Bloomington Food Girl

I was expecting today to be a normal, run-of-the-mill type day, filled with the 11:30 brunch from my sorority and lounging around the house, doing work and watching TV.  After coming back from a little walk around campus, I noticed the UPS truck in the distance, for I was expecting a package.  However, that package was not something that could have fit in a box.  As I strolled into the parking lot of my sorority house, I was heading for the front door when to my surprise, my parents stepped out from behind one of the cars.  I was shocked in more ways that I can describe, it was the perfect surprise.  I was excited and anxious to take them around the town.  Our adventurous day, today began at 12 PM noon when we drove out to check out the local Bloomington Farmers Market right behind the Smallwood Apartments, on College Ave.  There were enormous amounts of Golden Delicious apples, McIntosh apples, bright green beans, snap peas and freshly picked Bell Peppers.  My Dad and I decided on the “tie-dye” Bell Peppers and a carton of McIntosh apples.  My stomach grumbled as I reached for a juicy redish-pink apple, the first bite was crunchy and the sweetness of flavor filled my entire mouth.  I finished it in about 5 bites, but my stomach continued to grumble.  As we left the farmers market, we walked over to the local Co-Op Bloomingfoods, very similar to my favorite grocery store, Whole Foods.  I did a full circle around the “salad-bar, hot-bar”, carefully eyeing each individual dish.  I took a brown “to-go” box and filled the bottom with a bed of spring mix, a couple large slices of cucumber, a spoonful of baby cherry tomatoes, pickled bright red onions, sautéed Szechuan Tempeh and Kale, ginger-spiced Tofu and a little bit of Curried vegetables.  The mixture of foods meshed well together.  The spiciness of Szechuan flavor from the Tempeh, the lasting spice from the Curry sauce, the burst of the cherry tomatoes, the flavors just could not be beat.  Each bite had a different taste making my creation that much more enjoyable.  Our foodie day was delicious, fresh and local.