Recipe Ideas

Entertaining at Home

July 27, 2017 by Sarah

I love entertaining at home. Compared to dining out, it’s more personal, relaxed, and affordable.

As a former restaurant manager and sommelier, I have a few tips to help you pull it off effortlessly at a moment’s notice.

Wine
I find it helpful to stock up (12 or so bottles) and have diverse inventory on hand. At Annex Wine & Beer, we offer a 10% discount if you buy a case or more. Couple that with some bargain items like our Closerie des Lys Blanc for $8.99, and you get great savings. That makes racing through bottles a little easier to swallow!

Wine Shopping list:

Copious amounts of rosé! Most are delicious with or without food. That makes it a great “cocktail wine” for impromptu visits from friends.
A yummy white to please your friend who just wants something cold and easy to drink. We have lots to choose from in the $10 price range.
An affordable red for those who only go for the darker juice. Again, we have a ton in the $10 to $15 range. And remember, you get 10% off if you buy a case. Mixing and matching wine is just fine!
Reds to complement grilled items. The caramelization that happens on steaks and veggies alike calls for Pinot Noir. Try the Domaine Girard Pinot Noir from France ($12.99), Klee from Oregon ($17.99) or The Gardener Pinot Noir from right here in Sonoma ($25).
Sparkling wine (Prosecco, Crémant, Champagne) to have on hand for a celebratory start to the gathering or mimosas in the late morning.

Our wine specialists at the Annex can help you curate a terrific summer drinking list with both familiar favorites and new varietals!

Food Prep and Shopping Suggestions:

These finger friendly bread based snacks are great for noshing at formal and informal gatherings.

Step 1: Slice 1 to 2 loaves of French bread (try an Acme baguette) into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Step 2: Brush each slice with olive oil (Burroughs Family Farms Bulk Olive Oil is on sale right now. And it’s delicious!) or melted butter (I love how affordable and tasty the Cadia butter is)

Step 3: Place the rounds on baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees until crisp throughout and lightly golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.

Toppings:

1. Spread with Coeur Chevre organic fresh goat cheese, orange marmalade (try one from Frog Hollow or Full Belly Farms, both are located right across from the cheese section) and fresh mint.

2. Spread with fig jam (Inna just delivered their black mission fig jam!), top with blue cheese (Farmstead Original Blue) and prosciutto (try La Quercia) or ham (I love True Story).

3. Spread with fig jam, top with goat cheese and chopped walnuts (grab a bunch from our bulk bins).

4. Spread with butter, top with thinly sliced bread-and-butter pickles (Woodstock or Cadia are both great choices).

5. Spread with hummus (grab our Annex made pre-packed Hummus), top with olive tapenade (try the Divina Kalamata olive spread).

These toppings are all items that are fairly easy to either keep in stock or grab quickly from one of our stores.

Here’s to happy, memory-making gatherings!

-Sarah

Kohlrabi – Snack Attack

February 22, 2017 by Sarah

If you are anything like me and you love crunchy, crispy, salty snacks, I invite you to try this delicious (and simple) recipe using kohlrabi!

Kohlrabi is one of the most underrated and forgotten vegetables in our winter produce line up. It is a cultivar of cabbage and is part root, part leafy greens. The root part can be eaten raw (think slaw) or cooked. The greens can be used as you would kale, collards or other winter greens. With so much versatility, it’s a wonder this root doesn’t get more love. Perhaps the recipe below will help to change all that!

Savory Kohlrabi Crisps

Ingredients:

3 bulbs of kohlrabi (select those with unblemished leaves and bulbs that are not cracked)
1/4 cup of olive oil
Salt (to taste)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
Peel the kohlrabi, taking off a significant portion of the outer layer. You want to remove the layer that looks fibrous as this will not soften and will remain stringy and unpleasant to eat. The inner core is where you will find the sweet “meat” of the plant. Save greens for another use.
Once peeled, cut the bulb into ½ inch round lices to resemble chips.
Toss the sliced kohlrabi in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tsp of salt.
Once coated (and glistening), place one layer of the kohlrabi on a sheet tray lined with a non-stick sheet (like this Silpat sheet) or coat the bottom of your sheet tray with cooking oil. Tip: the Silpat is less likely to stick to the veggie chips.
Mix the kohlrabi around and rotate the tray every 15 to 20 minutes in order to cook each piece evenly.
The total cooking time will range between 30 minutes and one hour depending on your oven and the size of your kohlrabi slices.
The end result should be golden, chip-like crisps.
Once they are cooked, remove them from the oven, slide them off the hot tray and onto a plate with paper towel (or cloth) to soak up some of the oil and cool. Toss with salt (to taste) immediately so that it soaks in while the crisps are hot.

