Secrets of strawberries

A good friend of mine got me addicted to Harry's Berries when I first moved to LA and I'm a devoted follower ever since. You see, I've been spoiled and can't eat any commercial strawberries anymore, especially not the big genetically modified ones. Conventional strawberries have high pesticide load and please remember to buy organic for this fruit (See the "Dirty Dozen" list from the Environmental Working Group). Other strawberries just don't have the fragrance and texture of home-grown strawberries I remember from my youth, and Harry's Berries is just as good as a home-grown strawberry because they fresh-pick it that morning before it comes to market!

As much as I love the Hollywood Farmer's market on Sunday, it's sometimes too large (I can get easily distracted by all the stands) and too much competition to get to the market early enough before it's sold out. So if you can squeak in a weekday morning farmer's market run, I do better by getting to the Monday West Hollywood market (click on the link to find out where you can get Harry's Berries near you in LA area), and the secret to getting your hands on these strawberries is getting there just after 9am (to get parking and avoid street cleaning between 8am-9am on Fountain) and you need to get there before 11:30am (it's usually when they sell out). Please say hi to Alex who greets you at the stand. If you want recipes, they have a few recipes on their website, but I can't bear to modify these beauteous tasty strawberries. I think they are perfect in their raw beauty.

And if you're in search of more summer fruits, please check out the Nicholas Family Farms stand at Larchmont Market, where you can get plums, grapes, peaches and more. You can ask Penny or one of her daughters what their favorite fruit of the week is so that you can find out what is at the peak of the season. California cherries have a short season, but I found organic cherries at Vons supermarket this past week. The bonus of finding great strawberries and summer fruit is that I don't really need dessert when I have a tasty supply of yummy fruit packed full of antioxidants waiting for me. Do you have some other great finds? Please share! Happy hunting for summer fruits!

Updated "Dirty Dozen" fruits and vegetables

The Environmental Working Group has released a sneak peak at their updated "Dirty Dozen." These are the fruits and veggies you need to prioritize buying organic because the pesticide content you ingest is the worst if you buy conventional. Of the clean list, you can buy conventional and not worry about your health.

If you're watching your budget while shopping for organic produce, a great strategy is to go to the Farmer's Market 1 hour before closing to get great deals. For example, if you know the market closes at 2pm, go at 1:15pm and you'll start hearing "one dollar/pound specials." You might not get everything on your list because the selections might be slimmer, but if you're looking for apples, there should be plenty of apples to choose from.

Here's more with shopping tips on where I find my organic produce in L.A.

Can't download easily? Here's the Dirty Dozen list to prioritize organic: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens, potatoes, grapes (imported).

How to prioritize when to buy Organic

While fresh seasonal wild/organic fruits and veggies are the best option, it's not always the realistic option. Whether you're prioritizing due to time or budget, here are some quick strategies to help optimize your health more easily. It needs to be easy enough so that you'll actually implement your healthier choices into your day-to-day lifestyle.

1) The freezer section has great options like Wild Boreal Blueberries, Organic Strawberries, Green Beans. And for some fruits and veggies, you don't need to prioritize them to be organic or wild. Having a stock of fruits and veggies on hand in your freezer increases your chance of more servings. And often, the frozen versions are great quality and a very positive option when you just haven't gotten to your grocery shopping!

2) If you went to the Farmer's Market and got overzealous and can't finish up your portions before it goes bad, package your fruits and veggies while they are still good and put them in the freezer for a different day! You might put the fruit in a smoothie, or the veggies in an egg scramble or mixed veggie sautee, and you will save yourself from wasting your Farmer's Market finds.

3) Prioritize buying organic for the "Dirty Dozen" list and go ahead and buy the conventional varieties from the "Least Contaminated" list.

This list below is known as the "Dirty Dozen" that you should avoid buying conventional and prioritize to buy Organic. According to the Environmental Working Group, common growing practices make these crops the most likely to contain pesticide residues:
Apples
Peaches
Bell Peppers
Pears
Celery
Potatoes
Cherries
Raspberries
Imported Grapes
Spinach
Nectarines
Strawberries

If organic produce is cutting into your overall budget, it's okay to prioritize a bit and use non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, which tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. You should still make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking to remove dirt and bacteria. According to the Environmental Working Group, these are the least contaminated fruits and vegetables.
Asparagus
Kiwi
Avocados
Mangos
Bananas
Onions
Broccoli
Papaya
Cauliflower
Pineapples
Corn (sweet, frozen)
Peas (sweet, frozen)

photo credit: Omer Kamran