Cheers to a Healthy New Year! | January 3, 2022

Fresh & Local:

Bring on the Brassicas!

Brassica is the scientific name for the mustard and turnip family which includes kale, collards, mustard greens, radishes, watercress, rutabaga, arugula, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, rape (the seed that canola oil is made of), cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, turnips and bok choy. What a happy family and nearly all of these are available now at Crescent City Farmers Markets! Brassicas represent some of the oldest cultivated crops with farming roots that reach back over 10,000 years. These vegetables and greens prefer a cooler growing season so they’ll be with us through the winter and deep into spring. Check out Isabel’s Tamales and Produce, Monica’s Okra World, Fletcher Farm (new to the Tuesday market!), Indian Springs Farmers Association, Faust Farm, Joe Fekete Family Farm and more to fill up on healthy produce at any of our weekly markets that you and your family will love. We can also bring brassicas right to your front door: this season they feature prominently in our weekly Crescent City Farmers Market home delivery boxes, which you can order online through our partners Top Box Foods, where Market Match halves the price of the box for customers paying with SNAP.

Picks of the Week:

Starting 2022 Strong!

At Market Umbrella, we are passionate about supporting New Orleans and our phenomenal food community. As a non-profit organization, we depend on donations to help provide weekly Crescent City Farmers Markets year-round. Even with a small staff and limited operating budget, our Crescent City Farmers Markets have a combined annual economic impact of over $11.7 million. While we are proud of that economic stimulus to the regional economy, we are equally interested in how our markets and programs also positively impact nutrition, mental health, food security, environmental sustainability, and civic engagement. Donor support helps us be able to operate a variety of crucial programs that incubate small local businesses and support food access in our community, and thanks to our donors we raised over $17,000 during our end of year campaign, helping us start 2022 strong!

If you have donated to Market Umbrella’s end of year campaign, thank you SO MUCH! If you would still like to make a donation, you can visit our website or text CCFM to 44-321 to donate today!

Turn your RESOLUTIONS
into REAL SOLUTIONS

1. Start with small changes
   Instead of a diet overhaul, make small changes to what you eat and drink that will work for you now and in the future.
2. Take one day at a time
   Sometimes things don’t go as planned, even with the best of intentions. If you miss one day or one milestone for your goal, don’t give up!
3. Be active your way
   Pick activities you enjoy! If you focus on having fun or learning a new skill that interests you, you will be more likely to stick with it.
4. Team up
   Find a friend with similar goals—swap healthy recipes and be active together. Staying on track is easier with support and a cheerleader.
5. Celebrate successes
   Think of each change as a “win” as you build positive habits and find ways to reach your goals. Reward yourself−you’ve earned it!

Get Healthy with a Dry January

When you've had your fair share of eggnog and sipped the last of the New Year’s bubbly, you might need a break from alcohol after all the holiday celebrations. You can shift gears and roll into the new year by celebrating Dry January. During Dry January people chose to not partake in alcohol consumption for the entire month. Laying off the alcohol for a month has some major health benefits that will have you feeling your best and brightest for the year to come. Alcohol consumption can disrupt sleep, impair the immune system, and lead to bloating and weight gain. Break the alcohol habit and find a replacement beverage to sip. We suggest checking out Gingerbooch Fermentables at our Tuesday Uptown market. Luke Sirinides created his signature Gingerbooch, kombucha and ginger beer fermented together, with a twist of lemon. His probiotic lemonade is a delicious and healthy drink substitute for booze that will help make Dry January a breeze. Your gut bacteria will love you!

Vendor of the Week:

Také Box NOLA

A warm welcome to Také Box NOLA! Joining the market this past December, duo Caroline and Kyle have been producing gourmet mushroom grow boxes from spore to mycelial block with all organic material right here in New Orleans. Their mushroom grow boxes are essentially a pre-colonized mushroom fruiting block, made from organic rye grain, hay, and hardwood sawdust. All you need to do is apply a little water and watch this beautiful block turn into a blossom of ready to cook, gourmet mushrooms. Také Box currently offers a variety of oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms, and come later this month, king trumpet and shitake boxes. Not only do these boxes provide you with delicious, organic, gourmet mushrooms, but all boxes are silkscreen printed with original textile designed by Caroline herself, making it a beautiful addition to any countertop. Find these distinctive mushroom grow kits and the two fun creators behind it at most of our markets throughout the week!

Recipes of the Week:

Caramelized Broccoli with Garlic

This simple broccoli recipe will have you falling in love with veggies. The slow caramelization brings out a sweetness to broccoli that you might not have known existed.

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!