Support Your Farmers' Market This Winter

This past weekend, my local farmers' market switched to winter hours. Other markets all around the United States closed until next spring. In fact, the market I go to is the only one in the state of Oklahoma that is open all year-round.

I remember going to the farmers' market last winter. Some weeks it was pretty quiet. One weekend, after a particularly huge (read: business/school closing) snow and ice storm, the market was as bare as I've ever seen it. Some of the vendors couldn't make it due to poor road conditions, and most of its patrons were cozied up at home. But you know what, that was one of my favorite visits. One vendor made pancakes for everyone who showed up. The others were eager to talk weather and farming. It was lovely to see the fruits and vegetables that had braved the elements, and won.

If you're like me, you probably thought that all the best stuff comes in the summer: strawberries, blueberries, peppers. I've been discovering throughout the past year that each season brings its own gems. Depending on your region, winter may bring you sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach, kale, cilantro, winter squash, carrots, celery root, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and pomegranates.

I've been trying to be very faithful in eating locally and seasonally. Sweet potatoes in season this fall taste much better than sweet potatoes grown out of season and shipped from out of the country in April. So when each season comes around, I savor what it has to offer. I store it when I can. And then I say goodbye until we meet again next year.

Farming doesn't end after the tomatoes have been picked. Your local farmers work year-round to feed their community. I hope that if you have a farmers' market that is open through the winter, you will continue to give them your support.

Shopping and Saving on Organics

Following an organic and whole foods lifestyle isn't cheap. It will cost more than the conventional and processed foods that extreme couponers are able to score for free. Ultimately you have to decide if your health is worth the cost. I think it is.

There are ways to make living a healthy lifestyle a little easier on your pocketbook. Here are a few of my tips.

1. Take advantage of farmers' markets.
I buy my produce exclusively at my local farmers' market, as well as several other staples such as eggs and whole wheat flour. This helps in two ways. When you buy direct from the farmer, you're not paying the additional costs of any middle-men or the gas as the food travels from one warehouse to the next. Additionally, buying from a market ensures that you are buying in-season. Produce that is in-season is cheaper than buying out-of-season.

2. Buy in bulk.
You can buy organic nuts, seeds, grains, spices, and more in bulk bins at many health and natural food stores. You buy only what you need, and nothing goes to waste. If you look around, you may also have access to grass-fed meat in bulk. By purchasing a share in a farm or cow, you can get a half or quarter of a cow for as low as $5 a pound (and this includes all the good cuts!).

3. Use coupons!
Most coupons for organic foods aren't going to be found in your weekly newspaper (although there is the occasional one or two); they are going to be found online. There are a lot of places to look, and it can be overwhelming, but if you get into a habit of checking the sites once a week, you can find some good ones. By combing coupons with sale prices, you can sometimes get an awesome deal.

Coupon Sites: These sites mostly have coupons for conventional foods, but they occasionally offer coupons for organic brands such as Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen, Stonyfield, and more. There is no rhyme or reason to when the site updates, so you have to check back regularly for new coupons. You can print two of each coupon that you want.
Coupons.com
Smart Source
Red Plum
Coupon Network
Mambo Sprouts (Mambo Sprouts offers organic coupons almost exclusively!)

Company Sites: Company websites sometimes offer their own coupons. They reset on their own schedule. The print limit varies, but once they reset you can print more.
Organic Valley (Print limit 2 each; resets once a year, usually in March.)
Stonyfield (Print limit 1 each; resets at the beginning of each month.)
Simply Organic (No print limit specified; coupon is a PDF so it's always available.)
Horizon (Print limit 2 each; resets once a month.)

4. Become a fan.
'Like' your favorite brands on Facebook, 'follow' them on Twitter, and sign-up for the newsletter on their website if they have one. Many companies periodically offer their fans and subscribers exclusive coupons, in addition to alerting them of special sales. Also, e-mail your favorites directly and let them know how much you enjoy their product. The company will enjoy hearing it, and they will sometimes offer you coupons in return.

