February 5 2015

February 5, 2015

d e r u t a e F

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THIS WEEK’S ORDER

Fruit

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Vegetable

Newsletter

Basic Baskets

Ten ways to support the next generation of farmers A new wave of food pioneers, mostly from non-farming backgrounds, is turning to careers in agriculture. But farming is a career path filled with obstacles, and today's young farmers need our support.

1. Join a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) or shop at a local farmers market 2. Donate 3. Be informed 4. Tell policymakers

5. Volunteer 6. Be hands-on 7. Share with friends 8. Join a Co-op 9. Find your favorite foods locally 10. Spread the word

Read more at csmonitor.com

 Broccoli Carrots Garlic Green Beans Lettuce Onion Potatoes

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In the quest to avoid geneticallymodified organisms (GMOs), many opt to buy “all-natural” or even certified “GMO-free” breakfast cereals. Sadly, a report recently issued by the Cornucopia Institute studied the contents of these cereals and found utterly shocking results.

Many of the so-called “natural” cereals tested contained up to 100% GMO ingredients!

What about certified organic cereals?

Thankfully, organic certification did seem to make a difference.

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Why does the organic certification seem to help?

The report concludes that part of it may be that organic certification on ingredients is done by a third party,

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STUDY FINDS GMOS HIDING IN “GMO-FREE” CEREALS

From the report: Numerous “natural” products were indeed contaminated with high levels of GE ingredients, sometimes as high as 100%: Kashi® GoLean®, Mother’s® Bumpers®, Nutritious Living® Hi-Lo®, and General Mills Kix®.

P ro du ce & Sourc es Apples Bananas Grapefruit Lemons Oranges Pears

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Sp otl ig h ts

St o ri ng & Pre se r v i ng

Onions

If you’ve been eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away, you would be wise to add an onion a day to that regimen. This humble vegetable is a member of the Allium genus, making it closely related to other superfoods like garlic, leeks, scallions, and chives.

This means onions are rich in sulfurcontaining compounds that give them both their characteristic odor and much of their health-boosting potential.

As one of the oldest cultivated plants, onions do not disappoint in terms of nutrition. They’re a very good source of vitamins C and B6, iron, folate, and potassium. But it’s their phytochemicals – including the flavonoid quercetin and allyl disulphide – that are most exciting to researchers.

available research, you’ll quickly understand why onions deserve to make a very frequent appearance at your dinner table.

A Trick to Avoid ‘Crying’ While You Cut Onions If cutting onions irritates your eyes, there are a few tricks that you can employ. Use a very sharp knife and always cut the onions while standing; that way your eyes will be as far away as possible. Consider cutting onions by an open window. If cutting onions really makes you cry, consider wearing glasses or goggles. Chill the onions for an hour or so before cutting; this practice can slow down the onion's metabolism and thereby lessen the rate of LF gas production. Cutting onions under cold, running water is a method that is often used to cut back on eye irritation, but it's a method we view as a second-best choice since some of the nutrients found in onion can be lost into the flow of water.

Fruit Apples

Separate out any with bruises or soft spots. Refrigerate with damp paper towel in perforated plastic bag away from strong-odored foods. Best stored somewhere around 30-35°F, in a humid environment. For every 10 degrees above 30°F, lifespan dramatically decreases. Use within a month, although can be stored for 3-4 months. Apples are a high ethylene producer and should be kept away from other fresh produce to slow down ripening/spoilage.

Bananas

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Store at room temperature until ripe or in paper bag to speed up ripening process.

Ripe bananas can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for 2-3 months. For maximum flavor, return to room temperature. Ripe bananas are a high ethylene producer and should be kept away from other fresh produce to slow down ripening/spoilage.

GMOS HIDING

Grapefruit & Oranges

To date, onions have shown a wealth of beneficial properties; they’re anti-allergic, anti-histaminic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant, all rolled into one. And if you take even a quick glance at the

articles.mercola.com whfoods.com

which means that those ingredients are verified organic (which is, by definition, GMO-free). On the other hand, there’s no such verification process for GMO-free ingredients. (The Non-GMO Project only verifies individual food products.) A manufacturer may think that they’re buying GMO-free corn to make corn flakes, but they may be getting duped. That’s because the claim that ingredients are GMO-free is just that — a claim.

Why should you care about GMOs in your food?

The safety of GMOs has not been adequately tested here in the U.S. Such safety tests are only done by the companies, like Monsanto, that have huge financial investments riding on the study outcomes. That’s partly because they have not given permission for independent researchers to use their patented seeds and plants in safety trials.

Some safety testing has been done in other countries, though, and the evidence that mounts continues to be damning. Here’s an especially alarming zinger from the report: Canadian researchers reported in Reproductive Toxicology, published in 2011, that the blood of 93% of pregnant women and 80% of their umbilical cord blood samples contained a pesticide implanted in GE corn by the biotech company Monsanto, though digestion was supposed to remove it from the body (according to Monsantofunded research). “Given the potential toxicity of these environmental pollutants and the fragility of the fetus, more studies are needed,” the scientists wrote.

Store at room temperature for up to a week or in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Lemons

Seal in zipper-lock bag and refrigerate up to a month.

Pears

Store at room temperature to ripen or in paper bag to speed up the process.

Once ripened, refrigerate uncovered in a single layer up to five days. Pears are a high ethylene producer and should be kept away from other fresh produce to slow down ripening/spoilage.

Should you even be eating breakfast cereals, anyway?

