Since moving to Columbia, my favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings is to go to the Soda City Farmer’s Market. The market takes place in the heart of downtown Columbia on Main Street. Vendors line both sides of the street offering fresh local vegetables, art, soap, delicious food and wine to name a few. Local musicians also gather to play music and create a cozy atmosphere for the market.

Two of the biggest draws to the market for me are Mimie’s International Cuisine and Trail Ridge Farm. At Mimie's International Cuisine, I enjoy the jerk chicken and veggie rice bowl with avocado salad. I love the West African slaw, spicy harissa sauce and chipotle mayo and the flavorful jerk chicken. Did you know that spicy foods like jerk chicken and harissa sauce increase thermodynamic activity during digestion? This helps our metabolism work more efficient to digest food and burn calories.

Patrons have the option of topping the bowl with fresh, made to order avocado salad. I always opt for this! The avocado salad is so fresh and luscious. The fresh citrus and herbs enhance the avocado and pull the bowl together. Interested in learning more about healthy fats found in avocados? Check out my Essential Fatty Acids post.

I look forward to this delightful lunch every Saturday! Mimie also offers unique, refreshing ginger lemonades including my personal favorite, watermelon hibiscus. There are also vegan cinnamon rolls, veggies bowls and jerk pork available.

At Trail Ridge Farm, I get a delicious treat that usually will last me throughout the following week –Goat Cheese - which is the focus of this post. I love the Seasoned Chevre (soft goat cheese) at Trail Ridge Farm! My favorite varieties are the Sicilian Coast which includes savory Italian herbs and parmesan cheese and the Italian Bravano which includes sundried tomatoes, another favorite food of mine!

Since this delectable goat cheese has become a regular indulgence for me, I decided to do a little research about the health benefits of goat cheese. Here is what I found:

• Goat cheese is low in calories

• A 1-oz. serving contains about 70 calories, 45 of which are from fat

• Goat cheese is low in sodium

• A 1-oz serving contains approximately 65 mg of sodium per 1-oz. serving

• Goat cheese is low in fat and cholesterol

• 5 grams of fat per 1-oz serving , 3 grams of saturated fat per one ounce serving

• Goat cheese is rich in vitamins and minerals

• Provides Vitamin D for strong bones and calcium absorption and Vitamin K for bone and blood health amongst many other essential micronutrients

• Goat cheese is a source of protein

• A 1 oz serving contains approximately 4 grams of protein

Source: Livestrong.com

If you are in the Columbia area, I highly recommend the Soda City Farmer’s Market. If you are a spicy food and cheese lover like me, it seems that these Soda City vendors offer relatively healthy indulgences!