INGREDIENTS
8 oz uncooked kamut spaghetti or other whole grain pasta
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
Dried oregano to taste
Sea salt and pepper to taste
12 pitted black olives, sliced
1 oz crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente; drain.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the garlic 2 minutes. Mix in mushrooms and zucchini. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in olives, and cook until heated through.
Place pasta in the skillet, toss to coat, and continue cooking about 2 minutes. Top with feta cheese to serve.
Green Earth Organics Inc. is a home and office certified organic grocery and natural product delivery service. We have a wide selection of 100% Certified Organic fruit, vegetables, and other grocery products. We also carry a growing list of environmentally friendly products that make it easier for our customers to tread lighter on our planet. This blog offers exiting information on organic food and healthy eating habits.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Olympics: Our Working Plan
The Olympics are drawing nearer all the time, and we've been busily trying to plan, but there's so much we just don't know. Here's our plan, subject to change as things start happening around our beautiful city:
We will be delivering as normally as possible on all delivery days to all areas except downtown Vancouver. Deliveries may be earlier or later than usual; we may even try doing some deliveries during the day. Please bear with us, as we may not be able to tell you exactly when your delivery will be coming, even on the day of your delivery.
Downtown Vancouver members: We are going to try to do your deliveries as usual on February 4th and 11th. If February 4th proves to be too difficult, we may need to cancel February 11th, but if that happens, we will be trying to call or email everyone who will be affected. We will definitely not be delivering downtown on February 18th and 25th. If you would still like a bin on either of those weeks, please call or email us to discuss alternative delivery addresses or how to pick up a bin from our warehouse.
There are a few delivery addresses that are in "gray zones" as to whether or not we will be able to deliver (such under the Cambie Street bridge), and we will do the best we can to warn members in those areas if their deliveries will have to be skipped.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know at 604-708-2345 or by emailing info@greenearthorganics.com.
Thank you for being a part of Green Earth Organics!
We will be delivering as normally as possible on all delivery days to all areas except downtown Vancouver. Deliveries may be earlier or later than usual; we may even try doing some deliveries during the day. Please bear with us, as we may not be able to tell you exactly when your delivery will be coming, even on the day of your delivery.
Downtown Vancouver members: We are going to try to do your deliveries as usual on February 4th and 11th. If February 4th proves to be too difficult, we may need to cancel February 11th, but if that happens, we will be trying to call or email everyone who will be affected. We will definitely not be delivering downtown on February 18th and 25th. If you would still like a bin on either of those weeks, please call or email us to discuss alternative delivery addresses or how to pick up a bin from our warehouse.
There are a few delivery addresses that are in "gray zones" as to whether or not we will be able to deliver (such under the Cambie Street bridge), and we will do the best we can to warn members in those areas if their deliveries will have to be skipped.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know at 604-708-2345 or by emailing info@greenearthorganics.com.
Thank you for being a part of Green Earth Organics!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
GEO Organizes the 2010 GreenStream Event
GreenStream Web Page
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2ou5as93143f68c
Maureen Cureton
http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/seminars/speakers/maureen-cureton
http://www.commonground.ca/iss/0410159/cg159_RoadLess.shtml
Brady Dahmer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfjsj4KBSlQ
http://www.projectingchange.ca/
Cease Wyss
http://www.nfb-onf.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=55120
http://dbrowncooks.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/cease-wyss-on-the-good-food-box-and-community-gardening/
Thursday, February 11th, from 5 to 8 PM
Lighthouse Sustainable Building Centre
2060 Pine Street, Vancouver
Weather Problems
We have received the following information from one of our major produce suppliers, and we thought we should bring it to the attention of our members, as these problems are likely to affect the quality, the prices, and the variety of fruits and vegetables in the coming months.
Last week, temperatures well below freezing were recorded in various parts of Mexico, one of the major sources of produce in the winter. Growers in the state of Chihuahua (south or Arizona and Texas) were hit especially hard. They are used to a little frost higher up once or twice a year, but this record cold blast was the coldest in recorded history. The same storm dropped up to 5 cm of snow in downtown Mexico City, where snow is usually only seen from a great distance, a thousand metres up the hillsides and on the volcanoes.
To summarize the problems:
- Two weeks ago, temperatures in the major growing areas of Florida had overnight lows of minus ten Celsius and they had frost as far south of West Palm Beach. Production losses were drastic, increasing the demand on Western producers.
- Temperatures have been unseasonably cold across the deserts of California, Sonora, and Sinaloa, slowing production of peppers, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, and green onions.
