It’s smoothie week at the Co-op! Smoothies provide a great vehicle for sneaking a lot of healthy raw veggies into your diet and they also provide a great way to use ‘inglorious’ fruits and veggies from your fridge that might be a little past their prime. It’s fun to be creative and experimental with your smoothies and our weekly sale from February 23rd – March 1st offers up a handful of items to inspire your creative smoothie endeavors. This particular recipe is a favorite for its gorgeous color and nutrient-dense punch. It’s so delicious and refreshing that you’ll forget that it also happens to be super healthy.
Jambalaya is a dish that brings together West African, French, and Spanish influences all into one colorful, flavorful dish. It’s popular fare during the Mardi Gras/Carnival season that culminates on “Fat Tuesday” which falls on February 21st this year. Our weekly sale from February 16th – 22nd celebrates the traditional flavors of Mardi Gras, so it’s a perfect time to try this one-pot comfort food wonder!
The Big Game is upon us and regardless of your sports fan status, we think you’ll love this hearty chili recipe. It’s a simple, one-pot meal that features a handful of ingredients from the weekly sale display from February 8th – 14th, so it’s easy on the budget. Using dried beans requires a little more advanced preparation (soaking) and a longer cooking time, but dried beans are much more economical and the longer cook time allows a deep, rich flavor to develop. Cook up an extra-large pot and freeze the leftovers for a busier weeknight. You’ll be so glad you did!
If you find pork dumplings from your favorite take-out spot irresistible, just wait until you taste this homemade version! Pork dumplings, or jiaozi, are the quintessential dish of Lunar New Year celebrations and these have everything you want in a dumpling: plump and nicely chewy, filled with tender pork, flavored with fresh ginger, green onion, and sesame oil. Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, and Spring Festival all describe the celebration that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon, 15 days later. This year, many will hold celebrations on Sunday, January 22nd. The Lunar New Year festival is thousands of years old, and today nearly 25% of the world’s population participates in this celebration.
Because of their resemblance to gold ingots, making and eating dumplings during Lunar New Year celebrations is a way to express wishes of prosperity and fortune in the coming year. Making dumplings is also a group effort, so Lunar New Year celebrations are good times to get the whole family involved in making — and eating! — several batches. Whether you’re celebrating the Lunar New Year or stocking your freezer for a busy month ahead, these dumplings should definitely be on your list. You’ll find many of the ingredients in our Lunar New Year-themed weekly sale from January 19th – 25th, so it’s a perfect time to give them a try!
Our Weekly Sale from January 5th – 11th features everything you need to whip up this delicious sandwich, including fresh local English Muffins from La Panciata, fair trade organic avocados from Equal Exchange, and organic eggs. We happen to think it makes a perfect breakfast, lunch, or even dinner!
Ever tried roasting a grapefruit? Now’s a great time to give it a try! You’ll find organic grapefruits featured in the weekly sale from January 5th – 11th and this simple recipe will help you pull it off. The warmth and spice from the ginger elevate this citrus fruit to a new level. Paired with local Cabot yogurt, which happens to be featured in the sale, plus your favorite local granola and a drizzle of honey, you’ve got a uniquely delicious new way to enjoy some healthy breakfast staples.
Our Weekly Sale from January 4th – 10th inspires this delicious sandwich, including fresh local English Muffins from La Panciata, fair trade organic avocados from Equal Exchange, and organic eggs. We happen to think it makes a perfect breakfast, lunch, or even dinner!
Our weekly sale from October 7th – 13th celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which falls on Monday, October 10th this year. You’ll find ingredients in the sale this week to help you pull together this simple Skillet Cornbread, which happens to pair beautifully with the Three Sisters Soup recipe also featured on our blog this week. The cast-iron skillet allows the cornbread to get extra crispy and golden on the outside, with a soft, smooth interior that’s irresistible! No skillet? No problem! Simply bake in an 8-9″ round or square baking pan.
It’s a lot of fun to celebrate culinary traditions, even when they aren’t necessarily a part of one’s personal cultural heritage, as long as we remember to honor the line between appreciation and appropriation. These experiences help open our minds and our palates to the unique traditions and flavors of different cultures. With this in mind, we’re sharing a delicious recipe for an Oktoberfest meal with a unique Vermont twist! Dabbling in this German culinary tradition is also budget-friendly since many of the ingredients are featured in our weekly sale from September 29th – October 5th, so pick up some Picnic Provisions bratwurst, Flack Family Farm kraut, and a VonTrapp brew, and revel in the flavors of Oktoberfest in Vermont!
It’s a lot of fun to celebrate culinary traditions, even when they aren’t necessarily a part of one’s personal cultural heritage, as long as we remember to honor the line between appreciation and appropriation. These experiences help open our minds and our palates to the unique traditions and flavors of different cultures. With this in mind, we’re sharing a delicious recipe for an Oktoberfest meal with a unique Vermont twist! Dabbling in this German culinary tradition is also budget-friendly since many of the ingredients are featured in our weekly sale from September 29th – October 5th, so pick up some Picnic Provisions bratwurst, Flack Family Farm kraut, and a VonTrapp brew, and revel in the flavors of Oktoberfest in Vermont!
