Eating Well – Page 2

Yams or Sweet Potatoes?

November 16, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Purple Yam

Orange Sweet Potato

Yams or Sweet Potatoes?
We all love to make yams for Thanksgiving, but did you know that you are actually eating sweet potatoes? In the United States we refer to an orange fleshed sweet potato as a yam, but they are really two completely different species. The true yam does not grow in the northern hemisphere. They are only grown in the Caribbean, Africa and parts of Asia. The Yam can grown up to 150lbs and 4.5′ in length. Their flesh ranges in color from white to yellow to pink and they have a very thick, scaly, alligator like skin.

Their flesh is also very starchy and dry. Yams are more closely related to lilies and grasses than they are to sweet potatoes, which are in the morning glory family.

Sweet potatoes are native to tropical regions of South America. Peruvian sweet potato remnants dating as far back as 8000 BC have been found. You can eat them raw, baked, boiled, steamed, roasted, broiled, grilled, fried and just about any other way you can think of!
At The Natural Grocery Company, we have a variety of different sweet potatoes to
choose from year round. The orange flesh varieties are known as “moist fleshed” and the white
fleshed varieties are known as “dry fleshed.” Here are the types we carry at both our stores:
Garnet-An orange fleshed variety that is the most popular. This is the traditional “yam” we eat at
Thanksgiving. With a dark red skin and bright pumpkin colored flesh, this sweet potato is great
prepared almost any way. It is very sweet and has a nice creamy, velvety texture when cooked.
Jewel and Beauregard-Both types have an orange flesh. These varieties have tan skin and tend
to be a little sweeter than the Garnet. I like to use the Beauregard in my sweet potato pie recipe.
It is very moist when cooked and has a texture that is not as velvety as the Garnet. Great for
making sweet potato fries or chips!
Hannah– This variety has a light tan, almost white skin with white flesh. The white flesh is
crumbly and has the texture of a russet potato when cooked. This year, I will be making a
Hannah sweet potato pie with cardamom and vanilla.
Japanese– Also a white fleshed variety, this sweet potato has a very dark purple skin. Because of
its drier texture, I like to slice these, drizzle with olive oil, cinnamon and cayenne and bake at
350 degrees until they soften and turn a golden brown color. They are also nice in soups.
Purple Stokes/ Okinawa sweet potato- This super food variety is my favorite! With a bluish
purple skin and deep royal purple flesh, this sweet potato has a texture very similar to the Garnet
but has an extra sweet earthiness to the taste. Originally from the Americas, this variety was
introduced to Japan in the 14th century and has become a staple on the Island of Okinawa where
it is eaten almost every day. This is believed to be the reason why Okinawa has the largest
percentage of people living over the age of 100 (more than any other country). This variety has
150% more antioxidants than blueberries and is wonderful prepared almost any way. Try using
these in a pie (beautiful) or mashed instead of regular potatoes. Add some extra antioxidants to
your Thanksgiving table!
By Casey Goode, Produce Manger at ECNG

Farm Discovery Day

October 4, 2016 by WineAndBeer

We had a blast visiting the McClelland’s Dairy Farm this past weekend. At an event sponsored by Organic Valley, they pulled out all the fun farm toys! We got to spend time with calfs, shake and make butter, drive mini tractors, play in corn pits and drink milk (lots of milk!). Check out the pictures for a diary of the day. It’s always wonderful to see where our food comes from. I couldn’t help but pick up a dozen of their eggs before heading back to the city. Their bird’s beaks never get clipped so they roam the fields and eat tons of bugs and grass…all the good flavor making ingredients that lead to yummy eggs.

Don’t worry if you missed the event. McClelland’s eggs and Organic Valley milk and dairy products are available at our stores.

Congratulations to St. John’s Family Farm – Now Non-GMO Verified!

September 23, 2016 by WineAndBeer

St. John’s Family Farm was founded in 2006. They are located about 40 minutes from Chico and 1 1/2 hours from Sacramento. Their farm is tucked away on a quiet country road, surrounded by nut trees.

