Produce Patch Keeps Gettin Better!!

Hey hungry Tritons!

The patio of Cafe V was the setting for Farm 2 U today.
Nancy Filtz, Retail Manager of the UCSD Place and Markets, came out with yet another gorgeous display of local and organic produce. Woohoo!The samples keep getting better and better! Today there were three beautiful glass dispensers filled with incredible naturally infused waters.
To the left was pineapple water with orange slices, in the middle was water infused with cucumber and mint leaves, and finally (my favorite) cantaloupe water to the right.
They were the most delicious natural flavor combinations when paired with ice cold water!

The Villagers are familiar with these Chico bags, but for those of you who don't live in the transfer housing, these bags are awesome! They are made from several recycled plastic water bottles (7 I believe).
They're cool because they collapse into themselves to fit into a little bag (seen here), and can be pulled out to the size of a book bag. They come equipped with a carabiner, so you can hook the bag onto your key chain. Yep, HDH hooks it up!

Gotta love samples....slices of organic grapefruits, oranges, and lemons were free to try.
I sampled the Pink Lady Apples because I had never heard of them before. They were amazingly crisp and sweet!
Nancy was being the gracious host that she is, by offering to cut up some lemons for me to try. She's the greatest!
Check out how the setting sun highlights the broccoli.......so fresh and so green green. : )

The freshly picked local flowers were bursting with color. I was told the organic strawberries to the left were selling fast!
I sampled the free hummus that complimented the three different pita chip samples, which all can be found in your local Place and Market on campus. The pita chip variety consisting of cinnamon and sugar, cilantro and jalapeno, and garlic were all incredible!
Dining dollars go a long way at these farmer's markets because you get incredibly fresh produce, and the comfort of knowing you're contributing to fair-trade practices in support of local farmers.
These venues provide a chance to come hang out, and enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having. Today we had the privilege of experiencing the incredible sunset on the Cafe V patio.
Come out next Wed. the 24th to Foodworx Place and Market (3:30-6:30pm), where you can expect more Farm 2 U treats.

Housing and Dining truly loves to see UCSD students and the surrounding community happy and thriving! Keep up the great work HDH!

Wishing you health and happiness Tritons. : )

~Hilary

Earl's Place

Earl's used to be a place that I would rush through to pick up a few goods.

Now, it has become a great place to study, to socialize, and to get organic and locally grown fruits!

Earl's now serves organic and locally grown tangerines and blood oranges. The blood oranges are S-U-P-E-R-B.

Earl's Place is also a leader of the marketplaces in proving Fair Trade Certified foods. They have a nice selection of teas to choose from!

Being a student of Warren College, Earl's is now another little comfort in my vicinity. I encourage you to check it out friends.. maybe during your studying break :)

Happy eating, and happy studying.

In love,

Jessica

Bringin the "Farm 2 U"! Plus awesome "green cleaning" tips.

Woohoo! The Produce Patch Farm 2 U farmer's market made it's much anticipated debut today in front of Goody's.

See the tents in the background? ; )
Students that happened to be cruisin by usually ended up buying something from the market. I mean, it's hard to resist delicious looking produce that's local and organic!Mmmmm.....the pita chips were a popular item, and the fresh flowers were gorgeous. All items were locally produced.The pita chip and hummus samples were a definite plus! While snaking, you could read up on where the pita chips came from, by reading the print-outs they provided. : )An incredible list of all the local farms involved was stationed on the table. Under each farm listing was the produce they provided for the market, and the prices of the items.
Check it out guys.....they had garlic, fingerling potatoes (by the basket), orange carrots, swiss chard, onions, and more. Some of the bios about the local farms were propped up right next to the produce they grew. How convenient!
I bought a bundle of the organic white carrots because I was curious to see what they tasted like. : ) And I jumped on the chance to get some avocados, Fuji apples, and oranges.

ALL PURCHASED WITH MY DINING DOLLARS! Yay!

They also accept cash, Triton cash, and at the next location (Earl's Place and Market) they are going to set up a system so students can use credit cards.Every Wednesday people! Different location. Be on the lookout.
Better yet, mark your calendars because here's the list of where to be when. : )
Happy shopping Tritons!

On another note, in case you were wondering how to clean in a "green" way....
Here are some of the tip from on online article on the subject:

Cleaning “Green"

http://www.backtohealthcare.com/doctor.asp?chiropractor=10379S&X=658345:359339:901
(To see the full list of tips, just click on this link).

So what about cleaning green? How would you go about making this transition in order to keep your home environment safer and healthier? Here are some tips on living and cleaning green:

• Open windows and let the fresh air in and toxins out, weather permitting.

• Don’t rely on product advertising claims that a product is “natural,” since there really are no standards in place to monitor this. Look at product labels instead.

• Use baking soda in the wash cycle as a fabric softener or vinegar to soften clothes and reduce static cling. Just a little bit does the trick!

• Chlorine bleach is highly caustic and can be fatal if swallowed. Bleach that goes down the drain produces reproductive, neurological, and immune-system toxins. Use a white vinegar/water solution that helps to kill mold, bacteria and viruses and can be used to clean bathrooms and windows.

