I wish I liked radishes. Actually, let me rephrase — I wish I liked to eat radishes. Other than the taste, I do like radishes. (I really haven’t met a vegetable I dislike. Let’s just say I like some better than others.) As I write this post, I’m realizing that I have a strong ambivalence towards radishes. In all their beautiful, multicolored glory, they represent Spring and the beginning of the farmer’s market season, which I love.  Each May, without fail, they greet us as sentries standing guard at every farmer’s booth. And they really are beautiful— brightly-colored crimson, soft ivory, and magnificent purple globes nesting in their own haven of densely-colored, green leaves. I am always attracted to them. They look so seductive. They are almost irresistible. Almost.

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I love farmer’s markets. We’re very fortunate here in Colorado to have access to some great markets. I happen to live in Boulder County and think the Boulder Farmer’s Market is pretty special. I also love the Longmont Farmer’s Market— a bit smaller and usually less crowded. There are farmer’s markets all over the country— and they’re usually not too hard to find. Local Harvest is a good place to start if you’re trying to find a market in your area.

Yesterday was a great day at the market. We’ve been having cooler weather and it was bit overcast— a perfect time to go to the market since cloudy days usually mean less people. Despite our wet, cool Spring, there was much to choose form at the market. Here are some of the beautiful things I found:

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The Environmental Working Group has released their revised lists for the Dirty Dozen (the 12 fruits and vegetables highest in pesticide residue) and the Clean 15 (the 15 fruits and vegetables with the lowest amount of pesticide residue).

The complete list isn’t available yet, but becoming familiar with, and avoiding the Dirty Dozen, will go a long way to keeping harmful toxins out of your body. For all the foods on the Dirty Dozen list, it’s a good idea to only buy certified organic. If it’s on the list, and I can’t find organic, I won’t buy it, and I won’t eat it.

Dirty Dozen

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)

Clean 15

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

Recently, I posted a link to a video that featured Mimi Kirk—a beautiful, vibrant, 71-year old woman who recently won a contest sponsored by PETA and was awarded the title of Sexiest Vegetarian over the age of 50. (After speaking with her, I decided she deserved a promotion, so I gave her the title of Sexiest Vegetarian on the Planet. I’m pretty sure PETA won’t mind.) During the short video clip, Mimi credited her youthful appearance and excellent health to the fact that she has been a vegetarian for the better part of 40 years. I instantly liked this woman and was intrigued. As luck would have it, a friend of mine who knows Mimi saw my post and offered to make an introduction. Woohoo. This past week, Mimi was gracious enough to spend some time with me and I am excited to share our conversation in an audio file posted below.

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I like to read before going to bed. For a while, we had a TV in the bedroom and ineveitably ended up watching whatever was on just before going to sleep. I often would dream about something I watched before going to sleep. During the last election, we started watching CNN before bed. The night I  dreamt about Sarah Palin was the last night I ever watched TV just before going to sleep.

But I digress. This post isn’t about TV or politics. This post is about the books I read. More specifically, this post is about the books that are sitting on my nightstand this very moment. It occurred to me last night that I always have an interesting collection of books on my nightstand. I’m typically not the type of reader that starts a book and reads straight through to the end. I like to peruse. I like to explore. I find that I’m interested in reading about so many things, and I’m always in the middle of two or three books.

My newest book, Savor, by Thich Nhat Hanh is wonderful. I’ve just started this book and will let you know what I think of it in a later post. In fact, I’ll make it a habit to tell you about all the books I find worthwhile, and I’d love to hear from you as well. If you’ve discovered a fantastic book and think the folks who read this blog would enjoy reading it, please let us know. I’d love to start our own virtual reading club.

What’s on your nightstand?

I love yams. But not the kind served at Thanksgiving with marshmallows and butter and brown sugar. I just like them straight-up.

I don’t consider myself a gourmet chef. I’m all about simplicity. Although I love the experience of eating (and sometimes cooking) an exquisitely complex dish, there’s something beautifully authentic and rewarding about preparing and eating simple foods. For me, every day cooking is about using natural ingredients, and preparing them in ways that coax out their unique characteristics. Simple is delicious.

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This time of year I start craving salads. The transition from Winter to Spring naturally encourages us to shift our tastes to a lighter fare (that is if we’re conscious about our inherent biological rhythms). I eat salads all year round, but I especially enjoy them in Spring and early Summer.

According to The Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson, the Latin word sal (which means ‘salt’) is derived from the Latin word salata, which translates as salted things.  Historically, raw vegetables were eaten with a dressing of oil, vinegar and salt— thus giving us the word salata, or salad.

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I just discovered this video and think Mimi is a great example of how eating the right foods keeps us young.

Weighing in at over 60 pounds, my suitcase was stuffed to the zippers with hundreds of product samples that I picked up at this year’s Natural Product Expo West. Being a first-timer at this event, I just couldn’t resist bringing home the entire schmorgesborg of samples I was given at the show. With over 3000 different exhibits showcasing the newest products in natural and specialty foods, organic, natural living, health and beauty, supplements and pet products, this event was far better than Halloween ever was for me. I didn’t have to wear a costume, I didn’t have to say “trick or treat” at every booth, and exhibitors were handing out free samples to everyone walking by.

Not every product or company at the Expo was one that I would recommend. Just because someone says it’s “healthy” doesn’t mean it is. However, I met a lot of great people who are producing great products. In the coming months, I’ll be sharing reviews of some of the best products I discovered at the Expo, along with some enlightening interviews of the people behind the products and information about where to find these fantastic products.

Stay tuned.

There aren’t any magic pills or potions that can make you healthy. Let’s face it, if you want to be healthy, it takes some effort. I’m not a big fan of any product or claim that promises rewards without effort. However, there is one thing that requires very little effort, and has tremendous rewards. And I do it daily. More »