Recipe Highlight | Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

This recipe is quick, simple and fully customizable based on what you have in your fridge and cupboards! Sometimes simple is best, especially when the toppings are varied and fresh. And don’t forget about all that preserving you did in the summer time! Pull out a couple items out of your winter stock pile to bring some of those summer memories to your bowl.
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked rice
1 bell pepper sliced (Available from Shirley’s Greenhouse)
1 onion sliced (Available from Shirley’s Greenhouse)
handful of mushrooms (see The Apple Lady at market for BC foraged mushrooms this winter)
1 jalapeno chopped (Available from Shirley’s Greenhouse)
2 avocados cut in half
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half (Available from Shirley’s Greenhouse)
1 cup corn (off the cob and frozen from the summer is best!)
1 can black or kidney beans rinsed
1 large sweet potato cubed
1/2 c cilantro chopped
Sour cream or greek yoghurt
Salsa
Hot sauce

1. Roast the sweet potato in the oven for 25-30 mins at 400 degrees F or until soft
2. Saute the pepper, onion and mushrooms together over medium-high heat until soft and onions translucent
3. The rest of the ingredients can be served fresh. This meal is most fun served DIY style! Serve rice in bowls, and put out all toppings and condiments for eaters to build their custom veggie burrito bowl!

Recipe Highlight | Baked Eggs with Spinach

This week our recipe highlight is inspired by a new member of our Farmers’ Market family Moji Bakery. Their Colombian cheese breads are delicious and Gluten Free! This recipe for a traditional Colombian breakfast of Baked Eggs with Spinach comes directly from blogger Erica of My Colombian Recipes. It is the perfect breakfast to bring warmth to these chilly mornings!
Use Calico Farm eggs and spinach from Shirley’s Greenhouse to make it extra fresh, and of course pair it with a warm Pandebono from Moji Bakery.

Ingredients

(4 Servings)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 
¼ chopped onion

• 
1 garlic clove, minced


• 2 cups spinach

• 
8 tablespoons heavy cream

• 
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

• 
4 large eggs


• 8 tablespoons asiago cheese

• 
Salt and pepper


• Butter

• Crushed red pepper to your taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, and then add the spinach and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

3. Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley and remove from the heat.

4. Rub the inside of 4 small ramekins with butter and then add spinach mixture into each ramekin.

5. Add 1 egg to each, season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 2 tablespoons asiago cheese. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and bake about 8 to 10 minutes. Add crushed red pepper and serve immediately.

https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/pandebono-colombian-cheese-bread

Recipe Highlight | Turnip Puff

This recipe comes from a Sunnyside resident who says "Turnips suck, but this puff makes them taste so good!" We don't necessarily agree with the first half of that statement, but she is definitely right about the second part! This turnip puff acts as a great side dish and makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
6 cups cubed turnips
2 tbsp. butter
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup fine breat drumbs
2 tbsp. melted butter

1. Boil turnip to cook until tender- drain and mash.

2. Add butter and eggs- beat well.

3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add turnip mash and stir until combined.

4. Butter a casserole dish and add mixture.

5. Combine crumbs and butter- sprinkle on top.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Market Highlight | Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

An example of a large family share from on our of local CSA programs (minus the popcorn and honey!)

If you like to support local, you may have already heard of Community Supported Agriculture programs. These programs are popping up all across Canada and provide a great way for you to connect with your farmer. 

Community Supported Agriculture is based on a shared risk strategy. As a consumer, you buy into a CSA program with a specific farm or organization at the beginning of the season. This lump sum of fiscal capital allows the Farmer to purchase required inputs, equipment etc. You then pick up a weekly or bi-weekly box of produce from that farm. By pre-purchasing your vegetables and fruit, you agree to share the risks of the agriculture industry with your Farmer. 

The agriculture industry is a very volatile one; disease, extreme weather events, high cost of production and more can severely impact a farm's ability to produce. Regardless of these risks, at market, and wholesale prices do not change to compensate for a poor yield. CSA programs help to mitigate this risk and ensure that the Farmer gets paid a proper wage for their hard work. 

There is a wide range of CSA models- from a standard box of available vegetables, to ones with a bit more choice allowing you to select certain products you prefer. Regardless of the model, these programs allow you to access high quality, local products on a weekly basis with minimal effort. This is a great choice for households of all sizes as many farms now offer small and large box options. 

CSA's are a flexible, convenient way to support your local producers and GET TO KNOW YOUR GROWER!

There are currently three CSA programs operating out of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmers' Market for the indoor season. Explore the links below and choose a farm or model that works best for you and your family! 

YYC Growers
https://www.yycgrowers.com/yyc-metro-growers/calgarys-most-local-csa/summer-harvest-box-csa/

Eagle Creek
https://www.eaglecreekfarms.ca/?page_id=1277

Noble Gardens
https://www.noblegardenscsa.com/new-share-program-2018.html

Special Market Highlight | Harvest Fair Champs!

Congratulations to everyone who placed in this year's Harvest Fair competitions! We had a wonderful day celebrating the harvest season with you all- the sun even came out to join in the fun. 

Customers browsed entries indoors, and had the opportunity to join our new Garlic Bank, chat compost with Living Soil Solutions, or make a fruit critter with Poppy Innovations. 

Out at the market, you may have had the chance to try your hand at roping, checked out the farm equipment showcase, or joined in with the Banff Trailers Square Dancing Club for a session or two. 
This year, we also had three opportunities for you to stuff your face and compete for local bragging rights out at the Sweet Beet Stage. 

One of the sweet faces behind Sunny Sprouts, a highly nutritional dehydrated, sprouted sunflower seed product, Anna Lucas showed us how it is done in our Kid's Donut eating competition and took it down with no hands- no problem!

Greg Evans got his corn eating experience on his wife's family farm in Southern Ontario. This Hillhurst local took down two cobs of Michelle's Market corn as quick as can be, and even enjoyed a third just 'cause! 

We almost felt guilty having people ruin the gorgeous pumpkin pies donated by The Pie Junkie, but that quickly faded as we watched 14 of our community members get into them! Troy Godfrey utilized an impressive strategy and finished his half pie in no time flat!

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to celebrate with us, and to our donors and volunteers who made this event our best of the season!