FRESH GARDEN VEGETABLE TIME

We're at the peak of Manitoba's vegetable season, and its time to take advantage of the bounty of our gardens and our local market gardeners' produce.
It's fresh SWEET CORN time, that time we look forward to all year, as well as the ripe tomatoes, new potatoes, cucumbers and all our favourites for eating fresh, canning and freezing.
In the spirit of sharing all the pertinent information we can gather about the what, when, why and how of good food, we would like to direct you to the Blog of our friend Erin Crampton, who, as well as operating the admirable CRAMPTON'S...EAT LOCAL seasonal market in Winnipeg, goes the extra distance to provide a wealth of information on fresh-in-season local food: picking, cooking, eating and preserving on her Blog:

http://cramptonsmarket.blogspot.com

We hope you'll find her information as illuminating and helpful as we have, and we're happy to share this great source with you!

We hope you're enjoying the best of Manitoba summer!

NEW IN THE STORE...
By the end of this week ( Aug. 20) you'll find some great new items in the Roseisle Grocery Co-op.

• For those of you with wheat or gluten intolerance, or anyone who enjoys a good treat, Schar vanilla creme sandwich cookies will be available.
• That wonderful herbal sweetener STEVIA is proving to be so popular, we're putting a larger size bottle of the liquid (237ml.) and a shaker of the powdered form (28 g.) on the shelf. We're also re-stocking the book on STEVIA, NATURE'S SWEET SECRET, which includes information about Stevia and terrific recipes using the liquid or powdered forms.
• And right next to the Stevias, a newcomer in the "low glycemic index*" category... AGAVE Light NECTAR. AT 1.5 times the sweetness of white sugar and the exotic taste that hints of maple and honey, you'll want to use AGAVE NECTAR anywhere you would use sugar or syrup! See below for ALL ABOUT AGAVE NECTAR for the scoop on this little sweetie.
• New on the pulses shelf, RED LENTILS. Flavourful, fast-cooking, they'll soon be a family favourite. See below for East Indian RED LENTIL SOUP recipe.
• Next to our Crunchy Soynut Butter on the spreads shelf, a newcomer... slightly sweet SOYNUT BUTTER SPREAD... makes great sandwiches alone or paired with one of our John Russell honeys, bananas or a Crampton's Jam or jelly! Peanut-free, tree nut- free, gluten-free, organic, vegan, kosher. Safe for school lunches, excellent for toast and treats, and good for you!

At the check-out, next to the VERMINTS, another mouth-freshening treat... "PUR" GUM! This Swiss-made chewing gum is Aspartame-free! All-natural ingredients, sweetened with XYLITOL. a popular natural sweetener. NO GMO, vegan, nut-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, casien-free, and the Pomegranate-Mint contains anti-oxidants. See below for the story on XYLITOL.

ALL ABOUT AGAVE NECTAR
"NOW" brand Certified Organic Agave Nectar is a natural sweetener extracted from the Agave plant. Agave is a truly remarkable plant that grows in the harshest environments with little water and no upkeep needed. It is naturally found in western Mexico. It requires no pesticides or fertilizers and is actually a cornerstone to its ecosystem. The Agave plant is truly a sustainably grown/harvested crop. It is grown for 6-8 years, then before turning to seed, it is harvested by hand, thus reducing the "carbon footprint" during harvesting.
Naturally-occuring Fructans, which are complex sugar molecules, are separated into their simple sugar components Fructose and Glucose, by two methods. One uses a natural, non-GMO enzyme, and the second uses thermal hydrolysis.
Unlike High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), in which the glucose is made froam milled starch of corn, AGAVE contains no starch.
While the taste is very sweet, the GLYCEMIC INDEX* is low, so blood sugar and insulin levels will thank you for using AGAVE LIGHT!

EAST INDIAN RED LENTIL SOUP
Masoor dal, as these salmon-pink lentils are collectively called in India, is very richly flavoured and fast to cook. This soup is a good beginning to an Indian-style meal, or it makes a meal in itself served over Basmati rice with yoghurt on the side.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
3 cups water
3 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup RED LENTILS sorted and washed
1 tablespoon light sesame oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. peeled and grated or minced ginger
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1 mild (Anaheim) or hot (Jalapeno) green chili, seeded and finely diced (may be pickled)
2 ripe tomatoes, diced, or 2 cups diced canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced cilantro (coriander)

Garnish:
4 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
4 tsp. fresh cilantro (coriander)

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1. Bring the water/broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the lentils, stirring to prevent clumping or sticking. Bring the water to a boil again, watching to see when it begins to foam. If the foam gets too high in the pan, scoop the foam out gently and discard. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, place the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute until translucent. Add the ginger, turmeric and cumin seed, and 1/4 tsp. of the salt. Cook until the onion is medium brown and very sweet.
3. Add the chili to the onion mixture to taste, cook until it turns bright green. Stir the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt into the onion mixture. Cook another 5 minutes.
4. Add the onion mixture to the cooked lentils. Heat gently until the flavours meld. Add the minced cilantro, and taste for salt and spices. Serve immediately garnished with the red bell pepper and cilantro leaves.
The leftover soup may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

(recipe from Lynn Walters' "Cooking at the Natural Cafe in Santa Fe" Freedom, California: Crossing Press, 1992).

