Archives

This is a subject near and dear to us since we have both been supporters of farmers markets wherever we have lived.  It is yet another topic (not surprising that it is centered around good food!) that we bonded over early in our friendship.  We’ve been lucky to have access over the years to such amazing markets that allowed us to shop for wonderful local ingredients and products, but also gave us opportunities for learning and inspiration.  Farmers Markets also offer such a great way to engage in our communities.  We have both volunteered at markets and have found it to be very rewarding.

How does shopping at the farmers market fit in with meal planning? Depending on what is in season or when you get to the market, you may not always find exactly what you need, but you can rely on the farmers market for simple side dishes or desserts. Plan your main dishes around your regular shopping, but allow for some flexibility either with the side dishes or a night or two of the week for what you might find at the market.  If your local market has a good variety of vendors, you will probably be able to find locally raised chicken, beef, or pork that will work into your planning. Depending on the vendor, you may be able to contact them directly ahead of time to reserve something that you will need.

Why shop at a farmers market?

• Education: Get to know where your food is coming from.  It is an opportunity to learn from, and engage with the vendors about their products.  At most markets, the vendors are the farmers that grew or raised the food.  They know intimately about the products and are a wealth of information. Ask them about how to use the ingredients, about their experiences, or about relevant food issues Every week we go to the market we learn something new.
• Seasonality: Buy produce and fruits that are in season in your area. It is always wonderful to mark the passing of the weeks during spring and summer by what fruits and vegetables are available at the market. Shopping at larger grocery stores can often distort any sense of seasonality. To check out what is in season in your area, check out Field to Plate’s website.
• Inspiration: Find ingredients or products that inspire you to try something new.  If you aren’t sure how to use something, ask the vendors how they use it. Often they will have great ideas and recipes.
• Involve your kids: Granted it may take you longer to get through the market with kids in tow, but if you have the chance to take your kids, it is a great way to educate them and include them in meal planning.  There are lots of fun things to see and learn about. If they are old enough, let them help you choose products. Many markets will also have fun activities for kids: check the information booth to find out about their events.
• Support and engage your community: You feel good about buying fresher, local products for your family, and also feel good about supporting vendors and farmers from your own community. The money you spend at the market will stay in your community.  You will engage not only with the farmers and vendors, but with fellow shoppers who are also members of your community. If you do shop regularly at a market, or are looking for a way to become more engaged, consider volunteering at the market!

More and more farmers markets are sprouting up in communities so it is becoming easier to have access to local produce and products. Depending on where you live, markets may be year round, or have an indoor season for the winter.  According to the USDA, there was a 52% increase in winter markets during 2012.  Here are some great resources for general information on farmers markets or on how to find ones in your area:

• Local Harvest: Find a farmers market in your area, or a location to visit while traveling.  They also have interesting articles and recipes are under their newsletter tab.
• USDA: The USDA also has a search engine for farmers markets.
  
• Farmers Market Coalition: A great resource for learning more about farmers markets.
  

Don’t forget to bring your own bags, and perhaps even an insulated one so you can buy perishables and keep them cool while you explore.

Happy shopping!

I always have certain staples on hand that I can use for unexpected guests, although it doesn’t happen frequently. They are pretty much the same staples I have on hand for snacks or a last minute family meal. For snacks, I would put out cheeses and crackers along with whatever fruit I have on hand.  If I had to make a last minute meal, I would make a simple pasta dish or a quick frittata with vegetables (fresh or frozen) or anything else hanging out in my pantry. Here are some examples of what pastas I might make:

• pasta with zucchini (or other veggies) and garlic sautéed in olive oil and finished with freshly grated parmesan
• pasta with any veggies mixed with chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• pasta with cherry tomatoes, olives, and canned cannellini beans

A cheese, fruit, and nut platter is my go-to offering for short-notice visits.  I usually use a large cutting board to present a assortment of whatever cheeses I have on hand, dried fruits, and almonds or walnuts or pistachios (often putting the nuts in a small bowl to keep them separate in case of nut allergies).  I also offer bowls of pretzels, crackers or sliced baguette (which I keep in the freezer and can defrost and toast quickly).

I usually have two goals with my potluck contributions: it should be easy to eat, and it should be something healthy.  I plan food that is easy to eat because many summer potlucks are held outside, or somewhere where you have to eat on your lap, sitting on the ground, or standing up.  Instead of a fruit salad, I will make fruit kabobs or open-faced sandwiches that can be picked up and consumed without utensils.  Also, unless I am bringing a dessert, I try to opt for a dish on the healthier side to balance all the inevitable potluck bags of chips and processed foods.  Salads: caprese salad (to serve on a skewer use mini balls of fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes), quinoa salad, pasta salad, Greek salad.  Other options are a platter of roasted vegetables, spring rolls, or pot stickers.

