NEWS AND RECIPES

Current Newsletter

Issue	Title	Info	PDF
No. 085	Eat Your Beets!	Beet Preparation Ideas Beet Nutrition Information Beet Chocolate Cake Recipe	PDF
When opening the fridge to make room for this week's box, you may have been overwhelmed with beets! Time to get cooking and use up these nutritious and colorful root vegetables. There are so many amazing ways you can use beets: salads, stir fried, soups, fermented drinks (kavas), grated on salads, grated in veggie burgers, steamed with butter, juiced, or baked in cakes... Yes, this is true. We’ve included a recipe for beet chocolate cake that will make good use of the beets in the fridge and your Valentine's Day chocolate stash!

Archived Newsletters

Issue	Title	Info	PDF
No. 085	Eat Your Beets!	Beet Preparation Ideas Beet Nutrition Information Beet Chocolate Cake Recipe	PDF
When opening the fridge to make room for this week's box, you may have been overwhelmed with beets! Time to get cooking and use up these nutritious and colorful root vegetables. There are so many amazing ways you can use beets: salads, stir fried, soups, fermented drinks (kavas), grated on salads, grated in veggie burgers, steamed with butter, juiced, or baked in cakes... Yes, this is true. We’ve included a recipe for beet chocolate cake that will make good use of the beets in the fridge and your Valentine's Day chocolate stash!
No. 084	Chocolate Time	Camino Chocolates The Tangelo Organic Fair The Chocolate Doctors Over the Hill Orchard	PDF
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate then with some wonderful organic fair trade chocolates from The Organic Box. We have several varieties of chocolates that will be sure to warm the hearts of your special loved one.
No. 083	Beyond Produce	Over the Hill Orchards Avalon Mozzarella Cheese Wheatgrass for Pets	PDF
Just because the land is frozen solid here in Northern Alberta doesn't mean you can't take advantage of local organic food in your box. This week we have a few options for you to consider.
No. 082	Cheese & Apples	New Fine Cheese Winter Weather Cauliflower Cheese Soup Apples, Avocado & Cheese	PDF
This week, we are featuring new cheese sourced while visiting Just-A-Mere Organic Farm in Creston, B.C. We have Kootenay, Avalon and Fairwind cheeses for sale. Delicious old cheddar (try with sliced apples and avocado), mozzarella as a lighter choice, Artisan cheeses (Nostrala: firm, yet mild; and Alpindon: nutty, firm, French cheese), and Goat gouda aged cheese. These cheeses are abundant in flavour. Visit this week’s feature page on our website to learn more.
No. 081	Frosty Frozen Berries	Recipe Tips Raspberry Frozen Smoothie Raspberry Yoghurt Muffins	PDF
Our individually frozen raspberries are hand picked locally, at Roy’s Raspberrys near Spruce Grove. Even though it is mid winter and the ice and snow surround us, our frozen raspberries remind us of the summer months! We also have awesome frozen strawberries from Shady Lanes near Lac La Biche. Also individually frozen, the flavour of summer is still intact and we are so pleased to have these berries available for you to enjoy.
No. 080	Fair Trade Fruit Week	BOS Solidares – Peru (Bananas) Planeta Verde – Mexico (Citrus, Avocado, Mango) Green Tribe – Chile (blueberries) About the Edward Honey Blush Mango and APROMALPI	PDF
Even though it feels like springtime in Edmonton this week, it is actually the middle of winter and that means you'll find lots of good local storage root crops and winter greens in your box, plus some stored apples and pears from our BC farms. However, it is peak growing season in central america and we are excited to offer you an excellent selection of fair trade certified organic fruits in your box. We have a fresh shipment of our very special bananas, plus blueberries, avocados, grapefruit and mango. As the season progresses you'll see fair trade pineapples too!
No. 079	Discover Portobello	Portobello mushroom eggs benedict Portobello mushrooms with red pepper mayonnaise	PDF
This week we have Portobello mushrooms for everyone! This variety is actually a full-grown Crimini Brown mushroom and is an excellent substitute for meat in your favourite dishes. No one is really sure where the name Portobello originates; in Italy, the mushroom is called cappellone, which means ‘big hat’. A popular theory is based on the Portobello Market in Notting Hill, London, where it may have been first sold in England by local mushroom farmers.
No. 078	Watermelon Radish	Crudités and Appetizers Tempeh Tacos with Pickled Watermelon Radish Slaw Sweet Pickled Onion Watermelon Radish Salad	PDF
The watermelon radish is a sweet surprise in your Box this week. Larger than a radish, they look more like a turnip! They have bright pink flesh inside and a mild-sweet peppery taste. The intensity of the watermelon radish decreases as it matures. Watermelon radishes are a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are strong sources of Vitamin A and C and are a good source of phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
No. 077	Holiday Wishes and Parsnips	All about Parsnips Sautéed Baby Parsnips and Carrots Parsnip and Caramelised Onion Tart	PDF
We will be open through the holidays this year, but with a slight change in hours on December 24th and 31st. Members who normally pick up their boxes on Saturday, please come to the warehouse by 11 a.m. instead of by 1 p.m. on these days. Deliveries will continue as usual from December 22nd to 24th and from December 28th to 30th. You can also pickup your box on Friday if that suits you better, just let us know.
