Bay Meadows

The Farmers’ Market at Bay Meadows has hit the ground running for the 2019 season, enjoying crowds interested in fresh produce, organic goodness, local products, beautiful flowers, prepared foods and farm fresh, market-inspired recipes. As part of our Opening Day Cinco de Mayo Celebration, we lined-up local food blogger and healthy eats enthusiast, Shruti Boddu (@shruskitchen on Instagram)! 

Shruti and her husband, Shiva Somasundaram served up a trio of tasty salsas (Mango Salsa, Avocado Salsa and Pico De Gallo), making the most of fresh market ingredients and perfect for enjoying all spring and summer long. (Recipes Below) 

“Healthy, vegetarian, dairy-free and low-gluten foods are the key requirements for all my meals. I use simple, raw ingredients and strive for quick thirty-minute recipes.”

We asked Shruti if she could could alongside anyone tomorrow who would that be?

My brother J. Although we cook very different kinds of food (he loves meat and I don’t eat any), he’s probably one of the most precise cooks I know and is an immense perfectionist. I always find it fascinating and fun to cook by his side. He’s also one of the reasons I started cooking.

I actually refused to enter the kitchen until I was 25. I spent large parts of my early adulthood away from home and in different countries, and never really delved into the art of cooking meals at home. I constantly ate meals outside, and while this was an exciting way to explore different food and local cuisines, I realized that I missed the wholesomeness and simplicity of home cooked food. Eventually, I decided that the best way to balance things out was to cook delicious meals at home, while experimenting based on all the different foods that I was fortunate enough to try. It was a beginning of a journey, and there was no looking back since!

What’s the background / personal influences for your specialty food interests?
I’m vegetarian by choice and dairy-free due to food sensitivities. I always try to cook easy, light meals packed with vegetables and spices, and consisting of minimal processed ingredients. I work a full-time tech job, and it’s nearly impossible to cook an elaborate meal after a long day at work. I strongly believe that it’s possible to find the right balance of healthy and fresh ingredients, deliciously flavored food and vegetarian + allergy specific recipes – all while spending less than thirty minutes in the kitchen each day.

Name 3 Foodie Instas you cannot live without: 
Cookie and Kate @cookieandkate
The Minimalist Baker @minimalistbaker
Amanda Meixner @meowmeix

Any other Bay Area Food Blogs that you love?
Raody Recipes (@raodyrecipes) and Milk and Cardamom (@milkandcardamom)

3 of your favorite go-to easy meals that would use fresh, market ingredients? ­­
Vegan Spinach Walnut Pesto
Avocado – Spinach Smoothie
Paprika Spiced Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Name the 5 items that we’d find in your Farmers Market Bay Meadows tote?
Cilantro, Onions, Garlic – since they’re essential for SO many delicious dishes.
Honey – since I love baking with honey as a replacement for processed sugar.
Spinach – give me all the yummy greens!

Shruti shares the market-inspired recipes Mango Salsa, Avocado Salsa and Pico De Gallo for us all to enjoy!  

Mango Salsa

What you’ll need:

• 2 ripe mangoes (I’ve been finding some deliciously sweet ones at the neighborhood Wholefoods), cut into small cubes
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves picked out and chopped
• ½ – 1 jalapeno, seeds removed (don’t forget to use rubber gloves!)
• ½ a large lemon, juiced
• A pinch or two of salt

What you’ll want to do:

1. Combine all the ingredients before adding the lemon and salt. Add more salt if required. Enjoy!

Avocado Salsa

What you’ll need: 

• 1 small red onion
• 4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3 avocados, diced
• ½ – 1 jalapeno, seeds removed (don’t forget to use rubber gloves!)
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• ½-1 tsp salt
• ½ a bunch cilantro, leaves picked out and chopped

What you’ll want to do:

1. Combine all the ingredients before adding the lemon and salt. Add more salt if required. Enjoy!

Pica De Gallo

What you’ll need: 

• 1 medium white onion
• 5 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ½ – 1 jalapeno, seeds removed (don’t forget to use rubber gloves!)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ½-1 tsp salt
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked out and chopped

What you’ll want to do:

1. Combine all the ingredients before adding the lemon and salt. Add more salt if required. Enjoy!

Thanks Shruti, we’ll be watching that amazing INSTA feed of yours and see you soon at the Farmers’ Market.

Conveniently located between San Francisco and Palo Alto in San Mateo, Bay Meadows offers new homes for sale and for rent within walking distance of Caltrain. Ease of transportation is only one reason you’ll fall in love with Bay Meadows. Smartly-designed, high-quality new homes sit among 18 acres of open space, which includes parks, a community garden, public art, ball fields, bocce and basketball courts and a new playground. All this just a walk from Whole Foods, ROAM burgers, Blue Bottle Coffee, Fieldwork Brewing Co., LIFT Fitness, Tin Pot Creamery, Hillsdale Shopping Center and more. Learn more about what Midurban life offers by following our Facebook page.