Author: Tobin Fekkes

Enjoy summer’s local harvest salad-style!  Organic salads are the perfect summer meal!  They’re cool and light on a hot day (it’s coming!).  You don’t have to heat up the oven or stove top and you can prepare most of it ahead of time and be ready with a nutritious meal after a long day of work or play!  

There are basically 5 types of salads with endless possibilities.  There’s the green salad, the fruit salad, the rice and pasta salads, bound salads, and the dinner salad.  Each uniquely highlights different produce items perfectly!

The green salad is often referred to as a garden salad and usually consists of lettuce, spinach or leafy greens of any sort.  It’s often topped with a vinaigrette or light dressing.  In American restaurants we’re usually served green salads before a meal.  In some European countries the green salad is served at the end of the meal and thought to improve digestion.  Maybe we pick to have it first so that we’re sure to eat it before we’re too full! Some parents pick to serve salad first, because the kids are more likely to eat it if it’s served before carbs.

Everyone loves a delicious fruit salad!  There’s no fussing to get kids to eat it and could be added to every meal or as a dessert!  Fruit is high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants and has a low energy density level.  There’s no right or wrong way to create a fruit salad. Simply chop up and put together your favorites! Adding a little lemon, orange or pineapple juice to your fruit salad will help keep the colors of the fruit bright and prevent them from browning. Fruit salad is best consumed shortly after preparation to maintain freshness.

Rice, quinoa and pasta salads are a great base for adding all sorts of diced up veggies, increasing the nutritional value of your more filling meal or side dish.  They can be prepared ahead of time and will even take on more of the flavors as they rest in the refrigerator for a bit.  If you dice up the veggies small, you can keep them raw and pack in a lot of nutritional density, filled with lots of beautiful colors, and yummy crunch!  

The bound salad generally is made of hearty, non-leafy ingredients bound together with a thicker dressing and can even keep its shape if scooped with an ice cream scoop.  Bound salads are often used to make a delicious hearty sandwich by topping a piece of whole wheat bread with a scoop of something like a chicken salad or chickpea salad and topping it with lettuce.  Or a bound salad could be a side dish of potato salad, combined with a variety of veggie crunch!

Last but not least, is the dinner salad.  The dinner salad is a hearty stand-alone that fills your plate with a combination of delicious and nutritious produce items and usually includes an added protein. Some popular dinner salads include taco salad, Buddha bowls, Asian salad, salmon salad, but the sky’s the limit! Variety is also multiplied when you factor in salad dressings! They deserve their own spotlight and we’ll talk more about that later!

We’d love to see some of your favorite salads and be inspired by your creations!  Share on social media and tag “Klesick’s” and we’ll reshare for all to enjoy!

–Joelle Klesick

“The peas are coming on strong.   My nine-year-old son, Micah has beaten his dad with the first blossoms of the season.  Come to think about it his carrots are coming on sooner than mine, too. Around here there’s a healthy amount of weeding to do, and it is just plain work.  Some can be done with hoes, but a good portion is done by hand.  A few weeks ago the kids and I made a game of it.  We all started weeding and then after a bit, I would yell “tag” and then everyone would start running, very carefully of course, and I would try and catch them.  It was a “hoot”.  The other day we had some more weeding to do and the first thing Emily asked was, “Can we play that tag game, again?”  ~Tristan, May, 2000 

“I love Sugar Snap Peas. We like to grow big juicy peas that are bursting with flavor.  I remember one year when we farmed in Snohomish and Andrew was about 2 years old (that was 6 years ago, my oh my!!!!!).  Anyway, that little rascal had wandered off to the garden, without us knowing it.  After a headcount and a short panic, we went looking for him.  Guess where we found him?  He was smack in the middle of the Sugar Snap Peas, holding on to two fistfuls of peas and he had one in his mouth.  The whole scene was quite a sight!  We were all relieved and decided to sit down and join him for a nice evening snack.  And when we were done, Andrew got to ride back home in Dad’s arms.”  ~Tristan, May 2006

There’s something special about looking back and reading the newsletters my dad wrote to our customers over the last 22 plus years. There are so many fun memories I cherish. I was blessed to grow up with parents who were family-focused and passionate about health and farming! And now I don’t take for granite being able to bring MY kids to the farm and watch them enjoy all that grows during the summer. Hadlee, (4) is so excited for summer!  At each glimpse of sunshine, she excitedly asks if it’s summertime yet. She remembers last year running out into the fields and eating strawberries, raspberries, peas, and just about anything she could get her hands on.  She would often use the bottom of her dress like a basket and bring her finds to the house to share.  I think I can speak for all of the grandkids and say that one of the best things about summer is being able to go to grandma and grandpa’s house -AKA- “the farm”. This will be our 5-month-old son, Bazil’s first summer, and Hadlee is so excited to show him everything that grows on the farm. It brings me joy seeing my little ones enjoy the farm; from the pea patch to watching the sunset. I only hope we can continue to teach this generation, at a young age, the importance of organic farming, eating healthy foods and just simply enjoying the freedom of frolicking in the great outdoors! 