The dishes I like to bring to potlucks are roasted vegetables, uncommon dips (sundried-tomato, white bean, or edamame, etc.) with baked pita chips, or salads with great seasonal ingredients, like the Greek cherry tomato salad we wrote about in the summer pantry staples post, or a couscous salad with Moroccan flavors. For the roasted veggies, I usually roast a variety cut into bite size pieces (see our post on roasting veggies), and serve them on a big platter grouped by veggie. My favorites are zucchini, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, and Brussels sprouts.  If you want to skip a step in the preparation, you can buy already cut-up vegetables at the salad bar or produce section of your grocery store.

Since we often change how we cook in summer, it is worth taking the time to make sure what you keep stocked in your kitchen reflects those changes. That way you’ll be prepared for a season that can sometimes require more flexibility when it comes to meals. It will also allow you to work a few meals into your normal rotation that celebrate some of the great ingredients the season has to offer. Often, one of the best aspects of meal preparation in the summer is how little cooking you need to do since all those great ingredients – like tomatoes, corn, and fruit – are so fresh and flavorful. You can really do a minimum amount of work and still get some fantastic, simple meals.

Getting your pantry stocked for summer doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of changes to what you already have in there, but it may mean a change in how much of certain items you keep on hand, or a change in how you use those items in the summer months. Think about the things you particularly like to cook in summer, and add those items regularly to your grocery list.

Some of our favorite summertime meals are salads and grilled foods. (You can even use leftover grilled chicken or meat in your salads the next day or pack them up for a picnic.) So, canned beans that you used for stews and soups can be used during the summer for salads or cold pasta dishes. Spices will add flavor to rubs and marinades for grilling.

Keeping in mind seasonal variations to meal preparation in the summer, we’ve highlighted some summer staples you may want to keep on hand.

Enjoy!

• Salad fixings: Lettuces, herbs, nuts, cheeses, fruits, tomatoes, vegetables, avocados.
• Picnic items: Crackers, cheeses, carrots, cucumbers, celery, hummus, olives (whole or tapenades), vinegar-based pasta or chicken salads.
• Marinade ingredients: Lemons, limes, garlic, ginger, parsley, cilantro, scallions.
• Spices for rubs: Paprika, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, dried oregano, dry mustard, onion powder.
• Picnic items: Crackers/breads, cheeses, carrots, cucumbers, leftovers, salami or prosciutto, sandwich fixings.

Recipe for Soy-Marinated Flank or Skirt Steak

I got this recipe from the Food Network a long time ago, and it is great because all the ingredients are pretty standard staples. You can marinate the flank steak for an hour at room temperature or for up to 6 hours in the fridge.  When we can, we grill the steak, but you can also use the broiler to cook it in the oven. That makes it a good option year-round too.

• 1 flank steak, usually about 1 1/2 pounds
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Freshly ground pepper

Recipe for Cook’s Illustrated Greek Cherry Tomato Salad

All of these flavors go so well together, and it really is an easy salad to assemble. Granted, there is a step here to remove the liquid from the tomatoes, but it really helps keep the flavors from getting diluted by any juice that comes from the tomatoes as the salad sits. If you don’t have the time, just assemble the main ingredients, and put together the vinaigrette using broth or water in place of the juice from the tomatoes.

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes , ripe, quartered (about 4 cups) (see note)
• Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  
• 1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Ground black pepper
• 1 small cucumber , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 4 ounces feta cheese , crumbled (about 1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Toss tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar in medium bowl; let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to salad spinner and spin until seeds and excess liquid have been removed, 45 to 60 seconds, stirring to redistribute tomatoes several times during spinning. Return tomatoes to bowl and set aside. Strain tomato liquid through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Bring 1/2 cup tomato liquid (discard any extra), garlic, oregano, shallot, and vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Whisk in oil and pepper to taste until combined. Taste and season with up to 1/8 teaspoon table salt.

Add cucumber, olives, feta, dressing, and parsley to bowl with tomatoes; toss gently and serve.

Ah, summer.  There are so many pleasures of summer and many factors that change and influence how we eat and feed our families.  There are schedule changes with school and vacations, warmer weather that influences our appetites and decreases our desire to cook hot food in hot kitchens, and a plethora of fresh and delicious seasonal foods available at farmers markets, gardens, and grocery stores.

The basic tenets of the Feeding Your Family System still apply in the summer but can be most effective with a few seasonal tweaks:

• Plan the number of meals for the week that you will prepare (plan for days that you are traveling or eating out), and stock your pantry and freezer accordingly.
• Stock your pantry with Summer Pantry Basics for easy meal preparation.
• Shop local and seasonal.
• Freeze ingredients to preserve the summer’s bounty.
• Get your children more involved in cooking, gardening, and food shopping.

Plan cooking and meal preparation to accommodate the summer schedule, weather, and foods:

• Bake early in the morning when the kitchen is coolest.
• Keep insulated shopping bags/coolers in the car to protect groceries.
• Plan menus to highlight seasonal produce that is fresh and abundant.
• Change out weekly theme meals to reflect the season, i.e. grilling or salad bar one night a week.
• Keep supplies on hand for impromptu picnics so that you can go when the mood or weather strikes.
• Expand the usual snack list to take advantage of summer fruits and produce.
• Try variations on family favorites such as pasta pomodoro with fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic instead of bolognese sauce.

Happy Summer!