What’s For Dinner??

Meal planning is much easier when you know how to build a variety of dishes from whole, basic foods.  What’s For Dinner is here to help you do just that.

Each week’s featured ingredients work together in several ways, making shopping and prepping a snap.  Look for these healthy basics on our dining table each week, and discover new, nutrient-dense foods to excite your food life:

Vegetables:  Vegetables are the basis of health and our best source of minerals.  In-season vegetables are the inspiration for your menu.  Enjoy steamed, sauteed, braised, grilled, roasted, or raw, when appropriate.  Add seasoning liquids and herbs during braising or sautéing, or keep it simple and top lightly cooked vegetables with oil or butter and a little sea salt. Unless otherwise specified (as in the case of ultra-local Glen Willow fruits, or Delaware Hydroponic tomatoes), all produce at Harvest Market is Certified Organic.  There is simply no need to consume produce grown in subpar soil, with reduced nutrient content, loaded with pesticides, dangerous to you and the farmer.  Organic matters.

Fruits:  Fructose is best consumed with fiber intact, as a whole fruit.  Even fresh fruit juice can spike blood sugar, so if juicing, remember to include plenty of greens, or use a high-powered blender instead.  Quantities of fruit are best consumed before or between meals for optimal digestion.  When fruit follows proteins that take longer to digest, the likelihood of fermentation that feeds Candida in the GI tract is much higher.  Fruit is our best source of Vitamins.

Herbs:  Herbs provide potent health benefits, as well as flavor.  Many herbs can also be made into tea.

Grains:  Grains can provide plentiful nutrients.  Industrial processing adulterates and damages most grains, even those called “whole.”  Truly whole grains are best purchased dried and prepared in batches big enough to last several days.  See our Grain and Bean Cooking Guide for more information.  Whole or steel-cut oats, barley, kamut, rye, spelt, wheat, and freekeh benefit from overnight soaking for optimal digestion, unless your recipe specifies otherwise.  Rolled or flaked grains need not be soaked.  Amaranth, quinoa, and rice need no soaking, in fact it can result in poor texture.  (Like almonds, these are actually seeds.)  Get to know your grains through experimentation.  If after soaking you still experience digestive discomfort, consider bringing more enzymes from raw foods or a supplement into your diet, or eliminate grains altogether for a period of time, to see if you feel better.

Legumes:  Beans and their kin provide a variety of nutrients and are packed with fiber.  Legumes should definitely be soaked to reduce digestive discomfort.  Preparing sizeable batches makes including this food in your meal plan simple.  See our Grain and Bean Cooking Guide for more information.

Nuts and Seeds:  Preparation method is important when choosing nuts and seeds.  Raw nuts contain nutrients galore, but the nature of a nut or seed is to keep nutrients “locked” within until presented with moisture or heat.  Again, soaking makes nutrients more available without the potential of damaged fats from roasting.  Commercial nuts and seeds are often roasted in less-than-ideal vegetable oils.  These are fine for occasional snacking but shoppers concerned with Essential Fatty Acid balance or inflammation would be wise to limit commercially roasted nuts or seeds and soak raw varieties in brine instead.  See our guide to Soaked and Dehydrated Nuts and Seeds for more information.

Meats:  Those who consume animal products are wise to consider above all how the animal was raised and fed.  Harvest Market does not sell meats, dairy, or eggs that include added hormones or antibiotics.  Our farmers strive for grass-feeding as much as Nature allows.  Some meats, dairy, and eggs are Certified Organic; others practice extensive organic farming methods.  You can feel confident that the animal products we stock are the best available of the local, truly natural, and organic options on the market.

Please ask any staff member or refer to Nourishing Traditions for further information on the substantial health benefits of grass-fed animal fats.  We recommend Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything or James Peterson’s Essentials of Cooking to learn how to prepare meats.  Roasting a perfectly browned chicken takes practice.  Start small, and remember that carcass leftovers and bones make wonderful, nutrient-dense broths that freeze well for any application.

Dairy:  As with meats, our standards in this department are among the highest in the store.  From cottage cheese and yogurt to sharp, aged wheels thick with rind, dairy brings an element of the sublime to the simplest snack.  People with dairy sensitivities sometimes find raw cheeses or products made from goat or sheep milk easier to digest.

