Please excuse our dust

Green Earth Organics' in Vancouver is very pleased to welcome Green Earth Organics' Toronto location to our new website! Unfortunately, there have a few unexpected problems when the new website went live, and some members may experience error messages or may get a message telling them that they can't make substitutions even though they are logging on before their deadline. The programmers are working as fast as they can to resolve these issues.

In the meantime, if you cannot make substitutions or add an additional item or hold a delivery, please just call the office at 604-708-2345 or email us at info@greenearthorganics.com and I will be very happy to enter the changes for you.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

Yours in Organic Living,
Melissa

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

INGREDIENTS

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
3/4 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup honey
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Place the jalapeno pepper, garlic clove, and ginger into a food processor or blender; pulse until the jalapeno and garlic are finely chopped. Pour in the lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt, add the cilantro leaves; pulse a few times to blend. Turn the food processor or blender on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with additional salt before serving.

Spiced D'Anjou Pear Bread

INGREDIENTS

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup molasses
3 eggs
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
4 very firm D’Anjou pears, thinly sliced
3 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and generously grease two large loaf pans. (The long pieces of pear make the loaves more susceptible to sticking in the pans and falling apart, so make sure you grease the pans generously.)

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, coconut oil, molasses, and eggs. Mix in salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice. Stir the pear slices in, coating them evenly. Stir in the flour. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 to 65 minutes. Allow loaves to cool in pan about ten minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Warm Clothing & Blanket Drive

With the unusually cold weather in Vancouver and area this year, it is more important than ever to have warm and dry clothing. If you have any used boots, jackets, hats, mittens, blankets, etc., you would like to donate to a local shelter, please put them in your empty bin during the month of January and we will collect them and make sure they get to someone who needs them.

Children’s items that your kids have outgrown are always especially needed, but we welcome all donations. Thank you!

Vegetarian Mincemeat

Make a big batch of vegetarian mincemeat so that you can make a few pies and have some left over to serve with ice cream, custard, pudding, or crêpes. You can also can or freeze it for later.

INGREDIENTS

1 unpeeled orange, washed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lb raisins or currants
1 lb pitted prunes, halved
2 1/2 quarts apples, chopped (peeling is optional)
2 1/2 quarts green tomatoes, chopped
1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap) or sorghum syrup
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ginger

DIRECTIONS

Quarter the unpeeled orange and remove all the seeds. Place in food processor with vinegar and half of the raisins, and process into a chunky paste. Transfer to pot.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer, stirring often, about 30-40 minutes, until mixture is thick and apples and tomatoes are cooked but not falling apart.

Can, refrigerate, or freeze the mincemeat until ready to use.

For mincemeat pie: Roll out two pie crusts. Place one in a pie plate, then pour in 3 cups of cooled mincemeat. Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, make slits in the top, and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.

Notes: You can replace some of the raisins and/or prunes with walnuts.

Russian Borscht

INGREDIENTS

6 or 7 beets
2 onions
4 or 5 carrots
1 head cabbage
5 or 6 vegetable bouillon cubes
6 to 8 cups water
1 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS

Grate the beets, onions, carrots, and cabbage. In a large pot over medium heat, dissolve the bouillon cubes in the water. Add the wine and grated vegetables, stir well, and simmer a few hours.

Serve hot with sour cream and rye bread.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Sweet potato casserole with apples and brown sugar, topped with cheddar cheese.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium size sweet potatoes
2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Boil sweet potatoes in salted water for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Drain, cool, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange have of the sliced sweet potatoes and half of the sliced apples in a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.

Sprinkle with onion, brown sugar, and marjoram; dot with butter.

Arrange remaining sweet potato and apple slices in the baking dish. Combine water with lemon juice; pour over layer of sweet potatoes and apples. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Serves 4.

Yellow Carrot, Zucchini, and Squash Sautee

INGREDIENTS

4 carrots, about 1.5 lbs, sliced 3/8 inch thick

2 medium or 3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced on a diagonal 3/8 inch thick

2 medium or 3 small squash, halved lengthwise and sliced on the diagonal 3/8 inch thick

4 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a pot, cook carrots 10 minutes, or until just tender, in enough water to cover. Drain and keep warm.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add zucchini, squash, salt and pepper. Cook until just tender. Add reserved carrots and stir to combine.

For a smaller portions, simply reduce vegetable and ingredient size accordingly.

Steamed Baby Bok Choy and Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

1 lb fresh broccoli
1 lb fresh baby bok choy
1 clove minced garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp tamari

DIRECTIONS

Cut broccoli head into florets, and cut stems into bite sized pieces. Cut the leaves off the bok choy, and cut the stems into bite sized chunks.

Steam the broccoli and the stems of the bok choy in half a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes or until they are bright green.

Remove lid and boil water out.

Add garlic and oil. Stir well. Add the bok choy leaves. Cover pot briefly until leaves just wilt. Add ginger and tamari.

Stir, then serve.

Christmas Time Yam and Cranberry Casserole

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
2 large onions, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if using frozen cranberries)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsps melted butter
1 large orange, juice and rind
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Mix sweet potatoes and onions and put mixed veggies in two sprayed shallow oven proof dishes (about 8"x12" each). Spray the veggies lightly with oil and bake until sweet potatos are just tender (a bit under done), about 20-25 minutes.

Lower heat on oven to 350F degrees.

Combine the remaining ingredients, mix well, and pour equally into the two casseroles. Mix well to coat all the pieces of vegetable.

Bake uncovered about 30-40 min or until tender and getting sticky. Stir once during cooking.

You may keep the casseroles in your refrigerator, tightly covered, for a day and then bake on the day of your dinner, or you may freeze them, tightly covered, before the final baking. Defrost before the final baking.

Cauliflower Popcorn

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 popcorn container (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut out and discard cauliflower core and thick stems. Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of golf balls. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly.

Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if available, for easy clean-up). Roast for 1 hour, or until much of each floret has become golden brown. (That’s the caramelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness. The browner the florets, the sweeter they will taste.) Turn three or four times during roasting.

Use crumpled up aluminum foil or paper towels to create a false bottom in your popcorn container, fill it with cauliflower and serve immediately.

Angela's Potato and Leek Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
3 large leeks (long green parts only), chopped and rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 lb of potatoes, peeled and diced
Vegetable stock
1/2 - 1 cup milk (or soy milk)
Sea salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Heat butter, saute leeks, onions and bay leaf. Cover, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich green colour.

Add the potatoes and just enough stock to cover them. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer.

Add the milk and mash. Add more milk to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Sprinkle parsley on each bowl just prior to serving.

Make this soup in advance; it is even better when reheated the next day!