No. 076	Sweet Potatoes	How to Cook Sweet Potatoes Sweet Potato Bread Sweet Potato Coconut Cake Sweet Potato Nutritional Information	PDF
We will be open through the holidays this year, but with a slight change in hours on December 24th and 31st. Members who normally pick up their boxes on Saturday, please come to the warehouse by 11 a.m. instead of by 1 p.m. on these days. Deliveries will continue as usual from December 22nd to 24th and from December 28th to 30th. You can also pickup your box on Friday if that suits you better.
No. 075	Mandarin Oranges	About the Mandarin Orange Nutritional Information Pumpkin, almond and mandarin cookies	PDF
The mandarin orange holds a special place in Western Canadian history. During the 1940s to 1960s, steamships filled with mandarins, would race each other across the Pacific to the Port of Vancouver. When rumour spread that the steamships were soon to arrive, a first-come, first-served queue of five tonne trucks would form at the docks. Cranes dropped pallets of the wooden-crated oranges onto the dock and drivers would then speed back to their respective produce houses, frantic to be the first to deliver the crop. One such driver was Jack, father of Randy Hooper, Managing Director of Discovery Organics. The Organic Box works very closely with Discovery Organics and much of your food comes through their loving hands.
No. 074	Sunchokes for All	Nash’s Family Farm Cooking Sunchokes Roasted Beet, Sunchoke Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette	PDF
This week, we continue to feature cleansing and detoxifying foods. Our bodies work extra hard this time of year and using food as medicine can be of help. The sunchoke is a strange-looking knobby tuber. Although it looks odd, it tastes good and is affordable too!
No. 073	Kale: The Calcium King	Love your Liver Kale Serving Ideas Kale Storage Tips	PDF
During the peak winter months, the bounty of freshly-picked local produce dwindles, and healthy eating can pose more of a challenge. The holiday season is filled with sweet and delicious foods, but our fiber intake drops, our sugar intake spikes and sluggishness settles in. Our bodies work extra hard during this time of year, so over the next several weeks we will feature cleansing and detoxifying foods.
No. 072	All About Bananas	Bananas under threat About BOS Grilled Bananas with Coconut Caramel Sauce	PDF
This week we are featuring a non-local item: Fair Trade Organic Bananas. If only we could grow them here! Did you know that although there are between 500 to 1000 types of bananas grown in the world, 99% of bananas exported to North America and Europe are of a single variety called Cavendish? This is the banana you are familiar with: yellow, sweet, uniformly-sized and seedless.
No. 071	Heathy Living	Pesticides and Health Great Greens Green Goddess Salad Dressing	PDF
We often hear that the more people embrace healthier diets, the more their palate changes to crave kale, raw broccoli and other green goodness. However, most of us still need to find a way to use the amazing greens that you find in your Organic Box in enticing dishes (especially to appeal to the kids!). Lots of local greens are still in season: kale, bok choy, spinach and swiss chard to name a few.
No. 070	Regional Transition Time	Our Regional Buying Policies Local Onions Sparrows Nest and Noble Spuds	PDF
We are shifting from buying local produce, to buying produce from warmer places. We will buy as much as we can locally for as long as we can. However, as the weather gets colder we will be recieving more food from other places. During this time, the availability of produce is subject to sudden change. Certain items that you are expecting in your box may become unavailable. We are planning to communicating any changes to you via email, and welcome feedback, questions, or queries. Anytime.
No. 069	We Love Swiss Chard	Loads of Chard cooking ideas Mini Swiss Chard Quiches Cranberry Bean Chilli with Winter Squash and Swiss Chard	PDF
As fall winds down and we start the regional transition west and south, we want to ensure everyone has lots of access to LOCAL, ORGANIC FALL GREENS for as long as possible. That means Spinach, Chard, Kale and Cabbage. At Peas on Earth we have three 53 foot trailers filling up with storage for this winter – carrots, beets, kale and potatoes.
No. 68	The Best of Beets	The health benefits of Fresh Beetroot and Tops Potato Red Beet Gratin with Goat Cheese Purple Beet Smoothie	PDF
We plan to continue supplying as much local food as we possibly can for as long as we can! We have some winter storage in the works, and are hopeful that we can continue to supply some hearty local crops all the way throughout the later fall, and winter months. We are fortunate to still be receiving quite a bit from our local producers.
No. 066	More Organic Week	Our Commitment to Local Organic Why Choose Organic Food?	PDF
The second annual Organic Week, October 15-22 is gearing up! See last week’s newsletter to see some of the great events happening in Edmonton and surrounding area that celebrate our local organic producers. To learn more visit organicweek.ca. This week, our Newsletter features information on organics, and our commitment to organics.
No. 065	Organic Week 2011	Canada Organic Regime Canada Organic Logo Organic Week Events	PDF
Organic Alberta in partnership with The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) and the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) are proud to announce the second annual Organic Week, October 15-22. The week is celebrated at national, regional and local levels, with many unique opportunities to highlight organics. Organic Week 2010 saw more than 250 groups hosting workshops and events dedicated to raising public awareness of the environmental, economic and social benefits of choosing organic products.
