Week of July 14
My dear Community,
There are weeks when it’s hard to know what to write about. This isn’t one of them.
With ICE raids ramping up again - tearing hard-working people from their jobs, families, and lives - it's impossible to stay silent. I understand the conversation around documentation. But let’s be honest: this country has intentionally made the immigration process out of reach for many. It’s a system built on barriers, not pathways.
Some of my dearest friends are from Oaxaca. They came here in search of a better life - not just for themselves, but for their families back home who depend on them. They work six days a week outside in the scorching heat, the pouring rain, through COVID, and during poor air quality due to wildfires. They’ve shown up when no one else would or could. And they’ve done it without recognition, without rest, without complaint and too often without rights.
I’ve tried picking strawberries myself. One box took me nearly an hour - and my body ached afterward. Imagine doing that for hundreds of boxes, every single week, to fill farmers markets and CSA shares like yours. These workers don’t just keep this food system going. They are the food system.
Our country was built on the backs of immigrants. My great-grandmother was the first in our family to become a U.S. citizen. I grew up in Munich, and as a child, we visited the concentration camps. I’ve seen firsthand how dangerous it is when people are dehumanized simply for existing. The echoes of that history are far too loud right now.
It’s time to rise. Speak up. Show up. These workers - our neighbors, friends, and colleagues - deserve more than silence. They deserve protection, dignity, and the rights we all hold dear.
Please consider donating to organizations doing vital work like La Casa de la Raza, 805 UndocuFund or one of my favorites to watch on instagram when I need a boost, The Local Hearts Foundation. Do what you feel is right—just please do something.
Their sacrifice, their sweat, and their strength are woven into this land. Let’s stand with them now.
Be good to each other.
Miso Green Bean & Eggplant Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons white miso paste
2 Tablespoons warm water
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
1 large eggplant or 4 small Asian-style eggplants , (about 1 ½ pounds), cut into a ½-inch dice
¾ cup thinly sliced shallot or red onion
½ pound green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
Toasted sesame seeds and/or sliced scallions, for garnish
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at The Natural Nurturer
Paleo Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
4 eggs room temperature
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 large) or applesauce
¼ cup pure maple syrup
3 Tablespoons coconut oil melted
1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup grated zucchini from about 1 medium zucchini
½ cup dark chocolate chunks optional
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at What Molly Made
Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Grilled Bread
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber, seeded + roughly chopped
1 red pepper, stemmed + seeded + roughly chopped
2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tbsp red wine vinegar (ACV or balsalmic works too!)
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
8 large basil leaves, plus more to garnish
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ lb heirloom cherry tomatoes, quartered (sub chopped red tomatoes!)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced chives
flaky sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
6 (½”) slices crusty bread
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at The Original Dish
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup optional (omit for Whole30)
2 garlic cloves minced
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Salad:
8 oz greens of your choice chopped (romaine, mixed greens, etc)
1 English cucumber halved lengthwise and diced*
1/2 large red onion diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes chopped
1 large avocado peeled and diced
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives sliced
4 ounces crumbled free feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Paleo Running Momma