Farmers Market Oat Groats with Basil + Feta

Farmers markets. My favorite part of summer. The whole "market" system makes shopping so enjoyable. I wish we had more markets in the United States. Maybe it's just that I live in New England, and besides the four warm months of summer, and what seems like two weeks of blissful fall, it's mainly cold and wet. I traveled to Italy last October, and fell in love with their open market lifestyle. There are no trips to the nearest big box store or supermarket (from what I saw), but a quick walk to whichever vendor is supplying your need for the day. It's a slower way of life, and one that I could really get used to. I suppose Massachusetts is too high-strung for a change like that. 

I love finding a quick and flavorful combination of my favorite vegetables, and then changing up a few ingredients to make completely different meals. I think I've been sautéing zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and string beans with some garlic and onion for the past two months. They're the veggies that can always be found at my local farmers markets, and I happen to love all of them. And as you might already know, when I find something that works, I tend to eat it. A lot. I've made Asian, Indian, and Mexican meals out of basically the same ingredients. Vary the herbs and spices, alternate between cheese and nuts, and it's quite simple to give your taste buds a change of scenery.  

Here's my Italian inspired version on a farmers market stir-fry. I swapped the mozzarella in your typical caprese dish for some local feta, mostly because I like the sharp bite of the feta, and find I can use a lot less than I would mozzarella for the same satisfaction. Don't get me wrong, a classic caprese salad is one of my favorite combinations. I use the tomato, basil, mozzarella trio to inspire a lot of meals. This soup I found on Pinterest is on my must-make list. I'm also always trying out different grains, and steel-cut oat groats are my new thing. They bulk up quite a bit in water, and more is always better when it comes to eating. They have a high protein and fiber content, and are done cooking in about 30 minutes. I've used them in both sweet and savory dishes (they make a great substitute for oatmeal), and have even soaked them overnight to blend into a raw morning smoothie bowl.  

I like a lot of basil and garlic in this dish, but a little feta goes a long way to give you that creamy satisfaction. And if dairy isn't your thing, I've also made this with half an avocado mashed up with some lemon or lime and lots of sea salt. Use whatever you have on hand for vegetables, these are just delicious suggestions. Make it your own. It's hard to go wrong when you start with great ingredients. 

Farmers Market Oat Groats with Basil + Feta

Makes 1 generous bowl or 2 sides

steel-cut oat groats, or grain of choice

handful of string beans, trimmed

half of a small zucchini, sliced

half of a small summer squash, sliced

half of a small eggplant, sliced

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks

half a small onion, sliced

handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt and pepper

1/4-1/2 cup chopped basil

a couple handfuls of spinach, chopped

2 tablespoons feta

juice of half a lemon

Cook your oat groats. I make a larger amount, and keep them in the fridge for the week. There's varying cooking methods around the web, but here's what I do... Boil 2 1/2 cups water, then add in your cup of oat groats. Add salt and let simmer on low for about 30 minutes. When the water is almost gone, shut off the heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes. 

While your oat groats cook, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add in all of the vegetables except for the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, turn the heat to low and add in the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for a few more minutes, then shut the heat off. 

When the oat groats are ready, scoop your desired amount into a bowl, add in your vegetable stir-fry, basil, chopped spinach, feta, and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, and enjoy! 

Balsamic Vegetable Stir-Fry

Did You Know? In its early days, balsamic vinegar was available only to the nobility and the artisans who made it. It was believed to be a miracle cure for everything from a sore throat to labor pains, and even used as protection against the plague.

I'm trying to break up all these cupcakes with some real food, but it's been pretty hard when graduation parties and cookouts have become the norm. I made this pasta dish the other day for lunch, trying to get myself out of a sugar coma. We had spent the night before baking cupcakes and frying doughnuts (which I promise to share soon), and my stomach could not take one more ounce of frosting or sprinkles.

I pretty much scanned my fridge, and grabbed whatever seemed appetizing at the time, trying to use up some produce before we had to throw it away. Bell peppers, carrots, onions, and peas are what I used here, but definitely just use this recipe as a guideline, tossing in whatever is convenient for you. A large handful of torn basil, and some chopped scallions rounded out the flavors, and added some much needed green. I've been pretty hooked on feta these days, so I tossed a few large spoonfuls of that in too. I love the sharp flavor you get from such a small amount. Finished with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and you have yourself a pretty satisfying lunch or dinner. I enjoyed it the next day with some pan-fried tofu chunks, and highly recommend that route as well.

Balsamic Vegetable Stir-Fry

12 ounces penne pasta (I used Basil & Garlic Penne from Trader Joe's)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn
4 green onions, white and pale green parts sliced thinly
Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and empty into a large serving bowl.

Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, cover and let cook until translucent, 5 minutes or so. Add red pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cover again for another 5 minutes. Remove cover, lower heat a bit, and saute until onion begins to caramelize and turn golden, another 10 minutes. Add shredded carrots, and cook for another few minutes. Add chopped garlic, and cook for 2 minutes more, making sure not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat, add the frozen peas, and spoon over pasta. Add the basil and green onions, a few drizzles of olive oil and a few drizzles of balsamic, and toss together to distribute flavors. Sprinkle with feta, toss again, and enjoy!