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Dear Nutritionist: Caramelize Your Veggies

by Lisa Samuel, Co-op News contributor

dear nutritionist, lisa samuel, nutrition, registered dietitian, nutrition advice

Lisa Samuel, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

Dear Nutritionist: I know vegetables are good for me, but I don’t really like them. Do you have any tips for making them delicious?

Dear Member: I get this question so often! One of the simplest tricks to making vegetables more delicious to a picky eater is to roast them. Roasting brings out the natural sugars in the vegetables, caramelizing them and making them taste sweeter. And you can roast all kinds of veggies: cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, kale … the options are endless. In general, just coat them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and any herbs or spices you like. Roast in a 425°F to 450°F oven until the vegetables are caramelized.

See Lisa's recipe for Whole Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Sauce.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Sauce

by Lisa Samuel, Co-op News contributor

dear nutritionist, lisa samuel, nutrition, registered dietitian, nutrition advice

Lisa Samuel, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 head cauliflower, tough leaves removed and stem trimmed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling at the end
  • 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling at the end
  • Handful of parsley or cilantro
  • 2 bay leaves
METHOD
  1. Preheat oven to 475 F.
  2. Place cauliflower in a pot and add enough water to cover (or almost cover). Add wine and seasonings. Stir. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender. Use a fork to test. It should slip in and out very easily.
  3. Remove the cauliflower from the water, brush with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet or an oven-safe skillet. Place in the oven and let roast for about 45 minutes, or until very dark and beginning to blacken in some spots.
  4. Remove from the oven and drizzle with extra olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.
  5. Serve warm or at room temperature with tahini sauce and zhug (Yemeni hot sauce).

Tahini Sauce

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup tahini
  • 1 clove garlic, ground to a paste with a little salt
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Water
METHOD
  1. Add tahini paste to a large bowl. Add garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and about ½ teaspoon sea salt. Whisk together with a fork, making a thick paste. It will turn a strange color and consistency and you’ll think you’ve ruined it.
  2. Add cold water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the tahini becomes the consistency of a thick sauce. Taste for lemon and salt and adjust, as desired.

Tahini sauce will keep in the refrigerator for one week.

Dear Nutritionist: Meatless Monday

by Lisa Samuel, Co-op News contributor

dear nutritionist, lisa samuel, nutrition, registered dietitian, nutrition advice

Lisa Samuel, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

Dear Nutritionist: I’ve heard about the Meatless Monday campaign, and I’d like to try it for my family. Do you have suggestions for how to get my meat-loving family to try a vegetarian meal once a week?

Dear Member: Going meatless once a week is a great way to help you and your family be healthier, save money, and help the environment!

When planning meatless meals, think about them the same way you would any meal, by including a good source of protein, a fiber-rich carbohydrate, and healthy fats. Good sources of plant-based protein include beans and legumes, whole grains, soy, nuts, and nut butters. Dairy products, like milk and cheese, are also a great source of protein.

To keep it interesting for your family, try a new recipe each week. Ask your kids to look through magazines or websites to pick out new meals, and then make them together. Sometimes it’s easiest to start with familiar meals, like pasta or tacos. Experiment with herbs, spices, and bright dressings or sauces to add lots of flavor to your dishes.

You might find the meals so delicious you end up going meatless more than once a week!

See Lisa's One-Pot Tomato & Swiss Chard Pasta and other meatless recipes.

About Meatless Monday

It’s Worldwide!

Meatless Monday was founded in 2003 by Sid Lerner in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In May, 2009, Ghent, Belgium, became the first non-U.S. city to go meatless. Shortly thereafter, Paul McCartney introduced the U.K. to Meat-Free Mondays.

Meatless Monday is now active in 44 countries and continues to grow. Representatives from different nations are finding innovative ways to make meatless and vegetarian dishes part of their everyday culture, customs and cuisine.

Skipping meat one day a week is good for you, great for your nation’s health, and better for the planet.

Did you know the Co-op hot bars are meatless on Mondays? Check out the menu.

One-Pot Tomato & Swiss Chard Pasta

by Lisa Samuel, Co-op News contributor

one pot pasta tomatoes spaghetti

Quick, easy, vegetarian, and only one pot to clean.

Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 pound whole wheat linguine
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch swiss chard or kale, leaves stemmed and shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4–5 cups water
  • fresh basil
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese,
    for serving
METHOD
  1. Combine pasta, tomatoes, garlic, swiss chard or kale, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt and 4 cups of the water in a large pot or straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 to 12 minutes (depending on the cooking time of your pasta, check package directions).
  3. As the pasta is cooking, add extra water as needed if it seems too dry.
  4. Divide among 6 bowls and garnish with basil and fresh parmesan.

Dear Nutritionist: Getting the Most from Fruit

by Lisa Samuel, Co-op News contributor

dear nutritionist, lisa samuel, nutrition, registered dietitian, nutrition advice

Lisa Samuel, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

Dear Nutritionist, I’ve heard that some fruits are more nutritious than others. Is this true? And if so, how can I choose the most nutritious fruits?

Dear Member, It’s a great question! Different fruits provide different
health benefits.

For example, some are higher in fiber, or some have greater amounts of antioxidants. Have you ever heard the term “eat the rainbow”?