• Avoid the use of all types of aerosols that can irritate eyes, noses and lungs. Aerosols contain toxic and flammable ingredients, as well as fragrances, that can produce allergic and asthmatic reactions.

You're awesome Tritons!

<3 Hil

You can make change!

Greetings friends!

This is my first time writing since before winter break. I got ill with winter stress travels (going around the East Coast in an intense snow season is not the lightest on the bones). Anyways, Angela kindly covered the gift of being a blogger for HDH while I was recovering last night. Now I am refreshed and ready to write!

While being ill, I was diverted from eating predominantly raw vegan, and sought some warm comfort foods. Earl's Place provided me with delicious organic and vegan burritos made by Amy's. My favorite kind is the bean and rice, non-diary type... mmm delicious!

I was also flattered but a little embarrassed with the other "services" Earl's Place provided. Things like "passion meters", "grow a lover", and "love dust." All for the sake of your contentment on that day of February 14th. We are really taken care of living on campus!

And onto the subject of my more raw diet, it is amazingly catered to on campus. The reason is pretty obvious: everything raw is not cooked. So I load up on the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and kombucha which I can find all on my college campus. Soon, there will be farmers bringing me locally grown food called "Farm 2 U." I even went so far to ask HDH on their facebook, which is regularly maintained, that they supply sprouts at Earl's. (Sprouts are a very nutrious and important part of the raw diet.) Before, I was walking to the Village all the way from Warren to get my hands on dem sprouts, but now, not fortuitously, Earl's Place carries sprouts! What kindness. I encourage you all to make change by the power of suggestion. Feel free to post your comments on the HDH facbook. The link is below.

Well friends, I have said so much. Until next time!

In love,

Jessica

HDH Facebook:

CLICK ME!

Soy milk has grown on me!

Has milk been a part of your diet for most of your life? Same here!

I drank milk for the longest time, and decided to try something different. Actually it was a combination of that reason, and that someone told me that at my age, milk doesn't necessarily benefit my health. : ) Since I knew I could get my calcium from other sources, I decided to give soy milk a chance.

I was hesitant at first because I expected that it wouldn't match the taste of ice cold milk. I was right! It doesn't. That's because it's made from soybeans.

It has its own unique flavor that's still smooth and refreshing. In my opinion, it has a lighter taste than milk, which I like.So I found a yummy replacement that also acts as a great source of protein.

I was just happy I didn't have to kick my late night cereal-for-dinner habit. :)

You can find the Silk brand of soy milk at Place and Markets in The Village, Roger's, and Goody's.

Perhaps you can try it as a substitute ingredient, while baking cookies, or just as a complement to oatmeal and cereal.Since the holidays are coming up, use soy milk in your favorite hot beverage, such as coffee or hot cocoa. Yum!

Let me know how your recipe turns out if you choose to use soy milk.

I use soy milk in moderation though because it's not the end-all perfect source of protein. I try to mix up my diet with different sources of nutrients from different foods.

If you're interested in the debate on whether soy is as beneficial a product as it's marketed to be, check out these links:

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/MilkSubstitutes.htm

The first one praises the benefits of soy, while the second link hosts a forum for discussion on soy as part of our diets.

http://caloriecount.about.com/soy-estrogen-men-ft36304

I would love to hear your feedback on these links, or any of your personal findings and opinions on the subject.Live well.

-Hilary : )

Why go hungry on campus? Check out the Co-op!

Hey y'all : )
Lets give a round of applause for all the free food we've been able to take advantage of during Welcome Week! To all the UCSD veterans who made it happen....thanks! Hopefully you took the opportunity to stock up during Convocation. If not, then I have done some of the scouting for you, to find some convenient and student friendly places to eat on campus.
As a Muir College student, I have discovered the CO-OP located in the (old) Student Center Grove Gallery in Muir. This cute little market and eatery is located on the North side of the Bike Shop.

You can make your own PB&J there for just a $1.50. They've got all the ingredients fresh and ready to go. All you have to do is slap it together and enjoy. Students can choose between a variety of bagels for 75 cents, or Day Old Gold bagels for just 50 cents. Don't worry vegans because they have a bagel just for you. : ) And you can toast it right there in the store.
Dispensers with granola, trail mix, oats, banana chips, chocolate covered pretzels, and more are priced by the pound (great deal). Thirsty? Organic juices are available if you're craving something sweet. And to keep up with a sustainably friendly environment, the Co-op hooks students up with a discounted price for hot tea when you bring "your cup" and fill it up. Bringing "Your cup" is just 40 cents and using "Our cup" (provided by C0-op) is just 50 cents. Tons of delicious wraps, healthy grab-and-go sandwiches, and organic bananas line the shelves. Once the quarter gets going full-swing, the Co-op will provide hot curry dishes and fresh soups for "starving students" campus wide. So be on the look-out Tritons! The Co-op is here to cater to a student body that wants to eat a healthy, tasty, affordable, sustainable, and convenient diet.

Yum.

By the way, for all the hard-core vegans out there that want to maintain health in all aspects of their lives, the store even sells Vegan condoms. : )

So check out this fantastic little market today! Good luck tomorrow on your first day of classes. Have fun and stay balanced.

-Hilary *Compost Queen*