Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sauteed Ontario New Potatoes

Serves 8
3 pounds 1 1/2-inch-diameter New Potatoes, scrubbed, quartered
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, basil, parsley, dill, and chives)
Steam potatoes until tender, about 9 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add potatoes and herbs; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until potatoes are heated through and golden, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

INDULGE FOR YOUR HEALTH By Valerie Hould-Marchand

Boiled, mashed, steamed or baked to a perfect golden brown… Potatoes are a favorite when it comes to comfort food. But they are not only extremely satisfying, they are a great choice whether you are a healthy eater or on a diet.

There are many reasons to eat your spuds! One serving provides an excellent source in vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, niacin and fiber. Potatoes can help to fight infection and protect against cancer. Their rich stores of potassium regulates blood pressure and heart function. Their starch content and vitamins are found in the center of the potatoes, while most minerals are found under the skin. Also, they contain anticancer properties and balance acidity and alkalinity in the body.

On the flip side, potatoes are known to raise insulin and blood sugar levels quickly. Therefore, they can be detrimental for people suffering from diabetes and arthritis.

When you receive your spuds from Green Earth Organics, store them in a cool dark place preferably stored in a brown paper bag. Also, avoid storing them in the refrigerator; it causes their starch content to convert into sugar.



THE SWEETER THE BETTER

There are numerous varieties of potatoes, however, sweet potatoes deserve a special mention. They promote bone and tooth development, reduce the risk of cancer and osteoporosis, and help the body release energy from nutrients ingested. And for those of you counting carbs, they are lower in carbohydrates than white potatoes! So go on… Indulge for your health!


FUN FACTS
-Wild potatoes originated in the Andes and were first cultivated 7000 years ago. By the 1400s it became a staple crop of the Incas, who named them papas. When it made its way to Spain they referred to them as batatas, and the French called it pomme de terre.

-In 1995, the potato was the first vegetable grown in space by NASA.

There are more than 200 varieties of this yummy member of the nightshade family! Enjoy!


Heal yourself
Heal the planet

Valerie


Sources: Alive Academy
www.harvestofthemonth.com

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The New Bikesharing Initiative for Our City

We are reaching out to the Green Earth Organics' Bicycle User Group with information on the program and an invite to our upcoming event.



The popular public bike sharing system adopted in Montreal in 2009 has reached Toronto in the form of BIXI Toronto. Our aim is for Toronto to have its own bikeshare program as of Spring 2011.

We require 1,000 subscribers by the end of this year for the program to move forward.

Your purchase of a BIXI Toronto membership will publicize your efforts towards reducing vehicle pollution and acknowledge the positive effects an accessible bikeshare system will have on the environment. Founding pledgers and businesses will be honored by the City at the event and on our various websites.


To pledge your support is to purchase a 1 year BIXI Toronto membership for $95.00 tax incl.(less than a monthly TTC metropass) and provides you with unlimited usage, 12 months a year. The 80 docking stations which will be positioned throughout the downtown core are solar-powered and portable leaving zero imprint. The goal of the bikeshare system is to reduce 80% of Toronto's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which means we must decrease vehicle usage by 20%.

The BIXI Toronto Bash is next Wednesday July 28th at The Gladstone at 7pm. At the event you can test-ride the bikes, purchase a membership, and enjoy food and entertainment. Your presence at the event will help illustrate that a bikeshare program benefits all of Toronto's industries. If you cannot attend the event you can pledge online after the 28th at: www.toronto.bixi.com

I look forward to seeing you there. If you have any other questions you can visit Bixi Montreal's website at www.bixi.ca, or feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Rose

Reasons for becoming a BIXI Toronto Member even if you already own a bike:
Security: You don't have travel with locks/cables or be concerned with the security of your personal bike. At BIXI Toronto docking stations you simply push the bike in and leave - taking far less time than it would to lock up your own bike.
Zero Maintenance: Spares you from the maintenance and accessory costs of using a personal bike.
Convenience: The BIXI Toronto system allows for one-way trips, or short trips during the day if you didn't bike to your current location. BIXI bikes also come with a sturdy front rack and rear lights which are activated while the bike is in motion.
Spontaneity: Promotes spontaneous cycling trips or cycling with those who don't have their bike with them or who don't own a bike. Makes cycling more accessible to those who would normally use the TTC

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Honey-Glazed Wax Beans

6 servings
ingredients
1 1/4 pounds yellow beans or green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon mild honey
3/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh Lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Cook beans in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately toss with honey, zest, and salt in a large bowl.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Ravishing Radish Risotto

For risotto
6 cups Vegetable Broth
2 cups hot water
3/4 stick Unsalted Butter, divided
1 medium Onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound Arborio rice (2 1/2 cups)
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
For radishes:
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound trimmed radishes, julienned
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Accompaniment: extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Make risotto: Bring broth and water to a simmer in a 3-to 4-quart saucepan. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Stir 1 cup simmering broth into rice and cook, stirring constantly and keeping at a strong simmer, until absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, 18 to 22 minutes. Thin with some of remaining broth if necessary (you will have some left over). Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoon butter.
Prepare radishes: Whisk together vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss radishes with dressing and chives. Serve risotto topped with radishes.

New Bin Option at GEO: $10 off your 100km Bin July to August

Keep your taste buds changing with the Ontario growing season.
The summer is upon us and I know many of you want to make every effort to choose local and take advantage of the season. In order insure you remain organic throughout the summer, GEO is proud to introduce our 100km bin. Get the best of both worlds: Its 100% organic (as always with us) and 100% local! We are happy to help you support our local Ontario farmers by offering this bin option on a 2 month special for $10 off. That is a $40 value for $30 and if you choose it weekly you will be saving a possible $80 on your groceries for the summer. Though our policy is always choosing as much local as possible, this bin will be 100% local, which means you might not see as much fruit at this time of year but when we do get it, you will have abundance. In the winter you can expect to see lots of apples and delicious root vegetables. In order to provide you with a larger selection, you cannot make substitutions on this bin option. As you may know, the local produce does come at a higher premium, since our Ontario farms are a little smaller than most California farms that produce a higher quantity of organics. Buying local supports a more sustainable food system because true sustainability goes beyond the methods used in food production to include every step that brings food from farm to plate. This means buying food and goods that are grown raised and produced close to home whenever possible. Buying local products not only supports local farmers and business, it provides you with peace of mind knowing where your goods are coming from and that they must conform with all Ontario government guidelines in their production and farming methods. Your food will be fresher and more nutritious, your goods made by your neighbours and you will be contributing to a healthier economy and less fossil fuel being used to transport items long distances. You pay for freshness and taste, not packaging, and freight. You are supporting local jobs for local people. We have also added our 100km Grocery Isle to our website that is sorted by Fresh Local and Packaged Local, though not included in this isle is our dairy, meat and brick street bread, you can rest assure that it is as well local.
We already know you find the value in choosing organic, but if you are a locavore this one’s for you! If you are interested please give us a call or email to switch your bin option.
100km Harvest Bin for the week of July 5-9
ON Yellow Beans
HH Tomato
ON Carrots
ON Red Leaf
ON Red Potato
Yellow Zucchini
ON Baby Bok Choy
6 Spy Apples
ON Green Kale
ON Broccoli
English Peas

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