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A Look Inside The Fresh Market

The Fresh Market opened their 127th store yesterday, October 24th in Roseville, CA. They are located on Douglas Boulevard (in Rocky Ridge Town Center) inside a former Borders bookstore.

I was invited to a media preview on October 23rd to check out the store, meet some The Fresh Market team members, and taste some of the items available for sale at The Fresh Market. My photographer, contributing writer, taste tester, companion, and all around good guy Andy, was there with me to sample, chat up the wine buyer, and to win the raffle for a giant gift basket!

A little background on The Fresh Market: Their first store opened on March 5th, 1982 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ray and Beverly (the store’s founders) wanted to bring their customers high quality foods and premium customer service in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

In the last 20 years, The Fresh Market has grown leaps and bounds. It has locations in 24 states and Roseville, has the privilege of being their first store in California.

The Fresh Market prides itself on a few key points in its business model. First, they want to provide a unique shopping experience. Second, they want to display excellent customer service. Then, the store focuses on quality and selection of products along with a strong support of local growers. Also, The Fresh Market provides their own line/brand of high quality products through private label selection.

We were lucky enough to taste test some Hereford Beef with a blue cheese and red wine reduction. 🙂

Each store has a full service meat counter offering all-natural antibiotic free chicken, aged beef, lamb, veal, and pork. These meats are cut and ground daily.

In the produce department, they offer over 400 produce items, several of them organic and many of them locally sourced.

The bakery department produces over 30 kinds of freshly baked bread and numerous dessert selections including pies, cakes, cookies, and pastries.

The deli emulates a European-style delicatessen and features TFM branded deli meats and over 200 varieties of imported and domestic cheeses, prepared salads, and sides. The Fresh Market also sells several items in its bulk section such as nuts, trail mixes, coffee, along with many other items.

I am told the Roseville store will partner with the Placer County Food Bank and provide regular donations of food, as well as feature local and regional products from Roseville-area growers and producers.

Special features at The Fresh Market I noticed during our tour are:

  1. A create your own salad bar for $7.99/lb.
  2. An olive oil station will bottles for refill. They also have a balsamic vinegar station, as well as freshly ground peanut and almond butters.
  3. A hot foods bar featuring Indian food by San Francisco-based Sukhi’s.
  4. A create-your-own 6 pack beer for $8.99.

I was impressed with the wine section. It’s small, but has a perfect bottle for everyone. They carry many local wines such as Boeger, Sobon, and Lava Cap. All greatest hits in my opinion!

You can join The Fresh Market for their “Taste of the Holidays” event on Friday, November 2nd from 12-6pm and Saturday, November 3rd from 11am-5pm. You’ll be able to try holiday meal items and be able to pre-order any items for your special holiday meal!

Some of the items available for tasting will include standing rib roast, shrimp cocktail, Nueske’s bacon, smoked salmon, seafood dips, french rounds, TFM apple juice with mulling spices, TFH cheese straws, holiday pies straight from TFM bakery, cheesecakes, turkey and sides from the deli, and there will even be some wine tastings.

For more information, you can go to http://thefreshmarket.com/holiday

FYI:
Specials for The Fresh Market valid until October 30th include Half or Whole Hereford NY Strip pictured above!! for $5.99/lb, Wild Alaskan Copper River Salmon for $11.99/lb!

You can like The Fresh Market on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here. Happy shopping!

Posted by  |  October 25, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Whole Foods Farm-to-Table Dinner

On October 18th, Andy and I were invited to preview the new Whole Foods Market in Davis and to a Farm-to-Table Dinner put on by Whole Foods featuring the suppliers and farmers of products that were to be sold in the new store.

We appreciated the dinner so much that we felt it deserved it’s own entry here on cavegrrl.com. The dinner probably could have been a ticketed event and sold to the general public for $125 each or maybe more. It was extremely special to be seated by our new friends, The Diestels. Their turkey went into one of the SEVEN courses I will describe below.