XYLITOL
Discovered in the 1800'S, XYLITOL is an all- natural sugar alcohol that has been the subject of intense research for over 30 years. This ongoing research continues to teach us that Xylitol is an excellent choice when it comes to sugar substitutes.
It has approximately 40% fewer calories than table sugar. Moreover, it is absorbed and utilized at a much slower pace than sugar, therefore doesn't cause blood sugar and insulin levels to spike in the manner that sugar does. Xylitol has an extremely low glycemic index* rating of 7, while refined white sugar is closer to 100.
While sugar creates an environment that is very favourable to bacteria that are linked to ear, mouth and respiratory infections, XYLITOL does not create such an environment, another reason that its an excellent ingredient in the PUR gum we've now made available to you.

*Glycemic Index:
The glycemic index is a tool that measures the speed at which a specific food (particularly carbohydrates) enters the bloodstream to create insulin . The faster the speed of entry of food into the bloodstream, the more insulin is secreted . Along with a myriad of health problems caused by an over-secretion of insulin, one of the major problems of excess insulin is that it triggers the extra storage of fat. "google" glycemic index, wikipedia etc. for more information.

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... Real Happy Shopping, Healthy eating!

Canada Day in Roseisle

We've received a comment (under previous post on bedding plant sale) we want to bring to your attention. We ARE here, though mostly in the garden, glad to see someone is reading the blog, and we do look at each post after we make it. Please forgive us if there is some irregularity in the appearance of the posting on your sever, it's made on a Mac / Mozilla by dedicated volunteer amateurs, and we don't guarantee how it will appear on YOUR browser. We appreciate your comments, even anonymous, and will try to respond and correct the problem if it is ours to fix.

Coming up to July 1, Canada Day, when the popular destination is Roseisle for the full day of events, starting with the pancake breakfast and culminating in the evening fireworks display, we want to welcome all travelers, campers, old and new friends of the community.

The co-op will be open Canada Day, as every day, 8 am to 8 pm Monday to Saturday and 11 am to 6 pm Sundays, ready to serve you.

As well as suiting all the needs of summer vacationers,(ice, gas, diesel, propane, insect repellent, snacks,) the store has several new specialty products on the shelves to interest you.

We carry a line of natural sunscreens as well as Aloe gel for summer skin care and a big selection of locally made natural soaps and skin creams and balms from Babcock naturals, and are expecting their natural insect repellent any day now.
For summer beverages, we have great organic lemonade, sweet crisp carbonated whole apple cider, and a popular line of Blue Sky natural sodas, all these in the cooler and on the shelf.
Making your own summer fruit drinks and iced teas and want to avoid the high sugar content in now in most commercially made drinks? We have the natural sweetener STEVIA in liquid and powder form that is sweeter than sugar.

Our selection of Local/Natural Beef, Bison, Elk and pork products for your summer BBQ, camper breakfasts and snacks now includes Berkshire pork Blackburn Country sausages, and new "pepperettes" and jerky.

Our fine Nature's Pasta selection has been re-stocked, including multi-coloured "shells" that make a great cold pasta salad, and a new tomato basil fettucine.

New in our GLUTEN-FREE selection: organic vanilla "animal cookies" for the kids in all of us, and chocolate hazelnut wafer bars.
We also remind you that several of the Berkshire pork sausages are made with gluten-free ingredients...look for the labels, tags, or ask the staff for the list of gluten-free and wheat-free foods.

In our John Russell honeys we now have Wildflower and Clover in 1kg. size. These are some of a selection of Manitoba's finest pure source and fruit-flavoured honeys we have to offer.

For fresh summer salads from your garden, we now have organic red wine vinegar.

A new variety of canned organic soups is on the shelf.

A new delivery of whole-grain Spelt and Kamut baking from the brick oven of Integrity Foods in Riverton has just been received, including hot dog and burger buns as well as bagels, cookies, pitas, muffins and unleavened breads. These items sell out fast, check the upright freezer near the deli.

In our environment-and-user-friendly Nature Clean department there are 2 new products: laundry stain remover and auto-dishwasher rinse agent.

At the checkout counter, pick up a colorful tin of mints or pastilles from the selection of fine organic, all-natural, gluten-free VERMINTS (from Vermont), see how good a candy can be!

We continue to offer these products to you who want (or need) something out of the ordinary, and remind you that in the interest of your particular health concern, or your desire to support the small producer or local family farm, or just your curiosity, we can and will make special orders. Just make a request of the store manager, and better still, email us, or make a comment on this blog! We appreciate your comments and questions. We're all in this together...

