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

Salt Baked Potatoes and Roasted Veggies

 

I know you’ve all been anxiously waiting, constantly checking the blog for these recipes to complete the Braised Lamb Shank dinner…well a girl can dream right.

You’re probably thinking I don’t need a recipe for roasted veggies, but there is a little twist in this recipe that makes them, at least in my opinion, the best roasted veggies. 

Roasted Veggies

• 6 carrots
• 6 parsnips
• 1/2 bulb garlic
• fresh rosemary to taste
• sea salt, fresh ground black pepper
• EVOO

Preheat oven to 450

Peel veggies and slice lengthways if they are larger in size.  Break apart garlic into cloves leaving the peel on. Slightly crush with the palm of your hand. Remove the rosemary from the woody stalks.

Put your veggies into a large stock pot of boiling salted water. Boil till just tender but not cooked all the way through (5-7 mins depending on the size of your veggies).  Drain in colander and let sit for a few minutes until they are dry.  If you don’t want to wait you could always dry them off with some paper towel.  Just don’t be to rough with them, you want them to stay whole.  While they are drying add garlic, rosemary and EVOO to a baking pan add the dry potatoes, salt and pepper and toss them around.  Put in preheated oven and bake till golden and slightly crispy.

Unfortunately I didn’t take individual pictures of the veggies but I think you get the idea.

Salt Baked Potatoes with Rosemary and Roasted Garlic Butter

• 4 or 5 potatoes (preferably thick skinned)
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups large grain sea salt
• fresh rosemary
• 1 bulb of garlic
• EVOO
• 4 TBSP softened butter

Preheat oven to 450

Pour salt into baking dish.  Wash potatoes and dry.  Nestle potatoes in salt. Cut the top off the garlic and place in the salt as well as 2 or 3 sprigs of rosemary. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about and hour and 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and brush the potatoes with EVOO.  Return to oven uncovered and bake and additional 15 minutes until cooked through and skins are crispy. 

Before returning potatoes to the oven remove the garlic.  Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the softened butter.  Add chopped fresh rosemary to taste.  Stir till combined.

Remove potatoes from oven.  Scrape and salt off that is stuck to the bottom of the potatoes, slice and top with some of the yummy garlic butter.

I’m sure your thinking the same thing I did, that all this salt will make the potatoes super salty…trust me they won’t taste salty.

 

 

Enjoy!!

~ Jackie