So, I went to an indoor farmers' market on Saturday. This place was SO much fun!! It was the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market at Russell's Garden Center. http://www.russellsgardencenter.com/wayland_winter_mkt.html I found a ton of cool things to try and can't wait to go back! There were homemade marshmallows in all different flavors (I tried an orange flavored one on my hot chocolate--delicious!!) There is a place that makes and bottles their own root beer, another one that imports olive oil from Italy, and booths selling locally-raised meat, bread and pastries, cheese and also vegetables. It is definitely popular, so it may be a little crowded with kids, but as long as you know that going into it, they will have fun too.
What vegetable did I procure from this market, you ask? Kohlrabi. What??? Yes, Kohlrabi. It is a type of turnip (German Turnip). It grows above ground, but is similar in texture to root vegetables. The farmer told me it can take on the flavors of anything it is cooked with, so it is good cooked with things like pot roast and roasted chicken. It can be eaten raw, steamed or roasted. I was not so adventurous to try it raw, so I decided to roast it with garlic and olive oil. I peeled the outside of it, and cut it into "fries", looked kind of like french fries when I was done. Then, big moment came and I tried it when we sat down to dinner. It...really...wasn't that bad!!! It tasted similar to broccoli stalks, but a little milder. My husband said he thought it seemed like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Both kids tried it, my son wasn't crazy about it, but my daughter liked it! I will definitely try to work it into our dinners again sometime soon. I looked up the health benefits online, and found Kohlrabi is a good source of fiber, B-vitamins and numerous phytochemicals. Give it a try--you might find something new to add to dinners!
One last thing I wanted to mention about the market--the vendors there were all super-nice! I asked a lot of questions, and everyone was happy to take the time to answer each one. One farmer even gave me a free vegetable to try (Honey Nut Squash--ever heard of it? Neither have I!) I walked in very intimidated, but I was impressed how friendly and informative everyone was. So, I challenge all of YOU to try this as well. You may be surprised at what you learn or how much fun you have!
My goal this week for my family is a simple one, but one that often gets lost in the daily shuffle. I (along with the rest of my family) am going to increase our water intake. I'll let you know how it goes. Have a great week!
No comments:
Post a Comment