Thank you for allowing our family to bring you organic produce over all these years!  We appreciate each one of you!

–Alaina Klesick

Unlike any period of time in the past, we have access to countless food options, as well as unlimited information on how that food works within our bodies. We know more now about specific nutrients, what purpose they serve inside of our bodies, which foods contain them, and how to eat in order to help target our specific ailments or needs. And while there are certainly all kinds of new and inventive options for processed, sugary, and packaged foods, more and more people are choosing to leave those on the shelves and opt for healthier options for their families.

The reason? When you know better, you do better!

At the same time, there are things about our food culture that still baffle me. Such as recently, when a new set of policies were proposed to update the USDA food system for American public schools. Among other things within this proposal, there were new guidelines suggested for classifying foods offered to students with their meals. One such change would allow for hash brown patties to now be classified as an option for fruit in a school-offered meal.

That may surprise you, but it is only a portion of the proposal that looks to minimize food waste in schools by recategorizing foods and ultimately, removing or reducing a great deal of healthy options for students. However, while I’m saddened to see this proposed as an option for the children in our school system, I am not all that surprised. Our nation’s food system is struggling and is in desperate need of some help!

This is why I think Klesick’s is such an important part of our local Western Washington community. When we see how the “standard American diet” is failing our nation’s overall health, we have the ability to make better choices right here at home. We can make healthier lifestyle choices, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk on our lunch break. We can choose to drink water over other beverage options that are laden with sugar or artificial ingredients. We can choose to incorporate more whole fruits and vegetables into our diet and limit our intake of processed items. And in an era where convenience is key, what better way to do that than to have an affordable box of organic produce delivered to your door?

As a mom of three young boys, I am thankful to have access to quality fruits and vegetables to fill their bellies and sustain their bodies. It is a challenge to nourish little people and ensure that they are offered the best that I can give them, but it is worth it. It is my hope that we don’t find ourselves discouraged about the big food decisions in our world that we cannot control, but instead feel empowered about the small choices we can make at home. They truly do make all the difference!

-Emily Marie Klesick

Hey, Klesick customers, Alaina here! I am excited to announce our brand-new “Family on the Go” box. We know life can get busy, so we wanted to create a simple box of good that allows your family to still eat healthy while doing all the things!

This assorted box has easy to eat fruit and vegetables that can simply be washed and cut, and ready to serve throughout the week! This box avoids items that typically take more time to prep or cook. The Family on the Go box has higher volumes of fruit and will consistently have easy to eat vegetables! A sample of a Family on the Go box would include approximately 10 apples, 8 pears, 8 oranges, 3lbs bananas, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers and celery. So, if life keeps you moving and it’s difficult to find time to meal prep, you don’t have to sacrifice feeding your family nutrient rich foods!  If you want your kiddos to get fresh fruit and vegetables, this might be the perfect box for you. The items in this box are simple and easy to take in the car, use for school lunches, or to throw together a quick snack or meal!

I always find my little one eats healthier when I chop up all the items and have them ready to eat. On the day I get my box I set aside 20 minutes to chop up the veggies, so they are ready for the whole week. This box takes little to no prep time to get healthy food ready for the whole week.

Also, one other thing I wanted to highlight! You may have noticed on the back of your newsletters there have been more recipes. We wanted to start highlighting a variety of ways you can use your box, aside from the typical one recipe. The recipes will start being posted on Friday for the upcoming week, so you can always go to klesicks.com, click the blog tab and then click the “Recipes” option. You can check out the recipes before your box comes and add on any extra items you may like to include in your order. I will be adding some of my favorite recipes to the back, as well.

And most importantly, THANK YOU for choosing to support local and for choosing fresh organic produce. We are thankful for every one of you, and here at Klesick’s, we are always here for YOU. We are happy to help you when it comes to customizing your own box, substituting items out of your box, adding items onto your order, or just figuring out what works for your family! We are just a quick call or email away. ?

