12 Terrific Resolutions for 2012!

1. Take your bicycle out of the shed. Use it more this year. If you don't have a bicycle, how about popping by I HeartBikes on the waterfront and renting one for an afternoon or take a drive out to Tantallon, visit the Bike and Bean, rent a bicycle and hit the the rails to trails track along the South Shore.

2. Eat your greens! All kinds... and while you are at it, eat yellow and orange and red and blue! The more colourful your diet the healthier you will be!

Have vegetables with a homemade low-fat dip for a snack.
Add extra veggies to casseroles, stews and soups.
Keep a bowl of apples, bananas and/or oranges on the table.
Have a side salad with a variety of leafy greens every day.
Bake with raisin, date or prune puree to reduce fat and increase fiber.
Add lettuce, onions, peppers, cukes and/or tomatoes to sandwiches.
Order veggie toppings on your pizza.
Enjoy fruit smoothies for breakfast or snacks.
Pack fresh or dried fruits for quick snacks.
Keep cleaned fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, ready for action.

3. Buy LOCAL! Purchase seasonal and local fruits and vegetables. Keep your money in your own community! As tempting as it might be to have strawberries in January, they have been imported halfway around the world at great environmental cost. Reasearch what is naturally grown in this area and you'll also rediscover the pleasure of meals changing with the seasons! Talk to your farmers at the market.

4. Spend more time outside! So many reasons to do so! Enjoy fresh air, local parks and gardens. Come visit our rooftop and soak up some harbour views. Your soul will thank you!

5. Stop sitting so much!!!! Scary new data!

6. Don't forget the little things. Switch your light bulbs, look for products made from recycled materials, buy energy efficient electronics and appliances, go paperless, conserve heat and water ( lower your thermostat and put on a sweater, turn off the tap when brushing your teeth)

5. If you are a meat eater, purchase happy meat. Animals that are free range, grass fed and antibiotic free. Better for them, better for you.

6. Get more Omega 3 into your diet! So many reasons why. Salmon is an excellent choice and flax seed too.

7. Stop stressing and start breathing! Breathe deeply for five minutes a day. To do it, stand or sit in quietly, close your eyes, and simply notice your breath, without attempting to modify it. Then try this:
Breathing through your nose,take a deep breath,as low into the belly as you can, pause,then exhale fully, pausing again. Make each inhale and exhale last for five counts. Do it five times. Eventually, work up to 10, 20, or even 30 breaths. Feel better?

8. Stay in touch with friends and family! Reconnect. They keep us grounded. Why not make plans to meet at the market? Have a bite to eat and catch up. xoxox

9. Take care of your teeth! Your body will thank you. Good for more than just a pretty smile.

10. Volunteer! Somewhere, there is an organization or person that needs YOUR help!

11. Learn something new. How to program the remote control, raise chickens, plant an herb garden, play harmonica! it is up to you:) You can start here.

12. Stop.... and.... smell.... the.... salty air! Life goes by altogether too quicky! Before we know it it will be time for 2013 thoughts. Have a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous year!

Photos: Shelagh Duffett

Seasons Greetings!

May your days be merry and bright..........

11 days before Christmas!

Christmas is nigh! This is a print from one of our artists at the market, Shelagh Duffett. You can get LOTS of great gifts here at the market this time of year, as well as stock up on ALL your Holiday foodstuffs and delicious drinks and greenery and....so much more! Really you can do it all and fulfill your pledge of shopping locally.

Santa will be paying the market a visit tomorrow (Sat.). Keep a lookout for him between 11 am and 2 pm on Saturday, Dec.17 th.

We are also collecting gently used coats for the Salavation Army. Bring your warm coats to the market and put them in the box at the South Entrance near Noggins Corner Farm.

Do you have somebody on your list that is hard to buy for? Why not give them one of our MARKET GIFT CERTIFICATES! They come in denominations of $5, $10 and $25. All vendors will accept them. They can be purchesd at the main office upstairs or you can ask at the info desk under the main staircase.

We are OPEN next Saturday, Christmas Eve until 1pm !

On Thursdays, we now have live music to eat your lunch by. The Boulevard Eateries are open throughout the week every day except Monday. This Thursday on December 22nd it will be Modern Grass again. What a fun group!

And as always....Friday is our INTERNATIONAL Day. Enjoy food from around the world with our eclectic bunch of food vendors.

There are also a few craft vendors here these days leading up to Christmas, so pop by, have some lunch and enjoy a chat.

Sunrise and Moroccan Stew

These days it is easy to catch a sunrise like this at the market! We open at 7am on Saturdays and 8am on Sundays. This Saturday, the sunrise is at 7:40 am. It is one minute later each day.

