I love when the Farmers’ Market is open.  In Baltimore, our biggest one starts in the Spring, usually on the 4^th Sunday of April and ends the Sunday before Christmas.  It’s located beneath the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83).  It’s open every Sunday during that time.

In case you have never been to a Farmers’ Market, find one and check it out.  This is the place loaded with lots of vendors that grow, produce, or/and create the products that they sell.  You can get anything from fresh, raw meats & vegetables to freshly cooked foods to unique crafts and collectibles.

My first day back to work this week happened to fall on a Sunday.  My job is within walking distance.  We have 30-minute breaks every 2 hours.  So I walked over on my first break.  If you catch the FM within an hour or 2 after it first opens they normally have an abundance of everything.  It wasn’t crowded at the time either so I left there feeling like a struck gold and got it at a very good price,

I was able to score a rather large zucchini (at least a foot long & maybe 5-6 inches wide) for a $1.00, 8 baby white sweet potatoes for $2.00, 6 large carrots for $3.00, green onions for $1.00, a quart of Kalamata Olives for $13.00 (not cheap but worth it), 2 bunches of rosemary and 1 mega bunch of parsley for $5.00, a pound of speckled butter beans for $3.00, a beautiful giant head of broccoli for $4.00, a basket of Kale for $3.00, and 8 acorn squash for $2.00.  I spent $34.00 for a cartload of fresh raw vegetables…actually $24 because $13 went on the salt & water brined olives.

I would normally walk back over on another break but I felt like I had enough vegetables for the week…my new treasures as well as those already in my fridge at home.

I guess you are wondering what I did with my finds.  First I split an acorn squash in half, removed the seeds, rubbed it with coconut oil, sprinkled with sea salt and then placed it in the oven to roast.  Now I’ve had squash before but never acorn squash so I only cooked one to try it out first.

I then made a big batch of soup which I really had a taste for.  I made homemade chicken bone broth in my Instant Pot.  I then chopped and sautéed some onions, carrots, and celery until softened and onions were translucent.  I peeled and minced some garlic and added it to the pot.  Then poured in my bone broth, a little Apple Cider Vinegar, more onions/carrots/celery, sprig of rosemary/parsley, sea salt, more spices/dried herbs.  Simmered for a little while then added chopped broccoli and continued to simmer.  Finally added peeled, sliced zucchini, chopped kale, leftover cooked chicken, and Coconut Aminos then continued to cook until all veggies were to the consistency that I was satisfied with.

Then I made Chapati so I could dip in my soup and mashed my roasted acorn squash.  Dinner served!

What are your favorites at the Farmers’ Market?