Farmer's Market Fridays - 10/7/11

Bet you thought you wouldn't see another one of these posts til next summer.  Well, an unfortunate circumstance led me to the farmer's market on Friday.  

I know that 1st grade germs are brutal.  Turns out they're even worse than I thought!  I was sick for over a week with a pretty bad cold.  I was taking cold medicine and resting but wasn't feeling better.  As time went on and it actually seemed to get worse, I figured it was a sinus infection and I should see a doctor.  It didn't explain the persistent smoker's cough that was keeping me up all night long but I didn't think it was a big deal.  That would go away.

So I went to the doctor.  Sinus infection?  Check.  Oh, and pneumonia on one side.  What?!?  Obviously it isn't the worst case of it but it's there.  Who'da thunk?  So my doctor recommended a few days of rest, gave me some medication including an inhaler, and said NO RUNNING.  I had the Big House Big Heart 10K planned tomorrow, which I obviously won't be doing.  And wouldn't you know that we're having the most beautiful October weather ever?  It's absolutely perfect weather for running!  Very frustrating!  I just hope that I'll be better by next Sunday to do the Detroit Free Press 1/2 marathon. 

Okay, back to the market.  Since I hadn't planned on taking the day off, I went in to work early to leave sub plans.  On my way home, I stopped at the market to pick up my share from Living Stones.

dinosaur kale and the last tomatoes of the season

mixed greens

golden beets

leeks and baby bok choy

eggplant and peppers

butternut and delicata squash

I also bought some of the limited edition Halloween and Fall soaps from Cellar Door Soap Co.  I'm a sucker for limited edition bath products.  There were a few others that were very tempting but I restrained myself and only bought 3 bars (I still have 3 in my closet plus the one I'm currently using).  You should definitely check them out for yourself before they're all gone.

I also got some carrots from Farmer Glen.  I was so glad to get to see him one last time before the year was out.  

That was it.  I didn't linger long, figuring no one wanted me coughing all over their produce.  Avalon wasn't there so I couldn't even treat myself to a date bar.  Tomorrow's my birthday so I think Brian and I might make a trip downtown to the bakery to get one.  I'll let you know if we do.

Have a great weekend!

Maple-Roasted Delicata Squash

The other night I finally decided to do something with the 2 delicata squash that came in our CSA share and had been sitting on my counter for the past couple of weeks.  I'd never cooked or eaten them before and wasn't sure how to best prepare them. I thought about soups, purees, stuffed squash...all sorts of fancy dishes.

But a week went by and there they still sat. Then another. Clearly I wasn't going to get around to doing anything fancy with them.  Finally I decided to just do a simple roasting method.

Oh YUM! The squash roasted up nicely - firm and slightly crisp in the outside, soft inside.  They were slightly reminiscent of sweet potato fries.  And who doesn't love sweet potato fries? 

Maple-Roasted Delicata Squash

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 delicata squash

Olive oil spray

Sea salt

1 tbsp. maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

2. Rinse the squash and cut in half lengthwise.  (You can peel if you'd like - I didn't.)  Remove seeds.  Cut into 1/2-inch slices and lay on baking sheet.  Spray with a light coating of oil and sprinkle with sea salt, to taste.

3. Bake for 15 minutes or until squash pieces start to brown.  Turn and bake for another 15 minutes.

4. Drizzle lightly with maple syrup and toss to coat.  Bake for another 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

The sweet squash paired nicely with smokey sauteed kale and quinoa with chickpeas, mushrooms, and Italian herbs. 

What's your favorite winter squash?

Farmer's Market Fridays - 8/19/11

It wasn't easy getting out of bed this morning.  I was tired and just not feeling well.  But I got myself up and dressed for yoga anyway.  I was sort of a zombie when I got to Sattva and considered doing child's pose for the whole session.  So you can imagine my surprise when we got started and my yoga practice felt better than it has the past few weeks.  We did almost all standing poses, for which I am always thankful.  I tried to concentrate on my breathing and focus on the moment, instead of letting my mind wander to which running route I'll take later or what kind of smoothie I'll have for lunch.  (This has been a real struggle for me lately.)  To do this I just repeated the name of the pose over and over in my mind.  It actually worked!  I'll have to try that again next week. 

