Fresh Healthful Eating for the New Year

Are you trying to eat healthier in 2023? That is the most common New Year’s Resolution in North America! We’ve all been there, and we know that “eating healthy” doesn’t just mean cutting down on chips and soda. Trying to improve our diets can be the gateway to a lifelong journey of discovery about plants, animals, our own bodies, and the communities that surround us. Not to say that we’re experts, but collectively, Cowop members and staff have definitely spent over 10,000 hours learning and talking about food! Here are some tidbits from us, to inspire you in this new year of healthful eating:

* Did you know serotonin is produced in the small intestine? Keep those guts healthy with good bacteria, and you might notice your mood improve! Natural probiotics found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut can also help heal digestive issues. Cow-op carries sauerkraut from Thorsten’s Authentic Foods, Kimchi from Farm Table Foods, and pickled local veggies from That’s My Jam and Farm’s Gate Foods.

* Juicing is the process of extracting the highly nutrientdense juice from fresh produce. It separates the liquid from the roughage found in fruits and vegetables so that the body can assimilate this infusion of concentrated nutrition. When creating a juice for maximum health benefits, start with a base of leafy green vegetables such as kale, chard, spinach or parsley. Tip: add carrot for sweetness, lemon for brightness, and ginger for some zing. Berries and apples are the best fruits to add to your green juice base, as they contain natural constituents such as quercetin, which help the body metabolize sugars, and improve insulin resistance. How sweet is that?! Pack the freezer with antioxidant-rich Elderberries from Wise Elder Elderberry Farm for future juicing.

* Unlike many fresh fruits, Kiwis are at their peak in the Winter, and they don’t have to come from New Zealand – they grow beautifully here on Vancouver Island! Cow-op managed to source Saanich- grown Organic Kiwis again this year, so grab some of these fibre-rich fuzzy little guys now while they’re in season!

* Smoothies are a fun way to incorporate a variety of concentrated nutritional powerhouses in the form of powdered greens. We are stoked about powdered microgreen mixes from Botanacine and A&S Microgreens. * The nutrients in any plantbased food start to break down the moment it is harvested. So, a bag of salad greens from California that has been sitting in transport trucks, storage coolers, and grocery store display fridges for weeks before reaching your bowl is not going to contain as much ‘healthy stuff’ as the greens you can purchase on Cow-op.ca, which in most cases are cut from plants in the field less than 72 hours before arriving at your door. The key to eating healthy is to Buy Local, Buy Fresh!

Find us at the Duncan Farmer’s Market on Saturdays!

Charcuterie, Grazing Boxes and Entertaining Ideas www.picklespantry.ca I 250-266-2464 250-266-2464

FRESH FOR THE NEW YEAR

By Sandy Gray and Laura BoydClowes