The bottom line is that the more colorful the fruits in your diet are—the better!

However, there are differences in the nutritional value of certain fruits, and how you store and serve them can also affect their nutritional value. Here are a few general guidelines to getting the biggest bang for your nutrition buck, when it comes to fruits.

Fruits vary widely in their nutritional value. For example, different apples have different amounts of antioxidants. Try to choose the most colorful fruit on display.

Select ripe fruit for the highest nutritional value. Fruits picked before they are ripe will never develop the same nutritional value as naturally ripened fruits. Also, fruit loses nutritional value as it ages. The sooner you eat it after it has been picked, the more nutrition.

Eat the skin! For most fruits with an edible skin, much of the fiber and nutritional value is contained in the skin.

Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are among the most nutritious foods you can eat! They are rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins (beneficial phytochemicals), and are high in fiber.

Frozen berries are almost as nutritious as fresh berries, if they are flash frozen. Thawing them destroys many of their nutrients unless they are thawed very quickly. Thawing berries in the microwave is the fastest method. Eat them right away after thawing, or eat them frozen as a refreshing treat!

Dried fruits are also nutritious and are good sources of fiber. Try to choose those dried without added sugar.

Triple Berry Smoothie

by Lisa Samuel, Co-op News contributor

smoothie, recipe, triple berry, berries, dairy free, biver, antioxidants, no added sugar, banana, almond milk, flaxseed, dates, berries

This smoothie is dairy free with no added sugars, but it’s packed with fiber and antioxidants for a great start to your day!

Photo by Lisa Samuel

Triple Berry Smoothie

INGREDIENTS
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • 2 dates, pitted
  • 1 cup frozen berries (I used a combination of raspberries, blackberries & blueberries)
  • 1/2 frozen banana
METHOD
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
  2. Enjoy!

Fresh Bucks is Back and Even Better

by Adrienne Renz, Outreach Department

fresh bucks, map, EBT Community Food Co-Op farmers market

A unique partnership between the Bellingham Farmers Market, Community Food Co-op, Opportunity Council, Sustainable Connections, and Whatcom County Health Department is expanding to increase access to local, healthy, and fresh food throughout Whatcom County. In 2015, our collaborative group was awarded a three-year grant through the 2014 USDA Farm Bill to expand the already successful Fresh Bucks program piloted in 2014 by the Bellingham Farmers Market.

The expanded Fresh Bucks program will further increase access to fresh fruit and produce at the Co-op, Bellingham Farmers Markets, Ferndale Farmers Market, and Twin Sisters Markets, for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as EBT or food stamps.

Fresh Bucks will match the purchase amount of any EBT-eligible produce up to $10 per day toward the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetables.

In addition to increasing access to fresh produce for SNAP recipients, the Fresh Bucks program will also support and promote local farmers and the products they offer.

If you receive SNAP benefits and are new to Fresh Bucks, simply pick out some fresh fruit and vegetables in the produce department when you shop at the Co-op. When checking out, present your EBT card to the cashier; they will enter the last eight digits of your card number, and your credit match will be applied to your produce purchase. Participants are eligible for up to a maximum $10 Fresh Bucks matching credit per day. The 2016 Fresh Bucks season opened June 1 and will run while funds last. So make the best of the local growing season.

For even more savings, look for Co+op Basics items throughout our stores that offer the very best everyday savings on more than 50 staple items, and use the Co+op Deals coupon program (coupons can be found throughout the store and at the customer service desk). Check the sales page on our website to see what’s currently on sale in our stores.

Having identified Healthy Food Access as one of our six 10-year strategic plan goals, and subsequently implementing the Co+op Basics program, helped make the Co-op’s participation in the Fresh Bucks program possible. Our strong track record of engaging in this topic helped build a successful grant proposal.

Last season, the Co-op’s Fresh Bucks match provided $40,000 in fresh produce for local families using EBT.

In the fall, the Co-op will be offering a cooking class based on the beautiful New York Times best-selling book Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day. Visit our website later in the summer for information and to register for this October 5 class.

Our co-op is stepping up as a national leader and demonstrating how a grocery store can engage in promoting fresh, local food and increase access to healthy food. Thanks for identifying and supporting Healthy Food Access as a key issue for our community and for everything you do to make the Co-op a working example of what a cooperative business can achieve.

PNW Kale Salad

by Kristin Edwards, Downtown Deli

This salad is vibrant and crisp, and the ingredients are available all year round!

Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. High in fiber, and chock full of calcium and vitamins, it is also a good source of minerals, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Bonus—it’s delicious! Source: webmd.com

PNW Kale Salad

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS for the DRESSING
  • 2½ heaping tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 ounce water
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons minced peeled garlic
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
INGREDIENTS for the SALAD
  • 6 cups shredded kale, packed
  • ½ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 1¼ cup sliced green onion
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1½ cup shredded carrot
METHOD
  1. Combine first six dressing ingredients. Slowly add olive oil, whisking vigorously to emulsify.
  2. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.
  3. Add the emulsified dressing and toss to fully coat the salad with the dressing.

Summer’s Not Over Yet!

Check our list of five essential items to keep summer rolling for a few more weeks and keep you adventuring well into ski season.

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