Vegan Options:  Many What’s For Dinner items are naturally vegan.  This portion will focus on the merits of vegan products designed to perform as meat, dairy, or egg substitutes.

Fermented Foods:  Fermentation is the oldest preservation method known to humans.  This technique develops enzymes and beneficial flora necessary for digestive comfort and immune health, with effects as far-reaching as mental well-being and beautiful skin.  Surprisingly, fermented foods boost stomach acid (this is good!), but after metabolism actually alkalize your body.  Most condiments started as fermented foods.  A little goes a long way- include some pickled vegetables with your meal, use raw apple cider vinegar in your salad dressing, or sip kombucha or kvass throughout the day.  (Be sure to brush your teeth after consumption.)

Hot / Cold Beverages:  Soda should be a treat at baseball games or the skating rink alone.  For everyday consumption, a move to tea or water is one of the most drastic health changes you can make.  Choose antioxidant-rich black, green, white, or oolong teas if you tolerate caffeine.  Herbal preparations abound for decaf shoppers.  The health benefits available by brewing plant matter in boiling water are nearly endless.  You can even toss tea leaves or bags into plain water for mild flavor.  Sparkling water brightens up with minimal amounts of fruit or fruit juice added.

Condiments:  Largely responsible for flavor in any dish, condiments are suitable for use in simmering, marinating, or as salad dressing.  Use a combination of basics from your pantry or try a new condiment each week.

Snack Dips:  We all need snacks.  Healthy dips on hand make raw vegetables tastier, and satisfy hunger before the vending machine beckons.

Spices:  Beyond flavor, spices have provided potent health benefits since ancient times.  Learn how to put your spice cabinet to work for your body.  Spices at Harvest Market are never irradiated.

Soups or Salads:  The best way to use up stragglers in your refrigerator is to toss them together.  Soups and salads full to bursting with whatever will fit in the bowl need only some simmer time or oil and vinegar to make a meal.

Adventure Items:  Here is where your food vocabulary expands.  Try something new or exotic.  “You don’t have to like it, you just have to try it.”  -Moms everywhere.

Desserts:  Simple, organic ingredients make delicious and satisfying finishing courses without much added sweetener.  Discover your most healthful sweeteners here.

Baked Goods:  Muffins make great on-the-go breakfasts or snacks.  Make yours using real food and feel fueled longer.

Quick Fixes:  No time to prepare a home-cooked version?  Try these healthy prepared foods in a pinch.

So… What’s For Dinner This Week?

Vegetables:   Local Salad Mix, Golden Beets, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Collard Greens, Spring Onions 

Find in the produce aisle.  All local!  (Lancaster County, PA)

• Steam into grain cereal with liquid and a lid when heating up for breakfast, or at the end of cooking if preparing in small batches
• Blend or juice as a beverage
• Create a salad with a base of greens, adding as many chopped or grated vegetables and fruits as you can fit into the bowl
• Chop and enjoy raw with snack dip
• Lightly cook as a side dish with meat, grain, or legume, or as a main dish
• Top a pizza or flatbread

Fruits:  Blueberries 

Find in the produce aisle.  Local!  (New Jersey)

• Steam with or add fresh to grain cereal or yogurt for breakfast
• Eat whole as a snack
• Bake with seasonings or herbs as a snack or breakfast
• Add raw to salad
• Add mashed to sparkling water for a delicious beverage

Herb:  Dill 

Find in the produce aisle.  Local!  (Hockessin, DE)

• Add to marinades and cooking liquids
• Enjoy raw in salads
• Top a pizza or flatbread
• Make Yogurt-Dill snack dip: see June’s Delicious Living, p. 50

Grain:  Quinoa

Besides this week’s featured table, quinoa can be found in the bulk section, or boxed with the dinner staples across from the registers.

• Use as a base for breakfast cereal, adding fruit or vegetables, soaked nuts or seeds, fermented dairy, and maybe a little maple syrup or honey
• Add savory herbs and seasonings, or cook in flavorful stock, to use as a side dish or base for lunch or dinner, topped with protein and vegetables
• Bake into muffins or breads for added protein and fiber: try Quinoa Blueberry Muffins

Nut or Seed: Sunflower Seeds

Find these in our bulk section toasted, or bulk refrigerator raw.