-Alaina

Our nine-year-old is in the fun stage of seeing the world idyllically.  She knows that in our family we like to try to be wise with our resources, do our part in preserving the planet, and make healthy choices whenever possible.  So, she has suggested using a washboard to do laundry, using candles exclusively to light our home, and walking or riding our bike everywhere we go!  Wow, the enthusiasm is contagious; for about 30 seconds!

I don’t think most of our goals are that extreme, but I love that sort of back to the earth, simplistic thinking.  When it comes to food, there are some tangible things we can do to make it easier to embrace frugal, healthier choices for our bodies and our planet!

Eat food as close to its natural state as possible, in season, and with minimal added processing or packaging.  This saves money, time, resources, and is healthier!   “Healthy” junk food has become readily available, but it usually comes with a higher price tag, and almost always a higher environmental cost!

Take a minute, check your pantry and fridge, and evaluate what processed foods you use most, and think about whether there is a natural choice for a better alternative.  With fall upon us, I’ll use pumpkin as an example.  Many fall recipes call for canned pumpkin.  Have you ever tasted canned pumpkin before adding it to a recipe?  Oh my!  There is literally no temptation at all to lick the spatula when emptying a can of pumpkin.  Try making your pumpkin puree from a fresh, local, delicious, organic Pie Pumpkin!  It’s super easy! You will never go back to canned, and you’ll probably be found guilty of not only sneaking a taste but going back for seconds!  It’s healthier, yummier, supports local, and is better for the environment!

To make a simple pumpkin puree, first, wash your pumpkin, slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, place the halves open side down on a baking sheet, then roast in a 400-degree oven until tender, about 45 minutes.  Scoop out the flesh, place in a heavy-duty blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.  Voila!  It’s simple.

Now, be forewarned; when you tell people that you made your pumpkin pie from a locally grown, organic pumpkin, they may just look at you like you just washed your clothes with a washboard! Our culture has taken convenience to the extreme in some areas.  Don’t be afraid to reevaluate the food choices that you’re making for you and your family.  You don’t need to compromise your values for convenience; instead, keep it simple.    

-Joelle Klesick

Let’s face it, letting go of the leisure of summer and getting back into a fall routine can be rough!  For us, fall includes getting the kids up and going earlier, breakfast for all, packing school lunches, thinking about after-school snacks, and planning for evening dinner.  We don’t want to be caught off guard and resort to making unhealthy choices, so planning is key. 

Starting out with healthy ingredients in the fridge and pantry is a great start!  Customers tell us all the time that since they began receiving Klesick’s fruit and vegetable boxes, their family has been eating more nutritiously!  We love hearing that!    

Don’t let the busyness and hungry-belly time crunch push you into a corner!  Stay ahead of it so you’re not tempted to compromise your nutritional values!  When you get your produce box, take a few minutes to prep some of your vegetables so that the items are quick and convenient to use!  You can always chop up cauliflower and broccoli and then store in a sealed container.  You can scrub or peel carrots so they’re ready for dinner or a quick snack.  Also, evaluate the items for longevity.  Some of the pit-fruit, berries, or tender greens are best enjoyed within a few days after delivery!   

Take a few minutes and think about how you can add more fruit and vegetables to your meals.  Make a list of healthy choices and post it on your fridge so you can peak at it when you lack inspiration.  Our breakfasts often include a huge bowl of cut up mixed fruit and berries, topped with plain yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped nuts or homemade granola, so I make sure we always have fruit choices on hand. We also enjoy veggie omelets to go with Tristan’s homemade sourdough bread! Having pre-chopped or even pre-cooked vegetables ready to go make a morning omelet practically a fast food! 

For school lunches, we try to keep our kid’s favorite raw vegetables on hand; cucumbers, carrots, and peppers!  Our kids pretty much have them every day, so ordering these items as an add-on works great because then we’re sure to have enough for the whole week.   

After school snacks usually come straight from our HUGE fruit basket!  The kids can take their pick!  We also keep cut up veggies and a choice of dips, ready and available, in the fridge. 

We keep our dinners nutritious, but simple, and we rarely use recipes.  At our house, we make a lot of veggie stir-fries served with meat or beans, over rice.  We also love to make a huge tray of roasted vegetables and serve as a main dish, or side, or over a salad.  We also make a lot of soups, stews, and salads!  Once you get comfortable with any of these dishes, they are all super easy to quickly throw together, and you can even make enough to use as a base for the next day’s meal! Do as much prep work when you have free time so, when the pressure comes at mealtime, you are ready to take it on!   

Eating healthy is totally achievable in the midst of a busy schedule, but we’ve learned that having good ingredients on hand, and a little pre-planning, sure helps! 

-Joelle Klesick