Meals from the market

At this time of year, I buy all my produce locally, and the bulk of it comes from the Portland Farmers' Market. The only exception I make is for little indulgences, like limes, which aren't grown locally, and absolute staples, like onions, that aren't available from Maine at this point in the season.

For leafy greens, berries and fresh herbs, I rarely settle for the road weary grocery store specimens. Instead I gorge on strawberries only hours away from harvest, just picked cilantro bursting with flavor and lettuce that stays fresh and crisp in the refrigerator for a week or more.

I've been amazed by this long shelf life more than once. This typically happens after I get overly excited by the market's vegetable bounty and buy more than the two of us can possibly eat in a week.

Of course, weeks when we go out to dinner four or five times don't help. (And who can blame us since we live mere blocks from the heart of Maine's renowned restaurant scene.) But these past few weeks, Adam and I have been doing our best to enjoy more of the old fashioned goodness of a home cooked meal.

Here's a peek at some of the things I've been whipping up, plus a quick recipe for a pickled beets.

Tempeh wraps with garlic soy bok choi and a radish salad.


Quinoa salad with sunflower seeds and soy sesame dressing.



Black bean enchiladas with micro greens and black olives.


Swiss chard and broccoli with shell pasta and sweet and sour beets.

Sweet and sour beets

4 cups beets, sliced
1 cup organic red wine vinegar
1/2 organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Maine maple syrup
salt & pepper to taste

Place beets in a vegetable steamer. (I don't peel mine, especially when the beets are tender and young.) Steam for 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the beets) until fork tender. Remove from steamer and put in a shallow baking dish. Mix red wine, olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper together. Pour sauce over beets. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or more. Serve warm or cold. Serves 4.