Weekly Freshness Update: Family Joys, Sustainable Urban Farming, and Culinary Adventures

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! What an incredibly vibrant and eventful week it has been. I often find myself saying that each week is full of excitement, but this past one truly took the cake, or perhaps, the pot of gold! The biggest news, and certainly the most heartwarming, is the arrival of my very first niece, Cayla. My sister’s baby made an early appearance, arriving three weeks ahead of schedule on Monday evening. It was quite a swift arrival, to the point where they almost didn’t make it to the hospital in time, which added an extra layer of exhilaration to the moment. Thankfully, both Cayla and her mom are healthy, happy, and now comfortably settled at home. It’s truly astonishing to welcome two new family members in less than three weeks! Our family is growing so quickly, and the joy and excitement are absolutely palpable.

Beyond our wonderful family news, this week also brought an incredibly insightful and inspiring experience. Yesterday, I had the fantastic opportunity to tour Gotham Greens in Chicago, alongside several other local food bloggers. If you reside in the bustling metropolitan areas of New York City or Chicago, you might already be well-acquainted with their exceptional greens and fresh herbs. I’ve personally been a loyal customer, purchasing their high-quality produce, particularly their utterly delicious basil, ever since we first moved here. The entire tour was nothing short of incredible, offering a deep dive into their innovative approach to sustainable agriculture. For those who enjoy behind-the-scenes glimpses, I shared many highlights on my Instastories today! I simply couldn’t resist sharing some of the fascinating insights we gained about this remarkable company. This isn’t a sponsored post in any way; my enthusiasm stems purely from a desire to champion great food companies that are truly making a difference in the world of fresh produce and environmental sustainability.

One of the most frustrating aspects of grocery shopping for many of us, especially outside regions like the West Coast, is the quality and shelf life of the greens we purchase. It’s a common experience to buy a box of what appears to be fresh greens, only to find them wilted and slimy within a day or two of getting them home. This is often because most supermarket greens are already 7-10 days old by the time they reach your cart. This short shelf life and lack of true freshness is a significant pet peeve of mine. Gotham Greens was founded with a clear mission: to combat this very problem by providing fresh, local, and sustainably grown produce, often the varieties with the shortest shelf life, to urban areas that cannot cultivate them year-round. This groundbreaking initiative primarily serves the dense populations of Chicago and the New York City region, bridging the gap between farm and plate with unprecedented efficiency and ecological responsibility.

In 2009, Gotham Greens pioneered a revolutionary approach to hyper-local food production. They achieved this by strategically renting out rooftops on local buildings and transforming these unused urban spaces into vast, state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouses. These facilities became the world’s first commercially viable urban gardens, demonstrating a powerful model for sustainable agriculture within city limits. What truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship. Their greenhouses operate entirely on 100% renewable energy, significantly reducing their carbon footprint. Furthermore, they employ a highly efficient recycled irrigation water system, drastically minimizing water waste compared to traditional farming methods. Perhaps most impressively, they use absolutely zero chemical pesticides. Instead, they embrace beneficial pest management techniques, introducing natural predators like ladybugs to keep unwanted insects at bay, fostering a truly organic and harmonious growing environment.

The scale of their innovation is truly mind-boggling. The greenhouse we toured, for example, spans approximately 2 acres, making it one of the largest urban agricultural facilities globally. This immense space produces an astounding 30 times the yield of a traditional soil-based farm of the same size, while using a mere one-tenth of the water. This incredible efficiency allows them to cultivate an abundance of pristine greens that are then packaged and delivered to local grocery stores all within the same day of harvest. This means consumers receive greens that are not just fresh, but incredibly vibrant, nutrient-rich, and with a significantly extended shelf life. Beyond their commercial success, Gotham Greens also demonstrates a strong commitment to community welfare. They actively work with and grow produce for organizations like Chicago’s Greater Food Depository and various other food-based charities and outreach programs, helping to address food insecurity in their local communities. If you ever spot their produce in your grocery store, I cannot recommend picking up a box highly enough. Trust me, your salad game, and indeed your appreciation for truly fresh produce, will be forever changed!

