A great family friendly and refreshing activity is shopping your local farmers market for what you would normally purchase at the grocery store. Personally, I’ve been frequenting the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market on Saturdays, 8:30-1pm. You’ll find quite the wonderful array of locally grown, pesticide-free, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, grains and nuts at McClendon’s Select Farms. If you happen to miss the McClendon’s farmers market on Saturday, you can catch it on Wednesdays in the Town & Country Shopping Center 8:30-2pm. McClendon’s Select is my favorite vendor. I’ve always been satisfied with their prices and my fruits and veggies. (Check their website for closing dates since the hot summer is approaching.)
Among McClendon’s, Old Town farmers market features many vendors selling fresh flowers, eggs, jams, breads, cheese, pastries and beef. Bring your pets, kids, and husbands. Or grab a java and come by yourself for some free time! Another one of my favorites is to pick up some delicious bread for dinner that night! A great way to support your local farmer is simply by feeding yourself and your family unprocessed food.
After a fun outdoors shopping trip for your food for the week, take a few minutes to prep some veggies so they become an easy snack option. Then, try this recipe out for a happy tummy! Always remember when cooking to trust your instincts and have fun! Throw on an apron and turn up the jams! Here’s two recipes that are hits in our house:
William’s Favorite Chicken
Ingredients:
· 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
· 2 T. flour
· Dash of salt
· Dash of pepper
· Dash of paprika
· 2 shallots, chopped
· ½ cup white wine
· 1 cup chicken broth
Directions:
1. Combine flour, salt, pepper, & paprika in a small bowl.
2. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture and place in a skillet to cook.
3. When all chicken is cooked, put on a plate and leave to the side.
4. Add chopped shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
5. Then add the white wine and let it cook out, 3-4 minutes.
6. Add chicken broth.
7. Season with same spices that are on chicken.
8. Serve sauce over chicken.
*For a vegetarian meal, the sauce would be divine over some steamed veggies!
A quick side dish:
1. Slice some veggies you bought at the farmers market into big chunks. (zuchinni, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, peppers, yellow squash)
2. Heat a pan on medium over the stove.
3. Add 2 T extra virgin olive oil.
4. Place all veggies into pan.
5. Season with salt, pepper, & thyme.
6. Cook 7-10 minutes depending on how soft you like your veggies.
Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, you can make a delicious, low-fat pizza!
Low-Fat Pizza
Ingredients.
Pita Bread
Pesto Sauce or Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Trader Joe’s)
Leftover Chicken (diced)
Leftover Veggies
Mozzarella
Directions.
1. Use pita bread instead of pizza crust.
2. Spread either sauce lightly on top of whole pita
3. Top with leftover cut up chicken.
4. Top with sliced mozzarella. (When mozzarella is sliced, you won’t use as much cheese as opposed to cutting from a cheese log.)
5. Top with leftover veggies.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
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Jenet is joyfully married to hubby William. She loves spending her days at home with Carter (7mo) and furry friend Colton (2yr). In her spare time Jenet loves to cook, read, bargain shop and dive into
crafts. Learn more about Jenet here.
