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Eating Local. Eating Better.

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I managed to pull together another local meal the other night for One Local Summer.

chicken_zucchini.jpg

The photo isn’t great but that’s chicken pot pie and stuffed 8-ball zucchini. The pie is from a local poultry farm and it’s delicious and a frequent meal at our house. In fact, there’s almost always one in the freezer. It’s a great dinner for those nights when I forget to plan something. In the winter I usually serve this with mashed potatoes but I decided to lighten things up for a more summery feel to our dinner so I stuffed these adorable 8-ball zucchinis.

I cut off the tops of two zucchini and scooped out the center. I microwaved the whole zucchini for a couple of minutes to soften them up and while they were cooking I sauteed some chopped up zucchini (the center from the rounds ones plus another small regular one), a couple of plum tomatoes and some onion. When the vegetables were soft I added some Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and then I stuffed the zucchini with this mixture. Put their little covers back on and throw ’em in the oven for about 15 minutes. Serve ’em up when the filling is piping hot. They were fabulous!

We’ve also been eating loads of local vegetables and eggs. I feel really good about adopting this lifestyle. What have you been eating that’s local?

This Post Has 33 Comments

  1. Is that a Willow Tree pot pie, or is there something else closer to home?

    And since we’ve been away, I haven’t been eating anything local recently, but this weekend brings the farmers market, so we’ll see what they have…

  2. I’ve never seen a round zucchini. I thought it was a winter squash when I saw the picture. How cool!

  3. That all looks so good. Is it a Willow Tree pie? I too have never seen a round zucchini. I’ll have to keep my eye out for them.

  4. Yum-ee! I will have to try that with the squash.. I’ve seen them at my produce wholesaler.

    Local chicken pot pie?? Yumm… Dan is a pot-pie afficianado. 🙂 I make one that is very weight watcher friendly… with biscuits. But, I will admit, it takes a long time to make it!

    How was camping???

  5. Back when I was a single working mom, those pies were favorites in my house too. I had almost forgotten them and how good they are.

    We are eating local more and more now that the garden is really starting to produce some veggies.

  6. All my veggies come from my garden and what I don’t grow comes from my farmer’s market, as does my milk, eggs, cheese, some fruit and bread. My meat usually isn’t unless I can find a local source.

  7. All my veggies come from my garden and what I don’t grow comes from my farmer’s market, as does my milk, eggs, cheese, some fruit and bread. My meat usually isn’t unless I can find a local source. Stuffed veggies in the form of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and various peppers was big when I was growing up in Greece. Need to get back into that now that they’re getting ripe and available.

  8. Mostly from the garden, stuff is in in fits and starts. Lots of lettuce for a while, snow peas, beans, now the zukes. We tried the 8 balls one year but they didn’t do well for us-limited space and limited sun! And some fairly local bread. Should make my own, but it’s a time (or organization) thing. Do you know the FedCo catalog? Lots of interesting heirloom things (they have a web page).

  9. My tomatoes are not ripening yet, so I broke down and went to the organic farm last night, and was I HAPPY. They also sell local organically raised beef, so we had a truly local feast — much of it from my garden — and with those delectable tomatoes from the farm, AND local blueberries. This is the time of year for it; that’s for sure!

  10. Yum – chicken pot pie! My local eating has been tomatoes and broccoli from my own garden. Soon, my favorite orchard will re-open and then I’ll have local apples, peaches, plums, restock my supply of local honey and whatever other yummies I’ll find there. Maybe their chicken pot pies are locally made too.

  11. I have been trying to eat more local in general, starting from our eggs and meats coming from Lancaster County farms (which is less than 100 miles away) and now that it is summer, I can purchase mostly local produce as well. There is a market near me that also sells local dairy like milk, cheese, and yogurt. The best thing about the yogurt is that it is not laden with sugar like most commercially made ones (including organics and low-fat types).

    My main thrust is for my kids (and me) to eat as little processed, “fake” food as possible, but eating local is an extra perk!

  12. Thanks for the great zuccini recipe! I got to eat my first from-the-yard tomato yesterday, and most of my breakfast smoothies this year have been made from berries grown in my region. My eggs come from less than 20 miles away and my beef is raised by my cousin on the family ranch about 50 miles from here. I could do a lot better though…

  13. Thanks for the great zuccini recipe! I got to eat my first from-the-yard tomato yesterday, and most of my breakfast smoothies this year have been made from berries grown in my region. My eggs come from less than 20 miles away and my beef is raised by my cousin on the family ranch about 50 miles from here. I could do a lot better though…

  14. Oooh, I’ll have to try that recipe! We’ve been eating lots of local corn, squash and onions and my husband just discovered a recipe for zucchini and fresh tomatoes that was fabulous. I’m lucky I married a good cook!

  15. On our way back from the concert, my roommate and I picked up some fresh corn and loads of fresh veggies from a local vegetable stand. Besides that, we have a great farmers market right downtown every weekend.

  16. i recently found a farm stand in upton not far from my house that i’ve been trying to go to once a week. last sunday i bought peaches, corn and tomatoes. i’d forgotten how good local peaches are.

    since i’m the only one who eats vegetables in my house, a lot of it goes bad much too quickly.

  17. 8-ball zucchinis look cool and your recipe sounds delicious! The farm where I used to get produce has shut down, so I haven’t been eating locally lately. 🙁 Guess I need to find another source.

  18. I wish I liked veggies. I read these things, they get my mouth watering, I get the stuff, and lo, I hate veggies. Sigh.
    I do eat from the local Sonic, does that count? 😉

  19. I wrote down that recipe for zucchini, it sounds wonderful!
    Our church just finished a Sunday school class that was based on a cook book called “Simply in Season” and we discussed the religious, social, and economic ramifications of buying and eating local foods that are in season wherever you live. It was a real eye opener for many, but most of our congregation are long time farming families (it’s a Mennonite church in Lancaster,PA)and they all just kind of nodded their heads sagely and said that they had been living like this forever. Funny how we act like we are learning something new, but, like clothing fads, it is just recycling what worked from before.

  20. I’ve been enjoying local fruits and veggies from the market lately. I have 4 huge lovely leeks that are calling to me right now and may become this.

    And I’ve been making fabulous fresh salsa with the first of the tomatoes and some jalapenos and onions I got from a prison horticulture project’s stand. They teach the inmates how to tend the garden and then sell the produce.

  21. Looks yummy! I love pot pie and the fresh veggies are a great summer touch! I ate a gnat last night. By accident of course, does that count as local eating?

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