Their hens are all pasture raised, free to explore, chase bugs and snack on hearty green grasses. Three times a day, they are served freshly mixed (corn and soy) Non-GMO feed. In their spacious mobile coops, they lay beautiful brown eggs and roost for the evening. It’s pretty bucolic.

Recently they went through the process of becoming Non-GMO verified. And we are thrilled with their new certification! Same tasty eggs, newly verified.

When we visited the farm, it was easy to tell why these eggs are so delicious and why the yolks are so intensely flavorful. The hens roam in wide open spaces, are gently treated by the staff and family and kept safe (mostly from foxes) by some amazing (and cute) guard dogs.

Try their eggs next time to stop by our stores and help support an amazing family and their animals by purchasing delicious eggs!

Apple Season is Here!

September 7, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Roxbury Russet Apple

Ashmead’s Kernal

Belle de Boskoop

Red Gravenstein

Every year at the Natural Grocery Company we bring in different types of organic, local heirloom and biodynamic apples, most of which we get from The Apple Farm in Philo, CA and Filigreen Farms in Booneville, CA. At the peak of the season we may have more than 50 different types of apples available at our El Cerrito store, with more varieties to come as the season changes. Right now we have 44 varieties at El Cerrito Natural Grocery Co. From The Apple Farms’ Ashmead’s Kernal, Roxbury Russet and Belle De Boskoops to Filigreen Farm’s Kidds Orange Red, Red Gravenstein and Pink Sparkle. With all of these apples in abundance one might ask, what makes these two farms and their apples so special? They are both certified Biodynamic, a method of organic farming originally developed by Rudolf Steiner that is described as a holistic understanding of agricultural processes. This type of farming has an astrological sowing and planting calendar. Choosing to plant, cultivate or harvest based on both the phase of the moon and the astrological constellation the moon is passing through. One of the first sustainable agriculture movements, it treats soil fertility, plant growth and livestock care as equally interrelated tasks emphasizing spiritual perspectives. The whole farm is conceived of as an organism. Soil, plant, animal, human. Biodynamic farmers focus on the open pollination of seeds (with farmers thereby growing their own seed) and the development of locally adapted varieties. Biodynamic Farming has about 20% smaller yields than traditional organic farming but the flavors really stand out! Some think of it as Organic 2.0!

Now, about those apples! Ashmead’s Kernal and Roxbury Russet are funny looking apples. Their rough brown skin looks like that of a russet potato. They are juicy and tart and as they age and start to soften and wrinkle, their flavors intensify. Look for these to make an outstanding juice or applesauce! Belle De Boskoops are tart and fragrant. They are a great cooking apple as they tend to hold their shape. They also have four times the vitamin C as a Granny Smith! Kidds Orange Red is aromatic, sweet and sharp. Great for juicing, drying and eating out of hand. It is also one of the parents of the Gala apple. Red Gravenstein is a natural mutation of the Gravenstein apple. Extremly floral with a sweet/tart taste, this is one of my absolute favorite apples. The Red Gravenstein is a little sweeter than the Gravenstein and is a great cooking apple. Try making a pie using half Red Gravenstein and half Belle De Boskoops! Pink Sparkle is a variety that is new to The Natural Grocery Company. Just under the skin, there are lovely pink polka dots in the flesh! Traditionally used in cooking, this apple purees well, so it would be great to make an applesauce or apple butter! Tart and slightly sweet, this apple looks like it was grown upside down with a broad base and narrows near the stem.

Come in and taste a new kind of apple as we will be getting in more varieties every week! This really is a special time of year at The Natural Grocery Company. I don’t know of any other stores in the area that can come anywhere close to carrying this many varieties of local organic apples. Can you?

By, Casey Goode, Produce Manager at ECNG

Self-Serve Organic Hot Bar – Now Open!

August 23, 2016 by WineAndBeer

We know you are often pressed for time.
So we did a little re-design of our counter and opened up a self-serve selection of prepared foods.
We’re keeping them warm so you can have a hot lunch without waiting for us to pop it in the oven.
Select your food just as you would for the salad bar. We’ll weigh it.
The price is $8.99 per pound.
Simple as that.

