Patch Picks For The Farmers Market

It’s June and still cold, but the Farmers markets are open, the sun is peaking out on occasion, and you have tons of options for creating fun and healthy meals from the ripe market bounty:

1. Tomatoes aren’t yet ripe at the — not even the green ones, but you can pick up tomato plants and fresh herbs at the Renton's Tuesday market to add to your own garden to satisfy any craving for fresh goods between the  or the .

Stop by vendor DeGro flower company at the market for plants and herbs. If you want to create a salad in a container garden or have fresh herbs all summer long grab five or six plants to put in a large planter, add soil, a good fertilizer and you are good to go. I like a mix of basil, tarragon, rosemary, chives, and oregano. Just about all the herbs you’ll need for cooking just about anything.

2.  Asparagus is still in season for another week or so, and there is really no better vegetable for you. It is high in folic acid, vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber.

Have you tried it on the grill? It’s a piece of cake—brush it with a little olive oil, add a sprinkling of kosher salt and grill until slightly charred. When finished grilling, add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Another option (a slightly decadent one) is bacon-wrapped asparagus. Last week, we picked up some super fresh British bacon (they offer it smoked, or un-smoked) from the Proper British Bacon vendor and wrapped three stalks of asparagus and grilled it that way.  You can also put it raw in salads, or steam it with a little bit of lemon butter. Or, freeze it and make cream of asparagus soup later.

3. Strawberries made their first appearance at the market last week–and they were sweet and delicious. There are several vendors selling berries at the markets.

 You can always make strawberry shortcake—and I would be disappointed if you didn’t, but there are so many things to do with strawberries while they are in season. We make a strawberry margarita sorbet (ask if you want the recipe)—it is easy, easy with an ice cream maker. And, yes, it has tequila in it.

Or, try a fresh and good-for-you salad.  My friend Debbie passed along this recipe from Weight Watchers that I modified a bit, and I make it all summer long. Cook quinoa—a nutty-flavored, little grain (find it near rice aisle), cook according to package directions and let cool. Add sliced strawberries, chopped cucumber, some crumbled feta cheese, and toss with low-fat sesame-ginger salad dressing. Sometimes I throw in some chopped scallion, or other fresh veggies that I have on hand.

4. Love a cup of hot tea on these rainy June mornings, or to calm you before bed, or on ice when the weather finally gets steamy? You have oodles of options at the market to choose from. I tried a citrus blend last week that absolutely smelled heavenly. There are black teas, green teas, blends of teas that help with your digestion and well-being. Stop and try them  (and smell them) at Theo Dorres Aromatics Teas.

5. I’m told that beets are an acquired taste. Have you really, really tried them? My good friend, Gene Sens, who runs turned me on to beets about six years ago when he ran the Farmers Market, and I’ve been a convert ever since. I scrub them, put them in tin foil, add a generous bit of olive oil and kosher salt, roast until they are tender (the time will depend upon how many you are roasting, a half hour is a good time to check on them), and when they are done you can toss with balsamic vinegar—or, with a bit of gorgonzola cheese. Yum! The old fashion way is to cook them, cool them, and then pickle them for salads.

The Market season is just starting….there are 14n more weeks to go of the best Washington has to offer. We’ll keep you updated with tips from Patch.