Lentine Alexis is a former professional athlete, classically and holistically trained chef, Ayurvedic practitioner, and Boulder native. Her website offers over 400 seasonal recipes, holistic insights, and personalized offerings to support a vibrant, connected, and active lifestyle.
There’s a unique vitality in Boulder—open trails, expansive skies, a wellspring of creativity, and a true sense of abundance. As a holistic chef, I can’t help but point to our local farmers and producers as the pulse of this bounty.
When I moved back to Boulder, our Farmer’s Market was what reconnected me to the naturally-aligned lifestyle I’d missed after two decades abroad. From Japan to Italy to Hawaii, I’ve worked in kitchens and cooked around the world—and yet nowhere have I found such easy access to regeneratively grown, beautiful food. Boulder’s market, especially in summer, is magic: buzzing with energy and brimming with peak-season produce along 14th Street between Arapahoe and Walnut.
Today, over 85% of what my husband, young son, and I eat comes from the friendly hands I greet at the market each Saturday, before we head into the mountains to play. These are my must-visit stops:
Toohey and Sons Organic
Christian Toohey and I grew up together, and he’s been growing standout produce on his family’s 38-acre farm near Hygiene since 2005. His unique heirloom vegetables regularly grace Boulder’s best menus.
Aspen Moon Farm
This 90-acre farm near Hygiene offers one of Boulder County’s most abundant CSA programs, with certified organic and biodynamic veggies. Even as a CSA member,I still swing by their stand each weekend for edible surprises, warm hellos and a restock.
Croft Family Farm
This small farm grew from a family’s desire to support their son’s health through nutrient-dense food. I love their tender lettuces, herbs, edible flowers, and eggs—their care is evident in every bite.
Dry Storage Bakehouse
Boulder’s best breads and pastries are made here from flour they mill themselves using locally sourced, sustainable grains. Sustainability pioneer + chef Kelly Whitaker’s vision and dedication to local and heirloom grains has earned national acclaim and a James Beard Award.
First Fruits Organic Farm
A truck from Paonia arrives early each Saturday with the best stone fruit and apples Colorado offers. The Kropp family’s fruit is a highlight of my summer—flavorful, fresh, and full of surprise.
Björn’s Colorado Honey
Small-batch honeys infused with tradition and care. Pontus, the Swedish beekeeper, learned from his grandfather. I especially love their propolis honey, known to support immunity and fight bacteria naturally.
Wisdom Natural Poultry
Jay and Cindy Wisdom raise their chickens with care on the Colorado plains. Their birds are never given hormones or antibiotics and are raised with sunshine, fresh air, and local feed.
Little Hollow Flowers
Before heading home, I stop for a bouquet. Their water-wise, regionally grown blooms reflect the wild beauty of Boulder—and brighten up every space in our home, mirroring the beauty out our door.
FROZEN SUNSHINE
A Dreamy Summer Treat from Lentine’s Subscriber Recipe Club
This shaved ice is absolute perfection with a ripe summer peach, but apricots, cherries, and plums work beautifully as well. The recipe is part of the collection of over 400+ recipes available to subscribers in Lentine’s Recipe Club, available at LentineAlexis.com.
Peaches + Coconut Cream Shaved Ice
Makes one serving
Ingredients:
● 1-2 whole peaches, frozen
● 1/4 cup coconut whipped cream OR favorite coconut yogurt
● 1 fat pinch flaky sea salt
● 1/2 inch fresh ginger (frozen)
● 1-2 tsp local honey
● 1/2 Tbsp marcona almonds (finely chopped )
● 1/2 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
Instructions:
1. Prepare yourself....for impromptu shave ice making!
Pop a couple of peaches and a couple of nubs of fresh ginger into the freezer. Jam a couple of cans of coconut milk or coconut cream into the fridge. Place these cans in a place where they won’t get bumped or disturbed. This encourages the cream to separate from the liquid in the can. Then, forget about them all until you’re ready to make some shave ice!
2. Make the coconut whipped cream.
When you’re ready to make your coconut cream, refrigerate a large mixing bowl for at least 10 minutes before whipping. Remove the chilled coconut milk or cream from the fridge without tipping or shaking, and remove the lid. Scrape out the thickened cream on top and leave the liquid behind; reserve it for another purpose. Note: if your coconut milk didn’t firm up, you probably just got a dud can without the right fat content. If this is the case, you can try to salvage your efforts by adding 1 Tbsp of tapioca flour during the whipping process. Place chilled cream in your chilled mixing bowl and beat for 30 seconds with a mixer until creamy. Then add the flaky salt and cardamom and mix until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Be very careful not to overwhip, as this will cause separation! Immediately use or refrigerate the whipped cream. It will harden and set in the fridge the longer it’s chilled, but it will keep for up to 1-2 weeks, so you’ll have plenty of cream to make more shave ice!
3. Shave your fruit + compose your bowl.
Using a microplane, shave your frozen peaches into a bowl. Remove the frozen ginger, peel back a bit of the skin, and shave that over the peach. Add a couple dollops of your whipped coconut cream, then sprinkle toasted pistachios, almonds, and sesame seeds on top, as you wish. Finish with a drizzle of the local honey and enjoy immediately, and often.