• Eat whole as a snack
• Add to grain cereal or yogurt with breakfast for protein and fiber
• Add to salads
• Add to baked goods

Meat:  Pastured, Organic Chicken 

Find in the refrigerator or freezer from Eberly’s or Rumbleway.  Local!  (Lancaster County, PA or Conowingo, MD)

• Serve as a main dish with vegetables, adding grain or legume sides if you choose
• Shred into a wrap or taco with leftover vegetables, herbs, and snack dip topping
• Top a pizza or flatbread
• Try Almond Flour Chicken

Vegan Option: Quorn Cutlets, found in the freezer, or Wildwood Sprouted Tofu, found in the refrigerator

• Serve as a main dish with vegetables, adding grain or legume sides if you choose
• Shred into a wrap or taco with leftover vegetables, herbs, and snack dip topping
• Top a pizza or flatbread
• Try Almond Flour Tofu

Dairy: Full Moon from BeeHive Cheese Co. and Greek Yogurt

Find both in the dairy refrigerator.

• Add to salads or wraps
• Crumble into main dishes
• Try Yogurt-Dill snack dip: see June’s Delicious Living, p. 50

Fermented Food: Deep Root Pickled Beets

Find in the refrigerator.  Quick Fix!  Try Zukay Beet Kvass or Beet Ginger Kvass for a drinkable version of this week’s fermented food.  Kvass offers potent health benefits- just add a straw to avoid “beet fangs.”

• As a side dish/condiment with any meal
• Add to salads or wraps
• As a snack

Hot/Cold Beverage: Blueberry Sparkler

Find blueberries in the produce aisle.

• Mash blueberries well and stir into chilled sparkling water
• Quick Fix!  Use a few ounces of blueberry/pomegranate juice instead.  Find junk-free juices in aisle three.

Condiment: Cuisine Perel Pear Vinegar

• Make salad dressing with oil and herbs
• Marinate meats, vegetables, or legumes
• Add to braising liquid or purees for flavor

Spice: Black Pepper

Find peppercorns and ground pepper in the bulk herbs aisle.  Available by the pound or in convenient jars.

• Add to salads, meats, snack dips, or baked goods for flavor

Adventure Item: Almond Flour

When it’s not on our featured table, almond meal/flour lives on the top shelf in our baking aisle one.

• Use as a crust for meats or tofu for a main dish: try Almond Flour Chicken or Tofu
• Add to salads or baked goods for added Omega-3’s, protein, and fiber: try Quinoa Blueberry Muffins

Gluten-free Quinoa Blueberry Muffins

1 Cup almond milk

1 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds

1/4 Cup coconut oil

1/4 Cup sweetener (use honey, maple syrup, or coconut nectar- your choice.  The amount may need adjustment depending on your preferences as well as the ‘sweetness’ of the syrup you choose.)

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 ¼ Cup quinoa flour, or GF flour blend

1/4 Cup almond meal or almond flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 1/4 Cups cooked quinoa

1/2 Cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line the muffin tins. In a bowl, whisk together the flax meal and almond milk. Add oil, vanilla and sweetener. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients (almond flour, GF flour blend, salt, and cinnamon). Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until incorporated. Fold in quinoa and blueberries.

Almond Flour Crusted Chicken or Tofu 

1 lb. chicken

2 eggs, whisked

Approximately 1 Cup almond flour, divided

2-3 Tbsp. coconut oil (or high heat oil of your choice)

Salt

Pepper

Butterfly chicken breasts down their length. Cover with parchment or wax paper. Using a mallet or meat tenderizer, pound the breasts until a ½” thick. Heat coconut oil in a 10-12” skillet over medium high heat. Separate your almond flour into two separate bowls. Season one bowl with the salt & pepper. Cut the pieces of chicken into strips. Take each piece at a time. Dip it into the plain almond flour, then into the egg wash, then into the seasoned almond flour. You should have a nice coating on each piece of chicken. Lay pieces down into your skillet, being sure not to crowd the pan. You will most likely be able to fit 3-4 pieces for each cooking round. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the bottom side is golden brown. Flip the pieces gently, and cook on the opposing side for another 5 minutes until golden brown, or until the chicken is cooked through. Adjust your heat as needed. If you feel that the breading is cooking too quickly for the center of the chicken to catch up, turn the heat down. If you feel like you aren’t getting a satisfactory “crackle” when the chicken hits the skillet, turn it up. You may also need to add more oil as the operation moves along. As each piece of chicken is done, remove from heat to a plate with paper towel, in order to absorb excess oil.

