Join Us to Create a Community Garden in Apple Valley

What is a Community Garden? A community garden is a piece of land shared by community members to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers for their individual households. If your yard is too small or too shady, or if you have no place to garden at your apartment or condominium, or if or if you simply like the idea of gardening alongside neighbors, a community garden is the answer.

What benefits would we gain from having a community garden?

• Grow and raise your own food or flowers.

• Improve nutrition while reducing food costs.

• Exercise and enjoy being out-of-doors.

• Get in touch with nature.

• Reduce stress.

• Involve kids in the wonders of gardening.

• Enjoy meeting new neighbors.

• Add beauty and vitality to our community.

• Have fun!

Community Gardens are just as much about growing community as growing food!

Learning from your gardening neighbors is part of the joy of it . . .

share recipes, gardening tips, or figure out together how to grow something you’ve never tried before.

Do You Want to Get Involved? Give input? Have Questions?

Contact Pat Schoenecker at AVgarden@charter.net  or (612) 963-3372

Stop by our demo kiosk every Wednesday, anytime between 3:00-5:00 p.m. to sample something delicious Matt has prepared using fresh items from our produce and other departments. There will be something new offered every week!  Matt recently prepared and presented the following recipe:

Shitake Spring Salad

¼ lb. shitake mushrooms

½ tsp. salt

¼ C. olive oil

¼ lb. spring mix salad greens (or one bag or boxed spring mix)

1 carton micro greens

½ pkg. strawberries

2 Tbsp. tamari pumpkin seeds

1 small wedge of Dorthea aged goat cheese

1 Bottle of your favorite balsamic vinaigrette        

Slice the shitake mushrooms in ¼ inch slices and sprinkle them in salt and toss them in the olive oil. Put them in a small pan and bake them for 1 hour at 300 degrees. Make sure to turn them every 15 minutes to recoat them in oil (A quick alternative to this step is to sauté them in a pan on medium heat for only 15 minutes).  The point of baking them for a while on low heat is to turn them into bacon-like morsels. Set aside to cool. In a salad bowl, place the spring mix with the micro greens. Then cut about 1/2 of the package of strawberries into small 1/2 inch pieces and toss them in. Add the pumpkin seeds and the cooled shitake mishrooms.  Finally, Grate in the Dorthea cheese and toss it all together.  Add your dressing then top with some cracked pepper and serve.

Fresh from KRUGER HONEY FARM, Delavan, MN

Micro Greens are a delicious and nutritious mix of very young sprouts including:

Chinese Cabbage, Red Russian Kale, Vates, Dwarf Blue Curled Kale, Early Purple Vienna, Kohlrabi, Early White Vienna Kohlrabi, Red Giant Mustard and Green Wave Mustard.

by Eileen Johnson, RN
  

I have given you many tools in the past couple months that can be used for building an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. Now, how do you put them all together and incorporate all these new habits into a pattern that lasts a lifetime? I have often heard that it takes 4 weeks to develop a new habit, but my experience tells me it can take longer and often requires support to do so. Here are a few ideas if you are determined to make these tools support a lifetime of good health.

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Start by trying out one or two habits and practice them diligently until you feel they have become a comfortable part of your lifestyle. Trying to practice all the steps at once may leave you feeling overwhelmed and depressed. Achieving small steps, on the other hand, can give you a sense of accomplishment and give you the energy and motivation to keep going

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Find a friend or “buddy” to start these new habits. You can help each other to stay on task, think of ways to remove any barriers you may encounter, and have a lot more fun in the process

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Keep a journal. Write down habits you are working on and what you are trying to achieve, success and problems encountered, and the emotions that you feel. You can journal what you eat, stress relieving practices and exercise you carry out.

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Place reminders around your home or office space. Sticky notes like “don’t forget to do your breathing/relaxation this morning and before bed” can be placed strategically so that these habits become part of your daily routine.

