Meat CSA as recomended by Liz

Liz and her family recommend this Meat CSA offered by Truecost Farm. The drop off to quite a few locations in the Twin Cities area.

I see that they also have sampler packages, which we might check out. 

I thought I would also mention that we love our summer and fall vegetable shares from Ploughshare Farm in Alexandria, Minn. Check them out here: http://ploughsharefarm.com/

Bruce Bradley's blog

You can check out Bruce Bradley's blog (which I find very interesting) or his Facebook posts.

http://www.brucebradley.com/

https://www.facebook.com/brucebradleyauthor

Food without pink slime

I think a lot of us have been pretty grossed out by that pink slime meat story that hit the media this past week. Interestingly enough, I finally watched Food Inc. two weekends ago and the company that washes meat with ammonia was featured on there; they were just starting up when that documentary was filmed.

Anyway, there are other meat options out there. You don't have to give up meat altogether ;)

Of course, there are good meat options at the local natural food coops, but that can get pricy, and you can always buys direct from a farmer. One great farm within a three-hour drive (so, LOCAL) is Anderson Farm of Arkansaw, Wis. They farm like Polyface Farm in Onmivore's Dilemma/Food, Inc. Sustainable for both grass, animals and people. The slogan of Anderson Farm is "healthy soil, healthy animals, healthy people. Raising it naturally." They sell grass-fed beef, Berkshire pastured pork, and pastured chicken. They sell full, half or quarter cows and pork, and full chickens. Or, buy just the cuts of meat you eat, including: chicken breasts, ground beef $4.95/lb, stew meat $6/lb, kielbasa $5.75-12 oz, hot dogs $5.75-12oz, lunch meat summer sausage 8oz, whole chicken $3.79/lb, chicken cut up $3.99/lb, chicken legs (6 to a pack) $4, ham $6.95/lb, pork chops $6.95/2 per pack, pork bacon $3.95/lb, pork sausage $5.75/12oz, pork ribs $3.95/lb.

You can opt to pick it up direct from the farm, or from one of their many drop-off sites in the Twin Cities.

They include nutritional information on their web site comparing grass-fed beef to grain (ie. corn) fed beef. Read it here: http://andersonfarm.us/benefits.html

See more on the web site: andersonfarm.us or call 715-285-5226.

Recipes from January

MINESTRONE
(From the January 2012 Better Homes and Gardens)

Prep: 20 mins Cook 32 mins
1 large onion, diced
2 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium zucchini (about 8 oz), diced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth (48 oz)
1 28-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 14-oz can no-salt added crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz can low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. whole grain elbow pasta
1/3 c. finely shredded Parmesean cheese
2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves

1) In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, cook and stir onion in hot oil 4 minutes or until transluscenet. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Add celery and carrot. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for two minutes, stirring frequently.
2) Add the broth and the diced and crushed tomatoes. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the beans and pasta. Cook 10 to 15 minutes more or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Top servings with cheese and parsley. Makes 6 servings.

MY MODIFICATIONS
I always use too much garlic and spices - at least double or quadruple what the recipe calls for because I like lots of flavor. I also don't have anything against salt, and so I use plenty for flavoring.

Instead of the broth and tomatoes, I used two jars of my own stewed tomatoes.

GLUTEN-FREE - I made sure the soup was gluten-free. To do that, I avoided the pasta and instead added cooked rice right at the end. I could have also substituted 1/2 cup of uncooked rice and added it with the beans, cooking it 15-20 minutes afterwards.

GLUTEN-FREE RHUBARB CRISP
http://www.thebakingbeauties.com/2009/06/rhubarb-crisp.html


Ingredients:
Rhubarb Filling

• 4 cups rhubarb, cut into 3/4″ pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Crisp Topping

• 1 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup almonds, sliced

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the filling ingredients until thoroughly combined.
2. Pour into an 8×8-inch pan.
3. Combine topping ingredients, and sprinkle over top of the rhubarb filing.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Now if there was a way to make it with less sugar... Amy?

BEST GRANOLA
6 c. rolled oats
2 c. chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.)
2 14-oz packages flaked coconut
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 c. packed brown sugar (I use cane sugar, so I drop the sugar to 3/4 cup and the maple syrup to 3/4 cup)
1/2 c. Vegetable oil
4 T. warm water

Mix oats, nuts, and coconut together in one bowl. Mix the maple syrup, sugar, oil and water in another. Toss them together and put them on a cookie sheet. (No need to grease it because of the oil in the granola.) Bake at 250º, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until crunchy, about 2 hours.

Our own Omnivore's Dilemma

We had a fantastic meal and nice evening out at Elizabeth's on Nov. 8. She went to a lot of effort to prepare a delicious meal for us, cooking two chickens, stuffing, salad, potatoes and corn bread (without baking soda because we were doing this all natural and organic!!).

Building off the "Omnivore's Dilemma" (our book pick for November), Elizabeth bought a large-scale organic chicken from Costco and another from Anderson Farm in Arkansaw, Wis. The large-scale organic chicken was raised mostly in a shed, while the one from the Anderson Farm is free-range. What a difference in the meat! The large-scale one was whiter and plainer, while the Anderson Farm one was a richer meat. I think we're all going to be looking into the grass-fed beef, Berkshire pastured pork and pastured chicken from Anderson Farm. andersonfarm.us or 888-700-FARM

THANKS SO MUCH ELIZABETH FOR THE AMAZING MEAL!!

The two chickens. See the color difference? The one from Anderson Farm was more moist and flavorful.

Amy, Jenni and Elizabeth enjoying dinner. (Jenni hasn't been able to make it to book club because of her work schedule, but we were happy she could come to dinner in Isanti!)