Avocado Mango Lime Quinoa Bowl with Sweet Potato Crisps

Spring is in the air!!  Well... at least it is here in San Diego.  Warm, bright days have me turning to simple bowls for lunch, and often for dinner as well.  But no matter the weather, quinoa reigns as one of my go-to ingredients.

A protein-filled seed hailing from the Andean regions of Peru, quinoa earns its title of an "ancient grain" (actually it's really a seed, but many use it as a grain) with its near 9,000 year history.  Once called "The Gold of the Inca's", quinoa isn't just "high" in protein, it's a complete protein - meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids.  A wonderful protein source for vegans or vegetarians, quinoa also brings magnesium, folate, manganese and phosphorus, making it a nutritious ingredient which also happens to be incredibly versatile.

Unfortunately, quinoa also happens to be coated with a naturally occurring coating called "Saponin", a bitter tasting coating which protects the seeds from being eaten in the fields by birds and insects.  Many quinoa brands remove most of the saponins in processing, but a good rinse of your quinoa before cooking is always a good idea to remove the last of the residues, or to remove all of the residue if it hasn't been washed already.

But washing quinoa is quite possibly my least favorite thing to do.  Those tiny seeds slip through many colanders unless you have the finest of mesh, and then  pouring the rinsed (and now clumpy) seeds into your pot becomes nearly impossible often dumping as a whole clump only to splash you in the process.  And those tiny seeds... how often  have they lodged into the rim of that fine mesh strainer?  It's all enough to tempt one to leave that quinoa on the shelf.

But here's were one of my favorite companies once again comes to the rescue!  The people at OXO read my mind and created the perfect kitchen tool... the must-have Rice and Grains Washing Colander.  The description from their site says it all:

Wash rice, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and more small grains easily and thoroughly

Our Colander has holes designed to allow water to drain slowly to wash impurities and starch from rice, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and more. The water pools before draining to show when water is clear and grains are clean. The small, square holes help prevent tiny grains from falling through, and the extra drain holes in the pour spout remove excess water and keep grains contained. Soft, comfortable, non-slip handles are perfect for agitating grains, shaking out water, and pouring into pots or bowls.

OXO sent me this product along with a super cool Grape Tomato Cutter (cuts grapes and tomatoes into quarters with a simple push of the plunger!) and a beautifully sharp Hand-held Mandoline, and I have to say these products rank up there with the OXO Dusting Wand in my all time favorites category.

Bringing together some of my favorite quinoa combos, avocado and mango fit perfectly into the picture to create a nutritious quinoa bowl.  What goes with avocado?  How about adding even more protein with black beans, definitely some kick from red onion, and then seasoning it all with a healthy handful of cilantro?  Oh, and tomatoes.  A lovely basket of baby cherrys from the farmer's market were already on hand and I had to laugh when Liv actually brought girlfriends home for lunch simply so they could try out the tomato cutter.  Let's just say all of our tomatoes are now cut!

Super sharp, easy to clean... what more could a girl want?  #newfavoritetool

And the mandoline... what should we slice?  But really the first question remained, how well would it slice?  Oh my heavens... nearly paper thin sweet potato slices sliced in meree seconds and crisped in no time.  Truly the a fabulous side or topping to our bowl.  (This mandoline hasn't made it into the cabinet yet - easy cleanup has me reaching for it multiple times a day!  Tomato slices for your sandwich?  Not a problem!)

So how about a bowl of your own?  Whether you need to rinse rice, barley, or my beloved quinoa, you won't hesitate now that you have a grain rinsing colander.  What's your favorite combo?

Easiest Black Bean Soup

Warm and earthy, perhaps a little salty... Black Bean Soup warms the soul.  Healthy as well as belly filling, a slice of crusty bread makes a meal.  Or if you are my daughter, Liv, a side of tortilla chips makes the dish a tasty dip.  Or, if you are my son, a tortilla wrap makes it a very messy burrito.

However you serve it, the beauty of this recipe is the ease of preparation.  Minimal ingredients find their way into a pot for maximum flavor.  After a 20 minutes simmer a quick spin with an immersion blender lets you decide silky or chunky.

