Tip for Storing Root Veggies |
So you have decided to incorporate more fresh fruits and veggies into your diet in 2011, but how will you keep them fresh?
Preparation and storage of your fresh farmers' market goods is essential. Best to prep and store your fresh market goods as soon as you reach home, doing so will ensure a healthy snack is ready for the taking when that snack-attack hits!
Here is an easy tip for root veggies, root veggies are in-season now and will keep for a long time if stored properly:
Using a potato peeler shave carrots to reveal clean flesh, be sure to leave the pretty leafy green on the end but trim as necessary.
Pack peeled carrots into a large mason jar with no lid, pointed end down.
Fill with water to completely immerse the carrots, this will keep them from drying out.
Now your healthy snack is ready to go in the fridge and be "picked" fresh from the jar by it's leafy green stem.
As Bugs Bunny says, "that's all folks!"
 Take part and complete our surveys for the Orinda FM and Tice Valley FM in Walnut Creek.
We are very interested in your opinion! Thank you for shopping at our markets!
Take part and join the Recycle Movement….
Bring out those colorful, reusable bags while shopping at the farmers market and slowly give a break to those white and clear plastic bags. No more crinkly noise, holes in your plastic bag from the weight of too many peaches for the delicious pie you cant wait to bake… reducing plastic bags means reducing clutter in your home and your fridge and helping out the environment. Win- win for everyone.
*CCCFM offers reusable and washable cloth Eco Bags for fruit, veggies, and grains. They are available in 2 sizes at all the market information tables.
See the movie "Dirt" at the Rheem Theater on January 18th!
More info at dirtthemovie.org.
For more information or to purchase tickets...
generationgreen.com |
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Happy, Happy New Year!
 It's 2011 a perfect opportunity to refresh naturally and make every effort to make thing better. The crisp cold air lets you breathe deep and help clear the cobwebs! Put on a warm coat, grab your bags and get down to our farmers market and move towards better health. We encourage regular attendance during the winter for fresh offerings of apples, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, citrus, leafy greens and winter squash!
This year marks 29 seasons…..
We want to thank all the people who help us make our work much easier: the City Councils, city staff and police departments in locations where we operate our markets in Walnut Creek, Orinda and Lafayette.
WALNUT CREEK: Sundays 9am-1pm winter hours
Open Rain or Shine with plenty of Free Parking on Sundays in Downtown Walnut Creek!
We'd also like to thank Allied Waste for trash removal for the Sunday market.
 Artisans and crafters will continue with us until the end of April so keep an eye out for your favorites and please keep coming!
Let the farmers' market be your destination to inspire you!
Winter is a time to acquaint yourself with some new and perhaps unusual vegetables. The farmers are bring high quality food to consumers. Eat well throughout the course of the year.
Holy Cow....we have a new coffee vendor in Walnut Creek! holycowcoffeecompany.com
Healthy Tips for 2011
Eat Almonds and raw Nuts
Eat Legumes/Beans, Rice, and other Whole Grains
Eat Leafy Greens like Spinach and Chard
Eat Citrus and Eggs
And…
Exercise regularly by working out smarter, not harder.
Push away from the table with portion control.
Squeeze the most out of Life!
Enjoy the amazing flavors of Satsuma mandarins, and navel oranges and the tropical nuances of Cara Cara and blood oranges. Also available during the winter months at the market are the sweet and peppery tangerines and tangelos. Citrus fruit is great tossed in fruit salad with kiwi and apples or in green salad with crumbled goat cheese or feta and a handful of chopped toasted walnuts or almonds.
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Get out the braising pot – winter greens are here! Braising is one of the best ways of tucking some hearty winter greens or vegetables into a heavy pot with a bit of liquid, covering tightly and simmering together until tender and tasty.
Dutch ovens, skillets, buffet casseroles or baking dishes all do a great braising job, but the deciding factor on which one to use should be its size. The food to be braised should fit snuggly without a lot of extra space in the bottom or top of the pot. The closer the fit the closer the juices are to the main ingredient and the better the flavor in the end. I find a baking dish or gratin dish works nicely for vegetables. If they need a little browning before braising I do that step first in a separate skillet, and if the pot I choose doesn't have a matching lid, some heavy-duty foil works great.
All braising recipes have one thing in common – they all begin with some amount of liquid (usually stock or wine). The liquid should come one quarter to one third of the way up the sides of the main ingredients. Remember all foods release moisture as they simmer and their own juices will add to the liquid in the pot.
 Potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables – braising alone or with trimmed leeks is a special treat and very easy. Place small red potatoes (or any of the heirloom varieties like French fingerlings or German Butterball) in a single layer in a saucepan. Pour in enough water or stock to come halfway up the potatoes, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, a few whole cloves of garlic, 2 bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes (turning once with a spoon about halfway through) or until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the lid, increase the heat to high and boil, gently shaking the pan back and forth, until the water evaporates and the oil sizzles, about 4 to 5 minutes. Hot and ready to serve!
For any of you who are somewhat adventuresome you might want to try braising radishes, celery or Brussels sprouts or maybe green cabbage with onion and carrot. The principle is always the same – just be sure the vegetables are farmers' market fresh.
 Leafy winter greens like kale, collard greens and chards spice up winter soups and stews or blend well with brown rice, potatoes, pasta or beans but braising lets them shine on their own. Remove any tough stems from a bunch of kale, wash and cut into one half inch strips. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a deep skillet, add 3 garlic cloves and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add kale a handful at a time until each addition is wilted. Add 1 cup stock, cover and braise for 20 minutes. Uncover, increase heat and continue cooking until the water evaporates.
Look for several of our growers with beautiful choices of winter greens and vegetables – Mee Vang, J & M Ibarra, Ledesma, Ratto and Specialty Produce. If you need assistance in finding any grower just stop by the information booth. Enjoy and see you at the market!
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Feature Content Written by Barbara Kobsar, Staci Deshasier
and edited by Jessie Neu, Executive Director
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