If you’re looking for healthy and delicious foods to supplement your Good Measure meals – extra snacks, food for entertaining friends and family or for any reason at all - consider buying produce grown right here in Georgia. You don’t have to go to a farm to find fresh fruits and vegetables, though—local farmers bring their colorful, fresh-picked crops to farmers markets throughout the metro area. 

In the summertime, I think of farmers markets as relaxing and inspiring places—people taking their time, strolling around, looking at the huge variety of vegetables and flowers.  I love to cook, but it’s easy to fall into a rut, and I’ve realized that shopping locally gives me a chance to try new foods at their best.  Just the other day, I bought some kohlrabi and a couple bunches of rainbow chard and turned them into a curry with the help of a recipe from the Internet.  And last year, I discovered that I actually really love beets—as long as I buy them fresh and roast them for salads or a stand-alone snack. 

Some beautiful beets at the Morningside Farms Market in Virginia Highland.

Besides, have you ever compared a California-grown strawberry from the supermarket to a big, juicy berry straight from a Georgia farm?  The difference in appearance and taste is incredible.  That’s because the California berry was picked before it was completely ripe, and while it might have ripened a little more on the journey east, it wasn’t allowed to naturally ripen like the local, fresh-picked berry.  Freshness and flavor are two compelling reasons to shop at farmers markets.

Atlanta-area markets don’t just offer seasonal fruits and vegetables.  They’re good places to find artisanal bread, honey, jams & jellies, fresh eggs, meat, and even locally hand-crafted items like soap and jewelry.  Some, like the Morningside Market and Green Market at Piedmont Park, also feature weekly cooking demonstrations by local chefs.  You might even get a chance to taste food made with ingredients sold at the market.   

If you’re interested in exploring some of the markets around town, visit Local Harvest for a list of the markets near you.  

Wondering how to choose the best beets, or what to do with that strange-looking kohlrabi?  There are some great websites with shopping tips and recipes galore.  Here are a few:

10 Farmers Market Shopping Tips

Guide to seasonal fruit and vegetables in Georgia

Recipes for specific fruits and vegetables

Happy shopping!

It’s hard to think about warm weather food when it is in the 40’s and there is a forecast for snow. Welcome to my world. Sometimes I feel like a fashion designer, who is planning an outfit two seasons in advance. Here it is the middle of winter and I’m trying to think about the food that is enjoyable to eat in the spring and summer. Maybe it would help if I crank up the heat and dance around in my flip flops and beach hat? No, that just makes my feet sore and my heating bill sky rocket.

Usually I start by identifying the “wintery” meals that are currently in the menu. You know – the stews, root vegetables and heartier meals. These I will archive for next winter. The goal is to change about 35-40% of the menu. I keep the “all time favorites” in the menu – like pot roast, lobster ravioli and vegetable lasagna. I like to flip through old magazines from the months of March through August and cookbooks too – this helps the ideas start to flow. Then I just start asking around – our chefs are a great source for awesome recipe ideas.

Here is a preview of some recipes I have already tested for the upcoming menu:

Asian meatloaf topped with a hoisin glaze over wasabi mashed potatoes. Sesame spinach with toasted sesame seeds.

Chicken and feta tabbouleh salad with fresh mint, bulgur wheat and English cucumbers. Green leaf lettuce. Whole wheat pita pocket. Fresh melon salad.

Cool Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad Tossed with Whole Wheat Penne Pasta, Roasted Corn and Black Beans, Topped with Cheddar and Monterrey Jack Cheeses. Fat Free Sour Cream.

Now this is how the blog is really going to come in handy! I want to know what YOU would like to eat this spring and summer. What do you want to see on the menu? Pretend like you are at the beach or at your family’s BBQ. What are some of your favorite summertime meals?

Let me know your thoughts by posting a comment on our blog.  Can’t wait to hear from you.