Enjoy your summer!

Bedding Plant Sale Day

BEDDING PLANT SALE SATURDAY MAY 22 IN ROSEISLE

Hello, good people of the Roseisle area and beyond-

Once upon a long time ago, when our world was young, preparations for the May Long Weekend involved packing up some mobile Baccanalian supplies, stuffing the Gremlin with friends, tents and the worst of intentions, and heading for "the Lake". Nowaways, we are of coarse so much wiser, sharping our shovels, tweaking our trowels, and brewing up a garbage can full of compost tea, preparing to welcome fresh new green things to our gardens.

SATURDAY, MAY 22 from 10:30 to 4:30 pm, look for us and our bedding plants outside the Roseisle Community Grocery Coop, where you would have found David Neufeld in years past. As you may have heard, Dave and Maggie of Room to Grow have decided to stay closer to their home near Boissevaine and the Westman Region. It is a decision Dave came to some time back, and when he met the members of our JUST Community Market Coop at the Small Farms Challenge in 2006, and found out that we had begun to turn our dreams of food security into action with a greenhouse in Starbuck producing heritage vegetables and herbs from local and organic seeds, he looked us up and offered to help mentor us in wonderful world of bedding plants.

Although we are new to bedding plants, for the past three years we have been selling our produce in Winnipeg at various places, including the Exchange District Market, the Osborne Village Market, organic grocers and various Winnipeg restaurants, bars, and cultural centres. Our goal is to offer good quality plants, grown with certified organic inputs from local, organic, heritage, and saved seeds. We are known for our tomatoes, peppers and herbs. To augment our selection, we are working with Prairie Flora, who specialize in native prairie flowers and grasses.

So if you are looking for sturdy and healthful plants that are grown chemical-free that won't add any bad stuff to your precious soil, please make a note on your calendar to drop by the Roseisle Coop on

Saturday May 22.

Most of the varieties in the catalogue will be available with the exception of Tomatillos and Grandpa Siberian Home Peppers. We have limited quantities of a few varieties of tomatoes, annual herbs and annual flowers. However, we'll have a good selection on May 22nd including 6-packs which we are only offering at our day sales. We're also supplementing our catalogue with native wildflowers and grasses from Prairie Flora in Teulon.

See you Saturday at the Roseisle store on the Long Weekend!

Liz Clayton, Member

JUST Community Market Coop

A catalog of plants, list of prices can be found at the store this week, and if you have specific questions please email the greenhouse: paulette@justcommunitymarket.com

Happy gardening!

New Products in May 3

Natural and Organic products are being re-stocked Monday May 3rd (your favourite granola is in).
Look for these new items: Organic Coconut Oil, Unrefined Apple Cider Vinegar, STEVIA liquid in 60 ml. bottles... handy for sweetening summer beverages, New Organic Rice Cakes : whole brown rice, plain and lightly salted, and multi-grain. Aloe Vera Gel for summer skin care.

A new treat can be found in the check-out area. VerMints! A line of all natural refreshing breath mints and pastilles in 6 "full-bodied flavours". An alternative containing NO GMO ingredients, gluten-free, nut-free, all natural and/or organic ingredients, whole, unrefined sugars, and wow...great flavour! How can candy be so good for you and taste so good???

We now carry a variety of cuts of local NATURAL BEEF in the Local/Natural meat (deli) freezer, along with our Bison, Elk and Berkshire Pork. The beef, from Prairie Sky producers group is pasture-raised, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and GMO- FREE. You'll appreciate the quality and taste.
The cuts offered are:
rib eye steak, sirloin steak, inside round roast, outside round roast, blade roast, cross-rib roast, and hamburger.

BIRD SEED!
We have a good stock of black oil sunflower seed in 15 and 30lb. bags from DeRuyck's Organic Farm for sale at the lowest price you'll find in any store! Organic seed, good for the birds and the land, and your budget.
If you've been feeding the wild birds through the winter, don't stop yet, as the greatest variety of migrating songbirds is arriving now and throughout May, and will stop in and sing their best in appreciation!

We'd like to remind you that if you have any special requests for items you don't find in the store, (including gluten-free, low salt, low fat, low sugar, or just a favourite product you can't find in your neighbourhood), please email us ( getreal@xplornet.ca ) and we'll do our best to accommodate you. We can do special orders.
You can always post comments or questions here, just click on the word "comments" below and you will be offered a comment box.

HAM RECIPE

Our Berkshire hams are ready-to-eat, so only need warming. Altho they are maple-glazed, this recipe adds a nice presentation and taste experience!

GLAZED FRUIT FOR BAKED HAM

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 to 5 apples (depending on number of people you're serving), cored and cut crosswise ,(this will form rings), into 1/2 inch slices
8 to 12 organic Inari dried apricots

Method:

In a large pot, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil; stirring , simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes . Add apples; cook, uncovered, 5 minutes per side; remove. Simmer apricots in syrup, covered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

Place the warmed ham on a platter and arrange the apple slices around it. Fill the holes in the apple rings with the apricots, and serve!


IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO POST A COMMENT ON ANY POST, AT ANY TIME, CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THE POST ( example:HAM RECIPE). GREEN, TURNS PURPLE WHEN YOU HIT IT, AND THAT POST WILL COME UP WITH THE COMMENT BOX BELOW IT, GO THERE AND CONTACT US!
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

...new products in store this week, more recipes

We are expecting a delivery of fresh-baked BREADS( YEASTED and "Desem" NATURALLY- LEAVENED), BAGELS, PITAS, MUFFINS, COOKIES AND SANDWICH BUNS from the brick oven of INTEGRITY FOODS to be on our shelves Saturday March 20th.

Along with the familiar items, we will have a new bread and new sandwich buns this week.

They call the bread MANITOBA GOODNESS, and want you to know: " The stone-ground organic spelt is grown on the Pollock's farm near Brandon, the hemp nuts grown by Paul Bobbee at Arborg, sunflower seed oil grown by DeRuycks at Swan Lake and pressed in Winnipeg at The Forks by Grass Roots Prairie Kitchen, honey from the Gregory farm at Fisher Branch. It is 98% Manitoba grown and produced. The hemp provides sustained energy - almost 2 teaspoons per slice! It is a dense, hearth-baked bread packed with nutrition. What more does one want in March, Nutrition Month?!"

Sandwich buns are great for a sandwich every day! You can make 1 or 2 servings with one bun. Fill it with your favourite fillings and enjoy! Or slice into small slices for a bread bite with your meal. The long shape makes it really nice for a sandwich. It is about 110 gr. per bun.

Click on Integrity Foods in our producer links, and have a look at their website, which will tell you all about their bakery and products, as well as how to find them for their famous PIZZA NIGHTS in the summer when folks come from miles around for fresh pizza from the brick oven!
We can also carry their pizza crusts, so let us know if you are interested.

We now have a full complement of REAL DELI FOODS from Elman's Kosher Deli Products, a north end Winnipeg family institution for more than 70 years!
We offer their WHOLE DILL PICKLES WITH GARLIC, DELI SAUERKRAUT, PICKLED HERRING WITH ONION IN A WINE MARINADE, HORSERADISH, BEET HORSERADISH RELISH, AND HOT MUSTARD!
Look past the coffee shop, in the cooler by the deli, where these are all kept refrigerated. A real treat.
Click on the Elmans link and find out all about them on their website.

Want Recipes? We have been offering a fantastic ancient grain from South America called QUINOA (pronounced "keen wah") for some time now, in whole grain form, white and red, and also as pasta. No doubt this is something new to our area. There is so much to say for this great organic, high protein, low carbohydrate, GLUTEN-FREE food, which can be cooked in a multitude of ways, some of which we wanted to offer you recipes for, but our supplier can do that much better!
Click on the link to GOGO QUINOA and go to their GREAT website to find out all about the product and check out the huge list of RECIPES they provide.

REMINDER: If you haven't seen the selection of recipes we previously posted on this site, scroll on down to Sunday Feb. 28 posting and there they are.

HAMS for EASTER. A reminder that we now have Maple-glazed, ready to eat hams in the 3 to 4 lb. weight range from naturally-raised free-range pasture Berkshire hogs from Windy Lake Farm, Andy Grift and family.
We are also taking orders, so email us at getreal@xplornet.ca or call the store at 828 -3479, before they are all gone!
We also carry their roasts, chops, ham steaks, ribs, Farmers Sausage, Garlic coil, and a variety of SAUSAGES: Breakfast, Pork, Honey & Garlic, Hot Italian, and
GLUTEN-FREE SAUSAGES: Beef and Pork, Sweet 'n Spicy, Early Riser, Mustard & Basil, and Smoked sausage.

Don't forget, you can instantly contact us with questions or comments by simply clicking on "comments" directly below. Your input will help shape our store!

The Case of the Contract Killer

The Case of the Contract Killer

Violetta di Chioggia, Rosa Bianca Solanam melongena, Tom Thumb Latuca Sativa.

Recognize any of these names? Seen any of their faces around recently? No? This may come as a shock, but these are just a few of thousands who’ve gone missing. In fact, they’re on a hit list.

Oh, and did I mention they’re vegetables. Does that make a difference? It shouldn’t.

You see, we humans are accomplices in what could very well be our own demise. We’ve (if not knowingly) allowed a few corporations to whittle down our variety of food crops from thousands to a handful. I can see the mugshot of that herbicide-burping superbug now, chomping down and wiping another crop from our increasing paltry list. No, really, come back to the table and listen – you eat? Then this affects you.

We humans have eaten some 80,000 plant species over time. Now, three-quarters of all our produce comes from just eight species and, as biologist, author and locavore Barbara Kingsolver tells it, the field is “quickly narrowing down to genetically modified corn, soy, and canola.” Our food crops, Kingsolver says, could well make an endangered species list. We are, quite simply, undermining the security of our very own food system.