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Make it easy to eat the right foods. Remove junk food from your home and fill the cupboards and refrigerator with the healthy foods and spices I have talked about in previous articles. Cut up/prepare fruits and vegetables so they are ready and easy to reach for and eat. Make healthy drinks and snacks available at all times.

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Plan for success. Write out a “menu” for health each week – Plan exercise, stress relief, and a healthy diet and write down the plan for each day a week ahead of time. (For those who can’t think that far ahead, just do a day or two should be fine!)

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Join a support group like First Line Therapy. Support groups provide continuous motivation, lots of new ideas, and they make the process so much more fun!

Good luck with all you do!

Eileen Johnson, RN on staff at Valley Natural Foods can be reached directly at ejohnson@valleynaturalfoods.com. She offers free 20-minute consultations. Ask her about the FirstLine Therapy program. Check her availability or schedule a visit by calling customer service at 952-891-1212, #221. 

Use Your Breath To Reduce Stress

The most powerful way to decrease stress is through your breathing. When we are stressed and worried our muscles tighten and our breathing becomes fast and shallow. Many people notice that they will even hold their breath for periods of time. Muscle tension and shallow breathing add to anxiety and decreases our ability to think clearly. Remarkable improvements to health and mood can be experienced simply by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body.

This simple and effective process can be used anytime and in almost any setting:

1. Sit or stand so that your back is straight and both feet are on the floor.
2. Bring your attention into your body and your awareness onto your breath.
3. Slowly take a breath through your nose counting to five. Let your lungs fill from the bottom, expanding your belly first and then your chest.
4. Release air slowly out of your mouth to the count of eight.
5. The idea is not only to breathe more deeply, but to reduce the number of breaths taken from 10 or 12 per minute down to 4 or 5 per minute.
6. Practice this for three to five minutes or stop periodically throughout the day and take one minute to breathe in this manner.

As you practice this kind of slow deep breathing you will find yourself less anxious and more energetic. Changing your breathing pattern to this type of healthy breathing takes practice and concentration. Use a cell phone timer or a timer on your computer to help to remember to stop and breathe.

Whether it’s a patio party, graduation gathering or family picnic, Valley Natural Foods can bring the freshest values to your celebration table. Let us help you get back to basics for a party everyone will remember.

Stop by the deli and pick up a  Back to Basics for Graduation flyer or ask our deli staff for great party ideas!

We do great cakes too, made from scratch! We can custom decorate a beautiful graduation sheet cake at your request. Over the years, we have received many comments that Valley Natural Foods has the best tasting cakes south of the river!  

 by Eileen Johnson, RN

Inflammation Matters ( part 10 )

 Culinary spices and herbs can enhance the flavor of anti-inflammatory foods such as vegetables and fish, but their influence goes beyond just a supporting role. Many are found to contain inflammatory inhibitors and important antioxidants that give them a role in quenching inflammatory processes.

The most anti-inflammatory spices include ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, cilantro, garlic, parsley, curry and cumin. Freshly grated ginger lends a wonderful flavor to soups and stews – or just add some to warm water to sooth the stomach. Ginger will also aid in the breakdown of high protein foods and calms down inflammatory conditions like bronchitis and muscle spasms.

Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, curry and cumin are drying and warming herbs that help to digest sweet, starchy vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes and squash. They also help to negate the mucus forming properties of dairy products. Experiment with using these herbs in casseroles. My favorite is to sprinkle these spices on vegetables that I’m roasting.

Cayenne and garlic are both known for their antiviral, antibiotic and diaphoretic (causing a sweat) properties. A very wise acupuncturist advised me years ago to, at the first signs of a cold or flu, to find a way to “build up a sweat”. She recommended hot, spicy soups, and a very warm shower or bath. Remember that adding Epsom salts and ginger to the bath can make it detoxifying and anti-inflammatory.

Turmeric is the “king” of the anti-inflammatory herbs, it actually can be found in capsule form for that very purpose. Turmeric has many very important properties, just a few of which include:

• great antioxidant
• protects the liver from toxins and helps it decongest
• decreases cholesterol
• decreases menstrual pain
• increases ligament flexibility
• calming to the stomach

Add turmeric to rice, soups and stews, vegetables and casseroles. Here is a recipe off the internet that I have altered just a bit but works well for making a vegetable dip.

