New Town Farmers Market

These are my spoils from the farmer's market this week. I have been thinking of all the things I will make with all these fresh fruits, Vegetables, and eggs.

1/2 a squash, 2 bunches of scallions, 3 chokos, 2 heads of broccoli, 2 avocados, 4 limes, 7 tamarillos, 4 passion fruit, 5 nashi pears, 1 parsley, 3 coriander, 5 large kumara, 5 very large carrots, and 60 eggs-all for $57.20 NZD. That is $46.37 USD-amazing. The eggs were $6.50NZD for 30 eggs ($5.12 USD).It is infinitely cheaper to buy the things at the market than at the store. I forgot to add that I also bought a big bag of golden potatoes for $4 and they were WONDERFUL. I made the best hashbrowns I have ever tasted with the last 3 and they were amazing. All I did was cook them in a really hot pan with Salt and Pepper. Nothing fancy!


Here are the kumara. I will bake these for a simple, cheap, healthy dinner for the kids and I when G isn't home. A little butter and salt and they make a great meal-yum! You can also put cinnamon and/or nutmeg on them as well.

This pumpkin was made into a wonderful soup that will be posted next.

coriander: this has been good in everything :)

Parsley: This parsley is huge and it is so fragrant and tastes so good! I buy one of these every week. They usually cost me $1.50 for a bunch. They stalks are really tasty too in sauces and soups and veg. stock.

These scallions are the biggest I have ever seen-wonderful too. They usually cost $1 for one and I usually get one of these every week too. They are good in pretty much everything.

Likewise these are the biggest leeks I have ever seen as well and they made great potato and leek soup with the potatoes I bought as well. I used my homemade veg. stock for the soup and it had great flavor. I freeze and use the dark green parts of the leeks for the stock. My sister in law taught me the trick of gathering all your veg. leftovers and freezing them to make stock when you need it. Works great and tastes wonderful.
The tomatoes, avocados and tamarillos made wonderful tacos, nachos, salsa and guacamole.

The fruit is already almost gone though and it is only Wed. We will be out before the weeks end. You can't buy too much though because it will go bad before a week is out-except the apples. The produce is usually ripe when picked or a day or two out. You can't wait a week and then use it unless you like it over-ripe. So I usually pick up a little extra fruit at the grocery by TH.

The broccoli and potatoes were made into Jamie's mashy peas that goes with the crusted fish. So good. I didn't have frozen peas though so this time I just used potatoes and broccoli. The kids didn't want to eat the leftovers the next day so I waited one more day and disguised them in quesadilla's. I took a tortilla and spread the mashy broccoli mixture on and the sprinkled over a little grated cheddar and the cooked it like a quesadilla. My oldest said "mom why did you put this on here?". I said: to make it taste good (I lied). Then he tasted it and said "wow this is delicious". Whew! I thought-that was close. It could have turned out disgusting. I tried it and it actually was good-I was surprised :)