I'm Brigid, and I’m a Cherry Street Farmers Market-aholic. From the array of colorful produce to the slobbering pooches to the friendly faces at 7:30 in the morning, it just doesn't seem like a genuine Saturday without a trip. Even more than the waltz through each week, I look forward to sinking my teeth into the fresh, ripe veggies. Since plants compose 99% of my diet, this weekly produce fix keeps me happy and healthy, and I’m far less likely to dream about fancy cheese and Maggie Moo. Each week, I try to plan as many of my meals around my purchases as I can, so this week, I'm sharing a super-local meal with all of you wild and crazy Tasha Does Tulsa readers.

First, though, let's talk about cost. A lot of people think buying farmers-market produce will empty your wallet faster. While some items will run you a higher bill than Reasor's (or even Whole Foods), many others are considerably cheaper. And anyway, the tomatoes may cost more straight from the farmer who grew them, but trustme: you will
never regret the extra dollar. A fresh, local tomato hardly even
resembles the reddish things that line produce bins. Plus, have you
ever seen fresh maitake mushrooms at the grocery store?

Here is my most recent haul:

<insert first photo>

Before you is: lettuce ($3), corn on the cob (4 for $1), patty pan
squashes (2 for $1), purple hull peas ($5), blueberries ($5), elephant
garlic ($3.50), cherry tomatoes ($3), onions (3 for $2), jalapenos (2
for $1), maitake mushrooms (1/4 pound for $4), and tomatoes (4 for
$5). That's a grand total of $33.50, and let me tell you, it was worth
every penny.

To be fair, I should mention my three other purchases (also pictured):
gorgeous flowers for $4, the best soap ever for $5.25, and my favorite
coffee for $1.75, sadly not sold to me by my favorite hot Coffee House
on Cherry Street barista. Oh why can’t you be there every week?

Anyway, now that you have this haul of delicious, fresh, local,
beautiful produce, what do you do with it? Well, here's what I did
this week with several of the items . . .

Purple Hull Peas and Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

Serves two (or one – twice). :)

<b>Ingredients</b>
¼ cup (or more, as needed) low-sodium vegetable broth (or olive oil,
or water, or a combination)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 massive clove of elephant garlic, minced or pressed (or 2-3 cloves
of regular garlic)
1 baggy (about two to three cups) of shelled purple hull peas
Spices to taste (I used rosemary and herbes de Provence)
2 patty pan squashes, scrubbed
1 cup of quinoa, rinsed
1 jalapeno (or other pepper), minced
1 medium tomato, chopped

1. First thing is, of course, to prepare your ingredients (chop, dice,
etc.). It will save you a lot of scrambling. Also, marvel at the
massiveness of your elephant garlic cloves. <insert photo> Then
preheat that oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add a few splashes
of veggie broth. Throw in about half the chopped onion and half the
garlic and cook for two to three minutes.<insert photo> Then add in
all the purple hull peas, water to cover by about an inch, and your
spices. <insert photo> I don’t measure these – I just throw in what
sounds good. Purple hull peas are delicious with herbes de Provence,
but if that isn’t your thing, try tarragon, sage, parsley, oregano, or
anything else that floats your boat. Cover with lid slightly ajar,
reduce heat to a simmer, and let cook about 20-30 minutes. Drain and
set aside.
3. Meanwhile, bring one inch of water to a boil in another saucepan
over medium-high heat. Add squash however they will fit, cover, and
cook for 10 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the tasty thing with
little resistance. Remove the top (I cut a circle and scooped). Use a
melon baller or spoon to scoop out the innards of the squash very
carefully. Chop or mash the innards and set aside. <insert photo>
3. Meanwhile once again, fill a small or medium saucepan with the
rinsed quinoa and water in a two-to-one ratio. <insert photo> If you
cook an entire cup of quinoa, you will have lots of leftovers, but
that’s the way I like it. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer
for 10-15 or until all the liquid is absorbed. You can also do this in
advance to save stove space.
4. Heat some more vegetable broth (or oil) in a sauté pan and add the
rest of the onion, cooking until translucent. Add in the rest of the
garlic and jalapeno and cook for another minute. Add the squash
innards for two minutes, until softened. Add the tomato and between ½
and a whole cup of the cooked quinoa and cook until everything is
heated through. Pour in extra vegetable broth a little at a time if
the pan gets too dry. <insert photos>
5. Scoop the quinoa-squash mixture into the patty pan shells as full
as you’d like. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and sprinkle
nutritional yeast (or actual cheese, if you aren’t on my crazy eating
plan) on top. Place the squash on a cookie sheet and bake for 15
minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash are heated through.
<insert photo>
6. Put one squash and half the purple hull peas on your plate and
enjoy! <insert photo>

This is a tasty, incredibly local meal. The onion, garlic, purple hull
peas, squash, jalapeno and tomato were all part of my Saturday haul.
You could even use locally grown herbs to add flavor. I bet the squash
stuffing would be great with basil and oregano instead of the
jalapeno.

These foods are all heart-healthy and help protect against cancer.
They also taste so delicious that I would slap my momma if she lived
closer and wouldn’t slap me back.
