FARMERS MARKET VS GROCERY STORE

This is a post I’ve wanted to do for quite some time.  How many of you have ever been to your local Farmers Market?  Well, if you haven’t I would highly recommend you do.  We have amazing Farmers Markets in Nova Scotia.  Locally we have Alderney Landing, Halifax Seaport, Hammonds Plains, Musquodoboit, and the Brewery Market.  Outside of the metro area you can find markets in many other towns.  The Wolfville Market is great, Truro has a great one as well.

If you think you won’t be able to find what you’re looking for I’m here to tell you that’s not the case, you’ll find so much more.  Produce, fresh baked goods, free range meats, and jewellery to name a few.  All year round you will find fresh produce but this  time of year it is bursting with a rainbow of colour.

I think there is a misconception that items at the market are more costly than the grocery store.  In my experience they are usually cheaper or the same price.  Even at the same price you’re getting a much better product, grown by local farmers, picked at the ideal time, and everything is fresh usually picked/harvested within a day or two. Produce at the market may or may not be organic but is for the most part (at least in my experience) no spray. 

So I did a little price comparison

As you can see most things were cheaper at the market and some were the same price but much better quality.  The meat comparisons I did using items from Wild Mountain Farms Meet Up website.  I love their products and they do meetups weekly at different locations, including the Hammonds Plains Market, where you can pick up your order.

You will also find things at the Market you would be hard pressed to find at the grocery store………

…and you will find lots of things at the grocery store that you will NEVER see at the Farmers Market!!

Chicken????  I don’t think so!

I challenge you to get out support our local farmers and visit a Farmers Market in your area!

~~ Jackie

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Strawberry Jam

I just couldn’t help myself. 

I’ve been on vacation this week, enjoying my time off in the garden and getting some odds and ends done at home.  The weather has been overcast and or rainy all week, but I’m good with that.  I’m not a lover of the heat so this weather works for me, and it makes it easier to deal with the overgrown mess that is the flower beds around here.  The wet ground makes it much easier to pull out those pesky weeds. 

The veggie garden is coming along nicely.  I thought I was going to lose a lot when hurricane Arthur visited a couple weeks ago, but everything survived and has for the most part recovered nicely.  So far I’ve harvested, bok choy, mixed greens, kale, early turnip, radish, and garlic scapes. Still waiting on the tomatoes, cukes, cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions, peppers, potatoes and zucchini.  I didn’t want to let those garden spaces sit empty so I just planted some more radish, mixed greens, and peas a couple of days ago for a second harvest, and they have sprouted already.

One of the the yummy things I wait all year for is our amazing Valley Strawberries.  These little red bundles of deliciousness just can’t be beat.  If only they were around longer. 

There were a couple of boxes hanging out in the fridge that seemed to be destined for some jam.  Since I can’t make traditional jam to save my life Chia jam is a perfect solution.

Strawberry Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Jam

1 pound fresh strawberries

2 –3 tbsp local honey or maple syrup

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/2  tsp vanilla

squeeze of lemon (optional)

Wash, hull and chop strawberries. I pulse mine in the blender or food processor a few times to speed the process up since strawberries take a little longer to break down than other berries, but you can skip that step if you like.

Place chopped berries, and sweetener of choice in a pot over medium heat.  Mash with potato masher once they start to heat up (if you didn’t blend first) to get desired consistency. Bring to a boil add chia seeds, turn heat down to a simmer.  Continue to cook for another 5 – 7 minutes,  stirring frequently.  you can cook a little longer if the mixture still seems very liquid.  Remove from heat, add vanilla and squeeze of lemon if using.  While it’s cooling the magical chia seeds will do their job and thicken it nicely.

Store in fridge to use right away or freeze for later use.

Enjoy, have a qreat day!

~~ Jackie

Strawberry Muffins

 

It’s been awhile since I actually sat down and wrote a blog post.  I haven’t been totally absent from the online world though, I’ve been posting on the FB page for the blog.  So if you think I’ve gone amongst the missing hop on over and like the FB page.

Back to work after a very soggy Canada Day long weekend.  There wasn’t too much excitement here, Saturday started with a trip to the market.  I was on a mission to find local Valley strawberries.  Nothing says summer than some juicy fresh strawberries.  I found some spray free berries from Annapolis and oh my they were good.  Notice I said were…that would be because they are all gone.

