Crunchy Carrot will debuting a new green juice, Detox Dandy, at the market this Saturday. The Detox Dandy juice contains dandelion greens, cucumber, celery, apple, and lemon.

Dandelions are packed with nutrients and help cleanse the kidneys and liver. One study also found that dandelion greens could inhibit fat absorption in a similar way to some weight loss drugs. It works by blocking the activity of pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fat molecules in the body.

In the study, dandelion extract slashed pancreatic lipase activity by a whopping 86 percent, leading to a greater excretion of fat. All green cold-pressed juices will be 10% for St Patty’s day.

Elizabeth Eats will be selling brownie bites, coffee bites, mint chocolate bites, tropical bites, berry bites (new), vanilla cake bites, vanilla protein squares (new), chocolate hazelnut butter (new), triple nut butter, strawberry chocolate fudge, savory nut and seed bread, almond milk, turmeric almond milk, and chocolate cashew milk.

Returning with all the market favorites, JR’s Microgreens of V.B. will have Oriental Spicy Mustard, Russian Red Kale,  China Rose Radish, Red Garnet Amaranth, a custom salad mix with Red Cabbage, Snowball Cauliflower, Vienna Kohlrabi, and Arugula, Lemon Basil and Opal Basil.  To welcome the start of my second year of JR’s Microgreens of V.B. at OBFM, they are debuting two new varieties, On the 17th, Sweet Corn And Black Oil Sunflower Shoots.

Mattawoman Creek Farms’ spring season is in full swing. This Saturday they will have carrots, purple sprouting broccoli, romaine and green leaf lettuce, spinach, salad turnips, kale, collards, kohlrabi, arugula, sorrel, escarole, bok choy and mustard greens.

My Vegan Sweet Tooth will have or amazing sweets like cinnamon rolls and muffins, and some savory items too including breakfast sandwiches and chick-un nuggets.

A a special treat for the Shamrock runners this weekend, SunnySnacks Organics will have all three flavors of BubbyBalls (PB Hemp Cup, Coconut Goji, and AB&J) available in special single-BubbyBall packaging for $2 each so runners can have a single-serving healthy snack without having to carry around a whole container. They will still have the larger eight-serving containers for sale, too.

Mark your calendar: the next market will be April 21

HOLIDAY MASHUPS

What’s a popular beach destination to do on Yuengling Shamrock Marathon weekend when market day falls on a holiday with others on the horizon? We just have a holiday mash up, of course.

We’re hosting a St. Easter’s Day egg hunt for the wee ones 10 and under, and this is one event you won’t want to Passover. Check in at the Information Tent, then meet us in the garden by 10:30 to hunt for awesome treasures. If the Luck of the Irish is with your little bunny, you could win a $25 gift certificate to Old Beach Farmers market!

Filling up Easter baskets or getting holiday hostess gifts just got a whole lot easier when you stop by to see our special guests, Forbes Candies.They’ll be on site to personalize your favorite Forbes candy egg. Makes a special gift for the whole family.

If your tastes run more toward the eclectic and hard to find, our friends at  The Virginia Beach Flea Market  are having their first market of 2018 just across the way. There could be that proverbial pot of gold waiting for you.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When is an Irish potato not an Irish potato? … When it’s a French fry!

TELL US!

What do you love most about Old Beach Farmers Market? Let us know and we’ll share your thoughts in an upcoming newsletter. Send your note to PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com

RECIPE

SPINACH SALAD WITH HOT BACON DRESSING

A classic dish, Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing, adds delicious complimentary and contrasting flavors, textures and temperatures. Here’s how you do it:

Cook six strips of bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted soon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Rough chop the bacon; set aside.

Drain the bacon drippings into a bowl; spoon two tablespoons back into the skillet. The excess drippings can be refrigerated and saved for other use, or discarded.

Heat the drippings over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons rough chopped white onion. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, then add 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk to incorporate and bring to a simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

On four plates, add 2 cups spinach leaves, perhaps from Mattawoman Creek Farm,, 1/2 sliced hard-boiled egg, a few slices red onion, and equal amounts of retained bacon. Drizzle with hot bacon dressing and serve.

Yields 4 servings

Recipe from Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton

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VENDORS

The Bakery at Riverside Farm

Beach Biscotti

Brentwood Farm

Buck & Bramble

The Butter Brothers

The Creative Wedge

Crunchy Carrot

Doughminion Donuts

Elizabeth Eats

Forbes Candies

Full Quiver Farm

Give. Treat. Love.

Grace & Gratitude (tentative)

The Green Cat

It Started with a Fig

Joysicles Gourmet Pops

JR’s Microgreens of V.B.

Lamia’s Crepes

Mattawoman Creek Farm

My Vegan Sweet Tooth

The Neighborhood Harvest

Pelon’s Baja Grill

Speedy’s Sauce Co.

SunnySnacks Organics

Udder Chaos Farm

Veg Out Gardens

Whole Body Health

Whole-ly Rollers