With genetically modified foods, we’re further undermining the security of that system with crop species being held against their will by a handful of powerful corporations intent on fooling around with their genes. Splicing together traits that aren’t even nodding acquaintances in nature can produce a vigorous plant for one generation, but the next generation is likely unpredictable and has no staying power.

But let’s back up and see how and why these disappearances started. Well, it has to do with the craving for tomatoes (or raspberries) at a time when even songbirds are sucking on dried up dogberries. And it also has to do with advances in long distance trucking. You see, up until the middle of last century, most North Americans were still eating fruits and vegetables that came from nearby farms, which also meant eating in season. Then marketers realized a market for out-of-season produce, like those tomatoes (or raspberries) titillating the taste buds of a society that was getting used to instant gratification. And then those tomatoes (or raspberries) needed larger and refrigerated trucks, and a super highway system to get these aliens to market.

Enter agribusiness into the contract. New breeds of produce were bred so that those tomatoes (or look at any produce at your local grocery retailer) could stand up to mechanized picking, packing, shipping and displaying on supermarket shelves. This uber tomato proved it could go the distance, but a few things got lost in the meantime: like flavour, often pest resistance and, no surprise, genetic diversity. There can, after all, only be one uber tomato, so uniformity and blandness became the trade-off signatures. Long distance travel, says Kingsolver, lies at the heart of the plot to murder flavourful fruits and veggies. Then the agribusiness breeding of indestructible produce ensured a market for tennis ball-like tomatoes. Farmers had little choice but grow what people (thought they) wanted, and seed catalogue offerings dropped more and more old-time trusted varieties. Today, not only plant varieties but whole species have been lost while six companies—Monsanto, Syngenta, DuPont, Mitsui, Aventis, and Dow—now control 98 percent of the world’s seed sales.

There’s a few organizations that are on the look out for Violetta and friends. Slow Food International promotes agricultural biodiversity and has a twist on the save-the-endangered species line. Eat it. To save those rare species, the seed must be grown, plant harvested and eaten. Ditto that heirloom pig.

Closer to home, groups such as FEAST (Food Education Action – St. John’s), Farmers’ Markets and community gardens are springing up across the province, putting local food back on the menu and in the minds of residents.

Bottom line? Come clean. Don’t continue to be an accomplice to contract killing. Eat local. Reject uniformity. Check out grandma’s garden. Dissent. And have a flavourful day.
© Alison Dyer 2009

Alison Dyer is a freelance writer in Newfoundland, and can be found blogging at
www.thesquidink.blogspot.com

Get Real Local Organic Produce

...from your garden!

The Real Thing. The freshest, cheapest,"local-est" nutritious organic vegetables you can get! The taste you've been missing all winter, and the least loss of nutrients in travel to your table. Its time to start thinking about gardening even though the snow is still on the ground. And in your garden, you won't need the chemical fertilizers and pesticides the industry relies on, so you know just what you're feeding the family come harvest!

The Roseisle Co op is negotiating with a new, more local supplier of organic bedding plants for a sale day at the store. Sadly for us, David Neufeld, Room to Grow Greenhouse in the Turtle Mountains has decided to limit the truck traveling he does to deliver his fine bedding plants to customers as he has done for us for several years now. Good for the atmosphere, too bad for us! We will let you know when a list of plants is available, and the ordering and pick-up schedule.

Actually, seeds travel more economically than plants, and your labour is...well, free! We now have a selection of garden seeds for sale in time for outdoor planting, including bulk corn and peas, as well as seed potatoes and onion "sets". So check your seeds and your plans for this fast-approaching season while there's still time to mail-order for those special, harder to get items.
Some of our favourite garden crops have to be be started early indoors to take full advantage of our short season. We don't all have time or space to start all our own plants, so watch our blog for news from our new greenhouse supplier for bedding plants.
They will supply "open-pollinated" varieties, non-g.m.o., non-hybrid varieties.


If you are concerned with growing "open-pollinated" non-hybridized plant varieties so that you may save your own seeds for next year, it will take a little looking for the seed, as most commercial seed houses specialize in hybrid seeds. These are bred for specific special characteristics like higher sugar, bigger fruit,longer shipping/shelf life etc., but these qualities don't transmit to the next generation , so you will have to buy new seed again. (Here's an extra cost).

If you are interested in traditional open-pollinated varieties, you're looking for what is known as "Heritage" seed, and we happen to have an excellent source for a most amazing variety of carefully collected historical"vegetable and flower seed in our area.
Tanya Stefanec, HERITAGE HARVEST SEED of Carman has an astounding catalog of the world's fine seed variety, many of which have been grown for centuries, passed from generation to generation. Check out the amazing list of tomato varieties, several of which have proven Excellent in the Roseisle area, and will continue to produce year after year from saved seeds!

