Proof of the Pudding Presents!! an Organic Chef Table at the Carter Center this Sat Apr 5

Proof Of The Pudding Chef 

Launches Organic Cooking Showcase

In the spirit of celebrating spring, Proof of the Pudding’s Chef Ron Jenkins will be hosting a live action pop- up tent at Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center April 5 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Jenkins’ menu will incorporate products from the booths at the market, showing that food can be both natural and delicious.

“The best way I think I can benefit my community as a chef and advocate is to educate on the correlation of healthy food production and a healthy planet,” he said.

Jenkins’ passion for organic food stems from his love for nature and drive to protect the planet by using the least amount of harmful products possible, according to a press release. Jenkins teaches farm-to-table cooking with local food sourcing at the Food Literacy Institute, while also functioning as Sous Chef for Proof of the Pudding.

Jenkins will showcase both breakfast and lunch features.

• Breakfast from 9-10:30 a.m.: Riverview Farm fresh egg vegetable omelet with peppers, onions, asparagus, tomato and Sparta Imperial Mushrooms
• Lunch from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.: Grilled grass-fed beef burger, fried egg, sautéed mushrooms served with Woodland Farms Organic Garden Salad, and Grass Root Farms slow-roasted barbecue chicken sliders served with Woodland Farms Organic Garden Salad

Freedom Farmers Market brings good food to their neighbors every Saturday, 

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Dec. 20. 

Every vendor represented at the market shares a common dedication to sustainable farming practices, and brings a wide range of local products to the table from fresh produce to prepared meals.

The market is located at 453 Freedom Pkwy. N.E., Atlanta, Ga.

Proof of the Pudding

Once Upon A Time.

There was a time when I considered health food stores not good for my health. Most seemed quite unclean and were usually stocked with obscure, dusty things on crowded shelves at prices way beyond what they should be.

My opinion has changed. Enter.....

I love this place. (Who wouldn't love a place called Rainbow?) The store is clean. The shelves are dusted. Everything is neat and tidy and nicely organized. The fresh foods they prepare on site carry the dates the food was prepared. The produce is fresh and perky. The staff is friendly, patient and helpful. There's plenty of parking.

There's a beautiful array of personal care products (including Alba's, Burt's Bees, Tom's of Maine and my favorite, their natural glycerine soap) and a diverse selection of name brand & high quality vitamins and supplements. All are reasonably priced. Lots of holistic health books and magazines line a wall and no one bothers you if you just want to browse.

The Hot Bar---Rainbow's prepared foods---offers all vegetarian and also has vegan and gluten free choices. Daily specials include tofu curry, veggie frittata, mushroom stroganoff and vegetarian lasagna. Rainbow's pre-packaged salads, soups and sandwiches make great lunches to grab and go and I've heard they carry the best popcorn in town.....which I have to look for the next time I go. A small dining room offers eat in space. If you can, hang out. Have the mint tea, a slice of coconut pie and some raw veggies with The Best Ever miso dressing.

Grocery shelves carry a very good array of grains, nuts, flours, canned goods. The dairy case has beautiful, well priced local organic eggs (at $3...not bad for organic) and in produce I found two choices of wheat grass: cut and packaged or still in the pot. 

(I brought home some 'still in the pot' just for me to look at, it was so pretty and green).

Now, I will tell you, there is one thing Rainbow does have that every other health food store also has....its array of Very Odd People. 

The last time I was there I was using my phone to take pictures for this blog when the lady standing next to me started to tremble. She crossed her arms over her face and curled into herself while announcing that I was "Emitting x-rays that I'm extremely sensitive to." She went on to tell me, "I'm the only one in the world who is sensitive to rays," and added, "You've ruined me. I can't take them back."

I tried to apologize. I put my phone away. I showed her there'd be no more pictures. She ran from me, she ran from the store. Her arms were still crossed over her head as she disappeared from sight.

Rainbow Natural Foods

2118 N. Decatur Road

Decatur GA 30033

grocery:   404.636.5553

hot bar:  404.633.3538

http://rainbowgrocery.com/