Dark Days:Week 13 EAST recap

We are now 3 months into the Dark Days Challenge. As I read different blog posts from different participants across the country I am starting to see come common challenges  for some of the participants out there. In certain areas, some people are very low or running out of stored fall vegetables like squash and potatoes, and at the same time, they do not have farmer’s markets open in their area at all. Many areas have very active year-round farmer’s markets and that really makes things easy for them in terms of finding local foods. With those open markets it also helps keep with a seasonal eating theme.

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South Region (MD, VA, NC, SC, GA) with Emily from Sincerely, Emily

Annie (MD) from AnnieRie Unplugged shared her Valentine’s Day meal with us this week. Annie made marinated local rockfish (also know as striped bass), a beautiful sweet potato and a side of collard greens sautéed with bacon, onion and garlic. She also made an all-local, nice side salad using fresh bib lettuce, baby beets, bleu cheese with peach vinaigrette. Head over to her blog to read more about her meal and see her local resources.

Liz (VA) from Family Foodie Survival Guide stopped at a small farmers market near her house this past weekend and found some ingredients for to use in her meal this week. She cooked up some sausage and onions and added a side of carrots and a nice helping of red quinoa too. She says that “Sometimes, the SOLE dinner is the easiest one in the fridge.” Visit her blog to see additional photos and read about the small market she stopped at.

Monika (NC) from Windy City Vegan made a beautiful Korean bibimbap for her meal this week claiming that it is not only a fun word to say, but it is another great way to get a variety of vegetables into her family without a replying on a sauce or a soup. She used kale, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, sweet peppers and rice for her local ingredients. She also added sprouted tofu for her protein. Presentation is everything with this dish. Stop by her blog to read more about this fun dish, its presentation, and see her recipe.

Jessica (SC) from Eat.Drink.Nourish. ate out and ate local! While on a weekend trip to Charleston, SC they ate at great restaurant that prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients to create low-country cuisine — they even list their local farmer resources on the menu! Although she doesn’t have a photo of her meal, it does sound delicious – roasted beet salad with house-cured duck and entree of shrimp and grits. YUM.  Visit her blog to read about the restaurant they went to.

Rebecca (VA) from Eating Floyd is starting to run low on some of the vegetables she had cellared from last fall. She is also having to make more frequent trips to a place called Green’s Garage (no car maintenance there – just local foods) more often, but the pickin’s are getting more and more slim, especially for fresh local greens. This week she cooked a beautiful roasted fall vegetable tart. Head over to her blog to read more about her challenges and see this beautiful tart.

Victoria (MD) from The Soffritto made a spicy salsa soup this week using a jar of homemade salsa, homemade chicken stock, home-grown & canned roasted red peppers and a splash of local cream. How’s that for local! The soup was served topped with a bit of local cheese. I have been drooling over the photos of her canned items, dreaming that one day I could also have such beautiful canned items in my pantry. Stop by her blog to see more photos and her recipe too.

Jes (VA) from Eating Appalachia had the sun shining with 65F one day and 7” of snow the next. She didn’t let that stop her from making a nice kale & arugula salad with roasted acorn squash that was both eye catching and filling. With flavor combinations from herbs and spices along with some extra busts of flavor from the raisins and cashews, her salad looks great for spring, summer, winter or fall. Visit her blog to see her recipe and some photos from her winter wonderland.

Susan (VA) from Backyard Grocery had a few hectic, yet exciting weeks. It was time to slow down and have a nice local home-cooked meal. She made venison tenderloin and an omelet for breakfast. This high protein meal was all local. The venison tenderloin was pan friend in butter and the omelet was made up of a local duck egg and local chicken eggs and a bit of local cheese.  Stop by her blog to see more photos and a great step-by-step of her cooking process.

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What is challenging you in your area? Are you starting to get low on some of your homegrown preserved & stored foods? Are your farmers markets all closed or still going strong?