Recipes to spark your creativity

One of our market managers scoped out this recipe using the pattypan squash that is so plentiful right now. Looks pretty good!

And for the garlic lovers, doesn’t this sound good?!

And if you’re looking for something completely different to try with the great peaches you get at the market, how about this?http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1646370

I”m hoping to give this a try this weekend with the corn I get tomorrow.

How about this tomato peach salsa?

And how about this tart?!

And check this out! When I think of all the work I have gone to to peel and prepare peaches for the freezer and THIS could be done?! Totally trying this tomorrow.

Cool supper for a Hot Night!

Yep, this is going in the meal plan rotation..

As for the apricots, Bruce from Mayan Cafe’ did peaches this way last year at the market one day and they were to die for!  Enjoy!

Who is brave enough to try….?

Now, I love beets.  Love them.  But I’m just not so sure about this recipe for a raw beet sandwich……  Alanna has never steered me wrong.  Someone give it a try and report back…..

Blueberries!

 

BLUEBERRY NUTRITION FACTS
• Only 80 fat-free calories per cup, blueberries are a good
source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.
• Blueberries rank high in antioxidants that help protect
against cancer, heart disease and other age-related
diseases.
• Researchers have found compounds in blueberries that
help prevent urinary tract infection.
• Just one-half cup of blueberries helps meet the
recommended 5 to 9 servings a day of colorful fruits
and veggies.
For more blueberry information visit the
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council at www.ushbc.org.

BLUEBERRY SERVING SUGGESTIONS
• Add blueberries to your favorite muffin recipe—about
1 cup for each batch of 12 muffins. Gently stir in the
blueberries at the end (unthawed, if frozen).
• Dot pancake batter with blueberries as soon as batter
has been poured on the griddle.
• Make a breakfast parfait by layering blueberries with
flavored yogurt and granola cereal in a tall glass.
• Sprinkle blueberries and chopped walnuts over dressed
mixed greens.
• Serve blueberries with sour cream or yogurt or with a
scoop of cottage cheese.

Greens, greens…..

Came home tonight with some beet greens and some kale and Alanna’s recipe caught my eye.  I sautéed mine, but otherwise used her seasoning proportions.  Tasty!  I’ve really never been disappointed in any recipe from A Veggie Venture.

ASIAN GREENS

Hands-on time: 15 minutes (see TIPS)
Time to table: 30 minutes (see TIPS)
Serves 4

Big pot of well-salted water
1 bunch fresh greens - kohlrabi leaves, beet greens, chard, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, etc.
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Red pepper flakes (see TIPS)
WATER Bring the water to a boil, be generous with the salt. Use a pot that's big enough for water and the greens, you don't want to 'pack' the greens into the pot, they need room to cook, plenty of space to swirl around in the boiling water. If need be, you can cook the greens in batches.
WASH Meanwhile, wash the greens well under running water. If the greens are clean, a quick rinse will do. If they're just dusty, wash under running water, rubbing the surface of the greens with your fingers to clean. If the greens are extra dusty or dirty, soak them in cold standing water for several minutes to soften and loosen the dirt, then rinse under running water. As you wash the greens, throw away any greens that are extra tough looking or blemished.
PREP With a knife, remove the stems and ribs. If you like, these can be chopped up and sautéed separately. Stack several leaves on top of one another, roll up into a 'cigar' shape, then cut cross-wise into ribbons.
COOK Drop the greens into the boiling water a handful at a time until the pot is full but not packed. Chances are, you'll be able to add still more after a minute or two, as the greens begin to collapse in the heat. Cover and let cook until done but still bright green -- the timing will vary based on the variety, age and thickness of the greens but will range from a couple of minutes to 20 minutes or so. I keep a fork nearby to pull out a ribbon of greens for a quick taste-test. Drain well in a colander, squeezing out the excess water if need be. If you like, chop the greens a bit more for bite-size pieces.
SEASON Toss the greens with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
SERVE Serve hot if you like but I found it surprisingly good at room temperature. I would also make these ahead of time and then serve for a couple of days, stirring into salads, slipping into a sandwich, etc.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving (How many calories in Asian Greens? How many Weight Watchers points in Asian Greens?): 43 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 255mg Sodium; 6g Carb; 4g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 4g Protein; Weight Watchers 0 points

Storage Tips for Fresh Produce

WHICH VEGETABLES SHOULD BE STORED WHERE

BEST in the FRONT of the FRIDGE: corn (after wrapping in a wet paper bag placed inside a plastic bag) and peas
BEST in the CRISPER: artichokes, asparagus (after trimming the ends and placing upright in shallow cool water, then covering with plastic), beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chiles, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh herbs, green beans, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce (after washing and drying, rolling loosely in a clean kitchen towel inside an unzipped zip-lock bag), mushrooms, peppers, radishes, scallions, summer squash, turnips, zucchini
BEST on the COUNTER: tomatoes (stored upside down)
BEST in the PANTRY (where it's both dark and cool): garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes, winter squash

WHEN to WASH VEGETABLES: just before using them since moisture encourages mold which encourages spoilage; if you do wash beforehand, dry before putting into the fridge

These helpful storage tips were found over at one of my favorite blogs, A Veggie Venture.http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/

Roasted Radishes?!

So, a friend forwarded an article from the New York Times yesterday about roasted radishes.  I had 3/4 of a bunch left from Tuesday’s market so I had to give them a try.  I wasn’t sure how they would be received around here, but let’s just say I will be buying more radishes on Tuesday for sure. 

Couldn’t be much easier- clean them, cut in halves, toss in some olive oil and sea salt, spread onto a baking sheet, and roast at 400 until they are crispy and beginning to brown on the outside, soft on the inside.  You can eat them plain, or add some butter and lemon juice.  We went with just a little butter.

Next I’m going to try them this way.

KALE!!!

 

Wondering what to do with that beautiful Russian kale you got at the market yesterday?

The Local Cook has a great post with 10 ideas for enjoying your kale.  Check it out. 

Gearing Up!!!

If you, like me, are really really getting excited about a steady supply of fresh produce, you will enjoy this article.

THE MARKET OPENS TUESDAY MAY 4!!!!!!  Sure will be great to see everyone. 

2010 Market Opens 5/4/2010

Same place (829 E Market), same great vendors (and some new), same great place to see your friends and neighbors. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about additions to this years market. Looking forward to a great year at the market.