Find the Freshest Food at Local Farmers Markets

Healthier, too: Even though there are few
certified organic growers at the farmers’ markets in the
Midwest, most of the farmers try to use minimal amounts of
pesticides and sprays. As my favorite melon farmer says,
“There’s not even enough [chemical residue] to make you
glow in the dark.” At the country’s largest farmers’ market
in Madison, Wisconsin, about 60% to 70% of the farmers are
using organic methods without being certified organic. And,
guaranteed, you’ll never find wax on farmers’ market
cucumbers or apples.

Moreover, many noncommercial farmers try to preserve their
soil by rotating crops and feeding minerals back into the
earth, which results in healthier food — a benefit not to
be taken lightly. According to the Center for Disease
Control, the increased consumption of fresh produce has
contributed to a rise in food-borne illness. (Perhaps you
may remember reading about the Michigan schoolchildren who
contracted hepatitis A from Mexican strawberries and
another outbreak from a parasite on Guatemalan raspberries)
I’ll stick to food grown and sold closer to home — food I
can match whenever possible to a friendly farmer’s face.

Support your local farmer. The Illinois Department of
Agriculture reports that produce farms are getting scarce
in northern Illinois. One farmer told me that if it wasn’t
for the farmers’ markets, he couldn’t survive. The reason
the supermarket chains can’t buy local produce such as
blueberries is that, as one produce manager told me, “We
can’t count on the volume.” Supermarkets plan their
advertising (the flyers that you get in your newspaper)
months in advance, so they can’t take a chance on adverse
weather conditions that could wipe out a crop. That’s why,
instead of those delicious Michigan cherries, we’ll see
Northwest cherries at our supermarket. Or we’ll get those
waxy, tasteless Washington State apples instead of a local
heirloom variety. If we don’t support our local farmers, we
may one day find that our farmland has been transformed
into subdivisions dotted with an occasional agri-farm.
Then, we’ll all be singing Joni Mitchell’s old song, “They
paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

White Bean and Tomato Salad Recipe

(serves 2 to 3)

Here’s a quick salad that’s great for lunch.

15-ounce or 19-ounce can canellini or northern beans,
drained and rinsed
3 plum tomatoes (or 2 medium-size tomatoes), diced into
1/2 inch pieces
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil,
oregano or thyme
Fresh salad greens for garnish

Dressing:

1 1/2 tablespoons each: balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin
olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste*
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

This salad is best served at room temperature, within 30
minutes of preparation. Toss the salad ingredients
together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the
dressing until blended. Pour the dressing over the salad
and toss again. Let sit for about ten minutes to let the
flavors blend. Lay a few greens or arugula leaves on
plates, top with white bean and tomato salad and serve.

*Anchovy paste comes in a tube and is usually found in the
imported foods aisle or next to the canned tuna at your
supermarket. Once opened, it will keep indefinitely in the
refrigerator.

Pesto Spread Recipe

Here’s an easy way to use up the basil that’s usually
plentiful at farmers’ markets. I use this spread for
grilled vegetable sandwiches topped with garden lettuce or
for raw vegetable dipping. Store your bunch of basil in a
water-filled glass in the refrigerator, making sure that
the leaves aren’t near the refrigerator coils or a cold
spot. Cover the basil loosely with a plastic bag and try to
use it within three days.

2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1tablespoon pine nuts or walnuts
1 cup basil
leaves, packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayennepepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
4 ounces “lite” cream cheese*

Toast the nuts in a dry skillet on medium heat for a minute
or so, watching that they don’t burn. Pick the basil leaves
off the stems. In a food processor, pulse the garlic, nuts
and basil until they’re finely chopped. Add the spices, oil
and lemon juice; pulse a few times. Add the Parmesan and
cream cheese; blend well. Chill in a plastic container at
least two hours before serving so the spread will thicken.

*Variation: If you like goat cheese, try using 2 ounces
goat cheese and 2 ounces cream cheese in your pesto spread.

Grilled Vegetables Recipe

(minus the grill)

When I want a quick and fresh vegetable sandwich, the last
thing I want to do is fire up the outdoor grill. Here are
my “let’s pretend” grilled vegetables from the garden.

Eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, red or yellow sweet
peppers, red onion
Olive oil
Smoke oil* (organic oil)

Cut the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and/or squash and
cut in half horizontally. Stand the cut vegetables up on
their ends and cut into 1/8 inch-thick slices. Cut the peppers
lengthwise into 8 strips. Slice the onion into 1/4 inch
circles. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Brush the bottom of the pan with olive oil and smoke
oil. When the oil is hot, lay the vegetables in the skillet
and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Turn the pieces over and brown the other sides.

Have a large, shallow plastic container ready. Remove the
browned vegetables and pile the eggplant slices on top of
each other in the container, then the zucchini, and so on.
(Some of the vegetables won’t appear thoroughly done, but
they’ll continue to cook as they sit in the container.)

Let cool at least 15 minutes; then eat or cover the
container and refrigerate until later.

*We’re hooked on smoke oil so we buy it by the case from
the manufacturer. “Barbecue Smoke Oil” costs about $3.50
for an 8-ounce bottle. The mesquite flavor is intense, so
use sparingly. Look in the gourmet section of your
supermarket or health food store or have some delivered
direct to your door by contacting the California Olive Oil
Corp., Salem, MA.

Vegetable Medley Recipe

(serves 3 to 4)

I like to throw together any combination of fresh summer
vegetables (a favorite is pattypan squash) to saute and
serve with crusty bread. It’s enough to satisfy our
appetites on a hot summer’s night.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 yellow or green pattypan squash, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 cups yellow wax beans (or green beans), cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 a poblano pepper*
Kernels sliced from 1 large ear of corn
salt and pepper to taste
Asiago cheese, coarsely grated
Chopped, fresh basil or oregano leaves**

Cut the vegetables and put into separate bowls. Slice the
poblano into thin strips and then into 1 inch pieces. In a
large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium to
medium-high heat and add the pattypans. Stir every minute
or so until they start to soften. Add the garlic, yellow
beans and peppers and saute until they’re crisp-tender,
stirring about every 60 seconds. Stir in the corn for
about another minute or until done. Remove from heat and
season to taste. Top with grated Asiago cheese and fresh
herbs.

*A poblano pepper is a green, slightly hot pepper used in
Mexican cooking. If they’re not available at your farmers’
market, use any color sweet pepper.

**To chop fresh basil into a chiffonade, tightly roll up
three large basil leaves lengthwise. Start chopping the
basil at one end into paper-thin slices that will unroll
into thin strips.

Microwave Peach Crisp Recipe

(serves 2)

I like Jeanne and John VanNewenhizen’s fast and easy peach
crisp, which doesn’t require a hot oven on a hot day. The
VanNewenhizens own the Double J Fruit Ranch in Benton
Harbor, Michigan, and are known at the farmers’ markets for
their delicious fruit.

1 large or 2 smaller ripe peaches*
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Dash of nutmeg

Peel and slice the peaches into two custard cups (or one
small microwave-safe casserole) until cups are almost full.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a glass measuring cup.
Microwave** on high, uncovered, until the butter melts and
the oats soften (60-70 seconds). Stir the topping and spoon
over the peaches. Microwave uncovered for about two minutes
(rotating the cups after one minute), until the peaches are
soft. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with
vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

*Variation: This recipe can be made with apples or pears,
but add teaspoon cinnamon.

**Microwave ovens vary depending on wattage. The cooking
time here is according to my microwave.

Discover more recipes in MOTHER’s Kitchen at www.motherearthnews.com.

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