Pancake Recipe

July 8, 2016 by WineAndBeer

Pancakes make me feel like it’s a special occasion…but perhaps that’s silly. When I make the batter ahead of time, it’s super easy to cook up some pancakes any day of the week for breakfast or an afternoon snack. To make it a healthier treat, I top it with plain yogurt, a drizzle of honey, nuts and fruit (fresh, dried or preserved).

Here’s my go-to recipe:

Tomato, Basil and Avocado Salad

June 30, 2016 by WineAndBeer

The smell of basil is a sure sign of summer.

It’s that time of year when “cooking” gets easier because you don’t really have to cook!

The veggies, herbs and fruits are so stellar in their raw form that minimal preparation is necessary.

Ingredients list (enough for four adults)

Basil – one bunch

Tomatoes – 4 medium to large tomatoes (Romas or Heirlooms)

Cherry tomatoes – one basket

Avocado – 4 medium sized avocados. Select the ones that have just a little give when pressed gently.

Shallot – one

Garlic – one head (although you only need one tiny bit of one clove)

Acme baguette – one (sweet or sourdough depending on your preference)

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Salt

Preparation:

Dressing first (that way the flavors meld while you cut the produce):

Dice the shallot and throw it into a jar (with a lid).

Throw in a pinch of salt (don’t be too shy with your pinch)

Add 2/3 of a cup of olive oil and 1/3 of a cup red wine vinegar. You may have some left over dressing with this quantity. Just store it in the fridge and temper it next time you are making a salad!

Shake the mixture and let it sit.

Salad:

Cut the large tomatoes into bit size pieces

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half

Cut the avocados in bite size pieces (same as tomatoes)

Put all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together with fingers (try not to crush the avocados)

Break the basil leaves off one at a time (leaving the stem behind). You should use about five plentiful stems of basil*. Then break each leaf into pieces. Be gentle so as not to bruise the basil.

Re shake the dressed, and then mix it in…use as much as you think is necessary for great flavor.

Cut the baguette into pieces, toast lightly in the oven or toaster. While it’s still hot, take one pealed clove of garlic cut in half and rub the crumb side of the bread with the garlic. Then take olive oil and drizzle over the top. Finish with salt (to taste).

If you eat cheese and cold cuts of meat, have some on the side. If not, enjoy this salad as a great vegan salad. It’s one of our favorite summer dishes.

*If the basil bunch was more than five stems, store the rest (unwashed) wrapped in a damp paper towel or cloth in the produce drawer of your fridge.

Frog Hollow Stone Fruit

May 29, 2016 by WineAndBeer

We wait patiently every year for the Frog Hollow flat bed truck to pull into our driveway with stacks of perfectly ripe, organic apricots, peaches, plums, pluots and nectarines.

Frog Hollow is a family run farm in Brentwood, California. Not only to they grow impeccable, tree-ripened produce, they also make amazing conserves (with low added sugar), tasty (and pure) olive oil and dried fruits.

Swing by either market to buy their most seasonal fruits!

Photos borrowed from the Frog Hollow website.

Hummingbird Wholesale

May 11, 2016 by WineAndBeer

We choose our business relationships carefully. The folks at Hummingbird Wholesale live and breath values that align with our own. Headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, they serve their immediate area on down to us folks in Northern California. We are lucky to be within their distribution territory because they bring delicious, organic bulk products at competitive prices. Look for a list of products we carry from them below! Their philosophy about business is to be like a hummingbird. This beautiful and poetic entry from their website describes the metaphor in more detail.

Sustainability at Hummingbird Wholesale

by Julie and Charlie Tilt

What if, like the hummingbird, all people would sip the nectar of the earth without harming the flower? Is it possible? At Hummingbird we know it is possible, and we will never give up until this vision comes to fruition.

