What’s on the menu tonight?

As I stepped into the market, I was thrilled with the sights and smells that surrounded me. My thoughts immediately turned to dinner.  What could I create using the plethora of fresh ingredients found at the market? 

My first stop was at the Zestful Gardens produce stand where the proprietor shared the secret to cooking tasty parsnips – scrub, toss with olive oil, lightly sprinkle with salt, and roast in the oven at 350° until tender.  My next stop was at the Blue Rose Dairy stand which featured fresh goat cheese.  Not one to resist the taste of creamy chevre, I decided that whatever I created had to include some goat cheese.

After perusing a few more vendor stalls I came across Pacific Pasta. I chose an incredible whole wheat spinach & nutmeg pasta. The smell was amazing and the taste was divine. It’s a good thing I had several mouths to feed or I would have eaten the entire bowl myself.

In the end, tender stalks of asparagus, baby spinach, crisp apples, creamy goat cheese and fresh artisan pasta became the foundation for a delectable dinner. I added a loaf of homemade bread and called it good.

Spinach salad with apples, walnuts and goat cheese

fresh pasta with butter and grated parmesan

Along with fresh, organic foods, you can find plenty of plants at the market to create to your own organic garden. There are vegetable starts, herbs, flowers, and more. Spending the morning at the Farmer’s Market was the perfect way to start my weekend.