Fall 2020 Edition: The Wellness Issue

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ISSUE 74 • FALL 2020

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Ojai & Ventura County CELEBRATING LOCAL FOOD & DRINK, SEASON BY SEASON

The Wellness Issue CAMARILLO • FILLMORE • MOORPARK OJAI • OXNARD • PORT HUENEME • SANTA PAULA SIMI VALLEY • THOUSAND OAKS • VENTURA • WESTLAKE VILLAGE MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

safely feeding you is our specialty

Ojai Alisal is nestled in the rolling hills of the upper Ojai Valley and guarded by the majestic Topa Topa mountains. Our beautiful south-facing vineyards dotted with sycamores (or Alisal in Spanish) and California walnuts are touched by strong daily breezes, bringing the spirit of the Rhone region to California.

Locally Sourced . Chef Inspired Seasonal Creations Vibrant EdibleAmbiance Summer . Winemaker Events . Dinner Specials Wine Tasting . Artisan Market . Cheese + Charcuterie Handcrafted wines using only Ojai grown grapes 805-640-3837 www.ojaialisal.com

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Visit ParadisePantry.com for our always fresh daily specials.

805 641 9440 • 222 East Main Street • Ventura California 93001

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

CONTENTS

FALL 2020

2 EDITOR’S LETTER 4 EDIBLE NOTES Ojai Wild | Sanders & Sons | ZEF BBQ

10 MUST BE 21 Ventura Spirits

13 TASTES LIKE FALL 13 Let Your Autumn Flavors Flower

BY MICHELLE GERRARD AND ELIZABETH COHN

18 Edible Flowers of Fall

BY MARK DONOFRIO

20 FOOD AS MEDICINE Eat Your way to Glowing Skin

BY COLEEN JANEWAY

26 EDIBLE INK Feast for the Eyes

28 NUTRITION TIPS 29 Prebiotic Breakfast Cookies

30 NUTRITIOUS MOVEMENT Ways to Move More for Your Holiday Meal

BY KATY BOWMAN

32 ECO-WELLNESS Dammed If They Don’t

BY LESLIE BAEHR

38 GROW BIZ Farmivore Delivers Fresh Local Produce to Your Door

BY BONNIE RUBRECHT

42 FARMERS’ MARKETS & CSAs 44 SOURCE GUIDE 46 LOCAL GUIDE TO GOOD EATS & DRINKS 48 LAST BITE Pumpkin Lasagna EdibleVenturaCounty.com

COVER

ON THIS PAGE

Photo by Mariah Green.

Photo by Mariah Green.

Edible flowers can live three lives: first as a pollinator attraction, second as a bouquet and third as a garnish or flavor for your fall dishes. See stories on pages 13–19 for ways to use flowers to spruce up your food.

Can you identify each of these flowers? Check your skill on pages 18–19. Flowers here and on the cover provided by Mark Donofrio at The Starter Farm.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

WELLNESS.

T

his issue of Edible Ojai and Ventura County, of particular interest to me personally, was planned long before there was a pandemic, before mass business closures (temporary or otherwise), before California started burning (again), and before so much anxiety had grown surrounding the upcoming election. But now, the topic of wellness is more crucial than at any time in recent history.

As I sit on a beach in Ventura penning this letter—drinking in the sounds of the waves and the smells of the ocean—I realize that “wellness” means different things to different people. It might be a regularly scheduled spa day or massage, a daily hike or surf session, a focus on nutrition or diet, or even just surrounding yourself with people that you love. (On the beach? Even better!)

To me, having studied this a bit in recent years, wellness is the result of a lifestyle of caring for one’s self, for others and for the land. It takes time, energy and the cultivation of practices that include self-kindness, compassion and empathy for others and eco-awareness and activism. It isn’t easy, I think, but it can be delightfully fun.

Based on what I have been hearing and seeing from people lately, I would say that the world we find ourselves in now is filling many of us with a deep weariness. Maybe we don’t focus so much on wellness because there is so much else to worry about. Maybe our yoga studios and hiking trails have been closed.

Maybe the stress of figuring out work and living in the midst of the COVID mess has us distracted and despairing or even angry.

Cancer survivor and inspirational author Greg Anderson says, “The concept of total wellness recognizes that our every thought, word, and behavior affects our greater health and well-being. And we, in turn, are affected not only emotionally but also physically and spiritually.” Plenty of research has shown that our physical being (even health) is directly affected by our thoughts, feelings and beliefs.

For me, this is an incredibly empowering idea! I know that “positive thinking” is the go-to when folks think of ways to shift their mind-set but I think it is actually much deeper. What if we focused instead on just an acceptance of what we were feeling, a patience for where we currently are (and where others are) and a gentle compassion for our process? Would it change our circumstances? No, but it might change the way we view them.

Obviously, a single issue of this magazine is not going to touch on every aspect of wellness or do more than scratch the surface. So we are sharing just a taste of some practical ways to seek wellness. For the mind, I share some of my favorite books that might help on the journey (page 26). For the body, we offer some great tips on moving more for your holiday meal (page 30)—and they might not be what you think! For the diet, we have tips and recipes to support everything from glowing skin to digestive health. And for the land, we explore how nature might hold the key to reducing the effects of wildfires and building better soil for farming (page 32).

As you read these pages, consider the advice I recently heard from Eric Quinn Hargrove, co-founder of Corky’s Nuts: “We need to focus on our own signal, not the noise from everything else.”

May this fall bring you peace, wellness and good eating!

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Tami Chu COPY EDITOR

Doug Adrianson DESIGN

Cheryl Angelina Koehler CONTRIBUTORS

Leslie Baehr | Katy Bowman Tami Chu | Wendy Coyle Mark Donofrio | Michelle Gerard Coleen Janeway Bonnie Rubrecht Gisa Seeholzer ILLUSTRATORS

Claudia Pardo PHOTOGRAPHERS

Viktor Budnik | Tami Chu Michelle Gerard | Mariah Green RECIPE TESTER

Sarene Wallace SALES

Mary DiCesare SUBSCRIBE, ADVERTISE OR GET IN TOUCH

Edible Ojai & Ventura County 2470 Stearns St. #142 Simi Valley, CA 93063 805-622-9355 info@edibleventuracounty.com EdibleVenturaCounty.com Founded 2002 by Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian, Edible Ojai & Ventura County is published seasonally, four times a year.

We are an advertising- and subscribersupported publication, locally and independently owned and operated and a member of Edible Communities, Inc. Distribution is throughout Ventura County and by subscription for $28 per year. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and let us know.

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

Farmer At Roan Mills we grow and process organic, heritage wheat in California and preserve the individual identity of the wheat variety throughout the process.

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Enjoy Pizza Fridays!

We’re Wheating For You Visit the Roan Mills Bakery 411 Central Ave. Fillmore Learn more at RoanMills.com

TIME

for

INFINITY

BIODYNAMIC BOTANICALS TEA STUDIO & GIFTS B Y A P P O I N TM E N T O R O N L I N E AT C LU B M A G I C H O U R . C O M

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EDIBLE NOTES

OJAI WILD AWAKENS THE SENSES WITH NATURE’S PURE ESSENCE

BY GISA SEEHOLZER | PHOTOS BY MARIAH GREEN

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n 2017, Janna Sheehan was invited to design a scent that embodied the spiritual essence of Ojai Valley for the “We Are Spiritual Machines” exhibit at the Porch Gallery in Ojai. At the time Janna had been working on her first line of products, called Trance Essence, which used a more traditional way of formulating fragrances using aroma chemicals and essential oils. The exhibit inspired her to formulate a scent that was derived straight from nature; this was the birth of Ojai Wild.

Janna describes herself as an artist, fragrance formulator and alchemist first, and brand founder second. “What inspires me daily is the act of creation, from growing plants to breaking them down in my lab and distillery and starting it all over again. Ojai Wild is 100% natural and functional—no chemicals. They don’t just mimic nature, they are nature.”

The botanicals used by Ojai Wild are harvested seasonally, crushed, pressed and soaked to render the unadulterated essence of the plant.

“This essence is then enshrined by highlighting it in a harmonious blend of other natural raw materials: essential oils, resins and roots, giving it the context of a sophisticated, complex fragrance composition. Ojai Wild delivers the sublime, vibrant harmonies of nature to your skin with the aromatherapeutic qualities of plant medicine—supporting energy and promoting balance,” says Janna.

Ojai Wild is a literal breath of fresh air in the world of colognes and body care products. Janna describes it as a “complete departure from the industrial complex of the fragrance world as we’ve known it since the 1920s.”

Fragranced products that are “industrial complex” have been associated with a range of adverse health effects. An individual fragrance in a product can be a mixture of several dozen to several hundred chemicals, most of which are synthetic compounds.

“Ojai Wild is a kind of Qi changer in that it has aromatherapeutic qualities that can give one an energetic ‘reset’ to the senses,” says Janna.

The colognes and body care products harmonize with one’s own body odor instead of masking it. According to Janna, this integration of body odor and natural scent from her products is very sexy.

“We are interested in accentuating the instinctual animal qualities that humans possess and how scent can empower this.

This is why we are expanding the product line in late 2020 from fragrance to include aromatic skin care and intimate wellness products that connect mind, body and spirit,” says Janna.

“Our definition of wellness is steeped in intimacy. Wellness is about connection to one’s innate essence or ‘animal spirituality,’ which happens in a profound way when you sync up with your partner’s physical being. That’s the next stage of scent-uality.”

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Ojai Wild’s products can be found locally at deKor & Co. in Ojai and online at OjaiWild.com.

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

Our Markets are OPEN to serve our community during this crisis with safety protocols in place.

WEDNESDAYS MIDTOWN VENTURA 2CEKÆ‚E 8KGY /CNN 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (TQPV 9GUV 2CTMKPI .QV QP /CKP 5VTGGV

THURSDAYS THOUSAND OAKS 6JG 1CMU /CNN 12 noon - 5:00 pm 'CUV 'PF 2CTMKPI .QV QP 9KNDWT 4QCF

WIC, CAL-FRESH/EBT & MARKET MATCH ACCEPTED HERE

www.vccfm.org

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SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN VENTURA %KV[ 2CTMKPI .QV 8:30 am - 12 noon 5CPVC %NCTC 5VTGGV 2CNO 5VTGGV

SUNDAYS 5#06# %.#4+6# %QNNGIG QH VJG %CP[QPU 8:30 am - 12 noon 2CTMKPI .QV 4QEMYGNN %CP[QP 4QCF

CONNECT WITH US . . . 805.529.6266 Follow our markets on Social Media by visiting our website at www.vccfm.org

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EDIBLE NOTES

SANDERS & SONS SERVES UP HAPPINESS IN A CONE

BY GISA SEEHOLZER

D

uring a family Thanksgiving visit to New York City in 2015, which was unexpectedly extended an additional week, Sanders Marvin and his three sons found themselves stuck in a tiny Airbnb studio in Manhattan with nothing to do. Sanders, an aerospace manufacturer, decided to take his boys for a citywide ice cream crawl.

They visited four to five artisanal ice cream shops each day, noting the different flavors, toppings, presentations and prices. When they returned home to Ojai, a plan began to form. At first, it included ice cream, but they soon realized that gelato was more appropriate for Ojai’s plethora of fresh organic produce and Mediterranean climate.

“I wanted to do something that I could do with them and build a business that could include my family and that makes people smile.

Gelato does just that,” says Sanders, whose first job was serving up ice cream at Sebastian Joe’s in Minnesota.

Before he knew it, Sanders was attending Carpigiani’s Gelato University in Bologna, Italy. He then studied ice cream making at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Agricultural Sciences and with Maria Coassin of Seattle’s Gelatiamo restaurant at Pike Place.

By 2017, Sanders & Sons Gelato was established.

