How to choose and store tofu

Soft, firm and extra-firm tofu are not only a delicious source of protein but also provide the basis for everything from sauces to stirfries and scrambles. Shefaly Ravula demystifies the most common types of tofu and offers tips on how to use and store them. She demonstrates how to make an orange dream silken smoothie. Once you have the technique down, customize this creamy treat with your choice of fruits, protein powder or flavorings.

Header image provided by Yoppy via Creative Commons

Budget Friendly Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Alla cacciatora refers to a meal prepared "hunter-style" with onions, herbs, and local veggies. Have dinner ready by the time you get home by prepping the ingredients the night before. 

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can Woodstock diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup Field Day chicken broth
• 4 ounces Muir Glen tomato paste
• 6 chicken legs, skinless
• 2 cups brown rice

Preparation

In a large slow-cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, green pepper, zucchini, celery, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, red wine, chicken broth and tomato paste. Stir to mix, then add the chicken legs and press down to cover them with the vegetable and spice mixture as much as possible. Set the cooker on low and cook for 7 hours.

Start cooking the rice on the stove about 45 minutes before the chicken is finished cooking, using approximately 4 cups of water for the 2 cups of rice.

When chicken is cooked, taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve a cup of cooked brown rice in a wide bowl or pasta plate, with a chicken leg and vegetable sauce.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Budget Friendly Chana Masala

These flavorful chickpeas are quick and easy; a perfect meal served with rice or naan bread and veggies on the side.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups long-grain brown rice
• 3 tablespoons Field Day canola oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 1 15-ounce can Field Day garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover tightly and reduce to a simmer for about 40 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan or shallow soup pot. Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, then add garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste. Pour into a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Return the spiced tomato paste to the same pan; there will still be a thin coat of oil in it. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns medium brown and oil separates around the edges of pan. Gradually whisk in water until it makes a thick gravy, about 2 cups. Bring to a boil.

Add potato and salt, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes, then add garbanzo beans. Return to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in lemon juice and red pepper flakes, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Photo courtesy of Johan Bichel Lindegaard
 

Tempeh Tacos

Tempeh, made from fermented soybeans, gives a deep flavor and meaty texture to Dana Tomlin's vegetarian taco filling.

Ingredients

• 1 pound plain tempeh
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• Pinch of pepper

Preparation

1. Crumble tempeh into a small bowl.
2. Heat oil in a medium sized skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add tempeh and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 15-20 seconds until aromatic.
3. Add chili powder, pepper, tamari, and water. Mix well and sauté a few minutes more until liquid evaporates. Note: Add additional oil if tempeh is sticking to pan.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with fresh corn tortillas and your favorite taco fixings.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Cover photo courtesy of Sarah Stierch

DIY Quick Pickles

Pickling can be just that—a pickle. True pickling is an ancient miracle for food preservation, but involves a drawn-out fermentation process requiring canning equipment, sterilization procedures and a whole lotta waiting around.

But, did you know that there’s a fast and easy way to preserve and chill your fresh garden veggies? Follow these quick pickling steps for those of you not ready to go all in. 

1. Pick your pickle

Although cucumbers are the most common for pickling, you can pickle almost any vegetable such as baby carrots (not the bitty mature carrots which you find in packages, but miniature immature ones with the skin still on), shallots, onion, asparagus, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, okra, and beyond. The fresher and crispier the produce, the better the final product.

2. Prep the potion

The main ingredient in pickle brine is vinegar. White vinegar is most common, but you can also use cider vinegar or wine vinegar. Balsamic is not recommended as it’s too syrupy. Combine 1 cup vinegar with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Instead of diluting the vinegar with water, try including a 1/2 cup of white or brown sugar with a dash of cinnamon.

Add a few pinches of salt. Salt draws moisture out of the vegetables and encourages the growth of useful bacteria. 

5. Spice it up 

This is where it gets fun. Many "pickling spice" blends are available and work beautifully, but consider a visit to the bulk aisle at your local food co-op to customize your blend. Mustard seed, dill seed, dry coriander seed, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, black peppercorns and garlic are all great places to start.

Combine all the ingredients in the saucepan, stir to dissolve, and bring to a boil.

3. Prep your veggies

Trim off any inedible pieces of your vegetable (e.g., the ends of green beans or root ends of onions). If you're cutting your vegetables into pieces, make sure they're all about the same size for pickling consistency.

Leeks and carrots make great pickled veggies.

4. Submerge and chill

Place your vegetables in a clean, dry container. Glass jars are the best because they won’t absorb any odors from the pickles.

