Join us at the Valley Natural Foods Kiosk on Saturday, September 4, anytime between 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. for free demo and tastings of this weeks recipes!

Click here to see this weeks Produce Possibilities recipe

Click here to see all the Produce Possibilities Menus

Summer is almost finished and the school routine is about to start, but before we put away our grilling tongs for the winter we have a last hurrah for Produce Possibilities summer recipes to serve with your favorite BBQ. Our recipes this week are not brand new creations but two of our hand-picked  summer favorites.

First is a hot pepper relish that utilizes 4 different hot peppers and rice wine to make an excellent yet surprisingly mild relish that packs a flavor that no other relish can touch. On a side note, all the hot peppers contain capsaicin which some studies have shown may have a safe and analgesic effect in the management of arthritis pain, diabetic neuropathy, post-mastectomy pain, headaches and a host of other things. Not to mention possible benefits your circulatory system.

 Second we have a fun twist on the traditional coleslaw and we can do it with mostly local, organic ingredients. Nicknamed “Local Slaw,” this zippy recipe uses lime juice, cayenne, kale and sweet onion to make this coleslaw a unique creation but still retaining somewhat of a traditional taste.

Attention Ladies! Valley Natural Foods is hosting a table for the Ladies Night Event at Bodyblast Studio in Eagan, Friday, September 10, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. We’ll be giving away free samples, recipe booklets and the chance to win a Valley Natural Foods gift basket. The event will be a  night full of fun and pampering, and it’s FREE!

DIRECTIONS TO BODYBLAST STUDIO: Click Here

Address: 2020 Silver Bell Road, Suite #26 
Eagan, MN  55122
Email:  classes@bodyblaststudio.com
Phone: 651 365 9800

This past year, Valley Natural Foods partnered with Dakota County Technical College and the Salvation Army to encourage shoppers to use reusable bags. Through the donation of our Green Stamp Program, DCTC purchased reusable bags for the Salvation Army food shelf in Dakota County. They report that 80% of food shelf recipients are now using those bags.

Have you considered bagging your groceries into a reusable bag? We are interested to better understand your shopping habits in this area. Please take the following Online Survey to help us complete this project.

Last year, our very own web manager Monique, and her adorable daughter Sarah submitted a great video to the very first Co-op Rocks Video Contest. To see their video, visit our homepage at www.valleynaturalfoods.com, scroll down and click the My Co-op Rocks Video.

Are you feeling inspired? The My Co-op Rocks 2 Video Contest is now officially open! Create and submit your original video showing all the ways your co-op rocks for a chance to win some super sweet prizes. Be one of the first 50 people to submit a video, and you’ll get your very own Co+op, stronger together t-shirt. Enter by September 30 for your chance to win big.

Need more inspiration? Visit My Co-op Rocks.coop to see how last year’s entries are showing their love. Or, just get in on the action by watching everyone’s videos, leaving comments, and rating your favorites for the People’s Choice awards.

Good Luck!

Join us Saturday, August 28 any time between 3:00-5:00 pm at the Valley Natural Foods Demo Kiosk for a taste experience! 

Desserts always tend to be the tedious part of the meal and perhaps the hardest as well. This weeks Produce Possibilities features two very simple Mexican recipes that should complete a meal without wasting too much time on measurements. The first recipe is plantain chips dipped in Cajeta, (with Cajeta being the least known in comparison with sweetened condensed milk and Nutella.) Plantains contain a lower sugar content than bananas, and are less frequently used because unlike a banana, they need to be cooked. This recipe should prove why the extra hassle of cooking is worth the wait.

The second recipe is called Good Night Dessert, and is usually made during the holidays because of its dark rich red color as well as the beets being a winter crop in Mexico. Beets show up rarely in desserts, and this recipe shows off their richness and sweetness. 

Click here to see this weeks Produce Possibilities recipe

Click here to see all the Produce Possibilities Menus

The recent news regarding a recall on eggs DOES NOT include any eggs sold here at Valley Natural Foods. Our eggs are from smaller Minnesota and Wisconsin producers which include free-range eggs available  in bulk from Shultz Egg Farm, and a variety of organic and high-omega eggs  from Wisconsin Growers, Shultz Egg Farm and Organic Valley. Click here for a previous posting on healty eggs!

We also carry Local quail eggs from Johnson Quail Farm and duck eggs from Living the Dream Farm!  

In September, watch for the upcoming September/October issue of MIX, which will feature a profile on Living the Dream Farm with recipes!

Opportunities for classes in September, October and November are coming up here at Valley Natural Foods! For those of you interested in gluten-free baking and cooking, sign-up for a class or two taught by Sandra Calcutt and Shawn Binkowski. You can find a listing of all classes on our Education at the Co-op flyer, available here at the store. Or,  click here for upcoming gluten-free demos and classes.

Make sure to stop by at our demo kiosk for a gluten-free promo demo, where you will have an opportunity to taste samples and talk to our instructors!

A good cup of coffee, whether enjoyed up north in a north woods cabin or right here in a suburban kitchen can be doubly appreciated when you know the beans are freshly-roasted close to home.  

There’s a new blend of locally-produced coffee beans on our shelves as a result of “roasted votes” cast by our own customers! Back in February, Alakef Coffee Roasters, located up north in Duluth, was here to offer tastings of various special blends to our customers and then collected several votes. Click here to view the results. 

Roasted in small batches using organic, 100% Fair Trade beans, this unique blend of 80% Mexican, 10% Guatemalan, and 10% Peru French Roast beans is available exclusively at Valley Natural Foods. Look for our Down in the Valley blend, a recent addition to our bulk coffee bins. We also offer our unique Down in the Valley blend in attractive blue packaging - makes a perfect gift for that special someone who loves locally-produced products!

Have you ever wondered who tends to our landscaping here at Valley Natural Foods? Meet Neil Elliott, our friend, neighbor and landscaper! Having grown up on a farm, Neil has been involved in gardening his whole life – especially vegetable gardening. Now that he lives in a townhouse, he has switched exclusively to gardening annual and perennial plots, and we sure are blessed to have Neil taking care of ours!

In addition to landscaping, Neil tends to the beautiful, nearly 10-foot tall Ficus tree that resides happily in our eat area here at the store. Neil raised this tree for 34 years in his own home, bringing it outside every year when spring began, and taking it back inside when fall arrived. The time finally came when his townhouse could no longer accomodate the tree, so Neil thought our spacious area would be a better fit. Thank you Neil for blessing us!

Teaming up with our brokers, Valley Natural Foods grocery staff stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to give our freezers in Trail 7 quite the makeover – Way to go grocery staff! We think you’ll agree that our frozen department is now much easier to navigate through. We’ve highlighted a few of the changes here:

• All frozen breads, including all gluten-free varieties are now in one place – check out freezers 7 through 10.
• All gluten-free frozen entrees are now in one place – check out freezer 16.
• Bagged ice has now moved to a dedicated freezer located near the store exit.
• About 115 NEW products have been added including more varieties from some of our favorite vendors.
• All frozen “meat-alternative” entrees have moved to a dedicated freezer, located across from the eggs and butter cooler.

We welcome your feedback, comments or suggestions. Please feel free to respond directly to this posting, or email us info@valleynaturalfoods.com.