Make the Most of the Harvest: A Cooking Demonstration with Jenny Breen

September is a good time to bring home something fresh—and think about how to enjoy more of what is already in your kitchen. Join us at Market in the Valley on Sunday, September 27, from 9:00 AM–1:00 PM under the Water Tower at 7800 Golden Valley Rd in Golden Valley. This week, a guest chef will help connect your market bag with everyday food preparation.

Start with this Sunday’s complete lineup to plan your visit. Along with growers, food makers, crafts and community participants, we have a special demonstration at 10:00 AM, live music throughout the morning, and yoga at 9:30 AM.

At 10:00 AM: Cook with more of what you have

Chef Jenny Breen will lead a short food preparation demonstration focused on using surplus produce and common leftover ingredients. Sponsored by Hennepin County ahead of Food Waste Prevention Week (September 28–October 4), the demonstration will explore ways to use more of your produce, including edible stems and leaves, and cover preparation basics such as knife skills.

Jenny will use produce purchased from the market, so the dish will depend on what she finds that morning. Handouts will be available. Come for ideas you can bring back to your own kitchen, whether you are deciding what to do with your market purchases or hoping to make better use of ingredients you already have. The emphasis is on practical skills and seeing possibilities in food that might otherwise go unused.

For more background before or after Sunday, listen to Jenny’s conversation with MPR News about seasonal produce and food waste. Read Jenny’s University of Minnesota bio and explore Hennepin County’s Food Waste Prevention Week events and resources to continue learning.

A September market bag

Growers: Apples, squash, gourds and pumpkins are in as melon season winds down. Take a walk through the produce stands and see what catches your eye. As we move into fall, asking growers what they brought and how they like to use it is a simple way to make your shopping trip part of your meal planning. Leave room for a conversation as well as your purchases.

Baked Goods and Specialty Foods: Browse the baked goods and specialty food selections for something to enjoy at home or alongside your market finds. Hot chocolate is also on the menu this Sunday. Take your time choosing what fits your week, and check the lineup before coming if you are hoping to find a particular participant.

Crafts and Community: Make a little room in your visit for handmade goods and our community participants, too. Master Gardeners are on this week’s list, along with nonprofits and a youth entrepreneur. A Sunday at the market is a chance to meet the people who make and grow things nearby, as well as the neighbors who keep our community connected.

Music, yoga and your Sunday morning

Lilli Horizon performs from 9:00–11:00 AM, followed by Brian Peterson from 11:00 AM–1:00 PM. Hand Heart Yoga is scheduled for 9:30 AM, and Jenny’s cooking demonstration begins at 10:00 AM. You can plan around the demonstration and still leave time to shop, hear some music, and pick up something from the ready-to-eat and food truck offerings.

Three outdoor markets left—and a winter date to save

Including this Sunday, three outdoor markets remain: September 27, October 4 and October 11. Make time for a few more visits as the harvest changes. The winter market begins November 8; we’ll share more details as they are confirmed.

Bring your market bag and a friend, and meet us under the Water Tower. We look forward to sharing a September Sunday with you.

See the full September 27 lineup

— The Market in the Valley Team