Tasha Does Tulsa.

The following post comes to us from Brigid Vance, a lover of Tulsa, an active member of our local theatre scene and a proponent of all that is local, healthful foods. She blogs and creates a line of jewelry at Grey Eye Designs Studio.

I’m Brigid, and I’m a Cherry Street Farmers Market-aholic.

From the array of colorful produce to the slobbering pooches to the friendly faces at 7:30 in the morning, it just doesn’t seem like Saturday without a trip to this market.

Even more than a waltz through this collection of growers and vendors each week, I look forward to sinking my teeth into the fresh, ripe veggies. Since plants compose 99 percent of my diet, this weekly produce fix keeps me happy and healthy, and I’m far less likely to dream about fancy cheese and Maggie Moo.

Each week I try to plan as many of my meals around my farmers market purchases as I can. This week, I’m sharing a super-local meal with all of you wild and crazy Tasha Does Tulsa readers.

First, though, let’s talk about cost. A lot of people think buying produce from the farmers market will empty your wallet faster than if you shopped at a supermarket. While some items will run you a higher bill than Reasor’s (or even Whole Foods), many others are considerably cheaper.

Editor’s note: See Tasha’s 2009 article in Urban Tulsa Weekly for more on comparing the cost of farmers market vs. supermarket produce.

The tomatoes may cost more straight from the farmer who grew them, but trust me: You will never regret the extra few cents. A fresh, local tomato hardly even resembles the reddish things that fill the produce bins at the mega-mart.

Plus, have you ever seen fresh maitake mushrooms at the grocery store? Thanks to our adventurous local farmers, you can at a Tulsa-area farmers market.

Here is my most recent Cherry Street Farmers Market haul:

Before you is:

Lettuce, $3
Corn on the cob, 4 for $1
Patty pan squash, 2 for $1
Purple hull peas, $5
Blueberries, $5
Elephant garlic, $3.50
Cherry tomatoes, $3
Onions, 3 for $2
Jalapenos, 2 for $1
Maitake mushrooms, 1/4 pound for $4
Tomatoes, 4 for $5.

That’s a grand total of $33.50. To be fair, I should mention my three other purchases (also pictured): gorgeous flowers for $4, the best soap ever for $5.25, and my favorite coffee for $1.75, from Coffee House on Cherry Street, 1502 E. 15th Street.

And let me tell you, it was worth every penny.

What’s there to do with this haul of delicious, fresh, local, beautiful produce? Here’s my idea.

Purple Hull Peas and Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
Serves two

¼ cup (or more, as needed) low-sodium vegetable broth (or olive oil, or water, or a combination)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 massive clove of elephant garlic, minced or pressed (or 2-3 cloves of regular garlic)
1 bag (about two to three cups) of shelled purple hull peas
Spices to taste (I used rosemary and herbes de Provence)
2 patty pan squashes, scrubbed
1 cup of quinoa, rinsed
1 jalapeno (or other pepper), minced
1 medium tomato, chopped

Prepare your ingredients (chop, dice, etc.). It will save you a lot of scrambling. Also, marvel at the
massiveness of your elephant garlic cloves. Then, preheat that oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add a few splashes of veggie broth. Throw in about half of the chopped onion and half of the garlic and cook for two to three minutes. Add all the purple hull peas, water to cover by about an inch, and your spices. Purple hull peas are delicious with herbes de Provence, but if that isn’t your thing, try tarragon, sage, parsley, oregano, or anything else that floats your boat. Cover with lid slightly ajar, reduce heat to a simmer, and let cook about 20-30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring one inch of water to a boil in another saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash however they will fit, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the tasty things with little resistance. Remove the top (I cut a circle and scooped). Use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the innards of the squash very carefully. Chop or mash the innards and set aside.

Fill a small or medium saucepan with the rinsed quinoa and water in a two-to-one ratio. If you cook an entire cup of quinoa, you will have lots of leftovers, but that’s the way I like it. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. You can also do this in advance to save stove space.

Heat some more vegetable broth (or oil) in a sauté pan and add the rest of the onion, cooking until translucent. Add in the rest of the garlic and jalapeno and cook for another minute. Add the squash innards for two minutes, until softened. Add the tomato and between ½ and a whole cup of the cooked quinoa and cook until heated through. Pour in extra vegetable broth a little at a time if the pan gets too dry.

Scoop the quinoa-squash mixture into the patty pan shells as full as you’d like. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and sprinkle nutritional yeast or cheese on top. Place the squash on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash are heated through.

Put one squash and half the purple hull peas on your plate and enjoy!

These foods aren’t only local, but they’re also are all heart-healthy, and they help to protect against cancer – both nice benefits.

They also taste so delicious that I would slap my momma…if she lived closer. And if she wouldn’t slap me back.

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