A Fresh Food Feeding Frenzy

Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom, which spends its days gnawing at a clump of grass or ripping into the juicy haunch of a freshly-caught wildebeast, we humans have come to view our meals as social occasions to be enjoyed with all our senses.

Food has become an art form. 

Underneath all that sophistication, however, lies the biological truth that we need nutrients. When it comes to getting peak performance from our foodstuffs, one thing is clear: fresher is better.

It's not surprising that an organization dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles introduced the farmer's market to downtown Downers Grove. In the early 1990s, the brought five local farmers here to sell their wares, plucked and trucked just hours before. 

"Vendors who have been with us since the beginning include Evergreen Farms, Lange Farms, Windy Acres, Barry’s Berries and J.W. Morlock and Girls," said Barb Taylor, executive director of Indian Boundary YMCA. "Soon thereafter, Staff of Life and Simply the Best joined the market."

The Downtown Downers Grove Market, held every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the south parking lot of the Downers Grove train station, now includes a wider variety of items. Still, the vendors all remain within driving distance of our town.  

"All four of our vegetable farmers come from Illinois (Yorkville, Algonquin and southern Illinois farms, Elwood, and Geneva)," Taylor said.  "Our two fruit vendors come from Michigan (Coloma and Watervliet). Our eggs come from Wisconsin and Dwight, IL. Our pork and fish vendor comes from Michigan. Our flower vendors also come from Illinois. Our cheese vendor comes from Chicago.  Many of our other vendors come from Downers Grove or surrounding suburbs." In fact, several local businesses like and are now occupying market stalls every Saturday.

With all the wonderful variety available each week, the choices can be overwhelming. Luckily, registered dietician Colleen Wessman, who consults at Indian Boundary YMCA, has some tips. 

"Berries of any kind—raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, boysenberries, black berries, are all great due to their antioxidant power, plus they are one of the best fiber/calorie fruit choices," she said. "Fresh green peas, dried peas, black-eyed peas, and snap peas offer some of the best fiber sources of all vegetables. They can be used in soups, stews, salads and as dips.

"Spinach, turnip, mustard and collard greens are all great sources of beta-carotene, vitamins and minerals. However, you get more of their nutritional value if you eat them raw rather than cooked," Wessman said. "If you choose to cook the greens, don’t add any oil to the greens as they are cooking because this destroys much of the vitamins and minerals."

Lastly, with apologies to children everywhere and George H.W. Bush, "vegetables known as the 'cabbage family'—cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and red cabbage—are known for cancer-protective benefits associated with their high levels of glucosinolates." Did you hear that, everybody? Eat your glucosinolates!

If you find yourself getting in a "veggie rut," where you're constantly buying and eating the same things, Wessman has tips for breaking out of the same old routine.

"First, the old guidelines of choosing fruits and vegetables that are bright and colorful still applies. Buying romaine lettuce that has dark green leaves versus iceberg lettuce which is usually very light is a good choice," she said. "Second, be adventurous! Try a fruit you’ve never had before, even if you have no idea how it may taste—you may be surprised. A mango, papaya, kiwi, the little 'cutey oranges' are all good examples of fruits that have a lot of vitamins and minerals.

"Finally, write down the fruits and vegetables you’re presently buying," Wessman suggests. "You may be making good choices, but you’re preparing them the same way all the time. Look for recipes that are different. Using the Internet for exploring new ideas and recipes is a great resource and you don’t have to buy the cookbook."

But whatever you do, make sure you eat those fresh fruits and vegetables. "They provide important vitamins and minerals that are essential in treating and preventing such health risks as constipation, diverticulosis, high blood cholesterol levels, and they give you that 'full feeling' that helps in weight control," Wessman said.

"Additionally, based on recent research studies, the fiber that is available in fruits and vegetables may offer one of the greatest benefits in improving your immune system, which helps in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity," she said.

Here is a recipe from Wessman that tastes like junk food, but is actually healthy for you, using ingredients you can find at the Downtown Downers Grove Market. It's simple, too!

Kale Chips

Kale chips rock! They are just like chips. I put a good bit of kosher salt on them to make them kind of salty like fries/chips. They really were like thin potato chips!

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Tear the leaves off the thick kale stems into bite-size pieces. Spread them out on cookie sheets in a single layer.
• Drizzle with about 2 tsp. of olive oil
• Sprinkle with Parmesan or Asagio or your seasoning of choice, plus kosher salt
• Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are brown and kale is crispy when moved on the sheet

This is the first in a two-part Downers Grub series about the Downtown Downers Grove Market. Next time, I will focus on the tasty aspects of the market—and share with you the dinner I made using nothing but ingredients I purchased there.