I try very hard to be a locavore and eat seasonally (with some exceptions like cacao, maca, coconuts, bananas and a few other things), and one of my favorite things about my raw food journey has been discovering more foods that I never even knew existed. Ever since I was little, I was always drawn towards unusual looking fruits and vegetables and wanted to try everything I saw. I would pick random flowers and take a bite to see if they taste good, or nibble on the edge of a plant while hiking. But this year, I took that to entirely new levels and actively sought out new kinds of fruits with a consuming passion I had apparently barely scratched the surface of. Instead of just trying them, I hunted for knowledge and tried to learn more about them then their names and flavors. I learned food origins, what kind of climates (Northern California has a gazillion micro-climates which means we can grow a diverse array of food) they grow best in, how to care for them, the duration of their growing seasons and a million other things you probably don't care to know. ;) There is an abundance of local, seasonal foods and trying to figure out what to do with all of them is so fun and exciting!
I already shopped at the farmers market almost every week, as well as at my favorite local co-op, Rainbow Grocery, but going raw has forced me to dig even deeper into that connection. It has made me want to reach out to more local farms and has helped put a face on the people who grow my food for me until I can buy some land to grow my own. It reminds me that we are all part of one system working together and that each delicate piece has its place and they all matter, which makes us and all our decisions so unbelievably powerful. Nothing is inconsequential.
So thanks to Swift Subtropicals for growing these gems just a few hours from my home, which allowed me to concoct this delicious smoothie this morning. Locally grown feijoas in December? Yes, please!
Blackberry & Feijoa Smoothie
2 cups walnut milk
4 Medjool dates
4 apricot kernels
1/2 pint blackberries
3 Feijoas (peeled)
1/2 a banana
2 Tablespoons cacao nibs
1/2 teaspoon raw honey
1 Madagascar vanilla pod
Put all ingredients in blender and blend well.