Perfect days for comfort food. This is a delicious Moroccan Stew, full of exotic warm flavours and not so exotic ingredients.
Market shopping list: beef, onion, garlic, parsnip, sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots

Slow Cooker Moroccan Beef Stew

1.5 pound stewing beef, chopped into bite sized pieces, 750 gr
1/4 cup all purpose flour, 50 mL
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 parsnip, chopped
1 sweet potato , chopped
1/2 small butternut squash,chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 28oz can tomatoes, chopped, 796 ml
1/2 cup raisins 125 ml
1 tsp grated fresh ginger 5ml
1/2 tsp cinnamon, 5ml
1 tsp cumin, 10 mL
1 tsp garam masala, 5 ml
pinch of allspice
pinch of nutmeg
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 cups beef stock 500 mL* check after a few hours, may need to add some more.
Salt and pepper to taste
(1 cup each dried apricots and pitted prunes 250 mL) optional, add with veggies
Chopped fresh parsley
Slivered almonds

Directions:
1. Toss beef with the flour in slow cooker.
2. Add all veggies, tomatoes, spices and broth......stir.
3. Cook in slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours or until meat is cooked and veggies tender.
4. Top with slivered almonds and chopped parsley. Serve over couscous, rice or mashed potatoes:) Your house will smell fantastic. * you can also cook on the stove top, done when all is soft.*

Photos: S. Duffett

Cabbage Soup....

Tomorrow is December 1st. Soup season is upon us. Comfort food...... Here is a recipe for a yummy, hearty soup using ingredients you can find at the market with a few pantry staples thrown in.

Market purchases: sausage,cabbage, leeks, carrots, parsley, rosemary

Italian Tomato, White Bean & Cabbage Soup with Sausage.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 12 ounces fully cooked sausages (about 4), halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
• 3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (about 3 cups) OR use onions instead.
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped fine
  
• 2 cups carrots, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste concentrate
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley or regular (if dried, use less)
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 8 cups low-salt chicken or veggie broth
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed,
  

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.

Add sausage and sauté until brown around edges, about 5 minutes.

Add cabbage; sauté 2 minutes. Transfer sausage and cabbage to bowl.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to same pot and heat over medium heat.

Add leeks, celery, carrots and sauté until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste, parsley, and rosemary and stir 1 minute.

Add broth, sausage/ mixture, and beans and bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*For a Vegetarian version, use a can of chickpeas or some firm tofu to replace the sausage*

Living History and a recipe

Meet Seymour LaPierre, aged 11, standing at the Halifax Cheapside Market in 1903........
Now, meet Mary Ann Lapierre, his daughter, still selling at the Halifax Market 113 years later!!!!
Yes , she is a treasure. A bit of living history! You never know what wonderful stories a person has until you chat to them. Mary Ann's grandparents had a small farm near the number 7 hwy in Preston. Seymour and his mom and sometimes dad would fill the wagon and before midnight to make the long trek to the market at Cheapside.(Just below Province House)
They would arrive at the Dartmouth ferry terminal and settle their horse in at the livery stable next to the ferry. ( It was 3 cents extra to take a horse over) they would push the wagon onto the ferry and then it was only an easy block to push it to the Cheapside market. There was also a livery on the Halifax side of the ferry terminal. This is Catherine, Mary Annn's grandmother, standing over her baskets of goods to sell. She retired from selling in 1934 and Seymour and his wife took over.
They sold turnips and potatoes, tomatoes and flowers and eggs,poultry and anything that they might be able to make a few pennies from. Knitted and sewn goods too. This is their turnip harvest!
Mary Ann told a story of the huge uproar in 1916 when the market was to be moved up the hill to "market" street where it remained for many years. The farmers were wondering how to get their produce up the big hill. The horses and oxen were their main concern.
The LaPierres have been selling at the market all these years, moving fom location to location, finally now here at the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market. Say hi to Mary Ann next time you visit us. Her booth, HillCrest Farms is in the North corner. These wonderful pictures are hers and there are many more in this treasure trove.

Here is Mary Ann's recipe for

Boiled Dinner

1 (5 1/2 pound) corned beef brisket
2 large onions
1 parsnip, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
8 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 heads cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
5 potatoes,chopped

1.Rinse the beef brisket under cold water, and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the roast by 6 inches. Peel the onions, and place them in the pot with the roast. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 30 minutes at a rolling boil.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low so that the water is at a gentle boil, cover, & cook for 3 1/2 hours.

3. Remove the lid from the brisket. Remove onions, and cut into wedges. Return them to the pot. Add carrots, turnip and parsnip to the pot, then place the cabbage over the roast. Place the lid back on the pot, and cook for another 30 minutes, until veggies are tender. Cook the potatoes separately.

4. Remove the vegetables from the pot, and place in a separate serving bowl. Keep the corned beef in the pot until ready to slice and serve because it dries out quickly.

Kale is in Season!

Wondering what to do with kale? Here is a popular recipe served up at Norbert's Good Food at Selwood Green. Kale Scramble! The taste is delicious! and good for you too!

Chop up some kale, any kind is fine, about a large handful per person and steam it until soft. About five to ten minutes. Use a tiny bit of oil in a nonstick pan or griddle and saute about half a chopped onion per person. Put the kale in and form a ring around the onion. Next, beat two eggs, add some salt and pepper and pour into the center of the kale ring.
Next you add some grated cheese, Norbert uses Gouda, but any kind will do and as much as you like.
Take two spatulas and start flipping and agitating the scramble to help it mix through and cook the egg.
Form it into a round, sprinkle some more cheese on top and let it sit and finish cooking. the egg must be white and the cheese melted.
While you are waiting for it to finish cooking, slice some bread and pop it into the toaster. Hannah is doing a great job:).Gently lift it off the griddle and on to a plate.
Voila! Kale Scramble! Serve with toast and a side salad or bacon if that is your preference:)
Want more recipes for kale? Look here.