New Take on Green Bean Casserole

 Want to update that green bean casserole you’ve been making these last few holidays? Try upgrading it by  using fresh green beans and wine infused mushrooms.

 Ingredients

 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups chopped sweet onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced button mushrooms

1/3 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Click to see savings1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

Click to see savings1 cup (about 2 ounces) canned fried onions (such as French's)

Click to see savi1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Place beans into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Place beans in a large bowl; set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and thyme to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in wine, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in chicken broth; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Add mushroom mixture to green beans; toss well. Place green bean mixture in a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Combine fried onions and grated cheese in a small bowl. Top green bean mixture evenly with fried onion mixture. Bake at 425° for 17 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Serves 8

Recipe By: David Bonom

Eat More Chocolate

Trying to be healthy during the holidays doesn’t have to be strenuous. Consume foods that have shown to deliver health benefits, such as chocolate.  Chocolate gets a bad reputation for being a diet killer, but studies have shown that chocolate can be beneficial to your health.  Chocolate contains two antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids, both which help to reduce cholesterol. The best kind of chocolate is dark chocolate. Research has shown that eating the equivalent of 30 calories of dark chocolate a day can help to lower systolic blood pressure by 2.9 millimeters of mercury. Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa.  Although chocolate provides health benefits, it is important to consume it in moderation.

Not meeting your daily goal of fruits? Put some chocolate on it, such as strawberries, bananas, and apples.  Chocolate covered fruit provides all the benefits of fruit and the antioxidants in chocolate.

 

 

Thanksgiving Recipes

With the holiday approaching, I thought providing organic cranberry recipes would be helpful to those who enjoy eating organic. These are two simple recipes that I hope makes your holiday taste healthier.

 

Organic Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Plan ahead! Cranberry sauce needs to chill in your refrigerator for at least three hours before your feast. It is best to make it the night before Thanksgiving.

Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally for five minutes:

·         2 cups of organic sugar or sucant (sucant will give you a darker colored sauce)
·         2 cups of water

Then Add:

·         4 cups fresh organic cranberries
·         1 tablespoon grated orange peel (optional)

Boil for at least five minutes longer or until cranberries pop. The cranberries must pop to release the natural pectin that will thicken your cranberry sauce. Refrigeration for at least three hours before Thanksgiving.   

 

Cranberry Bread

Prep time 5 min

Cooking time 60 min
 
·         1 packet simply organic Banana Bread Mix
·         2 large eggs
·         ¾ cup water
·         1 cup dried, chopped cranberries

 

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Empty contents of bread mix into mixing bowl. Add eggs, water and chopped cranberries. Stir just until mixture is evenly moist. Spread batter in greased 9”x 4” loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until center tests done with a toothpick or knife. Cool for 15 minutes in pan, then remove loaf from pan and finish cooling on rack.

Makes 15 servings.

Chef Suggests: After bread is cooled, drizzle with an orange glaze of icing. To make glaze, mix 2 cups powdered sugar, ⅓ cup melted butter, ¼ cup milk and 1 to 2 teaspoons orange extract.

 

 

The Benefits of Organic Foods

Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat.

Organic food is often fresher. Fresh food tastes better. Organic food is usually fresher when eaten because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.

Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution (air, water, soil), conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. In addition, organic farming is better for birds and small animals as chemical pesticides can make it harder for creatures to reproduce and can even kill them. Farming without pesticides is also better for the people who harvest our food.

Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts. The use of antibiotics in conventional meat production helps create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. This means that when someone gets sick from these strains they will be less responsive to antibiotic treatment. Not feeding animal byproducts to other animals reduces the risk of mad cow disease (BSE). In addition, the animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, both of which help to keep the animals healthy. The more crowded the conditions, the more likely an animal is to get sick.

Pumkin Pie Cupcakes

A holiday favorite is now baked into cupcake form! This is not pumpkin pie flavored frosting, this is actual pumpkin pie filled into a piping bag and used as frosting on cupcakes. Hope you enjoy this creative twist on the pumpkin pie classic we all love.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Yields: 15 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 cups sugar

1/2 tbsn. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk, divided

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

For the graham cracker crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsn. light brown sugar

3 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

For the pumpkin pie frosting:

2 large eggs, beaten

1 can (16 oz.) pureed pumpkin

2 tbsn. molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tbsn. flour

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

The "frosting" should be made first as it takes the longest to bake and needs to cool before using. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients until well combined. Pour the filling into a 9-inch round pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 F and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the filling comes out clean. Let cool completely before using.

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. In another bowl, blend the eggs, egg white, remaining 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Set aside.

To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Add 1 tbs. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner and bake for 5 minutes until the graham crackers are golden. Remove from the oven then fill about 1/2 full with the cake batter. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. To frost, scoop the pumpkin pie "frosting" into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.

