Cooking Demonstrations by Healthy Weld 2020 (formerly LiveWell Weld County), are a long tradition at the Greeley Farmer’s Market. Our goal is to educate the shoppers by offering preparation tips and recipes for popular produce and “under-appreciated” vegetables (like leeks, rutabagas, celery root, and collard greens) and by distributing information about nutrition and preservation of the season’s bounty. The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) sends dietetic students our way every year to help us research recipes, produce purchasing and storage tips, plus find interesting facts and trivia concerning local veggies and fruits.
Ingredients for Zesty Green Goddess Dip
Chopped Veggies for Sampling at the Farmer’s Market
This month, I got the opportunity to work with Jennifer who is completing her dietetic internship at UNC. She contacted me and asked if she could assist me with a food demo and immediately I asked her to help out at the Wednesday Farmer’s Market. I asked Jennifer to research what was currently in season and being sold at our local market, to find some recipes that corresponded, and then to put together a shopping list. Jennifer sent me several recipes and together we decided to make “Zesty Green Goddess Dip”. We thought a fresh herb dip would be a perfect compliment for many of the vibrant vegetables currently in season and available at our farmer’s market.
Anchovy Paste
The recipe we selected required a slightly complicated shopping trip. Neither one of us knew what Watercress or Anchovy Paste were much less where to find them in our grocery store.
Jennifer helped me prep the recipe a couple of hours before we were due at the farmer’s market. One thing we overlooked was the need for a food processor. We improvised by pulsing our ingredients in a blender. We made two large batches of our dip which ended up being a really pretty shade of green.
Kelly and Jennifer Prepping Food for Farmer’s Market
I thought it was a pretty shade of green
Next we were off to the Farmer’s Market. It ended up being a really windy day so we struggled trying to keep our samples on the table so once again we improvised by putting the samples in the back of my SUV and handing them out one by one.
Kelly and Jennifer at the Farmer’s Market
Zesty Green Goddess Dip Samples at the Farmer’s Market
Most everyone loved our “Zesty Green Goddess Dip”. A few people thought it was too spicy (the red chili pepper probably had something to do with that 
) and some of the kiddos weren’t so keen on the color but for the most part I think our dip was a hit!
Question of the Day: I love being so connected to the changes in the seasons, watching as the early spring greens trade places with red summer berries and then with deep orange winter squash as the air cools. What do you enjoy about your Farmer’s Market?
The color is perfect!
I’ve been snagging lots of great melons from our farmer’s markets…but I know apples are coming soon!
I love the color of the dip! I had no idea that Green Goddess dressing/dip had anchovy paste in it…interesting. Looks like you had a great time making it and at the Farmer’s Market, too!
I like going to the Farmer’s Market because it makes me feel more in touch with where my food is coming from. I think we get really disconnected from that a lot with modern day grocery and convenience stores.