No. 064	Re-think Organics	Caring for your food The Organic Food Movement Cooking Rapini	PDF
Through your membership with The Organic Box you are supporting an ethical food philosophy. It is not just about food that tastes better (although we sure think it does). It is about being part of a food cycle that cares for people, cares for the earth, and the environment. The farmers that grow your food do not use pesticides or dangerous chemicals. They use practices that improve the quality of the soil with each crop instead of draining it of nutrients. This is the ethical way to produce; it keeps farm employees healthier, keeps harmful chemicals out of the soil, and the broader eco-system.
No. 063	Galaxy Gala Apples	About Harker's Fruit Ranch Apple Pie with Cashew Cream	PDF
This week, there are British Columbia fall Gala apples in the box. These sweet, easy-eating apples may not seem to out of the ordinary, but remember to compare "apples with apples." Unlike the Gala’s that you may find in the supermarket, these come to us from Cawston BC, Harkers Organic Fruit Ranch, and they are deliciously pesticide free. "If fall fruits held a 'most doused in pesticides contest' apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers, and increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides with Parkinson's disease"
No. 062	Chinese Cabbage	New Order Site Update Danny’s Simple Stir Fry and Fridge Clear-out Recipe Bok Choy Quiche Recipe	PDF
We had plans this week to provide Sui Choy (otherwise known as Napa Cabbage) for everyone but we had some heavier than expected frost on Monday night so we have a mix of Sui Choy and Bok Choy to offer. Bok Choy is heartier with thicker growth and better resilience to colder weather. We’ll see lots of Bok Choy this fall and then later local Kale for several months.
No. 061	Fresh Tomato Soup	About the tomatoes we carry Zucchini Bread Fresh Tomato Soup	PDF
This week we remind you of some of the more fun things to do with the loads of tomatoes and zucchini you’ve had in your boxes over the past month. This is the high season for these items so enjoy now. We have wonderful field tomatoes from Sundance Farm in your box this week and Origino greenhouse has been providing Tomatoes on the Vine for several weeks. Put those cans back in the cupboard and try your hand as some homemade, fresh tomato soup.
No. 060	Greens for Everyone	Back to School New Order Site (finally!) Simple Sautéed Swiss Chard Leaves Apple Cabbage Slaw	PDF
If you haven’t tried the Swiss Chard from Peas on Earth – you don’t know what you are missing. Beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, Rainbow Swiss Chard offers a dazzling visual effect, and it delivers a lighter flavor compared to regular chard. Like having two vegetables in one: the colourful pink, crimson, striped, bright gold, orange to pale orange, white, purple and mauve stalks are deliciously edible, too. Chard can be prepared like spinach, and its stalks like asparagus.
No. 59	Fabulous Fennel	Roasted Fennel Fresh and Dry Fennel Tea	PDF
This week, the local farm Sundog Organics is treating us to local Red Norland Potatoes, and fabulous fennel! Fennel can be a bit perplexing if you are not used to cooking with it. When fennel is raw, it tastes a lot like licorice, but it is very gentle when cooked. Be sure to use the whole vegetable. The root or bulb is great raw, grilled, or glazed. The feathery top part is known as the frond. The frond is excellent fresh or dried as a tea.
No. 058	Exquisite BC Peaches	Covert Farms Organics Peaches and Cream Pie	PDF
Nothing quite beats biting into a perfectly ripe and ready BC peach! They are syrupy, sweet, and an incredibly nutritious fruit. Peaches are rich in vitamin C, and vitamin A. They are a good source of potassium, flavonoids, natural sugars, and carotonoids. Carotonoids are the red, yellow, and orange pigments which give fruits and vegetables their bright colors. They are a potent immune system booster, and protect against heart disease. Eating fresh, raw peaches is the most effective way to get the full nutritional value of peaches! Not to mention the full taste.
No. 057	057 - Local Saskatoons	Summer Fruit Box New Faces Saskatoons Greens Salad	PDF
It’s August already and we are so looking forward to the harvest this year. It has been a very difficult season for the entire farming industry in Western Canada. The season started with drought conditions in Alberta and BC, and the switched to wet and cold in June. Things are growing and enjoying the high levels of moisture, and luckily our local farms have invested in good drainage to protect against fields flooding, but the lack of hot days has slowed ripening. However, the food is starting to come and August should prove to be a watershed of excellent choices and variety as many new local items come available.
No. 056	Salty Sea Beans	How to prepare Sea Beans Sea Asparagus Salad	PDF
When you receive your box, care for your fresh produce just as you would care for fresh flowers. Organic produce ages quickly and your fruits and vegetables need love and attention to store well. To keep your food fresh for as long as possible give your vegetables water. Nourish your food if you notice signs of age, and remember that all organic fruits, except bananas, need strict temperature control – your fridge should be no warmer than 4 degrees at the front.
