Farmers’ Market – Our first video!

Saturday at Ta’Qali Farmers’ Market!

This Saturday’s atmosphere was definitely a bustling one!

Savory Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium yellow squash, sliced
2 medium zucchini, sliced

1/2 (16 ounce) package baby-cut carrots
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thickly sliced
2 packets Swanson® Flavor Boost™ Concentrated Vegetable Broth

Directions

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and onion and stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Stir the concentrated broth in the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot.

Taken from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/savory-vegetable-stir-fry/

creamy tomato soup

Start the new year on a healthy note with this deliciously creamy guilt-free tomato soup.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
300g carrots, chopped
500g potatoes, diced
4 bay leaves
5 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
500g passata
3 vegetable stock cubes
400ml whole milk
Method

1. Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.

2. Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

3.To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil.

Potato, mushroom and leek croquettes

For a vegetarian option that’s low in calories, try these crispy, pan-fried potato and mushroom croquettes.

Ingredients

8 ounces coarsely chopped peeled Yukon gold potato
4 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
4 ounces sliced button mushrooms $
1/2 cup chopped leek
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Cooking spray $
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk $
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg white $
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil $

Preparation

1. Place potato in a pan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Press potato through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.

2. Place mushrooms, leek, and thyme in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushroom mixture; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mixture to potato. Add Gruyère, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and egg yolk; stir until blended. Shape mixture into 8 (2-inch) round patties.

3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine egg white and 2 teaspoons water in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano and panko in a shallow dish. Dredge patties in flour. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden.

Deb Wise, Cooking Light
MARCH 2012

Taken from: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus/quick-easy-vegetarian-recipes-00400000057017/page7.html

Southern New Year’s Day Soup

Serves 8

Across the South, there are three foods that need to be eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck in the coming year: greens, black-eyed peas, and stewed tomatoes. We’ve thrown them all in this savory soup along with some pasta and Parmesan. Any type of dark, leafy green will work in this recipe.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large leek, quartered, white and light green parts chopped (2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 Tbs. poultry seasoning
8 oz. kale, tough stems removed, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
¾ cup dried black-eyed peas
1 qt. low-sodium vegetable broth
¾ cup farfalle pasta
Shaved Parmesan curls, for garnish

1. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and poultry seasoning, and sauté 1 minute more. Stir in kale, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until leaves are wilted, tossing occasionally.

2. Add diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chiles, black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, and 7 cups water; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes. Stir in pasta, and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, or until pasta is al dente and black-eyed peas are tender. Serve garnished with Parmesan curls.

Taken from:

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/southern-new-year-s-day-soup/

10 reasons you should buy local:

1. Local food tastes better. By buying local, you are receiving the freshest possible produce, picked just hours before delivery to your local store. Produce that travels long distances is days older.
2. Local food is more nutritious. Once harvested, produce quickly loses nutrients. Since local produce is sold right after it’s picked, it retains more nutrients.
3. Local food preserves genetic diversity. Family farms grow a huge number of varieties to extend their growing season, provide eye-catching colours and great flavour. Many varieties are “heirlooms” passed down through the generations because of their excellent flavour.
4. Local food promotes energy conservation. By buying locally, you conserve the energy that’s used for transport.
5. Local food uses less packaging. Buying produce from a farmers market is a no-frills process that involves less packaging.
6. Local food supports local farmers. By buying locally, the middleman disappears and the farmer gets full retail price, in turn helping farmers continue to farm.
7. Local food builds community. By getting to know the farmers who grow your food, you build understanding, trust and a connection to your neighbours & your environment.
8. Local food preserves open space. Do you enjoy visiting the bit of countryside Malta has, where you see lush fields of crops? Well, this should also serve as a reminder that our treasured agricultural landscape survives only when farms are financially viable. By spending your money on locally grown food, you’re increasing the value of the land to the farmer and making development less likely.
9. Local food supports the environment and benefits wildlife. Family farmers tend to be good stewards of the land – they respect and value fertile soil and clean water. And their farms provide the fields, ponds and buildings that are the habitat for many beloved and important species of wildlife. In addition, buying local also reduces the use of fossil fuels and helps to protect the environment from harmful exhaust fumes.
10. Local food is about the future. Supporting local farms today helps keep those farms in your community, ensuring that your children and grandchildren have access to nourishing, flavourful and abundant food. When you choose to buy locally, and make your choices known, you raise the consciousness of your family, friends and neighbours.

So what are you waiting for? Buy local at the Ta’ Qali Farmers’ Market.

Christmas at Ta’ Qali Farmers’ Market

Christmas is an extra special time at the Farmers Market as our traders’ stalls are piled high with great seasonal produce that really makes this time of year feel so welcoming! This year, shoppers will visit the farmers market to ensure their Christmas spread includes the tastiest ingredients available. Shoppers will be able to soak up the festive atmosphere while buying their Christmas lunch ingredients at low prices.

Don’t miss out on buying fresh, delicious, low priced food directly from the producer to help you prepare the most amazing Christmas and New Year’s feasts you can imagine!

CHRISTMAS VEGETABLES: Herby roast potatoes, honeyed parsnips and orange carrots

Ingredients:

1.5 kg King Edward potatoes, peeled and halved
½ bulb garlic, separated into cloves and crushed with the back of a knife
1 small bunch of fresh rosemary, separated into sprigs
salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
50 g butter
2 kg parsnips
2 tablespoons runny honey
1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 kg carrots, cut at an angle into 2 inch pieces
zest of 1 orange

Method:

Preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Parboil your potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and toss around to scruff up the outside of the spuds. Toss with the garlic cloves, half of the rosemary, salt and pepper to taste, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 30g of the butter in a large bowl. Arrange in one layer in a roasting tin and roast for 45 minutes until golden.

For the parsnips, cut them in half lengthways, parboil for 10 minutes and drain. Toss with the honey, thyme, salt and pepper to taste, 10g of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Lay the parsnips flat in a roasting tin in one layer, and roast for about 40 minutes until golden.

Put your carrots in a pan, cover with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Boil for about 15 minutes or until cooked. Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining rosemary and the orange zest together to mix. Drain the cooked carrots and toss with the remaining butter. Season to taste and sprinkle with the orange zest and rosemary before serving.

Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin

ACTIVE: 45 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN
SERVINGS: 10 TO 12

MAKE-AHEAD
STAFF-FAVORITE
VEGETARIAN

This gratin combines blanched chard and sautéed leeks, cooked until just tender in a creamy two-cheese sauce made with both Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano.