It’s no secret that I adore farmers markets.
The colorful fruits, veggies and flowers. The fresh food being cooked for the many hungry bellies. The local bakers, producers, growers, and artists all hanging by their stands offering samples and eager to talk to patrons. Everyone there seems happy to taste, happy to pay a bit more for the high quality foods being offered, happy to just be there.
I love the vibe of farmers markets. Nothing screams weekend morning more than walking around at a nearby market, getting excited at the heirloom tomatoes and juicy nectarines as only a real food lover like me does.
The last time I lived in SoCal, I used to go to the Little Italy farmers market all the time, and it’s amazing there, but it’s a bit of a hike from where I live now. So a few weekends ago, I made my first trip to a weekend market in the Oceanside area – the Vista Farmers Market – and I was not disappointed! The market offers a lot of options, with everything from strawberry baskets, vegan desserts and gourmet coffee beans to cheesecakes cups, herbs and plants. I got a little overexcited when I spotted my favorite local peanut butter company, Pacific Beach Peanut Butter. I obviously nabbed a jar of chocolate PB! 
I picked up a ton of goodies, including asparagus, raw honey, plenty of strawberries, heirloom tomatoes and zucchini:
One of my favorite things to do is to put together a meal using many ingredients I picked up at the market that day.
On this day, the meal centered around a couple of ripe tomatoes and half of a monster of a loaf of whole grain bread I got from a baker at the market.
This recipe makes for a colorful, summery appetizer…
…or, if you’re like my hubby and me, you make it as the main dinner entree on a lazy weekend evening to eat in your backyard, washing it down with a glass of wine as you laugh at your nutty dog circle around the pool barking at the pool vacuum.
White Bean Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 12 oz of a loaf of fresh whole grain bread
- 1-15 oz can cannellini beans
- 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese you can leave out or use nutritional yeast to make it vegan
- Lemon juice for 1/2 small lemon
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes I used a combination of Roma and heirloom
- 2 TBSP fresh basil
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Chop the tomatoes into small bites and place in a medium bowl. Mince the red onion and chop the basil, and add to the bowl. Drizzle 1 TBSP of the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar on top, and sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Toss together to combine well, then sprinkle more salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit while you continue prepping.
- Cut the bread into 14 slices. Use the remaining olive oil to brush onto the tops of the bread, then place on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, combine the beans, Romano cheese, garlic clove, lemon juice, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Once the bread is done baking, spread some of the bean mixture onto each slice. With a slotted spoon, top each crostini with some of the tomato mixture. Transfer all crostini to a serving platter and enjoy.
**Before I go, congrats to my Bondi Band giveaway winners: Arena Thompson, who has won the I Hate Running/I Love Running headband, and Emily, who is getting the pink Run Like A Princess Today headband! I’ve emailed you both for your addresses.**
Oh this looks so delicious! I never considered this combo before but I love it!
Sadly the farmer’s markets near me have been a bit disappointing lately. They are always great later in the season but I want the goods now!
Yeah, in the thick of the summer the farmers markets near you should hopefully get pretty good!
Nicole….Nicole. I just scrolled through the pics in this post for like 20 minutes straight because everything about it is PERFECT! Farmers’ Market? Perfect. Oceanside? Perfect. PB Peanut Butter Company? Perfect. Homemade bruschetta? Perfect! This made me miss the West coast a lot 🙂 I’m glad you’re enjoying living there again! Your pictures of the bruschetta are amazing….so light and summery!
Thank you doll!! You’ll be back out west at some point 😉 For now, Asheville should be a fun place for you to live!
Beautiful pictures!! I want some of this bruschetta right now please!
Thank you! 🙂
Farmers Markets are the best, especially the ones in California. The produce here is just so good.
This bruschetta looks incredible! I love the addition of white beans for some protein. I’d love it even more if I could eat it beside your pool while watching Harley chase the vacuum! haha. Really though, I am SO jealous of your pool!
Ahh, her pool is uh-mazing!
Pool party Nicole? 😉
Yup! Come on down you Northern Californians!!
I know, you really can’t beat Cali for fresh produce! We’re both pretty lucky to be living here huh??
You have an open invitation to come hang by my pool! 🙂 Hopefully you’ll get down towards San Diego sometime and we can hang out!
I love my farmers market! I wish it was a bit cheaper, but it’s SF so what are you going to do?
It’s been so long since I’ve had bruschetta. I used to have a coworker that would make it by the gallon and bring it to the break room with crusty bread for scooping. It was so good I could just eat it with a spoon! Love the take on the white bean, addition, a great texture between the bread and tomato mix.
And thank you for the giveaway! So excited for my bondi band 🙂
I know, I always bring a good amount of cash to the market and wind up leaving with empty pockets! Ha.
YUM! Bruschetta + crusty bread = heaven. Bruschetta and caprese salads are my favorite summertime tomato dishes.
Your welcome! Your headband was shipped yesterday. 🙂
Yum! Don’t ya just love summer farmer’s markets?
This recipe sounds delicious!
Thanks, Hillary!
I loove Farmer’s markets! Also, I might have to pick up some of that peanut butter next time I’m in SD 🙂
Have you ever had it? All of their flavors are so yummy! The owner is this young guy who just had a dream of starting a PB company and went for it… makes me like their PB even more!
This recipe looks amazing!! We’re finally going to make it to the farmers market this weekend! Can’t wait! I love the farmers market too. We always end up with some honey and bread too…and lots of veggies! 🙂
Oooh nice, have fun! Ah yes, how can you not get lots of veggies at the market?? They’re so fresh.