Enjoy!

If you end up baking these at home, please feel free to share your results with us on Instagram @naturalgroceryco

Little Trees – A.K.A. Broccoli

February 1, 2017 by Sarah

In our house, we refer to broccoli florets as “little trees.” We’ve done this since our son was starting to eat solid foods. He LOVES broccoli and other green vegetables to this day (now he’s five)!

With winter in full gear, broccoli becomes one of our winter staples. It’s in the brassica family (along with other cabbage) and is hearty enough to withstand the chilly winter weather.

The word broccoli has Italian origins and stems (pun intended) from the word “broccolo” which means cabbage sprout or flowering crest of the cabbage. The word broccolo is rooted (another pun!) in the Latin broccus which means “projecting.”

Now that we have the etymology covered, here’s one of our favorite ways to prepare our “little trees”:

Steamed Broccoli with Pistachio-Orange Dipping Sauce

Prepare the Broccoli:

Cut 2 heads of broccoli into bite sized pieces. Steam or blanch until just tender. Set your timer for 5 minutes then test a piece with a fork, or knife point. When cooking the broccoli, remember to lightly salt the water, and that the broccoli will continue to cook with residual heat once you remove them from the steam or water, so you want them to be almost ready when you remove them to cool.

Prepare the Pistachio & Orange Sauce:

Ingredients:
2 Valencia oranges
2 cups roasted, salted pistachios (shelled)
1 tbsp. Champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 small clove of garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. water
¼ cup olive oil

Juice the oranges.
Combine all ingredients in the blender. Blend on high.
Taste the mixture, adjust for thickness (consistency) and salt levels.

If it tastes flat, add a teaspoon more vinegar and a dash of salt. If it tastes too sharp (indicating too much garlic), add the juice of another 1/2 orange and another handful of pistachios.

The consistency of the dip should be like hummus. Add olive oil and water to adjust as needed.

This recipe will be a little different each time you make it because all these ingredients vary… oranges are different sizes and have different amounts of juice, garlic is more or less potent depending on its age and olive oils are different depending on varietal and harvest date. So, play with your ratios each time. Taste along the way. Try the sauce with the steamed broccoli to get the full flavor profile.

If you have a little one in your house, this is a great recipe to make together. At this point our son instructs us on salt level, acidity and overall balance. And he LOVES dipping his “little trees” into this sauce!

See you soon,
Sarah Valor

Slow Cooking – Groats

January 16, 2017 by Sarah

Whole Groats

While shopping in our El Cerrito store bulk section, I was tempted to try the organic oat groats instead of the rolled oats. I was both inspired by the current sale price ($1.19/lb) and want the healthiest option for our five year old son. Our bulk buyer, David gave me another reason. He said, “why not eat things as close to the way mother-nature produced them as possible.” I can’t argue with that logic so I bought a bulk bag of groats.

Here’s what I did to process the groats:

1 cup of groats in 3 cups of water

Before bed, I put one cup of groats in a heavy bottom stainless steel pot along with three cups of water.

Simmering groats

In the morning, I turned the burner on medium heat and started cooking in the same pot where I soaked the grains.

Every 10 to 15 minutes, I checked the pot and stirred. 30 minutes into cooking, the groats were sticking to the bottom of the pot so I added more water (1 cup). I also added ¼ cup of raisins, a pinch of salt and a dash of cinnamon. 20 minutes later I added another 1/4 cup of water because the water was nearly absorbed. The groats cooked for a total of 1.5 hours. I added additional water (1/4 cup) another three times during the cooking process.

If you cook groats at home, add water as you see fit. It takes a lot to overcook groats but very little to burn them when there is not enough water in the pot. In other words, keep ’em hydrated.

Toppings: pecans, maple syrup and whole milk

Hearty Breakfast

Leftovers – tomorrow’s breakfast!

The groat cooking process took longer and required more attention than the rolled oats. However, the nutritional benefits make the extra time worth it (when time allows!). For hurried mornings, consider cooking a larger batch. Soak the groats before heading off for your day, cook them in the evening and re-heat them with a little extra water and/or milk in the morning. Or, make enough for leftovers every time you prepare groats.

Why Eat Oat Groats? Here’s what one of our wholesalers (Hummingbird Wholesale) writes about this wonder grain:

Organic Oat Groats are whole oats with only the outer husk removed.