The farmer's market was good today.  It's bright and sunny and there's not a cloud in the sky so it's one of those days where it just feels great to be outside.  We ran into my sister-in-law Allison and my niece and nephew, Ava and Karl.  They are just the cutest kids!  After getting their Avalon goodies (no one - not even kids - can resist Avalon!*) they were on a hunt to find the banana.  (Each week a plastic banana is hidden with a different vendor and when a kid finds it he or she wins a prize.)  It must have been hidden well because Ava and Karl couldn't find that banana anywhere!  I bet it was disguising itself as a summer squash.  Tricky banana!

Next I picked up my Living Stones CSA.  Here's what we got this week:

golden beets

collard greens, cabbage, and kale

cucumbers, jalapenos, and squash

tomatoes

cantaloupe

We visited Farmer Glen for some of his sweet carrots.  I had some last week and they were delicious.

Our last stop was Kapnick Orchard where my mom wanted to buy peaches.  I wasn't going to buy any but after sampling a bite I had no choice.  The man who sold them to me said, "These are no supermarket peaches!"  And he was right.  These are the kind that are so fresh and juicy that you have to eat them standing over the sink because you'll end up with peach juice running down your arms.  Yum!

There was one more but I ate it pretty much as soon as I walked in the door.

After the market we got iced coffees from Starbucks, which I enjoyed with my Avalon date bar.  (I didn't take a picture because it pretty much always looks the same.  You can look at last week's bar if you'd like.)

So that was the morning.  What's next on the agenda?  Not much.  I'm still not feeling well so it'll be a bit of a lazy day.  I told Brian I can't guarantee that I won't be in my pj's when he gets home.  (Mind you, I was in my pj's last Friday when he got home and I was feeling fine.  But let's pretend today is an exception, shall we?)

Happy Friday! 


* I take that back.  There is apparently someone who can resist.  A woman stopped at the Avalon table and after examining all the sweets, she turned away and said, "No, I think I'll have a hot dog instead."  Let me also note that this was 9:00 a.m.  Whatever floats your boat, lady.

Farmer's Market Fridays - 8/12/11

It's Friday and you know what that means - yoga, farmer's market, and coffee!  I am going to keep this post brief today because the day is too beautiful to spend it sitting in front of a computer.  

Here's what I picked up from my Living Stones CSA today:

dinosaur kale, rainbow chard, and collard greens

sunflower shoots

beets

hot peppers

eggplant and pickling cucumbers

pattypan and yellow squash

tomatoes

I stopped over to say hi to Farmer Glen and buy some potatoes.  Last week I used his Yukon Golds to make crispy, delicious, fat free potato chips (check back next week for more about that).  I also got some carrots because they looked too good to pass up.

Yukon Gold potatoes

sweet carrots

Our last stop before leaving the market was at Binell Brothers Cutlery & Supply Co. for some knife-sharpening.  I got one knife sharpened for $2 and then bought a used knife for $2.  Used but in good condition and, of course, sharp.  You can't beat a good knife for $2.

Instead of getting coffee at Panera we went to Starbucks.  We wanted iced coffee and as far as I'm concerned, no one else makes it like Starbucks.  There are also great tables outside to sit and enjoy our coffee and the weather.  And an Avalon date bar.  But you knew that.

Now I want to get outside for a quick run and some yard work.  It's funny how even pulling weeds can be enjoyable when the weather is so perfect.  Of course, lounging around on the patio with a book is probably (definitely) even more enjoyable, so I'll be doing that later on today as well.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I'll be back next week, hopefully with a recipe for Meatless Monday...and more about those potato chips I hinted at.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Farmer's Market Fridays - 7/29/11

Rain, rain, and more rain!  That's been the story of the last 24 hours.  After so many days of bone dry weather, however, I welcomed the rain with open arms.  By "with open arms" I mean I lounged around on the couch and felt grateful for not having to water - NOT that I was out there twirling around in puddles or having a Shawshank moment.

