Run to Green City Market + Bruschetta with Ramps and White Beans.

This weekend was full of warm summer temperatures, though it ended with rain and a spring thunderstorm. I’m still finishing a six week 10 Mile Training Plan for the Soldier Field 10 Mile race. The race is coming up in two short weeks – this month is flying by! For that reason, Saturday morning started with a six mile long run with friends to the lakefront path and south, ending at one of my favorite farmer’s markets in Lincoln Park.

The run felt incredibly hot, probably because this body is not used to exercising on sunny days with temps in the upper 70s – but I refuse to complain! After the brutal winter, I should be enjoying every hot minute outdoors. We stopped running just short of the Green City Market for a blueberry and peach blended smoothie from Seedling Farms.

This weekend was the second outdoor market of the season, and Green City is one of the earliest outdoor markets to open in the city for the summer. The market is also open indoors during a few winter months. During this visit, I picked up a bundle of ramps from Mick Klug Farm of St. Joseph, Michigan. Don’t you love their summery display?

I tried ramps for the first time last spring, but haven’t found them for sale anywhere since {until this weekend!} Ramps are only available for a short few weeks in the spring. The bulbs are a cross between onion and garlic, and are sometimes called “wild leeks.” You can eat both the bulbs and the leaves. These guys are native to North America, growing in a large area from South Carolina and Canada.

K and I sauteed the ramp bulbs with white beans, tomatoes, and white wine. We chopped the ramp greens and created a bean and ramp bruschetta. It was a perfect, easy vegetarian dinner for a Sunday night.

Bruschetta with Ramps and White Beans
Serves two.

3-4 slices sourdough bread
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon white wine
1/2 cup grape tomatoes {sliced}
1 can white cannellini beans {drained}
7 ramps
4 Tablespoons soft cheese {I used boursin garlic & herb}
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

How to~
1.  Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan on medium. Clean and slice the ramp bulbs and separate from the greens. Chop the bulbs and saute for ~2 minutes. Add {drained} white beans and sliced tomatoes. Add 1 Tablespoon white wine. Stir and cook on medium-low for ~5 minutes.
2.  Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet on medium. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices and toast for ~2 minutes on each side.
3.  While the bread is toasting, mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon in the saute pan. Stir in ramp greens.
4.  Spread a thin layer of cheese on each slice of bread and top with the bean, tomato and ramps mixture.

{Adapted from Crostini with Sauteed Ramps from Food52 and Skillet Bruschetta with Beans and Greens from Bon Appetit}