Salad and Muffins

I love to cook.  I should probably clarify; Julie loves to cook. Since I am the blog writer, this is why I say that I love to cook.... ( I am sure that Chera enjoys it too, I am not sure that she would say that she loves it though.....) One of the coolest things about my job at the Southridge Farmer's Market is that I get to cook with some of the freshest ingredients around. The bonus is that then I can share my ideas and recipes with you!

Anyway..........now that you know I live the secret life of a foodie.... let's get to the FOOD!

Looks good doesn't it?

My Spinach Salad is a variation of a salad I once had as a taste test in Trader Joe's. This week, I made the salad with Crafton Farms II spinach. You should try to get to market early and get some of Debbie's spinach.  I don't know what they do to it, but it is the buttery-est spinach I have ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth.

Spinach Salad with Gorgonzola, Candied Pecans & Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 6

1 bag of Crafton Farms Spinach
1/2 cup of Gorgonzola Cheese
1/2 to 2/3 cup of chopped candied pecans
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Tear the spinach into pieces and arrange on a salad plate. Top each salad with some Gorgonzola Cheese, and chopped pecans. Drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

I typically make my own dressing, but if you haven't stopped by Three Rivers Gourmet yet, he has some amazing balsamic dressings to choose from!

Cheddar Jalapeno Muffins (gluten free!)
Makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups Almond Flour
2 eggs (Harris Farms)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/3 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Fat Daddy's Roasted Jalapeno Peppers (chopped)
4 teaspoons salted butter (melted)
1 clove garlic (minced)

Mix almond flour, eggs, baking powder, and sour cream together in a bowl. (The baking powder will activate and mixture will become very fluffy) Add in cheese, peppers, butter and garlic, mixing with each addition.
In a well sprayed or greased muffin pan, place 2 Tablespoons of muffin mixture in each well. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.  You want them to be golden brown. Run a butter knife around the edge of each muffin before popping them out of the pan.

Variations: 
~Substitute peperocini peppers for the jalepenos.  (this is the version my kids like best)
~Leave out the garlic, cheese, and peppers for a great gluten free "cornbread" alternative.


We paired the salad with steak and grilled zucchini and asparagus.  The balsamic vinegar holds its own against the steak very nicely.

We had the muffins with applewood smoked sausage and wilted swiss chard skillet. We have been known to enjoy them with chili and even with breakfast!

I would love to hear how you are cooking with your market finds. If you find a great recipe to share, email me at southridgefarmersmarket(at)gmail(dot)com and I will test it out and share it here!