Creating a delicious gelato is a delicate dance between talent and science. In his certified micro dairy in Ojai’s Bryant Circle, nestled between Revel Kombucha’s brewing kitchen and Magic Hour’s tea kitchen, Sanders was able to start developing gelato recipes made from scratch using local eggs, organic dairy products from Straus Creamery and fresh fruit from Churchill Orchard and the Ojai Farmers’ Market. For his more traditional flavors, Sanders sources pistachios from Sicily and hazelnuts from Piedmont, Italy.

“There is a difference between ice cream and gelato. My gelatos contain less fat, flavors are more seasonal and the texture is smoother and softer,” says Sanders. In fact, gelato contains about a quarter of fat than ice cream.

Luck was on Sanders’ side when a spot in the Arcade in downtown Ojai opened up just as he was partnering with nearby coffee shops and restaurants to sell his products locally. Specially ordered gelato equipment for the shop includes a state-of-the-art freezer made in Milan, specifically designed for gelato to keep each flavor at a consistent temperature.

The shop will feature six traditional flavors, including The Godfather Sicilian Pistachio, Cheeky Chocolate (dairy-free rich Valrhona chocolate in a coconut and cashew base, roasted almonds and Amarena cherry) and Topa Topa Tin Roof (a deconstructed hot fudge sundae with chocolate-covered peanuts in a white base); three seasonal flavors, including Hazelnut Coyote on Carne (Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon and ancho chilies) and raspberry chocolate chip; and three regularly rotating flavors, including Golden Milk with a blend of turmeric and warming Indian spices like cinnamon and cardamom in a white base.

Because COVID has temporarily delayed the shop opening, their gelato is currently being offered at Beacon Coffee in Ojai and Ventura and Ojai Rotie.

Sanders & Sons Gelato 334 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai

SANDERS MARVIN ON HOW HIS FAMILY MEMBERS “Earl (age 16) often does catering jobs with me. We joke that he will be in charge of the complaints department (not that we would need it). Hayes (14) has pinted gelato and is very good about precise measurements of recipes. Quinn (12) is more on the tasting side, though he also has stuck many stickers on our pints. Vida (10), my fiancée’s daughter, has worked in the lab for a large part of her summer. She has pinted, measured, stuck stickers as needed.

“All of the kids and my fiancée have been involved with the business since the beginnings, including the choice of name and logo. Obviously, there are a lot of requests to eat gelato, but they do help in very real ways. They all understand the basics of gelato making and can measure the recipes and run most of the machines. They work on the packing of pints. When our shop opens, I expect they will work on weekends. My fiancée, Gabriela, helps out too.”

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Photo courtesy of Sanders Marvin

HELP OUT WITH THE BUSINESS

MAKES A GRE AT GIFT!

A Taste of Ojai, Flavors of the Valley, the third in the A Taste of California Series, contains more than 75 recipes for cocktails, appetizers, salads, main courses, side dishes, desserts, and more!

AVA I L A B L E F O R P U R C H A S E AT W W W.P R I VAT E C H E F R O B I N.C O M

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EDIBLE NOTES

ZEF BBQ TURNS LEMONS INTO BARBECUE WITH A TWIST

BY GISA SEEHOLZER

L

ogan Sandoval, who grew up in Simi Valley and “barely graduated from high school by the skin of his teeth,” graduated from the Art Institute of California–Los Angeles Culinary School with a 4.2 GPA. When he was a young boy, Logan would bus tables for the sports bar where his mother worked. One night, the fry guy didn’t show up and the kitchen manager asked if Logan would like to work the station. Logan asked for more pay, the kitchen manager agreed and the “rest was history,” Logan says.

After culinary school Logan worked at a couple fine-dining restaurants throughout Los Angeles, then began working in hotels and traveling across the country. “I’ve worked in some incredible places that have molded me into the chef and the person I am today,” he says.

After losing his job due to the pandemic, Logan had to find a way to provide for himself and his family. They returned home to Simi Valley and took a hard look at the demographic. ZEF BBQ, born in Sandoval’s Chicago backyard just a year ago, found a new home and a warm welcome in Ventura County.

“Zef is a term that was born out of post-apartheid times in

South Africa,” explains Logan. “To me and many others, the term means that you literally don’t care what anyone else thinks of you; like, you represent yourself in your [cooking], in how you dress, in how you think, how you speak.

That’s ZEF.” ZEF BBQ at its core is traditional Central Texas barbecue, cooked low and slow with back-to-basics cuts of meat—brisket, plate ribs, pork ribs, chicken—but with a different twist on each of their dishes.

“We use influences from cuisines all around the world. Everything from Latin America, the Middle East, Pacific Island cultures and even California cuisine. We try to keep our BBQ as unique as possible to try and not be like every other BBQ joint,” says Logan. “We’ve done everything from tacos to smoked fried rice to curry and even scratch ramen. We like to keep it ‘ZEF’!”

Logan’s dishes are not the only thing that has big flavors. His personality really influences the barbecue and other dishes he creates.

“I like to call it ‘sophisticated stoner food,’” he says.

ZEF BBQ takes weekly orders every Wednesday online at 10am for Saturday pickup. Items are available for purchase on Saturdays until they sell out, which happens quickly, so they encourage everyone to order ahead of time.

Photo courtesy ZEF BBQ

Follow ZEF BBQ on Instagram or Facebook @zef_hawaiian.

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Edible Ojai & Ventura County

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MUST BE 21

Ventura Spirits Captures Local Bounty in a Bottle

BY WENDY COYLE PHOTOS BY MARIAH GREEN

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trip to our local craft distillery is a journey to the brave new world of spirits. Not the esoteric, otherworldly realm, but the ancient art of distillation, taking the harvest’s abundance and applying esoteric alchemy to transform Ventura County’s cornucopia of fruits and grains into delectable alcoholic beverages that are most divine.

Despite its ethereal name, Ventura Spirits is very down-to-earth.

Earthy, in fact—using sustainable agricultural practices, local and wild-crafted sources and highlighting SoCal/Central Coast natives and favorites: Valencia oranges, lemons, strawberries, prickly pear cactus, agave, sage and more.

Spinning their story of science, history and craft distilling is tasting room manager Brad Miller. During distillation, “off comes this vapor,” says Miller. “That’s where the word ‘spirit’ comes from.

Monks and priests were some of the first members of society to practice distillation. The vapor rising from a cauldron of wine or beer can easily be interpreted as the ‘spirit’ rising from the wine, which when captured as it condenses, offers a purer expression of the soul, or spirit, of the wine. Distillation does go back thousands of years and was often used in medicinal and religious practices.”

Ventura Spirits’ unique products include Wilder Gin, Haymaker’s Vodka, Strawberry Brandy, Prickly Pear Brandy and Limoncello, but none points to fall more than the Amaro Angeleno, a bitter liqueur in the vein of the Italian classic Aperol, with a bright note from Valencia orange peel, native botanicals, herbs and calming herbal tea. It’s 10

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balanced with a subtle, floral finish, perfect alone or mixed, making it adaptable and well-suited to Ventura County’s lingering hot days and cooler nights.

Starring the popular Amaro, a brand new Angeleno Spritz, with an anticipated release on or near Labor Day, is being offered as a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage. This sparkling cocktail will be sold as a six-pack of single-serving cans (200ml or 6.7 ounces), is perfect to take to the beach or serve with barbecue and is delicious over ice or straight from the can.

In the works is the long-anticipated whisky, currently aging in oak barrels stacked to the ceiling in their basement warehouse. Indicative of Ventura Spirits’ commitment to sustainable agriculture is their use of the rare perennial Kernza grass, which reduces waste, soil degradation, erosion and carbon footprint.

Constantly adapting to changing market situations, especially COVID-19 restrictions when their tasting room tours had to be shut down, gave rise to some new and exciting projects from the distillery.

Ventura Spirits produced large quantities of hand sanitizers, which they donated to multiple local organizations, including first responders, Ventura County Medical Center, Ventura Food Share and more. Now they sell directly to businesses and individuals.

The company was also able to pivot to online purchases and shipments via their website, as well as curbside deliveries and inhouse purchases (masks required).

“The Cocktail Kits and Sample Pack Tasting Kit were deliberate Edible Ojai & Ventura County

SOCAL SIDECAR 1½ ounces Strawberry Brandy ¾ ounce Amaro Angeleno or orange liqueur ¾ ounce lemon juice Combine and shake with ice.

Strain into a coupe glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist or wheel.

WINTER SPRITZ This is a great way to enjoy a spritz into the cooler months. Lambrusco adds depth and warmth that starts to speak to fall with the rosemary.

2 ounces Lambrusco 1 ounce Amaro Angeleno ½ ounce Carpano Antica Add above ingredients to a highball glass. Add ice and top with soda. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

attempts to help our guests find new ways to engage with our spirits from the safety and comfort of their homes,” says Miller. “We also started offering one hour Zoom Tastings for $15 as an add-on to the Tasting Kit to further engage with our guests.”

Local connections led to community events like the Thirsty Thursday livestreams with Visit Ventura (archived on their website).

One of those was a chocolate pairing featuring four spirits and four custom bonbons and truffles from Ex Voto Chocolates and Confections. The second was four ice creams paired with four spirits, all of which could be purchased before the streaming date.

For more information, visit VenturaSpirits.com.

Wendy Coyle is a freelance writer/editor, earned a BA in journalism at University of California, Santa Cruz, and is interested in urban homesteading, organic gardening, natural healing/cooking, fermentation experimenting—currently cultivating kombucha, ginger bugs, water kefir, sauerkraut and beet kvass.

Opposite: Ventura Spirits tasting room and marketing manager Brad Miller (left) joined co-owner Anthony Caspry at the distillery’s fourplate pot still, where Caspry explains how they pump fermented low-alcohol liquid, such as beer or fruit wine, into the stainlesssteel kettle, where it is heated to vaporize the alcohol away from the water and other non-volatile components. The vapor rises up through chambers in the still’s short rectifying column, which work like micro-distillers. After cooling in the condenser, the spirit comes out as the reduced and refined final product.

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RESTAURANT

CATERING

SPEAKEASY

DINE WITH US UNDER THE STARS Join us for dinner on our patio and on the Heritage Square Plaza. The Sweet Life is here for you.

ORDER OUR DELICIOUS TAKE OUT See our online menus, extensive wine collection and our full bar serving Craft Cocktails.

Help to keep La Dolce Vita 1901 serving this community.

CATER YOUR DINNER CELEBRATION Social Distancing. Beautiful Setting. Exquisite Food and Bar. Can safely serve guests from 10 to 60+.

LaDolceVita1901.com Heritage Square X 740 South B Street X Oxnard CA 93030 X (805) 486-6878

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Edible Ojai & Ventura County

TASTES LIKE FALL

LET YOUR AUTUMN MEALS FLOWER

BY MICHELLE GERRARD AND ELIZABETH COHN PHOTOS BY MICHELLE GERRARD

Elizabeth Cohn, owner of Forage Ojai, who helped create the following recipes, is working from her home studio after she let go of her storefront due to COVID, making beauty at every turn, creating arrangements for precious elopements, helping people celebrate love that cannot wait for tomorrow.

F

lowers as food are their own form of poetry; they speak the language of the soul. Flowers have an uncanny way of reminding us of the fragility of days as they constantly bloom and wilt and bloom again.

Autumn is often associated with ending, but we have always seen it as a place of new, extraordinary beginnings. It is filled with vibrancy and the bitter chill that kisses our cheeks and turns them pink as young rosebuds, infuses the days with a frenetic creative energy. It is a time steeped in magic. In the kitchen, it is a time when dishes can inspire all of our senses to come alive.

Our wish, during these challenging and transformational times, is to inspire small moments of beauty, to encourage each person to take time to sit with beautiful flavors in our present season of life and simply to be with them. We love that love is still conquering, that beauty can be found in even the harshest places.

There is something captivating about edible flowers strewn across a plate, or biting into a rosemary blossom and all the flavor pops on your tongue. It becomes a feast not just for your taste buds but for your eyes, for your nose and even for your ears.

Many edible flowers are easy to grow in pots in urban settings or on a little piece of land (see page 18). These are ingredients that are accessible and/ or easily plucked from your garden.