It was still drizzling when my mom and I went to yoga this morning.  So it was a dank, dreary morning, I was half-asleep, and my muscles were still sore from Wednesday's boot camp.  I thought that surely these things would add up to a long, painful yoga session at Sattva.  Aside from the 5-minute-per-leg pigeon pose, it went by surprisingly quickly.  I was a little more in tune with my breathing than usual and before I knew it, the lights were dimmed and it was time for savasana. 

After yoga we headed back across the street to the Farmer's Market.  Although the rain has been wonderful for the plants, it kept many of the vendors away this morning.  I noticed right away that Avalon was not there.  What?!?  No date bar?!?  But it's Friday!  Such a letdown.  Only a few tears were shed before I put on a brave face and soldiered on. 

Fortunately, our friends from Living Stones were there so we picked up our CSA shares.  We have some new things to try out this week, which is exciting!  

 Full CSA share - squash, cucumbers, onions, peppers, kale, rainbow chard, beets, basil, corn shoots, and 2 bags of salad mix

These are corn shoots.  I've never seen these before and am not sure yet what I'll do with them.  They sound interesting, though!

These are radish pods.  They taste like radishes but have the texture of snap peas.  I'll probably either add them to a salad or stir-fry them.  They weren't in the share but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try these strange little veggies.

Despite the 10 inches of rain Chelsea received, Farmer Glen was there with all of his beautiful vegetables.  I imagine his journey this morning being something like a scene from Oregon Trail.  You know, the part where you get to the stream and have to decide to ford it or take a ferry?  I doubt there was a ferry that early in the day so I'm thankful he successfully forded the flood and made it to Dearborn safe and sound.

From Farmer Glen - beets, Yukon Gold potatoes, and carrots (check out that cool twisty one!)

My last stop was over at Prochaska Farms for some tomatoes.  Aren't they beautiful?  I'd tell you what kind they are but when I asked the girl at the stand, I did my usual thing where I heard her answer but didn't actually listen.  She may as well have been talking to Charlie Brown.  So if you ask me, they're "wah wah" tomatoes.  Oh well, they look good no matter what they're called.  

After the market we walked over to the Panera Cares Cafe.  My coffee was just the pick-me-up I needed but it wasn't the same without my date bar.  At least the company was still good.  My mom and I had a nice visit.  It's always fun to gossip catch up with each other.

Tonight is dinner at Woodbridge Pub with my family to celebrate my mom's birthday.  If you're a regular visitor to my blog you know how much I love Woodbridge!  If I try something new I'll be sure to let you know about it. 

Have a great weekend! 

Farmer's Market Fridays - 7/22/11

Happy Friday, everyone!  I don't have too many pictures to share with you today.  Honestly, it was so hot already at 9 a.m. that we didn't stick around long at the Farmer's Market and I didn't take a single photo there.  I got my date bar from Avalon, my CSA share from Living Stones, and some potatoes and beets from Farmer Glen.  Then we quickly scooted into Panera Cares where I could enjoy my date bar in the A/C with an iced coffee.  Ahhhh...

Living Stones CSA

I have to say that I am VERY impressed with the amount of produce I received in my share today.  Up until this week, I was a little disappointed with the shares, especially since it's a full and half of it belongs to my friend Katie.  By the time we split it up it hasn't left either of us with all that much.  We didn't get our share last week because the crops were not quite ready so Living Stones took a week off to nurture them.  That seemed to do the trick!  I left with my huge bag nearly overflowing with fresh, beautiful greens and vegetables.  Our share included red and green kale, collards, brassica greens, rainbow chard, squash, kohlrabi, 2 bags of salad mix, basil, and 2 kinds of beets.  Not a bad haul, huh?  Amy promised tomatoes next week.  I can't wait!

I had to take a close up of these squash.  Aren't they beautiful?  They'll be delicious sliced and grilled.

