Fat, Fat, Carb, Sugar and Fat, Carb. A Decadent Day at the Farmers' Market

I went to the Farmers' Market this morning after training.....not a big deal, right?  Considering I used to go three times a week, every week for years and years to now only going a handful of times each year is a big, no, HUGE change!  Honestly, I don't know how I used to eat as much food as I bought, but somehow I did.  What's an even bigger deal is what I bought, and bigger yet, what I didn't buy!  Seriously, you'll never guess!  (well, I guess the blog title gives it away?)

First what I did not buy.  I did not buy one vegetable, OR one fruit.  Not one.  There was really only two items I was slightly tempted to buy, and one I actually was prepared, bag and money in hand, but decided last second to pass....and that was the walnut sized blackberries....I didn't even take a picture.  The other was a few very special and unique peach varieties (Spice Zee was one).  I didn't get the peaches because in the past they spoil quickly and they are very expensive, and having some melons already at home I just didn't need more fruit (I had my eyes on the blackberries anyway).  I walked back to the blackberries....I asked myself why was I buying them and the answer was, #1 they looked fabulous, #2 they were exactly in season, but at the end of the day, as I mentioned earlier, I still had a ton of fruit at home, so I passed on dropping $10 on fruit I would have to eat before it went bad, and more than likely whether or not I was hungry.


But the biggest reasons why I'm not motivated to buy a ton of produce at the FM's is really because these days (unlike years past) here in No Cal we have many, many higher end specialty grocery stores that carry the exact produce from the same local growers every day of the week.  I don't have to go into that hoarders mentality of stocking up with veggies to last an entire 7 days between markets.  What I did choose to buy are products I know I can not get during the week, even in those expensive specialty markets.

What did I buy?


Well, the entire reason why I went to the FM in the first place is because there are only a couple of FM's that carry my absolute favorite Italian Butter Bean, and I had been out for months now, maybe a year (because I rarely go to the FM!).  It's time for some Minestrone with beans, pasta and all of the summer veggies and I just had to restock.  I'm kind of a sucker for heirloom beans.  Funny thing is that for the first two years of my weight loss I never ever ate beans.  Beans were a "carb" (dirty word), but it was my friend Fawn, and the pressure cooker, that opened up my nutritional world of beans....and she's skinny so beans obviously didn't affect her, lol!


Oh, but I don't want you to think I didn't buy a ton of stuff, I did!  First purchase, cheese.  Second purchase?  Cheese, and cheese.  I love local artisan cheese!  The first one is a "Parm Jack" from Monterey County's Schoch Family Farmstead http://schochfamilyfarm.com/.  They sell raw milk and raw milk cheeses.  I'm not a big fan of chedders and Jack's, but this particular cheese is pretty much what it sounds like! A harder, slightly saltier, but still soft "Parm Jack"!  The second batch of cheeses I bought was from my old favorite, Wastonville's, sheep's milk, Garden Variety Cheese Feta and Moonflower.  GVC http://www.gardenvarietycheese.com/ is the farm I used to buy my sheep's milk yogurt from by the quart full every summer!  I don't buy it anymore because it's a full fat sheep's milk yogurt at about 300 calories per 8oz (I'm guessing) and I just plain ate too much of it.  I was a serious sheep's milk yogurt hoarder and I had to stop!  Now that I'm back in my right mind I only bought what I needed, some fresh feta, to pair with some black pepper chickpea chips I bought at the grocery, and a very small wedge of Moonflower, because that was the cheese hoarder in me that couldn't be stopped.


Raw pistachio nut butter!  Yep!  Have you ever?  O. M. G.  Mark had just mentioned to me the day before, or maybe this morning, how he wanted to switch from raw almonds to pistachios...and then look what I came across!  It was darn expensive...but for the love of my life?  What's a few bucks?  (of course I wanted it too!)  http://inzanaranch.com/ Unfortunately they don't ship it mail order, in fact they don't have it listed on their website.....but I did consider making my own!


Finally I got to the end of the market and what did I find?  Yep!  Iacopi Farms Italian Butter Beans (ironic now that I think about it...I'm going to Half Moon Bay tomorrow!) http://www.cuesa.org/seller/iacopi-farms.  I bought five 1 pound bags for $25 (regular price $ 6 per).  A couple of the bags are gifts, and the other three are for me....I mean us!  lol

On my way back to my car I came across more heirloom beans......so tempting.  But like the fruit, I decided against hoarding more beans that would just sit in my pantry for weeks, if not months because I just can't (shouldn't) eat that much.  I pretty darn proud of myself actually!  I picked up a bag....and then put it back....can you guess which one I almost bought? But I'll be back for them after some of the Butter Beans are gone!


A couple of very last minute purchases, although not without some slow and deep thought.  Chocolate.  I know huh?  I've been intrigued with good chocolate lately.  My new friend Emily Wakefield in the UK sent me some crazy good chocolate, and while we spent time together in Italy she shared with me her educated opinion about good chocolate.  Man it's tough having educated friends!  That, and the truffles I bought in Sweden have got me truly spoiled!  I bought 4 chocolate truffles for $8 from a very generous chocolatier that let me sample about 1/2 dozen flavors!  At that point I admit a little guilt set in, but truly, the four I chose were amazing (2 spearmint, 1 dark, 1 blackberry....funny now that I recount it, that I didn't buy the actual fresh blackberries, but I did buy a blackberry truffle!  Crazy.) http://www.barloventochocolates.com/


And the last purchase?  Bread!  I bought a seeded baguette and a slice of sweet brioche for Mark (because I won't be tempted!).  Okay, we have cheese, nut butter, beans, chocolate and bread!  What the heck?  How far have I gone, or maybe it's more about how far have I come?  Fat, fat, carb, sugar and fat, carb!


I think it official!  Now that I'm confident I have the answer to permanent weight loss I'm not afraid of certain foods anymore.  I know I can eat beans, corn, bread, candy, potatoes, fruit, and all sorts of other things....including an occasional energy bar!


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I'm going to the beach tomorrow in Half Moon Bay with my sister Donna.  I love putting together and packing lunches!  I cut up some melon (this is when I wish I bought the blackberries!), made some tuna /egg salad and a small batch of hummus and will slice up the seeded baguette to eat it on.  I had some cooked quinoa in the freezer so I'll make a quick salad with tomatoes, roasted corn, spinach and some of the fresh feta cheese. I candied some nuts to go with the other cheese from the market.  And last, but not least, Donna and I will share the truffles.