Look at the website: www.heritageharvestseed.com


"TERM OF THE WEEK": OPEN POLLINATED SEEDS

"Open-pollinated varieties are the traditional varieties which have been grown and selected for their desirable traits for millennia. They grow well without high inputs because they have been selected under organic conditions.

These varieties have better flavour, are hardier and have more flexibility than hybrid varieties. Breeders cannot manipulate complex characteristics such as flavour as easily as they can size and shape.

These seeds are dynamic, that is they mutate and adapt to the local ecosystem, as opposed to modern hybrids, which are static.

Commercial breeders lack the incentive to produce new open pollinated varieties from which farmers could save seed and replant.."

SEE: www.primalseeds.org


For our customers who don't grow a garden, we're also negotiating to get a supply of fresh locally grown produce in the store through the summer-fall season, when we don't need to be trucking in produce from as far away as we do in the winter/spring season!

Comments or Questions?

New Items in Store and Recipes

NEW ITEMS IN STORE!

GLUTEN-FREE:
SCHAR Vanilla Wafers and Chocolate-Dipped Cookies . YUM!
MR. SPICE SAUCES: Tangy Bang Hot Sauce and Hot Wing sauce.
Whole Sugars: Organic Raw Golden Cane Sugar and Organic Dark Demerara.
Canned Coconut Milk is now on the shelves. See the recipes below !
GO BIO: Organic Bouillon Cubes:low-sodium Vegetable, and Beef. Each cube makes 2 cups.Great for stock or a quick mug of soup! Just cut one cube in half for a mug of broth!
GOGO QUINOA: Instant Quinoa vegetable Soup is back in! Another great quick soup and full of quinoa protein!
INARI: Organic Pearl Barley. Check the recipes !
SIMPLY ORGANIC: MINI SPICES-Turmeric Root Powder, Thyme Leaf, Dill Weed, and Cumin Seed Powder.Check the Recipes!

REAL TASTY RECIPES:

COCONUT RICE
1 1/2 cups org. Basamati rise
1 can coconut milk (400 ml. )
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
juice of one lime
1 1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons Inari org. shredded coconut

Place all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover. Let cook for 30 minutes. Great with your favorite stir-fry!

POTATO GRATIN
3 lbs. potatoes cut into 1/8"-thick slices
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried crushed thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups cream
1 cup grated Bothwell smoked gouda
butter

Method:
1. Place rack in the center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
2. Generously butter a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish.
3. Arrange 1/3 of the potato slice on the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping them
slightly.
4. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/3 cup grated cheese.
5. Pour 1/2 the cream over the potatoes evenly.
Repeat layering two more times.
6. Bake for 30 mins.
7. Reduce heat to 350F. and continue to bake until potatoes are tender and potatoes are golden
brown, about 25 mins.
8. Cool for 20 mins before serving.

Above recipe is by Lorna Murdoch,fusion grill, as printed in ciao! cooks. It's a wonderful accompaniment to Berkshire pork chops or Bison steaks!

An absolutely delicious and versatile spread we tried that we saw in cioa1 cooks is the following Aioli:

HORSERADISH AIOLI
1 organic egg
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp organic stone-ground mustard
1 tsp organic rice vinegar
1 cup organic canola or safflower oil
3 Tbsp prepared horseradish

METHOD:
1. In a small bowl using a mixer on medium speed, combine egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, mustard and rice vinegar.
2. While mixer is running, drizzle in oil to emulsify.
3. Fold in horseradish.
Spread Aioli on burger bun or your favourite sandwiches or subs!

BISON BURGERS
2lbs. ground bison
1/4 cup diced white onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 organic egg
2 Tbsp organic ketchup
dash Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp hot sauce
pinch paprika
pinch chili flakes
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
2 tsp raw organic sugar
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Whole grain hamburger buns
lettuce
1 red onion
1 tomato, sliced
sliced Bothwell smoked gouda

METHOD:
1. In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, egg, organic ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cayenne, paprika, chili flakes, pepper, salt, and organic sugar into bison meat.
2. Knead in bread crumbs.
3. Divide and form into 1 1/2" thick patties.
4. Grill over medium heat about 5 mins., flip and top with smoked gouda slices and continue cooking until cooked through, about another 6 mins.

ASSEMBLY:
1. Spoon on desired amount of aioli onto top of bun.
2. Place meat on bottom bun and garnish with lettuce, tomato and red onions. Close burger with top bun.
3. Serve with an ELMAN'S Dill Pickle!

The AIOLI and BISON BURGER recipes are by chef Beth McWilliam, Fresh Cafe.

ABOUT PICKLES: REAL INTERESTING!
According to the website nutritiondata.com, pickles simulate a feeling of being full.
Pickles are low in saturated fat and cholesterol,making them a healthy snack at only 15 calories each.
they also provide a source of nutrient such as vitamin A, iron, potassium, vitamin K and calcium.
Thanks to ciao! magazine for the tip!

