After a debaucherous week of eating in San Francisco, I needed to get back to fit and fiber. So last Sunday, I went to the Alhambra Farmer's Market in search for some cooking inspiration. What I found was an enormous variety of produce, and a renewed excitement for the simple goodness of vegetables.
Beets, jalapenos, cilantro, lemons, artichokes, sugar snap peas, green beans, sweet corn, red bell peppers and spring mix all went straight to my head - so many ideas! I just had to get home fast else risk forgetting all the wonderful combinations and recipes that were flooding my brain.
With the jalapeno and cilantro, I made a paste to rub on some red snapper I had purchased the day before. I let it marinate for a few hours then popped it in the oven. The beets went straight onto a roasting pan and got a good dash of sea salt; they went perfectly with the spring mix I bought and the goat cheese I already had in the fridge.
The artichokes, red pepper, onions and sweet corn became a stuffed artichoke heart dish. I mixed the vegetables with some spicy quinoa I had made and added a bit of lemon zest for balance and flavor. The lemon also came in handy for the hearts; add them to the boiling water to avoid discoloration of the tender artichoke hearts.
The snap peas and green beans? They served as the perfect side dish to my snapper and artichoke heart dinner. After a week of eating like this, I felt back to my normal self.
Tomorrow I will go again for more fresh inspiration. Let's see what next week brings...
