The Boulder Farmers Market + My 4 Favorite Veggies with Recipes

These are the days, friends. Farmers market days!

Since moving to Colorado, I’ve slowly been adapting to the Boulder lifestyle and I have to admit…I’m not mad about it! One of my favorite new routines is to go to the Boulder farmers market early on Saturday mornings, and to stock up on all my fresh fruits and veggies for the week.

Since talking about going plant-based this summer, it’s been one of my goals to branch out and try new things, especially when it involves finding and cooking with new fruits and veggies. Beyond the health benefits of incorporating more plants into my diet, it’s also been eye-opening from a sustainability perspective.

In a day and age where we can have summer fruits in the dead of winter, I set out on a new mission to find out what produce were actually in season for my area and how I could support local growers of these products. This unsurprisingly led me to visiting my local farmers market to find the freshest, locally grown fruits and veggies.

I love the variety at the farmers market, and for me it takes the guess work out of eating healthfully and supporting local businesses, all in one easy stop!

P.S. – If you’re interested to see what produce are in season for your area, check out this seasonal food guide.

But I have to admit, the first time I visited the farmers’ market this past summer, I was quite overwhelmed by the selection and really didn’t know where to start. So for anyone else out there who may not know exactly what to look for (and/or what to do with your haul after you get it), I’m sharing 4 of my favorite farmers’ market veggies and lots of ways to cook with them this week! So let’s get started!

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Carrots! | One of the very first things I bought at the farmers’ market was carrots. Carrots are a great choice because you can eat them raw as an afternoon snack, steam them for an easy side dish, or incorporate them into a full meal at dinner. And for the sweet lovers out there (like me), you can even bake them into a delicious carrot cake for dessert! (My kind of veggie, right?!)

As for nutritional content, carrots are high in beta-carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A by the body and used in maintaining healthy skin, eye health, and the immune system. You can read all about the health benefits of eating carrots here. Below are a few recipes I already love and others I can’t wait to try! That carrot ginger cake though…

Carrot Recipes:

Side Dish: Charred Carrots with Herbs   |   Roasted Carrots, Parsnips, and Shallots   |   Honey Glazed Carrots

Main Dish w/o Meat: Creamy Carrot Rice   |   Carrot Patties   |    Carrot Farfalle Pasta with Lemon and Herbs

Main Dish w/ Meat: Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots   |   Moroccan Braised Chicken with Carrots and Golden Raisins | Beef and Carrot Stew

Dessert: Spiced Carrot Muffins   |   Carrot Cupcakes   | Carrot Ginger Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

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Kale! | When I first went plant-based, I was worried about getting the necessary nutrients I needed into my diet. One of the first things I incorporated more of was Kale. Kale is what is known as a superfood, meaning it packs tons of healthful nutrients into every bite. Kale is especially full of vitamins A, C, and K, with tons of potassium and phytochemicals, all of which help in fighting cancer. You can read more about Kale’s health benefits here. And below are a few of my favorite recipes using this leafy powerhouse.

Kale Recipes:

Side Dishes: Lemony Kale Salad   |   Spicy Sauteed Kale with Lemon   | Chili Sauce Kale Chips

Main Dish w/o Meat: Kale and White Bean Soup   |  Mashed Potato and Kale Cakes   |   Pasta with Kale, Tomatoes, Garlic, and Thyme   |   Oat Groats and Kale   |   Acorn Squash Soup with Kale

Main Dish w/ Meat: Chicken and Kale Casserole   |   Kale and Sausage Hand Pies   |   Lasagna with Sausage and Kale   |   Penne with Goat Cheese, Olives, Kale, and Turkey   |   Ginger Beef and Kale

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Tomatoes! | Another great veggie that can be eaten raw or cooked, as a side dish or cooked straight into your main dish is tomatoes! They brighten up any salad you put them in and add a fresh flavor to just about any dish. I also love making homemade lasagna with them too! Tomatoes are rich in phytochemicals such as lycopene, which can play a role in preventing several chronic diseases. You can read more about the health benefits of tomatoes here. Below are some of my favorite tomato recipes. Dying to try the heirloom tomato tart this weekend!

Tomato Recipes:

Breakfast: Fried Eggs with Heirloom Tomatoes   |   Ricotta and Tomato Toast   |   Avocado Toast

Starters: Burrata Tomato Salad   |   Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette   |   Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Soup    |   Tomato Bruschetta   |   Tomato and Avocado Salad   |   Tomato and Beet Salad   |   Tomatoes with Olives and Lemon Zest

Salsas/Sauces: Classic Roasted Salsa   |   Chipotle Salsa   |   Pico de Gallo   |   Roasted Tomato Sauce

Main Dish w/o Meat: Heirloom Tomato Tart   |   Tomato Basil Pasta with Burrata   |   Tomato Basil Pizza

Main Dish w/ Meat: Cedar Plank Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes | Bacon, Avocado, Tomato Sandwich   |   Heirloom Tomato Turkey Chili   |   Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Beets! | And last but definitely not least…beets! Beets are one fun vegetable that are definitely outside my comfort zone, but one that I have been trying to incorporate more and more of. They always have such a great selection at the farmers’ market, so it’s been quite easy to try them in different recipes recently. One benefit of eating beets is helping to lower blood pressure, something provided by its nitrites which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. You can read more about the health benefits of eating beets here. Below are some flavorful beet recipes to try this weekend! The beet chips are next on my list to make for a weekday snack at the office!

Beet Recipes:

Salads: Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet, and Farro Salad   |   Roasted Beet and Dandelion Greens Salad   |   Sweet Corn with Baby Beets and Basil

Snack: Beet Chips   |   Pickled Beets   |   Shaved Beets with Orange

Side Dishes: Golden Beet Slaw   |   Beet, Potato, and Walnut Salad   |   Beet Greens with Bacon

Main Dish: Beet Ravioli with Riccota, Goat Cheese and Mint   |   Beet, Apple, and Cheddar Tarts   |   Cavatelli with Beets and Swiss Chard   |   Roasted Beet and Tomato Puree with Orange

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And now for my outfit inspiration! For farmers market days I try to keep things simple and comfortable. I love this jumpsuit in a bright blue print that is equal parts comfy as it is chic. It’s one of those “one and done” outfits that makes waking up at the crack of dawn to beat the crowds that much easier. (Allen calls it my “farmer look”, but that doesn’t bother me one bit!)

Comfy shoes are also a must, and I love these leather sandals. They have a small heel which gives the look a dressier feel, while keeping it comfy and casual to walk in.

And to top things off, I add a fun sunhat and oversized straw bag to carry all my farmers’ market goodies.

My farmers’ market weakness? Flowers. ALL the flowers.

If you ever lose me, you know where to find me! Seriously, I’m a sucker for a bright and colorful bouquet and make up just about any excuse to get one (or two) each time I visit. They make me so happy! It’s the little things, right?

What about you? What are your favorite Farmers’ Market finds? And do you have any special recipes you love?

You might also like…my story on going plant-based and a casual Saturday on Pearl Street.

Photos by Colleen Kelly

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Get the Look…

Jumpsuit: Gap (similar here, here) | Hat: Gap | Sandals: Steve Madden (similar here, here, here) | Bag: Old Navy (similar) | Necklace: Francesca’s | Bracelet: Francesca’s (similar here, here)