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP:
"Prairie Ink's signature soup has an initial rich peanut flavour that releases an addictive lingering blast of cayenne pepper heat." ciao! mag.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 diced white onion
3 cups sweet potatoes or winter squash, peeled and chopped
12 cups water
2 cups smooth natural peanut butter
14 oz of whole canned Eden organic tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
organic canola or safflower oil

METHOD:
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, saute carrots, celery and onion in oil for 3-4 mins.
2.Add sweet potato or squash and cover the vegetables with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are cooked.
3. Add remaining ingredients and puree with mixer or food processor until smooth.
4. Adjust seasonings to preference.

Here's a hearty , fiber-filled soup to finish off the winter!

BARLEY AND LENTIL SOUP WITH SWISS CHARD

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp Inari organic olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 chopped peeled carrots
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsps Simply Organic ground cumin
10 cups (or more0 GoBIO low-sodium vegetable broth or IMAGINE FOODS organic chicken broth
2/3 cup INARI organic pearl barley
1 4 1/2 -ounce canned EDEN organic diced tomatoes
2/3 cup INARI organic french lentils
4 cups (packed coarsely) chopped swiss chard or spinach
1 Tbsp SIMPLY ORGANIC dill

METHOD:
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots; saute until onions are golden brown, about 10 min. Add garlic and stir 1 min. Mix in cumin; stir 30 seconds. Add 10 cups broth and barley, bring to boil. Reduce heat; partially cover and simmer 25 mins.. Stir in tomatoes with juice and lentils; cover and simmer until barley and lentils are tender, about 30 mins.
Add chard, or spinach, and dill to soup; cover and simmer about 5 mins. Season soup with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth,if desired.

Thanks, to our distributor, PURESOURCE, for the above recipe!

REAL SMART TIP FOR LEFTOVER COOKED QUINOA;
Our friend, Anita, told us that she adds cooked Quinoa to her crepes batter for extra protein and fiber,and a great texture! We suggest you use the HEMPOLA pancake mix for the added benefits of spelt and hemp seed flours, which contain all your essential amino acids (protein) and omegas.
Extra crepes can be saved in air-tight containers in the fridge for about a week, or freeze them for later. A nice light and nutritious meal can quickly be put together by layering the crepes, with canned crab meat and white sauce and parmesan cheese. Cover the top layer with the white sauce and cheese and bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve with a salad .

HAPPY EATING !!

ORGANIC / DeRuyck Farms

Walking the aisles of the Roseisle Grocery Coop store you'll notice the many little"shelf talker" flags bearing the word ORGANIC. In fact, by now you've probably heard and seen it popping up all around,in both the news and in advertising. This buzzword has become part of the common vocabulary, however the definition or meaning of the word hasn't been clearly made and is often misused. In fairly recent history, this important adjective has been applied primarily to food and farming, but its use is not restricted to this, as it has even been used to describe society itself, in the industrial revolution, as "everything that industrial was not"! It has also been called more a philosophy than a science, though the real science is experiencing ever-increasing research on a worldwide scale at the same time as the philosophy has for many become a way of life. Actually,it was Sir Albert Howard (1873-1947) an English agronomist, knighted after his thirty years of research in India , who provided the philosophical foundations for organic agriculture. He published THE SOIL AND HEALTH and AN AGRICULTURAL TESTAMENT(1940), which can be thought of as the movement's bible. Though he never used the word organic, he outlined the connection beween soil health and fertility and and the health of plant, animal and man, even right up to the health of the nation.

Put simply, the term we know, actually became applied to food and farming in the 1940s in the pages of J.I.Rodale's "Organic Gardening and Farming" magazine, (still publishing in the U.S.A. to many thousands of subscribers), devoted to the agricultural methods and health benefits of growing food without synthetic chemicals-"organically".

For our purposes, we will begin by taking this more or less as a definition, but of a process, rather than the product. Since the beginning of the use of this word, it has gone through many permutations.... there is "organic" and there is "organic". Lets begin by thinking of it describing foods grown specifically without the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
We can go on in future postings to examine the "organic" process and how it is practiced, certified, marketed, celebrated and often misrepresented.

For the benefit of our customers' choice, we have included high quality food products produced with this"organic" process where we think it works best, on small family farms. In this case, in our local area.
Probably the best example of such a farm is

DERUYCK ORGANIC FARMS of Swan Lake.

Gerry and Marie DeRuyck have been supplying us with high quality organic flax and whole grains and flours since we opened five years ago, and have recently added organic sunflower birdseed to our inventory this year.
The exceptional fact about their operation is that they produce their foods all the way from seed to milled finished product right on their farm. They also deliver it themselves to their customers, who include some of the most popular bakeries and food stores in Winnipeg, and they supply oats to the bakers at INTEGRITY FOODS (whose baking we "import" from Riverton). Customers even drive to their farm from Ontario to pick up their produce, the list of which includes Millet, Rye, Sunflowers, Flax, Buckwheat, Oats, Spelt, Barley, Forage Peas, Flours, Flakes, Buckwheat Hulls, and Sunflower Oil.

