Purple cauliflower
When many encounter this stunning variety of cauliflower, they think the pigment must have been developed in a laboratory.
Actually, the purple pigment is derived from the presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which is naturally occurring in purple foods such as blueberries and purple cabbage.
When roasted, purple cauliflower tends to have a slightly nuttier flavor than its white counterpart and retains much of its purple color. For Thanksgiving, I prepared a thyme-infused roasted vegetable platter as the Fix of the Week.
You can currently find purple cauliflower from Two Peas in a Pod Farm of Arroyo Grande, as well as other select farmers, at the Saturday Santa Barbara farmers’ market. Price averages $4 each
O’Henry Sweet Potato
I encountered these white-fleshed tubers at the Her Family Farm stand at the Saturday’s farmers market in Santa Barbara, nestled among about five other varieties of sweet potato.
Very sweet, this variety delivers a nice smooth texture when roasted, excellent on its own, or incorporated with other seasonal vegetables.
When making mashed potatoes as a side for Thanksgiving, I like to combine a small ratio of white-fleshed sweet potato with my Yukon gold potatoes for a little added sweetness.
Then I whip in a little cream cheese, chicken stock, salt and pepper for a perfect holiday side, no butter needed. It’s available at both the Saturday Santa Barbara and Sunday Camino Real Marketplace farmers’ market, price is $2 per pound.
Garbanzo bean salad
This Mediterranean-style salad consists of Baba Small Batch garbanzo beans, cooked until tender, tossed with diced tomato, onion, olives, basil, lemon juice and seasonings. It’s delicious enjoyed right out of the container, also when tossed with mixed greens, or a quinoa salad.
An excellent source of protein, this vegetarian side pairs quite well with seafood. It’s currently available at the weekly Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real Marketplace and Tuesday Santa Barbara farmers’ markets.
Price is $6 per 7-ounce container, with discounts in multi-container purchase that can include many hummus offerings.
