Hi everyone! My name is James and I am an intern with Seacoast Eat Local for this spring. I am studying nutrition & dietetics at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. After I finish my degree here, I hope to get my Registered Dietitian credentials and work clinically, specializing in diabetes care and education. I found out about Seacoast Eat Local through my classmates and friends, and instantly knew I wanted to help out with this amazing organization! I am a big fan of farmers markets, and I think they are a very important part of any city or town. I live in Peabody, Massachusetts, where we have a smaller farmers market, and another larger market in Salem, MA that I love to go to.
Being a student in nutrition, I have a passion for eating wholesome, nutrient dense foods and would love to share recipe ideas and tips in my blog posts. I know it can sometimes be difficult to eat fresh produce in the winter in New England, but there are always great options at the farmers’ markets! Some of my favorite vegetables to keep on hand in the winter months include turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and cabbage. In my free time, I like to run and look up new healthy recipe ideas! My favorite season is summertime, not only because of the abundant fresh produce, but because it is so nice to go outside and just take a walk!
Another idea that I love is self-preserving your own fruits and vegetables. Strawberries might not be in season right now, but a great idea to enjoy delicious strawberries is to buy some at the summertime markets and freeze them in bags until the winter months. Canning is another great option to enjoy ripe, delicious fresh produce in the middle of winter. Even apples can be made into applesauce and canned!
One of the major goals I want to accomplish during my time with Seacoast Eat Local is to educate everyone that comes to the markets about the importance of produce and encouraging everyone to try new things! I am a vegetarian so I will be posting some of my favorite vegetarian-friendly recipes on here! This upcoming market, on February 10th at Exeter High School, I will be offering samples of a nutrient-dense recipe which utilizes winter-time produce, so feel free to stop by and chat with me!