No. 055	Salty Sea Beans	How to prepare Sea Beans Sea Asparagus Salad	PDF
When you receive your box, care for your fresh produce just as you would care for fresh flowers. Organic produce ages quickly and your fruits and vegetables need love and attention to store well. To keep your food fresh for as long as possible give your vegetables water. Nourish your food if you notice signs of age, and remember that all organic fruits, except bananas, need strict temperature control – your fridge should be no warmer than 4 degrees at the front.
No. 053	Great Local Greens	Bountiful Greens Bok Choy Quiche	PDF
The Baby Spanish Onions with tops coming from Peas on Earth Farm are especially stunning. You may have come across a bunch with white flowers on the top. The flowers are the most nutritious part. The plant shares much of its nutrients with the flower. We encourage you to enjoy the flowers with your meal. A gorgeous garnish, full of nourishment.
No. 052	Awesome Artichokes	How to Prepare Artichokes Artichoke and Garlic Dip	PDF
Native to the Mediterranean, the artichoke is the edible flower bud of a thistle-like herb in the sunflower family which is eaten as a vegetable. One plant can produce up to 30 chokes of different sizes. The edible buds have a slightly nutty-flavor. Once the flower matures, the artichoke becomes inedible so the buds are harvested by hand before flowering. The artichoke has diuretic properties; it increases blood circulation, regenerates liver tissues, and stimulates the gall bladder.
No. 051	Garlic Scapes	Garlic Scape Pesto	PDF
With so many local greens available now we are spoiled for choice. There are lots of options now in the box and at the market with wonderful items like bok choy, spinach, rapini, radish, lettuce, herbs and much more. Next month look forward to some early potatoes and carrots, plus peas, corn, beans and everything else you could possibly imagine.
No. 050	Bountiful Bok Choy	Bok Choy with Mushrooms Note on our Bananas	PDF
This week marks the first official week of summer. The impact and sensitivity of our food supply to the weather is amazing to us here. Only a week ago Danny was in the fields with our farmers talking about water shortages and dry dugouts that were making it look like we would have a difficult summer, and now we have more water than we know what to do with, to the point of worrying about washing out some of the crops!
No. 049	Relish Rhubarb - Week 2	How to cook Rhubarb Rhubarb Relish	PDF
Rhubarb, is a native perennial plant well suited to the Alberta climate. Pies, muffins, loaves, cakes, crumbles, cookies, salsa, sauces, candied or stewed, raw or cooked, even made into wine (check out EnSante Organic Winery’s Calypso Rhubarb wine), rhubarb is highly versatile. It is low in fat, cholesterol–free, high in fibre, with good amounts of Vitamin A and potassium. One cup of cooked rhubarb provides as much calcium as a cup of milk! However, due to its tartness, rhubarb requires sweetening which can increase calorie content – try using a sweet fruit such as apple or strawberry, or even fresh ginger, as an alternative to sugar.
No. 048	Relish Rhubarb	Cooking and Storage Suggestions Fresh Rhubarb Relish	PDF
Rhubarb is a native perennial plant well suited to the Alberta climate. Pies, muffins, loaves, cakes, crumbles, cookies, salsa, sauces, candied or stewed, raw or cooked, even made into wine (check out EnSante Organic Winery’s Calypso Rhubarb wine), rhubarb is highly versatile. It is low in fat, cholesterol–free, high in fibre, with good amounts of Vitamin A and potassium. One cup of cooked rhubarb provides as much calcium as a cup of milk! However, due to its tartness, rhubarb requires sweetening which can increase calorie content – try using a sweet fruit such as apple or strawberry, or even fresh ginger, as an alternative to sugar.
No. 047	Kohlrabi Tastes	Kohlrabi with Peas and Potatoes	PDF
Kohlrabi tastes like fresh, crunchy broccoli with a hint of radish. The name comes from the German kohl meaning cabbage and rabi for turnip. Kohlrabi is delicious eaten raw. Peel the outer skin with a paring knife. Slice, dice, or grate. Use on raw vegetable platters and serve with a creamy dip. Substitute in recipes calling for radishes, or add to salads. Grated kohlrabi can be added to slaw, but lightly salt it first and let stand for several minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water before adding dressing. Kohlrabi can also be steamed or boiled. For this preparation don’t peel until after they are cooked. Steam or boil until bulbs are tender, peel skin, and season with butter, salt, and pepper, a cheese sauce, or just enjoy plain. The bulbs should be stored, unwashed, in a plastic bag. They will hold for about a week in the refrigerator.
No. 046	Warmer Weather	Danny’s ‘Clean out the fridge’ Stir-Fry Recipe	PDF
We were treated to an early taste of summer weather last week and this has us thinking about warm weather deliveries for your boxes this summer.
No. 45	1 Year Anniversary	No recipes this week	PDF
This week marks the one year anniversary of the first delivery of The Organic Box! A year ago this week, we delivered our first 35 boxes in our ‘trial’ week. Nineteen of those members are still with us today! The boxes were packed in an empty warehouse and delivered by Danny and Miranda in a rusty old van. Miranda’s mother and grandmother helped us to pack the boxes while our kids played around us. We could not imagine that a year later we would have 14 employees, 5 vans, hundreds of members spanning all around the city and surrounding communities, and dozens of organic products in a very full warehouse. We thank each and every one of you – from our amazing members, to our inspiring staff, to our lovely farmers – for your support and encouragement. We feel truly honoured to deliver good food to your door!