Zucchini Carrot Cake with Mapel Brown Sugar Frosting

Indulge in a moist and spicy Zucchini Carrot Cake smothered in a dreamy layer of Cream Cheese Frosting with a hint of maple and brown sugar

If you are a  fan of Carrot Cake this recipe has the surprise element of zucchini in it. The zucchini makes the cake moist. And, moist means delicious.

Zucchini Carrot Cake

adapted from TasteofHome

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Beat sugar and eggs until frothy. Whisk in canola oil.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a separate bowl. Beat into egg mixture until well combined.
3. Fold in carrots, zucchini and walnuts.
4. Pour into 2 greased 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Let cool 5-10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting.

Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting

• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Cream together cream cheese, butter and brown sugar. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla until well blended. Spread onto cooled cake.

* This has a very light maple and brown sugar flavor. Feel free to add more of either to suite your taste.

This is the perfect cake to enjoy that fall produce. Enjoy!

Juices!

Since the weather in Southern California doesn't seem to be cooling down anytime soon, we thought it would be a good idea for you to use your fresh organic produce to make healthy and refreshing juices.
Here are four ideas for you to try. The quantities of each fruit and vegetable will depend on your taste, so just play with them to find something you like!

Let us know what you think, and enjoy your weekend :)

How to Store Your Fresh Produce

So now that you know where to find deliciously fresh produce, do you know how to properly store them? Most of people don't, but here's a brief list of the most common veggies and fruits and where you should store them:

For a more detailed list that includes tips on how to preserve different types of produce, check out this page from the Berkeley Farmers' Market!

Enjoy your week and stay healthy :)

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Here is a recipe where you can put those seasonal super ingredients to use on a cold night:

Total Time: 30 min.
-Prep 20 min
-Cook 10 min
3-4 servings
Level: Easy

Soup:
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade.
1 quart roasted winter vegetables (recipe to follow)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups of chicken stock.  Coarsely puree the Roasted Winter Vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or use handheld blender).  Pour the soup back into the pot and season, to taste.  Thin with more chicken stock and reheat.  The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until its the consistency you like.

Roasted Winter Vegetables: 
1 pound carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat over to 425 degrees F

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes.  All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.
Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 sheet pans.  Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Fall is Here!

Eating seasonally and locally is a great way to stretch your food budget in an environmentally friendly way.  Here are some of the seasonal organic produce we now have available:

• Squash- Squash is high in vitamins A and C, which aid your body's metabolic functioning and help ward off chronic illnesses.
• Sweet Potato- Contain 377% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A per cup! Sweet potatos are also high in potassium and fiber.
• Apples- High in vitamin C and dietary fiber.
• Pumpkin- Boasting high levels of a variety of vitamins and minerals including: iron, magnesium, niacin, potassium, vitamin A and C!
• Mushrooms- High in vitamin C, iron, potassium and zinc.
• Pears- Tired of apples? Try their sister fruit, high in fiber and vitamin C.
• Figs- High in dietary fiber.
• Beets- High in fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamin C. 
• Cauliflower- Vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C.
• Cabbage- High in vitamins C and B6, potassium, magnesium, thiamin, and dietary fiber.
• Carrots- One cup provides 428% of one's daily recommended amount of vitamin A!
• Winter Citrus Fruit- Mandarin oranges, tangerines, blood oranges and clementines- ALL very high in vitamin C- which helps with immunity to fight the flu!
• Potatoes- In most basic form, potatoes provide an abundance of vitamins C and B6 as well as potassium, the skin on a large potato also provides 32% of your daily fiber intake.
• Broccoli- High in vitamins A, B6, and C, also very high in potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber.

Request these seasonal super ingredients in your box today!

The Organic Craze

Organic isn’t just a label for fruits and vegetables.  Now-a-days we are seeing organic products everywhere.  There is organic clothing, sheets, bedding, mattresses, skincare product, and even organic furniture.  So how can so many products be classified under the same definition.  

Organic simply means that the product was produce without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizer, sewage sludge, radiation, or growth hormones.  Organic clothing is manufactured in compliance with the USDA organic agricultural standards.  Some of the various materials organic clothing may be composed of are cotton, jute, silk, ramie, or wool.

It is important to know that there has yet to be any definitive research that shows that organic is more nutritious or beneficial to our overall health.  Some people feel that organic clothing is a good alternative for people who are allergic to the chemicals found in clothes. What influences a person’s decision to buy organic is based on their preference and environmental philosophy.



Who You Callin' Pumpkin?

Now that it is offcially fall, it's time break out all the seasonal recipes.  October always makes me think of pumpkins.  Instead of carving a jack-o-lantern or making a creative floral arrangment try using the pumpkin as a source of nutrition. Pumpkins are a healthy choice, low in calories and an excellent source of vitamin A. As a seasonal treat try this receipe for pumpkin bread.