Food and flowers together seem to create an inclusive and loving space for every being on earth to savor and enjoy. During the hardest times, we have looked upon flowers and found ourselves infused with hope and a quiet joy. Perhaps something in the way they change through the seasons, or how they grow in places they should not be able to survive, remind us that we are all capable of seemingly impossible things.

Cheers to finding joy in the slow moments of life, to embracing the natural beauty that is at our fingertips and to loving each other fiercely as we build a brave new world.

Michelle Gerrard is a vegan chef, food photographer, social media marketing manager and content creator. “Working beside Elizabeth is one of my greatest gifts.

She inspires me to push my imagination to other realms.�

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Sun-Dried Tomato & Stuffed Squash Blossom Vegan Quiche This quiche is a showstopper at any table and much less complicated than you might think! A celebration of hygge, a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment as cozy, charming or special, all the warmth and coziness you could imagine in one tart pan. Enjoy every last bit of this decadent quiche. This recipe features squash blossoms, chive flowers, leeks and peppery nasturtiums.

Serves 4–6

For the crust: 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, mixed together 1 cup almond flour 1 cup gluten-free rolled oat flour 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme ½ teaspoon salt (I use Pink Salt) 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 to 2½ tablespoons water, as needed

For the quiche: 1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 leeks, washed very well and chopped 1 yellow onion, diced 4 large garlic cloves, minced 3 cups (8 ounces) sliced cremini mushrooms ½ cup fresh chives and chive flowers, finely chopped ½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped 1 cup Swiss chard, ribs diced, leaves sliced into ribbons 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 teaspoon fresh oregano + oregano flowers Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste

For the Stuffed Blossoms and Cashew Ricotta filling: 3–4 squash blossoms, washed well and gently dried 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked ½ cup water Juice of 1 large lemon + lemon zest 1–2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional 1 small garlic clove, whole ½ teaspoon onion powder Himalayan sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste Optional: Extra herbs to mix into the ricotta (oregano, chives, rosemary, thyme) Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a round 10-inch tart pan.

Wrap rinsed tofu in a few tea towels. Place a couple of books on top of it to lightly press out the water while you prepare the crust.

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For the crust: Whisk together flax and water mixture in small bowl and let it get all thick and lovely.

In large bowl, stir together almond meal, oat flour, herbs and salt. Add in flax mixture and oil. Stir until mostly combined, adding remaining water until dough is sticky—you are aiming for a texture similar to cookie dough. The dough should stick together when you press it between your fingers, like magic.

Crumble dough evenly over base of tart pan. Starting from the center, press mixture evenly into the pan, working your way outward and up the sides of the pan. Poke a few fork holes in the dough so air can escape.

Bake crust 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm to touch. Set aside to cool while you finish preparing the filling.

Increase oven temperature to 375°.

For the filling: Break the tofu block into 4 pieces and add into food processor. Process tofu until smooth and creamy.

In large skillet, add oil and sauté leeks, onions and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes, or until onions begin to be translucent. Stir in mushrooms, season with salt, and cook on medium-high heat until most of the water cooks off mushrooms, about 6–10 minutes. Stir in herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, chard, nutritional yeast, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until combined. Cook until the chard leaves are wilted.

Finally, remove from heat. Put all in a large bowl and stir in tofu until thoroughly combined.

Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon mixture into baked crust and smooth out with a spoon until even.

For the stuffed blossoms: Soak cashews for 3 hours in cold water and or 15 minutes in boiling water. (I have also made this ricotta without soaking at all and it turned out amazing. So, you have choices here!) Add cashews, water, lemon juice and zest, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper and blend in high-speed blender.

Scoop into small bowl, add optional herbs and mix gently. Open blossoms delicately, just at the very top; use a small spoon to scoop ricotta inside. Place stuffed squash blossoms on quiche and brush with olive oil before heading to the oven.

Bake uncovered for 33–37 minutes, or until quiche is firm to the touch. For best results, cool for 15–20 minutes on a cooling rack before attempting to slice.

Wrap up leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Leftover quiche can be reheated in the oven on a baking sheet for about 15–20 minutes at 350°.

Chef’s notes: If you do not have a high-speed blender to create this ricotta, I recommend Kite Hill Almond Ricotta found at most natural grocery stores.

This recipe makes more ricotta filling than needed for this recipe. Save the rest for bruschetta recipe (page 16) or for a dip for sliced veggies.

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An Autumn Meadow Bruschetta This dish was made for autumn entertaining, and even if your “guests” are just your most immediate family, these flavors will create endless smiles and joy. We utilized squash leaves for display, eggplant flowers, chive flowers and sweet little dots of crimson yarrow. The carrot top pesto is divine with its earthy and rich flavors.

Carrot Top Pesto: Tops from 1 large or 2 smaller bunches of carrots 1 clove garlic, chopped Juice of 1 large lemon (or 2 small) Zest of 2 lemons ¼ cup fresh mint leaves (The herbs are very interchangeable. You can use basil, parsley, cilantro… whatever you have on hand.)

4 green onions, fresh green parts only ½ cup raw walnuts (You can also use pine nuts or almonds.)

3 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Bread, Ricotta and Mushrooms: Bread of choice. (I love using a sourdough olive loaf from Roan Mills; a baguette would work beautifully for smaller bites; or glutenfree magic from Vegan Mario or Bread SRSLY. Slice your pieces to desired thickness.)

3 cups mushrooms (I love using cremini or shiitake or a mixture of both.) ¼ cup balsamic vinegar About 1 tablespoon olive oil for the pan 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cup cashew ricotta featured in the Squash Blossom Quiche (page 14) Salt, pepper, herbes de Provence to taste

For Pesto: To blanch the carrot tops, remove thick stem pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water in it. Once boiling, add the carrot tops to the pot. Stir occasionally, cooking for only about 3 minutes, or until bright green and tender.

Immediately remove from the pot, drain the hot water, and add the carrot tops to the ice cube bowl to stop the cooking process.

Drain the carrot tops, wring out excess liquid and spread them on a plate to dry while you do remaining recipe prep.

Add all of the ingredients from garlic through walnuts to a food processor. Blend until a chunky paste forms with small bits of carrot tops. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to stop frequently to scrape down the sides.

Add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time until combined. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.

Making the Bruschetta: Gently toast your bread in a castiron pan, or in toaster. Once golden and toasted, spread pesto on to desired thickness. Add ricotta, and then mushrooms and herbs. Top with edible flowers of choice. Enjoy!

For Mushrooms: Heat a medium-sized cast-iron pan with some olive oil on medium heat. Add minced garlic and allow to become just fragrant, then add sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stir. Once they sweat most of their moisture out, add balsamic to deglaze the pan and create sticky sweetness.

Toss in herbs and stir to coat.

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Butternut Squash Orange Cake Butternut squash in a cake? We know it sounds strange, but it is actually incredible. This is the most quintessential autumn cake to have on the table for the holidays! The addition of orange enhances and brightens the warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s as if summer, autumn and winter all came together and created the ultimate celebratory dessert.

For the cake: 1¾ cups almond milk (or flax milk, cashew milk, coconut milk… any nondairy milk you fancy) 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 2¼ cups all-purpose or spelt flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg Pinch of salt 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup butternut squash purée (from 1 roasted butternut squash) Zest of 1 large orange 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract ¾ cup maple syrup ¼ cup sunflower oil or coconut oil (You could also use a light olive oil.)

In a separate bowl, mix together almond milk, squash purée, orange zest, vanilla, almond extract, maple syrup and olive oil. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well combined and a smooth soup-like texture is formed.

Pour mixture into cake tins equally and bake on oven’s middle shelf for 20–25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Before you move to decorate your cake, ensure your cakes are fully cooled. This is critical if you do not want melted buttercream!

While the cake is cooling you can make the buttercream.

2½ cups powdered sugar

In a stand-up mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, add butter. Beat on high until fluffy and light. Sift in powdered sugar and add zest and extracts. Beat until buttercream is light as air but creamy and decadent.

2 teaspoons orange zest

Decoration time:

½ teaspoon almond extract

Coat 1 side of 1 layer with marmalade and 1 side of the other layer with about half of the buttercream. Sandwich the two coated sides together.

For the filling and topping: 1 cup vegan butter (or unsalted butter for non-vegan version)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Orange marmalade Optional: Spritz of Orange Hydrosol from Gara Skincare

If you have the orange hydrosol from Gara, spritz the top of the cake and let it soak in before adding buttercream.

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch cake tins.

Layer the rest of the buttercream on the top. Decorate to taste with pomegranates and oranges from the garden, along with some flirty nasturtiums and yarrow blooms.

Add cider vinegar to almond milk and set aside.

Sift flour into mixing bowl and discard any large granules left in sieve. Mix in spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

Next step… Devour. fall 2020 17

TASTES LIKE FALL

EDIBLE FLOWERS OF FALL

BY MARK DONOFRIO | PHOTOS BY MARIAH GREEN ;LMPI WTVMRK ERH WYQQIV EVI XVEHMXMSREPP] À S[IV WIEWSRW MR 7SYXLIVR 'EPMJSVRME [I GER WII À S[IVW MR SYV KEVHIRW JSV QSRXLW MRXS JEPP ERH [MRXIV *PS[IVW EVI SJXIR VIGSKRM^IH ERH PEYHIH JSV XLIMV FIRI¿ XW XS TSPPMREXSVW ERH JSV TIWX HIXIVVIRGI &YX HMH ]SY ORS[ XLEX QER] À S[IVW EPWS LEZI LIEPXL FIRI¿ XW [LIR GSRWYQIH# ,IVI JSVQIV VIWXEYVEXIYV 1EVO (SRSJVMS [LS GYVVIRXP] JEVQW À S[IVW ERH TVSHYGI EX 8LI 7XEVXIV *EVQ MR 7ERXE =RI^ WLEVIW WSQI GSQQSR JEPP À S[IVW XLEX GER QEOI E XEWX] EHHMXMSR XS ]SYV TPEXI

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EdibleVenturaCounty.com

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FOOD AS MEDICINE

Eat Your Way to Glowing Skin WORDS AND PHOTOS BY COLEEN JANEWAY

Coleen Janeway is a beauty expert, writer, editor and skin-food chef. A featured guest speaker at workshops and conferences on beauty and wellness throughout the world, Coleen focuses on indie beauty, and the luxury wellness markets. As a private chef Coleen enjoys sharing her love of culinary alchemy. Writing and recipe development are her passions. A resident of Ventura County, Coleen enjoys riding horses and gardening in her spare time.

Skinfoodbodylove.com

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W

hile 2020 has presented most of us with unexpected challenges, there may be a silver lining waiting to be discovered. There has never been a better time to dive deeper into your own wellness. Beautiful skin, youthful appearance and overall well-being can be achieved with small adjustments to your lifestyle and eating habits.

I bet you are thinking, “OK, but how long will that take?” Well, each body is different. Particularly, how our digestive systems perform can determine how long a new diet/lifestyle change can take to make a difference. What’s important is consistency and commitment.

Refined and processed foods do not have much nutritional value, and in some cases the pesticides used in growing processes can create extra demand on our body’s systems. Consider the real nutritional value of your food.

Here are a few tips to help you choose foods for greater health benefits:

SKIN GLOW PUMPKIN SOUP Fall is a time of gathering and giving thanks.

These are special soul- and heart-warming recipes sure to make you glow from the inside out! Cheers to your good health.

4–6 servings 3½ cups roasted pumpkin purée* (or 2 cans plain organic pumpkin purée) Olive oil and sea salt (if roasting pumpkin) 1 tablespoon butter 1½ cups diced shallots ½ teaspoon coriander

•

Eat the skins of your vegetables whenever possible: Peels include high levels of several nutrients including fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

¾ teaspoon cumin

•

Lemons naturally detox. Squeeze into water and drink for its detoxifying properties.