No. 044	Famous Fava Beans	Shelling Broad or Fava Beans Fresh Fava Bean and Goat Cheese Salad Whole Fava Bean Toast	PDF
We love Fava Beans in our house. They are also known as Broad Beans and they are easy to grow in your garden. Sometimes people call them ‘pole beans’ because they grow best on tall tripods over your strawberries. It is likely that Jack traded his cow for magic fava beans that then grew into the beanstalk. The Fava bean is an ancient pea variety that came to us with the European settlers in the 16th century. You can recognize them as extremely big string beans.
No. 043	More Pea Tendrils	Chow Mein Noodles with Pea Shoots Pea Shoot and Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Reduction	PDF
Week two of the Pea Tendrils feature. I’ve put two more of my favourite pea shoot recipes in – this is one of the most versatile sprouts available and we just can’t get enough at our house. Bring on the Pea Tendrils!
No. 42	Pea Tendrils for All	Feta and Pea Shoot Fritters Pea Shoot Risotto	PDF
These delicious baby pea stalks are a staple of the spring sprout season in Alberta. Eating fresh, they remind us of summer barbeques, overflowing with that delicious pea taste that harkens us back to our youth in the garden. However, pea shoots are also a fabulous nutritional vegetable. They have seven times more Vitamin C than blueberries, eight times more folic acid than bean sprouts and four times more vitamin A than tomatoes (per 100g). Fantastic!
No. 041	Mexican Goodness	Zucchini Bread Simple Tomato Soup	PDF
As we wrap up the winter season, we thought it might be interesting to tell a little about the organic producers that have been providing our winter fruit and vegetables. The Organic Box has as one of its fundamental values that we only buy product grown by independent producers, regardless of where in the world they are located, and that we always know exactly where any items in your box has come from. Here are quick profiles of three of the Mexican farming collectives we have in our assortment.
No. 040	Terrific Turnips	Turnip and Carrot Crumble with Cheese Turnip Crisps	PDF
Lately we have had many questions about the origins of the milk that Saxby Foods is providing to us every week. The milk comes from the following certified organic dairies in Alberta: Vandenbroek Dairy in Olds Simply Organic Dairy in Condor Van Os Dairy in Wetaskiwan Clearview Organic Dairy in Red Deer A.K.A. Dairy in Lacombe Rainbow Dairies in Fort Assiniboine
No. 039	Yummy Greens	Simple Sautéed Swiss Chard leaves Apple Cabbage Slaw	PDF
We are getting ready to launch our new order page and membership website. Look forward to cleaner colours, lots of great pictures and descriptions, easier to read text, searchable product lists and categories to help you find the products you want. In the meantime, we are launching some new products over the next few weeks to fill out some of the gaps in our catalogue!
No. 38	Rethink the Radish	Roasted Radishes with Soy Sauce and Toasted Sesame Seed	PDF
Radishes are inexpensive to buy and easy to grow but they’re also a bit of an acquired taste. Their peppery bite is unusual and sometimes radishes get overlooked because people don’t really know what to do with them. Typically they are eaten raw or sliced up into a salad but they are also delicious roasted, or with sea salt, or pickled with herbs. A very popular way to eat radishes is on bread with butter, plain or herbed, and topped with slices of radish and a sprinkle of sea salt. Simply slice some good white bread, top each piece with a slather of butter, top with thinly sliced radishes and sprinkle with sea salt. Garnish with chopped chives and fresh ground pepper if desired. Radishes contain significant levels of vitamin C and are also known to stimulate appetite. Cruciferous plants, which include radish, broccoli and cabbage, are linked with anti-cancer properties.
No. 37	Sunchokes for All	Scalloped Sunchokes Sunchoke and Shallot Soup	PDF
Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem Artichokes, are very rich in inulin, a carbohydrate linked with good intestinal health due to its probiotic (bacteria promoting) properties. They also contain vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium and are a very good source of iron. Like potatoes, sunchokes can be served with or without the skin - scrub clean and leave it on for maximum nutritional benefit. Cook as you would potatoes - roast, sauté, bake, boil or steam. If peeling or cutting, drop pieces into water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Unlike potatoes, sunchokes can also be used raw (e.g. in salads) or lightly stir-fried. Sometimes the sunchoke can cause a little wind, but the health benefits are worth the price!
No. 36	Rejoice for Rapini	Easy Beet Rapini Risotto Garlic Saute Rapini	PDF
The Organic Box is excited to announce the completion of the licensing process to sell and deliver liquor products! We will be offering the organic fruit wine selection from En Santé Winery (available at Strathcona Farmers Market) and some organic beer selections from Alley Kat Brewery in Edmonton. Some of our delivery processes will change to suit the AGLC rules. Details will be available on the order page this weekend including our price list.
No. 35	Baby Bok Choy	Bok Choy with Mushrooms	PDF
This is the first winter for The Organic Box, and so far we have had an incredible experience bringing fresh food to Edmonton and area doorsteps. We have followed some pretty creative delivery instructions to ensure boxes are not frozen (well done members!), and in the event that we do have a problem, we try to ensure that we address any issues. Your feedback is welcome and needed, it is an important part of our business and allows us to alter or adapt and to improve each week.
