Healthful Harvest Foods

These are just some of the local produce ready

Farmers’ Market. The market, held on Thursdays from 4-7 p.m., makes eating in season as easy as a walk to Market Square.

There are many fruits and veggies ready for harvest in September and October – and even more tasty recipes in which to use them, says Suzanne Lucas, one of the organizers of the New Albany Farmers’ Market, creator of the New Albany community gardens and a botanist and plant breeder by trade.

“Eating locally and seasonally means many things to me personally,” says Lu cas. “It reminds me to slow down. To celebrate what is in season and in time’s passing. It helps me to reconnect with my childhood and memories of long family dinners. It roots me in my community and gives me a sense of security knowing that my meat was raised by Farmer Dick in Johnstown, my honey harvested by Latshaw on Harlem Road, my potatoes grown with care by Trish of Garden Patch Produce, my garlic from Mott Family Farms, and the rest lovingly grown by me and my boys in our own garden.

“For me it is a ritual – taking the time to let the food dictate the menu and the season to shine through the flavor. It’s an everyday goal that I seek to attain rather than an everyday reality, unfortunately. I’ve found, however, every little step I take toward buying locally strengthens our local economy and is, in some small way, my vote for the return to simple, pure and natural.”

Thailyr Scrivner is a contributing writer. Feedback and comments welcome at editor@healthynewalbany.org.

Here are a few recipes utilizing your freshly harvested produce:

Fresh Produce

Apples

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celery

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Fall Red

Raspberries

Herbs

Greens

Lettuce

Peas

Pears

Pumpkins

Radishes

Squash

Turnips

Zucchini

Spicy Roasted Eggplant from Simply in Season

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fresh cilantro sprigs

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

• 2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. ground coriander

• Pinch of ground cinnamon

• 1 large eggplant, cut in ⅓ inch slices

Stir cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice and the dry spices together. Brush the mixture on both sides of the eggplant slices and transfer to greased baking pan. Broil eggplant five to six inches from the heat until golden and cooked through (about 10 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

Pear or Apple Chutney from Simply in Season

Ingredients:

• 12 cups pears or apples, peeled, cored, chopped

• 1 ½ cups onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced with seeds removed

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup currants

• ½ cup dried cranberries, cherries, golden raisins, apricots or peaches, chopped

• 2 inches ginger root, peeled and minced

• 4 cups brown sugar

• 2 tsp. ground coriander

• 1 tsp. each ground cloves, yellow mustard seed, salt

• 1 ½ tsp. chili powder

• 1 ½ tsp. each ground cumin and cumin seed

• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

• ⅛ tsp. ground cardamom

Combine in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook until mixture thickens and mounds likely on a spoon (50-60 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Ladle into hot sterilized half-pint jars to within ½ inch of top. Seal with sterilized lids and process full jars in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Yields 6 half pints.