Mercado Kitchen: Fava Bean Dip

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Mission Community Market in Blog, Blue House Farm, Mercado Kitchen, Recipes | Leave a comment

Sick and tired of making the same ol’ salsas and dips for summer BBQ parties? Try Mission Community Market’s fun version of a bean dip! Stop by Blue House Farm this Thursday from 4-8pm to grab your bundle of fava beans and impress your friends with this week’s healthy recipe!

Fava Bean Dip

Fava beans are similar to other beans and contain what many call “perfect proteins.” They are loaded with amino acids and are also rich in fiber and vitamins A, B, C, K, E, PP, and mineral salts. More information on fava beans can be found here.

Ingredients:
12 larger Fava Bean stalks from Blue House Farm
3/4 Can of black beans
2-3 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 whole Avocado
Salt, Pepper
2 tbs Olive oil

Directions:
Fava beans require a two step de-shelling process. First, remove the large beans from their pods. Once all the beans have been removed, add to boiling water for roughly a minute, then place directly in ice cold water. The second layer of skin should peel off easily. Little green beans about half the size of their skin should pop out.

In a saucepan, add roughly 2 tbs of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté for just a moment. Add the fava beans, black beans, and spices. Stir for roughly 3-4 minutes. Grab a potato masher, add the avocado, and smash all ingredients until a soft bean dip remains.

Serve warm with organic blue corn tortilla chips.

Mercado Kitchen: Mediterranean Microgreen Salad

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Mission Community Market in Achadinha Cheese Company, Blog, LifeFood Gardens, Mercado Kitchen, Recipes, Twin Girls Farm, Vendors | 1 Comment

Mediterranean Microgreen Salad

Microgreens are a new way to get your daily dose of vitamins, whether they are juiced, added atop salads, or upon a toasted baguette. This week, we’ve highlighted the microgreens in their very own salad. The greens are accompanied with some of our favorite vegetables and fruits, drenched in healthy Omegas, and topped with fresh feta cheese if you like! This salad is best enjoyed outside under the thick sunlight we San Franciscan’s have been enjoying this year! The subtle flavor of the tomatoes and cucumber help add a bit of moisture to the salad, while allowing the full flavor of the microgreens and sprouted beans from Lifefood Gardens to come alive in your mouth. Stop by the market this week from 4-8pm to pick up your own tray of microgreens and jump on the healthy bandwagon.

Ingredients:
Tray of Sunflower microgreens from Lifefood Gardens
1/2 bag of Sprouted beans from Lifefood Gardens
1 Tomato, chopped
1/2 Cucumber, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon from Twin Girls Farm
Salt, Peppper
Healthy pour of olive oil
Crumbled feta from Achadinha Cheese Co. (Optional, but highly recommended)

Directions:
Acquire either a whole tray or a handful of sunflower microgreens from Lifefood Gardens. Lightly wash the greens and place in a large salad bowl.
Add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, half a bag of any sprouted beans from Lifefood Gardens, the juice of one lemon, generous amounts of salt and pepper, and a healthy pour of olive oil (we used an olive oil that has been infused with garlic and fresh chilli for a light kick).

We chose to highlight the microgreens in a vegan salad for this recipe, but we think that adding a handful or two of fresh crumbled feta from Achadinha Cheese Co. would be a GREAT addition, helping balance the sweet and tangy flavors of the veggies with a salty, creamy bite of cheese.
Serve immediately or after a few hours when the flavors have infused (even after being coated with olive oil the microgreens hold their firmness for a day or two!).

Mercado Kitchen: California Marinated Artichokes

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Mission Community Market in Blog, Blue House Farm, Mercado Kitchen, Recipes, Tomatero Farm, Twin Girls Farm | Leave a comment

Spring weather is here which means it’s time to drag out that barbecue, wipe it off, and heat it up! At MCM you can now find Blue House Farm, Tomatero Farm, and Zuckerman’s Farm offering an array of seasonal, local veggies perfect for grilling. Although you can roast almost any vegetable, this week’s recipe highlights the flowering artichoke drenched in healthy oils and grilled (or roasted in the oven) to a crisp, hearty perfection.

You probably have a bottle of olive oil sitting on their counter for use during cooking, but what you may not know is how beneficial olive oil is to one’s health. A study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine found that those who ate up to four tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil a day cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 30 percent compared to other low-fat diets. This recipe uses fresh extra-virgin olive oil to enhance the flavor of the artichokes while providing you with a heart-healthy dose of deliciousness!

California Marinated Artichokes

(Recipe has been adapted from the Tony Baker Rio Grill in Carmel, California)

Ingredients:
For the Grilled Artichokes
1 cup of White wine
2 tbs. of Fresh lemon juice from Twin Girls Farm
3-4 Artichokes from Blue House Farm

For the Marinade
1 1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 stalks of Green garlic from Blue House Farm
1 tbs. Fresh oregano, thyme, and marjoram, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cut off the top 1/3 of artichoke and trim the tips of leaves. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover artichokes, and add 1 cup of white wine and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the water. Boil the artichokes in the water, wine, and lemon juice for about 25 to 30 minutes until soft. The wine preserves the color and gives the artichokes a deep, unique flavor.

Set aside the cooked artichokes and prepare the marinade by combining 2 cups of olive oil with 1 cup Balsamic vinegar, 2 stalks of fresh green garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, and 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Once artichokes have cooled, spread the leaves out slightly with a spoon to allow the marinade to infuse into all parts of the artichoke. Drizzle artichokes with the marinade, setting aside enough to coat each artichoke after cooking.

If you would like to grill the artichokes: Wrap each artichoke individually in foil. Place on hot coals in grill for about five to seven minutes. Remove from foil and brush with remaining marinade. Serve hot.
If you do not have a grill, roast them in the oven: Place the marinated artichokes on a pan and cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for another 5 minutes to crisp the tips of the leaves. Brush with remaining marinade. Serve hot.

Spotlight on Terra Savia

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Mission Community Market in Blog, Monday Feature, Terra Savia, Vendors | Leave a comment

We are pleased to highlight Terra Savia, one of our newest vendors at the market. Terra Savia is located in Hopland, CA, in the hills of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Currently, they are bringing their incredible extra virgin olive oil to MCM, as well as some olive oil-based beauty products, including soap, moisturizing cream, and hand salve (of which MCM’s Market Manager Emily is a huge fan!) Soon, they will be selling their wine at the market, so look out for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, and more.

Owner Jim Milone is a fourth generation Hopland winegrower, with over 30 years of experience on the land. His great-grandfather emigrated from Italy as a young man and operated the area’s first winery until the Prohibition Era, and the family has been there ever since. In addition to Terra Savia’s commitment to organic, sustainable practices to create their wine, olive oil and honey, they are also focused on stewardship of their land. For every acre of orchard that is planted for production, 1oo acres of open land is protected. As a result, the property is home to over 100o species of plants and animals. When you buy products from Terra Savia, your money is supporting both the local economy, as well as conservation and wildlife protection!

Come on down to MCM this week to taste some of their delicious olive oil varieties!

olive oil