August at the farmers market is the best of both worlds. In the dog days of summer you’ll find plenty of zucchini and peaches. With fall just around the corner, you’ll start to see winter squash and root vegetables.
It’s always been my favorite time to go to the market but the OxyChallenge is making it even more fun! I’m getting out of my comfort zone and trying familiar vegetables in some new ways.
Peppers are a great example. I use bell peppers and poblano peppers in frittatas and stir-frys quite often but I’ve never made a stuffed pepper. I was skeptical at first of this dish. I like my peppers but I like them diced up to add flavor, not as the main event. I was pleasantly surprised not just at how good Erin’s Stuffed Pepper recipe tasted but also how easy they were to prepare! I made them on Sunday and had two meals to take to the gym during the week. Her recipe is simply a mixture of eggs whites and veggies, poured into the pepper and baked. The peppers I found at the market were little but delicious! The weather in the Ozarks is making it hard to find this normally bountiful summer vegetable however. I talked to one farmer at Farmers Market of the Ozarks who said they are dying on the vine from the heat. Take advantage if you do find some good ones. Here’s an equally tasty option from Vegetarian Times – Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.
I’m also enjoying BIG salads. I love my spinach and kale but rarely do I eat other kinds of greens. With the Easy Salad (throwing together anything you have from her list of vegetables) appearing a lot on Erin’s meal plan I’ve been trying various mixes. I picked up a gorgeous bunch of lettuces (which I am unable to name) from the market to top with cucumber and my favorite Vegan Traditional “Egg” Salad. By topping with the egg salad I get protein (she has cottage cheese as a side on the meal plan) and I don’t have to use dressing. Next time you’re thinking of making egg, tuna or chicken salad, forget the bread and have it on a bed of greens instead. This Avocado Egg Salad from Clean Eating is another one of my favorites.
Of course there are still plenty of potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and cucumbers. You might even still find some blueberries. The biggest surprise has been the appearance of apples! I actually saw them for the first time at the end of July! What are appearing so far are tarter varieties so I haven’t indulged yet. I’ll be holding out for the Gala and Fuji.
Are you ready for winter squash, apples and sweet potatoes? Or will you miss the tomatoes and berries? How are you enjoying your farmers market bounty right now?