In October 2009 Gerry and Marie DeRuyck were presented with the 2009 "GOLDEN CARROT" Award at the Manitoba Legislature as part of WORLD FOOD DAY events hosted by the Manitoba Food Charter. The awards honour individuals or groups who are working toward a more just and sustainable food system for all Manitobans. The awards shine the spotlight on Manitobans doing inspiring things with food for communities. Gerry and Marie were reported to be two of the most committed organic producers in Manitoba!
Also nominated in the Rural Communities Food category was Lisa DeRuyck, granddaughter, who works on her family's organic farm at Treherne, involved in pasture poultry and pork.
(see the Treherne Times, Treherne Manitoba, Oct. 19, 2009)

We add our congratulations to the DeRuyck family, all three generations hard at work to provide so many of us with quality foods, independently!


Any questions or thoughts to share on this ?
Click on "comments" below , and away you go.

WELCOME TO ROSEISLE GROCERY CO-OP 2010

Happy 2010!
Hard to believe that Roseisle Grocery Co-op will be 5 years old this year! As an independent member-owned co-op we are in the unique position of being able to shape our store according to the needs of our community. In response to some of these needs, we are carrying a line of organics and natural products. We also have many local and Manitoba producers represented and are proud to carry 20 Canadian companies, some of their products "Fair Trade" certified. This supports our economy and provides the convenience for shoppers of not having to travel long distances for these goods. Another important concern is that of health-related issues, including hypertension, cholesterol, blood sugar, allergies and sensitivities. We strive to carry food, household and personal-care goods that address these conditions.

In order to facilitate the process of understanding and meeting the changing needs of the area, we have launched this interactive BLOG, through which we can inform you about products, give helpful hints on how to use them, share recipes and food tips, and you can respond, if you wish, by making comments and contributions, sharing ideas and information you think valuable, ask questions and make requests. Together we will help make our 21st century "GENERAL STORE"- model Co-op as relevant to our rural community as we can!

Now, as we mentioned in our first email newsletter, there are some terrific new products in the store.

New Items: Real Great Hair Products:
JASON THIN TO THICK Extra Volume HAIR SPRAY
Pure, Natural, Organic
Biotin + Panthenol, Green Tea Extract
Non- aerosol, Paraben-free, No Laurel/laureth Sulfates

KISS MY FACE HOLD UP STYLING MOUSSE
Easy-Hold Styling Mousse - Adds Volume
Wheat Protein locks in moisture
Burdock strengthens hair
Rice Protein strengthens and smooths hair
also conyains ivy, lavender, fenugreek, green tea and lime oil
NO artificial colours or chemicals

KISS MY FACE UPPER MANAGEMENT STYLING GEL
Natural gel, rich in organic botanicals
Natural vitamins - Panthenol (moisturizes), Vit. E
Chamomile - conditions hair
Calendula
Nettle - improves condition of hair and scalp
NO artificial colours or chemicals

NATURE'S GATE POMEGRANATE & SUNFLOWER HAIR DEFENCE
SHAMPOO for COLOUR-TREATED HAIR
Rich in Antioxidants and Botanicals
Protects against colour-fade
Paraben-free, phthalate-free, no artificial colours

NATURE'S GATE POMEGRANATE & SUNFLOWER
MOISTURIZING CONDITIONER FOR COLOUR-TREATED HAIR
Rich in Antioxidants & Botanicals,
Protects hair against colour-fade
Paraben-free, phthalate-free, no artificial colours

POMEGRANATE provides remarkable antioxidant,antiinflammatory, nourishing and repairing benefits. SUNFLOWER, Wheat Protein and Grapeseed work synergistically to help prevent colour-fade.

Real Antiseptic Oral Care
Desert Essence- Natural Dental Floss Tape
-wider than regular floss - glides nicely
-naturally waxed and saturated with inherently-antiseptic Tea Tree Oil
-nothing artificial or synthetic

New -Real Good Foods!
NOW FOODS-Powdered and Liquid Stevia
-naturally sweet herb
-no carbs, no calories, no change in glycemic index
-suitable for diabetic and low-carb dieters

Stevia rebaudiana is a member of the chrysantheum family and has been safely used as a sweetener for hundreds of years. It is suitable for cooking because it is extremely heat-stable.

Next to the stevia in the store, are copies of Nature's Sweet Secret, a cookbook full of recipes using stevia, which are available for sale. Free pamphlets about stevia are also on the shelf, so help yourself!

SIMPLY NATURAL- Yellow Mustard (organic)
-next to the organic stone-ground mustard in the condiment section of the store...just take a walk down the aisle from the post office to the housewares, across from the deli...
-great with our bison, elk or Berkshire pork!

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