Also, this dinner wasn’t entirely Paleo, or even Primal, sometimes Andy and I have to just take one for the team. 😉 We stayed away from the wheat of course, but I am sure there was sugar involved in some of the courses. The main thing is that the ingredients were organic, clean, and that the farmers and suppliers themselves were eating with us. That translates to me that they all believe in their own products.

The evening’s dinner began with a salmon on crostini and Lava Cap’s 2010 Sauvignon Blanc. I pretty much stuck with this wine the whole night because it was a more style style of Sauvignon Blanc (less grapefruit) that I really loved.


First Course
The first course was the K & B Seafood Trio: Steamed clams and mussels in a white wine sauce with chorizo. IT was served with oyster on the half shell, Oyster Rockefeller, and Woods Fishery shrimp cocktail. We had been hosted the previous evening for happy hour at a high end restaurant and were served shrimp cocktail, and I have to say it paled in comparison to the K & B variety.

About K & B from their website:
K & B Seafood was founded in 1992 on Long Island in New York State, U.S.A. Ideally situated to deliver fresh seafood around the world, we receive fresh product directly from local baymen and fishermen, as well as from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Located close to the Fulton Fish Market and JFK International airport, we are able to deliver fresh and frozen seafood within hours by refrigerated truck or air carrier. Local, domestic, and international customers are served the finest seafood on time.

K & B Seafood is a licensed Shucker and Packer on the USFDA Interstate Shellfish Shippers list, a USDC Approved Fisheries Establishment, an approved EU (European Union) Seafood Shipper, and is licensed by the Russian Veterinary Service Rosselkhoznadzor to export fish and seafood to the Russian Federation.

Second Course
The second course was a Riverdog Farms Butternut Squash Soup topped with blue cheese crème fraiche. I had only a few bites because I was pacing myself for the other courses to come, but it was creamy, satisfying, and made splendid use of the ingredients.

About Riverdog Farms from their website:
Our farm is certified by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and is located in the beautiful Capay Valley where rich creek-bottom soil, intense summer heat and winter frost make exceptionally tasty fruits and vegetables.
Partners Tim Mueller and Trini Campbell, along with their daughter and 50 full time employees, keep the farm going year-round. The seasonal, organic produce is available through Riverdog Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture Program (weekly veggie box deliveries to neighborhoods), wholesale distributors, select retail markets, and at all Berkeley Farmers’ Markets.

From our fields to your table, Riverdog Farm’s CSA program offers freshly harvested produce, every week, all year round to delivery locations in the Bay Area, Davis, and Sacramento.

Third Course
Our third course was a Santa Barbara Smokehouse Smoked Salmon Salad with argula, pickled red onions, fried capers and horseradish crème fraiche drizzle. Mmmm salmon.

About Santa Barbara Smokehouse:
Santa Barbara Smokehouse-maker of Cambridge House Smoked Salmon, which the New York Times has called “the best smoked salmon in the world”-is located in downtown Santa Barbara. Many major hotels such as the Bellagio and the Wynn, as well as cruise ships and restaurants, order exclusively from the Santa Barbara Smokehouse and the company boasts of accolades from Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse, among others.

At this point I tasted the other wine of the evening, The Andis Mouvedre (2010, Amador County).

Fourth Course
For the fourth course, we were served a Pozzi Lamb Chop, with a root vegetable puree and salsa verde. Yes, yes, and yes. This was the only true Paleo course! Pretty sure the puree was a parsnip and turnip duo. The chop was perfectly medium rare. In my opinion, this course did the most justice to the ingredients.

About Pozzi from their website:
Pozzi Ranch is located on the quiet hills overlooking the town of Bodega, in Sonoma County, California. For over 40 years, Joe Pozzi has raised natural, grass-fed lambs and cattle on the pastures of Pozzi Ranch and other grasslands throughout Sonoma and Marin County.

