In my cooking classes, I am often asked how I come up with a menu every night. It seems I’m not the only farmgirl who has trouble deciding what to make for dinner. The quandary becomes even more challenging when we are accosted by starving kids the minute we arrive home. That’s when the clock starts ticking and the pressure is on. The meal needs to be on the table within the hour or meltdowns will ensue. Help!

Here’s my three-part solution to facing down the dinner dilemma and eliminating most of the stress:

• Step #1: Make sure your fridge and pantry are properly stocked at all times, using my Farmgirl Cooking Essentials list below as a guide.
• Step #2: Strategize your shopping trips with a week’s menu in mind. Once you have all the core ingredients on hand, you should be able to get away with one weekly trip to your local farmers market and a quick drive-by to your fish or meat seller. Think of each dinner in terms of two vegetables, a grain or starch and a protein.
• Step #3: Cook a few different grains and mains when you do have the time (over a weekend, perhaps) and freeze them so that they are ready to reheat during the week.

While I can’t tell you what to feed your family for dinner, following these guidelines will make your life crucially easier. Print out the list below and check off the items that you already have on hand. If I left out one of your favorite ingredients, just add it to the list. Now let your appetite do the talking. Once you have decided on some dishes to make, add the fresh items you will need to the end of the list. Then bring it along with you on your next shopping trip. You’ll never be caught without the essentials.

For more inspiration, browse our complete recipe collection.

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Photo credit: donnahay.com

Produce Stand in Paris, France

It’s late morning and the sun has been streaming in through the crack in the curtains for a while now, trying to coax me out of bed. Horns beep and the floor buzzes as the Metro rushes underneath. The city has already been up for hours. Normally, I would already be speed-walking up the Champs-Elysees by now, following my nose, in search of a warm baguette and a freshly squeezed jus d’orange pressé to start my day. But jet lag has glued me to the pillow, leaving me time to plot my wanderings before hitting the streets.

Ahhh…Paris. My dear friend is getting married in Avignon, and before serving as temoin (the curious French translation for my job description, matron of honor), I have come to spend a few days in my favorite city.

Paris is the capital of all things beautiful. Against a stunningly ornate backdrop of regal architecture and heavy-duty history, Parisians have been raised for generations to live in the moment. Meals last for hours, dessert is a fait accompli, footwear is ever impractical, and shopping is a shared experience rather than a personal mission.

Still foggy from my sleep overdose, I gravitate on autopilot to a Starbucks for my daily brew (a “Dirty Chai,” which, by the way, gives me a little rush just ordering it). I reason it will be much quicker and cheaper than sitting down for an hour-long breakfast at a café. As luck will have it, a youth tour group arrives just before me and places their order for 16 drinks. Forty-five minutes later, I am trying not to scowl while I continue waiting for my morning fix.

You would think I would know better than to do as an American tourist. Being a proud “locavore,” I am always one to buy conscientiously and locally. So, eager to shake my morning stupor, I decide to spend the next few days shopping like a Parisienne. Each day, I will explore a different market in a neighborhood I have never been to. After all, even though I have lived and worked in Paris over the years, there are still countless corners to discover and local vendors to support.

With my borrowed copy of Markets of Paris by Dixon and Ruthanne Long tucked under my arm, I am at Marché Raspail in the 6th arrondissement at 7:30 the next morning. The vendors are surprisingly friendly and perky, even though they have been there since 5 a.m. Under their striped awnings, they are eager to talk about their colorful offerings. One lovely, well-tanned gentleman is selling at least 50 different kinds of dried fruits and nuts. I have never seen fresh almonds before and, even before I ask, he is peeling one open for me to try. In the middle of soft green flesh is a smooth, white nut, which looks nothing like the roasted ones I am used to. It tastes sweet and soapy, like the lavender fields in Provence. I meander down the block, stopping at each lively stall to return a “Bonjour!” or a smile.

Since it is still early, I decide to hunt down another market, actually a collection of food shops with outdoor displays, on Rue de l’Annonciation in the 16th arrondissement. On the way, I ask several locals for directions, each one patiently stopping to help with kind and misleading instructions but, by the time I arrive around 10 a.m., most of the vendors have started to bring their bounties inside. The street spills into a lovely square, at the center of which is a cement building with a glass roof. I peek inside and discover Marché Passy. If only there were a kitchen in my hotel room, so I could cook up a big bowl of handmade gorgonzola-filled ravioli with fresh pea shoots. There are rows of glassy-eyed fish on ice at the poissonier and a wood-fired oven at the Le Boulanger du Marché, where I buy a warm loaf of five-grain bread and devour it on my way back.