Recipe: Meat Pie

One of the first things I ate when I lived in Northern Ireland (besides tea and biscuits, of course) was meat pie. It's been four years since I lived there, and I haven't dared try to recreate a meat pie until now. I didn't want to disappoint myself. I never buy tea at the store that says "British Tea" because I know it's really not. But, nostalgia and hunger got the best of me, so I gave it my best shot.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground lamb
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
4 oz. mozzarella cheese
5 sheets phyllo dough
8 TBS. butter

Brown the lamb in a skillet. If you don't have access to ground lamb, you can of course use ground beef.

Chop the onion and garlic very finely.

Set aside the cooked lamb and throw the onion in the skillet you just used. Let it cook on low for a few minutes, and then add the garlic. Cook slowly until the onions are translucent.

Combine the onion and garlic with the lamb. Next it's time to work with the phyllo dough, so melt an entire stick of butter in a saucepan. Don't let phyllo dough scare you - it's actually easier to work with than you may have heard. Take one sheet of phyllo dough and lay it in a pie pan. Use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of butter over the sheet. Repeat this with four more sheets of phyllo dough. This is what gives the pie layers and makes it flaky.

After all the layers are in and buttered, pour in the meat mixture. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. It is actually not traditional to add cheese, but I knew my husband would appreciate it.

You will notice that the sheets are hanging off the sides of the pie plate. Fold over one layer, brush with butter, and repeat, just like you did for the bottom of the pie.

This is what the pie looks like when it is ready to bake.

Bake the meat pie in a 350° oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into slices and serve hot.

Here are a couple of notes of phyllo dough. It will dry out, so try to work a little quickly, but don't panic either. You might have heard before that if it dries out, it will rip. No matter what you do, it will end up with rips and holes in it. That's okay, because there are several layers. It's really not so scary!

Well of course this wasn't exactly like the meat pies I had in Northern Ireland, but it was still a darn good pie. It is a great comforting dinner for those cold winter days ahead, and I can't wait to make it again. I hope you enjoy also!

Printable: Meat Pie

Whole Foods comes to Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City now has its very own Whole Foods Market!

The store opened at 8 AM on Wednesday, October 12 to a very anxious crowd and lots of press! Eager customers began arriving at 4:00 am. The guy in the white shirt was the first one at the new store, and he got interviewed by a local news station!

Before the store opened, we met some of the new Whole Foods team members. Everyone was very friendly and excited about what they were bringing to Oklahoma City. Here, Mark Dixon of Whole Foods said a few words before 'breaking bread' and opening for business. The bread spelled out 'Oklahoma OK'!

The store was all dressed up for fall!

When you enter the store, the first thing you will run into is the produce section. Everything looked beautiful and their selection could satisfy anything you could ever want. One thing I wanted to be sure to mention is that Whole Foods partners with 45 local vendors, so some of your favorites will come from right here in Oklahoma!

Whole Foods promotes a healthy lifestyle. We know that most Americans do not get the recommended amount of fruit and vegetable servings, but did you know that Oklahoma is the 49th worst state in terms of consumption?!

The Whole Foods bulk item section offers grains, seeds, nuts, beans, snacks, and more! There are over 220 products to choose from! There are also 6 stations to grind nuts into nut butter.

One of the first aisles has a bulk spice section. In addition, their selection of jarred spices is amazing. The selection of organic spices in Oklahoma City has previously been very limited.

As I cruised the aisles I took notice of Whole Foods' store brand, 365 Everyday Value. They make tons of products - everything from canned goods to frozen veggies to vitamins - in organic and conventional options. These products are offered at a value price every day of the year. Look - organic soup for $1.99!

The new store has a huge area devoted to natural products. Most of these paper towels, napkins, and toilet papers were 100% recycled. What a great way to encourage greener living!

On the other side of the store, there is a tea and coffee stand, a bakery, a sushi bar, a sandwich bar, a barbeque bar, and so much more! One of my favorite bars was the salad bar. I can't wait to go back and make my own salad with their variety of fresh and organic ingredients!

I bought grapes, white whole wheat flour, a pumpkin, raw kale chips, and romaine. Two of these items had never before been available in Oklahoma City. The selection at Whole Foods really is in a league of its own, and I can't wait to try so many new things!

