Happy August and welcome to your ReFresh newsletter! This week, we encourage all of you to share your gardening questions with Tiana. Want to learn more about chard? You will find information about the health benefits of chard and how to cook it in the health educator section. We also share a few simple recipes that you can make with the fresh ingredients in your ReFresh box! In the community resource section, we share resources about fresh food access in town and how to buy from them. We hope you enjoy this newsletter and thank you for your participation as we work together to create a healthy local food system.
Upcoming Delivery: Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Text your questions, photos, and comments to: (505) 226-3707.
Ask a Farmer
Call for gardening questions!
Do you have questions about your tomato plants? 
Are they growing healthily as you planned?
Let Tiana help you with answering the specific questions about your plants you are growing or planning to grow at home!
Please send your gardening questions to (505) 226-3707 or email Tiana at [email protected]
Photo by Susana Espino
With Lisa Chen
What are some health benefits of chard?
Check out this sauteed chard recipe:
Ingredients
– 1 ½ tbsp of olive oil or any oil you have at home
– 8 oz chard, chopped
– ½ medium onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Optional: dried or fresh herbs such as basil or rosemary
Instructions
1. In a medium pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and onion to the pan and saute until the garlic is golden and the onion is almost translucent.
3. Add the chard to the pan and saute until tender.
4. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and drizzle lime juice on the peppers.
4. Enjoy with rice or beans, or eat it alone!
Do you have a question about food and nutrition?
Send your questions to [email protected].
Disclaimer: The information shared by Three Sisters Kitchen (TSK) is for general informational purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by a doctor or other health care provider. Picture by: Maggie Kentilitisca, TSK Community Health Educator.
Photo by Lisa Chen
- ” I made this blue corn pancake by modifying this
pancake recipe shared by the food hero. I replaced half of the all-purpose flour with blue cornmeal. I used plant-based milk instead of dairy. Experiment with your pancake ingredients! It can be fun! Feel free to top with any fruits and nuts you have at home to increase the flavor and nutrient value of the pancake!”
– Lisa Chen, Community Health Program Coordinator - “During the hot summer months, my favorite desserts come from the freezer.
I really enjoy making this honey lemonade popsicle recipe, which is a great way to use up any extra lemons you might have in the kitchen. If you don’t have a popsicle mold don’t worry – you can use an ice tray to make miniature popsicles, plastic or paper cups, or a muffin tin to freeze and fill“
– Blythe Maunders, TSK Community Health Educator - “I love making my own salad dressing, it’s homemade, simple, and easy!
The main thing to know is the ratio: one part vinegar to three parts oil, add salt and pepper to taste and you’re good to go! Honey or mustard will help the ingredients to mix well and lend the dressing a creamy texture! Here’s a simple guide to making your own homemade dressing. Drizzle some of the dressing on top of the salad you prepared. A simple salad can be iceberg lettuce with cherry tomato and celeries!”
– Maggie and Lisa
Pictured: (1) Blue corn pancake by Lisa Chen, (2) Lemonade popsicle by Sugar and Charm, (3) Simple salad by Lisa Chen
by Blythe Maunders
This week we want to highlight some of the great work being done by community members to make fresh food accessible to our community and talk about ways that you can access these foods. Right now it may seem more difficult to access local fresh foods, but there is a community of food lovers working together to make these foods available. Before we dive into the fresh food access resources, we would like to remind you to mask up and practice social distancing when you go pick up at farmers’ markets, CSAs, or farm stands.
Below are three simple ways to access fresh food in Albuquerque right now and support local farms.
Farmer’s Markets are a great place to find local food from a variety of farmers. There are several farmers markets in Albuquerque, many of which accept SNAP/EBT, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, and Senior FMNP. Markets are using an in-person to-go model as well as an online pre-order system to make pick up faster and safer. Click here to find a market near you.
Another great way to access fresh food is through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. These are programs designed to directly connect community members to local farms. Community members order a share of food from their chosen CSA and pick up their share at a predetermined location each week. Many of the CSA programs have a sliding scale payment model and accept SNAP/EBT. Find links below to learn more about individual CSA programs in Albuquerque.
More information on CSA can be found here.
Last but not least, farm stands are a great way to access local foods this summer. Farm stands differ from farmer’s markets in that they are operated by individual farms. When you choose to shop at a farm stand you are choosing to support the singular farm operating that stand. Many farm stands are operating with a pre-order model, so check out the links below to order ahead and pick up your local food.
Flora Fauna Farm, 505-508-8511
Simple Revolution? Farm, 505-514-8630
Silver Leaf Farm, 505-459-7163
Photo by Downtown Growers’ Market
- Cherry tomatoes from North Valley Organics*
- Zucchini from Synergia*
- Chard from Solarpunk Farms*
- Eggs from Thompson Farms*
- Red and yellow onion from Chispas Farm*
- Blue cornmeal from Tamaya Cooking Post*
- Cheese from Tucumcari Mtn. Cheese Factory*
- Tomato sauce from Wilder Gardens*
This Blue Ribbon winning tomato sauce recipe starts with FRESH LOCAL Tomatoes. Wilder Gardens add fresh onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Then season it with Mexican Oregano, salt, sugar, and black pepper and add just a bit of organic lemon juice. You can find this product at local markets such as Three Sisters Kitchen, Railyards Market, and small retail shops. - Honeydew**
- Pears**
- Onions**
- Iceberg Lettuce**
- Celery**
- Orange**
* NM grown / NM made. We raise money to purchase these foods from local farmers and food producers as a concrete way to invest in our local food system and get delicious, fresh, local food to our ReFresh families. Keep an eye out for these local farms and food businesses when you do your food shopping. ReFresh boxes will always include local food items.
** These fresh fruits and vegetables are made possible by a donation from Segovia Foods, with funding from the USDA Farm to Families program. This donation allows us to increase the amount of food in your ReFresh boxes while using our resources to invest in the local food economy and support our local farmers and food producers. Please note, these donated food items may not be locally grown and they may not be grown using organic practices. ReFresh boxes may not always include these donated items.
Thank You!
– All of us at Three Sisters Kitchen