Polka Dot Salad: A Market Post

Club Sprouts does it again with an amazing little polka dot salad.  The kids love creating a snack at the Club Sprouts tent and I love watching them eat their veggies.  The base of this salad is Trader Joe's brown rice medley.  The polka dots included diced peppers, carrots, red onions, and cucumbers.  The secret to its flavor is mixing apple cider vinegar in with the rice.  Yum and easy to create at home!

Club Sprouts: A Market Post

I feel so lucky to live just a few blocks away from one of the best markets in the city and I take full advantage of it.  And this summer I am making my kids take advantage of it by visiting the Club Sprouts tent for a weekly tasting or chef demonstration.  With every taste they do, they get their card punched.  It's pretty much like a coffee punch card, only better.  A few weeks ago, they had a little cooking demo set up where the kids could make their own Stone Fruit Salsa and let me tell you, it was YUM!

Some of the main ingredients:

diced peaches

diced apricots

diced cherries

blueberries

raspberries

chopped onions

topped with cliantro

I am going to make it again this week, it was so delicious!

Chioggia Beets: A Market Post

The Chioggia Beet:  Surprisingly beautiful bold natural stripes brighten up any grill basket....and taco.

Added to my zucchini taco combination for some culinary color.  

There's a party in my tummy, so yummy so yummy.

 

The beet sellers aren't too shabby either....

 

Any good beet recipes to share?? 

The Flower Garden: A Market Post

A special extra thank you to The Flower Garden for the complimentary kid bouquet!

It was the first warm, sunny day at the Green City Market and it must've packed in the peak hours.  One birthday party and a quick errand on our way home delayed our market arrival until near closing time.  We did get some cheese curds (to satisfy the four yr old), some asparagus, and mint.  And much to my surprise and delight, I got some of the few last lonely peonies from The Flower Garden.

Two tips from the market this week:

The first is simple and from Amy at the lovely Flower Garden.  Bring water to room temperature in the vase before arranging the peonies and add a little food packet, for extra lasting bloom.

The second is even more simple and comes from me.  Don't bring your 4 and 5 yr olds to the market, at lunch time, after a birthday party, in the blazing 85 degree heat and expect them to be patient while trying to snap some photos.  Unless you are fine with pacifying them with cheese curds, then it's okay.

Photo from last season. this year's didn't turn out - see tip #2

Rainy Saturday: A Market Post

 

The second rainy Saturday at the Green City Market didn't keep weather tough Chicagoans away.  With umbrellas being the theme of the day, we scooped up asparagus, 6year aged white cheddar, mint, tomatoes, and mushrooms.  Starting today, I will be doing a weekly post, passing along tips I learn at the market from the people closest to the food, the farmers and their representatives (which often happens to be their sons, daughters, and other family members). 

via

Today's tip:  Asparagus storage.  Something so simple, yet I never thought to ask the best way to store it until Saturday.  According to my friends at Mick Klug farm, asparagus should be stored in a glass jar with about two inches of water in the refrigerator.  Asparagus does not need to be covered.  Stored like this, it will last up to seven days.

The Mick Klug Farm

(from their site)