This morning I went to my favorite farmer's market. It was overcast and chilly but the place was still bustling. I tried to get to talk to my favorite bakery man (he makes the absolute best pumpkin donuts with this sweet little crunchy stuff on top...and I can't eat them any more). I wanted to tell him that I still love him ...but I can't buy his stuff. Luckily his table was very busy. As I walked down the market center (I like to see who has what before I start buying) I saw a table full of the first strawberries of the year. And just walking past I could smell them!
I think my favorite aspect of shopping at the farmer's market is the seasonal change of the vegetable offerings. I love that now is asparagus and strawberries and in a while there will be zucchini and tomatoes and eggplant and peaches and watermelon. The height of the summer is just terrific. Everything is so fresh and it all tastes so good.
Once again for very little money I filled my little cart. When I go alone I always bring a little pull cart to carry my purchases. Today I went alone so I had my own bags and my little pull cart.
So first I went to a large farm stand run b
y a husband and wife and they always have a variety of kids from about 12 to 18 years old running the stand. Huge display. Great prices. I bought kirby cucumbers, red peppers, zucchini, celery, leeks, new white potatoes, Boston lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and green leaf lettuce. Next I went to my favorite farmer. He is an older man and has his college aged grandson working with him. He doesn't have a huge stand but all of his vegetables are freshly picked the morning of the market. From him I bought aspargus, strawberries, and hot house tomatoes. Next to him is another favorite farmer who, at this time, is selling flower and vegetable plants. I bought two patio tomatoes that already have flowers on them! There is an older gentleman who volunteers there (many of the workers are from the town and volunteer their time helping the farmers). He brings me recipes. Me and another woman, he told me today. He said he had a recipe for a peanut stew for me last week but he didn't catch me and this week he forgot it. He's going to get me next week he said. After that stop I dropped things in my car and went back to my meat and cheese lady. I bought some more smoked cheddar and she had some new cuts of meat. I bought two half chickens to roast, and some filet mignon. I also got some bacon and eggs. And I bought a new cut of steak called a petite steak. It comes from somewhere near the chuck and is supposed to be very good. I'll let you know tomorrow....that's what I'm cooking for Mother's Day. After the meat and cheese lady I went all the way to the end of the market to a farmer who I always like to buy from. He is a very friendly and nice man. He sells lots of different fruits and vegetables...great peaches later and fabulous yams and white sweet potatoes...and homemade honey and fruit butters. I bought apple butter...with honey and unsweetened. My oldest likes apple butter on her waffles in the morning and I like it on crepes. My mother used to make them for dinner on a Friday night...palicinka she called them. We used prune lekvar to stuff them...but apple butter works too.
y a husband and wife and they always have a variety of kids from about 12 to 18 years old running the stand. Huge display. Great prices. I bought kirby cucumbers, red peppers, zucchini, celery, leeks, new white potatoes, Boston lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and green leaf lettuce. Next I went to my favorite farmer. He is an older man and has his college aged grandson working with him. He doesn't have a huge stand but all of his vegetables are freshly picked the morning of the market. From him I bought aspargus, strawberries, and hot house tomatoes. Next to him is another favorite farmer who, at this time, is selling flower and vegetable plants. I bought two patio tomatoes that already have flowers on them! There is an older gentleman who volunteers there (many of the workers are from the town and volunteer their time helping the farmers). He brings me recipes. Me and another woman, he told me today. He said he had a recipe for a peanut stew for me last week but he didn't catch me and this week he forgot it. He's going to get me next week he said. After that stop I dropped things in my car and went back to my meat and cheese lady. I bought some more smoked cheddar and she had some new cuts of meat. I bought two half chickens to roast, and some filet mignon. I also got some bacon and eggs. And I bought a new cut of steak called a petite steak. It comes from somewhere near the chuck and is supposed to be very good. I'll let you know tomorrow....that's what I'm cooking for Mother's Day. After the meat and cheese lady I went all the way to the end of the market to a farmer who I always like to buy from. He is a very friendly and nice man. He sells lots of different fruits and vegetables...great peaches later and fabulous yams and white sweet potatoes...and homemade honey and fruit butters. I bought apple butter...with honey and unsweetened. My oldest likes apple butter on her waffles in the morning and I like it on crepes. My mother used to make them for dinner on a Friday night...palicinka she called them. We used prune lekvar to stuff them...but apple butter works too. Simple salad for lunch today. Mixed lettuce, smoked cheddar, cucumbers, mushroom, tuna 
salad, avocado, "new" whole grain crackers with flax!
salad, avocado, "new" whole grain crackers with flax!I was having a bit of a low carb diet fit. My blood glucose numbers have been very good but I want to eat pizza and bread and boiled parlied potatoes and macaroni and cheese. And, while I may be able to cheat at some time in the future, I don't feel as if I can now. And to make matters worse, I woke up at 5am absolutely starving! Last night's dinner was good...but I guess it didn't have enought staying power. (Vegetable soup and BLT Salads). And it seems like when I am at my weakest the universe sends me a message, or two or three, to keep my focus on the path ahead. A couple of things happened that kept me from buying that baguette (new bread bakers at the market!!!). First...a friend and helper of the cheese and meat farmer fairly shrieked at "how good" I looked. She noticed that I'd lost a lot of weight since she last saw me. (Getting noticed always feels good). Second...the honey man and I were talking about the carb values on the apple butter. He told me his wife was a diabetic. She'd had gestational diabetes, then type 2 diabetes. She'd lost weight, but then gained it all back and more. Now she's takes insulin injections. I bought the sugar free apple butter. Made sure I had enough lettuce in my cart. And walked right past the French baker to my car. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal...but believe me, it was!
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