Memorial Weekend was slow for me. I had been to see Ron on Friday, had dinner with my mom in LA on Friday night, and came home the same night. I was home for the weekend and had very little planned, so after my pool workout on Sunday morning I stopped by the Leucadia Farmers' Market. It's located on the campus of the Paul Ecke Elementary School on Vulcan, just south of Leucadia Blvd. I've written about it before, but every time I go there seems to be more to buy.
I came back with a big sack of groceries and some great ideas. I also saw and bought some new produce, never before seen by me. So here I go, I've got lots to tell you about.
New produce and products. Susie's Farm sells all kinds of sprouts, mung beans, peanuts, garbanzos, dandelions, and popcorn sprouts. I had never seen or heard of popcorn sprouts before, but after sampling them, I had to have them. When the corn stalk first sprouts, there is a grassy sprout which they harvest and sell as popcorn sprouts. It has a distinctive corn flavor, but is like a grass. I'm going to sprinkle some on salad. The gal told me not to eat too much at one time because it is a grass, and it may be difficut to digest. Anyway, I learned about something new. Red walnuts was another product I had never seen before. They look just like regular walnuts, but are a deep red color. I didn't buy them, but will when I need nuts. The third and most delicious thing I bought was a green drink from Morning Star Ranch called "Green Drink." The farm is strictly organic, and grows everything from avocados to grapefruits and lots of green veggies. They're located in Valley Center. The green drink is a delicious blend of nine different vegetables including spinach, swiss chard, kale and collards. To this they add a bit of grapefruit, apple, flax seed and sweeten it slightly with agave. It is fantastic. I bought the 32 ounce bottle for $9. Sounds like a lot, but it was really good.
Plants. The Farmers Market has several stands selling flowers, plants and garden products. For $30 you can buy a large terra cotta planter filled to the brim with every imaginable herb. This was a great deal, and for those who don't like to garden or don't have much space, this was a fantastic buy. I was tempted, even though I have so much growing in my own garden. The other wonderful booth that gave me lots of ideas was a gal selling succlent plants and arrangements. She makes the succulent wreaths, but had some new ideas I had not seen before. She took something like a narrow wire kitchen rack, filled it with moss and made a succulent hanger. Then she put a hook on it and hung it up. Beautiful and easy to do.
Prepared foods. One of the best things to do is to go to the market around 11, stroll around for an hour, then have lunch at one of the many wonderful booths to choose from. That is if you're not too full from the samples you've been eating all morning. Favorite booths of mine include the crepe stand, making fresh crepes before your very eyes and filling them with everything from strawberries and whipped cream, to chicken, cheese and veggies. Yum. Another lunch I love has chicken kabobs with fresh grilled organic veggies like artichokes and asparagus, and authentic Cuban sandwiches. The sandwich consists of grilled chicken, lettuce and tomato and avocado, on a cuban roll with a little spicy sauce. It is delicious. Other great choices include fresh made tacos, Indian fusion, Middle Eastern food with pita, falafel and hummus, and hand made sausages grilled and served on a roll. There is a picnic area (shaded) with tables to eat your meal, so it's not necessary to do a balancing act.
So next time you're looking for a great way to spend a few hours alone, with friends or even husbands (they'll love it too), check out the Leucadia Farmers' Market on Sundays from 10-3. You'll come home with some great produce, locally grown, and a full stomach.
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