Pour the boiling brine into the jar and submerge the veggies completely (you can add water to bring up the level if needed). Refrigerate for at least one hour and let the brine work its charms. The longer you brine, the tastier the pickle.

Depending on your veggie, quick pickles will keep in the fridge for weeks to a few months. 

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.
 

Voluntary Product Recall: Chocolate Mint CLIF® BUILDER'S® Bar

Clif Bar & Company is initiating a voluntary recall of CLIF® BUILDER'S® Bar Chocolate Mint flavor due to possible presence of undeclared peanuts and some tree nuts, including almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts and coconuts. The company is strongly advising consumers who have peanut and these specific tree nut allergies not to consume these bars. 

Mariposa Food Co-op has pulled all affected products from our shelves.

The voluntary recall applies to products in all pack sizes and individual bars meeting the following criteria in the list below. 

• UPC: 072225260144
• Best By Dates: 04/05/2016 to 04/23/2018

The affected “Best By” dates can be found on the back of individual packaging or caddies.

Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Customer Service desk. Please bring in the affected product and we will refund your purchase.

If you have any additional questions about the recall, you may call Clif Bar & Company at 866-526-1970.

How to make a banana whip

Banana whips are a staple of West Philly's biannual Dollar Strolls. Skip the lines and make your own banana whip at home by following these simple steps. 

Ingredients

• One bunch of fair trade, organic bananas

• Chocolate, coconut, or whatever you like as a topping

Please note, you will need a juicer to create a creamy, ice cream-like consistency. You can also use a food processor for a slightly different consistency.

Preparation

1. Peel and freeze bananas for at least 12 hours. 

2. When you're ready to make your banana whips, thaw your bananas for a few minutes. Thawing the bananas makes them easier to cut. 

3. Slice the bananas in half. 

4. Push two halves of a banana through a juicer. One half - two thirds of a banana makes a 4 oz banana whip. You can also cut the slightly thawed bananas and blend in a food processor.

5. Top with chocolate, coconut, or whatever you please. 

Donate at the register to save Atiya Ola’s Cafe

Atiya Ola’s Spirit 1st Foods, a staple of the West Philadelphia community since 2008, is being threatened by displacement and will close by the end of the month. Atiya is currently raising funds to relocate her restaurant and community space.  

Donations are being accepted at Mariposa Food Co-op through June 30th. If you would like to donate, please tell your cashier the next time you shop. One hundred percent (100%) of the funds will be donated to Atiya Ola. With support from the Black and Brown Workers Collective, donations are also being accepted through her Go Fund Me campaign.

Photo credit: UCD

Avocado Ice Cream

This is ice cream is a creamy and refreshing dairy-free dessert.

Avocado ice cream makes a great creamy ice cream texture.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups avocado puree, (see tip), from about 3 ripe large avocados
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup tequila
• Lime zest, for garnish

Preparation

1. After making avocado puree, add water, sugar, lime juice and tequila to the food processor with 1 1/2 cups of the puree; pulse until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour or overnight.
2. Transfer the avocado mixture to the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. If desired, place the ice cream in the freezer to firm up before serving. Garnish with lime zest, if desired.

Tips & Notes

To make avocado puree, peel and pit 3 ripe large avocados and process in a food processor until smooth. Measure out 1 1/2 cups for the ice cream. Reserve any extra for another use.

Photo via Creative Commons. Authored by eatingwell.com. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop. 

Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

Crunchy cornmeal on the outside and Southwestern flavors on the inside, these bean burgers please all kinds of eaters.

Make burgers one day in advance to save time.

Ingredients

Burgers

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans, well drained
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground toasted cumin seeds (see Tip)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons cornmeal, plus 1/3 cup for coating burgers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
• 6 lettuce leaves

Guacamole

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Preparation

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Uncover and let stand.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add beans, paprika and ground cumin and mash the beans to a smooth paste with a potato masher or fork. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the quinoa, 3 tablespoons cilantro, 3 tablespoons cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Form the bean mash into 6 patties. Coat them evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup cornmeal and transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. To prepare guacamole: Mash avocado with a potato masher or fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons onion, garlic, cayenne and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
5. Preheat oven to 200°F.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron (or similar heavy) skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3 burgers until heated through and brown and crisp on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven to keep warm. Cook the remaining 3 burgers with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reducing the heat as necessary to prevent over-browning. Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato and the guacamole.

Tips & Notes

• Toast cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Let cool. Grind into a powder in a spice mill or blender.
• Quinoa is a delicately flavored, protein-rich grain. Rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.

Authored by Eatingwell.com. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.