Today's Farmers' Market Finds

I had to take two pictures today, because everything at the farmers' market was so beautiful I wanted you to see it all. Unfortunately my camera isn't very good, so this is the best I could do.

The weather has been great in Oklahoma, and the farmers have gotten some much needed rain. We're in kind of a transition period as far as seasons go. I'm seeing that greens are on their way out - they turn bitter in the heat. There were no herbs today. I will a little disappointed because I was just reading yesterday that cilantro is a great detoxer. I can't complain though - summer will bring plenty of good stuff that we've been missing. Can anyone say FRUIT? Besides, my haul was great today. Here's what I got:

baby leaf lettuce
Rainbow Swiss chard
fennel
red cabbage
tomato
edible flowers
handmade bunny hand towel
handmade cross bookmark

Rainbow Swiss chard is always so pretty to me. I buy it every week, and I'll continue to do so until it disappears. I was excited about the fennel, because I've been looking for it for a while. I have a chicken and fennel recipe in mind. The bright red cabbage caught my eye, and I'm hoping to make a good slaw out of it. And... edible flowers! Can you believe it? I've never seen edible flowers in my life. And they came courtsey of one of my favorite organic farms!

A special shoutout goes to HERR Projects who makes the handmade items. 100% of the profits for the products she sells goes directly to helping the homeless in our area.

Recipe: Spicy Shrimp Tacos

I love shrimp. Not only is it delicious, but it cooks quickly. Whenever I've forgotten to defrost something for dinner, or if I just don't feel like doing too much work, shrimp is my go-to. These tacos are one of my easiest recipes, but they still look fun and taste good.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 TBS. sriracha (homemade recipe here)
1/2 lime
2 whole wheat tortillas (homemade recipe here)
1 small carrot, shredded
4 sprigs cilantro

Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little oil, then throw in the shrimp. Sprinkle on the salt and cumin.

When the shrimp is almost done, add two tablespoons of sriracha. Adjust according to your heat tolerance. I think I used closer to three tablespoons. Squeeze half a lime into the skillet and finish cooking.

To plate, divide the shrimp between two whole wheat tortillas. Add the shredded carrot and cilantro; this will cut down on the heat a little as well as adding flavor.

Serve with a cold glass of water with lime. It's delicious!

Printable: Spicy Shrimp Tacos

Coconut Oil as Deodorant

The most natural products are the ones that contain one ingredient. I've been using coconut oil as a deodorant for about two months now, and it works great. The lauric acid in coconut oil kills odor-causing bacteria. The scent of coconut oil is very light, and it has never left a stain on my clothes.

Traditional deodorants and antiperspirants contain ingredients that can be hazardous to your health. Antiperspirants try to get the body to stop sweating by using aluminum. Remember that sweating, while sometimes gross, is natural! It is your body's way of releasing toxins and impurities. So you can imagine what happens when you force those toxins to stay inside. Links have been found between the aluminum in antiperspirants and Alzheimer's disease and even breast cancer. The other ingredient in deodorants that really affected me was propylene glycol, which is also the main agent in antifreeze. Every time I used a product with propylene glycol, it made my skin burn. Interestingly, the Material Safety Data Sheet warns users to avoid skin contact with liquid propylene glycol, because it is a skin irritant that can cause liver and kidney damage.

A couple of years I ago I started using 'natural' deodorants. I was able to find brands that were aluminum and propylene glycol-free. Even natural deodorants contain ingredients that are questionable. I couldn't pronounce and didn't know what glyceryl laurate was; and just where was the natural fragrance coming from? To be fair, many of these ingredients really are natural, where the biggest concern is skin irritation, which can even be a side effect of coconut oil, if you're allergic. Still, I knew that these weren't products that my great-grandma would have used.

I made the switch to coconut oil as a deodorant after reading about the success others were having with it on the Internet. To use, just dab a tiny bit of coconut oil on your finger and rub it on your underarms just like you would with any deodorant. There are also many recipes on the internet for a homemade coconut oil based deodorant. Most of these include coconut oil, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, baking soda, and essential oil. This is a good place to start if you are uncomfortable suddenly switching to coconut oil alone. Personally, the idea of cornstarch and baking soda absorbing into my skin kind of creeps me out, but maybe that's just me. I hope you'll add deodorant to your growing list of uses for coconut oil!