Fifth Course
The fifth course was a mini Pot Pie featuring Diestel Ranch turkey. You may have read about the Diestel Ranch last week right here on cavegrrl.com! 🙂 Unfortunately, my favorite ingredient was covered in pastry! Still, I managed to scrape off most of the crust and enjoy the filling, pretty traditional to a chicken pot pie, and studded with Diestel‘s delicious turkey breast.

About the Diestel Family Turkey Ranch from their website:
In 1949, using the knowledge gained from working on his Uncle Ernest’s ranch, my dad, Jack Diestel, began his own turkey ranch in Sonora. Today our family continues Uncle Ernest’s and Grandpa Jack’s tradition of naturally growing range turkeys on the family ranch using the same secrets to deliver the best tasting turkey directly from us to you.

– The Diestel Family

Sixth Course
The sixth course was a Panorama Grass-fed Beef Short Rib served with Community Grains creamy polenta. OK! So this was my second favorite course and I DID have some of the polenta. It was such a nice treat. The meat was tender and falling off the rib. I could tell it was cooked for a very long time on a low temperature.

Dessert
Dessert was a slice of Chocolate Decadence Cake (made at Whole Foods) served with Temple Coffee. I passed on dessert in favor of another glass of Lava Cap Sauvignon Blanc. 🙂

Andy and I would like to thank Whole Foods for the invitation to the opening and dinner. It was an exciting and memorable evening for all.

Special thanks to Andy for taking some of the food courses. I took a few on my iPhone. I apologize for lighting, as dinner was served outside and it was hard to fight the lack of light once the sun set.

Whole Foods is now open to the public as of today, October 24th. For more information, you can visit their website here.

Posted by  |  October 24, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Whole Foods Market Davis Opens Today, Oct. 24th!

Here’s some information on the new Whole Foods in Davis opening today at 10am:

Whole Foods Market will open its fourth Sacramento area store at 500 1st Street, in the Davis Commons, today, Oct. 24. Store leadership and Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza will be on hand for a bread-breaking ceremony at 9:45 a.m. and doors will open at 10 a.m. The opening day ceremonies will also include a check presentation to the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science to help launch the Honey and Pollination Center at the UC Davis Campus.

“We are looking forward to being part of Davis’ vibrant food and wine community, as well as building lasting relationships with local vendors, the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, students, residents and everyone in between,” said Cyn Leo, store team leader, Whole Foods Market Davis. “And we’re very excited to announce that we were able to bring over 100 new jobs to the Davis community!”

The 19,741-square-foot store, located in the former Borders location in the Davis Commons, features unique décor elements including reclaimed bicycle parts seen throughout the store; a beautiful mural by local artists Lacin/Christophel Mural & Design and indoor atrium cafe seating area. Green store design elements include reclaimed Douglas fir, used for various fixtures and wainscoting; glycol refrigeration system and LED lights, including track lighting and all case lights.

Additional highlights include:

Local Vendors – a wide range of products from within 100 miles or less of Davis will be featured:

  • Riverdog Farm, Fully Belly Farm, Capay Organics and Wildboar Farms will offer a variety of items throughout the year including apples, tangerines, stone fruit, row crop vegetables, tomatoes and greens.
  • Honey from Sola Bee Farms in Woodland
  • El Dorado Roasting coffee from El Dorado Hills, Temple coffee and Old Soul coffee from Sacramento
  • Baked goods from Grateful Bread Company, Sugar Plum Vegan and Sacramento Baking Company from Sacramento and Natural Food Works gluten-free baked goods from Davis
  • St. John Family Farm pasture-raised eggs from Corning
  • Berkeley Olive Grove 1913 olive oil from Oroville
  • Drinkwell Softers lacto-fermented soft drinks from Eatwell Farm in Dixon

Meat – large meat counter with special offerings including local Panorama organic grass-fed and grass-finished beef and Country Natural grain-finished beef from cattle that have never been in a feedlot. Also available will be grab-and-go seasoned and marinated meats, stew and pot roast kits, house-made sausages, locally-raised Field to Family air-chilled chicken, local Pozzi grass-fed lamb and Diestel Ranch turkeys.