2/3 cup shortening
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts
2/3 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans (9x5x3) inches. 

Mix shortening and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs, pumpkin and water. Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into pans. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes; cool slightly. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing. To store, wrap and refrigerate no longer than 10 days.

*Don't like pumpkin, try zucchini.
Substitute 3 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium) for the pumpkin. Blend in 2 teaspoons vanilla with the cloves. Decrease baking time to 60 to 70 minutes.

Fresh Fruit Salad

Everyone wants to enjoy something refreshing on days like today. It is hot, so you do not want to eat something that is warm. Treat yourself to a delightful mixture of fresh organic fruit salad.

This is a light and easy snack to make that serves 6.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 pineapple

½ watermelon, seeded

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1 cup black or red seedless grapes

1 cup of blueberries

¼ cup blue agave

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Mint for garnish

 

Directions:

Make sure the pineapple is stable on your cutting board, cut the pineapple in half lengthwise.

Using an ice-cream baller, scoop the pineapple into balls, set aside.

In a large ceramic bowl, combine the agave, lime juice, lemon juice, lime peel. Add pineapple balls, watermelon, strawberries, grapes and blueberries. Toss gently to combine.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes to combine the favors. Spoon the fruit mixture into pineapple halves.

Garnish with mint and serve

Organic Agriculture

 

 

Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. It includes a system of production, processing, distribution and sales that assures consumers that the products maintain the organic integrity that begins on the farm.

National organic standards set out the methods, practices and substances used in producing and handling crops, livestock and processed agricultural products. The standards include a national list of approved synthetic and prohibited non-synthetic substances for organic production.

There are many regulations in growing organic products. Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organically produced foods also must be produced without any of the following ingredients: antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation. Cloning animals is also considered inconsistent with organic practices. Organic foods are to be minimally processed without any artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.

 

Why Eat Organic Foods?

There are many reasons to eat organic foods. Reason vary from person to person.  It can be a specific reason, or just the simple fact you watch carefully what enters your body. The reason Fresh Sun Organics is around is, not just to deliver the freshest fruits and vegetables to your door, but to cater to the population that eats organic foods and are concerned about all the chemicals that most  produce items are covered in!

We also believe that eating organically is beneficial to ones health because your foods aren't covered in pesticides!  There's nothing worse then worrying about what you are putting into your body.  You want to confindent that the foods that are entering your body are going to help you and keep you heatlhy throughout your lifetime.

Why do you eat organic foods? Is it to benefit your health? Or is it because your household shopper buys foods this way? Do you support sustainable farming to avoid industrial agriculture?

We would love to hear from you and see why others choose organic foods! Let us get to know you a little bit more!

Get to know us here at Fresh Sun Organics!!

Fresh Sun Organics was started by a group of students to incorporate the fast growing green market economy that has become so popular throughout the country. Let me start off by letting you know what Fresh Sun Organics is all about!

Our business will be selling a variety of organic fruits and vegetables for home delivery to Orange County households.  Our selection of fruits and vegetables come from two Orange County farms: Tanaka Farms Produce Stand and South Coast Farms. We chose our farms for the reason that they were the most certified as well as we as a company wanted to provide you, our customers, with only the freshest, most healthy fruits and vegetables.  That’s why each box will be insulated and delivered in a refrigerated truck once a week to customers at a specified time. 

By creating a profile you will be able to select the exact fruits and vegetables you would like to purchase.  Your profile and shopping list will also help us customize recipes to include in your produce delivery.  Once you have completed a profile and shopping list, you can select between small, medium, and large boxes for once a week delivery.  Each box would contain only the fruits and vegetables you as our customer selected on for your shopping list.  A small box would contain about ten different fruits and vegetables, a medium box would contain about twenty, and a large box would contain about thirty different fruits and vegetables. These various box sizes allow us as a company to accommodate your family size and produce demand. Product selection will vary depending on the seasons. 

 As of 9/20/12 the following fruits and vegetables will be offered for selection:

• Avocados
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chard
• Cilantro
• Gold beets
• Grapefruit
• Green apples
• Green cabbage
• Green leaf lettuce
• Hakurei (Japanese turnips)
• Kale
• Kiwi
• Lemons
• Lettuce head
• Navel oranges
• Onions
• Parsley
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Purple cabbage
• Purple kohlrabi
• Radishes
• Red apples
• Red beets
• Red leaf lettuce
• Romaine
• Romanesco
• Seedless watermelon
• Snap peas
• Spinach
• Strawberries

We look forward to working with you and making sure only the best and most fresh fruits and vegetables arrive at your door!