1 clove garlic, minced

•

Consume fruits and vegetables fresh as they have more nutritional value than their dried or frozen counterparts.

4 cups chicken or veggie broth

•

Raw foods should be incorporated into daily meals to increase fiber and nutrient consumption.

•

Organic is best when available: Herbicides and pesticides on our food often interact with the beneficial microbes in our guts and disrupt digestive processes.

•

Soak, cut or wash fruits or vegetables only when you are ready to eat them. Once they are cut the oxidation process will decrease the nutrients within the food.

The vitamins and minerals that we get from our food work within the body to ensure all physiological processes can be carried out. When there is a deficiency, your body will be unbalanced and unable to function at its optimal level. With every recommendation, the key to picking superfoods that are most beneficial is paying attention to how your body responds to each of these foods. Understanding where you may have sensitivities, and what creates inflammation in your body, can help you pick the right foods for success.

Here is a short list of fall foods packed full of goodness to help your skin revive its radiance:

Kale Detoxing and very anti-inflammatory, kale is rich in antioxidants (antioxidants are essential for optimal health. Kale has compounds that work to decrease free radical molecules, which promote inflammation and disease.) Kale is also packed with vitamin C, which boosts immune function.

Figs Figs have tiny seeds saturated with nutrients, particularly copper and vitamin B6.

Copper, an essential nutrient, has been shown to be involved in the synthesis and stabilization of skin proteins. Basically, it helps increase elasticity and collagen, smoothing skin and reducing wrinkles. B6 keeps skin clear and glowing.

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

1½ teaspoons yellow curry powder 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 dried bay leaf 3 tablespoons tremella mushroom powder (AKA white jelly mushroom, tremella can be found online or at some natural grocers) 1 cup filtered water (optional) 3 tablespoons coconut whipping cream ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish Fresh ground pepper, for garnish *Purée of pumpkin: Cut pumpkin in half; remove seeds and stringy material. Coat insides with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 45 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool, then scoop flesh into bowl. Purée in food processor or mash with fork.

Over medium heat, sauté onions in butter; add spices, salt and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add stock of choice, bay leaf, mushroom powder and pumpkin purée; stir to combine.

If you want to thin your soup, add optional water.

Raise heat to bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and blend with an immersion blender.

Stir in cream before serving.

Once plated, add fresh black pepper and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Tip: Add freeze-dried mushrooms crumbled on top to add amazing flavor and texture.

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Sweet Potatoes

Dates

Chia Seeds

Combat lackluster complexions by adding this beta-carotene-rich starch into your daily routine. This is due to their magical skinbrightening combination of vitamin A and vitamin C. Not only are sweet potatoes delicious, they also neutralize cell-tissuedamaging free radicals that cause the dreaded dulling effect of our skin. Sweet potatoes are also full of biotin, which stimulates hair and nail growth.

Dates are high in fiber, minerals and vitamins and a perfect sweet treat to aid in cleansing toxins from the body. The fiber in dates can be beneficial for blood sugar control and digestion, while the antioxidant content may promote heart health and reduce inflammation. They make a great healthy sugar replacement in baking and cooking. Fill a date with nut butter for a balanced snack.

Available year round, these free-radicalfighting seeds are packed with minerals, prebiotic fiber and the perfect balance of essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids help us gain a youthful glow by protecting the skin against sun damage and increasing the nutrients in skin cells. Chia can be incorporated daily by adding it to salads, smoothies, skillet meals and baked goods.

Pineapple

Almonds

Pineapple benefits skin by improving digestion, reducing inflammation and removing toxins from the body. It also aids in the production of collagen, and is very high in vitamin C and manganese, which support immune health.

This excellent natural protein is loaded with vitamin E, a skin-beautifying antioxidant present in the human epidermal tissue, where it creates smoothness and suppleness. There is also research to suggest vitamin E may help fight signs of aging by protecting skin against damage caused by ultraviolet rays.

How are you shopping for the week? What do you stock in your kitchen? Skin foods and healing remedies for the body can empower you to take back control, in essence regaining your vitality and luminosity from the inside-out.

Creating diversity in your autumn and fall pantry is where you will find whole-body health. Beyond your beautiful glow, here are some essentials to balance out your options for menu creation. Whether you are already a superfoods fan or you are looking for new ways to get inspired, a seasonal foods list is a great first step towards a well-stocked pantry.

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fall 2020 23

Kale, Walnut and Plum Spicy Empanadas Makes about 12 / Serves 3–4 Pie shells: You can use your own favorite recipe, rolled out, or 3 (9inch) frozen pie shells, defrosted and flattened. ¾ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup small-diced yellow onion ¾ cup small-diced celery 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon cumin ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup chopped fresh purple plums 1 cup kale, deveined and chopped thin 1 cup chicken or veggie broth 1 cup fresh oven-roasted corn ½ cup chopped dried figs (optional) ¼ cup chopped cilantro ½ cup chopped walnuts (I toasted mine with unsalted butter and whole cloves, then removed cloves before folding in the rest of the ingredients.)

For the Filling:

To Assemble:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Sauté until clear and soft. Add garlic and spices and continue sautéing for another 1–2 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F and put rack in the middle of oven. Line baking sheet with parchment.

Add kale and plums; stir to combine.

Add broth of choice. If you choose a low-sodium broth you can add a pinch of Himalayan salt for extra flavor. Simmer the mix in broth; the plums will release their juices and marry into the broth. Stir and allow some of the moisture to cook off (about 10 minutes on medium heat).

Remove from heat, drain ingredients and set aside in a large bowl.

Add figs, toasted walnuts, cilantro and corn to mix and combine. Allow mix to come to room temperature.

Use about 2 tablespoons of filling in each prepped pastry round. Use a pastry brush with melted butter to seal edges before folding over. Fold over and gently seal by pressing along edge with tines of a fork.

Brush the entire empanada with butter and pierce top once with a fork.

Place in oven, check on progress at 20 minutes, the crust should be light golden brown with slightly darker edges.

Depending on dough and oven this can vary.

Tip: Serve warm alongside a fig balsamic reduction for amazing flavor combo!

Use a round mold at least 4 inches diameter and cut out several rounds from the pie dough, keeping these finger-food-size.

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Sponsored Content

Editor’s Pick!

A curated list of local wellness products

Ventura County boasts a plethora of naturally focused artisans creating a variety of organic and locally sourced products for your healing journey. This small collection includes food and drink, oils for topical or internal use, natural body products and the best utensils to help avoid plastic.

Honey Shine Calendula Salve Calendula, a medicinal flower, soothes eczema, cuts, wounds rashes and burns plus many more. 1-, 2- and 4-oz sizes range in price from $6.25 to $18.75.

Order at HoneyCalendulaSalve.com or on Instagram @Honey_Shine_Calendula.

The Bamboo Straw Co. Bamboo straws, bamboo utensils and other eco-friendly products provide socially responsible, eco-conscious and organic alternatives to plastic. Bamboo Straw Co. believes in fair-trade, giving back and partnering with each consumer on this great adventure by treating our planet and all who live here with great respect and love. $15. Purchase online at TheBambooStraw.co

PureWild Collagen Sustainably sourced and packaged, PureWild is the only non-GMO certified and Kosher certified clean label collagen drink available, with 3,000 mgs of the cleanest marine collagen on the planet in each 12-oz bottle. Three delicious flavors: Lime Agave Ginseng, Blueberry Holy Basil and Mango Turmeric. Buy locally at Rainbow Bridge. PureWildCo.com

CORKY’S NUTS Cold Pressed Organic Walnut Oil This Good Food Foundation 2020 Award–winning oil is rich in omega fatty acids and essential vitamins and minerals that are good for the body, inside and out. Add to dressings, garnish pasta or drizzle over ice cream or oatmeal to help regulate blood sugar, reduce cholesterol and support brain function.

As an external emollient, it can help with psoriasis, eczema, dandruff, and fine lines (yes, safe for daily skin use). $28. Purchase online at CorkysNuts.com.

Bogue Soaps Beautiful soaps made with meticulously researched botanicals, pure essential oils, organic and sustainable ingredients responsibly sourced or locally grown in Ojai. Each of the all-natural, handmade, artisanal bath, wellness and hair and body products are created and wildcrafted to be mindful and effective. $6.75 Order online at BogueMilkSoap.com

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

Wild at Heart Organic ingredients from local farms make this probiotic, raw Californian kimchi hyper-local.

100% vegan, it's crafted in small batches and fermented in glass for four to six weeks, giving it the most robust flavors. This natural probiotic aids in digestion and supports a healthy immune system. $14.50. Purchase online at WildAtHeartOjai.com

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EDIBLE INK

FEAST FOR THE EYES What we are reading in the wellness sphere

The Loving Diet by Jessica Flanagan Jessica Flanagan is a clinical nutritionist who is leading the way in emotional and spiritual support for people in recovery from restrictive healing diet movements. Her revolutionary approach to heart-body therapeutics was first shared through this book, which includes a definition of “loving” as a tool for healing your life and body. Her work has evolved so much since publication that she now recommends that folks focus on the lifestyle portions of this 2015 work and use the included dietary approach only if they are working with a doctor. It is well worth the read, especially if you ever feel like something is missing in your healing journey.

Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food

by Catherine Shanahan, MD, and Luke Shanahan One of the first books diving into the way that genetics shape our health and how foods shape our genes, this well-researched tome digs into traditional diets around the world to find commonalities that built strong, (beautiful) and healthy ancestors. It then divides those into the Four Pillars of World Cuisine and shows you how to create the healthiest diet for your genes based on that foundation.

(My copy is dog-eared and highlighted, well-used and treasured.)

Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System by Jack Gilbert, PhD, and Rob Knight, PhD, with Sandra Blakeslee While the field of microbiology and how it relates to our diets and lifestyles is ever burgeoning, this 2017 work is still relevant and valuable for parents, grandparents and caregivers alike. Answering questions like, “Is it OK for my child to eat dirt?” and “Do pesticides/herbicides, GMOs, etc., affect my child’s microbiome?” and so many more, scientists Gilbert and Knight lay out the research in clear, concise way that Google will never match.

For an overview on the microbiome without a child focus, try The Good Gut, Justin & Erica Sonnenburg; Follow Your Gut, Rob Knight, PhD; 10% Human, Alanna Collen.

science-based but easy-to-read explanations and fascinating tidbits of history and culture, this is a must read for anyone struggling with back, joint or foot issues… or anyone who just wants to get more connected to their own body’s capabilities.

Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California’s Natural Resources

by M. Kat Anderson Recommended by a local Chumash elder, this excellent reference text is one to keep coming back to again and again. The key component of this work seems to be that the health of the land, in its side-by-side evolution with indigenous people, has come to be as dependent on human stewardship as we are on it. In other words, careful and honorable cultivation of native plants, especially those regarded as edible and/or medicinal, is an important factor in maintaining the natural ecology of an area: humans as a part of nature, not outside of it.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Ever Seen by Christopher McDougall This book embodies the phrase, “Real life is stranger than fiction.”

While heralded as a running book because of McDougall’s quest for answers about his own injuries, there is still plenty of entertainment and adventure for the non-runner. Filled with nearly unbelievable stories about a remote tribe of Mexico’s indigenous Tarahumara people who blissfully run hundreds of miles without injury, modern ultra-marathoners and mind-blowing races that last more than 20 hours, this narrative could leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the limitations of the modern human.

Whole Body Barefoot: Transitioning Well to Minimal Footwear by Katy Bowman How does a book about feet have anything to do with nourishment? Well, according to Katy Bowman, only everything. Filled with exercises that (re)teach natural movement, loads of 26

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Edible Ojai & Ventura County

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FOOD AS MEDICINE

A NUTRITIONIST’S TIPS . . .

BY TAMI CHU, MSHN

… For Adding Extra Nutrients to Your Favorite Comfort Foods • • •

• •

•

•

Add finely chopped kale, spinach or chard to mac ’n’ cheese or scalloped potatoes.

Serve your pasta meals on a bed of mixed greens.