 The store offers the best-tasting, freshest and highest-quality meat available that meets the company’s strict quality standards, which include that animals are raised on a vegetarian diet without being administered antibiotics or added growth hormones.* All beef, pork, chicken and turkey carried in the fresh and pre-packaged cases at all Whole Foods Market stores in the U.S. comes from farms that are rated according to Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating program.

Artisan Bakery – featuring Whole Foods Market artisan hearth breads, brownies, cakes, fresh baked pies, cookies, cupcakes and gluten-free, raw and vegan treats. Also not to be missed are treats from local bakeries including Grateful Bread Company, Sugar Plum Vegan, Sacramento Baking Company and Natural Food Works.

Seafood – large seafood counter featuring a vast array of fresh and frozen selections, as well as all the marinades, sauces, seasonings and herbs to complete a meal with seafood as the centerpiece. New to the store are Dungeness crab offered year-round, gravlox, cold smoked wild sockeye and rope hung cold smoked salmon. Whole Foods Market also offers a large selection of sustainable seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and rated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.

 Prepared Foods – featuring an extensive selection of foods made by a team of talented, in-house chefs. Specialties include a daily selection of house-made soups, an extensive salad bar and a full-service burrito bar as well as sandwiches, pizzas and charcuterie. A wonderful array of healthful and tasty lunch options will be available on a daily basis, including a variety of nutrient-rich items like quinoa, brown rice and kale.

Beer and Wine – A large wine and beer selection featuring local and international offerings.

Bulk Section – The department will feature over 200 bulk food items including grains, flours, nuts, spices, oils and vinegar.  To cut back on packaging waste, customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers.

Coffee Bar – features freshly-brewed espresso and coffee daily from Allegro®.

Nut Butters – grind-your-own organic peanut and almond butters.

Whole Body – an extensive array of mineral make-up and premium quality facial care, organic apparel & sustainable accessories, best-selling health books and healthy eating cookbooks and an extensive variety of natural immune support for the upcoming cold and flu season.

Store Dining and WiFi – Free wi-fi and dining space inside in the atrium and outside.

Store Tours – shopping tours tailored to special diets such as gluten-free living and store tours for parents, as well tours themed for how to shop on a budget, are available. Private tours can be arranged by request for organizations such as schools and senior centers.

Whole Foods Market Community Giving Days — at least four times a year, Whole Foods Market sets aside a day on which five percent of the day’s net sales is contributed to a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The first Community Giving Day will be on Dec. 5 and benefit Davis Farm to School.

Nickels for Nonprofits – when customers bring in their own bags for groceries they have the option of receiving a five-cent refund (per bag) or donating the money to a selected charity. The first non-profit beneficiary is Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum.

Donations Out the Back – perishable products that aren’t sold during the day are donated to those in need. Whole Foods Market Davis is proud to work with Yolo County Food Bank.

 Kid’s Club – children ages 2 through 8 are eligible to complete a scavenger hunt to receive a free treat.

Parking & Entrances – there are two entrances into the store, one facing downtown and the other facing west, towards the parking lot. There is free two hour car parking; 40 bike parking spots are available.

Store Information
Whole Foods Market Davis, 500 1st Street, Davis, CA 95616
Tel. 530-750-2266
Hours: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily
Store Team Leader: Cyn Leo
Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/davis
Like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WFMDavis
Follow them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/

Special thanks to Whole Foods, Jennifer Marples and Charaighn Sesock of KOA Communications for arranging the tour, and to Andy Harris for the photos.

Posted by  |  October 24, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Divas & Dudes Fundraiser on October 28th

The directors of Healthy Kids Concepts invite you to join them for Divas and Dudes.

Divas and Dudes will be a musical experience featuring some of Sacramento’s most talented vocalists!

The show takes place at Sunrise Event Center: 11167 Trade Center Drive, Rancho Cordova, on October 28th,2012 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Along with the fabulous entertainment, guests will enjoy healthy hors d’oeuvres prepared by the award winning Cordova High School Culinary Academy. There will be wine tasting and a silent auction.

