Connect to Local Food Organizations. There are several food rescue and hunger relief organizations in Skagit County with opportunities to help if you’re able. You can volunteer, donate food or funds, or if you have an excess of fruit or veggies in your own backyard, contact the gleaners (Skagit or Fidalgo). They may be able to help rescue and distribute what would otherwise go to waste. Backyard Composting. Food scraps. We’ve all got ‘em. Backyard composting is a great way to recover that waste if you’ve got the space. There are a few viable methods, and you can find a vermicomposting guide on our website (that is, composting with worms). Donate Your Patronage. If you received a patronage dividend this year, there’s still time to donate it to the Skagit Food Distribution Center. SFDC is the centralized distribution center for all of the food banks in Skagit County. Each year, SFDC works tirelessly to provide 1.5 million pounds of food to fifteen local food banks and four hot meal programs that serve over 45,000 residents.
Our Continued Commitment to You The goal is to reduce food waste, and we will continue to do our part by examining our systems and cutting back even more where it’s possible. The Co-op is also committed to providing our shoppers with more opportunities to reduce food waste. You can expect to see additional kitchen hacks, including Using Food Well stories. You can also expect to see more food waste recipes for food items that are past their prime, but still safe to eat. Overripe avocado? Brown bananas? There’s a recipe for that. Because it’s July, we’re starting with the strawberry recipe below! In the meantime, savethefood.com and NRDC.org/food-waste are great resources for more tips, like custom meal plans and perfectly-portioned shopping lists for your family or a get-together with friends. If you’re a person who’s invited Alexa into your home, put her to work with your food waste questions. How to store melons? She knows. Can you freeze mayo? Best not to. Bendy carrot? Toss it in an ice bath for 5 to 10 minutes, and it’ll come back to life! Savethefood.com even has a calculator to see how much money you could save on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis if you commit to your food waste goals. Did you know? A 4-person family can lose at least $1,500 a year on wasted food. Saving food saves you money, and it saves our precious natural resources. In fact, saving food saves everything.
Save the Strawberries by Nicole Vander Meulen
Plucked at their peak, a pint of local strawberries might just be the perfect summertime snack in Skagit Valley. But what happens when they’re past their prime? Don’t let a little smoosh or a little mush scare you, these best-ever berries have a lot left to give before you throw them away! As long as they’re not showing signs of mold or rot (some of which you can pare around), give these simple solutions a shot: mash, blend, freeze, or chill! Mash: trim then mash your berries and add a spoonful of sugar (more if you want a sweeter sauce), and let the berries macerate. Sugar pulls the juice out of the berries for a sweet summer topping on yogurt, ice cream, and more. Strawberry shortcake, anyone? Blend: hull your berries and plop them in a blender with sugar, vanilla, a splash of your favorite milk, and the Co-op’s vanilla ice cream for a homemade strawberry shake! You can sub in our Strawberry Balsamic ice cream if you’re feeling fancy, or opt for our Strawberry sorbet for a slushier, dairy-free take. Freeze: throw your berries in a blender or food processor for a simple strawberry puree. You can freeze in a jar as is, or! Pour into an ice cube tray and drop them into lemonade on a hot day. Chill: Cold soup? We say sí! This cool summer soup is fresh, flavorful, and berry beautiful. Oh, and it’s vegan, too.
Have a story about how you’re using food well? Or a food-saving moment? We’d love to hear it! Submit yours to community@skagitfoodcoop.com. Information and statistics provided by the United Nations, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Washington State Department of Ecology.
Strawberry Moon From Soft Science, Alice James Books 2019
The house was filled with the smell of it, the last misshapen, sweet-heavy berries of the season losing their shapes on the stove. The house was filled with the smell of fruit unbecoming, fruit pulled to its knees at fire’s feet. All summer long, the bushes had whispered, Take me, shown us all the places we could kiss if we wanted. And so, as the light died, we put our mouths on the least lovable, the too-full, the easy-bruised, we shouted I choose you, and you, and you, and you, and canned that hunger, and spooned it into our mouths on the coldest days. Franny Choi
Strawberry Tomato Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cold soup with Spanish origins. Typically, tomatoes and green peppers are the main ingredients, and here, strawberries give it a fruity twist. • 1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and coarsely chopped • 1 pound tomatoes, coarsly chopped • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper • 1 cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded • 1/2 cup chopped onion • 1 clove fresh garlic • 1 fresh jalapeno, seeds and stem removed • Zest of 1 lime • 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice • 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon salt Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender, in small batches if necessary. Stir well and taste for salt. This soup is at its refreshing best when served just under room temperature. Refrigerate the fruit and vegetables shortly before blending if you plan to serve it immediately. Serving Suggestion: Perfect for a light lunch with salad and crackers, this gazpacho looks lovely served in a wide-mouthed tumbler or martini glass. Garnish with freshly-snipped chives or a pinch of cracked black pepper. Recipe compliments of grocery.coop skagit valley food co-op
• the natural enquirer • july–september 2022 13