Blanch or steam fresh veggies (carrots, greens, squash, turnips), purée and then add to your favorite pasta sauce. This works especially well in tomato-based sauces like marinara.

Add blanched or raw greens to smoothies and blend well.

Use cooked spaghetti squash, blanched zucchini or other fall or winter squashes as noodles with your favorite pasta sauce. To hide them, you can mix them with traditional noodles.

Add ground chia, ground psyllium husk or a good prebiotic fiber to smoothies, salads, sauces, baked goods, etc., to specifically feed your microbiome. My favorite brands include Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Organic Fiber Prebiotic; Hyperbiotics Prebiotic; Prebiotin; Pinnaclife Prebiotic Fiber; and Bulletproof Innerfuel Prebiotic.

Start your kids off young! Feed them loads of complex flavors from your own plate to develop their palate for diverse flavors and a taste for good nutrients.

… For Eating for Your Gut Bugs Many dieticians and nutritionists are recommending that clients eat for gut health these days. In the past 10 years, we have learned a lot about the human gut microbiome—the collection of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that live in our guts and help us process food into nutrients that will feed our cells and make us healthy and strong. Eating for our gut means consuming both probiotics and prebiotics. Just a few teaspoons a day can help build a healthy gut.

PROBIOTICS

PREBIOTICS

PRObiotics are live healthy bacteria found in food (or supplements).

PREbiotics are food for the healthy bacteria in the gut.

DID YOU KNOW? Both are essential for good gut health!

Try these examples!

Probiotic Foods:

Prebiotic Foods:

• • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Kimchi Apple cider vinegar (raw) Kvass Sauerkraut Kombucha Fermented veggies Grass-fed yogurt

Asparagus Onions (raw) Chicory root Garlic Dandelion roots Jicama Leeks Psyllium husks

… For Buying Clean Food

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2020 Environmental Working Group DIRTY DOZEN

2020 Environmental Working Group CLEAN 15

These foods typically have high levels of pesticides.

Buy organic if at all possible:

These foods typically have lower levels of pesticides. You can get away with buying conventional to save money:

1. Strawberries 2. Spinach 3. Kale 4. Nectarines 5. Apples 6. Grapes 7. Peaches 8. Cherries 9. Pears 10. Tomatoes 11. Celery 12. Potatoes

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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Avocados Sweet corn* Pineapples Onions Papaya* Sweet peas Eggplant Asparagus

9. Cauliflower 10. Cantaloupe 11. Broccoli 12. Mushrooms 13. Cabbage 14. Honeydew 15. Kiwi

*A small amount of papaya, sweet corn and summer squash are grown using genetically modified seeds. If you wish to avoid GMOs, buy these foods in organic varieties.

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

Prebiotic Breakfast Cookies These flavorful cookies are deceptively full of microbiome-feeding nutrients that will get your skin glowing and your heart pumping.

The best part: All by themselves they are a balanced breakfast… or lunch… or midnight snack!

Makes 24–30 cookies 1½ cups gluten-free flour 1¾ cups organic rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ½ cup peanut butter (or other nut butter) ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup ground flax* 1 tablespoon ground hemp seeds 1 tablespoon ground psyllium husk 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds ½ cup almond milk (or other nut milk) ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup coconut sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional add-ins, ½ to 1 cup of each Dark chocolate chips Unsweetened coconut flakes Dried cranberries (find a brand that’s sweetened with fruit juice) Nuts (walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)

Raisins Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and spices and whisk until well mixed. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, add peanut butter, butter, ground flax, hemp, psyllium husks, chia and nut milk and beat until creamy.

Add sugars, eggs and vanilla. Beat until creamy again.

On low speed, mix in dry mixture until fully incorporated.

Add in at least 2 of the optional add-ins (I recommend chocolate chips, nuts and cranberries to start) and stir to incorporate.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Space about 2 tablespoons per cookie at least an inch apart on the sheet. Bake 11–12 minutes.

Chef’s Notes: • These are best when the seeds are ground fresh.

Flax can go rancid, so be sure the seeds are as fresh as possible.

• Use a coffee grinder to grind the seeds just before adding to the mix.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

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NUTRITIOUS MOVEMENT

21 WAYS TO MOVE MORE FOR YOUR HOLIDAY MEAL

BY KATY BOWMAN

D

uring the holidays, turkey trots aren’t the only way to put those extra calories to use.

Let your holiday meal move you!

We’re starting to understand more about how our food choices impact the environment, but rarely do we consider our own personal physical actions in collecting and preparing the food we eat. Our food has become quite sedentary!

Throughout human history we have had to move in order to eat—hunting, gathering, foraging, and gardening movements, for example. Now, many of us can outsource most of our food moves to others, an outsourcing that has sociological and environmental impacts. It’s only relatively recently that we began think of exercising off extra calories.

As we approach the holidays, here are ways to move more for the stuff we’ll consume.

IN THE DAYS LEADING UP 1. Use your body to gather as much food as you can. Forage—for wild mushrooms, local nuts, fruit, veggies and herbs—or simply walk on foot to local farms, vendors or grocery stores.

2. Do an actual turkey trot. Walk to pick up your turkey. Even if you work out regularly, carrying an awkwardly shaped object a couple of miles can be tough!

3. Swap out the nuts in your recipe for ones growing closest to you. Nuts from certain place are still harvested using slave labor (yes, it’s true— find lists online). Foods we prefer but don’t source for ourselves are still gotten (read: moved for) by others, and in many cases our preferences come at the expense of another’s health and experience.

4. Buy less-processed ingredients. Once you figure out which nuts are most local to you, try to find them in the shell. Do your squats and hip stretches while shelling nuts for stuffing or pie!

Buy whole nutmeg and cinnamon to grate fresh; use whole garlic instead of powder.

5. Chop, stack and haul wood. Moving for wood warms you twice—while you’re doing the work, and again while cozied up by the fire. Don’t have an indoor fireplace? See tip 18.

6. Take a décor hike. Take a nature walk to gather leaves to spread on your table. Scout for silver dollar branches, acorns, rocks, shells, or branches and build a natural centerpiece.

7. Freshen up holiday linens on a line. Use your shoulders to reach, hang and take down linens (brings the sweet smell of late-fall sunshine in too!).

8. Skip the can and bake a pumpkin. Move that pumpkin on your own (no machines, factories or fuel required) and roast oiled seeds for a snack.

Bonus points for carrying your pumpkin home from the store, or picking it right out of your local pumpkin patch.

9. Set up an outdoor prep area. Let your body feel the temperature of your landscape and work to adjust; you’ve got a million thermal-regulating muscles that “work out” when you allow yourself to feel cold. Got heaps of veggies to chop? Grab a sweater, cutting board and knife to take outside where, as you chop, any littles you have can work on tip 6.

Katy Bowman, MS, is a biomechanist and author of multiple best sellers, including Move Your DNA and Dynamic Aging. Her work highlights the importance of movement in our daily lives, and why it’s critical we move beyond exercise, including moving for our food. Connect at nutritiousmovement.com and @nutritiousmovement on social.

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THE DAY OF 10. Mash potatoes with a masher or ricer instead of an electric mixer. If you’ve been relying on powered kitchen gadgets, the movement involved in processing food by hand is surprising but gratifying.

11. Roll out your pie dough instead of using a ready-made (i.e., less-movement) crust.

12. Whip your cream and meringue by hand. Somebody’s grandmother used to beat egg whites into a meringue with a fork.

You gonna get whipped by somebody’s grandmother because your arms get too tired?

13. Unplug the electric carving knife and work muscles in your hands, arms and shoulders by using a good old-fashioned knife.

14. Make a standing soup course.

Serve soup in mugs as guests arrive and encouraging those who are able to mingle and stand outside while they sip. Guests who traveled in may be particularly grateful for this approach. (This idea works inside too—standing is good for us, outside or in!)

POST DINNER

16. Put some puzzle or board games on the floor. Play your usual indoor games, but move them to the floor and get everyone’s knees and hips working at different angles than usual. Have pillows and bolsters available to accommodate a range of abilities.

17. Take the play outdoors. Set up dynamic activities like horseshoes, badminton or a nature scavenger hunt.

18. Swap watching the football game or movie for a fire. Using wood from tip 5, set up an outdoor fireplace to socialize around.

Sit on the ground, and watch the sun set on a day full of gratitude. Peckish guests can make popcorn over the fire. Take turns adding fresh logs so all can be warmed by movement.

GRATITUDE I’m thankful for many things: my body; my community; and the gifts of the Earth. After years of struggling to find the best way to show gratitude for all of these, I’ve found that “outside the box” ways of celebrating Thanksgiving best represent how I want to give thanks. I love nature, being outside and

moving, so I want a portion of my holiday to take me out of the kitchen—I wanted the holiday to feel more authentic to me.

Here are some ideas I, (and others in my community), have been trying in order to mix it up: 19. Set up an outside dining room. Let guests know in advance to bundle up, and eat all or part of the meal out in the fresh air and sun. Provide some warm blankets for chillier guests, make sure to have a hot drink on the menu and let your meal be cozy and invigorating at once.

20. Try a walking progressive Thanksgiving dinner. Assign friends, family or neighbors a course of the meal to prepare. Start at one house with appetizers and cocktails, walk to the second house for salad, then to another house for turkey, and a final house for pie!

Bonus: Large groups often take up more space, which means eating on the floor picnic-style—so lots of hip opening and squatting!

21. Dinner or dessert hike. Feel like going totally minimal? Make a batch of turkey soup, stuff your thermos full, and head out on a Give Thanks Trek. Pick five or 10 or 20 miles and do a pilgrimage of sorts, nourishing yourself as you go. Or, arrange for your besties to meet up after their holiday obligations for a pie hike. Find a special spot in nature or your favorite urban location and walk there to enjoy a slice or two together.

Photo courtesy of Katy Bowman

15. Take a walk. Encourage everyone to join you on a walk around the block between dinner and dessert. Make it a game or tradition. You know how at a wedding, a bride and groom have to kiss anytime someone starts clinking glasses with a piece

of silverware? Do that, only make it a “get up time” or “walk around the outside of the house for two minutes” game. (Those who are able but unwilling to cooperate are automatically volunteering to do the dishes.

By hand. Because you get more movement that way.)

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WATER WAYS

DAMMED IF THEY DON’T Could a creature left out of Southern California history revive its waterways?

BY LESLIE BAEHR | ILLUSTRATIONS BY CLAUDIA PARDO

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This piece was supported by a Society of Environmental Journalists funding award, underwritten by The Hewlett Foundation, The Wilderness Society, The Pew Charitable Trusts and others.

P

arts of Ventura County’s Sespe Creek are nearly as wild today as they were in the early 1900s, when Joseph Grinnell first caught wind of the “unexpected find” there. It’s hard not to wonder what might still lay hidden among its rugged terrain.

If you know what to look for, you can still make unexpected finds of your own: old chewed up sticks or, via satellite, structures bearing the characteristic signature of the creatures’ engi—Ben Goldfarb, neering feats.

The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter Where did the beaver come from, are they still here, and do they belong here? “It’s like a Sherlock Holmes mystery,” said Rick Bisaccia, Beavers’ heavy ponds push water into the ground during wet times.

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s former stewardship director, of the Then, in dry times, the replenished groundwater feeds the stream.

100-year-old hunt for answers. And the answers could point the way But according to the ghost of Grinnell, who continued to haunt ofout of many of Southern California’s ecological quandaries. ficial beaver range maps, the Bay Area was also a beaver desert. “Which “Trying to mitigate floods or improve water quality?” writes Ben doesn’t make any sense,” Lanman said. The animal thrives in both the Goldfarb in his book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Canadian tundra and the deserts of northern Mexico. Why not coastal Why They Matter (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018). “There’s a beaver California? Lanman and his colleagues went digging for answers. for that. Hoping to capture more water for agriculture in the face But like the creatures themselves, the human-beaver historical of climate change? Add a beaver. Concerned about sedimentation, record is, well, eccentric. salmon populations, wildfire? Take two families of beaver and check Sometime after 1923, the California Department of Fish and Game back in a year.” and the US Forest Service began sprinkling beavers all over the state.