Tickets are $20 advance and $25 at the door.

For ticket and other information go to healthykidsconcepts.org or you can click here to directly purchase tickets.

About the Beneficiary
Healthy Kids Concepts Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit corporation founded in November 2010. HKC is committed to fight childhood obesity where healthy eating, exercise and fun becomes the daily norm in the lives of our kids. This program features the functional benefits of colors to teach and understand food nutrition. We are working and funding the work of registered dietitians (RD) and (PHDs) to complete this program. HKC is also partnering with other non-profits in the development of a new “FARM TO SCHOOL” program to provide more nutritious eating options in the schools. 

Posted by  |  October 20, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cobble Gobble: Eat More Turkey!

One thing that I took away from my tour of The Diestel Family Turkey Ranch last week is that people don’t really eat all that much turkey. As Americans we probably only enjoy it a few times a year. Maybe the problem is that we associate a lot of fear in cooking such a large and expensive piece of meat. Traumatized by an overcooked bird or a fried turkey explosion? Do we brine or do we not brine? Do we cook it breast side down first? What do I do with the carcass?!?! Maybe we overeat so much during the holiday turkey dinners and have so many incarnations of turkey leftovers, that the thought of having a turkey once a week sounds completely unappealing.

But forget about the larger 20-pound creatures for a moment. If you didn’t have to prepare a monstrosity every time, wouldn’t you love to have turkey once a week or even every couple of days? Think about all the possibilities…. not just turkey lunch meats, but turkey burgers, turkey bacon, turkey sausages, and even turkeys that are the size of roasting chickens? What if you didn’t even have to cook the turkey?

After the Diestel tour, Andy purchased a Diestel turkey breast (from their store on the ranch) to have for dinner at some point the following week. He marinated overnight (Greek style) and then grilled it. The next day he brought some over so I could make a version of my latest obsession, a Cobb salad, only this time, it would be a turkey Cobb salad!

I’m not sure why I am so in love the the Cobb right now. It could be because I love everything in one and the only thing non-Paleo in it is the cheese (I don’t use dressing either because to me it’s not needed with so many other toppings).

The Cobb originated in 1937 at the Brown Derby, when the restaurant’s owner Bob Cobb wanted a late night snack. I imagine it was a kind of TV’s Chopped moment when he raided the cooler and the pantry and combined what he could find inside: head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese, and of course bacon. Even Cobb knew that bacon makes everything better. 😉 The salad dressing Cobb invented ontained red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, garlic, olive oil, dry mustard, and salad oil. Soon everyone was asking for The Cobb Salad, and since 1937, more than 4 million salads have been sold at Brown Derby restaurants.

And that’s what I have had for dinner the past three nights! Last night I wanted to see how wonderful the Diestel Turkey would be in a Cobb. And it was everything I hoped. My Cobb salad had organic Earthbound Farms lettuce (herb blend–with dill in it, my favorite!!), heirloom tomatoes from Feeding Crane Farms, avocado, hard boiled Diestel chicken eggs, blue cheese, bacon, and of course the grilled Diestel turkey breast. We also had sauteed onions and mushrooms on the side, which I enjoy with almost anything.

We enjoyed the salad paired with a Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir. By the way, both chardonnays and pinot noir work very well with a Cobb Salad.

So it’s that easy. Just take the chicken out of your favorite recipe and put turkey up to bat! Turkey Cordon Bleu, Turkey and Dumplings, Turkey Chili, Turkey enchiladas… the list goes on. And, if you are gluten free or Paleo, there are tons of chicken recipes on the internet that you can swap in turkey meat instead.

For more recipe ideas or to see the full line of Diestel products, you can click here.

Posted by  |  October 16, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Meet the Diestels and their Turkeys!