And do I have an immersion blender for you!  Add this powerful beauty to any foodie gift giving list and you'll have a best friend for life.  May I introduce the OXO On Illuminating Digital Immersion Blender?

With an easy to use dial allowing adjustments through a range of speeds the choice of delicate blending or powerful pureeing is up to you.  Note powerful as a keyword here... using the blender for the first time in our Coconut Sweet Potato Soup, the ingredients transformed from chunky to silky in mere seconds.  Smooth like I've never seen before... pure puréed perfection.

Illuminating, you may ask?  Yes, illuminating, literally.  With a decently bright headlamp just at the top of the stick, the immersion blender brings better light into your pot on our dark winter nights (and poorly lit kitchens like mine).  A feature Liv though was so cool she took to blending water in the dark just to try it out.  If only I had taken video...

The nylon head covering the powerful blade makes the blender safe for even your most delicate pans, but it's the ease of cleanup that made me smile.  The stick easily pops off after use, and while it's not meant for the dishwasher a quick rinse directly after use makes clean up a breeze with no worry of damaging the electric parts or keeping the plug out of the water.

But one of my favorite reasons to use an immersion blender is the ability to see and control how smooth you want your final product.  For soups such as this Black Bean version, I like a chunkier texture that on past occasions became over processed when using a counter blender.  And besides, how many times have you poured hot soup into a blender only to have the steam splatter your face after lifting the lid?

Have I sold you on the OXO On yet?  Good.  Now let me sell you on this soup.

Aromatic onions and garlic sautee with oregano and cumin before adding canned beans.  Simmering in broth and water until soft, all that's remaining are seasonings and my favorite part - the garnish.

Ripe avocado, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of sublime Coconut Lime Cashew Crema bring irresistible flavors, textures and colors to the bowl.  Be it soup, dip or burrito filling, your family will be returning for seconds and once again you're a superhero.

Oodles of Zoodles with Avocado Basil Pesto and Farmer's Market Tomatoes

Are you in on the spiralizer craze?  With enough machines and gadgets in my kitchen, this is one craze I was going to let pass me by.  Who needs to clog up even more valuable counter space with another big gadget?

But after a spontaneous substitution of Zoodles (spiralized zucchini noodles) in place of pasta at a local restaurant, I'm unquestionably hooked.  Losing the pasta carbs and adding even more vegetables to my veggie dish was good enough, but the glorious texture of the par-cooked zucchini noodles pushed me over the edge.  I totally get the craze and I simply MUST have a spiralizer!

As timing often works when it needs to, days later OXO sent an offer to to try their new Hand-Held Spiralizer .  Hmmm... hand-held??  Not cluttered counter space?  And does the same job as one of those bulky spiralizer machines bringing glorious spiralized zucchini (and beets... would those be Boodles?  and carrots... Coodles?) with the twist of a hand?  If I didn't know better, I'd say OXO had read my mind.

Seriously only a few inches tall and with an equally small circumference (but perfectly sized for even large zucchini!), the OXO Hand-Held Spiralizer fits in my gadget drawer yet spiralizes like a workhorse.  Add to it the fact that the spiralizer is BPA-free AND dishwasher safe, and I think I just may have a new favorite gadget.

But would my family like spiralized foods as much as I do?  In a word... yes.  Well, except for the "Boodles" (beet noodles).  Apparently I am the only one with a taste for beets no matter the shape (I promise that recipe including beets, balsamic, goat cheese and sugared walnuts is coming for beet lovers like me!), so today we bring you a new family favorite... Zoodles with Avocado Basil Pesto and ripe summer tomatoes, a bowl of fabulousness bringing together many of our all time favorite ingredients (avocado anyone??  ;).

I'll admit it took a bit of convincing, but when a carb-loving kid hesitantly takes a bite of a dish filled with only vegetables, turns your directions and utters, "Glorious... simply glorious.", a mom can't help but smile.

Thanks also to OXO for making me smile and reading my mind to making my spiralizing dreams come true with the twist of a hand (and not clutter on my counter).  I see twirly carrots, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, beets etc,. etc., etc., in my future!