- Major growing area in Northern Mexico have been frozen out, with huge losses of field crops including celery, cabbage, broccoli, parsley, and cilantro.
- California is under emergency flood watches and storm warnings this week. Long range predictions show that for the next two or three weeks, California will likely see a 200-year storm event (the type of storm that would normally happen every 200 years), with up to 600 mm of rain, high winds, and massive flooding. Winds gusted to 130 km/hour on Sunday night, affecting everything from Monterey Bay to southwestern BC.
These problems are expected to affect both organic and conventional fruits and vegetables for about the next 12 weeks. Please bear with us as we try to get you the very best produce available during the rest of this winter. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 604-708-2345 or email info@greenearthorganics.com.
Last week, temperatures well below freezing were recorded in various parts of Mexico, one of the major sources of produce in the winter. Growers in the state of Chihuahua (south or Arizona and Texas) were hit especially hard. They are used to a little frost higher up once or twice a year, but this record cold blast was the coldest in recorded history. The same storm dropped up to 5 cm of snow in downtown Mexico City, where snow is usually only seen from a great distance, a thousand metres up the hillsides and on the volcanoes.
To summarize the problems:
- Two weeks ago, temperatures in the major growing areas of Florida had overnight lows of minus ten Celsius and they had frost as far south of West Palm Beach. Production losses were drastic, increasing the demand on Western producers.
- Temperatures have been unseasonably cold across the deserts of California, Sonora, and Sinaloa, slowing production of peppers, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, and green onions.
- Major growing area in Northern Mexico have been frozen out, with huge losses of field crops including celery, cabbage, broccoli, parsley, and cilantro.
- California is under emergency flood watches and storm warnings this week. Long range predictions show that for the next two or three weeks, California will likely see a 200-year storm event (the type of storm that would normally happen every 200 years), with up to 600 mm of rain, high winds, and massive flooding. Winds gusted to 130 km/hour on Sunday night, affecting everything from Monterey Bay to southwestern BC.
These problems are expected to affect both organic and conventional fruits and vegetables for about the next 12 weeks. Please bear with us as we try to get you the very best produce available during the rest of this winter. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 604-708-2345 or email info@greenearthorganics.com.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
About Mangoes
A mango is a tropical fruit that originated in Southeast Asia. Food historians believe the mango has been cultivated for over 4,000 years in the areas in which it was initially found. It is now grown in most countries with tropical or near tropical climates. There are over 100 different types of mangoes, but most popularly known in the US are those species imported from Mexico and South America.
The mango fruit is a drupe, like nectarines and apricots, a fleshy fruit growing around a long flat seed.
Mangoes contain some of the same oils as do poison oak and poison ivy, and some people can have an allergic reaction to the oils on both the fruit skin and the leaves of the tree. In any case, the skin is not edible and is quite hard even when the fruit is ripe.
When fully ripe, the mango may still be somewhat difficult to eat, as it is very juicy. Mangoes are best served either in long slices or in bite-sized cubes. They are still somewhat firm when ripe, and are also fibrous, composed of many long thin fibers that easily get stuck in between the teeth.
Mangoes are used in a number of dishes of Asian, Indian and South American origin. Mango Lassi combines pureed mango, yogurt, and honey into a sweet and very popular smoothie drink. Mango is often added to salsas, particularly in Latin countries. Pork stir-fried with mango, or mango served with the popular sticky rice, are well-known Asian dishes.
American recipes suggest adding pureed mango to muffins and cookies. The fruit can either be offered in a dessert such as a mango crisp, or paired with light meats like pork, chicken or shrimp. It is a particularly nice addition to fruit salads and smoothies.
Mangoes are full packed with vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. They are perfect to replenish salts, vitamins, and energy after physical exercise. Mango contains vitamin B3, vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
To check if a mango is ripe, check the area around the stem: if it looks plump and round, the mango is ripe. With the stem side up, smell the mango. A ripe mango will have a sweet aroma and be slightly soft to the touch.
Store under-ripe mangoes at cool room temperature until the flesh is yielding but not mushy. When ripe, refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To prepare a mango, slice off the top and bottom of the mango to expose the tip of the pit. Stand the mango up and cut off the mango flesh parallel to the pit, curving slightly with the shape of the pit. Repeat on other side. With the peel side down, cut criss-cross through the flesh without cutting through the peel. Turn the peel inside out so the cubes stick out and can be removed with a fork.
The mango fruit is a drupe, like nectarines and apricots, a fleshy fruit growing around a long flat seed.