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Last week, I was invited to a dinner, farm tour, and luncheon sponsored by Whole Foods and the Diestel Turkey Ranch. Also invited were other members of the media and freelance writers. Luckily, Andy was also able to join me for the trip. 🙂

Last year, I was introduced the the Diestel brand when Whole Foods sent me a tailor-made Paleo Thanksgiving dinner to try. It was so convenient. All we had to do was heat and eat. 🙂 I particularly liked the turkey that was sent in our meal. It was a Diestel Whole Naturally Oven Roasted Turkey. I was so impressed because I thought that by the time a pre-cooked bird would reach my plate after being reheated it would surely dry out. That was not the case. So, when I received the invite to tour where the turkeys are raised, I was more than happy to join it and promote a product I already knew and loved.

The Diestel story begins in 1949 when Jack Diestel began the ranch in Sonora (about 2 hours southeast of Sacramento). In the beginning Jack formulated the some not-so-secret family secrets that still remain in place to this day. They are as follows:

  • “FAMILY SECRET #1 “Walk the flock every day,” Ernest would always say emphasizing an individual way of looking at the birds that has now been refined by years of practice.
  • FAMILY SECRET #2 Concentrate on the health of the birds. The freedom of the range provides plenty of exercise and fresh air while good husbandry and strict sanitation eliminate the need for artificial substances and techniques.
  • FAMILY SECRET #3 Don’t rush things. Give the turkey the time to develop flavor naturally. Instead of a high fat, high protein diet, Diestel Turkeys enjoy a wholesome vegetarian diet of grains mixed daily on the ranch, cool clean mountain water and an extra two months of growing time.
  • FAMILY SECRET #4 Never compromise quality. There are no shortcuts when producing a Diestel Turkey. Our attention to all of the little things reflects the commitment we make to bring the best possible product directly to you.”

Jack’s son Tim took on his principles and also learned from his father how to read the weather, when to put the turkeys out on the range, and how to handle the birds.

Today he and his wife Joan, along with their children, continue the tradition of naturally raising range grown turkeys on the family ranch. They take pride in being one of the last small family owned turkey grower-processors in the United States.

Diestel turkeys are grown longer than on other farms–This allows them to develop into broad breasted birds with maximum yield (all that delicious white meat we love) and superb flavor. The birds are also labeled on the bag as “Hen” or “Tom.”

Feed on the Diestel ranch is a low fat, all-American 100% vegetarian diet of US (no imports) corn and soybeans milled on the ranch – free of animal by-products, growth stimulants and hormones. The family feeds the birds what they need to be nourished–not the cheaper commercially pre-mixed feed.


It was such a memorable experience to walk around the ranch with the family and my fellow media. Simply put: it was such a happy place. I have never seen so many beautiful creatures living harmoniously in one place. Each one doing their part in the food chain, and everything in balance.


Besides the incredible meals we shared both at dinner the day before the tour, and at the lunch after the tour, my favorite part of being at the ranch was when we were asked to pick eggs from a hen shelter. We were given a half carton to fill with warm, newly laid eggs. It was so simple, but I just loved it. I think it’s because I love eating eggs and I knew how good these would taste. We were told to keep the eggs to take home. That evening, I hard boiled three of them to put in a dinner salad. They had the brightest yolks I have ever seen!

Why is a Diestel turkey better?

  • Because the turkeys live a happy life and allowed to eat and roam as they please.
  • Because they are given more time to grow (approximately 6 months) yielding more meat on the turkey and more flavor.
  • Because they are fed a low fat vegetarian diet of corn and soy, not commercial food pellets.
Diestel turkeys are fed a wholesome, low fat, all-American 100% vegetarian diet of US (no imports) corn and soybeans milled on the ranch – free of growth stimulants and hormones.
  • Because the turkeys are sustainably farmed with a focus on providing the best outcome for both our human and natural environments now.

I want to personally thank The Diestels (Tim, Joan, Jason, Garrett, and Heidi) for graciously hosting our trip and tour. I felt honored to be introduced and proud to promote your brand on my website.

You can follow the Diestels on twitter here and find them on Facebook here.

