Don’t Veg Out—Veg Up!
Our Lynchburg Living Taste contributor Mikael Blido shares three easy ways to add some fresh produce into your day.
Stir them into a soup for an effortless 15-minute meal. Mikael says anything goes—carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, and potatoes (even canned or frozen options such as corn and peas).
“Just chop them up, add to some chicken broth and use salt/pepper to taste. For variety, add meats. Pull some meat off a rotisserie chicken or throw in some leftover barbecue beef,” he says.
Finish off with chopped herbs and homemade croutons (cubed bread with olive oil in a skillet and lots of salt and pepper.)
Roast them for a quick side dish that goes with anything. “Just roughly chop your vegetables (avoid leafy ones), drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 40 minutes and serve. Delicious!” says Mikael.
Mix them up in a milkshake you can enjoy any time of the day. “This is my favorite 30-second meal!” says Mikael. “It’s the easiest non-salad route to get leafy greens into your body.”
In a high-speed blender (he suggests a Vitamix), add milk, a few strawberries, half a banana, some ice and a splash of vanilla. Then add two large handfuls of organic salad mix and blend. Add sugar or Stevia to taste.
“You will not even taste the lettuce since the vanilla and strawberries mask their already mild flavor,” he says. “Even kids love it!”
Fresh from the Farm
From organic veggies to locally-raised beef, you can find the freshest, most high-quality ingredients at your local farmer’s market. Support local producers at these four locations:
APX Market
1848 Church St., Appomattox
Open May through October; reopens in December for a Holiday Market
Bedford Farmer’s Market
On corner of Washington and Center streets, Bedford
Open May through October
Visit on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m., Fridays 7:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. and 1st Saturdays of the month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Forest Farmers Market
Forest Library, 15583 Forest Rd., Forest
Outdoor season: April – October on Saturdays
from 8 a.m. – noon
(Winter Market also offered at 1088 Rustic Village Rd., Forest)
www.forestfarmersmarket.com
Lynchburg Community Market
1219 Main St., Lynchburg
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
www.lynchburgcommunitymarket.com
Weight Loss Wisdom
Libi Prince, our Be Well Lynchburg “Inspire” profile who lost 150 pounds, shares a few of her eating tips.
• Plan out your meals—“Having a game plan helps you see the bigger picture of your day/week overall. This makes it easier to work in meals that are outside of your control (such as work luncheons.)”
• Keep protein-rich snacks on hand—“This will keep you fuller longer until your next meal. My favorites are light string cheese, a hard-boiled egg, and almonds.”
• Look outside the box for food inspiration—“Some of my best meal/snack ideas came from following people on Instagram.”
Turmeric To-Go
Turmeric is an inflammation fighting spice that’s popping up everywhere right now. In Lynchburg, the Fresh Market carries these handy packets made by The Republic of Tea that can be easily and conveniently added to a 16.9 oz. bottle of water. The ingredients include turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, black pepper and monk fruit. Perfect for your purse, car, or pantry for a quick and healthy portable drink.
Smoothie Support>
The end result is nice—but does the laborious “smoothie prep” session keep you from enjoying a cold blend of fruits, veggies and other health-boosting ingredients?
Enter… Live Pure Smoothies—a supplier of complete, organic, plant-based, ready-to-blend frozen cubes that transform into thick, rich, luscious smoothies or smoothie bowls. And better yet, this company’s roots formed in Lynchburg.
Tiffany Tatom and Mary Cope (Tiffany still lives in the Hill City) were health coaches for 12 years and also had a corporate wellness company. During that venture they realized they “needed a product that tasted delicious, was super easy to make, took under one minute, required no thinking, would be enjoyed by all family members and never had food waste,” according to Tiffany.
Locally, Lynchburg’s MayLynn’s Creamery uses Live Pure products in their organic smoothie bowls. (And Consolidated Shoes orders smoothie cubes for their employees as part of a wellness plan.)
You can order some cubes for yourself to enjoy at home!
Visit livepure.love to learn more.