No. 34	Freezing in Mexico	How to Cook Beets My Grandma's Beet Soup (Borscht) Recipe Marinated Beet Salad	PDF
In early February, temperatures in northern Mexico plunged to record low levels, -8 degrees C in some areas. Hundreds of thousands of acres of producing farmland were damaged or destroyed. The same freezing temperatures also hit major producing areas in the winter growing regions of southern California.
No. 33	Winter Favourites	How to Cook Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Squash with Herb Butter	PDF
It’s the middle of winter and here at the Organic Box we are always working to find the balance between fresh, healthy greens from warmer places and Alberta-grown produce that has been cured for winter storage and made available to us during these cold months.
No. 32	Ethical Bananas	Banana Bread or Muffins	PDF
Once again we are featuring our most popular non-local item - Fair Trade Organic Bananas. If only we could grow them here! Did you know that although there are between 500 to 1000 types of bananas grown in the world, 99% of bananas exported to North America and Europe are of a single variety called Cavendish. This is the banana you are familiar with - yellow, sweet, uniformly-sized and seedless.
No. 31	Ataulfo What?	Ataulfo Mango with Sticky Rice Ataulfo Mango Lassi	PDF
Ataulfo Mangos are in a class by themselves. Sometimes referred to as Champagne, Honey Mangos or Manila Mangos, they boast a delicious flavor and a string-less interior that melts in your mouth. They are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Generally smaller than other mango varieties, they pack a powerful nutritional punch as a good source of Vitamins A and C, dietary fiber and Vitamin B-6. Ripe Ataulfos are bright yellow to orange, and give slightly to gentle pressure. Do not refrigerate. Enjoy them out of hand, in salads, as chutney, or even on the grill. When you taste the Ataulfo, you’ll discover why more than half the world considers the mango a staple food. But the best thing about Ataulfo mangoes is their smooth, buttery flesh with no strings or mango-hairs.
No. 30	Go go Mangos	Red Pepper Mango Onion Sauce Mellow Mango Pops Mango Bread Mango-Banana Oatmeal Muffins	PDF
Mango trees are evergreens that grow to 60 feet tall and there are over 1,000 different varieties of mangos throughout the world. Beyond being delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, mangos contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid and as a good tenderizing agent, and are therefore ideal to include in any marinade. Mangos are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as a good source of potassium and beta carotene.
No. 29	Happy Holidays!	Classic Baked Acorn Squash Recipe Spinach with Mushrooms and Garlic	PDF
The Organic Box will be closed from 4pm December 24, 2010 to 10am January 4, 2011. Please refer to the calendar below to see how this will affect you. If you are expecting a Saturday pickup box next week, it will be available for pickup on Christmas Eve. If you would normally have a box during the week of December 27, it will be cancelled entirely unless you get in touch with us and request it be rescheduled to either the week prior or week following the holiday break.
No. 28	Holiday Plans	Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples Spaghetti with Braised Kale	PDF
Product Updates - Our Milk launch has been delayed by a week due to some labeling issues at the dairy. We are optimistic that everything will be ready this week and we will start taking orders this weekend. The Choose Your Box page has also been enhanced to allow you to add items permanently to your regular delivery – this means you can add milk, eggs, bread or any of our other items to your order and have it automatically included whenever you have a box.
No. 27	Persimmons and Wine	Persimmon Sorbet Persimmon Cookies Persimmon Griddle Cakes	PDF
Product Updates - Local Organic Milk from Saxby Creamery will be available on ‘Choose Your Box’ this Friday. In addition, we have made an arrangement with a local wine expert to provide us a list of preferred Organic wines that cannot be easily found in Edmonton. The list will be posted on our website starting this weekend and they will offer home delivery if you choose to buy any of these wines.
No. 26	Milk, Snow and Holiday Plans	Glazed Apricot Carrots with Peppers Apple Carrot Salad	PDF
Exciting news! In about two weeks’ time, we will be offering local organic milk from Saxby Dairy! We’ve long had requests for organic milk and are so pleased to be able to offer it to you. We have toddlers and know how much milk they go through! Adding bread, then eggs, and now milk, the staples of the fridge and cupboard, all in our first year – we never would have imagined it around this time last year when The Organic Box was just an idea in Danny’s mind.
No. 25	Awesome Acorn Squash	Acorn Squash stuffed with Apples Curried Acorn Squash Classic Baked Acorn Squash Acorn Squash with Rice, Pineapple and Molasses	PDF
This week, we are all about the squash recipes. Thanks so much and enjoy the squash – it’s for more than just pureed baby food!
No. 24	Coffee & Pomegranates	Spinach and Pomegranate Salad	PDF
Welcome to the 24th 0of The Organic Box News. We hope you enjoy the many varieties of apples available this week, along with our ever-growing list of dry goods and staples - bread, eggs, raisins, flour, rice and ta-da coffee!
