Farmer’s Market, Fun, and Fried Vanilla Pudding

What a wonderful weekend!  Sometimes you just have a weekend that transitions from one fun thing to another. 

Saturday morning, after an easy does it 7 1/2 mile run, I hit up the local Farmer”s Market.  This was the day I would do my produce shopping at the local market:  Utica Historic Train Station 321 Main Street in Utica. 

What a find!

Varieties of eggplant (I’m planning on an eggplant lasagna). 

A load of fresh green beans

Yellow, juicy, big tomatoes

Local goat cheese from Three Village Cheese Co., in Poland, New York

Fair Trade Madagascar Vanilla and Vanilla Beans

Who could forget the two fur-faces that make running so fun? Natural doggy cookies from Jakes Bakes, Clinton, NY in three varieties

Like I said… what a find!

After the shopping came the fun.  It was swim spa time!

Ted got splashing around in the swim spa. He eventually put the tether on which works really well to keep us from swimming too far forward.  Ted can swim with one set of jets on high and the other two low.  I’m weak.  I have to have all three jets on low. Just a beginner.

We bought a Maax PowerPool Swim Spa DT6.  It has a two person spa on one end for hot water massage therapy and the swim spa at the other end.  Ted is 6’ tall and has plenty of room for complete, comfortable swim strokes.  I’m 5’6” so I have plenty of room to splash around.   We did a lot of research into these swim spas which began two years ago.  It made more sense to us that there be two separate heat zones. Can you imagine how much time it would take to heat the entire spa up to 100 degrees if you wanted hot water therapy?  THEN… to cool the whole thing down again for swimming?  It didn’t make sense.  This is the best of both worlds.  So far…so good.  We’ll see how the winter goes. Right now it’s not enclosed.

Enough about the tub..what about that FRIED PUD!  Actually called “Anacardo Leche Frita” and I found this recipe on Hannah’s site “Bitter Sweet Blog”.  The photos! The recipes! You will be overwhelmed.  *Make sure to visit Hannah’s site for the original recipe.

Fried Vanilla Pudding – Serves 12

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 3/4 cups Vanilla Almond Milk (Hannah used So Delicious Cashew Milk)
• 1/3 cup Agave Nectar
• 1 TBS Vanilla extract or paste
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 TBS granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• To finish, you will need coconut oil (or olive oil) about 1/4 to 1/3 cup and more cinnamon.

Use a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk the cornstarch, milk, and agave.  Once the mixture is smooth, no lumps, whisk periodically until boiling. *While waiting for the mixture to boil, grease an 8 x 8 pan then set aside. 

Once your mixture boils, add the vanilla and cook about 30 seconds longer or until it gets pudding thick but not burned on the bottom.  Turn off the heat and pour into the prepared 8 x 8 pan.  Allow to cool on the counter top then transfer to the fridge overnight or at least 4 hours.

When pudding is cold and firm, turn it onto a cutting boards and cut into squares or triangles (enough for 12 servings). 

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger.  Toss the pudding slices to coat.

Heat 3 – 4 TBS coconut or olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat.  Once the oil is preheated, add the floured pudding and cook for about 4 – 5 minutes per side or until golden. Line a plate with paper towel and remove cooked pudding slices to plate.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy.

But wait! Is that WHIPPED CREAM I see on those Leche Frita?!

It is!

Weekends don’t get much better that that. 

The final wrap:  A birthday party celebration at Vernon Downs for a friend Saturday night and a long run of 18 for me and 16.75 for Ted.  Now it’s time for football!

What did you do this weekend?  Fun?  Fitness? Cooking?  Please share.