Drink Beer, Do Good? That’s their mission at Ex Novo Brewing. And we can definitely get behind that!

Come taste with us and learn about this Non-Profit brewery from Portland!

When: Thursday, August 17, 2017; 4 pm to 5 pm. Join us!

We carry these fine brews:

Photos borrowed from Ex Novo to promote their beer and cause.

At The Natural Grocery Company, we are proud to sell 100% organic produce.

Some may question why this matters. After all, most grocery stores (even big box ones) carry organic options at this point.

A short story about my recent neighborhood (in East Oakland) shopping trip may help illustrate what can happen when a store sells both conventional and organic produce.

A couple days ago, I had to make a quick run to a market near our house for ginger root. The place we go has both organic and conventional options. I selected the organic ginger. When I got home and looked at my receipt, I realized the price I paid was low and the line item read: ginger (not organic ginger). Perhaps I picked up a piece of conventional ginger from the organic ginger bin. But how could that happen? It’s possible some other shopper ditched their conventional ginger in the organic bin. Or perhaps the piece was improperly labeled. Mistakes happen. I understand that. But I did not want conventional ginger. It made me wonder how many times this kind of thing happens. On this occasion I paid for the lower priced ginger. But what if conventional items are mislabeled as organic and you pay the premium without getting the product?

This is all to say, that I am grateful to work (and shop for most of our groceries) in a place with 100% organic produce. There is no chance for conventional fruits, veggies or roots to accidentally end up in my cooking!

Little super seeds like chia and flax are mightier than they look: while they may be tiny, they’re actually full of essential nutrients. The chia seed contains three times more calcium than skim milk, and is a great source of both omega-3 essential fatty acids and dietary fiber. Ground flaxseed is also a great source of fiber, as well as omega-3 alpha-linoleic acid, which supports normal cardiovascular function and helps maintain healthy hair, skin and nails.

Chia Seeds

Flax Seeds

Super Seed Tips:

Add chia or ground flax seeds to almost anything
Sprinkle over hot or cold cereal
Stir into yogurt or applesauce
Add to smoothies and beverages

More Tips:

Add to baked goods
Stir into nut butter or sprinkle inside a PB & J
Sprinkle over toast
Add to homemade nut/seed butter bars

Super Easy Recipe with Chia:

Chia Pudding
Makes 3 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups coconut milk, unsweetened
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 2-4 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Toppings:

• Toasted almonds or cashews
• Grated, unsweetened coconut
• Berries
• Sliced Bananas

Directions:

In a bowl, mix all ingredients. Stir until well-blended. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Once pudding has set, sprinkle with your favorite toppings and enjoy! The result is thick and luxurious, with loads of healthy side effects.

Chia Pudding

Here are a few reasons to add chia to your daily routine:

1. DIGESTION: Chia is being studied as a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes because of its ability to slow down digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes. (Sources: Harvard Health Publications and Diabetes Care, 2007)
2. FIBER: A 28-gram or one-ounce serving of chia has 11 grams of dietary fiber, which is important for digestive health.
3. GOOD FAT: Nearly five grams of Omega-3 (important for brain health) in a one-ounce serving.
4. MINERALS: A serving of chia seeds has 18 percent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, important for bone and oral health. It also has 30% of your recommended intake of manganese, another important nutrient/mineral for bone health (it helps your body use other essential nutrients like biotin and thiamin). And then, there is phosphorus. Chia seeds have 27% of your daily need. Phosphorus also helps with bone and teeth health by synthesizing protein for cell and tissue growth/repair.
5. PROTEIN: One 28-gram serving has 4.4 grams of protein, nearly 10 per cent of the daily value.
6. APPETITE, SLEEP AND MOOD: Chia seeds also have tryptophan which helps regulate appetite, sleep and improve mood.
7. HEART HEALTH: Chia seeds may lower total, LDL, and triglyceride cholesterol, and raise good HDL cholesterol. All good things for a happy, healthy heart.

* *ADVISORY* *
Chia seeds can interact with the medication warfarin/coumadin. Patients on blood pressure medication should take chia seeds cautiously. Patients on blood thinners should not take chia seeds. – From the Cleveland Clinic http://www.clevelandclinicwellness.com/Features/Pages/Chia-Seeds.aspx

Organic farming, Fair Trade practices and impeccable artisan care all contribute to the outstanding quality of Finca San Antonio. Their use of a rare varietals of cacao such as Criollo also makes them stand out from the competition.

Criollo was the predominant cacao of central and northern South America for ages. Because of its low productivity and susceptibility to disease it now represents between 0.1% and 5% of the world’s crop. Finca San Antonio still cultivates this varietal of cacao in the northern region of San Martín. Their bars contain between 55% and 70% cacao, all of which is grown organically.