Annaliese Keller | Edible Paradise

Farmer harvesting carrots from the soil that uses regenerative practices

Walk through a farmers market, browse a food magazine, or spend a few minutes online reading about food and farming, and you’ll likely encounter the term regenerative agriculture. For some people, it’s the future of farming. For others, it’s just another agricultural buzzword. So what does it actually mean? The answer is surprisingly simple. At...

Farmer examining healthy soil with regenerative farming practices.

You’re Not Just Buying Vegetables. You’re Buying Soil.

Know Your FoodCarbon Farming, edible paradise, Farmers Markets, Food and Farming, Healthy Soil, local food, Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets, Organic Farming, Regenerative Agriculture, Soil Health, Sustainable Agriculture

Walk through a farmers market on a Saturday morning and you’ll see baskets overflowing with berries of all colors, bunches of leafy greens, fragrant herbs, peaches, plums, tomatoes, and dozens of other seasonal treasures. Most of us think we’re shopping for food. In reality, we’re shopping for something much deeper. We’re shopping for soil. That...

Could Microgreens Be the Secret Weapon for Raising Healthier Kids?

Home Page Stories, Know Your Foodchildren's nutrition, family nutrition, healthy eating for children, healthy kids, kid-friendly vegetables, microgreens, microgreens for kids, New Natives Farm, nutrient-dense foods, vegetable nutrition, vegetables for picky eaters

With most children falling short of recommended vegetable intake, these nutrient-packed tiny greens may offer parents and grandparents a simple way to close the gap. If you’ve ever tried to convince a child to eat more vegetables, you know the struggle is real. Despite decades of nutrition education, most children still aren’t eating enough vegetables....

Nut Truffles — Superfood Energy Balls

Gifts from the Kitchen, Home Page Stories, Treatsalmond butter recipes, cacao energy balls, Edible Paradise recipes, energy bites, gluten free snacks, healthy desserts, healthy farmers market recipes, healthy snack recipes, Medjool date recipes, naturally sweetened treats, nut truffles, nutrient dense snacks, plant based snacks, superfood snacks

Healthy Nut Truffles (Energy Balls): A Naturally Sweetened Snack with No Refined Sugar! Made with dates and packed with nuts, seeds, and superfoods, these healthy energy balls make the perfect grab-and-go snack, dessert, or hiking treat.

Discover how to build a better smoothie using seasonal farmers market produce, nourishing whole-food ingredients, and simple nutrition-building formulas for delicious everyday breakfasts.

How to Feed and Care for Your Sourdough Starter

Breads, Culinary Resources, SourdoughHow to feed starter, how to maintain sourdough starter, sourdough, sourdough starter

If you’ve just begun your sourdough journey, congratulations — you’re keeping a little kitchen “pet” that rewards you with delicious bread, pancakes, pizza, and more! The good news is: keeping a sourdough starter happy doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little consistency and a few simple habits, your starter will thrive for years to...

Looking for a delicious way to enjoy microgreens? Sandra Ward of New Natives Farm shares her favorite smoothie recipe featuring seasonal fruit, fresh microgreens, and a nutrient-rich superfood blend.

June Highlight: Bitter Melon

Featured Seasonal Produce, Fresh at the MarketAsian cooking, asian vegetables, bitter melon, Chinese cooking, farmers market vegetables, Indian cooking, KT Farms, Monterey Farmers Market, seasonal produce, Southeast Asian cuisine, specialty produce, stir fry recipes, unusual vegetables, vegetable guide

Have you ever wandered through the farmers market, spotted a strange bumpy green vegetable, and thought: What on earth is that? You’re not alone. One of the most fascinating specialty crops grown by KT Farms at the Monterey Farmers Market is bitter melon — an ingredient beloved throughout Asia, India, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and...

Eggplant: The Beautiful “Mad Apple” of Summer

Home Page Storiesaubergine, Chinese eggplant, eggplant, Italian eggplant, Japanese eggplant, Mad apple, Thai eggplant

Glossy, dramatic, and endlessly versatile, eggplant may be one of the most misunderstood treasures of the summer farmers market. Known in Europe as aubergine, this member of the nightshade family shares its botanical roots with tomatoes and potatoes — though technically, it’s a fruit rather than a vegetable. Eggplant also carries a surprisingly colorful history....

Young woman learning how to make preserves

Canning Basics: Your Questions Answered

Canning, Preserving, and Fermentation, Culinary Resourcescanning, Canning information, Preserving food

If you have questions about canning ingredients, tools, or resources, send us an email and we will be happy to answer your questions! Q: Are liquid pectin and powdered pectin interchangeable?A: No. Use exactly what your recipe specifies. Q: How long is pectin shelf stable?A: Pectin (both powdered and liquid) should be used the year...