Farmers Market: Five Mini Finds for the Mini Fridge

Time spent at market: 30 minutes
Money spent at the market: 12 dollars.

It’s still that time of year. The farmers market, whether it be in Minneapolis on Nicollete Mall or in downtown Saint Paul by the CHS Saints Stadium, there is plenty of vegetables and yummy foods to pick from. I went this past Saturday and boy was I in for a treat. With this lovely fall weather, venders bring in a plethora of different corns, squashes, gourds and pumpkins to choose from. While I was on a mission for five specific treats, I still of course gazed over the other delicious vegetables. During this trip I decided to stick to mini vegetables. Almost every college student has a mini fridge in their dorm or a fridge in their apartment that they have to share with many roommates. Because of the limited space, mini vegetables are a better choice. Thus came the best idea for a blog post, five mini finds for the mini fridge!

To begin, I wanted to pick vegetables that I knew wouldn't be too outrageous and that are common. Each can be created into something other than just being eaten as a raw vegetable (except the mini finger length potatoes). From that thought process I picked carrots, baby roman tomatoes, mini peppers, finger length potatoes and pickling cucumbers.

Within each vegetable there are a few different ways to eat them. Whether it be hot or cold. Each recipe is microwave accessible. Which means you don't need a stove top, unless you have a portable one then go you! I recommend Ziploc bags and containers, but make sure they are the Heavy Duty. 

1. Carrots, packed with multiple nutrients, these are great raw with any dipping sauce, from ranch to hummus. The sweetness in them alone can be a replacement for too many sweets from the cafeteria. If I want to serve them hot I put them in a Ziploc container or bag, a little bit of water, just enough to cover half of the carrots and put in the microwave for two minutes with a mixture of honey and sugar, both of which you can take packets of from the cafeteria. Mix around and you have honey glazed carrots.

2. Baby Roman Tomatoes, just the perfect tiny size to pop in your mouth whenever you are feeling like you need (and want) a healthy go to snack. These little buggers are packed with sweetness and a bit of tang. They are great as a grab and go snack, or cut in half with salt sprinkled over them. For a warm dish if you heat them for 10 seconds in the microwave with a little juice from a lemon, you get a more powerful flavor. Make sure you put them in a Ziploc bag with a splash of water, that way you'll get more heat to them.

3. Mini Peppers, I've just recently become completely hooked to mini peppers. Especially when they come in multiple different colors, each one has a different taste to them. The reds are the sweetest and green is the most bitter. Still absolutely delicious. My favorite way of eating these bad boys is to cut them up in strips and either put them on top of ramen(I know it seems weird, but it gives a crunch to the noodles) or just with any dipping sauce, like ranch or hummus.

4. Finger Length Potatoes, I have never been the biggest fan of potato chips. But when my mother introduced me to these little guys, I completely ditched even the thought of potato chips and become completely consumed by the finger length potato. The best way to eat these, because they are not good raw, is to heat them up in a Ziploc container for about 5 minutes in a microwave, unless there is a "Potato" button (then use that) and sprinkle olive oil, salt and pepper on top. Cut them in half or in thirds and serve with ketchup or sour cream. You'll die and thank me before you do!

5. Pickling Cucumbers, okay so I am not a fan of seeds. I really just can not stand the gooey filling mixed with the amount of seeds a regular size cucumber has, its a texture thing. So when I was introduced to this type of cucumber I was beyond excited to see that there are hardly any seeds and they also have the best crunch. Most people believe that making pickles is really only something you can do if you have A. the time and B. a big enough kitchen for the mess you'll make. But I have to fight against that, I have found the best 15 minute, quick and easy recipe for making your own College Style Pickles.

Ingredients:

-Pickling Cucumbers
-Store bought Dill
-Sugar (packets or container)
-White distilled Vinegar
-Water

Homemade Pickles in Minutes
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Cost: One dollar (per batch) 

3 chopped pickling cucumbers
3 cups water
2 cups white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped fresh dill

Mix water, white distilled vinegar and sugar in a microwaveable dish. Put in the microwave for ten minutes on high. Chop the three pickling cucumbers, put in mason jar or Ziploc bag. Add dill and mix together in the Ziploc bag. Once water is heated, let sit cool for two minutes than add to the bag with cucumbers and dill. Mix around thoroughly and store in mini fridge for 24 hours.

With all of the different ways to store, eat and prepare these mini finds for the mini fridge, I hope you go out to your local farmers market before winter strikes Minnesota!

Bon Appetite my fellow students!