Whole Foods is located at 6001 N Western Ave. in Oklahoma City. They are open everyday from 8 AM to 10 PM. Go check them out, you won't be disappointed! It really is a wonderful place, especially for those of us who are interested in healthy and organic living!

Muir Glen Giveaway! (ENDED)

This giveaway is to celebrate Muir Glen's Happy Harvest! Muir Glen recently harvested this year's crop of tomatoes, and everything turned out beautifully. See for yourself!

Did you know?

· Muir Glen is celebrating its 20th anniversary and the fourth-ever crop of Limited-Edition
Reserve Tomatoes.
· Grown exclusively for Muir Glen in Yolo County, California, under certified organic practices, Muir Glen tomatoes are hand-harvested at the peak of ripeness to guarantee exceptional quality and taste, going from field to can in eight hours.
· Just as many Napa Valley wineries bottle both their house wines and special Reserve lines that get a bit more attention, Muir Glen harvested and canned a very limited run of the Reserve Tomatoes. Muir Glen started producing the annual Reserve Tomatoes in 2008 and is excited to continue this tradition.
· This year’s Reserve Tomatoes, chosen for their exceptional sweetness and unique flavor profile, will be unveiled in October and available for purchase November 1.

Muir Glen tomatoes and sauces are a staple at my house. It should not shock you to look in my pantry and see at least 8 cans at all times. I use them in almost everything! I never have to add any seasonings, because you don't need to mess with a perfect tomato!

To celebrate this year's Happy Harvest, Muir Glen is happy to sponsor this giveaway for their 2010 Reserve Kit! This reserve kit includes one can of tomato sauce, three different varieties of canned tomatoes, and a recipe book.

The Prize:

(1) 2010 Reserve Kit from Muir Glen

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment here telling me what your favorite part of fall is! Is it the vegetables at the farmers' market; are you harvesting something of your own; is it the change in weather?

Extra Entries:

1. 'Like' me on Facebook, and leave a comment here telling me that you do.

2. 'Follow' me on Twitter, and leave a comment here telling me that you do.

3. Tell people about this giveaway on your Facebook page, making sure to link to my website, and leave a comment here telling me that you did.

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, making sure to link to my website, and leave a comment here telling me that you did.

5. 'Like' Muir Glen Organic on Facebook, and leave a comment on their page telling them that An Organic Wife sent you, and leave a comment here telling me that you did.

Rules:

This contest starts on Friday, October 7 and will end on Friday, October 14 at 12:00 am. A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday morning. Please make sure that I have some way to get a hold of you! Either check back next Friday to see if you won, or leave your e-mail address so I can contact you. Good luck!

__________________________________________________

 

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for the Muir Glen Reserve Kit! Using a random generator for the 51 entries, the winner is...

Purple Larkspur!

Congratulations! Please check your e-mail as I just sent you a message.

Recipe: Pumpkin Puree

Making your own pumpkin puree is easy and fun. The best part is that it makes your house smell wonderful all day long! It's usually recommended that a sugar pumpkin be used (also called a pie pumpkin) but really any variety of pumpkin will work and pretty much taste the same. Last year I used a big jack-o-lantern that I got on sale after Halloween, and it was just fine.

Ingredients:
1 pumpkin, any variety and size

Using a sharp knife, cut off the stem of the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin into several pieces.

Scoop out the innards with a spoon. The seeds can be saved for roasting later.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It just depends on how thick the pumpkin is and how big the pieces are cut. Pumpkin looks beautiful roasted. It is done when it is easily pierced with a fork.

Cut the skin from the pumpkin and throw the meat in a mixer a little at a time. Mix into a soft puree.

Freezing is a great way to store pumpkin. I scooped out puree in 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup servings, that way I would be prepared for any recipe. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about two hours.

After the pumpkin is frozen, peel off the sheet and place in a freezer storage bag.

Now you are ready to go anytime you need pumpkin! With one large pumpkin, I got almost 8 cups of puree.

Homemade pumpkin puree somehow tastes better than the stuff out of the can, but maybe it's just the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself. :)

Printable: Pumpkin Puree