(For almond-crusted tofu, it is more or less the same process. Press sprouted tofu lightly between two plates over a sheet of paper towel in order to squeeze out most of the storage water.  Next, slice and dip directly into seasoned almond flour. Cook the same way, but you don’t have to worry about the tofu being ‘done,’ just for the almond flour to be crispy and golden brown.)

Mr. Supplement Goes To Chicago

If you come to Harvest Market with supplement questions, chances are, you’ve met Rick Martel.  Our supplement buyer and all-round holistic brainiac recently toured NOW Foods’ facility in Chicago, IL.  He is back to report even more confidence in the company than he expected.  Rick and Bob will be on hand Monday, June 25, 7-9 pm for a free discussion on Responsible Supplementation.  Read on to learn how we can back that up:

“Recent travels afforded me the opportunity to visit and tour the facilities of NOW Foods, a company that, in all honesty, I have been somewhat biased against for years. My prejudice stemmed largely from NOW’s image: blandly labeled orange bottles, noticeable but not terribly distinguishable amongst themselves. This ‘generic’ image, however, betrays the toils of a company that built its foundation on quality and ethics that are in contrast to any judgment resulting from its lackluster packaging scheme.

“NOW Foods differ from an increasing number of companies in the natural foods and supplements industry as their core values are predicated around social and environmental responsibility. They foster programs such as the ‘Vitamin Angels Alliance’, a partnership that provides safe and effective vitamin A supplements to impoverished nations, impacting child mortality and blindness profoundly. Additionally, they are active supporters of the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of our nation’s most effective advocates for environmental justice and sustainable energy solutions.

“A frequent qualm I hear expressed about the NOW brand from our customers is whether or not their products can be of respectable quality when their prices are on average only 2/3 that of competitors. The assumption seems to be that these lower prices reflect cut corners pertaining to the quality of the materials the company uses. In reality, NOW manages their costs by reducing expenses that they deem low-priority.

“Unlike the average comparably ‘successful’ supplement company, NOW Foods spends far less money on advertising, and much of the advertising they run is strictly online, which is considerably more economical than buying physical ad space.  The company also employs as few sales representatives as possible, having opted instead to create “NOW University”, a valuable educational tool that provides numerous free nutritional education courses to consumers and retailers from their company website. These strategies save NOW Foods considerable dollars, which they pass on to the consumer in the form of lower prices.

“The quality of the materials used in NOW supplements meet surprisingly high standards. Many supplement companies cannot afford to test their own materials and must resort to third-party testing facilities, which have a reputation for being inconsistent and sometimes unreliable. NOW owns their own laboratory, fully staffed and supplied with everything they need to verify the quality of the raw materials they utilize. The level of scrutiny they typically exhibit has become renown in the industry, as they often refuse materials that do not meet their high standards. An added benefit of in-house testing is that they are able to design and carry out their own studies to measure the safety and efficacy of their products.

“As for the tour itself, I certainly didn’t expect to be disappointed- I mean, why would a business invite me to investigate their facility if it was a slobbish disaster? At any rate, the place was in tip-top shape from hull to sternum. I noticed nary a rat, bat, cat, stray hat, stain, employees missing fingers, fingers missing employees, dirt, or frowns. Nothin’. Hell, they wouldn’t even let me enter the facility until I put on a beard guard… And have you seen my beard? It’s pathetic! So yeah, place was clean, workers looked happy and well-fed. There weren’t really any rugs to hide secrets under. Just lots of plaques for awards the company has earned for its endless ethical efforts. Good news for us, since we carry like ¾ of their product line. Phew.

“Ooh, and rumor has it they’re going to be making their bottle prettier sometime later this year. Still orange, I’d bet, but… Prettier.”