LATE SPRING FARMERS MARKET MUST HAVES

LATE SPRING FARMERS MARKET MUST HAVES

LATE SPRING FARMERS MARKET MUST HAVES

I’ve chatted about this in previous posts, but along with plant-based eating, I can not emphasize enough the value of a seasonal table. This past week I was given the opportunity to share my two-sense with DC’s FRESHFARM Market’s audience – highlighting my late springtime farmers market must haves, their nutritional benefits, and why you’ll find them in my basket. Sunday mornings you’ll find my husband and me wandering through DC’s Dupont market – piping hot coffees in hand- swooning over Mother Nature’s magic and planning how we can best utilize a market haul to prepare our vibrant, delicious, and affordable meals. As we welcome springtime and early summer, here are a few tips on why you should shop seasonal and, though the list is always evolving, my current Washington, DC favorite market finds.

Taste // foods that are in season tend to retain a much more delicious and vibrant taste than ones that are being grown out of out of season. Flavors are stronger, more developed, and the textures are as they’re meant to be.

Price // seasonal produce are priced much more economically than those out of season, saving you money on your grocery bills. Because fruits and vegetables are easier to grow in their proper seasons, they’re more abundant, less time-intensive, and more affordable for consumers.

Eating Locally // eating locally tends to go hand-in-hand with eating seasonally -purchasing both seasonal and locally grown foods help provide financial support to the farmers in your area, help grow your local economy, and help reduce your carbon footprint by cutting down on the pollution and fuel produced from extensive transportation.

Nutrition // eating seasonally provides variety to your diet, helping you get a full array of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients over the course of the year. Also, when produce are grown in their proper season, under the appropriate growing conditions, they’re able to produce their optimal nutrient content and are often picked at their nutritional peak. Studies have shown that some crops can have up to three times more nutrients when grown in season. [line][line]

  1. Chaia TacosI’m the first to admit I eat with my eyes (and perhaps my nose) – smitten by seasonal colors, vibrancy, and a passion that can only be identified through thoughtful detail and intention. With lines seen winding through DC’s farmers markets, Chaia, the ‘farm to taco’ brainchild of founders Bettina Stern and Suzanne Simon, continues to top my list as a fast-casual favorite on a sunny Sunday morning (cue: warm breezy picnic in the midst of Dupont Circle hubbub). With menu options ranging from zucchini with farmstead cheese to skillet charred corn with green chilies and a fried farm fresh egg, market goers find themselves immersed in seasonality and the local and sustainable minded attention it dictates. This past April, Chia and I collaborated on their first vegan taco (!), a ‘Five Greens’ taco, the epitome of warm weather, sunshine, light and bright flavors, and Goddess Vibes. The locally sourced, seasonal bite featured five springtime greens: collards, mustard greens, spinach, lacinato kale and turnip tops. Although the taco is no longer available at market, it will be available at their brick and mortar location opening this summer. In the meantime, you can always prepare Chaia’s Smoky Tomatillo Salsa recipe at home!