Tropical Traditions is one of my favorite places to buy coconut oil. They almost always have Buy 1 Get 1 Free specials going on. They frequently have free shipping offers as well as great deals on their other amazing products. They offer an extensive selection of coconut products, organic foods, natural skin care products and household goods, pet products and more.
Disclaimer: If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

Recipe: Homemade Sriracha

I love spicy food! I like sriracha sauce (especially on pho!), but I never buy it at home because of the questionable ingredients list. It turns out you can make sriracha at home with only five ingredients! Well, what are we waiting for?

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Red Fresno chilies (about 10 chilies)
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 c. white vinegar
2 TBS. brown sugar

The night before you want to make the sriracha, you will need to marinate the chilies. Cut the tops off, give them a rough chop, and put them in a bowl with the garlic, salt, and white vinegar. Loosely cover. Let them marinade for at least 8 hours; this will help to mellow the heat. If you can't find Red Fresno chilies, you can use red jalapeños, Kung Pao chilies, etc. Just be aware of heat level and color. If you use green chilies, that's okay, but you're going to have green sriracha.

The next day, add the chili marinade and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Heat on high and bring to a boil.

When it starts boiling, reduce it to a simmer for 5 minutes. Then, set it aside and let it cool. Once it's cooled for about 10 minutes, pour the mixture into a blender and puree.

Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer. Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of it.

When you think you can't get any more liquid out of it, give it a stir and do it again. And again. It takes some work, but you'll be able to get quite a bit of sauce out of it. You'll be left with a thick pulp when you're done which can just be thrown out.

Pour the sriracha into a glass jar and store in the fridge. This recipe makes about one cup of sauce. That may not seem like a lot, but it's very spicy, so a little goes a long way!

You will notice that this sriracha is thinner than the store-bought ones. That is because the ones from the store have thickeners added. If you wanted to make it thicker, all you'd have to do is make a small roux and then add the sriracha. Personally I don't see that it adds anything to the product, but it's your call. Enjoy this in a variety of dishes. I can't wait to try out some new uses for it!

Printable: Homemade Sriracha

Today's Co-op Order

I've been a member of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative since the summer of 2011, and I'm ashamed that I haven't posted about it here yet.

A food cooperative is a wonderful thing. A co-op is a group of businesses (in this case, farms and ranches) that is owned by its members and producers. Generally, you pay a fee to join, which gives you the right to purchase the products and vote on issues.

Every co-op is different, but this is how they usually operate. I paid $51.75 to join the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. That is for a lifetime membership; other co-ops might have an annual fee. At the beginning of every month the order cycle opens and I get online and choose from thousands of items to add to my cart. The order cycle lasts about 7 to 10 days. One week after the order cycle closes, I go and pick up my order from one of over 40 pick-up locations. That's it!

Joining the co-op has been one of the best things my husband and I have done. We now have access to 100% grass-fed beef and 100% grass-fed dairy, along with truly free-range chicken and eggs, plenty of organic produce, and lots of homemade items. I even get my laundry soap from the co-op! What's so nice about our co-op is that you can contact individual producers to ask about their products and practices. This was very important to me when I was looking for grass-fed beef.

The food cooperative does not replace my farmers' market. I love going to the farmers' market and I never miss a week! Generally, I like buying my fruits and vegetables from the farmers' market because I can pick them out myself. Also, since you only get one co-op order a month, the produce probably wouldn't last that long. The co-op does have a much better meat and dairy selection, although I sometimes get cheeses from the market, in addition to handmade items and fresh-baked goods.

I went to pick up my March order yesterday. Here is what I got this month:

ground beef
ribeye steaks
cube steak
boneless, skinless chicken thighs
dozen eggs
whole milk non-homogenized yogurt
whole milk Greek yogurt
raw Jack cheese
Red Russian kale
"Chocolate" bunny

If you are in Oklahoma, check out the Oklahoma Food Cooperative for yourself. Elsewhere, locate a co-op near you with the Coop Directory Service, or ask around your area because they are not always listed.

Recipe: Irish Beef Beer Stew

If you are looking for an alternative to corned beef and cabbage this St. Patrick's Day, here is another option. Not once when I lived in Northern Ireland did I ever eat corned beef and cabbage. I ate lots of fish 'n chips and tea and biscuits (cookies, chocolates, and candies). And everywhere I went, Guinness was advertised. There could be no doubt about it that Guinness was the drink of choice. So, I've combined Irish stew with Guinness, and served it over mashed potatoes. It was only right.