 

Posted by  |  October 15, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pecan Breads & Apple Parsnip Soup

I made this duo (the pumpkin breads were my own recipe and I borrowed the soup recipe from Cooking Light) for a wine party Andy and I went to last Friday.

I always make sure to bring Paleo friendly food to a potluck, but I especially like making comfort-type foods that non-Paleo people think they might miss if they cut wheat or sugar from their diet. The Pumpkin and Pecan Breads are such a treat! 🙂

Pumpkin & Pecan Breads

This recipe makes about 18 cupcake-sized breads. Each one can be served with the soup. You can place the bread in the bottom of the bowl and pour the soup over, or you can pour the soup in the bowl first and tear apart the breads using them as croutons.

Ingredients
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chopped pecan
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup honey
8 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon crushed ginger

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except for the pecans. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, and coconut oil. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture and fold until just combined. Incorporate the pecans and then pour the batter into a loaf pan or into a cupcake pan with liners.

Bake until the middle of the breads gently spring back and the tops of the bread are golden brown.
Now for the soup….

Apple-Parsnip Soup (from Cooking Light Magazine–dairy ingredients omitted)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 1/2 cups chopped peeled Pink Lady apple (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 1/2 cups chopped peeled parsnip (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add apple and the next 4 ingredients (through garlic); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add parsnip, chicken broth, and apple cider; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until parsnip is tender.
2. Place half of parsnip mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat the procedure with remaining parsnip mixture. Stir in salt and pepper.

Posted by  |  October 10, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Care Begins with Me event on Tuesday, October 9th at the Sheraton Grand

My friends at Dignity Health asked me to spread the word about their annual Care Begins with Me event, taking place on October, 9th, 2012, from 5-9pm at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento, 1230 J Street, Sacramento.

Join us for a night of celebration at the fifth annual Care Begins With Me Health & Lifestyle Event for Women.

The guest speaker this year will be nationally recognized speaker and author, Reneé Rongen, dubbed by media as “The Mother of Motivation and a combination of Lily Tomlin, Oprah and Mother Teresa.” Reneé will deliver her humorous, powerful and life changing message about how to “Live Life from the Inside Out.”

In addition, the evening will feature:

  • Informative Care Chats on health topics important to you
  • Marketplace Expo, featuring the latest in lifestyle, fashion and beauty items
  • Wine, coffees, delicious hors d’oeuvres and decadent desserts
  • Stylish swag bag with gifts to take home
  • Be entered to win our grand prize, a fabulous weekend getaway for two at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa complete with luxury transportation services.

Tickets are only $15  for Care Begins with Me members and $20 advance registration for non-members.

Register online today – this event will sell out. Then, invite your friends and make it a special girls night out.

Be a VIP! Our VIP Lounge will feature:

  • Early admission to the event in our exclusive suite
  • Hors d’oeuvres and wine
  • Meet and greet with our guest speaker, Reneé Rongen
  • A signed copy of her book

 To register for the event, click here. You can find Dignity Health on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Posted by  |  October 5, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

A Beautiful Evening for Africa for Hope Fund’s Inaugural Safari on the River

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Safari on the River was held last Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Juluka Landing on Garden Highway. It was the inaugural fundraising event for Africa Hope Fund, a charity founded by Carol Van Bruggen and Steve Kuhn.

Africa Hope Fund is a non-profit dedicated to supporting conservation through education in southern Africa. Africa Hope Fund’s mission is to support children and education, and protect endangered animals in southern Africa. 100 percent of the funds accepted on behalf of projects goes entirely to funding the projects.

The evening began with a silent auction and wine tasting featuring Carvalho Family Winery, Moniz Family Wines, Cooper Vineyards, Driven Cellars, PRP Wine International. Prior to dinner, the Fenix Drum and Dance Group entertained safari and animal print-dressed guests with a lively African dance and music session.

