KC Farmer’s Markets Summer 2011

Mondays

Tuesdays

• Zona Rosa: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM  5/17-8/30 Breezeway between Victoria's Secret and Hot Topic

Wednesdays

• Gladstone: 2-6 PM 5/18-9/21 525 NE 70th Street, just east of N Oak. The market sits on the south side of 70th Street between First Bank of Missouri and the Gladstone clock tower.
• Waldo ORGANIC: 3pm to 7pm. Outside Habitat for Humanity Kansas City ReStore 303 W. 79th street in KCMO www.wholesomewaldowednesdays.org
• Parkville: 2-5pm Temporary Location (8880 Clark Ave; North side of Parkville City Hall) www.parkvillefarmersmarket.com/

Thursdays

• Briarcliff Village: 3-7pm 4151 North Mulberry Drive, Kansas City, MO 64116

 Fridays

• North Kansas City: 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every Friday and pick up fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods and more!!!  Caboose Park is located on the SE corner of Armour Road and Howell Street.
• Downtown Kansas City (BadSeed):  4:00 - 9 PM 5/6-11/18. 1909 McGee Street, KCMO, 64108 www.badseedkc.com/farm/the-farmers-market/

Saturdays

• Downtown KC (City Market):  6am- 3pm www.thecitymarket.org/farmersmarket.html 
• Parkville: 7am - 12pm or until sell out (April 30 - Oct 29) Temporary Location (8880 Clark Ave; North side of Parkville City Hall) www.parkvillefarmersmarket.com/#!

Sundays

• Downtown KC (City Market):  8am- 3pm www.thecitymarket.org/farmersmarket.html

Fajita Bowl Recipe

These recipes came about after spending lots of time and money at Chipotle over the past few months. It's not a copy cat recipe because it doesn't taste the same but I love our version. Most of these recipes are made up of multiple different ones all put together for the best flavors. This meal can also be rolled up into a tortilla but we prefer it in a bowl. The leftovers are awesome!

Sweet Corn Salsa

1/2 red onion, petite diced

1 can sweet corn (or 2 cup frozen)

2 T lime juice

3 shakes garlic pepper sauce

2 t sugar (or agave syrup)

1 med tomato, seeded and diced

Sprinkle of salt and pepper

-Mix all together and flavors meld together even better after an hour but can be eaten immediately.

Fajita Peppers & Onions 

(*can also add cooked shredded chicken/strips of meat for non-vegan option)

1/2 cup oil

2 T liquid smoke

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t black pepper

1/2 t salt

3/4 t paprika

       Heat in hot pan and then cook the following in pan until tender:

1 sliced medium onion

3/4 cup peppers, thinly sliced (prefer red)

*Add 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken at end or can cook thinly sliced flank steak with onions/peppers.

Seasoned Black Beans

1 can black beans, rinsed well

1/4 t oregano

1/4 t lime juice

-Mix all together and heat up slowly.

Lime Rice

Add the following to prepared rice:

2 T lime juice

1/2 t salt

2 T vegan butter

Guacamole

1 diced avocado

1/2 tsp salt

1 T lime juice

4 shakes chili powder

2 large spoonfuls finely diced onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

-Mush the above ingredients with a meat tenderizer mallet and then add 2 large spoonfuls of diced seeded tomatoes and mix with a spoon. Be sure to taste test and add more lime/salt/chili powder as needed.

We put the following layers in a bowl:

Lime Rice

Seasoned Black Beans

Fajita Peppers/Onions (meat) Mixture

Corn Salsa

and top it with Vegan sour cream and/or Guacamole.

Unknown Dairy Intolerance & Craving Carbohydrates

Who would have guessed….it was milk all along. Those that know me well…know that I love my dairy. I could go through 2 gallons of skim milk a week by myself.  In cereal, in cooking, by the huge glassful….milk was consumed in quantity. And why not? It was “healthy”…we needed our calcium; cheese was always a good snack and was good in topping….almost anything. I never experienced any symptoms that would indicate intolerance of dairy. No stomach cramps, bloating, gas. I never would have guessed anything of the sort. And then I participated in a month long vegan challenge with my fiancé. I wanted to show him that his “year-round” allergy symptoms were probably a dairy intolerance.

A few weeks in and he had to admit that his “allergies” were much better. He didn’t have the daily nasal drip that ended up causing a stuffy nose and sore throat. And then I had to admit that I felt different as well. For the 2nd time in my life, I no longer had hour to hour food cravings. These were no ordinary food cravings. These were a lifetime of going to the fridge or pantry every hour to find something to snack on (usually a carb.) They were so normal to me that I did not think that it was odd or a symptom of anything else really. The only other time that I didn’t snack constantly when I was taking medicine that affected my serotonin levels. I realized the same lack of snacking then and eventually deduced that my body is craving serotonin when I’m carb craving and that the medicine stopped that. I didn’t think to ask why my body wanted more serotonin…just that it was. I was able to lose weight back then….while taking the medicine…because I wasn’t constantly feeling the need to snack. Weight eventually came back on.

And now back to dairy. What about not eating dairy caused me to stop feeling the need to snack? Dairy is supposed to be helpful for those that need extra serotonin because of the amount of tryptophan in it.

The day after our challenge we went to a birthday cookout and had brats, cake and ice cream. The next 2 days were full of me constantly circling to the fridge to see what I could snack on as well as a multi day headache. It was really a light bulb moment.  There had to be some connection between dairy and my constant food craving. I used to annoy my mother as a child when I would ask about dinner shortly after lunch was consumed. I was always thinking about my next food option…even as a child.

I started researching online and finally came across numerous articles and pieces of information that indicated that a mild form of lactose intolerance can cause low serotonin for some people because the undigested lactose interferes with the metabolism of tryptophan. It then listed the top 5 symptoms for low serotonin: carb craving, depression, and increased sensitivity to pain, troubled sleep patterns and blood vessel dilation that leads to migraines.  I have had all 5 symptoms most of my adult life. Wow.

There it was.  A reason….a culprit…an answer.

Not one I expected...not one I wanted...but now a piece of knowledge that will guide my future eating, dieting and health. We are now trying to eat mostly dairy free. We will splurge occasionally for holidays and special occasions and know we will feel a little crappy for a few days but we will mostly eat dairy free from now on. Quite a new adventure that I wasn't expecting.