Hello Food Swappers!

Happy Fall!  We have some exciting things planned for the next few months so make sure to keep posted.  In October, we are excited to be involved with Tucson Food Day, and our Monday 22nd swap will be one of several fun food events taking place the week of Food Day.  Registration is now open for the October 22nd swap, which will be held from 5:45-7:30.  Click here to register for the swap.  To find out about other Food Day events go to the Tucson Food Day website.  You can also check out the Food Day Scavenger Hunt on the website, to learn more about real food in Tucson and enter to win cool prizes.  

After a Food Swap we take home many delicious goodies.  Some we gobble up right away, others can add interest to our meals for weeks to come.  After the last swap I scored a Spice Rub for the BBQ I was heading to later in the day. Perfect! I started a couple great mornings with Whole Wheat English Muffins and Prickly Pear Jelly.  Later in the week I added some interest to a cream cheese dip with Fig Preserves, ate some Cucumber Kimchi with fried rice for a simple dinner, crumbled Polvorones over poached pears for an amazing dessert, and shared my Date Cookie Dough Balls with my coworkers.  My meals were easier, but more inspired with all those amazing foods!  Start your week off right and add some excitement to your weeknight meals by joining us Monday, September 24th from 5:45-7:30 in the evening.  To sign up, go to our registration page.  We hope to see you there!

Food Swappin' in Action

Have yet to attend a Food Swap? Wondering what all that swapping looks like in action? Check out this quick & dirty video of the Tucson Food Swap we did at the Mercado.

Tucson Food Swap Video

Makes you kind of hungry doesn't it? We are just a few days away from our next swap on August 19th. Reserve your spot today! 

It's time for another Food Swap.  This month the swap will be held on Sunday August 19th from 10:00 am until noon.  Click here to register.  We are looking forward to some tasty summer treats!  

If you are unable to attend this month, we hope to see you at our next swap in September.  We will do our best to give you plenty of time to register, and we will try to pick a day and time that works for most participants.  If you would like to help with planning the next swap drop us a line at foodswaptucson@gmail.com.

June Food Swap

Are your pantry and fridge starting to look bare or boring?  Its time for another food swap to add some excitement to the kitchen.  You are invited to join us on Sunday, June 24th from 10:00 a.m. until noon, for a morning of food and fun.  To make planning easier registration is required.  You will receive an e-mail confirmation once you have completed the registration process.   Click here for a link to our registration page.

granola gone savory

We live in a cereal world... and I am not a cereal person. It started when I was a kid, when I would request eggs or toast with cheese instead of bowls of grains with milk. Overall, I am just not particularly charmed by starting my day with sweet or starchy breakfasts. The exception to this has always been granola. Probably because my Mom's granola is packed with nuts, seeds and barely any sweetness. These days I make my own with blended fruits, interesting fats including brown butter or coconut oil and syrups such as maple, honey or molasses with hunks and chunks of coconut, rice puffs, seeds, nuts, and more. 

One day I found myself daydreaming of a savory, nothing-cloyingly-sweet about it granola. Not long after Lilly's Table was buzzing with a brand new granola that we can't seem to get enough of around here. Flavorful olive oil is a key element as is a heavy hand with freshly ground black pepper. A microplane will help you grate the nutty Parmesan and lemon zest that tie them altogether and just a hint of honey will help you remember that this in fact is still granola. My other secret ingredient is to fold in puffed brown rice as they become these chewy treats of flavor throughout. Any puffed grain such as millet or kamut can work instead, too. 

Now you ask, do you just pour milk over it? Well, I don't because it often ends up dumped into my hand and not a bowl, but when I feel the need to be more civilized about my savory granola consumption I sprinkle it on eggs, scrambled with cheese & herbs or with runny yolks on top of a saute of veggies. For lunch, it is sprinkled on salads to give add a crunchy, cheesy element. For dinners, it plays well intertwined with pastas or roasted vegetables. But, possibly my favorite way is sprinkled on Black Pepper Yogurt with fresh Peaches (or other stone fruit) for a sweet, yet savory dessert style end to my day.   

Black Pepper Parmesan Granola

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup puffed brown rice, millet, kamut or more rolled oats, instead

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons black pepper, or more to taste 

1 teaspoon salt

Toss the oats and puffed brown rice together on a baking sheet wtih sides or a large casserole dish. 

In a saucepan, warm up the olive oil and honey, just until smooth and incorporated. Zest the lemon and toss the zest with the grated parmesan. Juice the lemon and whisk into the olive oil and honey.

Pour the liquid all over the oats and rice. Fold and stir until they are thoroughly coated and sticky. Sprinkle on the parmesan, lemon zest, salt and black pepper. Toss to coat. 

Place in an oven set to 325. Stir every 15-20 minutes until dried out and just starting to turn golden. 

If you like it crispier, turn off the oven and leave the pan in there until it cools down. Otherwise, pull it out immediately, cool and enjoy. 

The granola keeps at room temperature for a week or so. in the fridge for several weeks.

Lilly Steirer lives in the Menlo Park neighborhood in Tucson and runs Lilly's Table Online Meal Planning Service. She is also one of the founding crew of Food Swap Tucson. Follow Lilly's Table on facebook, twitter, sign up for her weekly newsletters or subscribe to Lilly's Table for tons of seasonal recipes and meal plans.

May Food Swap

Are you ready for our next Food Swap?!  We are and we can't wait to see you there.  Did you miss our last swap and want to find out more? Make sure to check out our FAQ section to find out more.

This months swap will be in the cooler evening hours, from 6-8 pm on Friday the 25th.  We hope to have even more people and more food this time, so invite your food loving friends.  To make planning easier, registration is required.  Click here for a link to our Eventbrite registration page.  If you are unable to attend this month make sure to sign up for our mailing list to find out about future swaps and events.  We hope to see you soon.

First Food Swap a Success!

More photos here:  Food Swap Photos

Food Swap Tucson held their first swapping event on April 1, 2012.  We were honored to be in the company of so many new friends with lovely food items to share!  On offer was everything from fresh produce to canned creations.  Lovely hand harvested herbal teas and baked goods ranging from bread pudding to s'more kits filled the trading tables.  Judging by the smiles and overflowing baskets, participants went home happy.  We celebrated the event by enjoying some delicious limoncello.

Plans for the next swap are already in the works.  Follow the blog or "like" us on Facebook to see what is coming up.  Make sure and sign up for the mailing list to receive notification of future swaps:  mailing list

April 1st Food Swap

Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Ciabatta Rolls

We are getting excited around here for our Inaugural Food Swap.  With a little over two weeks until the event it looks like we are already close to filling up!  If we should fill up before you've had an opportunity to register make sure and get on the waiting list.  If someone should cancel we will contact you to see if you are still interested.  We will have more Food Swaps so keep checking in on the blog or our Facebook page and make sure you are on the mailing list.

Be sure to check out the FAQ page on this blog to learn more about the Food Swap.

Lori has been experimenting with yeast and flour to fine tune her swap items.  What are you working on?

Save the Date!

Our first Food Swap Tucson will be on Sunday April 1st. Sign up for our mailing list to be the first to receive your official invitation.

Check out this video for even more information on how a Food Swap works.

Coming Soon - Tucson's Very Own Food Swap!

Food Swap Tucson's first official swap and get together is coming soon!  We hope to have an exciting mix of different prepared foods and fresh produce.  The swap will also be an opportunity to meet people, learn new things and encourage fledgeling local food businesses.  Stay tuned here or follow us on Facebook:  "Food Swap Tucson" for more information.