Rainbow Summer Rolls (Vegan and Gluten Free)

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These refreshing summer rolls with creamy peanut sauce are a colorful addition to mealtime and are an easy way to eat the rainbow. The Co-op is filled with fresh summer produce right now, so make sure to fill your cart up with lots of fruits and vegetables! Eating a variety of colorful fruits and veggies everyday helps you get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. A simple 5-ingredient peanut sauce combines salty, sweet, and spicy flavors and is the perfect accompaniment to these summer rolls.

 

Ingredients:

1 package brown rice spring roll wrappers
1 large cucumber, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 avocado, sliced
1 package baked tofu, sliced
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tbsp. liquid aminos
2 tsp. hot sauce
½ tbsp. maple syrup
3-4 tbsp. water

 

Directions:

  1. To make the peanut sauce, add peanut butter, liquid aminos, hot sauce, maple syrup, and water to a small bowl. Mix well with a spoon until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
  2. Fill a large bowl with warm water and soak rice paper wrapper for 10 seconds. Transfer wrapper to a clean cutting board and arrange tofu, cucumber, red bell pepper, and avocado in a horizontal layer in the middle of the wrapper. Make sure to leave a one-inch space along the edges.
  3. Fold in the sides and roll the summer rolls tightly so the filling is compact. Repeat the process to make more summer rolls. Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

 

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

LOCAL FOCUS Furious Sauces – Hot Stuff!

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Furious Sauces are just one of over 150 local vendors the co-op represents. Here is their story.

By Guest Blogger-  McKenna Jones

Furious Sauces was started in March 2015 by current owners Gloria and James Muia. The idea to start a business came about from a conversation on Christmas Eve in 2014. Both James and Gloria grew up in entrepreneurial families, so they wanted to start something they were passionate about.

“When Gloria realized both of our dishes were covered in hot sauce, she said to me during dinner, ‘We should start our own hot sauce business.’ Little did we know that our passion for making hot sauce was literally staring us in the face!,” James said.

 Their initial goal was to create a unique blend of hot sauces that do not overpower the taste of the food, but keep the heat lingering. Gloria and James spent five months crafting five hot sauce recipes to launch the company. They named them the “The Fury 5”.

“The initial feedback we received from friends and family on our final recipes was very positive and that’s when Gloria and I knew that we had finally found the right blend of spices and taste for our sauces,” said James.

The duo’s most popular hot sauce is Dragon’s Smoke (ghost pepper), while the Volcano Sunrise (Mango-Habanero) comes in second.

“Our Dragon’s Smoke hot sauce has the perfect amount of heat with an amazing smoky flavor,” James said. “It’s perfect for grilled steaks, burgers, barbecues, pork, eggs and much more. Our Volcano Sunrise hot sauce is fantastic on chicken wings, pizza, burgers — just about everything!”

James said that his favorite part about this job is the sauce development and creating new sauces that the public has never tasted before. For Gloria, her favorite part is going to events, selling the sauce, providing tastings for customers and meeting new people.

“We use ingredients that no one would ever think to try to create an amazing blend between both heat and flavor,” James said. “As a business, you can never stop innovating, so we plan to continue creating new award winning hot sauce”.

 

Hot sauces for sale:

Golden Elixir (Maple-Habanero)

Monstera’s Agony (Pineapple-Habanero)

Volcano Sunrise (Mango-Habanero)

Angry Assassin (Habanero)

Dragon’s Smoke (Ghost Pepper)

Sinister Craze (Raspberry Chocolate Reaper)

 

Honors received:

Volcano Sunrise – 3rd Place (HABANERO) – The Scovie Awards (2017)

Dragon’s Smoke – 3rd Place (SWEET) – The 10th Annual Hot Pepper Awards (2017)

Dragon’s Smoke – 1st Place (SUPERHOTS PEPPER-SPECIFIC) – The 10th Annual Hot Pepper Awards (2017)

Dragon’s Smoke – 1st Place (SAVORY) – The 10th Annual Hot Pepper Awards (2017)

Dragon’s Smoke – 2nd Place (SMOKY) – The 10th Annual Hot Pepper Awards (2017)

Angry Assassin – 2nd Place (SAVORY) – The 10th Annual Hot Pepper Awards (2017)

 

 

Quinoa with Rainbow Chard and Pineapple (Vegan and Gluten Free)

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Makes 3-4 servings
Pineapple fried rice gets a recipe makeover that features rainbow chard and quinoa. Rainbow chard is a colorful leafy vegetable known for its bright yellow and pink stems. It has an earthy and slightly bitter flavor that pairs well with sweet pineapple. I swapped out rice for quinoa in this recipe to make it gluten free and higher in protein. Quinoa contains all of the essential amino acids, which make it a complete protein. Try making this nutritious quinoa with rainbow chard and pineapple recipe and savor its sweet and savory flavors.

