In a few weeks Oakland Kaiser Permanente will begin hosting field trips to our Friday Fresh Farmers’ Market for local elementary school and high school students. The little kids will meet the farmers at the market and get to sample the best of the season. The 30 high school students from Oakland High School will have done some comparison “shopping” ahead of time on the ingredients some colleagues and I will use to prepare them lunch. At their own neighborhood grocery stores, we will ask them to price out what it would cost to buy various kinds and amounts of fresh produce for 40 people, could they find organic or not, could they find out who grew it and when it was picked. We will compare all this information to what it takes to put together the same ingredient list from our market. Granted they don’t have a market at their school, but there’s the great Grand Lake community market not far away, also run by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. Just maybe we can create a farmers’ market convert or two out of the class.

For lunch, I’m thinking two different kinds of salads, whole grain rolls from the organic bakery at our market, and fresh fruit for dessert from Lone Oak Ranch in Reedly, CA. A grilled chicken Caesar is almost for sure. The second salad is still in question. So I am starting the search by type of dressing. This one may be risky for the palate of high school students but it is in contention. It can either be used as a dip leaving out the yogurt if you if you want to eat your veggies in chunks or as a dressing for salad.

Blue Cheese and Tarragon Dip/Dressing

Makes ½ cup – probably enough for three salads for four people

2 ounces Blue Cheese – not knowing the intricacies, I stick with the local Point Reyes Blue. Their cows live in a beautiful place on the planet.
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried (the golden 1 to 3 ratio of dried to fresh for most herbs)
1 Tablespoon honey (30 sec on high in my microwave melted about this much from my solidified source)
1 Tablespoon nonfat Greek style yogurt (more liquid than some other styles)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mash everything except yogurt together in a bowl with a fork. Mix in the yogurt if you are making a dressing. Season to taste and enjoy.

Nutrition information per serving (1/4 of recipe):
Calories: 158
Fat:14 gm
Saturated fat:4 gm
Trans fat: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 11 mg
Carbohydrate:6 gm
Fiber: 0 gm
Sodium: 272 mg
Protein:3 gm

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