We were all seated after the performance as Kitty O’ Neal took the stage as emcee. Dinner was served and the hosts both gave a heartfelt and emotional testimonial about their charity. The dinner, catered by Mulvaney’s B & L, was an authentic Zambian meal composed of an eggplant appetizer, a colorful vegetable salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and cilantro, a plantain side dish, and a chicken and rice dish as the main course. The main starch of the meal is also a staple Zambian dish called Nshima. It is s thick cornmeal mash, traditionally eaten without utensils.

As we ate dinner (with utensils), the silent auction was led by David Sobon of David Sobon Auctions. The event concluded with dessert and coffee.

The guests were treated to a free valet service by Neumann LImousine.

About Africa Hope Fund:
Carol Van Bruggen first traveled to Africa in 2001 and has returned to Zambia twice a year for over 12 years. She founded Africa Hope Fund when she realized that the only way to preserve the wonder of the African bush and its animals was to educate the young people about the value of their natural resources. This introduced her to the great need for better education facilities in Zambia. She has committed her life to helping young people of Africa receive an education in order to create a better standard of living for themselves and their families. This is done is combination with learning about importance of conservation in their community.

Steve has traveled to Africa for many years and is a long time supporter of conservation efforts around the world. He manages and owns a marina on the Sacramento River and is the President of Coastal Servicing a real estate holding company. Steve is the foundations official videographer and has been ahf’s primary financier from inception.

Donations:
You can sponsor a student to attend Secondary School in Zambia. 8th to grade 12. Or to a 2 year college. Africa Hope Fund can send you information on each student and a photo with updates or fund any of our many needs below.

$5000 – Build a Library at Uyoba School 
$3200 – Internet Service at Student Center year
$1200 – Pay a Teacher’s Salary at Uyoba School  for a year 
$800 – Clean water at the School year        
$150 – Sponsor a Student in Secondary School for a Year
$65 – Desk (double) for Uyoba School To end two kids sitting on the floor for their lessons everyday donate $65 to buy a double desk.

You can find Africa Hope Fund on Facebook here.

For more great photos of the event, you can visit Tia Gemmell’s website here.

Posted by  |  September 25, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Allgood Provisions: Gluten free, Non-GMO, and Organic Snacks

Last week, I was sent a variety pack of snacks made by Allgood Provisions. The samples came in 8 ounce pouches and included cranberries, pistachios, and trail mix. Other varieties include: Organic Almonds, Maple Roasted Cashews, Organic Cherries, Organic Raisins and Banana Chips.

I was reading the Sacramento Bee on Saturday morning (Wednesday’s Taste section) and I found this recipe that just happens to have all Paleo ingredients. It’s authored by Chef Sara Moulton, former editor of Gourmet magazine. It also calls for pistachios, so it was a perfect opportunity to try the pistachios Allgood Provisions sent me!

This salad is sweet and savory and just phenomenal. I love it because it takes boring carrots and brings them to a new flavorful level. Andy and I both were scheduled for long runs the following day, so instead of typical carby runner fare: bread, pizza, pasta, we had beef, eggplant and the carbs came from this salad. It’s the perfect fuel for running! Andy did the math and figured the entire recipe was equivalent to eating three Powerbars. People always ask me where I get my carbs while eating Paleo, and here’s my answer. 🙂

Grated carrot salad with dates and pistachios

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time (for cumin seeds): 4 minutes

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet, hot or smoked, or a combination
1 teaspoon honey
1 pound carrots
1/4 cup chopped pitted dates (about 4 whole)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup shelled natural pistachios, walnuts or almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon shredded fresh mint

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small skillet over medium-low, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until they turn a shade darker and become fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the paprika and the honey.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, coarsely grate the carrots, preferably using the coarse grating disk on a food processor. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the cooled oil-cumin mixture, the dates, lemon juice, pistachios and salt, using your hands to incorporate the dates.

Stir in the mint just before serving.

Recipe photo credit: Matthew Mead/Associated Press

Allgood Provisions products are available at Whole Foods Market.

You can find Allgood Provisions on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Posted by  |  September 17, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment