Salads, Our Way | May 30, 2022

Fresh & Local:

Salads, Our Way

May is National Salad Month, but even though lettuce varieties are phasing out of the market now that the weather is getting hotter, never fear! CCFM staff love salads just like you do, and there are lots of ways to create jaw-dropping salads with the produce that is currently at market. Some of our favorites:

• Beets: roast them or shred them raw and mix them up with a simple vinaigrette and some of the delicious goat cheese from Huckleberry’s Creamery
• Kale: kale is still here to help you “eat your greens,” and is great in simple salads like caesars, or try massaging it and then dress it with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and parmesan
• Eggplant and squash: they grill up beautifully and then are great when added to a pasta or a grain-based salad
• Cucumbers: so delicious chopped and mixed with some of the tasty herbs in abundance at market right now.
• Sweet potatoes: everyone loves a classic potato salad with white potatoes, but sweet potatoes also make great salads, and why not add some pecans from Indian Springs Farmers Association or bacon from T&R Dairy while you’re at it?
• Tomatoes: we have entered tomato season at last! Check out the tasty recipe for a Roasted Tomato and Bread Salad (Panzanella) with tomatoes in the Recipe of the Week section below!

Picks of the Week:

June Marketeers Meetup: Celebrating Pollinators!

Marketeers Club is a free membership program for market shoppers under 12. Members are invited to participate in monthly market activities and they will receive a special token of appreciation on their birthday. To become a member fill out this simple membership form. Please join us for our upcoming event, Sunday June 5th at New Orleans City Park, Tad Gormley Stadium 8:00 am - Noon. This month’s meetup is all about celebrating pollinators! June is National Pollinator Month and June 20th-26th is National Pollinator Week. Marketeers will have an opportunity to create a clothespin butterfly, bring to life a Louisiana Honey Bee coloring sheet, and more! We hope to see you there.

More Money + Nutritious Food

Incentivizing the purchase of fruits and vegetables at farmers markets has shown to be a wise investment. Not only does it address food security by making fresh food more affordable, it also delivers economic impact for farmers and the community overall.

Market Match offers dollar-for-dollar match (up to $60 per market visit) on all EBT/SNAP purchases. If you receive SNAP, the USDA program also known as Food Stamps, then you are eligible to be a Market Match shopper! Market Match is also available through our partners River Queen Greens, Grow Dat Youth Farm, Top Box Foods, and all CCFM locations.

Farmers Market Nutrition Program is Back!

In an effort to increase access to fresh foods and support local agriculture, the USDA and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry work together to administer the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). Through this program electronic incentives worth $28 are distributed to low-income seniors and WIC recipients, that can be spent with Louisiana farmers at roadside produce stands, CSAs, and area farmers markets including all the Crescent City Farmers Market locations. Incentives can be used to purchase fresh produce and herbs (seniors can also purchase honey) and can be accepted by any FMNP certified vendor in our market. Not to mention, we will Match your incentive dollar for dollar when used at any CCFM location.

These incentives are available for low-income seniors (over the age of 60) and to families who participate in the WIC program. Incentives are available for distribution now and valid through November. For information on eligibility or how to receive the incentive check out our FMNP page.

Vendor of the Week:

Machine Lady Concessions

We’re excited to welcome to market popcorn poppin’ mom Tiara Expose, owner and founder of Machine Lady Concessions! Machine Lady Concessions serves the freshest popcorn, inspired by New Orleans culture and its flavors, locally and nationwide. Starting in 2016 with her first and most popular flavor Machine Lady Mix (butter popcorn with toffee peanuts and M&M’s), Machine Lady Concessions makes sure to use the highest quality ingredients in all of their “fun foods.” Nine flavors later and they are still giving the best customer service and satisfying popcorn lovers all over the world! Machine Lady Concessions is at market Tuesday and Thursday and available for smaller and larger events. Support this one woman show and swing by market to get some of the best popcorn you’ll ever have!

Recipe of the Week:

Roasted Tomato and Bread Salad (Panzanella)

As tomatoes and fresh herbs continue to be plentiful at CCFM markets, why not combine them with some of your bread from the market that may be past its prime, and add a couple pantry staples to reinvent them into this fantastic salad? Give it a try, and you’ll be hooked on this delicious flavor and texture combination.

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!