In other news, quite unrelated to my green adventures, I encountered some major technical difficulties yesterday, which unfortunately prevented me from posting my latest update on my Whole30 journey as intended. Womp, womp! It was a bit of a setback, but rest assured, I will be bringing you my latest thoughts and a comprehensive two-week update on my progress this weekend, so definitely keep an eye out for that post!

A huge thank you goes out to Teri of NoCrumbsLeft for her incredible effort in organizing our fantastic Gotham Greens tour this week. If you’re not already following her on Instagram, you absolutely should be! Her cooking Instastories are not only visually appealing but also incredibly inspiring and informative, offering a wealth of culinary tips and delicious recipe ideas.

Speaking of new discoveries, in the midst of meticulously finalizing our travel plans for an upcoming trip to Japan, I stumbled upon a rather intriguing phenomenon: owl cafes are a genuine “thing” there! Imagine the concept of a cat cafe, but instead of feline companions, you’re surrounded by majestic owls. While the idea certainly sparks curiosity, I’m still quite conflicted about how I truly feel about it. It’s an interesting cultural difference, to say the least.

On the culinary front, I experimented with these delightful spicy coconut mussels earlier this week, and they were an absolute revelation. I’ve realized I really need to incorporate mussels into our dinner rotation more often! They are incredibly flavorful, surprisingly easy to prepare, and incredibly fast to cook. I may or may not have indulged by pairing them with these perfectly crispy fries (though I opted to omit the peanut oil). It was a truly satisfying meal that came together in a flash.

Have you had the chance to try my recipe for this vibrant roasted beet salad with orange and avocado? If not, I highly encourage you to give it a whirl. It’s a delightful combination of flavors and textures. In fact, I might just have another incredible salad recipe making its way to you next week because the one I’ve been enjoying recently has been literally one of the best dinners I’ve had in the past few weeks – light, refreshing, and incredibly satisfying.

In a very practical household update, we recently decided to bite the bullet and invest in this amazing spot cleaner. And, as fate would have it, a certain beloved canine member of our family decided to promptly test its efficacy by throwing up on my office carpet approximately 24 hours later. In that precise moment, I have never been more profoundly thankful for a purchase in my life. It proved to be an indispensable tool, saving my carpet and my sanity!

For those who appreciate a unique twist on a classic, I wholeheartedly declare that sandwich scones are quite possibly the best kind of sandwiches. Yes, you read that right. The soft, buttery scone texture combined with delicious fillings is an absolute game-changer for brunch or a delightful afternoon tea.

In a bit of a Whole30 rebellion, I decided to embark on a new culinary adventure this week: starting a bread starter! I am incredibly excited about this project and the prospect of baking fresh, homemade sourdough. For anyone else venturing into the wonderful world of bread baking, I have two absolute favorite cookbooks that I recommend without hesitation: “Tartine Bread” by Chad Robertson and this other fantastic bread baking book. I have literally read both of them cover to cover, finding endless inspiration and valuable techniques within their pages. Oh, and while you’re getting cozy with your baking endeavors, I highly recommend watching the ‘Air’ episode of Cooked on Netflix – it offers a fascinating exploration of bread and its cultural significance.

Despite the sheer volume of eggs I’ve consumed lately, thanks to Whole30, I still found myself genuinely excited by these “put an egg on it” ideas! It’s amazing how a simple egg can transform so many dishes, adding a rich, satisfying element. This collection provided some fresh inspiration for elevating everyday meals with a perfect fried or poached egg.

And for those looking to celebrate this weekend, perhaps with a touch of Irish spirit, a simple chocolate Guinness cake (or even this more elaborate two-layer Guinness cake with Baileys cream cheese frosting!) would be the perfect festive treat. It’s rich, moist, and utterly delicious – a fantastic way to cap off a wonderful week. Seriously, do it.

And with that, I’m out for the week! Please feel free to dump all of your thoughts, your latest discoveries, or any exciting news you have below in the comments section. I love hearing from you all. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful and refreshing weekend!