The next day, I clear an entire morning to spend at my favorite of Paris’ all-under-one-roof department stores, Bon Marché. Like any experienced shopper, I cannot resist a sale, especially when the American dollar still buys barely half a euro. The best thing about Bon Marché, though, isn’t its bargain prices, as the name would suggest, (usually the prices are far from rock-bottom) but its vast selections of food, cosmetics, clothing and home furnishings from all over of the world.

After combing the racks upstairs for French designer clothing that I really don’t need, I head for the ground floor food hall, officially called Le Grand Èpicerie de Paris. It is like a museum of all things edible and mouth-watering. I lose myself for about an hour, astounded by all the different jams, salts, spices, snacks and condiments from around the globe. I collect a fantasy Parisian picnic á deux to enjoy at the Luxembourg gardens — a sesame seed ficelle, two cheeses, my favorite Bonne Maman rhubarb compote, wild strawberries, and some gorgeous tomatoes. I polish off most of it on the Metro back to the hotel (sorry, dear!).

Place d’Aligre is a picturesque market straight out of a Cailebotte painting. Not far from the Bastille in the 12th arrondissement, the open stands stretch several blocks, flanked on both sides by boulangeries, fromageries, and darling little food stores. It is a lively, noisy, irresistible bazaar, where commerce happens every day but Monday. I buy two enormous fresh figs to slurp on the Metro home.

At the end of the street is the second oldest covered market in Paris, Marché Beaveau. I imagine I am back in the 19th century, dressed in an elegant bustled number and carrying a cloth-covered basket, shopping for tonight’s feast. The scene hasn’t changed much since. Inside, the central cast-iron fountain adds a touch of serenity, as well as a place for merchants to rinse their goods. Outside, the rainbow menagerie continues to pulsate until mid-afternoon, when everything is folded up and put away until the next morning.

My exploration of Paris’ juiciest streets comes to an end on the day of the wedding. On the train to Avignon, I pause to admire the photos of the markets I discovered. The friendly faces, vibrant colors and mouth-watering edibles remind me of my wonderful mornings at the marchés. Thanks to my momentary chain-store digression, I uncovered the heart and soul of one of the world’s most deliciously dazzling cities.

Explore another farmers market.

It might surprise you that some of my most rewarding shopping moments happen not at a charming farmers market or a far-flung ethnic grocery but at Trader Joe’s. Chances are you have shopped there before, because at last count the company has grown to more than 315 stores in 25 states across the country. But it is a far cry from a soulless supermarket chain. Traders (as they are affectionately called in our town) are homey and retro, with hand-drawn signs and wooden crates, the smell of a simmering barbeque sauce or oven-baked garlic fries wafting through the aisles.

Some years ago (okay, it was something like thirty years ago), I remember my first foray with my mother to the Traders on National Boulevard. The store was crowded and cramped, and navigating the aisles with a shopping cart was like a bumper car ride. There were pony-tailed guys in Hawaiian shirts passing out samples of new products, daily specials squawked out on a loudspeaker, shoppers grinding their own peanuts and coffee. It was like a neighborhood bazaar. I’ll never forget the day I tasted a sample of tapenade (I was probably 12); I had never tried anything so delicious. Traders also awakened my virgin tastebuds to grilled Haloumi cheese, instant Kosher Indian curries, Greek-style yogurt, chile-dried mangoes, whole wheat ciabatta and freeze-dried jack fruit.

Last week, I had been experimenting with a new recipe for kale (see In The Kitchen) and was stumped for days on how to make it less greasy. My “Aha!” moment came in the olive oil aisle at Trader Joe’s. Olive oil spray! Feeling buoyant from my discovery, I skipped over to the dried fruit and nut section. I was in the mood to bake scones and was looking for an inspirational flavor idea. I came upon a bag of dried cranberries infused with orange and some roasted almonds. Baked into a whole wheat scone recipe I had been testing (see In The Kitchen), they turned out to be just the needed twist.

By the way, the prices at Trader Joe’s are hard to beat. I know firsthand because I used to sell to the company when I owned a snack business. Trader’s buyers are as tough to please as Simon Cowell, demanding from vendors the lowest possible pricing. This turned out to be less than a boon to my bottom line but great news for customers. The baked goods are supplied daily by local bakeries, cutting transportation costs to a minimum. And since Trader Joe’s puts its own label on most of its products, packaging is at its most cost-effective and conservationist.

When it comes to produce, Trader Joe’s always offers an interesting and plentiful selection. Organic produce costs scarcely more than the conventionally grown. For less than $2.00, a bag of beautiful blood oranges can become terrific lunch bag snacks or a beguiling salad dressing. I especially adore the microgreens, which I have only found at Maggie’s stand at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Tossed with a little vinaigrette, microgreens are an elegant way to top an otherwise ordinary piece of roasted or grilled fish. The organic frozen fruits and vegetables are more flavorful than any other brand I’ve tried, especially the artichoke hearts and diced mangoes. There are also colorful vegetable mixes to throw into a stir-fry or pasta sauce. And don’t overlook the meat section—Trader’s is the most convenient place to procure a fresh organic, Kosher chicken and excellent Kosher ground beef.

