If you missed The 100 Mile Challenge on TV - or if you want to watch it again to reinvigorate your local-eating inspiration - you can watch the entire series online. We also have web-only extras and outtakes that never made it to TV:
Episode 1: The Purge
Extras & Outtakes
Episode 2: Back to Basics
Extras & Outtakes
Episode 3: New Rules
Extras & Outtakes
Episode 4: Half Way There
Extras & Outtakes
Episode 5: Pushing Limits
Extras & Outtakes
Episode 6: Final Stretch
Extras & Outtakes
Want to learn more about everything from foraging to yardsharing to guerrilla gardening? Go on a slow food bike ride? Watch people rise to the occasion with local feasts for weddings and holidays? Learn about CSAs, charcuterie and artisanal cheese? For these and more stories about local eating, be sure to check out our Local Food Videos.
Think you can't plant a garden in November? If you live in a milder part of the country, you can! Cold-weather gardening is fun, and a great way to boost your diet with high-nutrient foods, to boot.
There are a number of hardy salad greens that can handle the cold. (Here, we're defining "cold" as staying mostly above freezing during the day.) When you're looking at seeds, look for greens where the instructions state they can be planted in spring before the last frost date. Some to consider: Ruby, Salad Bowl, Red Sails, Lolla Rossa, and Buttercrunch. And as their names suggest, you can't go wrong with Winter Marvel, North Pole, and Arctic King.
While you can plant seeds separately, we've had great success in mixing our favourite seeds together and planting them in our very own customized mesclun blend. Just mix the seeds together, then scatter them on bare soil more thickly than you normally would. Make your rows about a foot and a half wide for easy harvesting. When you harvest, pick only as many outer leaves as you need right away.
Kale is another great cold-weather crop. Choose several varieties so that you can enjoy a diverse range of tastes and textures. Similarly, Swiss chard is another vitamin-rich must-have, and you don't have to limit yourself to the green end of the spectrum. Varieties like Bright Lights cross the rainbow from green to pink, red, and orange.
You don't have to limit yourself to greens. Carrots can be grown and harvested well into the winter. If the weather turns cold, cover the plants with natural mulch and you can continue to enjoy them for weeks.
Similarly, radishes and beets (best enjoyed while they're still small) are fast-growing crops that do well under mulch. Sow seeds once a week for a few weeks and enjoy an extended harvest that can take you right into spring.
Just because the colder weather is upon us doesn't mean your meals have to suffer. There's a huge richness and diversity of choices in the fruits and vegetables that are available in markets at this time of year. Depending on where you live, here's a selection of produce you might find:
Looking for ways to prepare these wintry items? Browse our Local Recipes section for menu ideas.
While the origins of Brussels sprouts are unknown, they can be traced to the late 16th century. They are thought to be native to Belgium near the capital city of Brussels, after which this vegetable is named. Their use spread across Europe during the First World War. Brussels sprouts are now cultivated throughout Europe and North America.
Brussels sprouts look like mini cabbages, which is no surprise as they both belong to the Brassica family. Each sprout is about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter and they grow in bunches of 20 to 40 on a stem that reaches from 60 - 90 cm (2 - 3 feet) in height. They are a fresh green in colour, although there are some less common purple varieties.
Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C. As well, Brussels sprouts contain vitamin A and beta-carotene, both of which play important roles in promoting good skin and defending the body against infection. Brussels sprouts are high in fibre. Just 250 ml (1 cup) of Brussels sprouts contains more than 4 grams of fibre, both soluble and insoluble, in approximately equal amounts.
Buying and Storing
Look for Brussels sprouts that are firm, unblemished and compact with bright green colour. Choose those of equal size so that they cook evenly. Brussels sprouts stored unwashed and untrimmed in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator keep well for about 10 days. To freeze, blanch them for 3 to 5 minutes first. They can be kept in the freezer for up to one year.
Availability
Imported fresh and frozen Brussels sprouts are available in supermarkets year round. However, the peak growing period for local fresh sprouts is in the fall.
Preparation
To prepare Brussels sprouts, remove the stems and any yellow or discoloured leaves. Wash them well under running water or soak them in a bowl of water to remove any insects that may be hiding in the inner leaves.
Brussels sprouts are usually cooked whole. To allow the sprout to heat through evenly, cut an "X" in the bottom of the stem prior to cooking. Perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts have a crisp, dense texture with a slightly sweet taste. Though Brussels sprouts are often served as a side dish, they are also excellent in cold salads.
Try Brussels sprouts today
Written by Veronica Sliva. Article reprinted courtesy of Food Network Canada.
Use our Local Foods Locator to find locally grown Brussels sprouts in your area.
Browse our Community Recipes for more great recipes featuring local ingredients. Got a recipe you'd like to share? Send it in!
For most people, dinner is the most challenging meal of the day. It's hard enough to cook a nourishing meal after coming home from work -- cooking a nourishing local meal is a whole other challenge.
Soup is a great choice, and we've already rounded up a healthy portion of soup recipes in an earlier post. Here's another roundup, this time of weeknight meals that are as satisfying as they are easy to make:
This Thanksgiving, why not make your feast a true celebration of the local harvest? Start by watching our inspiring video: 100-Mile Thanksgiving. After that, plan your dinner.
