Coastal Alabama Farmers & Fishermens Market

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Located in Foley, Alabama


More Than Food on Display
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Follow Me To The Market!

 

More Than Food on Display

There is more to the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market than a bounty of locally sourced fruit, vegetables, seafood, and baked goods.  Visit the market and take in what local artisans have to offer.

ARTISAN:  A person skilled in an applied art; a craftsperson. A person or company that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods. From Dictionary.com

I think there is one word missing from that definition…Creativity.  I am amazed at the level of creativity displayed by the local artisans.  If you are looking for unique items to decorate your home, condo, beach house, or apartment or searching for unique gifts for someone special or even yourself, stop by the market and check it out.  You won’t be disappointed!

You can make so many people happy when you buy local.

 

JJG


Baba Ganoush
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Follow Me To The Market


I can still remember the first time I had Baba Ganoush, a Lebanese appetizer made with
eggplant. It was at the Almontaser Restaurant on Court Street in the Cobble Hill section of
Brooklyn in the late 1970’s. The Amontaser has long been closed but the fond memories of
some of the best Mediterranean food I have ever had linger on.
The base recipe for Baba Ganoush consists of roasted eggplant, tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice,
and salt. From there it is easy to get creative. Our go to recipe comes from a very old Sunday
New York Times magazine and is a family favorite. Thanks go to George Watkins for the
beautiful eggplant, Knievil Farms for the Shishito peppers and Rosetta Bakes for the Naan.


Mediterranean Eggplant Dip
2 pounds eggplant
2 cloves of garlic pressed
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup chopped tomatoes
10 red and/or green mini peppers diced
5 green onions sliced
¼ chopped parsley
1 tablespoon seasoned salt


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spear the eggplants with knife or fork so that they don’t explode in the oven. Bake until
a knife goes into them with no resistance.
3. Slice the eggplants in half and remove the flesh from the skin and puree in a food
processor.
4. When the puree has cooled, add the remaining ingredients and refrigerate for about an
hour to let the flavors meld.
5. Serve the dip with toasted wedges of pita bread or naan.
6. Enjoy!


Buy Local and Eat Fresh!
JJG


Follow Me To The Market
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Follow Me To The Market


I could never resist a farmers’ market. I enjoy checking out what the local vendors have brought
to market, taking some time to meet them and then planning a menu. Right here in our own
backyard, Baldwin County has a real gem in the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen’s
Market in Foley.
 

It’s Summertime and the living is supposed to be easy. So, something easy that doesn’t require a lot of prep time is high on the list. Four vendors helped create the dinner menu tonight: SHRIMP on the GO, Forland Family Farm, Sweet Bee Farm, and Mood Rock Baking.


On the Menu:
Sesame Seared Tuna (SHRIMP on the GO and Sweet Bee Farm)
Sweet Corn (Forland Family Farm)
Curried Brown Rice
Grilled Peaches (Forland Family Farm)
Lemon French Macarons (Gluten-Free) (Mood Rock Baking)


The tuna, sweet corn and peaches can all go on the outdoor grill.


Sesame Seared Tuna
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Up to four Tuna steaks
½ cup sesame seeds
1. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Divide into two equal parts. Stir the rice vinegar into one part and set aside as a dipping sauce.
2. Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate. Coat the tuna steaks with the remaining soy sauce mixture, then press down into the sesame seeds to coat.
3. Spray grill grates with a cooking spray such as PAM and bring the grill to high heat. Place the tuna steaks on the grill and sear for about 30 - 60 seconds on each side. Serve with the dipping sauce and if you like, wasabi paste.


Buy Local and Eat Fresh!
JJG


Some Say Tomayto; Some Say Tomahto
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Some Say Tomayto; Some Say Tomahto

I say tomalicious. Besides bursting with flavor, tomatoes are packed with powerful nutrients. Your entire body can benefit from one tomato. Every bite will give you:

• Hydration: Tomatoes are about 95% water so are very hydrating with low-calorie counts. 

• Fiber: Tomatoes are an excellent source of fiber.