We have a few Farmers Markets around here Alderney Landing, Halifax Seaport Market, Musquodoboit, and The Brewery Market.  Farmers Markets are bursting with fresh local produce this time of year.  Besides the local produce  being far more flavourful than what you pick up at the grocery store, shopping at local markets supports our local farmers.  Why would you choose to buy flavourless hard strawberries from the US or Mexico that were picked, who knows how long ago, when our local berries, the best berries you can find, are in season. 

My friends brother posted this recipe on FB and they looked so yummy I had to make a batch.  I changed up a couple of ingredients ( coconut sugar for some of the white sugar, coconut oil for half of the butter and almond milk for cows milk)  I wanted to use spelt flower but I couldn’t find it.  I’m assuming it’s at the bottom of the deep freeze and I couldn’t be bothered to dig everything out to find it.

STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup organic sugar
• 2 cups organic unbleached flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
• 3 tsp organic sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries.

Spoon batter into muffin pans. (It will be a thick batter)

Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes (makes 12 muffins)

So head on out to your local farmers market this weekend and support our local farmers!

 

~ Jackie

A Day in the Valley

It was a long weekend for us here in Halifax, and we had gorgeous weather for the whole weekend.  How great is that….
I’m supposed to be in PEI today but due to some work disasters late last week I thought it better to stick around. Since PEI was out of the question I thought it would be the perfect time for a day trip to the Valley.  I absolutely love the Valley.  My family had a cottage there from the time I was 5 yrs old up until about 6 years ago.  It was getting harder and harder for us to find the time to do the upkeep so we sold it.    I have regretted it ever since.  I actually haven’t even been to there in 4 years.  
To start the day off right I did 60 mins of yoga to finish Lynn’s Yoga Challenge.  I’m glad I participated, and now have a love for yoga.  Thanks Lynn!!!!
Breakfast was quick and easy… Egg whites and a slice of cinnamon raison Ezekiel bread.
               
I picked up my friend Joan, and we were on the road.  The drive to the Valley is much better now than it used to be since they twinned the highway and before we knew it we were at the Grand Pre exit and our first stop was for coffee at  Just Us! Coffee.  The special on the board was “Christmas in July” Chai Late, with Almond and Mint.  Sounded interesting so I gave it a try.  It was so good I stopped for one on the way back.
Then we were off to our next stop The Blomidon Inn.  The gardens and grounds are very well maintained and the food is delicious.  I actually liked it here so much I got married there.  The marriage didn’t last but the Inn is as gorgeous as ever.  We wandered around the property for quite a long time.  Joan is a photographer, so she was taking LOTS of pictures.  Here are a couple of mine.
           
This little frog was kind enough to pose for a few pics.            
I spotted these cuties in the gift shop…. Little known fact about me, I have a thing for frogs.


I was good though and didn’t buy any.

After a quick tour of the Inn we were off to our next stop, the Wolfville Farmers Market.  Since we spent so long at the Inn we were quite late for the market and had missed most of it.  It’s a great outdoor market with lots of vendors selling local produce, organic meats, baked goods etc.  They also have local musicians playing with an area where you can sit and listen if you like. 
We were a little parched so we stopped into EOS Fine Foods.  What a little treasure this is.  They have a great selection of organic goods and natural health products.  I found some Kombucha in the cooler and thought I would be brave and give it a try.  I have to say I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like the taste but I was pleasantly surprised.  It was quite good, so I went back and bought 3 more cans.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on what the taste reminded me of, Ginger Ale came to mind, but not quite.

Our next stop was my old cottage.  The new owners weren’t home but we took a quick look around and a couple of pictures.

My old row boat “The Jackie M”

I hate having my picture taken but I gave in and let Joan take one.

View of the lake.

We were starving after the little trip down memory lane. I thought of a cute cafe I used to go to in Berwick and was hoping it was still there, and it was. 

The Union Street Cafe opened in 2000 and is a family owned and operated dining establishment. 
We ordered a Greek side salad and  the Mango Tango Veggie Burger


That burger was AMAZING.  It was the best thing I have had to eat in a long time.  Just a hint of curry with the mango chutney mayo… heaven!!  I asked what was in it so I am going to try to recreate it. 
After lunch we wandered over to Bargain Harleys where I scored some 800 thread count sheets for $29.88.
We were going to attempt to visit the Blomidon Winery on the way back but by the time we got back that way it was too late. 
After another stop at Just Us to refuel for the drive home we were on our way back to the city. 

It was a great day!!!!        Can’t wait to go back again soon.
~~~ Jackie
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to get as much in as I could.