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 2 teaspoons minced onion
• ¼  teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Eileen Johnson, RN on staff at Valley Natural Foods can be reached directly at ejohnson@valleynaturalfoods.com. She offers free 20-minute consultations. Ask her about the FirstLine Therapy program. Check her availability or schedule a visit by calling customer service at 952-891-1212, #221. 

And they are local, organic and delicious! Here’s a great recipe to try:

Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Onions with Herbs

2 lbs. parsnips                                       

2 bunches of green top carrots

1 lb. red onions

⅓ C. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (can substitute dried if needed)

2 tsp. chopped fresh sage (can substitute dried if needed)

¼ C. water

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut the ends off the parsnips and the carrots. Cut the parsnips in half lengthwise, then cut them diagonally into ½” thick slices. Cut the carrots diagonally in ½” slices as well. Cut the tops and bottoms off the onions, then peel them and cut them in half. From there cut them into ½” slices. Toss the cut parsnips, carrots, and onions with the oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and sage in a large bowl. Spread in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and pour in water. Roast vegetables in lower third of oven until tender, 50-55 minutes.

Prep: 15 minutes          

Time: 1 ¼ hrs  

Yield: 8 servings

Salsa di pomodoro con panna e salsiccia

This sauce is best suited for tube or curly/twisted pasta shapes.  Good choices are rigatoni,

 penne, or fusilli pasta; these shapes best hold the tomato and sausage; giving you a creamy

 burst of flavor in every bite. I also enjoy it using thick spaghetti. You will need one pound of

 pasta for this recipe.

Ingredients: (Most ingredients may be sourced locally)

1 Tbsp. neutral tasting oil (grape seed is an excellent choice)

1 ½ lbs. ground pork (Hidden Stream Farm)

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

5 cloves garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp. whole anise seed

2 tsp. ground cinnamon (Frontier)

1 28-oz can of whole or crushed tomatoes

1-2 tsp. pepperoncinis (red pepper flakes) or more; to taste

2 C. cream (Cedar Summit)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (Pastureland or Hope)

Pinch of sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 C. grated Stravecchia cheese from Monroe Wisconsin, Roth Kase (Satori parmesan may be substituted)

Begin with two large pots. You will be preparing sauce and pasta at the same time. Place 4 quarts water in pot for pasta.  Bring to the boil; then add 2 Tbsp. sea salt. Add dry pasta all at once to rapidly boiling water, cover and bring back to boil, stirring once until pasta is unstuck. Cook 3-4 minutes less than box directions. (Time begins after water has come back to a full boil.) 

For sauce: heat the oil in the second pot over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook for about five minutes until no longer pink. Remove all but 1 Tbsp. of fat if too much has been rendered from pork. Now add minced garlic and sauté (DO NOT BURN) until golden. Add and sauté tomato paste for 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, anise, cinnamon, and continue to cook until sauce is slightly reduced; then add cream. Simmer; do not boil, for 4-5 minutes until fragrant. Add cooked pasta* straight from the pot (DO NOT RINSE) to the sauce continuing to simmer until pasta has absorbed most of the sauce, about 5 minutes. If sauce thickens too much, add some boiling water from the cooked pasta. Close flame and finish with salt, pepper, and stir in the butter and cheese. Serve hot in warm pasta bowl.

*Do not overcook pasta.  It will finish cooking in the sauce and should not be more than al dente.  Use some of the salted boiling water to loosen sauce if necessary.

Valley Natural Foods always has a nice selection of fine cheeses to choose from. Feel free to ask our staff for tips on how to use different varieties in your recipes, or how to best serve cheese attractively on a nice tray with fruit or delicious crackers. Several of our cheese varieties are from local vendors, and you’ll often find samples being offered, sure to please your palate!