As “ecosystem engineers” second only to humans, beavers build On one occasion, literally: in boxes by parachute. Even back then, and dams, ponds and channels that capture and redistribute water across despite not thinking them native, the land managers understood that a and into the landscape. This redistribution invigorates habitats, well-placed beaver could do wonders for the environment. recharges groundwater and performs a variety of vital ecosystem Ventura County got its beaver delivery as well: at least 36 total services that would, in human hands, cost a fortune. “Ecological and between 1942 and 1949, including six in the Sespe. hydrological Swiss Army knives,” Goldfarb calls them.

But are they tools fit for Southern California? Put another way, are they native?

“Trying to mitigate floods or improve water quality? There’s a beaver for that. Hoping to capture more water for agriculture in the face of climate change? Add a beaver. Concerned about sedimentation, salmon populations, wildfire? Take two families of beaver and check back in a year.”

H E A DS A N D TA L ES

T H E H I STO R Y VS . T H E H U N C H In 1937, Joseph Grinnell, the first director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at Berkeley, answered that question in a hefty treatise on California’s fur-bearing mammals: no. Or rather: no, but…. On his California beaver range map stood a lone question mark far south and west of any other native population. Grinnell was apparently unconvinced of what had been found there. The mark was right atop Sespe Creek.

Fifty years later, Rick Lanman looked behind his Bay Area home and wondered why a stream that used to flow year-round until the 1950s was now dry half the year.

“One of my theories was maybe beaver perennialized it,” said Lanman, who is a physician, researcher, self-proclaimed serial biotech entrepreneur and founder of The Institute for Historical Ecology.

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Any evidential beaver specimens therefore had to predate the great beaver sprinkling of 1923 in order to show the creature was native.

However, any beaver specimens that predated 1906 could have gone up in smoke with the devastating San Francisco fires, along with the rest of the California Academy of Sciences.

Luckily, history is written all around us and in 2013 Lanman and his co-authors published their results. All over California, they found beaver evidence in old newspapers, ships’ logs, fur trapper journals and place names. Local Chumash references included words for beaver, a beaver dance, a shaman’s beaver-skin rainmaking kit and perhaps even a beaver pictograph. It appeared the once-widespread creature had been hunted—in some places to near extinction—by the time Grinnell examined their range.

These were clues, but in science direct physical evidence outweighs words. A skull specimen and carbon-dated dam cont’ p. 36 fall 2020 33

Tour a Stream with a Beaver Expert!

Emily Fairfax, PhD., is an ecohydrologist and assistant professor of environmental science and resource management at CSU Channel Islands. Emily researches how beavers, which are native to California, change waterways and riparian ecosystems.

In particular, she studies how beaver damming makes drought and fire resistant patches in the landscape. Her students and colleagues can affirm that when Emily says she can talk about beavers for hours, she’s not kidding.

Join Dr. Emily as she takes us on a tour of a typical beaver pond and surrounding areas.

STREAMS WITHOUT BEAVER are mostly characterized by what you don’t see. They tend to be a single straight and deep channel that doesn’t meander much through the landscape.

As a result, the water does not spread throughout the landscape and the vegetation tends to be a lot smaller, scrubbier, and drier.

There is also a lack of wildlife.

These streams also fail to recharge our groundwater and much of the rainfall they do capture runs off into the ocean.

An ecosystem that captures water can act as a natural fire break with fires fizzling out when they encounter the wetland.

When these streams do have a hydrological disturbance, like lots of rainfall all at once, it tends to result in flooding and erosion because the water doesn’t have anywhere to go.

These streams tend to dry up very quickly in the dry season, which makes them susceptible to fire. Ventura river bottoms have actually been burning, which is not a natural occurrence.

Contrary to popular depiction, a healthy riparian ecosystem often looks less like a stream and more like a wetland. One of the first things you will notice about STREAMS WITH BEAVER is how green they are. Vegetation tends to be healthier, bigger, and more abundant. Vegetation also stays greener further into the dry season. In fact, vegetation in some of the local beaver areas I study has become even greener into the dry season.

When the beaver first moves in and builds its dam, the area often floods (that’s how ponds are made!), but after it is established, beaver ecosystems actually serve to dampen floods and make them less severe.

The heavy ponds also push water into the ground, recharging our aquifers. This groundwater is then released to the surface when pond-levels are low, buffering drought and creating yearround stream flow.

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Beaver habitat is characterized by abundant wildlife. Birds, insects, and frogs all thrive here and larger mammals may use the ponds as a watering hole.

Locally, in the Los Padres where I study, we see dams between one and three feet tall and maybe 20 to 50 yards long, which is not that big for a beaver dam.

Many researchers are particularly interested in the habitat’s effect on fish like salmon and our endangered steelhead who are born in streams, live their lives in the sea, and migrate back to the stream to reproduce. The beaver ponds provide slow-water rest areas for fish swimming upstream, abundant food for the young swimming downstream, and deep water protection from predators for both. This results in increased fish numbers and size.

You might also find humans in this verdant ecosystem.

In many areas, such as wine country, beavers attract tourism.

Beaver dams redistribute water and keep it from running off into the ocean.

The dams create ponds and channels that spread water across and into the landscape.

This greening extends to surrounding farms and crops. While floods are often unwelcome by farmers, the process can help deposit richer soil, and the watery ecosystem helps their crops stay naturally greener further into the dry season.

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It’s not just wild animals who benefit! Beaver make for great ranching buddies since they create watering holes for cattle and healthier grazing pasture.

And, 100 years from now, who knows what you’ll find?

All wetlands create very fertile soil due to the nutrient and microbial process that occur there. Many think that much of the fertile agricultural areas we enjoy today are a result of beaver-created wetlands long ago. fall 2020 35

cont’ from p. 33 remains settled the case in the Bay Area and the Sierras respectively.

What about Southern California?

What Grinnell had symbolized on the map with his Sespe question mark was, in life, the origin of a beaver skull specimen. And when Lanman uncovered letters between Grinnell and the skull’s collector, zoologist John Hornung, the Sespe question finally got its answer: On May 19, 1906, Hornung chanced upon the dying beaver near Hartman Cold Springs Ranch in the Sespe. An “unexpected find,” he called it. Perhaps, though not too unexpected. “There are still quite a few beaver in Southern California,” he added.

“What Grinnell… had failed to account for,” wrote Goldfarb, “was history.”

B E A V E R S TO D A Y ?

Today, mounting evidence may have settled the matter of whether or not beavers belong here. But whether they are still here is a whole other story.

The last report I could find of anyone who had actually seen a beaver in Ventura County (or, more accurately, someone who had heard of someone who had seen them) was in the 1990s.

“The original Sespe population, if it’s still there, is quite small,” said Emily Fairfax, PhD, an assistant professor of environmental science and resource management at California State University Channel Islands. “And it’s staying pretty far away from people.”

But that’s only part of the story. Up in the Los Padres National Forest of neighboring Santa Barbara County, where Fairfax and her team study beavers, there are hundreds of beaver dams coming off Lake Cachuma alone. And Fairfax has noticed that they are working their way toward Ventura County.

“They’re definitely coming,” she said, noting beavers in every surrounding county. Likely, they’re already here.

CAN HUMANS MA KE ROOM FOR BEAVERS? California beaver work remains complicated by its history. For example, policy remnants prohibit beaver relocation, says Fairfax.

And, according to 2016 WATER Institute report, Beaver in California, no CDFW codes promote beaver stewardship or restoration.

Public perception can also complicate the matter. Though Fairfax’s work details how beaver activity can act as a fire break and drought buffer, beavers have their own agenda.

“Beavers are absolutely an agent for good in the environment, but…sometimes they will conflict with humans,” she says. A dam-induced flood enriches soil and improves water quality and availability in the future, but it’s hard to stomach a flooded farm crop to get there.

Luckily, beaver experts are also innovators. Inventions such as “beaver deceivers” give humans influence over pond levels or dam locations and simple trunk treatments can discourage the gnawing of a prized tree. Beavers and humans won’t be able to coexist in every situation, Fairfax cautions, but she encourages “taking that extra minute to stop and think: If there is a beaver, how can I interact with it in the neutral way, instead of trying to control it?

And perhaps, in the end, relinquishing a bit of control is the moral of the California beaver story. In an increasingly dynamic climate, we humans still think and build statically, encasing our rivers in concrete. Beavers, however, build for flux, for generations and for an interspecies community.

“The beaver is the story of someone who is working hard and they’re trying to make the environment a better place… for their families and for the future,” says Fairfax.

Yes, beavers belong here because they benefit us and other creatures. But mostly, one might point out, they belong here because they always have.

Leslie Baehr is a science writer and content strategist who works with media outlets, research institutions, not-for-profits, and companies. An alumna of MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing, she enjoys exploring the interplay between science and ideas. You can reach her at lesliegbaehr@gmail.com.

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GROW BIZ

Farmivore Delivers Fresh Local Produce to Your Door

BY BONNIE RUBRECHT | PHOTOS BY VICTOR BUDNIK

hen Max Becher began selling second-quality produce from his truck seven years ago, he had no idea it would lead to an entirely new way to connect the community to fresh produce from small-scale farmers.

What started in 2013 as an email list where Becher sold slightly blemished produce for cash from local farms in Ojai, has become a thriving business bringing local produce to the doorsteps of residents throughout Ventura County.

Ojai Farmstand, as it was then known, was a way to get crops into the hands of consumers outside of the farmers’ market. By 2014 the offerings included Becher’s crops as well. A newer farmer himself, Becher partnered with another young grower, Mike Roberts of Baby Root Farm in Camarillo, and in 2018 Farmivore was born.

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Today, consumers can shop for fresh local produce through Farmivore’s website or their easy-to-use app.

Unlike a traditional community-supported agriculture (CSA) harvest subscription produce box, which offers whatever farmers have available in season, Farmivore allows customers to curate a custom mix of fruits and vegetables for delivery straight to their door.

“Seascape strawberries pop at farmers’ markets right now and on Farmivore. We also have baby corn that chefs go crazy about, and watercress that grows wild on the ranch,” Roberts said. “It’s essentially the best our local area has to offer.”

Through the app, which came out less than a year ago, customers can quickly put together a small, medium or large box of produce. “It makes ordering very quick and convenient,” said Becher. While Farmivore offers a variety of staples, such as avocados and navel oranges, they also sell niche products like native herbs, often sending push notifications to app users when something unique is available in limited quantity. Delivery is a flat rate of $5 throughout Ventura County, regardless of how many pounds of produce you order.

A PARTNERSHIP OF FARMERS Becher and Roberts first met, as one might expect, at the farmers’ market years ago. Roberts was farming under the tutelage of Phil McGrath and selling for McGrath’s farm at the time. He watched as CSA orders declined every season.

“Farmers had to come up with a way to make local produce more appealing,” said Roberts, “and I immediately recognized Max had figured it out.” When Becher reached out to him about partnering on Farmivore, he jumped at the opportunity.

Numerous hyper-local farms supply Farmivore: “first and foremost our very own home farms growing onsite as part of the McGrath Family Farm collaborative,” but also including Steel Acres Farm and Ojai Roots in Ojai, Milliken Family Farms in Lompoc, John Givens Farm in Goleta and more. A few farms they source from are slightly farther away but provide produce that is more difficult to come by, like apples from Fair Hills in Paso Robles or stone fruit and citrus from Ken Lee in Reedley.

All of the farms Farmivore works with are committed to organic and sustainable farming philosophy, and about 80% of the produce is organic certified. Many, like Baby Root and others leasing farmland from McGrath, incorporate biodynamic and permaculture techniques.

