almonds

Find fresh, unpasteurized San Joaquin Valley almonds from Hopkins AG at the San Diego Public Sunday Farmers’ Market. While almonds in grocery stores must, by law, be heat processed, these are straight from tree to hand.

You’ll also find roasted almonds in fun flavors like Mexican chocolate, honey vanilla and spicy chipotle, almond butters and pistachios too! Find more almonds at Smit Orchards, and while you’re there grab some Fuji apples, then pick up cheddar from Spring Hill Cheese Company and serve a classic fruit, nut and cheese plate.

Also try almonds stir-fried with broccoli from Suzie’s Farm and chicken from Spur Valley Ranch or tossed with roasted Brussels sprouts and kale from Maciel Farm.

Almonds are a heart-healthy food so go a little nuts!

Go nuts at the Little Italy Mercato Farmers' Market! Hopkins AG brings a wide variety of dry roasted almonds, along with 100% pure almond butter- try a smear of on your sprouted wheat bread from Belen Bakery toast in the morning for a champion's breakfast. Toss slivered almonds in a salad like this; using the beet stems or a bowl of torn watercress from Suzie's Farm instead of romaine, goat cheese feta from Nicolau Farm and roasted yellow beets from Proios Farm. Feeling extra nutty? Grab a bag of gala apples from Lone Oak Ranch and dip in a jar of your favorite flavored PB Peanut Butter!

Gilbert Quintos Family Farm has fresh picked macadamia nuts by the basket. These seasonal tree nuts have tough shells to crack, but Gilbert opens them up before he loads up the baskets, saving you the trouble. Feeling perplexed about nuts at farmers' markets? Check out a little back-story on these protein-rich treats here.

Go nuts at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market! Hopkins AG brings a wide variety of dry roasted almonds, along with 100% pure almond butter- try a smear of  on your sprouted wheat bread from Belen Bakery toast in the morning for a champion's breakfast. Toss slivered almonds in a salad like this; using the beet stems or a bowl of torn watercress from Suzie's Farm, goat cheese feta from Nicolau Farm and roasted yellow beets from Proios Farm. Feeling extra nutty? Grab a bag of gala apples from Lone Oak Ranch and dip in a jar of your favorite flavored PB Peanut Butter! 

Gilbert Quintos Family Farm has fresh picked macadamia nuts by the basket. These seasonal tree nuts have tough shells to crack, but Gilbert opens them up before he loads up the baskets, saving you the trouble. Feeling perplexed about nuts at farmers' markets? Check out a little back-story on these protein-rich treats here.

Stock up on a few pounds and try making macadamia nut butter. Since macadamia nuts are already so buttery, you don't need to add oil and the result is a smooth, delcious flavor you'll want to eat by the spoonful. 

Grab a farm fresh chicken from Descanso Valley Ranch and make a macadamia nut crusted chicken for dinner tonight. Serve a side of steamed long green beans from Rodney Kawano Farm and grab a fresh coconut from Moncai Vegan to sip while you dine. Aloha! 

Get ready for sticky fingers and sweet tastes at the Little Italy Mercato! Peaches are in full force, find just the right ones for you at Smit Orchards and Lone Oak Ranch. Grab a handful of white peaches and puree them for a classic bellini; pick up prosecco at Filippi's or Mona Lisa in Little Italy and snag a basket of ripe rasperries from Pudwill Farms.

Take a dozen donut peaches home, you'll eat half of them on the way. With the rest, halve 'em, grill 'em, slip the skins off and rest on a plate of fresh burrata from Taste Cheese, then drizzle with honey from Mikolich Bees, crimson raisins from Smit Orchards and toss with almonds from Hopkins AG. Spoon that warm mixture over fresh burrata from Taste Cheese for a delicous, decadent brunch dish.

Make a peach trifle like this, substituting brioche from Belen Bakery for the pound cake and layering with slivered almonds from Terra Bella Ranch and raspberry jam from Jackie's Jam! Or just pick up a few yellow peaches, grab a napkin and devour as you shop the market! Peach out! 

WE'RE NUTS ABOUT ALMONDS  
Pick up California grown raw, roasted, salted and flavored almonds from Smit Orchards and Hopkins AG at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market.  Toss some in your backpack whether you’re hiking Cowles Mountain or just taking the stairs to work, stash some in your desk drawer for the mid afternoon munchies, keep them on hand for a healthy snack for hungry kids.  

A handful of almonds has almost half the fiber your body needs each day, twenty grams of protein and a healthy dose of monounsaturated fats, the ones that lower levels of harmful cholesterol.  With fantastic flavors like Smit’s wasabi or orange honey and Hopkins’ peppered tomato or Mexican chocolate, there’s a perfect almond for everyone in your family.  

Sprinkle sliced almonds over stir-fried broccoli and mushrooms from Kawano Farms or a bowl of gazpacho from One Fresh Meal.  Go totally nuts and top a dish of almond-based Bitchin Sauce with crunchy crushed almonds - don’t forget celery and carrots from JR Organics for dipping. Spread some of Hopkins AG’s awesome almond butter on a slice of freshly baked Belen Bakery Date Walnut bread. Crunch on!

24 CARROT BOLD

Crunchy carrots from Kawano, Suzie’s Farm and JR Organics at the North Park Farmers’ Market make the perfect snack anytime, whether you dunk them in raw garlic spread from Majestic Garlic, hummus from Lisko or Baba Foods, or any of the delicious Bitchin’ Sauce flavors.

Toss shredded carrots with  olive oil from the California OIive,  a squeeze of fresh lemon from Gilbert Quintos or Paradise Valley and a little mustard for a classic French carrot salad; add apples, almonds and raisins from Smit Orchards to give it an American twist (but skip drowning them in mayo ala the old school cafeteria version).  