Grilled Corn California Mexican Quinoa

Homework... I thought it was a thing of the past.  But faced with an end of semester Spanish ll project including "creating a recipe with origins in a Spanish speaking country, photographing it and researching the ingredients" I volunteered to help when Liv needed to finish an ACT practice test.  (This has been the summer of extra "get-ahead" work for this girl...)  Recipes, photos and ingredient research, all kind of right up my alley.

Living in San Diego just 52 miles from the Mexican Border where Mexican food is akin to life itself, Mexico became our Spanish speaking country of choice.

Now for ingredients... corn?  Historians believe that people living in what we now call Central Mexico developed corn over 7,000 years ago.  Known as Maize, the corn didn't look, exactly as it does today, but the cobs with small kernels farther apart became a crop the Indians of South as well as North America heavily depended upon for much of their food.

As important as corn was to the indiginous Mexicans, so were beans, and you will find much of Mexican food based on these two ingredients.  Apparently neither food on it's own provides a full complement of amino acids needed for protein synthesis, however put the the two together they do.

More recently, cilantro and lime have become known a quintessential Mexican ingredients.  While they may not have thousands of years of history in the country, it's said that the conquistadors brought coriander seeds, cilantro, to Mexico in the 1500's.  And as for limes, Mexico has been the largest exporter of the fruit since at least the 1950's.

Next we have my beloved avocado.  Said to be a native of Mexico, the fruit is believed to have originated in the state of Puebla, Mexico where the oldest avocado artifacts have been found - dating back to 10,000 BC.  Today though, California produces over 90% of the cultivated avocado crop.

Jalapeño... it's name taken from the Jalapa, the capital city of Veracruz Mexico, the jalapeño is the most widely grown chili in the country and has a history dating back to the Aztecs who smoked the chiles to preserve them.

And lastly quinoa.  While not exactly from Mexico, quinoa originates from the mountains of Peru and Bolivia - which are both Spanish speaking countries and therefore fit our homework bill.

And there we have it.  A dish filled with modern and historical Mexican ingredients which are also popular in California and considered quintessential Mexican Cuisine.  Mix them all together and we simply have what I call "dinner".  The leftovers??  We call them "lunch".  My homework here is done.

Super Potato Bowls (Bites) with Salsa, Black Beans and Avocado

The Super Bowl... what does it mean to you?  Football?  Shopping?  Commercials?

For me Super Sunday has evolved over the years.  As I find myself ever so slightly older than the Super Bowl itself, I don't have many childhood memories of the event, but entering my 20's the Super Bowl stood for one thing... Joe.  Montana that is.

You may remember him... handsome, young guy who could do no wrong (in my eyes) with a football in his hands.  Total calm under pressure, Joe led the 49ers to 31 fourth quarter comeback wins in addition to 4 Super Bowl Championships.  Nicknamed "Joe Cool", Montana remained a vision of calmness in the midst of chaos and simply marched his team down the field to earn those final few points necessary for the expected win.

ESPN's Larry Schwartz describes it best:

"Take the 1989 Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. The San Francisco 49ers were down by three points with 3:20 left when Montana spotted -- no, not an open receiver -- but a personality. "There, in the stands, standing near the exit ramp," Montana said to tackle Harris Barton. "Isn't that John Candy?" And then he led the 49ers 92 yards, throwing for the winning touchdown with 34 seconds left."

Cool and calm under pressure, that's how I'd like to think of myself handling the appetizers at one of our Super Bowl Extravaganzas, and these Super Potato Bowls, much like Dwight Clark or Jerry Rice, make my job easy.

Roasted until tender, potato bowls are filled with either homemade or store bought salsa with added black beans.  These super potato bowls are then topped with diced avocado (did you know that Super Sunday sees the consumption of more than 158 million avocados?) and chopped cilantro... add a squeeze of lime if you like, then sit back and watch these bites disappear faster than Joe could have turned around a score in the last few minutes of a game.

Smashed Avocado Toast with Oiled Tomatoes (and lots of pepper!)

Standing on the deck, our group of 11 huddled into our jackets as the ship turned towards the looming volcano, Stromboli.  The Captain had promised (with reservations) a fantastic show if we made our way up to the bridge at 3:15 AM - not an easy feat after a few glasses of the ever flowing champagne that had been served at dinner aboard the Seabourn Legend.