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

Above from top left: farmer Darren Robinson of Tierra Tender Farm, farmer Michael Roberts of Baby Root Farm, apprentice farmer Amanda Cox, and farmer lnlakesh Amor of Living Systems Farm. Below: fifth-generation McGrath farmer/administrator Havilah McGrath and Farmivore founder/ farmer Max Becher.

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“If you want your money to stay in the community, are you willing to eat in a way that makes that happen?”

MEETING NEEDS DURING A PANDEMIC The business model Farmivore created is a potential game changer, raising the profit margin for farmers by hiring them and their families to pack produce boxes or deliver orders.

“More and more of the money put into Farmivore [through sales] goes back to the farmer,” said Becher in describing their operations.

“They take pride in selling their own crops through Farmivore and are a motivated and hardworking team.”

“For me, what Max’s done with Farmivore, what he invented, it’s complex and no one else has done it, that I’ve seen,” said Roberts. “Operated by farmers, delivered by farmers—it’s profound in its simplicity.”

In the midst of growing as a company, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic hit and suddenly many residents who might usually shop for produce at grocery stores were looking for safe alternatives that could offer home delivery.

“COVID increased our sales significantly. It took us to a level we’d never been before, and we know this is a privileged position to be in,” said Becher, who acknowledged it has been emotionally moving to offer a market for farmers whose sales fell due to restaurant closures and shelter-in-place orders.

SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMS BY BUYING LOCAL Farmivore’s partnership with McGrath farms extends beyond supply and logistics; they share in an effort to provide opportunities for new growers. “The mission of McGrath Family Farms is to grow regenerative farmers,” said Roberts. Through Farmivore, these nascent farmers have an instant market for their produce.

Becher said ultimately Farmivore will only succeed if consumers are willing to support it. “If you want your money to stay in the community, are you willing to eat in a way that makes that happen?”

Residents who patronize Farmivore’s network are building and investing in the regional agriculture that so many view as an integral part of Central Coast California, while receiving local produce of extraordinary quality at their doorstep.

Bonnie Rubrecht is a freelance writer living in Ventura. Her passion for sustainable agriculture traces back to her family, who have farmed in California for over 150 years. Previously, she worked on the East Coast with Greenhorns as well as the Perennial Collective, where she wrote about tisanes and herbal remedies.

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Edible Ojai & Ventura County

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Certified Organic by CCOF Supplying restaurants & schools for 30 + years At these farmers’ markets: Ojai – Sun Santa Barbara – Tues & Sat

robertbdmoon@yahoo.com EdibleVenturaCounty.com

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fall 2020 41

VENTURA COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKETS WEDNESDAYS Midtown Ventura Certified Farmers’ Market Pacific View Mall (West End Parking Lot) 3301 N. Main St. Wednesdays, 9am–1pm (rain or shine) VCCFM.org 805-529-6266 THURSDAYS Downtown Oxnard Certified Farmers’ Market Plaza Park, 5th St. & B St. Thursdays, 9am–1:30pm (rain or shine) OxnardFarmersMarket.com 805-247-0197

Thousand Oaks Certified Farmers’ Market The Oaks Shopping Center (East End Parking Lot)

Wilbur Rd. & Oaks Mall Dr. Thursdays, noon–5pm (rain or shine) VCCFM.org 805-529-6266 FRIDAYS Simi Valley Certified Farmers’ Market Civic Center Plaza 2757 Tapo Canyon Rd. Fridays, 11am–3:30pm (rain or shine) Facebook.com/SimiValleyMarket 805-643-6458 SATURDAYS Camarillo Hospice Certified Farmers’ Market 2220 Ventura Blvd., Old Town Saturdays, 8am–noon (rain or shine) CamarilloFarmersMarket.com 805-987-3347

Downtown Ventura Certified Farmers’ Market City Parking Lot Santa Clara St. & Palm St. Saturdays, 8:30am–noon (rain or shine) VCCFM.org 805-529-6266 SUNDAYS Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market Behind the Arcade 300 E. Matilija St. Sundays, 9am–1pm (rain or shine) OjaiCertifiedFarmersMarket.com 805-698-5555

Channel Islands Harbor Farmers’ Market Marine Emporium Landing 3350 S. Harbor Blvd., Oxnard Sundays, 10am–2pm (rain or shine) RawInspiration.org 818-591-8161

Westlake Village Farmers’ Market 2797 Agoura Rd. Sundays, 10am–2pm (rain or shine) RawInspiration.org 818-591-8161

Note: All info was updated in August 2020. As details do change, please contact the markets and CSAs for the latest info.

CSA AND OTHER FOOD BOX OPTIONS The Abundant Table Camarillo Membership: open Price: $30/box TheAbundantTable.org

Main Street Meats Ventura Membership: not required Prices: varies by box MainStreetMeatsVentura.com

Blue Ridge Honey Ventura Membership: not required Prices: varies BlueRidgeHoneyCA.com

Farmivore Produce from Baby Root Farm, McGrath Family Farms, First Steps Farm, John Givens Farm, Steel Acres, Poco Farm, Sol Y Mar Farm, Fair Hills Farm Camarillo Membership: not required Price: custom orders ($5 flat delivery rate) Farmivore.farm

Corky’s Nuts Fillmore Membership: not required Price: varies CorkysNuts.com

The Farmer & the Cook Ojai Membership: waitlist Price: $125/month Farmer-and-The-Cook.com

Earthtrine Farms Ojai Call a day ahead to order and pick up at the farm, Tuesday, 9am–noon and Friday, 9:30 am–1pm.

Price: varies based on your order Call: 805-421-8483

Harvest Gathering Farm Ventura Membership: waitlist Prices: varies HarvestGatheringFarm.com

OLAS Foundation & Tutti Frutti Farms Certified Organic Produce Boxes Place order by 7pm on Mondays and Thursdays Price: $55 Text or call: 805-570-1638 or 805-794-1481

The Farm & Forest Thousand Oaks Membership: waitlist Price: $90/month—weekly pickup TheFarmandForestCSA.com 42

fall 2020

King & King Ranch (Also provide to the Abundant Table and one smaller Ventura CSA) Fillmore Membership: not required Prices: varies KingandKingRanch.com

Novy Ranches Simi Valley Membership: not required Prices: varies NovyRanches.com

Prancers Village Ventura Membership: not required Price: $40/box PrancersVillage.com

Rio Gozo Farms Ojai Membership: Open Price: $30/weekly or $60/biweekly Text: 805-272-5337 with “Hi, my name is ... my address is ...

I would like to receive a vegetable delivery on ...”

Ventura Fresh Fish Ventura Membership: not required Prices: varies VenturaFreshFish.com

Steel Acres Ojai Membership: waitlist Prices: varies SteelAcres.com

The Ventura Meat Company Ventura Membership: not required Prices: varies VtaMeatCo.com

Sow A Heart Farm Fillmore Membership: open Price: $50/box SowAHeart.com

Watkins Cattle Company Ojai Membership: not required Prices: varies WatkinsCattleCo.com

Underwood Farms Moorpark Membership: open Price: $45/box UnderwoodFamilyFarms.com

White Dove Farm Santa Paula Membership: not required Prices: varies WhiteDovesFarmFresh.com

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

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Source Guide Please visit our advertisers and let them know you appreciate their support of Edible Ojai & Ventura County.

They enable us to offer this magazine free of charge to readers throughout Ventura County.

FARMS & FARM MARKETS The Abundant Table (p. 27) Five-acre certified organic farm and education center at McGrath Family Farm. On-site farm store or community-supported agriculture box program with pickup locations across Ventura County. 1012 W. Ventura Blvd., Camarillo, 805-983-0333, TheAbundantTable.org

Earthtrine Farm (p. 41) B.D. Dautch and family’s farm provides fresh specialty produce and herbs to restaurants and schools.

Certified Organic by CCOF, Earthtrine Farm’s produce can also be found at the Ojai Farmers’ Market and Santa Barbara Farmers’ Markets. robertbdmoon@yahoo.com

Friend’s Ranches (p. 45) The Friend family has grown Ojai citrus since the 1870s. Produce is at farmers’ markets, and available for local wholesale and seasonal mail order.

Visitors welcome Tu & F, 7am–noon.

15150 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai, 805-6462871, FriendsRanches.com

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Ojai Pixie Tangerines (p. 45)

Treeco, Inc. (p. 40)

The Ojai Pixie Growers Association is over 40 family farms growing Pixie tangerines in the Ojai Valley. Pixies ripen in March, and the Ojai Pixie Growers sell them wholesale and direct for as long as there is fruit to sell, usually until May or June.

OjaiPixies.com

Specializes in residential and commercial tree care with a focus on promoting healthy growth. Planting, pruning, fertilization, irrigation, removal, tree risk assessment and consultation. 2100 Goodyear Ave. #1, Ventura, 805-652-0404, treecoventura@att.net, TreecoVentura.com

Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Markets (p. 5) Ventura County’s original farmers’ markets, providing connection of fresh and local foods and the finest small California farmers with locations in Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks and Ventura. 805-529-6266, VCCFM.org

FOOD RETAILERS Somis Nut House (p. 23) For more than 55 years, one-ofa-kind retailer has offered a wide variety of candies, nuts, dried fruits and other goodies. Gift packages and shipping available, too. 4475 E. Los Angeles Ave., Somis, 805-386-1211, SomisNutHouse.com

GALLERIES John Nichols Gallery (p. 45)

HEALTH & WELLNESS Ema’s Herbs (p. 23) A Wealth of Natural Healing! Providing natural and organic ways to balance your body. 695 E. Main St, Ventura, 805-648-6426, EmasHerbs.com

Grosman Chiropractic (p. 36) For over 20 years, Dr. Grosman has been providing quality and affordable chiropractic care for the whole family. He believes that true healing is achieved when the patient is fully engaged in their own health and well-being and that sustainable health and wellness is a lifelong journey. 3625 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., #168, Westlake Village, 805-558-0286, GrosmanChiropractic.com

Ocean Gold CBD (p. 40)

Since 1984, this gallery has been exhibiting and promoting vintage, vernacular and contemporary photography. Custom framing and archival services available.

By appointment. 117 N. 10th St., Ste. 206, Santa Paula, 805-525-7804, JohnNicholsGallery.com

A licensed CBD manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer since 2017, Ocean Gold uses local, natural and organic ingredients made in Ventura County to make topical CBD products to aid in sleep, help reduce anxiety and help in pain management.

539 Sespe Ave., Fillmore, 805-3911008, oceangoldcbd@gmail.com, OceanGoldCBD.com

GARDENING & LANDSCAPING

Ojai Energetics (p. 9)

BlueSky BioChar (p. 27) Providing a wide array of premium soil amendments including Biochar, worm castings, rock dust, mycorrhizae and many other products to create Living Soil in your garden. Contact for free garden advice: Michael@blueskybiochar.com, 818-599-9119, BlueSkyBiochar.com

A local company founded in 2014 providing the highest quality, certified organic, water-soluble, full spectrum, hemp CBD elixirs and topicals. Visit retail store for CBD, other wellness products and acupuncture clinic.