Ingredients:
1 lb. stew meat
1 sm. onion
3 sprigs parsley
1 sm. bunch thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 12-oz. bottle Guinness
2 c. water

Brown the stew meat in a hot skillet with one tablespoon of oil.

Pour the meat in a crockpot, oil and all. Peel and chop one small onion, then add it as well.

Chop the leaves from three sprigs of parsley. I just threw a small bunch of thyme in the crockpot; most of the leaves separated by themself and I pulled out the springs.

To the crockpot, also add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

Pour in the bottle of Guinness and just enough water to cover it all, about two cups.

Set the crockpot on low for 6 hours and leave it be.

Serve over mashed potatoes. You can add as much or as little of the liquid from the pot as you like.

Don't worry, the alcohol cooks out; you just get a little bit of Guinness flavor on the back of your tongue as you're eating.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Printable: Irish Beef Beer Stew

Theraganics Giveaway! (ENDED)

This giveaway is for Theraganics personal care products. I am so excited about this giveaway, because I have never had the opportunity to give away these kinds of products before. I never promote any products that I do not stand behind or would not use myself. Theraganics is not only a wonderful product line, but they also use sustainable, fair-trade ingredients, and they make an effort to use less packaging.

The problem with many soaps, hair products, lotions, and lip balms is that they are full of petrochemicals, propylene glycol, sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), synthetic fragrances, and other toxic compounds. Even personal care products that are labeled "natural" or "organic" usually have questionable ingredients in them. I've tried many different brands, trying to find something at least decent, but so far I haven't loved anything.

About a month ago I was introduced to Theraganics, which is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma (I think it's so cool that it's local to me!). Stephanie and her partner Jennifer created Theraganics, and are committed to only using the finest natural ingredients and only essential oils in their products for scent and true aromatherapy. Their products are made of high quality olive oil, Shea butter, and coconut oil, which are the best ingredients for natural and luxurious skin care.

Stephanie was kind enough to send me some of her products to try. I can say that when I opened the box it smelled so wonderful that I wanted to carry it around with me, but I'll further explain a few of my favorites.

Detox Charcoal - This soap is great for removing make-up and dirt/oil. I don't wear make-up but I do have oily skin. Here's the deal: When I use regular soap on my face, afterwards I usually put some Witch Hazel on a cotton ball and wipe my face. I can see on the cotton ball the dirt and oil that my soap missed. When I use the detox charcoal, there is no need to use the Witch Hazel to get the deep down dirt. I've tried, but there is nothing left to be wiped away!

Lavender Fields Bar Soap - The first two ingredients in this product are organic olive oil and organic coconut oil. That should say something about the quality of this soap. It was very calming, as it is scented with 100% essential oils. It lathers up nicely, and I loved using it (mine's already all gone!).

Lavender Whipped Shea Butter Cream - This has a lovely texture. It actually looks and feels like a soft whipped cream. Shea butter helps to soften your skin and retain moisture, so there is no need to keep reapplying, thereby using it up too quickly. It gave my skin a nice sheen, but it wasn't oily. I absolutely adore the scent.

Now you can enter to win some Theraganics products of your own. I know you're going to love them!

The Prize:

one (1) soap of your choice

one (1) bath bomb of your choice

one (1) lip balm of your choice

one (1) Shea butter cream of your choice

Prize is valued at approximately $30. Theraganics will send you a scent list of what they have in stock and let you choose.

Mandatory Entry:

Go to the Theraganics website and take a look around. Tell me which product you'd like to try and why.

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

4. 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.

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

6. 'Like' Theraganics 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, March 9 and will end on Friday, March 16 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!

__________________________________________________

 

The winner via random generator is... #57.

Monica

Congratulations, Monica on winning this awesome prize. I've just sent you an e-mail so please be on the lookout for it.

Recipe: Chicken and Broth in a Pot

Last summer, there were a few weeks in a row when one of my favorite farmers' market vendors had whole chickens on sale for $5. So every week I'd buy one. I didn't even know what I was going to do with them, but $5 was too good of a deal to pass up. I don't particularly like cooking whole chickens in the oven. It's messy. And temperamental.  Cooking chicken in a crockpot is an easy way to get perfectly moist meat, and - bonus! - you can easily make nutritious homemade bone broth afterwards.