However this seemed to be one of those not to be missed, once in a lifetime moments that deserved the effort of pulling myself out of the warm bed.  And it was.  Some 20 minutes after arriving to the bridge, the Captain began a short apology, saying perhaps the volcano may be sleeping as well... and with that comment the sky lit up a brilliant orange as a fireball of lava launched into the air and then dripped down the sides of the volcano.  And then it did it again... and again!!  And it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.  Truly, a once in a lifetime moment forever embedded in my memory.

Thankfully, some experiences in life are equally as fabulous, but not reserved for only once in a lifetime.  For example... Smashed Avocado Toast.  Add a few chopped up tomatoes drizzled with Italian olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and lots and lots of pepper and you have the:  Best.  Breakfast.  Ever.

You may be aware of  my complete and true California avocado love, but my family somehow doesn't embrace the fruit on quite the same level.  They like avocado, but I don't know as they would profess their undying love for it.

With health benefits abound, avocados bring high doses of vitamins K, C, B5, B6 and E in addition to folate and potassium, and living in California we have a near year round avocado season which keeps my avo bowl full at all times.  And I work tirelessly to incorporate my beloved avocados into our daily meals.

Trying to fill my girl with various plants every day I suggested my favorite smashed avo toast and she wrinkled her nose.  "No thanks..." was her answer, "How about toast with butter instead?"

But I insisted.  I've had a small can of Nudo Olive Oil with Basil on my counter which had been sent to me for an upcoming post, and I've been experimenting with it.  Being a food blogger often brings things into my life that I would never have otherwise known about, and this is one of those cases where I'm so happy I discovered this product!  More to come.

In any case... we tossed our organic farmers market cherry tomatoes in the olive oil and gently spooned them over the smashed avocado (on nicely toasted sourdough bread - but I must say a nice hearty, seedy bread works beautifully as well), then topped it all off with a sprinkle of Pink Himalayan Salt and lots and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Liv gave me an "I'm not so sure about this look..." then hesitantly took a bite.  Her eyes told the whole story as they opened wide and the worried lines on her forehead completely disappeared.

She took another bite, and then another, then looked up and said, "It's so good.  It's just so, so good..." as she finished the piece and promptly asked for another.

An easy recipe that I almost didn't share, but I've had so many people say, "I've never thought of that!" that I wanted to get this out there.

This is one of those experiences that ranks up there with those once in a lifetime moments, but luckily this one you can enjoy everyday.

Piña-vocado Smoothies from Kathy Patalsky's 365 Vegan Smoothies

Tuesday Morning Instagram!

Smoothies... our go-to fuel when we need to hit the road fast.  Easy to pop into a blender, easy to fill with that rainbow of fruits and veggies, and in a word, good.  Since my kids were wee ones I've counted on the smoothie or blended juice to get in the greens they won't eat and to help fuel their day with plant-based ingredients.  But after time I'll admit my smoothie repertoire tends to get a bit repetitive.  Until now.

We've talked about of blog mail in the past, and last week a box popped open to reveal my very own copy of 365 Vegan Smoothies by the esteemed Kathy Patalsky.  I've long been a fan of Kathy's blog, Happy. Healthy. Life, and I'm now a fan of her Smoothie Book.  With 365 plant-filled recipes she's single-handedly breathed a breath of fresh air into our days.

Opening her vibrant book, I got all the way to recipe number 6 before finding the recipe to I wanted to post, the Piña-vocado.  Featuring frozen pineapple and banana, it was the addition of my beloved avocado that stopped me in my tracks and had me heading to the blender.  Topped with a sprinkle of tropical coconut, the kids gratefully accepted their snack on the run.

But we didn't stop there!!  Since receiving the book we've experimented with new tastes almost daily and in the process we've increased our rainbow of fruit and veggie by leaps and bounds.  For example... the Spicy Cantaloupe Cooler brings a lovely hue of orange which contrasts with the Blueberry Island Kiss that transported us for a few moments to a sandy beach in the islands.