236 W. Ojai Ave. #100, Ojai, 805-6465586. OjaiEnergetics.com

KITCHENWARE & GOURMET SUPPLIES BellaCopper (p. 23) Copper conducts heat better! The original solid copper heat diffuser plate equalizes heating in your pans, with no hot spots. Also effective as a defroster plate and oven plate. Four sizes available. 805-218-3241, info@bellacopper.com, BellaCopper.com

MEAT MARKETS Main Street Meats (p. 9) Butcher shop combined with neighborhood market offering local products and deli counter. Features meats humanely raised, processed without hormones or steroids, and as local as possible. 3049 E. Main St., Ventura, 805-643-0318, MainStreetMeatsVentura.com

The Ventura Meat Company (p. 23) Full-service, sustainable, retail butcher shop offering the highest quality, responsibly sourced meats at new lower prices. No artificial ingredients in anything sold here. 2650 E. Main St., Ventura, 805-667-9159, TheVenturaMeatCompany.com

PLACES TO EAT & DRINK Turn to page 46 for our Local Guide to Good Eats & Drinks

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. LightGabler Law (p. 27) A 14-attorney law firm that works with employers to develop proactive strategies to enhance workplace productivity and avoid employment disputes. They guide employers on strategic compliance with current laws governing all areas of employment including wage and hour issues, training, discipline, disabilities and documentation. 760 Paseo Camarillo, Ste. 300, Camarillo, 805-248-7208, LightGablerLaw.com

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

SCHOOLS Monica Ros School (p. 41) This school has been providing a magical beginning to education for generations of Ojai’s children. For 75 years, their mission has been to expand a child’s natural passion for learning in a setting that celebrates Ojai’s natural beauty. 783 McNell Rd., Ojai, 805-646-8184, MonicaRos.org

Oak Grove School (p. 49) This progressive co-educational day and boarding school serves preschool through college preparatory high school students. Located on an expansive 150-acre wooded campus, the school fosters an environment where students are encouraged to ask deep questions that flower from a truth within. 220 W. Lomita Ave., Ojai, 805-646-8236, OakGroveSchool.org

SEAFOOD MARKET Ideal Seafood (p. 36) A family-run business offering the freshest, highest-quality seafood possible to their customers by bringing it direct from the boats. Also available is Rick’s Famous Smoked Salmon. 11512 N. Ventura Ave., Ojai, 805-640-1514, IdealSeafoodOjai.com.

SPECIALTY FOODS & BEVERAGES Bennett’s Honey Farm (p. 11) With kosher and organic certificates, Bennett’s produces, packs and distributes from their 100% solarpowered “green� facility, where they use a gravity straining process to retain the honey’s natural components. Tasting room and store open seven days a week.

3176 Honey Lane (Hwy. 126), Fillmore, 805-521-1375, BennettHoney.com

Blue Ridge Honey (p. 41) 1,600 bee colonies, pollinating locally.

Ventura County Fair Blue Ribbon– winning raw, unfiltered, local honey varieties: Orange, Avocado, Sage, Wildflower and Raspberry. Available at local markets, farmers’ markets, direct and wholesale. 805-9413777, info@blueridgehoneyca.com, BlueRidgeHoneyCA.com

Buon Gusto Farms (p. 27) Highest-quality Buenaventura Olive Oil and California Coastal Olive Oils are made with olives that are handharvested, first pressed and cold pressed. Artisan California vinegars specially blended to pair with their oils. Available at farmers’ markets and local stores. Ventura, 805-641-1268, BuonGustoFarms.com

Corky’s Nuts (p. 23) Local, certified organic raw walnuts, oil & butter shipped directly to you, fresh from the farm. “You haven’t tasted a walnut until you’ve tasted CORKY’S NUTS!� Order online at corkysnuts.com

Flying Embers Hard Kombucha (p. 5) Follow us on social media @FlyingEmbersBrew. Visit our website to find us near you and learn more!

FlyingEmbers.com

Magic Hour Tea (p. 3) A Tea & Transformation company with a mission to connect the world through tea ceremony. The organic ceremonial teas are made with love in mystical Ojai, by Zhena Muzyka.

928 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 805-798-9199.

ClubMagicHour.com

Spice Topia (p. 23) Family-owned store carries organic, fair-trade spices, teas, and a curated selection of locally crafted products.

576 E. Main, Ventura. Spice-Topia.com

Since 1984

JohnNicholsGallery.com

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CATERING (countywide) Private ChefCatering

edible

Ojai & Ventura County

Local Guide to Good Eats & Drinks

Robin Goldstein is a California chef who works her culinary magic combining unique flavors and seasonal ingredients with classic techniques inspired by her extensive travel around the Mediterranean.

PrivateChefRobin.com

FILLMORE Roan Mills Bakery California’s first land-to-loaf bakery, Roan Mills grows the wheat, mills the flour, bakes the bread and makes the pasta. Stop in at their bakery in historic downtown Fillmore and taste the difference.

411 Central Ave. | Fillmore | RoanMills.com

CAMARILLO All Things Tea European teahouse with certified Tea Specialist. Specialty loose leaf teas from the finest plantations and gardens around the world. Cream Tea, Afternoon Tea and High Tea. In Paseo Camarillo Center | 300 N. Lantana St., #37 | Camarillo | 805-445-8327 | Tea-Liteful.com

OJAI AZU California, Spanish & Mexican Cuisine, artisanal brewery offering light bodied, food friendly craft beers, local wines & fresh cocktails.

457 E. Ojai Ave. | Ojai | 805-640-7987 | AzuOjai.com

At Kay’s Coffee in Camarillo and Ventura, try a seasonal turmeric mocha made with organic dairy-free fair-trade chocolate, an organic spice blend, locally roasted coffee and milk of choice. Pair it with a made-from-scratch blueberry coffee cake for one fine breakfast!

Join the Local Guide to Good Eats & Drinks Contact us at ads@edibleventuracounty.com

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Edible Ojai & Ventura County

Kay’s Coffee Shop Family owned and operated coffee shop and bakery proudly serves locally roasted coffees and premium organic loose leaf teas. Homestyle baked goods are freshly made from scratch.

Two convenient locations.

2364 Ventura Blvd. | Camarillo | 805-383-6005 | 1124 S. Seaward Ave. | Ventura | 805-641-1581 | KaysCoffeeShop.com

Twisted Oaks Tavern Great selection of 30 craft beers on tap from both our in-house brewery and guest taps; full bar; and scratch kitchen serving quality tavern fare with a twist.

Happy hour menu served 7 days/ week.

2433 Ventura Blvd. | Camarillo | 805-586-4005 | TwistedOaksTavern.pub/Camarillo

The Wine Closet Wine lounge in Old Town Camarillo, featuring unique wines, craft beers, small plates, lunch and dinner.

Weekly happy hours and featured wine tastings. Indoor and outdoor seating. The specialty market offers retail sales of fine wines, craft brews, artisan cheeses and charcuterie.

2423 Ventura Blvd. | Camarillo | 805-746-5708 | WineClosetInc.com

Revel Kombucha Bar Enjoy local jun kombucha on tap! Treat yourself to an amazing acai bowl. Revive with coffee and matcha on nitro.

307 E. Matilija St. C. | Ojai | 805-272-0028 | RevelKombuchaBar.com

Sage Mindful Meals & Elixirs Offers beautiful outdoor seating nestled among the Arcade sycamores, happy hour in the Lounge or a quick bite at the elixir bar. The innovative healthful food and drink menu highlights local, organic, seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

217 E. Matilija St., Ojai | 805-646-9204 | SageOjai.com Currently closed. Stay tuned for reopen dates.

SunOven A dedicated gluten free and vegan wholesale bakery in Ojai. We craft artisan bread, bagels, buns, seasonal pastries, pies, cinnamon rolls and our amazing doughnuts.

Online ordering, shipping and where to find us: SunOvenGF.com

OXNARD La Dolce Vita Ristorante & 1901 Lounge Features Italian and Mediterranean fusion cuisine, glutenfree options and 1901 Speakeasy Lounge. Serves lunch and dinner. Entertainment on weekends. Located in historic Heritage Square, and also offers on- and off-site catering and cooking classes.

740 S. B St. | Oxnard | 805-486-6878 | TheLDV.com

THOUSAND OAKS AND WESTLAKE VILLAGE Chocolatine French Café An authentic French café established in 2004 in the heart of Thousand Oaks, the family-owned spot pleases daily with breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks of homemade quiches, sandwiches, crepes, macarons, coffee drinks and more!

2955 Thousand Oaks Blvd. | Thousand Oaks | 805-557-0561 | ChocolatineFrenchCafe.com

NABU Wines A member of the Malibu Coast Wine Trail, they make wines from the Santa Monica Mountains in the Malibu Coast AVA and the Napa Valley. Tasting room open Sa-Su noon–8pm.

2649 Townsgate Rd. | Westlake Village | 818-835-3704 | NabuWines.com

Bliss Street Baking

Grapes and Hops Extensive selection of locally sourced wines and craft beers paired with regional flavors, served in the historic elegance of Ventura’s first bar and speakeasy.

Plenty of outdoor seating.

454 E. Main St. | Ventura | 805-641-0053 | GrapesAndHops.org

VENTURA Andria’s Seafood In the beautiful Ventura harbor. Open 7 days a week. Patio seating and takeout available.

1449 Spinnaker Dr. A | Ventura | 805-654-0546 | AndriasSeafood.com

Paradise Pantry Food with a local emphasis, including great sandwiches, salads, mac ‘n’ cheese, gourmet goodies, a cheese counter and an extensive wine shop. Diners can also enjoy craft beers, wines by the glass or wine flights.

222 E. Main St. | Ventura | 805-641-9440 | ParadisePantry.com

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

Delicious fresh fruit pies, decadent chocolate desserts, cinnamon rolls, and hard-to-resist Lebanese sweets.

Special order for any event, big or small! Serving all of Ventura County.

To find us, visit BlissStreetBakery.com

Poseidon Brewing Company A small, local, veteran-owned craft brewery making a variety of beer styles. Visit the tasting room or take a growler to go.

5777 Olivas Park Dr., Ste. Q | Ventura | 805-477-0239 | PoseidonBrewingCo.com

Ventura Spirits Since 2011, using the natural and agricultural bounty of California’s Central Coast to hand craft novel and delicious spirits. Tasting room open F–Su. 3891 N. Ventura Ave. | Ventura | 805-232-4313 | VenturaSpirits.com

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LAST BITE

Ojai Sage Pumpkin Lasagna

By Chef Gena Dillon As we head out of flu and virus season (and back into flu/virus season), I can only stress how important it is to prepare foods rich in antioxidants in order to boost the immune system. Every meal should be vitamin rich and definitely organic. We need a system of holistic principles and dynamic practices to guide us through these worrisome times and I believe it starts in the kitchen. In colder months we should focus on warm comfort foods high in antiviral properties.

One of my favorite savory meals full of betterfor-you nutrients is my Ojai Sage Pumpkin Lasagna. Pumpkin is high in antioxidants and immunity-boosting vitamins that will help fight against infections and viruses.

Serves 4 ½ cup chopped sage ½ cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 can organic puréed pumpkin 8 ounces ricotta cheese 1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated 1–2 packages ready-to-cook lasagna noodles Optional: ½ cup kale, deveined, chopped and sautéed Optional: 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté onion and sage in oil until onions are tender.

Add pumpkin, stir in, then slowly add in ricotta. Stir until fully incorporated and slightly melted. Remove from heat.

In a 9- by 9-inch baking dish, layer lasagna noodles with sauce and mozzarella. Repeat for at least 4 layers, using up all the sauce and about ¾ of the cheese. I like to add a layer of sautéed kale in the first layer to add fiber and more antioxidants!

Top with remaining cheese and cook for 45 minutes.

Serve warm.

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Editor’s note: While this recipe was delightful as is, our Edible test kitchen tried a variation with a cooked garlic sage ground beef mixture added with the pumpkin, which really enhanced the flavors.

To make this variation add: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 3–4 tablespoons chopped sage ½ pound ground beef (preferably grass fed) Salt and pepper to taste Cook garlic in oil until just aromatic, then add sage and ground beef. Cook until done. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add beef mixture to the pumpkin sauce with the pumpkin. Complete the rest of recipe as listed.

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

INDIA

RISHI VALLEY

the art of JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

OAKGROVESCHOOL.ORG ROLLING ADMISSIONS INQUIRE ABOUT AVAILABILITY

OAK GROVE SCHOOL The Art of Living and Learning

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

living & learning Oak Grove’s expansive, 150-acre campus is reflective of its academic approach: A college preparatory DAY and BOARDING High School with an intimate, home-style boarding program. A rich academic curriculum, emphasizing depth over breadth, spanning PRESCHOOL through HIGH SCHOOL. Engaging OUTDOOR EDUCATION courses that include camping, backpacking, international and domestic travel. This approach prepares students to function with excellence, care, and responsibility in the world. fall 2020 49