In general, oats have more protein and healthy fats, and less carbohydrates than most other whole grains. This grain is high in beta-glucans, which work to stimulate the immune system. They contain more soluble fiber than any other grain, and oats are also beneficial for their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching qualities.

Sounds like a great food if you ask me! Here’s to your morning meal!

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

Pomegranate: The Apple With Many Seeds

October 5, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Source: www.biolib.de

Pomegranate: The Apple With Many Seeds

The word pomegranate translates from Latin to ” the apple with many seeds’, but did you know that it is actually classified as a berry? There are over 760 different varieties of pomegranates worldwide and some of these trees can grow to be more than 200 years old! This super fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months but at my house they don’t last more than a couple of days before we crack into them! There are a few different ways to eat a pomegranate, but my favorite way is to cut it in half along the equator, turn them flesh side down over a bowl of cold water and smack it with a wooden spoon until all of the arils’ fall out. The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the pith, or white part, will float. The arils will keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days and can be eaten by themselves or sprinkled on top of a salad, over yogurt or mixed into a rice pilaf with chopped walnuts. If you don’t mind a mess, you can also juice them using a citrus juicer!

Pomegranate season is from September to February in the Northern Hemisphere. This has earned it the nickname “The Jewel of Winter. The pomegranate is native to Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Northern India, Bengal, and Southern Asia and is cultivated widely throughout the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa. The pomegranate was first introduced to California by Spanish settlers in 1769. Pomegranate concentrate is a popular ingredient used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes. The juice is concentrated to about 250% stronger to form a thick sauce (grenadine). When added in cooking, it gives unique flavor and intense sweet taste. Grenadine is used to make cocktails, sorbets, and in several mouth-watering Middle-Eastern dishes. The city of Granada, Spain is named after the Spanish word for pomegranate, “Granada.” In early English, the pomegranate was called the “apple of Grenada.”

Pomegranates are not only delicious, they have amazing health benefits as well! There are two unique substances in pomegranates that are responsible for most of their health benefits. The first is Punicalagins. Punicalagins are extremely powerful antioxidants found in the juice and peel of a pomegranate. They are so powerful that pomegranate juice has been found to have three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea! Pomegranate extract and powder is typically made from the peel, due to its high antioxidant and punicalagin content (almost 3 times the amount found in the juice). The next is Punicic Acid. Punicic acid, also known as pomegranate seed oil, is the main fatty acid in the arils (seeds). Punicic acid also contains unique polyunsaturated oil, an omega 5 fatty acid, which has strong anti-inflammatory properties. The oil fends off free radicals to keep skin aging at bay. It also provides protection against sun damage. Pomegranate seed oil provides relief to people suffering from eczema, psoriasis and sunburn. The anti-inflammatory properties of the oil calm irritation and redness of the skin. It also heals wounds and restores skin health. The juice is also a good source of many vital B-complex groups of vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), folates, pyridoxine and vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, and manganese.

So far this season we have had 3 varieties for sale. Early Foothill, Sweet Israeli and Wonderful. Come in and grab some of these awesome miracle fruits and try them out in a new recipe! They are also great to use as a natural food coloring when baking up your favorite cakes or cookies!

By Casey Goode, Produce Manager at ECNG

Pancake Recipe

July 8, 2016 by Sarah

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 Sarah

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.

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.

The Power of Brassicas + Recipe Ideas!

December 28, 2015 by Sarah

Winter Vegetables. Dark greens, brilliant whites and yellow flowers…nature offers up all the flavors and vitamins necessary to get you through the cold months of November through February. Brassicas are widely available at this time of year.

Members of brassica commonly used for food include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Brassica vegetables are highly regarded for their nutritional value. They provide high amounts of vitamin C and soluble fiber. They also contain multiple nutrients with potent anticancer properties. Researchers at UC Berkeley discovered that some of the properties in Brassica vegetables have a potent modulator of the innate immune response systems with potent antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer activity. In addition to amazing restorative powers, Brassicas are tasty. Check out the links for some great recipes below.

Broccoli Recipes: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/broccoli-recipes

Kale Recipes: http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/easy-recipes/recipe-items/kale-and-brussels-slaw-with-quinoa/?order=default&category=1346,1073,1248,1260,1271,1262,5385,5387,7772

Happy Winter Eating!

Entertaining at Home

Kohlrabi – Snack Attack

Little Trees – A.K.A. Broccoli

Slow Cooking – Groats

Yams or Sweet Potatoes?

Pomegranate: The Apple With Many Seeds

Pancake Recipe

Tomato, Basil and Avocado Salad

Produce notes by Tim Kilkenny

The Power of Brassicas + Recipe Ideas!

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