Spotted bananas... prized by smoothie makers and bakers everywhere!!  Can't use them fast enough?  Peel, slice into 1-inch rounds and freeze.  (slice into a zip top bag, then spread flat in the freezer for easier use)

But Kathy doesn't stop with just fruited versions.  The Almond Butter Morning shake has become a favorite of mine bringing a dose of protein to the cup with a balanced blend of protein, fat and complex carbs that keeps me fueled for hours.

And 365 Vegan Smoothies isn't just for vegans, it's plant-based foods that will help you blend your way to health and wellness all year round, and is perfect for anyone with a penchant for smoothies.  I think Kathy sums it up best:

"Creating and drinking a tall, frosty, beautiful smoothie is an act of pure bliss.  You start by gathering a few of your favorite healthy ingredients.  Then after a quick swirl in a blender, those ingredients spin into brand new delicious creations.  I look at smoothies as a daily boost.  In one colorful glass you are getting a wide rainbow of nutrients."

With a chapter on "Smoothies 101" Kathy covers all the smoothie basics including kitchen tips, equipment and ingredients.  The pages then take the reader through smoothie themes including Detox Smoothies to start the year of right, and then moves on to Energizing, Slim-down, Calming, Healthy Digestion, Heart Health, Anti-aging and even Beauty Smoothies.  Each recipe includes a full summary of the smoothie's nutritional profile and Kathy goes on to explain the benefits of the included ingredients.  What more could a smoothie-maker want??

Oh... what about pretty pictures??  I'm a sucker for a book with beautiful photography, and while not every smoothie has been photographed, the book is splashed with eye-candy and brilliant colors.

Our thanks to Kathy for sharing her book with us, and for bringing new life to our blended drinks.  We're on a goal to keep up our rainbow every day and with her smoothies we're well on our way.

Grilled Tomato Pasta Salad with Corn and California Avocado

As we've seen time and again, life can change in a mere moment.  Last week a leisurely beach walk left my husband and I wondering where we should head to lunch.  Then my phone exploded with texts from my kids at school showing photos of billowing smoke along with a query if our house was OK.  Little did we know the last 10 minutes had brought an eruption of flames less than a mile from our house.  Peering out the back window smoke clouded the sky and adrenaline kicked in.

Luckily for us, the westerly Santa Ana winds blew the fast moving fire away from us, but what we viewed as luck turned to devastation for others.  Hot and extremely dry conditions exasperated by the strong winds whipped the fire into a true fire storm in minutes and displaced thousands of residents as evacuation orders were sent by local authorities.  Homes, businesses and schools had people fleeing the flames as fire crews fought valiantly to control the fire.

Fire behind, fire in front...

While any loss is devastating, our incredible fire fighters saved hundreds of homes and businesses as well as a local school with no loss of life.  Stories of flames licking back fences have been common, but the fire crews in combined efforts with water dropping helicopters stopped the flames in their tracks for nearly all buildings.  Losses do include 18 apartment units and 3 single family homes, and the outpouring of support from our community continues to this day.

Evacuations lasted up to 24 hours for most residents, and families did what they could to grab pets and valuables before leaving their homes.  With panic to regroup, parents did what they could to gather kids from schools and reunite at a safe place, and our home became just such a meeting place.

Instructing my son to bring home Liv and a close girlfriend of hers they also stopped at another school to gather her friend's sister while the mom struggled through traffic to find her other daughter evacuating from the school in the fire's path.  Bringing their two pups and bunnies to our house they weathered the storm here and we made the best of it while keeping a close eye on the smoke direction as well as the constant fire news on the tv.

As my plans to head to Trader Joe's evaporated with the events of the day, a rummage through the kitchen found fresh tomatoes, avocados, and corn.  Running low on pasta, I don't think I've ever been so thankful for my job as a food blogger as I remembered a gift box from one of my favorite grain companies, Hodgson Mill.

Just a week or so earlier, Hodgson Mill had sent me a few packages of a new whole grain pasta to try.  Pulling out the bag of Ultragrain Penne with Quinoa, evacuation time and a captive audience seemed to be the perfect occasion.

Bringing our veggies outside to the grill we grilled the tomatoes and corn as the pasta simmered.  Fresh basil from the garden brought a freshness to the salad, and watermelon and a quickly tossed together focaccia rounded out our meal.

