I’m not an official “Foodie” but I love good food and I love to eat! All of our family get-togethers are built around food and fun. When I was a kid, my Mom would plan a weekly menu, make a grocery list and actually stick to it. Today, she and I make the menu before each family celebration or event. Then we ask each person which dish or dessert they will bring to the get-together. If they aren’t sure, I’ll tell them to surprise us. There is always way too much food and everyone takes home leftovers, but it’s special family fun and we all love each other and the food!

Did you know that Arizona Farm Bureau has an online directory of farmers and ranchers that sell direct?  It’s called Fill Your Plate. I encourage you to visit Fill Your Plate.org where you’ll find, farm products, Farmers Markets, and recipes.

Sometimes we don’t feel like cooking and we all meet at one of our favorite restaurants. When possible, we take advantage of our Farm Bureau member benefit discounts offered by several local restaurant. For those times when you and your family go out to eat, you might want to try some of our local restaurants that go beyond cowboy steaks and traditional Mexican fare sometimes associated with Arizona.  

Here are a few dishes that showcase some of those non-traditional foods in Arizona and where to find them.

Crazy for Salad?

Chopped salad at the Citizen Public House on 5th Avenue is so popular that it has its own Facebook page.  It’s a crazy/brillant combination of couscous, sweet dried corn, smoked salmon, asiago, pepitas, tomatoes, ucrrants and arugular with a basil-ranch dressing.

Some Like it Hot!

Attention…Spicy-food fans. If you are looking forward to a dish declared fiery hot then look no further.  The harissa fries served at Fez on Central Avenue are inspried by the flavors to Morocco and they are indeed SUPER-hot!

Pizza with a twist

What makes an Avocado Pizza so good?  It might be the perfectly crispy yet slightly chewy crust or the lemon zest. Or is it the mix of salty prosciutto and creamy avocado?  At La Grande Orange Pizzeria on 40th Street it’s probably all of those things.

Are you hungry yet? Happy eating!

Editor’s note: For more information on our member benefits including our regional benefits go to Arizona Farm Bureau’s member benefits page online. Or, download the Member Benefits app (FB Benefits) to your smart phone for easy, everyday access to your benefits.