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45+ Farmers’ Market Recipes

45+ Farmers’ Market Recipes for all of that fresh produce. Recipe links for sweet and savoury recipes, jams, pickles and more. When the markets are full of fresh produce, baking and cooking is easier than ever.

My absolute favourite part of summer is being able to access loads of locally grown produce.  There is nothing like being able to eat veggies and fruit straight from the garden or orchard…the taste alone is worth waiting for.  It’s like you can taste the sunshine in them.  Over the course of the summer months, and into the fall, we will visit our local farmers markets many times and stock up on as much seasonal produce as we can.  I buy bags full of fresh potatoes, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, herbs, fruit, tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions…I could go on and on.

45+ Farmers' Market Recipes this recipe!

Don’t Let Your Farmers’ Market Produce Go To Waste!

The challenge for me then becomes making sure I don’t let any of it go to waste.  It feels terrible to look in the crisper and see wilted and rotten produce.  Over the years I have gotten better at not letting this happen by making sure I serve tonnes of veggies at dinner, or bake pies or make jam with ripe fruit, and I’ll freeze or dry whatever I can.  But waste happens.  So I try really hard to make sure I use up as much as I can.

So much produce, so many delicious possibilities!

Where I find the most joy with all this produce at my fingertips, is being able to create new dishes and serve up family favourite recipes.  I find that I go back to many of the same recipes every summer, which I look forward to, so I thought I would share them with you as well!  These are dishes and desserts that I will make many times over the summer, things like pies, cakes, skillets, salads…you name it.  I hope you can find something delicious to make with all of your farmers market goodies too!

45+ Farmers’ Market Recipes and Meal Ideas

45+ Farmers' Market Recipes

Carrots

Fresh carrots are the best eaten raw right from the garden, don’t you think?  There’s no flavour like a summer carrot.  Carrots are a staple vegetable around here that appear at many dinners, and I use them in a lot of other dishes too.  Here are some recipe ideas:

Basil

45+ Farmers' Market Recipes

Beets

Beets are SO delicious…I often wonder why don’t people love them more!  We enjoy them roasted with butter and salt & pepper, but there are more great ways to enjoy beets.  Here are some recipe ideas:

Swiss Chard

  • One of my favourite ways to enjoy swiss chard is to saute it with butter.  I just melt about 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan, add a large bunch of chard and about 1 tbsp or so of water and saute over medium heat.
  • Swiss Chard is also a great substitute for spinach in recipes.
  • Make this delicious Ground Chicken Bake with Spinach or Swiss Chard

45+ Farmers' Market Recipes

Zucchini

Zucchini is probably my most favourite summer crop, and I use it in SO many recipes because of it’s versatility.  My most favourite is likely this Zucchini, Cheddar Cheese & Chive Buttermilk Quick Bread.  Here are more great zucchini recipes:

Baskets of freshly dug purple and white potatoes

Potatoes

There are no potatoes quite like garden fresh potatoes, which I think are best boiled and served with butter and fresh dill.  Mmmm.  Here are more of our favourite potato recipes:

 

Peppers

SO many varieties of peppers, so many possibilities!  Peppers are a delicious addition to soups, stews, salads and many dinner recipes!

Green Beans

Oh garden fresh green beans, how do I love thee?  Lightly steamed and served with a little butter, seriously so good.

45+ Farmers' Market Recipes

Tomatoes

Summer tomatoes are where it’s at though.  The flavour of them during this time of year is unbeatable…they do in fact taste like the sun and summer breeze.  Sweet and delicious.  I love to add them to salads, serve them up as snacks, toss them in sauces and soups.  Here are some of my favourite tomato recipes:

Onions

  • If you have loads of onion greens and onions, freeze them!  I will chop up white or purple onions then put them into a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer.  It’s really handy to have ready-to-use onions!
  • You can do the same with the greens of onions.
  • Make French Onion Soup!
  • This recipe for Festive Onion Casserole is a great recipe for farm fresh onions.

Garlic and Garlic Scapes

  • Freeze fresh peeled garlic cloves.  I like to buy bunches of garlic, peel the skins and place the cloves on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once they’re frozen, transfer the cloves to a ziplock bag and now you have fresh garlic at your fingertips all year round.
  • Saute fresh garlic scapes with Swiss chard or spinach, for a delicious summer side dish.
  • Add garlic scapes to this Carrot Top + Garlic Scape Pesto

45+ Farmers' Market Recipes

Squash

Lettuce

Corn

Fresh Summer Fruit

You just can’t beat all the fresh fruit available in the summer!  Eat it as is, throw it in smoothies, bake with it…endless deliciousness.  Here are some ideas to get you cooking and baking:

Whisk

I hope you now feel inspired to visit your farmers market and stock up on produce!  Yum.

Thank you for PINNING!

45+ Farmers' Market Recipe Ideas

Have a delicious day!

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I'm Jo-Anna Rooney, the creator, director, baker, maker and home decorator here at A Pretty Life! Sharing a simple home life through uncomplicated home tips, home decor and fresh and easy recipes.

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2 Comments

  • Reply
    Suzanne
    May 3, 2019 at 11:38 AM

    This is so helpful! It is so easy to return from the farmers market with a bunch of beautiful veggies and no plan! I can’t wait to try these!

  • Reply
    Vanessa
    May 3, 2019 at 11:39 AM

    Thanks for sharing! This is a nice mix of meal types too!

    • Leave a Reply