NEW + NOTABLE
Ditch the Dairy: Plant-Based Creamers
Maybe the new you is plant-based, or maybe a dab o’ dairy just don’t do ya’. Whatever your reason, switching up your coffee routine with these new non-dairy options is a no-brainer if you want cream without the cow.
New Year, New Favorites
Califia Farms Better Half Cream
Oatly Creamers
January's New and Notable Co-op finds are fit for new habits, make or break! Done with dairy? Reach for something plant-based. Cutting back on spirits? Pop by our Beer & Wine Department for something without alcohol. Just looking for something new? We've got that, too! Happy New Year and see you soon.
A twist on a coffee drinker’s classic go-to creamer, Califia’s plant-based half and half is half almond milk and half coconut cream! Unsweetened but delightfully creamy, try it with a splash of vanilla syrup for a sweet morning treat.
Everyone’s favorite oat milk, but in a creamer! Creamy without the cream and just the right amount of sweet, choose from vanilla or salted caramel for your morning cup of joe.
Dry January Must-Haves
Ready for a reset after all the spirited festivities (and sips)? If you’re feeling “blah” from the endless pours of wine, eggnog, and winter ale, Dry January just might be the cure. Here are a few of our favorite zero-proof libations if you’re craving an adult beverage without the post-party poor-me’s.
Best Day Brewing West Coast IPA, Kolsch, and Hazy IPA–all without alcohol. Bring this variety 12-pack of Best Day Brewing’s non-alcoholic beer to your next hangout. Something for everyone, and all the flavor you’d ever want from a beer!
Bubbles & Seltzers
Maybe you simply want a dang delicious bubbly bevvy. Reach for Spindrift seltzer for a light drink with a hint of fruit! Choose from Grapefruit, Lime, Raspberry Lime, Pink Lemonade and Lemon Iced Tea. If you prefer something sweeter, try Fentiman’s Botanically-Brewed drinks, available in Ginger Beer, Curiosity Cola, and Rose Lemonade. Want to pump up your probiotics? Try Poppi Probiotic Sodas, now available in 4-packs, or in the cooler in Orange, Raspberry Rose, Cherry Limeade, Strawberry Lemon, and Ginger Lime.
Greenbar Distillery Ready-to-Drink Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Crafted in small batches at their L.A. distillery, Greenbar’s NA cocktails are reminiscent of your go-to Friday night cocktail, without the Saturday morning headache. Choose from UnGin+Tonic and UnRum+Cola, available in our Beer and Wine Department. More of a whiskey drinker? Try Greenbar’s UnWhiskey! Enjoy it straight-up or mixed your way.
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Made with Love for a Healthy Gut: Sujin’s Kimchi by Leigha Staffenhagen
Kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. If you’ve ever been to the Co-op, or any natural foods store for that matter, you’ve no doubt ran into a plethora of fermented foods and drinks that promise a happy belly and an even healthier gut. Bubbly kombuchas to sip on with a Co-op sandwich, sauerkraut to pair with a handmade sausage, or kimchi to add to, well, just about everything. Kimchi, a traditional, and essential, Korean food is simply salted and fermented vegetables that offer a zingy, gut-healthy punch of flavor to complement a variety of dishes. Traditionally, kimchi is eaten as a side dish, but nowadays you’ll see kimchi added to everything from avocado toast to fried rice to pasta sauce. And what’s better than a good-for-you fermented food that’s delicious, too? One that’s made right here in Skagit from locally grown veg! Made in small batches in downtown Anacortes, family-owned Sujin’s Kimchi has been specializing
in homestyle kimchi since the summer of 2015. Founder Sujin Jo grew up in Korea, where as a young girl she learned kimchi recipes in kitchens with her mother and grandmother. For years, Sujin made kimchi solely for her family, until she began to notice an increase of diet-related diseases in our community. For Sujin, kimchi is a healthy addition to diets that can help tackle some of the effects of diabetes, Chron’s disease, obesity, and more. And with a mission to “fight and curb all diet related diseases in our area,” Sujin set out to share her kimchi and all its benefits with Skagit eaters. After encouragement from her son to take the leap of selling her products to the public, Sujin’s Kimchi as we know it today, was born. Sujin first started selling her products at the Anacortes Farmers Market. Now, you can find her kimchi at her storefront in Anacortes, a number of farmers markets, and right here at the Co-op!
Made without preservatives or added sugar, Sujin has recipes for over 60 different varieties of kimchi, prioritizing local produce when she can. At her store in Anacortes, you’ll find a rainbow of kimchi in a fridge, with Sujin in the back of the store, making fresh batches in her kitchen every day. Instead of sweetening with sugar, Sujin uses fermented fruit and a homemade fish sauce to create the perfect level of sweetness, naturally. As far as salt is concerned, Sujin says quality is everything and vital in fermentation. The flavor and quality of the kimchi is a direct result of the salt she chooses, and that’s why she sources salt exclusively from local producer (and Co-op vendor), San Juan Island Sea Salt – a winning combination! So, if you’re looking to take your daily diet to the next level, add a few new flavors of fermented veggies to your plate. You’ll boost your gut health all while supporting a local, woman-, and BIPOC-owned business!
SKAGIT VALLEY FOOD CO-OP • THE NATURAL ENQUIRER • JANUARY – MARCH 2024
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