By the way, I made sure to go to bed a little early and managed to stay awake during yoga this morning (unlike last week)!

Farmer's Market Fridays - 7/1/11

Today was a beautiful sunny day at the market.  I picked up my CSA share from Living Stones and it seemed to be a bit more abundant today.  Lots of wonderful greens this week.  I also bought some juicy-looking tomatoes from Prochaska Farms and my delicious-as-always Avalon date bar.  There seemed to be more vendors than ever at the market and so much more produce.  I would have loved to have bought more vegetables - like fat sugar snap peas or tender baby asparagus - but we're going on vacation Sunday and I already have almost more than I can eat before we leave.  Dinner tonight will be Amy's burgers with fresh tomato slices, salad with sunflower shoots, kohlrabi, and more tomatoes, and sauteed kale/collard greens.  That should take care of my half of the share and my friend Katie should be able to polish off her half when she gets back from her vacation.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

my favorite farmer - Farmer Glen

kale and collard greens

more greens - can anyone name them?

kohlrabi

salad mix and sunflower shoots

broccoli

tomatoes
 

Rainbow Chard

Last week in my CSA share I received a beautiful bunch of rainbow chard.  I often saute kale and collard greens but have never cooked chard before.  I based my recipe on the "Easy Stir-Fried Leafy Greens" recipe from Veganomican but made some modifications.  I also had one lonely kohlrabi from the CSA so I diced that and threw it in with the stems and onions.  You could easily make it without that.
  
Be careful not to overcook the chard leaves - they are more delicate than collards and kale.  I think I overdid them a bit so the texture was a little off but the flavors worked well together.  Feel free to make adjustments to make this dish your own.  I think some red chili flakes might add a nice bit of spice.  We ate the greens as a side dish with corn on the cob and Amy's Bistro Burgers.  They would also be delicious over brown rice or quinoa or with baked tofu.

Rainbow chard from my Living Stones CSA

Sautéed Chard with Kohlrabi

Ingredients:

1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed well
1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia (I only used half)
2 cloves garlic
1-inch piece of ginger
1 kohlrabi

1 tbsp. sesame oil
Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
Brown sugar (just a pinch, optional)


Directions:

1. Cut the stems off the chard.  They sort of resemble celery stalks.  Chop them as you would celery.  Put them in a bowl.  Cut the leaves width-wise into 2-inch strips.  I cut straight across, leaving the ribs.  Set the leaves aside.

2. Dice or cut the onion into strips and add to the bowl with chard stems.

3. Mince the garlic cloves and ginger.  (I used a micro-plane grater for both.)  Add to onions and stems.

4. Cut the leaves off the kohlrabi and cut them in half width-wise.  Set aside with chard leaves.  Peel and dice the kohlrabi into small pieces, taking care to avoid the hard center.  Add to other vegetables. 

5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Pour in sesame oil.  When the oil is hot, add all the vegetables except for the leaves.  Saute for a few minutes until they have reached your desired level of tenderness.  I added a little water, covered with a lid, and simmered for a couple of minutes.  

6. Add your chard and kohlrabi leaves to the pan.  Sprinkle with a generous amount of mirin and soy sauce.  Sprinkle with brown sugar if desired.  Stir with tongs so everything is covered.  Cook for maybe 2 minutes, until the leaves are bright green and wilted.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

 

Farmer's Market Fridays - 6/24/11

It was a rather dreary day at the Farmer's Market.  The sky was overcast and gray this morning and just as my mom and I left the yoga studio, a light mist began to fall.  The mist soon turned into a drizzle and then into full-fledged rain.  We didn't stay long at the market and I was feeling too cold and damp to even take out my phone to snap a few pictures.  We made our usual stops - Avalon for a date bar, Living Stones for our CSA shares, and Farmer Glen for asparagus and parsnips.  My mom also went to another booth for some potatoes but I didn't catch the name of the farm.  That was it.  We put our goods into her car and hurried into the warmth of the Panera Cares Cafe for a hot cup of coffee, where I enjoyed my date bar.

