Market to Table - July 9, 2009

Wow! Is it Thursday already? Much like last week, it was a very GREEN week (quite literally) - I harvested about 15 swiss chard plants from the backyard garden leaving breakfast the only meal that didn't feature a heap-o-greens.

Also like last week, I used some other summer favorites to keep stir-fries interesting. But before I get ahead of myself, let's take a look at what was on the menu this week at SGF...

Peaches - Still very much in season, I had enough peaches from the farmers' market for several mid-morning breakfasts. They were so juicy and sweet that eating them was wonderfully messy. Mmmm! Even more exciting is that I'll be visiting the orchard (home of said peaches) this weekend. Be prepared to drool!

Not pictured this week are the local apples - one a day keeps the doctor away! I also have a humongo watermelon that we haven't quite cut into yet. Watch for it next week!

Stir Fry - With so many greens harvested from the backyard, both lunches and dinners were pretty much the same, but delicious each and every time.

I started out sauteing chopped tomatoes, chard stems, and yellow squash in a frying pan with just a little olive oil. Then when the tomatoes had cooked down, I added a couple handfuls of chopped chard leaves, covered the pan, and let the leaves soften. The last step is to add some cooked brown rice, cooked purple hull peas, and some cooked carrots. At this point, I turn off the heat and let the rice and beans heat through without the help of the stove. Within a few minutes, it's time to eat! And as for local, the greens are from my backyard garden, the rice is from Alvin, TX (about 130 miles away), and everything else if from our local farmers' market.

Eggs and Toast - Unfortunately, this one isn't my meal, but it sure does look good doesn't it? The eggs are from the farmers' market as are the wheat and honey I used to make my homemade bread. And that jelly? Also from the farmers' market made with wild Texas grapes. Whether you eat this morning, noon, or night (usually it's night around here), breakfast never tasted so good!

You can expect lots more greens in the coming weeks, but new and interesting additions to spruce them up and keep the magic alive.

With a 10-day summer holiday coming up, I'll be working my way through the food in the fridge and the backyard garden rather than buying anything new. Can I actually be at the market without coming home loaded with goodies? Check out next week's Local diet update (on Mondays) to find out.

In the meantime, happy (and mindful) eating!