Ingredients for Chicken in a Pot:
1 whole chicken
1 medium onion
1 TBS. paprika
2 tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
4 sprigs parsley

Ingredients for Broth in a Pot:
bones leftover from whole chicken
1 medium onion
2 celery ribs
3 carrots
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp. salt
6 c. water

Peel the onion and cut it into slices. Arrange it on the bottom of a crockpot. This will kind of act as a non-stick agent for the chicken, as well as adding flavor.

In a small bowl, mix the paprika, chili powder, turmeric, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. You can play around with different spices and herbs.

Remove the giblets from the chicken, if there are any. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken, and set the whole thing on top of the onions.

Don't add any liquid! Put the lid on the crockpot and set it on high for 4 hours. If you're going to be at work all day, set it on low for 8 hours.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the crockpot and let it rest for a few minutes. It was so tender that appendages were literally falling off as I took it out.

Serve and eat the chicken meat any way you want! Save all the bones so that you can make chicken broth.

Reuse the onion and juice leftover from the chicken to make the broth.

Roughly chop the celery and carrots. There is no need to peel the carrots, and you can even leave the tops on.

Throw the chicken bones on top of the onion, then the celery, carrots, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, and salt.

Pour about 6 cups of water over the whole thing, but leave a little room at the top.

Set the crockpot on high for low for 24 hours. The longer the broth sits, the more minerals that will be drawn out and the more nutritious it will become. When it is done, strain the whole thing over a large bowl. The vegetables will look defeated.

Strain the broth again over a fine-mesh strainer to get out all the little pieces.

Pour the broth into glass jars. If you're going to freeze them (which I highly recommend), leave a little room at the top for the ice to expand.

I got quite a bit of stock from this recipe. It smelled so good! Now you know what to do with that chicken sitting in your freezer! :)

Printable: Chicken and Broth in a Pot

Go Green: The Bulk Bins

These are a few items that I get in the bulk bins at Whole Foods. Now that I have access to a wide variety of bulk items, I've really been taking advantage of it lately. Organic rice, oatmeal, and even grind-your-own peanut butter are just a few of the literally hundreds of options available. If you've ever been intimidated by the bulk bins at your grocery store, let me tell you why you should reconsider!

Bulk bins are an easy way to go green, especially if you bring your own reusable container. I only use glass, but you can use plastic too. A majority of pre-packaged food items come in plastic. While some plastic is recyclable, some of the thinner plastics are not, such as the ones that rice usually comes in. Even the recyclable plastics will eventually end up in the trash, because they can only be recycled one time.

Another great thing about using the bulk bins is that the items are almost always cheaper! This is because you are not paying for the packaging or the 'convenience.' I can get organic Jasmine rice for $1.79 per pound from the bulk bins; the same item is $1.99 per pound for the cheapest pre-packaged brand. While a 20¢ savings may not seem like a lot, remember that if you are buying just a few bulk items every week, over the course of a year it is going to make a big difference!

There are a few things to know before you head out to the store to buy in bulk. When you get to the store, take your containers to the customer service desk to have them get the tare weight. That way, when you purchase your items, the cashier can easily subtract the tare weight from the overall weight. If you don't get the tare weight, this causes a lot of confusion at check out.

At my Whole Foods, the tare weight of your container must be less than one pound in order for the register to properly read the weight when filled. This is always a problem for me because a lot of my glass containers weigh over one pound. The cashier will usually charge me for the whole weight, and then send me to customer service afterward to get a refund adjustment. I don't mind; I'm really adamant about not using plastic. Maybe your Whole Foods or other stores don't have this issue, but I just wanted you to be aware in case the situation arises.

One more note, I also try taking my glass containers to the seafood counter. Seafood is often cheaper in bulk, and then I can get only the amount I need. Sometimes they will let me use my containers, sometimes they will not and insist on wrapping it in plastic and paper. I'm trying to get a hold of Whole Foods to find out the official rules. I also take my containers to the pizza counter and salad bar, and they have never had an issue with me using them there.

There are a lot of options in the bulk bins, including grains, beans, nuts, dried fruits, and even gluten-free options. I hope you'll take the time to look through them, because I bet you'll find something you use!