Quinoa

NPR recently reported on the increasing demand for quinoa--Bolivian farmers cannot plant enough. Prices are rising. Red quinoa has become scarce and is no longer available in bulk. We were able to find Eden packaged red quinoa, currently at a price similar to the bulk price. It is being sold on the endcap across from the cheese.

Another bulk update plus, plus

TVP, or Texturized Vegetable Protein, is being discontinued in the bulk bins. TVP was a very slow seller. We are adding packaged Bob Red Mills organic TVP in Aisle 2A. Bob's TVP is a different texture but it is organic. Vegetarians may rely on TVP as a meat substitute, but it is hard to equate a highly processed product made with non-organic soybeans as health food. I had to resort to Wikipedia to jog my memory as to exactly what TVP is, but I read no further than "fibrous lamination of thermoplastic soy flour.."

The good news is that organic red quinoa is once again available in bulk. And if that isn't enough quinoa diversity, there is now Alter Eco black quinoa in Aisle 6A.

Alter Eco is a company specializing in Fair Trade products from cooperatives around the world.
We have just added two olive oils, "Planted, picked, and processed by fair trade cooperatives in Palestine, Jenin, West Bank," re Alter Eco's website.

Recipes for Health

When the New York Times speaks, our members shop. We try to keep up to date, but, hey, we didn't know the Times was going to post a recipe featuring farro late Friday. We do sell farro (aisle 6A), but only a case or two a week. So don't expect to find any on Monday--our next delivery will be later in the week.

This week Martha Rose Shulman is featuring recipes using whole grains in her Recipes for Health column. I primarily read the Times online and surprisingly usually do not find this column in the Dining and Wine section. I access it through the Health section. I find her column is a terrific resource--she is systematically going through the vegetables plus other basic foods, usually offering a week of daily recipes of a food, for example beets or even stale bread. These recipes don't require much preparation and include soups, salads, entrees, and sides. The point is that even if you are not a skilled cook and don't have a lot of time, you can make delicious and healthy food. She indicates which ingredients can be prepared in advance, i.e., cook the farro the night before while you are watching TV, and then the dish will be easy to assemble when you get home from work the next day. These recipes are neatly archived on the Times website. Have chard in the fridge? Click on its photo and see your options.

Earlier in the week, she posted a recipe for red quinoa--which she called "royal." Shulman wrote that red quinoa has more protein than white. I did a little Googling, and the nutritional info I came up with showed white and red equally high in protein. Quinoa is one of the highest protein grains. We sell more than 400 pounds of white quinoa/week. Only a case or two of red quinoa (Aisle 6A). Both are organic. I bought extra red quinoa--so give it a try.