We can enjoy the sweetness of the harvest and the delicious nourishment of the earth while remembering to be grateful, and taking only our share. We honor the earth’s abundance through doing good work with the energy we receive from its sustenance. We are focused: with adroit maneuvering we extract the flower’s nectar in a manner that ensures the flower remains for others to be nourished. We share in the delight of its beauty, now and into the future.

We grow ourselves in collaboration with others, in service to the community. Our work at Hummingbird is essentially love in action. We use our willpower, along with positive thought and actions, to move the world into a sustaining momentum. We humbly learn from our mistakes, laugh at ourselves, and respect the different opinions of others. We do this with an attitude of joy and reverence; aware of the mystery and grandeur of the planet we all steward.

The hummingbird is a tiny little creature, and we recognize that the fragility and workings of the complex interaction of humans in nature is dependent on the smallest of things: the birds and the bees and the earthworms. We strive in every action to enhance the existence of all creatures with our caring attention.

We never give up, and remain positive despite any obstacles. We take 100% responsibility for our lives and our future. We feel complete and whole in relationship to our world. Our hearts are filled with love from our good and courageous deeds every day.

At Hummingbird, we model a business continually striving to deepen our understanding of sustainability by improving our systems to reflect these values. We represent positive change for a hopeful future for all beings.

Hummingbird Wholesale

Find these products in our bulk section:

Michigan Tart cherries dry organic

Regional Snack Blend organic

Granola- Bucky’s Raw Hazelnut organic

Granola- Higher Power GRAWnola organic unswtned

Nutritional Yeast organic

NUTS Tamari Almonds organic

NUTS Hazelnuts organic

NUTS Sprouted Mixed Nuts and Seeds organic

Pumpkin Seeds Oregon grown organic

TRAIL MIX – Northwest Blend w/cinnamon organic

Persimmons dry organic

Blueberries dry organic

Pear slices dry organic

Peaches slices dry organic

Bing cherries dry organic seasonal

Produce notes by Tim Kilkenny

January 9, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Cocktail Grapefruits are not just for cocktails even tho’ they are virtuous in that regard! Their deep, super-saturated yellow tender flesh is amazingly buttery for a grapefruit—who would have thought a grapefruit could be so likable. Let Jimmy Cagney (film actor of the mid 20^th Century) smash it in my face: I’m just gonna eat it. For the month of January these gems are on sale for $1.99/lb—IF supplies last! That brings up a sad anticipation: all these cold rains and frosts have “done a job” on satsuma mandarins in particular—it’ll be a short reason for them. Their rinds got waterlogged, swelled those tissues, and rot followed. Large swathes of carrot plantings got swept away in torrential floods; supply went to near nil, and prices shot up.

Meanwhile, it’s still a good idea to cook (tender and ready for a puree) Gold Beets–then blend them seamlessly in with mashed Russet or Gold Potatoes. Yum. This also applies to Parsnips (you’d be surprised), Rutabagas (maybe even more surprised), or Turnips, especially the tender mild white “Tokyo” varietals. Or you can roast some Honeygold potatoes, along with any and all the roots aforementioned, in the pan under the rack which has the turkey and duck parts basting and savor-izing/umami-izing the roots & potatoes below. Don’t be afraid of that fat! For most people in those amounts with those vegetables, it’ll metabolize grandly, actually helping “burn” those potato carbs. Next day, you’ll wake up refreshed and energized, with the joyful ennui of a tasty meal’s memories curling the corners of your mouth.

Health professionals loathe to tell you to take-up drinking wine, if you don’t already, but are happy to say that one-to-two glasses with such a meal, (studies continue to say), would be just swell for you and your moderate drinking guests. This author found Sierra Nevada Brewing Co’s “Celebration Ale”, to cut through the roast-pan gravied aspect of the above roots-meal suggestion, clearing the pallet for a fresh sensation of the next bite, its effervescence and vegetal hops dancing around the Parsnips, and oh, the Brussels Sprouts (forgot to mention those above). That beer will disappear soon, so experience it ASAP if you at all tolerate IPAs.

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