No. 23	Fair Trade Bananas	Horseradish Tastes Banana Bread	PDF
This week we are featuring a non-local item - Fair Trade Organic Bananas. If only we could grow them here! Did you know that although there are between 500 to 1000 types of bananas grown in the world, 99% of bananas exported to North America and Europe are of a single variety called Cavendish. This is the banana you are familiar with - yellow, sweet, uniformly-sized and seedless.
No. 22	Broccoli and Eggs	Stir-Fried Sesame Green Pepper and Broccoli Spinach with Mushrooms and Garlic	PDF
Welcome to the 22nd 0of The Organic Box News! For our biweekly members who missed last week’s newsletter, a reiteration of our sincere thanks to all our members for your support. Since we began in May, you have injected $60,000 into the Edmonton organic farming community! Your support means the world to local organic farming families. Thank you for choosing better taste and better health – thank you for choosing local organic!
No. 21	Leeks and Thanks!	Serving Ideas Healthy Saute Potato Leek Soup	PDF
Welcome to the 21st 0of The Organic Box News! We hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving full of amazing food. We want to thank all our members for your contributions to the local organic food community. Your membership purchases more than just healthy food on your doorstep; you are directly supporting local organic farming families. You are supporting a sustainable, healthy food economy in Northern Alberta. And since we began in May, you have injected $60,000 into the Edmonton organic farming community!
No. 20	Cooking Pumpkins & Tomato Soup	Pumpkin Pancakes Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Jenny's Homemade Tomato Soup	PDF
Welcome to the 20th 0of The Organic Box News! A couple of new additions are now available on the ‘Choose Your Box’ page.
No. 19	Cooking Pumpkins	Pumpkin Pancakes Toasted Pumpkin Seeds	PDF
Welcome to the 19th 0of The Organic Box News. We are featuring the Sundog Autumn Box add-on again this week, and hope you are enjoying the harvest season as much as we are. The fall colours are amazing this week.
No. 18	Italian Plums	Italian Plum Cake Grilled Plums with Balsamic and Black Pepper Syrup	PDF
Welcome to the 18th 0of The Organic Box News. Only 1 more week for the Fruit Box add-on! Catch the local harvest in our Farm Autumn Box add-on this week, running for a limited time only.
No. 17	Spaghetti Squash	How to Cook Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Squash with Butter	PDF
Welcome to the 17th 0of The Organic Box News. With the arrival of the harvest season, we are featuring a local Farm Autumn Box add-on which will showcase the local organic harvest. Running for a few weeks only, each week will feature one of three local organic farms, beginning with Sundog Organic. Look for it on the Choose Your Box page as a $40 add-on.
No. 16	Beautiful Beets	My Grandma's Beet Soup (Borscht) Recipe Marinated Beet Salad	PDF
Welcome to the 16th 0of The Organic Box News. Fall is in the air and students are returning to school – be sure your college-age children get all their vegetables by signing them up for an Organic Box Gift Membership. Their roommates will be glad you did!
No. 15	Salty Sea Asparagus - week 2	Sauteed Sea Asparagus Sea Asparagus Salad	PDF
Welcome to the 15th 0of The Organic Box News. We are featuring sea asparagus again for the benefit of our biweekly members. Glad so many people enjoyed this salty treat!
No. 14	Salty Sea Asparagus	Sauteed Sea Asparagus Sea Asparagus Salad	PDF
Welcome to the 14th 0of The Organic Box News. This week we are highlighting 3 of the local organic farms supplying the produce for your box - Sundog Organic, Peas on Earth, and Halwa Farms. Most organic farms are small, independent, family-run farms of less than 100 acres, and only 0.5% of farms in Alberta are organic!
No. 13	Kale - King of Calcium Week 2	Five quick easy ways to Eat Kale Spaghetti with Braised Kale Kale Tastes Stovetop Kale Green Kale Smoothie	PDF
Welcome to the 13th 0of The Organic Box News. We are featuring kale again this week for the benefit of our biweekly members who did not receive it and the yummy recipes last week. Additional kale recipes from last week (stovetop kale and green smoothie with kale) are also available in our online newsletter archive.
No. 12	Kale - King of Calcium	Five quick easy ways to Eat Kale Spaghetti with Braised Kale Kale Tastes Stovetop Kale Green Kale Smoothie	PDF
This week we launched the new ‘Choose your Box’ form and thank you to everyone who so patiently balanced their boxes this week! The form is a work in progress and we are working to make it easier to use. We appreciate your patience while we iron out the kinks.
No. 11	Thumbelina and Red Carrots	Sugarless Lemonade Farmer's Market Miso Soup	PDF
Welcome to the 11th 0of The Organic Box News. A big thank-you to James and Jennifer of Sundog Organic Farm and to all who came out for a wonderful farm afternoon! It was a pleasure to meet so many members. We hope you enjoyed seeing our warehouse, and of course a beautiful local organic farm. This week’s box contains dill, turnips, and carrots all from Sundog Organics. You saw it growing in the soil and now it’s in your box! Local, fresh, and organic! We had a wonderful time and hope you all did as well. Lovely to see so many kids having fun at the farm!