Grilled tomatoes... they are done when the skins wrinkle and pull off when touched

The verdict??  Absolutely fabulous!!  None of us had had good luck with whole grain pastas in the past, but this version brought a perfect al dente bite and a rich pasta flavor that had everyone, including the kids digging in for seconds.  As our friends returned to their home safe and sound later that evening, compliments abound for our tossed together dinner.

A big thank you to Hodgson Mill for feeding us during the fires!  You truly have a few new Multigrain Quinoa Pasta fans, and you can bet I'll be stocking up on pasta on my next trip to the store.

Classic Guacamole

Guacamole... it's a staple here in our San Diego household, and now that my avocado source is back, fresh guac is a nearly daily event.  However this beloved condiment has never made its way to Liv Life, and after a comment from one of Liv's girlfriends requesting "just the basics" we're fixing that omission.

While so many recipes focus on "alternative" guacamole ingredients featuring everything from mango to bacon, this classic version brings basic ingredients and is easily adaptable to what you have on hand or to your personal preferences.  Simply start with the basics, then add, delete or enhance as your heart or taste buds direct you.

First up and most obvious... the Avocado.  Often receiving a bad rap due to its high fat content, the avocado does indeed bring 85% of its calories from fat.  However... the fat found in avocados is monounsaturated (considered a good fat - in moderation!!) which can help lower levels of cholesterol thereby reducing your risk of stroke and heart disease.

Packing an average of 4 grams of protein per fruit, avos are a good vegetarian protein source that is also low in sugars.  In addition, avocados are an excellent source of potassium (containing more per weight than bananas) and bring numerous vitamins including k, b, c and e.  What's not to love??

Next up, our classic recipe brings onion.  Prefer red over yellow or a sweet white over either of the other two?  The choice is yours and each choice will bring your own signature to your guacamole recipe.

A prized member of the lily family, onions not only bring big flavor but  health benefits as well.  With the potential to help regulate blood sugar, bring anti-inflammatory benefits, help reduce cholesterol and enhance immunity, chopping a decent amount into your guacamole can be a good thing.

And then we have lime... oh yes, my beloved lime.  I think my favorite fruit of all time simply due to its fresh, tart flavors, this citrus (along with the others) is an excellent source of vitamin c.

And while perhaps not totally "classic" in traditional recipes, I add a small handful of chopped tomato to our guacamole.  Not only does it look pretty, but tomatoes add even more nutrition as a good source of vitamins a, k, c, folate and potassium.  On top of that they add a nice freshness to the dip and give a nice contrasting color.

To finish off our flavorings, we adore a few tablespoonfuls of cilantro.  Again, not only just big flavor, cilantro brings a wealth of nutrition to the mix with powerful anti-inflammatory capacities that may help with arthritis, cleansing abilities that help remove unwanted metals and other toxic agents from the body from the body and the ability to aid with digestion.  It's more than just a little green leaf isn't it?

So... while we do need to love our guacamole in moderation, we can eat this fabulous dip knowing we are doing our body good.  Create a version that is all yours today and enjoy!  Tomorrow we bring you DIY low fat Baked Corn Tortilla Chips!!

Chocolate Avocado Mousse #dairyfree

Ahhh... Chocolate Mousse.  Creamy and chocolaty with a luscious, silky mouth feel, what could be better??  Well, if dairy doesn't work for you, just about anything other than this cream-filled concoction.

Chocolate Mousse, for me, goes back some 40+ years as I spent evenings at Dad's restaurant, The Windjammer, in Tiburon, CA.  With a requirement to finish either my steak or shrimp (I know...how spoiled was I?) along with my vegetables, Marcel, one of Dad's best waiters, would then treat me to a special Chocolate Mousse.  Creamy and decadent, I hadn't a clue the amount of calories in that heavenly concoction, and then it didn't matter.

Entering my 20's I learned to make the dessert myself with a friend's "old family recipe" from a grandmother in Germany.  I don't know who  first thought to put those 4 incredible ingredients of chocolate, cream, sugar and eggs together resulting in the silky, luscious mousse has my ultimate thanks. 