• Vitamins and Minerals: Tomatoes contain vitamins C and K, Folate (B9), potassium, lycopene (an antioxidant), beta-carotene (an antioxidant the body converts into vitamin A), and more.

• Health Benefits: The nutrients in tomatoes can positively effect your heart, cholesterol levels, blood vessels, eyes, skin, energy level, blood sugar, and mood.

For the best-tasting tomatoes, look for locally grown because they are allowed to naturally mature rather than being artificially ripened with chemicals. Visit Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen's Market every Tuesday in July from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. for a tomato sandwich. Some will say tomayto; some will say tomahto. Your taste buds and body will say thank you.

 

L.Tetley


Encourage Your Kids to Become Fruit and Veggie Connoisseurs (Author: Kristin Louis)
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Instead of joining the hoards of parents who are helping make their children connoisseurs of fast food, why not get your children started early on becoming fruit and veggie experts instead. According to the author of Fast Food Nation Eric Schlosser, Americans spent around $6 billion on fast food in the 70s, and today that figure has climbed to well over $100 billion. We’re now spending more money on fast food then we do on higher education or a new car. In fact, he reports that we’re “eating ourselves to death” as we’ve spent more money on junk food than books, magazines, newspapers, videos and music combined.

As parents, you can prevent the cycle that’s leading to the nation’s obesity crisis by teaching your child healthy eating habits. According to the study Influences on the Development of Children's Eating Behaviours: From Infancy to Adolescence, our eating behaviors are formed during the early years; that is when we learn, “what, when, and how much” to eat. 

To help your child develop a love for fruits and veggies you may need to lean on a little bit of creative thinking. Let’s face it, not all kids see the joy in selecting a juicy, soft peach over a crispy, warm French fry.

Here are a few effective ways to get your child to be fruit and veggie connoisseurs.

Visit A Local Farmers Market

Visiting a farmers market gives children a chance to meet local growers and see the kinds of fruits and veggies they’re growing. Help them learn how to identify the different fruits and veggies and share recipes. Also, give them a wallet or a purse and let them shop for which new, unique types of produce they want to try.

Get Them In The Kitchen

After they’ve shopped for their healthy choices, set up time in the kitchen where you can work on recipes or preparations that include what they’ve chosen. For example, if they chose peaches, teach them how to make peach cobbler. Or, have them husk corn on the cob for dinner. They become more invested in the end product when they help buy and prepare it. And teaching children to cook may help them become healthier eaters.

Experiment With Recipes

Once you’ve introduced your child to cooking, take it to the next level and work together to find fun and flavorful recipes that include fruits or vegetables. Teach them how to make chocolate chip zucchini bread, blueberry muffins, a yummy stir fry, fun colorful shish kabobs, fruit smoothies or a creative fruit dip.

Make Food Fun

Sure you may not be keen on letting your child play with their food, but allowing them time to make artwork with colorful fruits and vegetables just might get them more interested in eating them.

Have Some Online Fun
Every parent knows children love time on a tablet or a computer playing games and exploring. Take time to show them the educational side of the internet by visiting sites that teach about certain subjects such as healthy eating. 
Fruits & Veggies More Matters is a great website designed by Produce for Better Health Foundation to encourage the consumption of healthy fruits and veggies.

Don’t Give Up

As easy as it is to just want to throw in the towel when your child turns their nose up, research shows that if you stick with it eight to 10 times by insisting they try one or two bites, eventually they’ll accept that food.

Instead of “eating yourself to death” like Schlosser suggests we’re doing, work with your children to help them “eat themselves healthy.” Form a foundation early for understanding the health benefits of eating a nutritious diet. Explain how it staves off disease, how it improves their mood, how it keeps their weight in check, and even how it helps them learn better. And remember, if you teach them to be healthy eaters, they’ll also be modeling healthy eating for their children. It’s a legacy we can all afford to pass along.

Author: Kristin Louis

Photo Credit: Pexels


Three Ch"ears" for Corn! (Author, Liz Tetley)
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Three Ch"ears" for Corn

Whether you eat it on the cob, in a salad or soup, or as a snack, corn will likely make an appearance in your summer diet. A very versatile veggie, corn is bursting with flavor and nutrients.

