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.

Join us at our Demo Kiosk on Saturday August 21, anytime between 3:00-5:00 p.m. and taste the possibilities!

Chilled fruit soups are a thrill of July and August, and Produce Possibilities features a melon soup recipe using local watermelon, ripe at the peak of the season. Melon balls are a cinch to make with the right tool, and add yummy texture to this smooth soup. This weeks recipe makes a great starter as is or can be served as a dessert. For extra fun, try spiking the soup with a little cognac or rum!

For our delicious Papaya Coconut Chicken recipe, the chicken marinade calls for an herbal orange spice tea blend that can be found in the bulk spice department, and purchased in the exact amount needed. This convenience and money-saving option also applies to the coconut flakes, curry powder and cayenne pepper.

Ripe papaya is a very rich, deep orange color.  Don’t bother with a papaya that’s not ripe.

Click here to see this weeks Produce Possibilities recipe

Click here to see all the Produce Possibilities Menus

One of the most popular items in our store is our freshly-made garden salsa created by our own produce staff. Lately, some of you have been asking why the texture of our delicious salsa now seems blended rather than chopped.

Rest assured, our salsa is still chopped and never blended. The flavors and textures change when the local season is in full swing. Currently, we’re using local tomatoes which are much sweeter and softer, making the salsa a little more juicy than usual. So enjoy the local flavor! Stop by for a sample anytime.

Check out where your friends and neighbors are growing fresh food at the 5th Annual Parade of Community Gardens Gardens on August 21st, 10am-2pm. 65 community gardens from all over the Metro Area, including 8 gardens from Dakota County, invite you in to celebrate and discover these community treasures. Each garden’s celebration will be as unique as the garden itself: featured activities include food samples, art activities, a beehive demo, youth-led yoga, and much more!

The Parade of Community Gardens is sponsored by Gardening Matters, a Twin Cities-based non-profit that supports sustainable community gardens by connecting gardens with each other and to their communities. Learn more about the Parade and download a map on the Gardening Matters Website or call Gardening Matters at 612-492-8964. Parade events are free and open to the public.

Finally! All you Kombucha fans who have been waiting for over a month will be happy to know that GT’s Kombucha is back on our shelves again. Grab one from our icy bin near the store entrance, or stock-up by purchasing a 12-pack case of any one variety at a special case-discount price for a limited time. Get ‘em while they’re here! (Cases are available in the cooler next to the fresh eggs and butter area.)