However, moving into my 40's the amount of cream-filled desserts in my diet has dwindled in favor of moderation and "waist management".  Add to that the fact that my kids don't digest dairy, and mousse hasn't found its way to our menu plan for over 10 years.  

Enter my beloved avocado.  Rich and creamy in its own right, did you know you can substitute avocado for butter in your baking?  Not only that, but we used a combo of avocado and avocado oil as a substitute for heavy cream in this fabulous mousse.  Bringing a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals, avocados in moderation can also work to help reduce cholesterol and fight against heart disease with their heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Lusciously creamy like its full cream cousin, no one will know your healthy secret when you serve this decadent Mousse for dessert.  Join me??

California Farm Tour and a California Mexican Rice Bowl

"Do you know where these vegetables come from?" A question I remember asking my kids years ago as we wandered the grocery store.  

"From the, uh, the vegetable store...?", was always their questioning answer.

The vegetable store indeed.  But where is that vegetable store?  Or the fruit store for that matter?

Just last week I received the answer to those questions as I participated in a behind the scenes tour of various farms in Southern California's Imperial and Coachella Valleys.  As guests of the California Farm Water Coalition, fellow bloggers Priscilla (She's Cookin'), Barbara (Barbara Cooks) and Jeanne (The Jolly Tomato),  and I visited local farms growing produce making up some 60% of our nation's winter supply.

Located in the very south of Southern California, the Imperial Valley boasts mild winter temperatures making it the perfect growing venue for winter vegetables including spinach, various types of lettuce, carrots, onions and broccoli, among numerous other varieties.

Every drop counts...

However, being part of a desert brings to the forefront the issue of an average 3 inches of rain per year, nowhere near enough water to grow crops to fill local packing plants with the necessary produce to supply much of the nation's food needs.  And with current California drought conditions making matters even worse, farms are doing everything in their power to irrigate crops as efficiently as possible.

While farming may seem like "big business", most of the farms in the valleys are still family owned, and many of these families have been farming their lands for generations.  Water scarcity in recent years however, has some farmers allowing their lands to go fallow for seasons, some seasons stretching into years.

The Faces of Farming

Our tour brought us to local farmers working hard to keep their crops fully watered while staying up to date on the most efficient irrigation standards for each particular crop.  From sprinklers to drip lines, the precious water flowing from the Colorado River to the valley's irrigation canals is used at maximum efficiency.  (Read more about our tour from the Imperial Valley Press)

LaBrucherie Spinach Field

J.P. LaBrucherie, a fourth generation farmer with LaBrucherie Produce, brought our team of bloggers to one of his El Centro spinach fields and took us through the life of a spinach seed from planting to packaging.  Beginning as one of 3.5 million seeds in an acre, a spinach plant takes some 30-45 days to harvest.  Irrigated with sprinklers, these plants thrive in the local warm winter climate. 

While we missed the actual harvest, J.P. described the scene with a machine slicing the tender leaves from the plant, essentially doing what needed a field of people in the past.  The plant is then left to re-grow, but as the remaining leaves may be somewhat damaged from the initial cutting and simply not as pretty as the first round, these leaves are then cut for frozen or chopped packaging.

As an side interesting note... have you ever noticed those slender leaves in your spinach bag?  I've always wondered if they were another plant somehow mixed in by accident, however they are actually the first little leaves to emerge from the spinach sprout.  Same plant, simply a different shape.

Moving on to lettuce, J.P. brought our team to his iceberg and romaine fields.  Entering the field the scent of fresh salad wafted around us as J.P. plucked heads from the ground, broke off the root end and and served up romaine crisper than any I've ever tasted.  Beautiful specimens are actually harvested by hand and packed right there at the field, a process I'd love to see in person one day.

Irrigated by furrows, the fields are tilted ever so slightly to encourage the water to flow from one end to another while keeping the produce dry and the roots wet.

Making our way toward the Coachella Valley, our next stop brought the heavenly scent of citrus blossoms as Dennis Jensen, of Seaview Packing, took us through lemon and orange groves.  With the groves nearing the end of the picking season new growth sprouted from the freshly manicured, squared off trees, and the fragrant blossoms brought the beginning of next year's crop to life.

Lemon... 2015!

