As the cold Minnesota winter continues, adding comforting dishes to our menus adds the warmth and zest we need to keep going until spring! Please stop by Kirsten’s Fresh Foods educational demos at Valley Natural Foods every Wednesday and Sunday from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Get a taste of her latest creation, grab the recipe, cooking tips and a handy coupon. Check out her demo schedule below through January 30th:

Wednesday, January 16-Down in the Valley Buffalo Roast with Root Veggies and Spicy Blue Cheese

Enjoy the the makings of a traditional Sunday roast with a twist. The Down in the Valley buffalo roast is paired with Harmony Valley’s soup mix (root vegetables) and St. Peter’s blue cheese. The vegetables nicely complement the dish and the spicy blue cheese brings it all together!

Sunday, January 20-Down in the Valley Meatloaf with Creamy Rutabaga Puree

When you eat meatloaf you want a great mashed vegetable to scoop up with each bite. With this dish we’ve added a creamy rutabaga puree which holds its own in flavor and health benefits like Vitamin C to help fight the winter colds from the inside out.

Wednesday, January 23-Bhutanese Chicken and Red Rice Soup

Jazz up your everyday soup with some color and wonderful flavor with this heirloom red rice. The kohlrabi, the leeks and the Down in the Valley bacon in the this dish round out the flavors while the rotisserie chicken helps you get in and out of the kitchen quickly.

Sunday, January 27-Turkey and Sweet Potato Saute with Spicy Mango Black Rice

This simple yet flavorful sauteed Down in the Valley turkey tenderloin is paired with Oriental sweet potatoes which are full of antioxidants and beta-carotene. Add the spicy mango black forbidden rice and you’ve got a party on your plate!

Wednesday, January 30-Mediterranean Beef Rolls with Lemon Scented Asparagus

Your “game day gathering” will be a hit when you bring out these party plates for your guests to nosh on. The olive feta filling in the beef rolls screams “touchdown” whice the asparagus gives them something to grab and go while watching the game.

Cooking from scratch with fresh foods is something we all aspire to do. But who has the time and where do you get the inspiration? Let our new Fresh Foods Educator, Kirsten inspire you to add original, fresh recipes to your family’s weekday meals! These recipes will save time and make dinner more exciting. Discover inspiration at Kirsten’s educational fresh food demonstrations every Wednesday and Sunday from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Valley Natural Foods’ demo kiosk.  These demonstrations will start Wednesday, January 9th; see below for details.

Stop by anytime during this period to gather tips and recipes for making delicious, hearty dishes using fresh, unique products from our meat, produce and deli departments. Kirsten will share substitution ideas and different ways to add zest and variety to each dish too. Visit her every Wednesday and Sunday to get a taste of something new, to learn a trick or two and to grab a recipe that will inspire you week to week.

Theme for January: Comfort Foods

Wednesday, January 9, 2013    

Gluten-Free Peruvian Pork Stew

Sunday, January 13, 2013           

Hearty Sausage & Kale Soup

Wednesday, January 16, 2013  

Buffalo Roast with Root Veggies & Spicy Blue Cheese

 It’s  time to teach your kids healthy habits this summer with Valley Natural Foods!

Don’t miss our fun,  5-2-1-0 Events starting on June 29th.

Also don’t forget to pick up your STAR CHART to mark your progress in the program along with your FREE Fruit Coupon. Read our 5-2-1-0 blog from last week for more details on this process.

If you have a couple kids home from school this summer, and need fun activities to entertain them, 5-2-1-0 can help! From yoga sessions, reading events, planting, poetry, and playdough, we have a wide variety of things that your kids can do while you shop!

Here is a preview of the 1st Week, June 29th- July 5th Events:

Week 1:
Eat 5 Fruits & Vegetables

Seeding Indoors Class
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Instructor: Shari Mayer
$5.00/non-members, $3.00/members
(Fundraiser for the Dakota County Master Gardeners)
During this hands-on class, let your kids explore the world of seeds and figure out if certain veggies/fruits will grow in Minnesota. Kids will do a hunt for seeds usingvegetables such as cherry tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, avocados, and watermelon. Kids will also get the chance to sow their own seeds and plant them in containers.

FREE Kids Juicing Demo, Thursday, June 30th, 3:00-6:00 p.m at the demo kiosk.

Discover how to create a 100% juice drink, using whole fruits at our demo kiosk. If you are going to serve your kids juice, buy only 100% juice or make your own. Most juice products that you buy labeled “-ade,” “drink,” or “punch” often contain 5% juice or less juice.

Tips from Valley Natural Foods RN, Eileen Johnson on how to make eating 5 fruits and vegetables fun:

• Hold a weekly taste testing event in your home where you all agree on a new vegetable to try. Try preparing it in a couple different ways—grilled, raw, steamed or roasted.
• Allow kids to help prepare fruits andvegetables. Children can wash carrots and peppers, tear lettuce for salads,or peel and slice cucumbers.
• Make a fruit smoothie with fruit and yogurt.
• Wash and chop veggies and fruits, placing them in bags in the refrigerator so they are ready to eat.
• Click here for more 5210 Healthy Living Tips.

Read Eileen’s entire 5-2-1-0 article on page 12 of  the June/July 2011 issue  This Is Living Naturally magazine.

From gardening advice, to free facials and bone scans, there are a lot of fun educational events happening at the demo kiosk this weekend and within the coming weeks.

Make sure to take advantage of these wonderful opportunities and mark them on your calendar!

Complimentary MyChelle Facial Demos: Saturday, May 28th, 11am-2pm

Licensed esthetician, Zi Ata, will be giving free, 20 minute facials in our wellness department using MyChelle products. She will access your skin condition and utilize the MyChelle products that will best help. Sign up in the Wellness Department.

MyChelle treatments smooth the look of wrinkles, unclog pores and clear the way for other products to work more effectively. Cellular turnover is enhanced, helping skin to kick its own innate self-rejuvenating and repair mechanisms, allowing your skin to act younger, healthier and more vibrant.

FREE Ask a Master Gardener Session! Wednesday, June 1st, 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

This could be a good time to ask a real pro! There will be a FREE Ask a Master Gardener session at the Valley Natural Foods demo kiosk on Wednesday, June 1, 3:00-6:00 p.m. Dakota County Master Gardener John Zweber will here to answer your gardening questions, whether you are a beginner or an advanced home or co-op community gardener. He will also be promoting his upcoming Square-Foot Gardening class too. Be sure to pick up a new Education at the Co-op booklet for June-September in-store. All new classes are also listed on our co-op calendar.

Coming Up:

Square-Foot Gardening
Saturday, June 11th, 2011
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Instructor: John Zweber
$5.00/members, $8.00/non-members

Learn the basics of Square-Foot Gardening, the practice of planning small, but intensively planted gardens. Attend this class to understand how to select a proper site, construct a square foot garden, determine the right amount of plants, maintain proper plant care, along with learning harvesting and other methods to extend the growing season. Square-Foot Gardening is less work, it saves water, creates less weeds, is pesticide/herbicide free, is easily accessible and can effectively utilizes small spaces.

Free Bone Scan Sponsored by Rainbow Light: Thursday, June 9th, 10am-3pm

Valley Natural Foods is hosting  free 20 minute bone scans; sign-up in the Wellness Department. Rainbow Light is offering free bone scanning opportunities via “Mobile BoneIQ”  Centers” to consumers nationwide in leading retail locations such as Valley Natural Foods. Bone scans can help detect early risk for bone loss and fractures, and gives consumers the tools and information to intervene and prevent bone loss.