 

Ingredients:
½ tbsp. coconut oil
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups pineapple, diced
1 bunch rainbow chard, chopped into ribbons
3 cups cooked quinoa
½ cup roasted cashews
3 tbsp. liquid aminos

Directions:

  1. Add coconut oil to a large saucepan over medium high heat. Sauté onions and garlic for one minute until fragrant. Add in the rainbow chard and sauté for 8 minutes until tender.
  2. Add in pineapple, quinoa, liquid aminos, and cashews and sauté for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Serve and enjoy!

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Overnight Oats (Vegan)

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Makes 1 serving
Looking for a tasty and healthy breakfast to start your day with? Strawberry overnight oats can be made the night before and are a convenient breakfast to enjoy on busy mornings. This hearty breakfast is loaded with whole grains and is high in protein and fiber. A simple three ingredient strawberry milk gives the oats extra strawberry flavor and is naturally sweetened with medjool dates. The combination of creamy quick oats and chewy rolled oats absorb the flavors of the strawberry milk and chia seeds help thicken the oat mixture. These make-ahead strawberry overnight oats are a delicious way to enjoy strawberry season and take only 10 minutes to prepare.

 

Ingredients:
¼ cup quick oats
¼ cup rolled oats
1 ½ tbsp. chia seeds
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 cup strawberries, halved
3-4 medjool dates, pitted
1 ¼ cups unsweetened soymilk

Directions:

  1. Add soymilk, dates, and ½ cup strawberries to a blender and blend until all ingredients are well blended.
  2. Add oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon to a 16-ounce jar and mix all ingredients. Add strawberry milk and stir to combine. Place in the fridge overnight for 6-10 hours.
  3. Top with remaining ½ cup strawberries. Enjoy!

 

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

 

Barbecue Jackfruit Pizza (Vegan)

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Makes 1 (12 inch) pizza

This barbecue jackfruit pizza is my plant-based version of barbecue chicken pizza and is a unique meal to make and enjoy this summer. Young jackfruit is also known as unripe jackfruit and is often used in savory dishes due to its meaty texture. It tastes similar to barbecue chicken when shredded and flavored with barbecue sauce. This starchy, tropical fruit is low in calories and contains fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. The pizza is topped with a creamy, tangy ranch flavored hemp dressing. Hemp seeds are high in protein and are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These mighty seeds are incredibly versatile and have a mild, nutty flavor and soft texture. You can add a sprinkle of hemp seeds to oatmeal, smoothies, and salads for an extra nutritional boost.

Ingredients:

1 (12 inch) Pizza crust (I used Rustic Crust Classic Sourdough)
1 (14 ounce) can jackfruit, drained
1 cup barbecue sauce (2/3 cup for jackfruit, 1/3 cup for pizza crust)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup hemp seeds
½ cup unsweetened soymilk
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp. apple cider vinegar
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Shred jackfruit using two forks. Stir in 2/3 cup barbecue sauce and mix well.
  3. Spread barbecue jackfruit mixture onto pizza crust. Arrange red onions on top of jackfruit in a single layer.
  4. Bake pizza for 10 minutes.
  5. While the pizza is baking, prepare the dressing by combining hemp seeds, soymilk, garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds until the dressing is creamy and smooth.
  6. Top pizza with dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

 

 

Kitchen Promise for Earth Day

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Zero waste is a great goal, although a bit difficult to achieve. However, we can all waste less if we put our minds to it. Just choosing one aspect to focus on can be a good way to start. If you’d like to waste less and use more of the food you buy, take a look at some of these suggestions and see what will help you in your quest for zero waste. Do it for Earth Day or, do it because it will save money!

1. Use those radish and carrot greens

Buying radishes or carrots by the bunch? Use the leaves to make pesto, salads (like Moroccan Carrot Radish Salad), and toss in soup. Think of them as peppery parsley.