Driving through the citrus grove our van broke out into a tropical palm filled paradise and we soon discovered "the date store".  Apparently I'm the last person to know that the gorgeous "Date Palm" is actually where dates come from.  Taking us through the life cycle of a date, Mr. Jensen explained the laborious process of rising into the spiky (I've heard the spikes can puncture car tires) trees some 8 times in a season to prune, pollinate, pick, etc.

Growing the popular Medjool and Deglet Noor (meaning Tree of Light) varieties, the palms provide a beautiful Garden (did you know a Date "Grove" is properly called a Date "Garden"?) and have piqued my interest in dates.  More on that in the weeks to come...

Moving on to the orange section of the farm, workers worked at picking the last of the beautiful Valencias from the heavily laden trees.

With a family-like familiarity, Mr. Jensen greeted workers with smiles and jolly laughs, and workers spoke with thankfulness and appreciation for the opportunities on this farm.  One woman in particular spoke how Mr. Jensen had passed his knowledge of the industry to her as they worked together and she now works in management at an adjacent farm.  Her contagious laugh had us all smiling right along with her.

Taking us through the groves Mr. Jensen passed out bags giving us the opportunity to pick and pack our own oranges showing that a certain skill is indeed necessary to pick quickly and properly so as not to injure the trees and branches or oneself.  Picking oranges in quantity is not quite as easy as it might seem.

Perfectly suited to drip irrigation, lines bring water directly to the root of the trees with no wastage in the process.

Automated to bring exactly what is needed, the water is pulled from the Coachella Canal, a branch of the All-American Canal, now a lined (it used to be an earthen canal,  and is now lined with cement) canal to eliminate seepage while flowing, farmers open aqueducts to bring water into ponds which is then readily available when needed.

Coachella Canal

Making our way passed the Salton Sea, a "sea" with a fabulous history of its own, our team made its next stop with Ellen Way of Prime Time Packing.  Another generational family farmer (her family has been farming since the 1700's), Ellen's quick smile and passion for agriculture exuded from every part of her as she took us through the life cycle of a pepper plant.

The largest Pepper Grower in California, Prime Time doesn't take its title of "The Pepper People" lightly.  Bringing green, red and yellow peppers to market nearly 365 days a year, Prime Time uses conventional fields as well as hothouses screened with mesh to assure the marketplace receives high quality peppers.

"One of the richest growing regions in the world, this fertile ground and warm climate are ideal for the demands of growing premium-quality peppers. Coachella Valley is the base of Prime Time's operations. Peppers are grown both in spring and fall seasons."
Prime Time

Actually a fruit, tiny peppers form after the plant flowers.  Grown conventionally in an open field, "plastic covered beds are used to cover the ground to aid in water conservation, weed control and to protect the fruit from direct soil exposure. Modern drip irrigation systems are utilized as well as the latest cultural technology."

Hence, each little plant gets its own personal water spout and is fed and watered just the perfect amount to bring big, beautiful peppers to our markets.

And then there are the hot house varieties.  Thicker walled peppers are cultivated in mesh hot houses which allows the pepper production season to stretch year round.  Hot houses bring a longer growing season, disease and insect as well as inclement weather protection and as much as 4 times the crop when compared to conventional methods.  However, those benefits come at a cost of some 4 times as much as conventional methods.

Prime Time's conventional pepper fields - Coachella Valley

With three completely different yet very similar farms under my belt, I returned home with a new appreciation for how important farmers are to our livelihood.  We may not think of them often, but they are indeed a daily part of our lives responding to our desires without us even fully realizing it.  Here's hoping the rains see fit to drop a little rain on our parched state to keep these farmers farming.  For more information see the California Farm Water Coalition... Food grows where water flows! 

With peppers on my mind, a few gorgeous red beauties found their way onto my grill for one of our favorite, yet very simple meals.  Filled with grilled peppers (I have a feeling the are from Prime Time...!), grilled onions (probably from the Imperial Valley), brown rice, beans and a loads of fresh ingredients (including ripe avocado most likely from one of my favorite farms in Temecula), this Mexican Rice Bowl has earned a spot on the favorite list.  Join me?  And when you get the chance... thank a farmer.