No. 10	Kohlrabi and Turnip	Kohlrabi with Peas and Potato Turnip and Kohlrabi Tastes	PDF
Welcome to the 10th 0of The Organic Box News. We are very excited for our first Organic Box event on Sunday, August 1st! Members will have a chance to see where their boxes are packed and to visit Sundog Organics, a local, family-run, organic farm. It will be a wonderful afternoon and we look forward to meeting so many of our members and their families. Rain or shine! We may be able to squeeze a couple more families aboard the bus, so check with us for availability if you haven’t rsvp’d and are still interested.
No. 9	Rainbow Swiss Chard - Week 2	Simple Sautéed Rainbow Swiss Chard leaves Grilled Rainbow Chard stems with Fava Beans and Oregano	PDF
Welcome to the 9th 0of The Organic Box News. Our first Organic Box event is on Sunday, August 1st! James and Jennifer at Sundog Organics have invited members to enjoy an afternoon at their farm. Bring along the kids and see where your food is grown. Kids can sit on a tractor and play in the sunshine. Organic produce will be available to purchase at the farm. Limited space available, details and rsvp info to follow via email.
No. 8	Rainbow Swiss Chard - Week 1	Rainbow Swiss Chard Pesto Simple Sautéed Rainbow Swiss Chard leaves Grilled Rainbow Chard stems with Fava Beans and Oregano	PDF
Welcome to the 8th 0of The Organic Box News. This is the first week of the Organic Fruit Box add-on! The Organic Fruit Box add-on is a $40 biweekly delivery of 8-10 fresh, ripe, organic fruits such as pit fruit, berries and melons. How nice it is to come home to 2 boxes of organic goodness on your doorstep!
No. 7	Sample Spinach Mustard	Rhubarb Soup Browned Butter Pasta with Tatsoi Tatsoi Salad Tatsoi with Mushrooms and Indian Spices	PDF
Welcome to the 7th 0of The Organic Box News! This is the first week of our new delivery day schedule (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) and already we have seen the benefits with harvesting right before delivery. Pushing back the deliveries by an extra day means that some of your produce will be only 1 day old!
No. 6	Re-Imagine Rhubarb	Rhubarb and Sticky Ginger Crumble Rustic Rhubarb Tart Fresh Rhubarb Relish Rhubarb Salsa	PDF
Welcome to the 6th issue of The Organic Box News! Due to the Canada Day holiday, Thursday deliveries have been moved to Wednesday this week. Other delivery days are unaffected. However, starting the week of July 5th, we will be changing our delivery days to Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The change helps our farmers to ensure freshness, and helps you to get your box in a timely fashion. We will send an email to members regarding the new schedules.
No. 5	Beautiful Bok Choy	Care Instructions for Organic Whole Wheat Flour Bok Choy and Mushrooms	PDF
Welcome to the 5th issue of The Organic Box News. We are very pleased to have Stone Ground Organic Whole Wheat Flour from Halwa Farms in the box this week as a treat for our members. It was ground on Monday! I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a bag of flour in my cupboard for over 6 months and I don’t know when it was ground or how long it was on the shelf before I bought it. Enjoy the taste and nutritional value of freshly ground whole wheat flour. For freshness store it in the freezer. Sift for any non-loaf uses such as pancakes or angel food cakes. You can also blend it with white flour for a lighter taste. Happy baking!
No. 4	Beautiful Bok Choy	Bok Choy and Mushrooms You Won't Believe it's Cauliflower Pizza Crust	PDF
Welcome to the 4th issue of The Organic Box News! With summer on our doorstep and the abundance of organic fruit becoming available, we will soon introduce The Organic Fruit Box as a summer-only add-on. The Organic Fruit Box will contain all the cherries, pit fruit, berries, and amazing fruit that we can’t fit into your regular Box. Details will be posted soon and sent out to members.
No. 3	Introducing Arugula	Arugula Orange and Walnut Wild Arugula Salad The Shared Heap	PDF
Welcome to the third issue of The Organic Box News! We are very excited that local food is growing in both quantity and variety now that the Alberta season has begun and the crops are in the ground. This week nearly a third of the box is local: rhubarb, green onions, spinach and arugula from Peas on Earth and Sundog Organics. Bok choy will be coming soon, along with root vegetables, more pit fruit varieties and berries galore. Would any one like to see organic grains and cereals? Let us know!
No. 2	Rethink Radish	Radishes Roasted Radishes with Soy Sause and Toasted Sesame Seed The Shared Heap	PDF
Welcome to the second issue of The Organic Box News! The newsletter provides members with a list of their weekly Box contents, along with useful tips and news regarding composting, the sustainability fund, and organic food stories and recipes. Please send all your stories, recipes and ideas to Miranda at miranda@theorganicbox.ca.
No. 1	Discover Sunchokes	Sunchokes Scalloped Sunchokes	PDF
Welcome to the first issue of The Organic Box News! The newsletter provides members with a list of their weekly Box contents, along with useful tips and news regarding composting, the sustainability fund, and organic food stories. We hope that all members will feel free to contribute their recipes, tips, stories, feedback, or anything at all pertaining to our local organic food community. Along with The Organic Box (Edmonton) Facebook page, we hope that the newsletter will become a place for members to interact and to share their local organic food experiences.