2. Savor broccoli and cauliflower stems

Do you discard broccoli and cauliflower stems? Peel the tough skin from the stems and chop the tender cores to use in the dish, or cut in planks to eat with dip.

3. Cook kale stems like you would celery

Do you discard kale and other greens stems? When cooking with kale, you can simply separate the leaves from the stems, chop the stems, and cook the stems first; they will cook a bit like celery. If you juice, save all your greens stems from meals you prepare, including parsley, and add to your juice for a chlorophyll boost.

4. Flavor stock and other dishes with potato peels

Do you peel potatoes? The peels make a flavorful addition to stock, and even thicken it a bit. Consider whether you even need to peel; many soups, potato salads and even mashed potatoes are more nutritious and filling with the skins left on.

Or, toss your clean potato peels with oil and seasonings and roast about 15-20 minutes at 400°F , stirring once half way through. Then sprinkle with cheese and green onions or serve with a favorite dip.

5. Enjoy the flavor and nutrition of apple peels

Baking or cooking with apples? Leave the skins on and you will reap the nutrients and fiber they contain, and save time. If you do peel, add them to soup stock, for a subtle sweetness.

6. Zest your citrus and freeze for future use

Juicing a lemon or lime, or eating an orange? Zest your organically grown citrus first, then freeze the potent zest in a freezer bag, for adding a hint of citrus to everything from muffins to pastas.

7. Peel overripe bananas and freeze for smoothies or baking

Are those bananas looking a little too brown to put in the lunch box? Peel and freeze them, then add them to smoothies (like Hidden-Spinach Berry Smoothie or Orange Dream Silken Smoothie), or thaw and puree for banana bread, muffins and cakes.

8. Puree and freeze veggies before they go bad

Do you have veggies going soft in the crisper? Cook and puree carrots, sweet potatoes, greens, cauliflower, and other veggies, then freeze. Stir the purees into pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese, soups, casseroles and meatloaf for an added veggie boost.

9. Save veggie trimmings for soup stock

Cutting up vegetables for a dish? Save and freeze the skins and trimmings from onions, carrots, celery, sweet potato, potato, parsley, spinach, and other mild veggies (peppers, cabbage and broccoli can be too strong) until you have a good amount to make Veggie Trim Stock.

10. Use up stale bread in flavorful recipes

Do you have bread going stale? Freeze the slices to use later in stuffing, croutons, or recipes such as Ribollita soup, Creamy Lentil Soup with Wheaty Croutons or Flexible Bread and Veggie Casserole. Make croutons for salads and soups, or crumbs to toss with pasta or top casseroles. Don’t forget about bread pudding and stratas, too.

11. Keep food that needs to be consumed soon front and center

Organize your refrigerator and pantry, and put foods that should be consumed sooner right in front. Switch your storage containers from opaque to clear glass, so that you will see that tasty lasagna from last night, because out of sight is out of mind.

12. Turn your vegetable scraps into fertilizer

Do you have room for a compost pile or a worm bin? Ultimately, transforming your plant waste into fertilizer is better than packing it in the landfill.

Red Curry With Veggies (Vegan and Gluten Free)

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Makes 4 servings
This red curry comes together in a flash and is loaded with colorful veggies. It is creamy, a little spicy, and super satisfying. Red curry paste adds wonderful depth of flavor and complexity to the curry. It is made from exotic ingredients such as red chili, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime. I love cooking with red curry paste because it fills the kitchen with a fragrant aroma and adds beautiful color to the dish. Coconut milk adds richness and rounds out the flavors of the curry. Serve this veggie red curry alongside some fluffy jasmine rice for a healthy and delicious meal.

 

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
1 pound gold potatoes, diced
3 tbsp. red curry paste
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut milk
1 tbsp. organic cane sugar
1 tbsp. liquid aminos
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup snow peas
1 cup peas

Directions:

  1. Sauté onions and potatoes in 1 tbsp. of coconut milk over medium high heat for 5 minutes.
  2. Add in red curry paste, the rest of the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, sugar, and liquid aminos. Stir to combine and simmer for 20 minutes
  3. Add in red bell pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add in snow peas and peas and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Serve and enjoy!

 

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

 

Giving Back by Paying it Forward!

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By Steve Cooke, aka the Big Cheese

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending the 8th Annual Up and Coming Food Co-op Conference in Milwaukee, WI. Over 350 attendees from start-up food co-ops around the county, including a group from Fredericksburg, Va came out to learn how to get their co-ops off on the right foot to ensure success.

