Find Yourself a Farmer’s Market!

No matter where you live, there’s a Farmer’s Market in full swing. Need help finding one? Try this link, it can guide you to a market in your region. While the prize crops like tomatoes and eggplants aren’t out yet, you can find some real gems. There’s a variety of greens – kale, lettuce, spinach and more. Cabbage, broccoli, beets, garlic scapes and zucchini are already showing up, too.

We’ve got three seasonally-inspired recipes for you featuring goodies from market: Radishes, Asparagus and Strawberries. Depending where you live, these are all likely available right now.

Radishes are a seriously under-rated veggie. It is time for them to take their place among the salad greens and enjoy top billing. In our Spicy Radish Salad, this root veggie blends elegantly with cucumbers, almonds, carrots, spring mix and sprouts. The homemade dressing features raspberry jam, lime zest and balsamic vinegar with olive oil.  For this recipe, click over to Sister Eden’s blog, where it is guest-posted.

Looking for something a bit more stick-to-your-ribs? How about pasta and asparagus, smothered in creamy, lush alfredo sauce? Yes, you saw that correctly: vegan alfredo sauce. We’ve see a few jarred vegan alfredos, but nothing beats homemade, so we went to the kitchen and smoothed this out for you. Cashews and almond milk make it creamy; arrowroot makes it thick; miso, garlic, white pepper and nutmeg make it savory. This alfredo is all you have been dreaming of. And over crisp asparagus spears, all nestled in a bed of linguine, you may just feel like you are in pasta heaven. This recipe is also living as a guest-post on Sister Eden’s blog. So hop over and get ready to dive into some Asparagus with Alfredo.

In Maryland, we’re in the midst of an awe-inspiring strawberry season. From our small backyard patch, we have harvested over eight quarts. No joke. Your local market might just be brimming with strawberries; ours certainly is! Feeling ambitious? You can try to find a pick-your-own farm using this link and get some dirt under your nails harvesting berries. It’s really fun and a great way to pass a few hours with friends or family.

When you get home from picking, try these Strawberry Spring Rolls with Lemon Basil Dipping Sauce. They’re a refreshing spin on the usual and combine sweet red strawberries with crispy cukes, tender rice noodles, smoked tofu and crunchy almonds. The rolls really come together well with the dipping sauce. It has a spicy bite from ginger, red pepper flakes and garlic that is brightened up by lemon and basil. We ate a double batch of these rolls and sauce. Um… several times. Give it a whirl, it’s quite surprising! Again, this recipe’s home is on Sister Eden’s guest-post roster, and you can find it by clicking here.

 

Have some fun at your local Farmer’s Market this week. Maybe you will discover a new veggie, score a great deal or find an exotic jar of pickles. But no matter what, checking out a local Farmer’s Market is a win, because you are supporting small, local farms and businesses!