I skipped the farmers market last week, because I was in LA. If I had more time, I would have made it a point to go to the Main Street Farmers Market in Santa Monica. Not to buy groceries, but just to visit an old favorite from when I lived in LA. Usually, my time in LA is spent eating with friends at the latest hotspots or at my sister-in-law’s place. This time, we just decided to stroll Abbot Kinney (one of my favorite places) and go with the flow. My friend Katrina suggested we eat at Axe, a restaurant supporting local farmers and sustainability. The food was exactly what the body and soul needed that day. I love eating out at restaurants that inspire me to replicate the meal at home, which is exactly what we did a few days later.
A soul satisfying brown rice bowl with fresh vegetables, wild Alaskan salmon, and sesame lime dressing. I am going to make this over and over again until I can perfect the taste. I will try it will all sorts of protein sources- tofu, garbanzo beans, chicken, and other types of fish.
Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA.
A few friends, Satish, and I went to Half Moon Bay yesterday, a scenic 45 minute drive from the city. On the way to a brunch, we ended up stopping at a farm stand.
We were a little surprised to find fruit like mangos and bananas (not local) at the stand, but they did have plenty of local, non-organic produce too. Most people assume that cute, farm stands off-the-road are all organic, but it’s always a good idea to look for the organic sign or label and ask about the farming practices. This farm stand was situated right next to a farm, but it was unclear if they were related. Half Moon Bay is really beautiful!
Lately, I have been craving green leafy vegetables and blueberries more than usual. I actually managed to get to the farmers market early today and was rewarded with plenty of eggs, asparagus, and squash blossoms. There were even boysenberries, which I don’t normally see at this farmers market. Boysenberries look just like blackberries, but they are larger and more tart. They are also a cross between blackberries, raspberries, and loganberries, thus having a reddish color to them. The tartness makes them less popular and are not commercially available. I think they make great desserts.
As we are edging closer to summer, more and more stone fruits are available and the first of the heirloom tomatoes. I couldn’t resist getting some of the tomatoes, despite knowing that it is a little early for their season. Tomatoes taste like sweet fruit when they are harvested in July-September, when the weather is dry and hot. Nevertheless, I already used up half of them to make a delicious, thick tomato sauce to eat with eggs for Sunday brunch. I call the sauce my Magic sauce, because I can use it a thousand different ways.
My tomato magic sauce.
Plums are a purple food. I love the darker, juicier versions, where you have to eat them over the kitchen sink.
I am not a fan of green beans. For some reason, I just cannot get the bland taste from the school cafeteria out of my head. Truthfully, the real problem lies in the fact that I don’t know any good recipes for green beans. I love it at restaurants, just not to cook with. At my husbands request, I bought a couple of handfuls of them. I just don’t know what to do with them. Please share any recipes!
Club Dine In! 
Nice
You definitely need to give green beans a second or third chance! Picked right off the vine, they’re sweet and crunchy.
Traditional pairing is with almonds. In the LA (Louisiana not Los Angeles) region, they’re a great dish with sausage and potatoes (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/amys-po-man-green-beans-and-sausage-dish/).
Like most veggies, they were severely mistreated in school cafeterias. Don’t overcook them – saute, steam or blanch them.
I know, I know- it’s all in my head. I just need good recipes and make it a few times. Thanks for sharing the LA recipe. Know of any good recipes with almonds?
This one’s close, but I’d steam the beans then add them to the pan with the other ingredients. And if you want to go vegan with it, skip the butter and use more oil.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/steam-sauteed-green-beans-with-almonds-and-parsley-recipe/index.html
Hello Nimisha, what is a recipe for making My tomato magic sauce. Shri Chawla
Hello! I don’t have a set recipe, but here are the basics: finely chop sweet yellow onions and sauté in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 2 teaspoon curry powder and cook for a minute. Add 3 cups chopped tomatoes, salt, and herbs, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. You can cover it along the way. I use this as a base for many dishes. The magic is in using the freshest and seasonal ingredients. Enjoy it!
Chop the beans into 1-inch or smaller pieces on the diagonal. Heat up some coconut oil and saute the beans. Add a small handful of whole thai basil leaves or whatever basil you have access to. Add a little brown sugar or other sweetener, and just a touch of salt. Voila! (Chop some chilis into the oil first if you like spice!)
I would have never thought of cooking green beans with coconut oil. I will try this tonight since I have all of the ingredients. Thank you for sharing!