We've rounded up some festive, seasonal recipes to get you started, from traditional favourites like roast turkey with cranberry sauce to somewhat more exotic fare, such as duck with sour apples and port. We're also serving up an array of soups, salads and side dishes. And yes, we even managed to dig up a few 100% local desserts!
Entrees
Soups and Salads
Vegetables and Side Dishes
Desserts
The final days of the fall harvest are upon us. Just when the temperature is starting to dip, the earthier, more filling root vegetables begin to dominate markets. These can be the inspiration for endless stews and casseroles.
Apples are plentiful right now. Consider stocking up and making apple butters and applesauce to last through the winter. Similarly, this is the time to hoard fresh cranberries. Just pop them into freezer-safe bags (no washing necessary) and toss them in the freezer. You may also still be able to find and savour the final blackberries, figs, and pears of the season.
As for fish and meat, dungeness crab season ends this month, so if you live on the west coast, get it while you can. (Tip: Frozen crab meat can keep for up to four months.) Halibut is also still available. On the east coast, fishing season is coming to a close, but you can still enjoy fresh Atlantic salmon.
Here's a partial list of the produce you may be able to find in your area right now:
Apples
Beets
Blackberries
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chicory
Cranberries
Dates
Figs
Grapes
Leeks
Lettuce
Okra
Parsnips
Pears (late season)
Peppers
Pumpkins
Squashes (most varieties, including acorn, butternut, and winter)
Shallots
Sweet potatoes
Turnips
Watercress
We're always reluctant to see the end of summer, but one thing that makes us look forward to colder months is that we can indulge our deep love of soup several times a week. We've rounded up some of our favourite recipes to keep you warm and nourished now and in the months ahead.
Browse our Community Recipes for more great recipes featuring local ingredients. Got a recipe you'd like to contribute? Send it in!
You've committed to a more local diet, but you're wondering what to use instead of olive oil in your favourite recipes. We've researched vegetable, seed and nut oils produced in Canada to find out which oils are best used in different types of cooking.
Canola Oil
Did you know that "canola" was named after Canada, a combination of the words "Canada" and "oil"? The most widely produced and available oil in the country, canola is grown primarily in western regions, with some areas planted in Ontario and the Pacific northwest. Canola oil's light taste lends itself to a wide variety of applications in the kitchen, from sauteeing to salad dressings to baking.
Note that unrefined and refined canola have very different smoking points. Unrefined canola oil burns easily and should not be used for cooking at high temperatures. Refined canola oil, however, can be used for high-temp cooking, including deep frying.
Sunflower Oil
Canada was a pioneer in sunflower production back in the 1930s. Today, approximately 90 per cent of all sunflowers grown in Canada are located in Manitoba, but a growing share is finding its way into southeastern Saskatchewan. Other small pockets of sunflowers are found in south central Alberta and southern Ontario. Its neutral taste makes sunflower oil a good all-purpose oil. Its high smoking point makes it an excellent choice for deep-frying and cooking at high temperatures.
Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is available in Canada, though not easily. We've found one source: Picard's Peanuts in Ontario. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some, peanut oil adds flavour to Asian-inspired meals. You can also use it in vinaigrettes, sauces, as a last-minute drizzle to punch up tired greens, or even drizzled over ice cream. With its high smoke point, peanut oil is a healthy alternative for deep-frying.
Flax Seed Oil
Grown primarily in the prairie provinces, as well as small pockets in Ontario, flax seed oil is an excellent source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Flax seed oil has a nutty taste that many people like, but others find a bit strong. Sample it for yourself to determine how much you wish to add to your salad dressings or cold recipes. Flax seed oil should not be heated, but it can be added to cooked foods before serving.
Hazelnut Oil
Hazelnut oil is a specialty oil that can be hard to find. We've found one source: Canadian Hazelnut Inc. in Agassiz, BC. Since hazelnut oil has such a strong taste, you can often use less of it if you’re trying to impart flavor to a dish. It lends itself well to salad dressings. It's also heavenly when lightly drizzle on soups right before serving. This oil has a high smoking point, meaning you can use it for deep-frying, but its high price may make this prohibitive.
Butter
For baking or for sauteeing at medium heat, that old standby -- butter -- can be used instead of oil.
Just one medium-sized apple contains about 80 calories and is a good source of fibre, Vitamin C, and antioxidants. Apples are fat-free (and trans fat-free!), and are the perfect energy-booster for those mid-afternoon slumps.
How to Use Them
Use apples to add variety to your food routine this fall. Buy apples you've never had before buy and experiment in the kitchen. We recommend Fuji, Pink Lady, or Braeburn varieties. Add apples to create new dishes, too. Make an apple cider vinaigrette to perk up a routine salad; add homemade applesauce to the center of a squash during baking; and include apple slices in grilled cheese sandwiches or in pitas in packed lunches. For a quick treat, old fashioned baked apples can also be prepared in the microwave. The McIntosh is a perfect baking apple.
Selecting and Storing
When shopping, choose firm apples that are free of bruises or soft spots. Overripe apples will give off ethylene gas, causing nearby produce to spoil.
Apples can be stored in the fridge for up to one month, or in a cool, dark place for longer. Try storing them loosely in plastic bags to retain humidity.
Try apples today:
Article reprinted courtesy of Food Network Canada.
Use our Local Foods Locator to find locally grown apples in your area.
Browse our Community Recipes for more great recipes featuring local ingredients. Got a recipe you'd like to share? Send it in!
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