, or serve immediately.
Note: This recipe can be made ahead of time and will keep nicely in the refrigerator for a week. If you decide to make this as a “batch,” for you or your family, a cooking technique I recommend in my book,
Diet Simple, and which makes eating healthy a pleasure, I recommend leaving the tomatoes out of the recipe until it is served. To me, refrigeration ruins
tomatoes, my favorite vegetable!
Tomatoes (Photo by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
When I was young, one of my most vivid memories is the taste of my Grandmother’s vine-ripened tomatoes. Every year, she would grow at least 20 tomato plants — and only tomatoes — in her back yard in Columbus, Ohio. They were her favorite vegetable (though technically a fruit), and became mine too. I’ll never forget how soft, plump, sweet and deep red they were. Definitely not today’s traveling kind. They were the kind you picked and ate, still warm from the day’s sun. The kind which you can only get from your own back yard – or the Farmers Market.
Today is the first of “Katherine’s Weekly Market Recipes,” all of which are designed to be delicious, easy, quick, family-friendly, nutritious (heart-healthy & diabetes-friendly), and to highlight produce found at our local Farmers Markets this week. At your Farmers Market, you’ll find produce picked at peak ripeness, which means maximum flavor, texture and nutrition. You’re also helping save the environment when you buy at your Farmers Market. Here’s how…
For this week’s “Greek Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes,” buy your tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and garlic at Wednesday’s
Rose Park Farmers Market or Sunday’s
Dupont Circle Farmers Market, which just celebrated its 15th year. Congratulations Fresh Farm Markets!
Greek Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
By Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D.
8 servings
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette:
2 Tablespoons Freshly Harvested Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (1 Lemon)
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Oregano or Basil (or 1 tsp dried)
1 Clove Garlic, Minced (optional)
Salt and Pepper to Taste (Salt is not necessary with the cheese and olives)
Vegetables:
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced into a half-moon shape
1 onion, peeled and chopped coarsely
1 medium yellow, purple or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, chopped into large bite-size pieces
1 cup pitted Kalamata or other Greek Olives
4 Heirloom Tomatoes, quartered, and cut into large, bite-size pieces
4 ounces Feta or Goat Cheese, broken into small bits
Instructions:
Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a large salad bowl and whisk until blended. Add the cucumbers, onion, pepper, and olives and toss into vinaigrette. Let sit for twenty minutes to marinate. Add the heirloom tomatoes and cheese when ready to serve.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the “superfoods.” Men who consumed 10 or more servings of tomato products a week had a 35% decrease in risk of prostate cancer relative to those who consumed 1.5 servings or fewer per week. This is largely attributed to “lycopene” in the tomatoes, which is also in other red fruits such as watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava. Men with lycopene levels in the top 20% had a 46% decrease in risk of heart attack compared to those in the bottom 20%. Lycopene is a potent scavenger of gene-damaging free radicals. But don’t expect to get it from a supplement. You must eat the tomato as you need the whole food to receive the benefits! Here’s why…
If you would like to have one of your recipes highlighted by Katherine, please email Katherine with your recipe for testing, along with the story behind your recipe. All recipes must be heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly.
This hearty salad by my friend, Phyllis Frucht,* has all the elements of a great main course in the spring and summer: hearty beans, sweet mango, crunchy pepper and onion, tart lime juice, hot jalapeno. This dish is quick to prepare and perfect for a busy family, a pot luck, a picnic or a light lunch. Double the recipe so you’ll have plenty for everyone.
Serves 6
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Mango, peeled and diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 Cup Red onion, diced
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1 Tbsp honey
|1 Tbsp Lime Zest
1 Tbsp Orange Zest
1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 Cup Cilantro, Chopped
Combine the beans, mango, red pepper and onion in a bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients. Toss well and serve.
Per serving: Calories 110, Saturated Fat 0 g (0%), Cholesterol 0 mg (0%), Sodium 380 mg (16%), Total Carbohydrate 23 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Soluble Fiber 0.66 g, Omega 3 Fatty Acids 0.02 g, Protein 5 g, Vitamin A 50%, Vitamin C 110%, Calcium 4%, Iron 10%
*Phyllis Frucht is a chef and a teacher specializing in International cuisine from the Orient to India, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and more. She gives instruction for a lucky few in Washington, D.C. in elegant hands-on classes which include generous samplings of the foods with matching beverages and wine.
Pure Strawberry Popsicles by George (Photo by Vicky Tsilas)
This is my favorite time of year. There’s an abundance of locally picked strawberries and cherries at the Farmers Markets. Very soon there will be: raspberries, blueberries, plums, apricots, and more… All lend themselves beautifully to being dipped in dark chocolate or pureed and made into popsicles or into an adult Italian Ice (Granita). My recipes:
Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries or ANY Seasonal Fruits
Strawberry (or any Seasonal Fruit) Granita
Pure Strawberry – or any Seasonal Fruit – Popsicles
Simply puree the fruit (add a tiny bit of sweetener or sweet juice, if you like) and place in popsicle molds! Leave the pureed fruit a little chunky for texture. Add yogurt to make it creamier. Use a variety of fruit to create different colors and flavors.
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