• Fiber: Helps you feel full longer, which will help you maintain weight control. Fiber from corn also reportedly feeds the good bacteria in your gut, which leads to a healthier you all around.

• Vitamins and antioxidants: Including those that help with vision.

• Natural sugar: But less sugar than some fruits (banana, apple, beets).

Get your locally grown corn at Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen's Market Tuesdays (2 p.m.- 6 p.m.) and Saturdays (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.). Join us for the 2nd Annual Corn Fest on Saturday, June 16th (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) featuring a classic car show, crafts for kids, and a corn eating contest. 

SPONSORED BY: Bryant Bank

L. Tetley


Keeping Earth Healthy Too

Our planet provides us with soil, water, and other natural resources we need to grow food and create useful products for health and beauty. In the pursuit of healthy eating, don’t forget to keep the earth healthy too. 

The best way to keep Earth healthy is to buy from your local farmer’s market. Food and products there have fewer or no harmful chemicals because they were grown locally. Food traveling a long way to get to your table has chemicals added to it to keep it fresh. It also has to be packaged to protect it along the way. All the extra packaging ends up in landfills emitting chemicals that pollute the soil and eventually water as it slowly decomposes. Traveling long distances increases foods’ chances of being contaminated along the way. 

Vendors at local markets can answer any questions you have about how a food was grown and how animals and seafood were raised. This is true of handcrafted and homemade products too. Craftsmen and women can tell you what materials and ingredients are in their products. 

The Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen's Market celebrates Earth Day every Tuesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. by offering a variety of items that will keep the earth healthy. 

 

-Liz tetley-


Spring into a Health Makeover

 

Want to get a head start on your “summer body”?                                                                                             

Spring into action now by visiting Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen's Market where you can start building that summer body from the inside.

Fresh food contains more and better nutrients that help your body combat common health woes like seasonal allergies and digestive issues. Since the veggies and seafood come from local sources, nothing needs to be added to keep the food fresh. The fresher the food, the better it tastes. Your taste buds will be happy. Your cells will be happy to get the best nutrients to use for their jobs. You’ll be happy with the results of looking and feeling better.

Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen's Market is stocked with a variety of veggies, fruits, seafood, and treats Stop by the market Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

 

-Liz Tetley


Heart Health Made Easy

You can get everything you need for a healthy heart at the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fisherman’s Market. The American Heart Association recommends shopping local farmers markets for seasonal fruits and veggies, eating foods in all colors, and being physically active. At Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fisherman’s Market, you can find leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, and seafood, along with other healthy foods. Don’t forget to add some dark chocolate to your basket. You don’t even have to wait for Valentine’s Day to indulge because dark chocolate has health benefits.

Just as filling your plate with healthy, locally grown, fresh produce will boost your heart health, so will the actual shopping for those foods. You’ll enjoy fresh air, a little physical activity, and interact with awesome vendors and other shoppers. Preparing your foods will add even more activity. You’ll feel better than ever and want another trip to the Coastal Alabama Farmers’ and Fisherman’s Market.

Find serving recommendations here: https://healthyforgood.heart.org/eat-smart/infographics/what-is-a-healthy-diet-recommended-serving-infographic

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
A colorful heart
Makes a healthier you.

-Liz Tetley-


Fresh Year, Fresh Food

Many people find it easier to start a new diet plan as part of the fresh start a new year offers. Stocking your kitchen with locally grown produce will set you on the road to a healthier year.
At the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen’s Market, you will find this month:Cabbage, Napa cabbage, turnip greens, collards, mustards, kale, lettuce, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, and other green, leafy vegetables and those with edible roots. Fruits include beets, strawberries, and satsumas.
Fill your basket, then your kitchen (here is a link for vegetable storage tips http://www.popsugar.com/…/How-Keep-Fruits-Vegetables-Fresh-…), then your belly with delicious and healthy foods. 
-Liz Tetley-


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