Farmers Market Archives - My Healthy, Happier Life

Yesterday afternoon Bo and I spent an hour exploring the Union Square Farmer’s Market as we shopped for our farm-to-table dinner, which we were creating together as part of our Saturday date night.

Finding the produce for the dinner was easy as every stand was overflowing with gorgeous, ripe Summer vegetables. There were hues of red, yellow and green coming from all directions. Heirloom tomatoes, New Jersey sweet corn and fresh herbs were the first things to go in our basket. The incredible diversity of the herbs and produce at the Union Square Farmer’s market shocked us at first. For the past two years, we’ve shopped at a farmer’s market that is far smaller, and it had a very different mixture of products. As you’d expect, there were far more cheese, bread, and wine stands but the produce and meats are often limited.

Since we were exploring the market at 3 pm, quite late by farmer’s market standards, the one area we started to run into issues was finding the meat or fish for the meal. We went stand to stand only to hear that they’d sold out of their meat and only had eggs or sausage options left. Since this we wanted our entire meal to be farm-to-table, we started to brainstorm creative ideas for a vegetarian meal in case we couldn’t find a protein. Luckily, at the last stand, right as we were encountering the palm readers and chess players on the southern end of Union Square, we found a small meat stand that still had flank steak.

An often overlooked cut of meat, the flank steak is a steak cut from the abdominal muscles or butt of the cow. Due to how lean and economical it is, Flank steak is a great option for both weeknight or weekend meals. It packs an intense beef flavor while coming it at half the price of many other steak cuts. The perfect vehicle for flavor, last night we decided to whip up an easy Chimichurri sauce to accompany our flank steak.

In South America, Chimichurri is a favorite condiment, often served with far more than meat. A traditional Chimichurri is a green sauce primarily composed of parsley, garlic, olive oil and white vinegar. Inspired by the large, fresh bundles of rosemary at the farmer’s market, we created our own version of this flavorful condiment last night – Rosemary Chimichurri Sauce. Ready in less than five minutes, this healthy and flavorful sauce should become a staple in your kitchen. A delicious blend of herbs, Chimichurri adds a flavor punch to just about anything you grill or cook.

Rosemary Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons minced red onions
2 packed tablespoons of minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1/2 teaspoon minced chives
1/2 teaspoon minced thyme
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons grape seed or vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients, stir and let sit for a moment. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuously stirring until well combined. Add a dash or two of salt and pepper, or more depending on your taste. Cover and let the sauce marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to combine. Serve sauce on top of flank steak or your protein of preference and enjoy.

*Since we don’t have a food processor, we chopped the ingredients by hand and combined them in a bowl but you may of course also use a small food processor.

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It’s the middle of Summer and every farmer’s market is bursting at the seams with fresh produce, poultry, flowers, and fish. While visiting a neighborhood farmer’s market can be intimidating, it’s also your best bet for finding local, farm fresh food for you and your family.

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However, sometimes it can be a tough place to navigate due to the crowds and multiple vendors. Bo and I thought it’d make your life a bit easier if we shared some of things we’ve learned over the past year while we’ve been visiting the Union Square Green Market on a weekly basis.

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1. Go early in order to find the best selection. Yesterday we didn’t show up to the farmers market until noon and most of the seafood and poultry stands were already sold out. The key to finding fresh meat and seafood is showing up early in order to avoid crowds and have the best selection.

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2. If you want the best deals on produce and baked goods, go late. If you’re looking for good deals, then you should go as late as possible as many stands mark down their prices towards the end of the day especially on baked goods and perishable items like too ripe fruit or flowers.

3. Make a list ahead of time. If you tend to overspend or get overwhelmed by the wide array of products, put together a shopping list ahead of time. This will allow you to focus on what you really need without getting distracted or tempted to spend too much money.

4. Bring your own reusable bags! The great thing about reusable bags is that they can hold plenty of items without breaking. Yesterday we were stuck carrying five plastic bags filled to the brim with produce. It was awkward and we knew one could break at any minute. This fear caused us to walk all the way home with our first load of produce before coming back for more. It was a waste of time and very inconvenient! Next time we’ll go armed with multiple canvas bags! 5. Take a walk around the farmers market before you make your first purchase. There are multiple booths which carry the same items. Yesterday I compared blueberry prices at 3 different booths before discovering a 2 or $4 special on blueberry pints at the fourth booth! There are some great deals to be found at a farmer’s market but you have to search sometimes.

6. Bring plenty of cash and keep it easily accessible! Most farmer’s markets do not accept check or credit card. Therefore, you need to have plenty of cash, preferably smaller denominations, when heading out to the farmer’s market. The last thing a vendor wants to worry about is counting change for a $50 when you only spent $7.25. In addition, if you have to search for money in your wallet and pockets, the vendor and other shoppers will quickly grow aggravated. 7. Think twice about bringing your dog or stroller to the farmer’s market. While you’ll get plenty of sweet glances and stares, the space is often very tight and cramped between booths. You don’t want your dog to be responsible for knocking over a vendor’s prized tomatoes or running into a flower stand with your stroller. However, if you have no choice, then make sure to be aware of your surroundings and be respectful of other shoppers.

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So who knew that South Bend was the place to go for amazing Italian restaurants and huge farmer’s markets!

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Friday night six of us crammed into my parent’s rental car for my favorite pizza EVER! (Only my dad would rent a Crown Vic just so he could have both his ENTIRE family in the car the whole trip.) We enjoyed dinner with more than 10 of my family members. It was filled with laughter, memories, and great food. Rocco’s has been a South Bend institution since 1951. My dad and his siblings grew up eating pizza in the corner booth every weekend with their parents and friends. We kept that tradition alive Friday night. The best moment was when three of the siblings walked in together and gave Rocco’s wife and daughter huge hugs and the laughter started. Three of the children, Rusty, Will, and my dad are known for their stories, loud voices, and gift of gab. They kept the stories flowing Friday night. Delicious gooey cheese, chewy crust along the edges, thin crust along the rest of the slice, and only fresh vegetables! Rocco’s doesn’t believe in using any canned goods so you know that their sauce and mushrooms are fresh. Who do you think I favor? My mom or dad? We’ve had better pictures but hey who cares! 🙂 We can’t wait around for only the best pictures.

Saturday morning I had to forego my long run due to the weather. It was 35 degrees and raining. That was not a good combination considering that I didn’t bring a running jacket or long sleeve top! I did my reliable gym workout:

6 miles on the treadmill (not my fastest as the legs felt like LEAD..58 minutes)

25 pushups, 25 lunges, 20 pushups, 20 squats

Ab workout on the ball (obliques, weight ball, center)

In keeping with the walk down memory lane, we headed over to the South Bend Farmers Market Saturday morning. Our trip included tasting rhubarb for the first time both raw and cooked, sampling head cheese, and practicing my photography skills. Blog Pictures 2010 169 The Farmers Market was incorporated in 1924 and is now one of the largest indoor farmer’s markets in the Midwest. There were 96 stalls in addition to some outdoor stalls which included an ice sculptor Blog Pictures 2010 181 (HE USED A CHAINSAW!!) and camel rides. I was amazed by the quality of the South Bend Famers Market and immediately wished I could buy everything in sight.