We both have daughters who are active in environmental causes.  They are particularly passionate about food – more specifically, where food comes from and where we find it.   Both have worked on organic farms and helped create urban markets, and they have spent countless hours teaching us, literally begging us, to listen to what they have learned, trying to make it easy for us to “start small,” that is, to change just a few habits at a time!  One of the habits we find easiest to adhere to is the “buy local” one.

It makes perfect sense, right?  Why pay for apples that are shipped in from Washington or avocados from Mexico if we can get them from a local source?  By buying local, we get a just-picked product without all the “extras” that may be added to keep them fresh on their trip across the country, so it’s good for us and good for the local farmers who are trying desperately to make a living.

Here’s a link to our Santa Barbara Farmers’ Market Schedule.

And here are three simple bistro salads starring a few farmers’ market vegetables that are readily available now. 

Grated Carrot Salad

(from Fresh from the Farmers’ Market by Janet Fletcher)

½ pound carrots
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons chives, chopped
Salt

Peel carrots; grate on the large-holed side of a four-sided grater.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, chives, and salt to taste.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

 Grated Beet Salad

(from Fresh from the Farmers’ Market by Janet Fletcher)

¾ pound beets (3 medium or 2 large)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Remove beet greens and all but 1/2 inch of the stems and reserve for another use.  Put beets in a baking dish with ¼ cup water.  Cover and bake until a small knife slips in easily – about 50 minutes for medium beets.  Cool slightly, then peel.  Let cool completely.  Grate the beets on the large-holed side of a four-sided grater.  Transfer to a bowl.  Stir in olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic and salt to taste.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

 Marinated Fennel Salad

(from Fresh from the Farmers’ Market by Janet Fletcher)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
½ tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk to blend.  Remove fennel stalks, if attached.  Halve fennel bulbs lengthwise.  Cut away core.  If outer layer of bulb half seems tough or fibrous, remove it.  Lay each half cut side down and slice crosswise as thinly as possible.  Transfer sliced fennel to bowl with dressing and toss to coat.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Let stand 30 minutes before serving.