If you’d rather cook  your carrots, try this gorgeous vegetable ribbon pasta recipe; you’ll want to add zucchini from Valdivia Farms, mushrooms from Kawano and butter from Springhill Cheese Company to your shopping list.  Don’t overlook the carrots’ edible green tops; grab some green garlic from Suzie’s and almonds from Hopins AG and whip up this carrot top pesto to spread on ciabatta from Belen Bakery or, better yet, drizzle it over homemade carrot soup.  That’s a bowl of 24 carrot gold!

It's not too late to rev up the romance, just check in at the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market this Valentine's Day. 

Get in the mood with juicy, sweet strawberries from J.R. Organics, sweet Fiji Apples from Smit Orchards and some lemon quark from Springhill Cheese for dipping. Almonds are considered an aphrodisiac, even without Hopkins AG's luscious Mexican chocolate coating, so don't forget those. 

Buy two Elderberry, Lemon Curd or Red Velvet Sugar and Scribe cupcakes and toast to your happiness. 

Select a special gift from our newest vendor, Ramona Bath and Body. Choose a made-from-scratch goat milk soap, lotion or relaxing bath salts. Or tell her "Bee Mine" with cute personal sized love bears or honey sticks from Mikolich Honey, and a favorite tea from Pangea or Agora Bean & Leaf.

Of course you can’t have Valentines’ Day without flowers! Maldonado Growers, Gilbert Quintos Farms, and JR Organics all have perfect blossoms for your beloved! Or choose a unique succulent bloom from John Gilruth to make your Valentine's eyes light up.

No sweetheart to share the holiday this year? Delight your 4-legged Valentine with goodies from Natural Pet. Your furry friend will always be true, but a brand new handmade collar and a bag of all natural treats couldn't hurt. Love the one you're with!

SHOP & SCORE!

Score a touchdown with your football buddies by shopping the Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers’ Market before the big game this Sunday. Those “lucky” enough to attend the Super Bowl this year will be bundled up in big coats, hats and mittens in Indianapolis with a high temperature predicted to be 38 degrees. We’ll be the real lucky ones here in sunny San Diego, enjoying the game in Tees and sandals!

Start with appetizers and snacks; grab a few baguettes from Belen Bread and a bottle of infused olive oil from Bistro Blends for dipping, snag some sweet dates from Morocco Gold Dates and fill your shopping bag with scarlet grapes from Smit Orchard. Forget the fried potato chips and heavy cream dips! Pick up some crunchy carrots, celery and sugar snap peas from J.R. Organics to dip in sprouted hummus from Majestic Garlic or pesto-flavored Bitchin’ Sauce. While you’re at the Bitchin’ booth, grab some extra tubs to spread on your pre-game sandwiches, grilled chicken or fish!

Paradise Valley Ranch has you covered for guacamole. Ask them for fresh limes and  3 or 4 avocados that were just picked and not quite ripe, stick them in a paper bag when you get home and they’ll be ready to mash by game day. Rodney Kawano Farm has your tomatoes, and Maciel farms can supply the cilantro and jalapenos to kick up your favorite guac recipe. We like this one with or without the bacon.

Not hosting the game this year? Grab a gift tin of Honey Cinnamon, Chipotle and Spicy Lime roasted almonds from Hopkins AG and a bouquet of gorgeous flowers from Maldonado Flowers for the host. You’ll be named Most Valuable Guest for sure!

Strozzapreti in Pesto di Rucola e Mandorle (AKA: tantalizing, delicious pesto and arugula pasta)

Chef Fabrizio Cavallini from Bencotto Italian Kitchen will make fresh strozzapreti pasta from scratch during the Festa, and if you're sharp, you'll take notes and buy your own ingredients to duplicate his dish at home. You'll need a good amount of flour, extra virgin olive oil either from Marian's or Gianni's stand, fresh eggs from Schaner or Paradise Valley Ranch, and peppery arugula from Vang or Sage Mountain Farm. Also, pick up some raw or roasted almonds from Hopkins AG and a head of fresh heirloom garlic  from Sage Mountain or Maciel & Family. The pesto should be blended together slowly until its a smooth, pasty consistency. The pasta dough should be kneaded together (with just a pinch of salt) until it feels smooth and elastic. 

Enjoy this dish with a nice glass of wine from Mona Lisa's as you recall all the fun events from your day at the Festa!

PACK IN THE PROTEIN

Ever wonder if the food you eat gives you enough of that prized possession, protein? You've got options folks! The Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers' Market has all of them stacked and ready to go so you can pack your meals with a protein punch.

If you're feeling carnivorous, try out a delicious rainbow sushi roll or pick up a filet of just caught fish from Miss Sushi. Maybe meat isn't in your diet? Make a fresh summer salad with lima beans and corn and cilantro, topped with shaved broccoli stems from Maciel and Family. How about snacking on a handful of raw almonds from Hopkins AG to carry you through your day, or try adding fresh walnuts from Nicolau Farm to a pile of Suzie's fresh arugula and roasted beets. There's always your traditional on-the-go meal by smearing some cinnamon infused peanut butter from PB Peanut Butter all over a toasted slice of sunflower flaxseed multigrain baked by Belen Bread. Give your breakfast a boost and smother a good helping of Bitchin' Sauce's pesto over poached eggs and avocado slices from Paradise Valley Ranch or dip fresh carrots and cucumbers from Suzie's Farm in Majestic Garlic's rich, vegan curry hummus. However you do it, you're sure to feel good eating straight from the market!