Trader Joe’s is where you’ll find me shopping this month in the ’hood!

If you ask me, one of the most exciting places in any city is a farmers market. My favorite local haunt is the Santa Monica Farmers Market, the largest of the farmers markets in Southern California, stretching nearly five city blocks with more than 50 or more vendors. You may cook at home plenty already, or maybe you’re hoping for some inspiration. For me, coming to a farmers market is better than therapy: I’m relaxed and spontaneous, cheerful and chatty! It’s hard to have a chip on your shoulder when a friendly farmer is handing you a basket of sweet, juicy raspberries that were just picked yesterday. There’s so much good karma around it’s contagious.

If you’re like me and tend to get into food ruts, shopping at the farmers market is the best way to get new ideas and inspiration. Even though I’m a trained chef, I tend to make the same five dishes over and over. When I get home at 6 o’clock and have to throw together dinner in 10 minutes, I tend to fall back on the old staples. But coming here snaps me out of my rut and into a more creative mode.

In Summertime Anytime, you’ll find lots of recipes based on the fresh produce you’ll find at any farmers market. But I like to come without a list or recipes so I can be more flexible in creating my menu for the week. Talk to the growers and they will be thrilled to take their time to tell you their favorite preparations using their produce. Buy something you’ve never seen before, go home and give it a try! Most of the time, all you need is some good olive oil, some garlic and Kosher salt.
I promise you will get immediate gratification, plus you will feel empowered to try more!

Farmers Markets are also a great place to see what’s in fashion on the streets. I get lots of groovy style tricks just by studying some of the shoppers and even the growers. In fact, the classic farmers market look has become very á la mode this season: I’m talking about the plaid shirt with ripped jeans and flip-flops look, or the t-shirt and prairie skirt with sunhat look.

This year, most of my friends and I have decided we all have more than enough “stuff” and are dialing down the holiday gift giving. In the spirit of reducing my carbon and consumer footprints, I will be giving baskets of lovely produce and other consumables from — you guessed it — the Santa Monica Farmers Market (with a copy of my cookbook, of course!) The baskets will be filled with fresh produce, crusty breads, homemade jams and preserves and maybe a bonsai tree.

You probably all have a farmers market within a few miles of your house. If you live in California, you can go on www.cafarmersmarkets.org to find the market nearest you. Or, try an online search for farmers markets in your zip code.

Here are some TIPS to help you make the most of your shopping trip:

1. Always bring your own canvas shopping bags. Plastic bags will bring scornful looks and are a farmers market faux pas!

2. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses. This way, you can shop as long as you like and you might even have your photo taken by the paparazzi.

3. Go early and be impulsive. The professional chefs are early birds and scoop up the best stuff. Unusual produce that rarely shows up in supermarkets, like yellow raspberries and jujubes (Asian dates), will most likely be gone by 10 am.

4. Buying produce in various stages of ripeness is a good way to extend your purchases throughout the week. Ask the growers for storage tips. For example, berries should never be washed before refrigerating them, as the water left on them will burn the berries and cause them to soften and mold.

Happy foraging!

Read about Dana’s trip to the Beverly Hills Farmers Market.

I am ready to come clean with a confession. I live in Beverly Hills. We all know its dark side…capital of glitz, over-the-top materialism, cartoon-perfect smiles and hilarious pretension. But Beverly Hills has its charms. And they don’t all come with a price tag.

As many residents know, Beverly Hills is actually a sweet hamlet with family-run restaurants, mom and pop shops, a stellar public library and tree-lined streets. But in my opinion, the true spirit of our town comes alive every Sunday at the Farmers Market on Civic Center Drive. Back in 1994, its time was long overdue. After brainstorming for weeks with a friend, I presented the Mayor of Beverly Hills with a detailed proposal of my fantasy farmers market. And much to my delight, the Beverly Hills Farmers Market opened its tents later that year.

Now there is good reason to mobilize the kids early and get out of the house on Sunday mornings (besides waiting in line at Nate ’n Al’s for my favorite cholesterol-icious Lox, Eggs and Onions with hash browns). I love the kaleidoscope-colored produce, the monthly petting zoo (complete with a camel and precious baby pigs), the nice man who happily sharpens my knives and scissors, and the live music that inspires everyone to start dancing.

Even in the winter months, the Beverly Hills Farmers Market is a place to find children at their grandparents’ sides, groups of friends sitting around a table eating their purchases, and young families exploring the stands. It has become the new town square of Beverly Hills. Lucky for us locals, the market has brought a weekly dose of much-needed soul back to 90210. And that’s where you’ll find me on a Sunday in the ’hood!

Go shopping at Trader Joe’s with Dana.