Mangoes contain some of the same oils as do poison oak and poison ivy, and some people can have an allergic reaction to the oils on both the fruit skin and the leaves of the tree. In any case, the skin is not edible and is quite hard even when the fruit is ripe.
When fully ripe, the mango may still be somewhat difficult to eat, as it is very juicy. Mangoes are best served either in long slices or in bite-sized cubes. They are still somewhat firm when ripe, and are also fibrous, composed of many long thin fibers that easily get stuck in between the teeth.
Mangoes are used in a number of dishes of Asian, Indian and South American origin. Mango Lassi combines pureed mango, yogurt, and honey into a sweet and very popular smoothie drink. Mango is often added to salsas, particularly in Latin countries. Pork stir-fried with mango, or mango served with the popular sticky rice, are well-known Asian dishes.
American recipes suggest adding pureed mango to muffins and cookies. The fruit can either be offered in a dessert such as a mango crisp, or paired with light meats like pork, chicken or shrimp. It is a particularly nice addition to fruit salads and smoothies.
Mangoes are full packed with vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. They are perfect to replenish salts, vitamins, and energy after physical exercise. Mango contains vitamin B3, vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
To check if a mango is ripe, check the area around the stem: if it looks plump and round, the mango is ripe. With the stem side up, smell the mango. A ripe mango will have a sweet aroma and be slightly soft to the touch.
Store under-ripe mangoes at cool room temperature until the flesh is yielding but not mushy. When ripe, refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To prepare a mango, slice off the top and bottom of the mango to expose the tip of the pit. Stand the mango up and cut off the mango flesh parallel to the pit, curving slightly with the shape of the pit. Repeat on other side. With the peel side down, cut criss-cross through the flesh without cutting through the peel. Turn the peel inside out so the cubes stick out and can be removed with a fork.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Mushroom & Squash Pizza
INGREDIENTS
1/2 buttercup or acorn squash, seeded
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable broth
1 12-inch unbaked pizza crust
1-1/2 cups shredded old cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS
Place squash, cut side down, on small foil-lined pan; add 1/4 inch (5 mm) water to pan. Bake in bottom third of 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) oven for about 30 minutes or until tender. Let cool; peel and cut into bite-size cubes. You should have about 2 cups of squash cubes.
Meanwhile, in large heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion, stirring often, for about 8 minutes or until softened. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are softened and liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat; stir in broth. Add cubed squash, tossing gently to combine.
Place pizza base on 12-inch (30 cm) round pizza pan; spoon mushroom mixture on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in bottom third of 500 Fahrenheit (260 Celsius) oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden and slightly puffed.
1/2 buttercup or acorn squash, seeded
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable broth
1 12-inch unbaked pizza crust
1-1/2 cups shredded old cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS
Place squash, cut side down, on small foil-lined pan; add 1/4 inch (5 mm) water to pan. Bake in bottom third of 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) oven for about 30 minutes or until tender. Let cool; peel and cut into bite-size cubes. You should have about 2 cups of squash cubes.
Meanwhile, in large heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion, stirring often, for about 8 minutes or until softened. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are softened and liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat; stir in broth. Add cubed squash, tossing gently to combine.
Place pizza base on 12-inch (30 cm) round pizza pan; spoon mushroom mixture on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in bottom third of 500 Fahrenheit (260 Celsius) oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden and slightly puffed.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Roasted Pears
INGREDIENTS
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1.5 lbs slightly-under-ripe, fragrant medium pears, peeled if desired, and halved though the stem
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the sugar in a small bowl. With a thin sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Stir the seeds into the sugar.
Arrange the pears in a large baking dish, cut-side-up. Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the fruit, then sprinkle with the vanilla sugar. Nestle the vanilla pod among the fruit. Pour the water into the dish. Dot each pear with some butter.
Roast the pears for 30 minutes, brushing them occasionally with the pan juices. Turn the pears over and continue roasting, basting once or twice, until tender and caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes longer. They are done when a paring knife poked into the thickest part of the pears meets with no resistance. Serve warm.
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1.5 lbs slightly-under-ripe, fragrant medium pears, peeled if desired, and halved though the stem
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the sugar in a small bowl. With a thin sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Stir the seeds into the sugar.
Arrange the pears in a large baking dish, cut-side-up. Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the fruit, then sprinkle with the vanilla sugar. Nestle the vanilla pod among the fruit. Pour the water into the dish. Dot each pear with some butter.
Roast the pears for 30 minutes, brushing them occasionally with the pan juices. Turn the pears over and continue roasting, basting once or twice, until tender and caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes longer. They are done when a paring knife poked into the thickest part of the pears meets with no resistance. Serve warm.
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