Sweet, hearty, and colorful, beets are like a party on your plate. Red beets can add a pink tint to a meal, and splash of rouge to any dish. Golden beets positively glow in a spread or salad. The uses for beets are endless, including in desserts! Check out our round up of beet centric dishes from Bon Appetit, Epicurious, Jessica Gavin, Sunset, and Love & Lemons.

The best and worst thing about Thanksgiving is the leftovers. It’s great having a full fridge, but the prospect of eating the same thing every day for a week can feel daunting. The good news is the internet is full of creative and fun ideas for spiffing up those full Tupperwares, and we assembled some of the more unique and exciting offerings from Martha Stewart, Sunset Magazine, Bon Appetit, The Food Network Magazine, Food 52, and Saveur. You won’t find a single Turkey sandwich on this list, we promise.

Family owned and operated for over four generations, Brady’s Oysters knows a thing or two about cooking seafood. They also know that in any family there’s going to be differing preferences and favorites, so their recipe for soul-warming oyster stew includes several variation possibilities to satisfy everyone’s tastes. You can find Brady’s Oysters at the University District and West Seattle farmers markets!

The team at Spoon Full Farm believes in a whole earth approach to farming, and a waste-free approach to cooking and eating. When we approached them for a recipe, we were not surprised when they shared one for beef bone broth, a versatile ingredient that ensures every part of the animal is honored and put to good use. Bones for the stock can be found at the Spoon Full Farm booth at the Capitol Hill Farmers Market.

Farmer Dorcas Young was born and raised in Botswana, eventually immigrating to the United States with her family and a collection of seeds from where she was born. She planted those seeds in the garden of her new home on Whidbey Island, Washington, where they made roots and eventually grew into Lesedi Farm. Today Lesedi Farm continues to grow, selling unique African cuisine, vegetables, and shelf products made using ingredients grown by Dorcas’s own hands.

Thank goodness it’s cranberry season! Fresh cranberries are one of our favorite market ingredients and we (im)patiently wait for its short season all year long. Though they have a powerful flavor, the mouth-puckering tartness of cranberries is tempered by sweetness, a combination that can add depth to any dish. Check out our recipe round-up of cranberry-forward mains, sides, and desserts from Delish, Food52, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Food & Wine, and Sunset Magazine.

Sourcing ingredients for a cooking holiday meals doesn’t need to be a weeks long affair. Check back on this Holiday Pre-Order guide for seasonal ingredients and dishes from local farmers, ranchers, fisherman, chefs, and bakers. We’ll update this list regularly as our vendors roll out their seasonal specials for pre-order.

Ele Watts may be our newest staff member, but they are certainly not new to our farmers market family. Ele’s connections and involvement in the Washington food and farming community run deep, both in and out of the fields. Their love of local food is contagious, as is their enthusiasm for this Vegan Latkes recipe. Whether you make them for yourself or your pod-mates, these latkes don’t disappoint!

A Tenessee native, Ben has traveled and eaten around the world. He joined our market community this past summer after living in Cambodia. No matter how far he travels, Ben keeps his favorite recipes from home close to heart. He was kind enough to share his family’s Tortilla Soup recipe, a classic they always enjoy around the holidays. Be sure to cook and eat this dish with your loved ones, even if you can only be together from far apart this year.

Alone, cauliflower has a lightly sweet and delicate flavor, offering balance to a rich meal. Used as an ingredient, it takes on flavors and contributes wonderful texture. Don’t forget to include this malleable ingredient on your Thanksgiving shopping list! Find recipe inspiration in this recipe round up.

Acorn squash is one of the most versatile winter squash out there. It’s delicious in sweet or savory dishes, and can even become it’s own bowl if done right. We love any cooking method that minimizes dishes, especially in the wake of a Thanksgiving feast! Check out our recipe round up for acorn squash.

Thea has been with the Neighborhood Farmers Markets for 25 years and knows her stuff when it comes to sourcing and eating local. A life-long Seattleite, Thea’s family has called the Emerald City home for three generations and passed down a love of traditional holiday dishes. Check out recipes for Thea’s favorite classics, Latkes and Apple Sauce!

A born and raised Washingtonian and manager of the Columbia City and West Seattle farmers markets, Shane Clayburn knows a thing or two about cooking local. In his recipe for vegan stuffing, he features roughly twelve types of local produce, not to mention a loaf of slightly stale bread, (for sopping up delicious broth, of course), which can also be sourced locally. Nearly all the ingredients in this dish can be found at your local farmers market!

Market Manager Sean Akers is our king of heartiness. A real meat-n-potatoes guy, Sean can always be counted on for a recipe that will fill your belly and warm your soul. His adaptation of Bon Appetit’s Cornbread Stuffing is no exception, a delicious take on the Thanksgiving classic. Find the ingredients you need at the farmers market!

Jonica Strongman, Manager of the West Seattle Farmers Market, knows that the way to the heart is through the stomach. (Just ask her husband Kel). She shared her family’s recipe for hearty potato leek soup to help us warm our bellies and spirits this holiday season. The best part? You can find nearly all these ingredients at your local farmers market.

“Holiday Season” is synonymous with “Feasting Season” in our book. Whether you’re hosting a socially distanced gathering, or intimate dinner for two, (or one, let’s be honest), now’s the time to enjoy Washington’s autumn bounty to the fullest. Check out our round up of local-ingredient forward dishes for cozy cooking sessions at home.

The arrival of pear season is the ultimate beacon of autumn. Simultaneously crisp and creamy, pears are the cool weather answer to summer peaches. As with most fruit, we wholeheartedly approve of the gobble-while-juice-runs-down-your-chin method of consumption, but pears are a wonderful ingredient too! Check out our recipe round up for creative kitchen inspiration.

In our opinion, sandwiches are a perfect food. You’ve got your protein, you’ve got your veggies, and of course, your healthy starch, bread. In a sandwich, you enjoy this power trio in each bite, in addition to your favorite sauce or cheese... Yum. Elevate your lunch game, check out our sandwich recipe round up, inspired by Tall Grass Bakery’s marbled rye bread.

Sauteed Apples with Brandy from Farmers Market Cooking by Sally Ann Berk

Chef Tamara Murphy’s Apple Relish