Fridays are always better when the sun is shining but with yoga, the market, a date bar, and time spent with my mom, who can complain?

Here's what came in our Living Stones CSA share this week:

Radishes and kohlrabi

Colorful chard

Kale and salad mix

Sunflower shoots

Farmer's Market Fridays - 6/17/11

Friday is my favorite day of the week, even in the summer when I'm not working and waiting for the weekend.  My mom and I spend the morning together.  We start with a 7:45 yoga session at Sattva Yoga Center, which was particularly challenging for me today due to the fact that it has been months since I've done yoga and I haven't been very good about stretching after my workouts.  Touch my toes?  I could barely touch my knees!  Hopefully next week will be a little easier.

Our next stop after yoga is the Dearborn Farmer's and Artisan Market.  Today is a gorgeous, sunny day - perfect for strolling around looking at all the beautiful flowers and plants, fresh greens, and ripe red Michigan strawberries.  I of course made a beeline straight to Avalon, as I do every week, for my date bar.  (Read my previous post for more about Avalon and my date bar obsession.)  Today they had a lot of their vegan goodies but I exercised restraint and only bought the date bar.  Although the 2-pack of Dequindre Cut Trail Mix cookies was awfully tempting...

The carrot cake, granola bars, and date bars are all vegan.  I can vouch for all of them - they are delicious!

Once I'd secured my date bar, we headed over to Living Stones Farm so we could pick up our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares.  My mom gets half a share and my friend and I are sharing a full.  Living Stones is great because they help people with training and skills after they have been incarcerated.  They are wonderful people and their produce has never been anything but fresh and delicious.  Today our share included collards, salad mix, radishes, kale, lettuce, and sunflower shoots. We love having Amy as our personal farmer!

Next we went to visit our other favorite farmer - Farmer Glen.  He's there every week, rain or shine, always in his overalls and with a big smile on his face.  If you want some really delicious carrots, parsnips, asparagus, or Brussels sprouts, you have to get them from Farmer Glen.  Since I'd gotten so much from our CSA, however, I only bought a basil plant.  I think it's about time I plant my herb garden and you can't have an herb garden without basil.  My mom bought asparagus and Romain lettuce.

I love the handmade "no spray" signs he puts on everything!

We also went to Traffic Jam and Snug, where I bought Brian a package of Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip cookies - 5/$5 and they are huge!  Unfortunately, Traffic Jam is not quite as vegan-friendly as Avalon so I don't ever get anything there for myself.


New to the market this year is Cellar Door Soap Co., which has a large selection of eco-friendly handmade soaps that are ALL VEGAN!  Even the Oatmeal Milk and Honey soap, which contains neither milk nor honey, is vegan.  Of course I had to buy it.  Each bar is $6 or you can buy 3/$15.  Along with the Oatmeal Milk and Honey I bought Vanilla Almond and Lime in the Coconut.  I see myself making several return trips to Cellar Door in the coming months to try the other scents.

Although I had already spent quite enough money as it was, I couldn't resist buying a quart of Michigan strawberries.  There's really no comparison between Michigan berries straight from a local farm and the California berries I usually buy at Kroger.  They are well-worth the higher price tag.

Fresh berries from Prochaska Farms

After we're done at the market we always walk over to the Panera Cares Cafe where we have coffee and I eat my date bar.  THIS is the best part of the morning!  (If you are unfamiliar with how Panera Cares Cafe differs from the regular Panera Cafes, please read  this article.  It's wonderful that they chose to open one in Dearborn and I support them whenever I can.)

So there you have it - all the reasons I love my summer Fridays.  Now I'd say it's time for a quick run and a refreshing Banana Chamomile Smoothie.  Happy Friday!

NOTE: Check back next week for more pictures.  I was trying to juggle my purse, produce, and baked goods (all while protecting my precious date bar) and in the process dropped my iPhone on the ground.  Thankfully it's okay but I was a little hesitant to take photos after that!