Since Friendly City Food Co-op opened in June of 2011, it has been held up as an example of a co-op that “did everything right”. And while that is certainly nice to hear and true in many regards, it is humbling and raises questions about how other food co-ops are able to open, survive and thrive in a very competitive marketplace.

My purpose in attending was two-fold. First I was asked to share a case study about our co-op and what we did so well, and whether we could have been even better prepared to operate a strong food co-op. Secondly, I got to sit in on other workshops and serve as a resource, of sorts, to offer feedback on ideas that new start-ups have for their co-ops and also to be a “ringer” – answering questions and filling in gaps of information. Start-up cooperators wanted to hear from someone who has been through what they’re experiencing.

We are very pleased to be able to join with other existing food co-ops around the country in contributing to a Principle Six (Cooperation among Co-ops) grant to support next year’s conference attendees with scholarships for registration. As a co-op that benefitted from wise counsel and support from other co-ops when we were on the path to opening, it is very heartwarming to be able to pay it forward in this way.

By the way, one of our founders and former Friendly City Board President Ben Sandel, was also a presenter at the conference. In his new role as a consultant with Cooperative Development Services Consulting Co-op. , he spends his time guiding start-ups in successful owner loan campaigns and board development. He is in high demand and led four separate sessions at the conference, all of which were very well received.

Spaghetti Puttanesca (Vegan)

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Makes 2 servings

Puttanesca is an Italian sauce made from simple ingredients like garlic, canned tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers. I love making spaghetti with puttanesca sauce because it is a light, savory meal that is loaded with flavor. This puttanesca sauce comes together in 30 minutes and has a nice balance of salty, acidic, and spicy flavors. The brine from the kalamata olives adds a touch of saltiness and red pepper flakes add a spicy kick to the dish. A sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley adds freshness to the dish along with a pop of color. Try making this plant-based puttanesca sauce and savor its robust flavor.

 

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
2 tbsp. Kalamata olive brine
2 tbsp. capers
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
½ cup Italian parsley, chopped
8 oz. spaghetti

Directions:

  1. Sauté onions in olive oil in a large pan over medium heat for five minutes. Add in garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant.
  2. Reduce heat to low and add in tomatoes, olives, capers, olive brine, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil. Once water is boiled, add in spaghetti and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally.
  4. After sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, turn off heat and add in chopped parsley. Mix well to combine. Add cooked spaghetti to puttanesca sauce and toss to combine.
  5. Serve and enjoy!

 

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

 

 

There’s A New Cereal In Town

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A new cereal has found its place on the shelves of Friendly City Food Co-op. Quinoa Queen is a cereal from a start-up company that values ethically sourced and healthy food. The start-up company began in Ecuador and is making its way to the United States. The lucky customers of Friendly City are some of the company’s first American customers!

The ingredients are simple: whole unrefined quinoa. Quinoa is a great source of fiber and vegetarian protein. The grain is higher in protein than other grains such as rice, wheat, or barley. Quinoa also does not contain gluten, so it’s safe for anyone with a gluten allergy or Celiac’s disease to consume. It is an excellent source of zinc and magnesium, while also containing iron and some antioxidants. Overall, the grain is an excellent food to incorporate into the diet.

For anyone living with multiple food allergies, finding nutritious and convenient foods that fit the diet can be a challenge. Quinoa Queen cereal is completely free of dairy, nuts, and gluten making it an ideal choice for someone with one of these common allergens. There are three types of the cereal; Citrus Bliss, Unsweetened, and Lightly Sweetened. I recommend tasting the lightly sweetened version first. All the cereals can be used to make granola bars with dates, chocolate chips or nuts and used as bread crumbs or croutons!

I highly recommend picking up a box of Quinoa Queen at Friendly City. The earthy and nutty flavor of quinoa varies from cereal’s usual refined wheat taste. Try adding a sliced banana, blueberries, or strawberries for extra sweetness. This cereal is perfect for anyone with gluten allergies or sensitivities, general food allergies, or someone looking to taste a new and nutritious food.

 

Madeleine Wirth

Madeleine is a senior at James Madison University, studying to be a registered dietitian. She loves exploring recipes with fresh and nutritious ingredients. As a native to the Shenandoah Valley, she passionately supports the local food economy in Harrisonburg.