Locally Grown/Raised...Grassfed...These Things Just Taste Better?!

If you were in Denver this weekend, you know that Saturday morning was an amazing 70 something degrees, sunny, idyllic. The perfect kind of day to be outside, for sure. Some bootcampers may have headed on over to the Local Farmer’s Market to do some research...and of course buy a few items not currently available in our garden;-) There were vendors hocking their sauces, veggies, meats, pottery – Some vendors may have been demonstrating a culinary cooking utensils, etc. There is nothing quite like getting out and going to see what’s local and in season – with the "people watching" which provids added entertainment.

Anyhoo, onto the point of this blog. The place was hopping at 9am, with vendors passing out samples of homemade bacon, locally grown organic tomatoes, and of course the bread people were there, with the longest line, passing out their samples too.

Why are we such proponents of grass fed meats? Well, in case you don’t remember, check out these links: Grassfed basics, you are what your animals eat, choose grassfed! And YES, we are realists, and know darn well it’s not always available or accessible or even affordable to go grassfed, in which case just do the best you can.

Now the BEST part?

If you have not heard the buzz on the street about the incredible new fruits and veggie mart let us be the first. It's called Blazer Street market, located at 15550 E. 6th Avenue, Aurora CO 80011. Located off of 6th and Chambers in the old Cub Foods store. One bootcamper states, "I was able to purchase 27 of our Fathers most divine earthly pleasures for under $25.00: The juiciest of juicy heart shape black cherries only $.99 a pound...gtfoh!!! 3 pink lady apples for $1.00, WHAT! And 2 bunches of spinach for $1.00, mustard greens for $.69 a bundle....SHUT UP! So check it out my fine friends in fitness. It's only open from Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 8pm-it's what's up!!!"

Next weekend we strongly encourage you to go check out these Farmer's Markets - the assortment of locally grown veggies they have available this time of year is fantastic (that is of course if you aren't harvesting such things from your own garden source!)...

PS - There are markets all over the metro Denver area. (i.e. near Cherry Creek Mall, Tiffany Plaza Parking Lot.) If you know of more locations, list them in the comments section of the blog for all to enjoy!

How To Color Code Your Menu

There you are at the food market, trying to put together a healthy diet for a week, which requires some forethought about what you'll be in the mood for a few days from now. It also has you thinking about how much of something you might need to get the daily nutrition requirements.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be that difficult. The HEALTHY foods you eat every day - fruits and veggies, meats and meat substitutes, dairy products and good grains - all contain vital nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet. And, some - particularly, those deeply colored fruits and veggies - are considered "superstars" in this area. In fact, your best bet is to think color!

The natural color of food is a reliable indicator of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it supplies. Here's a quick snippit based on color:

Green - Those dark green veggies you eat like broccoli, spinach and sugar snap peas are high in vitamin C.

Red, yellow, orange - Fruits and vegetables of these colors, such as carrots, sweet peppers and sweet potatoes, are high in beta carotene or Vitamin A, and they can also be rich in vitamin C.

White - White fruits and veggies, like mushrooms, potatoes and bananas, supply B vitamins and many minerals. White dairy products - milk, yogurt and cheese - provide ample amounts of calcium (and are usually fortified with vitamin D).

Purple - Purple or purplish-blue foods, like grapes and blueberries, are best known for their anti-cancer and heart-helping antioxidants. And, like most other fruits and veggies, they're also high in vitamin C and fiber.

Brown - Brown foods in the form of nuts, seeds and grains supply E and B vitamins, which include folic acid. Brown and white foods like meat, fish, poultry, tofu and legumes are stand out sources of proteins and minerals like iron and zinc.

So, the more colors you toss into your basket, the better chance you have of meeting all of your nutritional needs. And remember that you don't have to meet the daily requirement for every single nutrient every single day.

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Montclair/Lowry - Baseball Game Results

Team A - 10

Team B - 10

Looks like we're in for a rematch!

Nice effort everyone.