peas

We love legumes and spring brings fresh fava beans and English peas from Maciel Farm to the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market. Sautee up a succotash with sweet corn from Kawano Farms’ stand and summer squash from J.R. Organics, or visit Suzie’s Farm for fresh fennel and mint to make a spring fava bean salad.

Pair peas with cilantro from Gilbert Quintos Farm in this English pea puree topped with sea scallops from the Salmon Slinger. Fresh legumes are packed with protein and full of fiber, but they won’t add a lot of calories to dinner. They can be stored in your refrigerator for four to five days, but for the sweetest, freshest flavor, enjoy them the same day you take them home.

Do yourself a fava and pick some up this Tuesday!

Look for fresh, sweet English peas from Maciel Farm at the San Diego Public Wednesday Farmers’ Market. Try them in a simple spring salad with fresh mint from Suzie’s Farm or sautee them in a succotash with sweet corn from Kawano Farms’ stand.

Add them to a seafood paella with local fish and shellfish from the Salmon Slinger, or puree peas with cilantro and limes from Gilbert Quintos Farm for this unique peacamole.

Like other legumes, peas are packed with protein and fiber, especially in proportion to their low total calories. But fresh peas also contain antioxidants called phytonutrients and a generous helping of omega-3 acids. The next time you think of a healthy green side dish, visualize whirled peas.

Savor the sweet taste of spring in fresh, green English peas from JR Organics and Maciel Farm at the Little Italy Mercato. Sautee them with a little green garlic from Schaner Farms and southern California olive oil from the Farmer’s Daughter, or blend them into a cool, chilled pea soup with fresh spring herbs like mint, basil, parsley or even cilantro from Rivera’s Treasure Garden.

Mix them into a seafood paella with locally caught fish and shellfish from the Salmon Slinger or Poppa’s Fresh Fish. Look for pea tendrils at Vang’s Farm and stir-fry them with oyster mushrooms from Suzie’s Farm, or pick up sugar snap peas at Second Chance Farms and dunk them in raw, vegan Majestic Garlic spread, cilantro-chili Bitchin’ Sauce, or H&B Guac Shack’s avocado dip.

Peas out!

THEY'RE BAAACK

You say po-tay-toe, we say hooray! Potatoes have finally returned to the Little Italy Mercato and we couldn't be happier. Just as the weather warms, so do our hearts now that Polito Family Farms - yes, your trusty citrus vendor - recently cross certified with Weiser Family Farms to bring the little spuds to the masses every Saturday. Delicate little fingerlings in banana tones and rosy hues, ready to become your next market staple. We see a future full of potato salads, potatoes roasted and served next to a nice steak from Son Rise or Da Le Ranch, and blanched minted peas from Suzie's Farm or potatoes scattered on our plate of salad nicoise. What will you be making?

BLOOM AND GROW

Have you noticed your favorite farmers are looking a little fuller these days? We're hitting the up swing of harvest season and new crops are just taking off. We're saying so long to the broccoli and deep green hues of winter and hello to the colorful bounty that's fast taking over. Find tiny sweet strawberries at JR Organics alongside their tender lettuce mixes. The squash blossoms and baby vegetables at Valdivia are as irresistible as always. Suzie's has sweet sugar snap peas and carrots in every color of the rainbow - well, almost. And the juicy Valencia oranges from Paradise Valley never get old; neither do their avocados for that matter. Not colorful enough? Grab some flowers from Maldonado and watch spring blossom in your very own home!

FRESH PEA AND MINT SOUP

This soup is creamy, bright and packed full of spring flavors. Peas and mint are a classical pairing that come together flawlessly in this soup based on a recipe from Ina Garten. Simple and lovely, it's dinner in less than an hour.

Start by chopping a few cleaned leeks and a yellow onion and sauteing them in a bit of olive oil from Bistro Blends. Once everything is nice and softened add 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you're so inclined) and bring to a boil. Add a pound or so of freshly shelled peas from Maciel & Family and cook until just tender. Take if off the heat and stir in a handful of freshly chopped mint leaves from Suzie's Farm and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Whirl away in a blender or food processor until smooth and stir in a few big spoonfuls of sour cream or creme fraiche. Serve with croutons made from Belen Bakery's ciabatta and snipped chives. Celebrate springtime.

SNACKERS & STROLLERS

We don't have to tell you that fast food, cookies and soda aren't the healthiest afternoon pick-me-ups, but sometimes when that snack attack hits you've just got to eat something. The Adams Avenue Farmer's Market has plenty to offer by way noshing and it's not just for the kids! A handful of Mexican chocolate flavored almonds from Hopkins Ag and apples from Smit will fill you with fiber and natural sweetness. Dip carrots and sugar snap peas from Suzie's Farm into one of Lisko's many flavors of hummus. Toast a slice of Belen Bakery's sunflower bread and spread it with Really Good Jam's Champagne and rose petal infused strawberry jam.  And of course, keeping your fruit bowl stocked and your crisper drawer full of veggies will provide you with healthful snacking all week long.

Beautiful weather and longer days make it easy to get healthy and fit. Combine healthy snacking with a brisk stroll to the Adams Avenue Farmers' Market from Kensingnton, Normal Heights or University Heights and you'll be in great shape for summer.

The clocks have moved forward, the sun's out longer and for later and the shoppers at the Little Italy Mercato are bustling. Though the first day of spring may technically be this Sunday, the atmosphere is definitely blossoming, and the flowers are too! The last vestiges of winter - blood oranges, kale and chard - can still be found, but the new crops are creeping in. Suzie's farm has a curly abundance of frisée lettuce and sweet pea tendrils for sauteing or salad making. Maciel & Family's English peas are perfect blanched and added to your favorite pasta carbonara recipe. Colorful arrays of heirloom and rainbow carrots shout for attention at JR Organics. Sage Mountain offers plump spring onions and bright yellow tat-soi flowers, an edible garnish, that are sure to brighten your plate and a put spring in your step. It's about time your crisper drawer experienced a seasonal makeover!

HAVE YOU BEAN TO THE ADAMS AVENUE FARMERS' MARKET?

Fresh beans are one of the true treats of spring, bursting with great green flavors that just don't survive when beans are dried or canned.  Maciel Farms has young green peas that are ready to pop out of the pod and enjoy fresh as a snack, and also make a great addition to pasta dishes and soups.  Their fava beans are a little more labor intensive; if you've never cooked them before, read about the technique here.  If it sounds like a lot of work for one person, you are getting close to the ancient secret of the fava bean; shelling beans is a family activity, something for young and old to enjoy together, a time to step back from the fast pace of modern living and enjoy the creation of a delicious dish in tune with the season.  So do yourself a fava, gather your family around the bean bowl and make something special tonight.

WHAT'S NEW AT THE MERCATO

It's true what they say about variety being the spice of life and that's why it's always exciting to see new vendors at the Little Italy Mercato. We hope a little bit of rain didn’t keep you away last Saturday, but if it did, here’s what you missed. At the top of the market check out Marine Desert Rose with pretty aprons and kitchen utensils to add to your culinary collection. Then find Nicolau Farms at the corner of Date and India with a selection of farmstead cheeses you've just goat to try! From fresh chevre to raw milk feta to an aged cheese they call Cabralinda all made with - what else - goat's milk. And somewhere between the two there is Maciel Family Farm bringing early signs of spring with fresh fava beans and peas as well as an assortment of greens, beets and radishes. How good it is!