December is just days away and I am wondering where the year went.
With the winter weather upon us, shopping at farmers' market can be a challenge - but it is worth the extra effort. As always, local business is getting your support and food security is getting a boost with every dollar you choose to spend at a farmers' market.
In case you are wondering if there is still anything to purchase, let me assure you that the abundance is still impressive. The variety might not be as great for fresh produce but there are plenty of other options.
Root vegetables are the obvious choice. Potatoes, beets, turnips and carrots are plentiful. There is also plenty of kale, which can be used in many different ways. I put it in my smoothies every morning, puree it in my spaghetti sauce and use it fresh in my salads.
Seasoning kale correctly is key to enjoying it. Strong flavours such as sesame, soy and chili are most complementary with kale. Lemon and oils tend to reduce the flavour of kale. Freezing kale makes it sweeter, so this would be an awesome time to purchase it after all the freezing weather we had.
Apples are delicious and there is still a wide variety available. Snowy Mountain Organics will be at the Port Moody Market every Sunday, so be sure to stock up. They will have several varieties as well as some pears.
If you really want to benefit from apples, grab a bottle of Walter's organic apple cider vinegar. The health benefits from a shot of vinegar every day are almost too numerous to mention. Its antibiotic properties can soothe an upset stomach or ease a sore throat. A stuffy nose is opened up by drinking a glass of water mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar. It can help lower cholesterol and may even help with weight loss - the stuff is amazing.
Squash is another favourite of mine. There are so many ways to prepare it. Roasted, stuffed, pureed, the list is long. At the very least, you can puree it and stir it into macaroni and cheese to hide it.
From a health perspective, most winter squash is chock full of goodness. A one-cup serving provides half your day's supply of Vitamin A, 25% of your Vitamin C, 23% of your daily fibre requirement, and measurable amounts of more than 10 vitamins and minerals. Not bad.
THE RECIPES
I'm going to leave you with a couple of recipes. One is a go-to for salmon, the other I just made the other day and it is destined to be a repeat dish. I hope you enjoy them.
MAPLE SOY MARINATED SALMON
1 c soy sauce
1 cups maple syrup
c freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
4 x 6 oz wild salmon fillet, skin on
2 tbsp butter
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, immerse salmon, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, or overnight.
Heat butter in an ovenproof sauté pan. Place marinated fillet flesh side down into hot pan and sear for about 2 minutes or until browned. Turn and transfer pan to 400 degree oven and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. It should be firm and not too dry.
Serve with 5-Spice Apple Chutney (recipe below)
5-SPICE APPLE CHUTNEY
2 apples, peeled cored and cut into small cubes
small onion, diced
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
to 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer until apples and onions are soft.
HARVEST PASTA BAKE
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 c diced cauliflower
1 sliced red onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
Combine all of the above and roast in a 400 F oven until lightly browned and squash is easily pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, cook 4 cups tubular pasta such as penne or elbow macaroni, set aside.
While vegetables are roasting, prepare sauce:
4 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 tbsp flour
2 c milk
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 c shredded gouda cheese, divided
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and cook until browned, being careful not to burn. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly so as not form lumps. When all the milk has been added, continue cooking so sauce thickens. You can add more milk if need be as you don't want the sauce to be too thick. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add cooked pasta and mix. Gently stir in roasted vegetables, being careful not to mash the squash too much. Pour into a greased casserole dish, top with remaining cheese, and bake uncovered 30 minutes.
Karen Curtis is the Lemonade Lady (www.kicslemonade.ca) at the Coquitlam Farmers Market. Her column runs once a month during market season.
