3 Meals You Can Make with Farmer's Market Food
The farmer’s market has become a weekend ritual for many twenty-somethings. Meeting a friend for coffee and a food-truck breakfast is a great way to catch up and support local small businesses. Make a quick visit to the other vendors before you leave and you’ll have a fresh, healthy mix of local food and produce. Here are three meals you can make with farmer’s market food.
Breakfast: Ciabatta french toast with berries
Pick up a loaf of ciabatta from your favorite local baker at the market. Dip thick slices of the bread in a mixture of farm-fresh eggs and organic milk. Cook for three minutes on each side and serve with berries from your favorite fruit vendor (use what’s in season). Bonus points for using 100% real maple syrup.
Lunch: Farmer’s market salad
Start with a bed of local spinach or kale. Add in a variety of local, in-season produce. The United States Department of Agriculture has a list of what is best in each season (check here for summer’s list). Add in a hard-boiled egg (farm-fresh, of course) and top with a locally-prepared salad dressing. Many farmer’s markets sell fresh-pressed juice, which would complement this salad.
Dinner: Grass-fed beef or bison burgers and sweet potato fries
Depending on your farmer’s market, you should be able to find a beef vendor. Look for a local farm that produces 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef. Toast your leftover ciabatta for a unique bun, or pick up butter lettuce for a carb-friendly option. Serve with homemade sweet potato fries (slice organic sweet potatoes, drizzle with oil, and bake or grill for 25-35 minutes). Make your own ketchup with this recipe from Simply Scratch if you have time. Pair with beer from your local craft brewery and you’re set!
Eating healthy and local does not have to be difficult. If you’re not sure where your closest farmer’s market is, search LocalHarvest. Shopping at your weekly farmer’s market gives you a chance to connect with local vendors and eat real food grown in your area. Thanks to new smartphone software, many vendors even accept credit and debit cards. Don’t forget a reusable bag!