The short answer? No. Regardless of the presence or lack of GMOs, most breakfast cereals contain extruded or highly-processed grains — even the so-called “healthy” ones made from whole grains.

If you still want a cold breakfast cereal, I suggest making your own. My own family enjoys this homemade cold breakfast cereal that doubles as an “instant” oatmeal.

Adapted from foodrenegade.com

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(continued…)

Marnie Vyff Co-op Manager Barbara Taylor Marketing Director Stephanie Perrotti Editor

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Recipes

Vegetables Broccoli

Refrigerate unwashed in open plastic bag. Use in 3-5 days.

Carrots

Remove tops (you can use greens to replace parsley, basil, and other herbs), wrap in damp paper towel and place in plastic bag in refrigerator. Use as soon as possible.

Low Fat Oatmeal Banana Apple Breakfast Muffins

Fresh Broccoli and Apple Salad with Walnuts

Refrigerate carrots in plastic bag in coldest part of refrigerator. Use within two weeks.

1½ cups large rolled oats 1 cup all purpose or 60% whole wheat flour 3 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg 2 eggs 4 tbsp vegetable oil 6 tbsp sugar ⅔ cup milk 1 cup mashed ripe banana 1 cup grated apple (approximately one large apple)

2 medium heads of broccoli, chopped into small pieces 1 large carrot, grated 1 apple, cored and finely chopped ¼ medium onion (1/4 cup), finely chopped ½ cup walnuts, toasted on a skillet and coarsely chopped ¼ cup raisins or cranberries

Garlic

rockrecipes.com

Mix together the oatmeal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt,cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Beat together the eggs. oil and sugar until fluffy.

Blend in the milk.

Fold in the dry ingredients and when the flour is almost incorporated fold in the mashed banana and grated apple.

Do not over mix. Fold in only until the fruit is mixed through the batter.

Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 -25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Best served warm.

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Dressing Ingredients: ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp sugar ¼ tsp sea salt Pinch of pepper Preheat oven to 375º. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

Combine the oats, half the nuts, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the milk, egg, half the butter, and the vanilla.

Arrange bananas in a single layer on the bottom of the coated baking dish.

Sprinkle with two-thirds of the berries, then cover with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over the oats.

Gently tap dish on a work surface to distribute liquid. Scatter remaining berries and nuts across the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Let cool slightly. Drizzle with remaining melted butter and maple syrup.

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Store at room temperature in a dry, dark place that has ample air circulation. Store in mesh or wire basket, small bowl with ventilation holes or paper bag. Unbroken garlic bulbs can be kept anywhere from 2-5 months. Cloves broken from the garlic bulb will keep for 7-10 days.

Green Beans

Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag. Use within a week.

Lettuce

Refrigerate unwashed in loosely closed plastic bag or crisper. Do not wash until ready to serve. Best eaten within 2-3 days. Use within a week.

Onion

Store in mesh bag or other wellventilated container in a cool, dry location between 45-55°F. Do not store near potatoes. Whole onions will last about two months. Refrigerate cut onions in tightly sealed container and use within 2-3 days.

Potatoes

Store in a dark, dry place. They will keep for 1-2 weeks at room temperature and 2-3 months at 45-50°F. Do not store in refrigerator or near onions.

Sources

StillTasty The Kitchn Real Simple Fruits & Veggies–More Matters® The World's Healthiest Foods eHow wikiHow SparkPeople Food Network

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lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic foodnetwork.com

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons butter 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon lemon zest Salt and freshly ground black pepper Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of well salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat.

Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skinside up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Cream of Broccoli and Potato Soup

Golden Thai Curry with Green Beans

Garnish: Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and continue to saute until coated in the butter and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

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Pan-Roasted Chicken With Lemon-Garlic Green Beans realsimple.com

6 tablespoons olive oil 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 pound trimmed green beans 8 small red potatoes, quartered 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds) Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the

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starting to brown. Stir in garlic, curry paste, and cashew butter; cook 1 minute. Add coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, and sugar; bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in potatoes, carrots, and bell pepper; simmer 10 minutes.

Add green beans and basil, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in lime leaves just before serving.

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (2½ cups) 3 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick half moons (1½ cups) ½ lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 Tbs. coconut oil 1 medium onion, chopped (1¼ cups) 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

2 ½ Tbs. yellow curry paste 1 Tbs. cashew butter 1 13.5-oz can light coconut milk 1 tsp. sugar or palm sugar 1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup) 2 Tbs. thinly sliced basil leaves 3 kaffir lime leaves or 1 Tbs. lime juice Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook potatoes 7 minutes; remove with slotted spoon, and drain. Add carrots, cook 10 minutes; remove with slotted spoon, and drain. Add green beans, and cook 5 minutes; remove with slotted spoon, drain, and set aside.

2. Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 7 minutes, or until

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diethood.com

2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, mashed 1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste 1 bay leaf 4 cups washed, peeled and diced potatoes (about 3 to 4 whole potatoes) 2 cups broccoli florets 4 to 6 cups vegetable stock (you can also use chicken or beef stock)

Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot.

Add onions, garlic, carrot slices, and season with salt and pepper; cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

Add bay leaf, diced potatoes, broccoli, and stock; cook over high heat and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Uncover pot and remove bay leaf.

Remove from heat and puree soup with either an immersion blender, or a food processor. If using a food processor, puree the soup in batches; DO NOT pour the whole soup into the food processor all at once.

Taste for salt and pepper and adjust.

Ladle the soup into bowls.

Garnish with shredded parmesan cheese.

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