Saturday, January 31, 2015

Super Bowl Guide Reminder

If you are still angsting about what to serve for the Super Bowl tomorrow, here's a reminder about the post I did with some guides to help you out. Or better yet, just chill out and get a bucket or two of chicken wings, nearly half off this weekend at Whole Foods.

Friday, January 30, 2015

Cured Does Giant Sandwiches For Super Bowl

If you are looking for a classy twist for your Super Bowl festivities, consider the huge sandwiches being offered by Cured, and note that they need to be pre-ordered by today. Here's what they say:

Super Bowl Sunday Foot…and a half…long Sandos! It’s that time of the year again, the time when large men in tight pants run around, tackling each other and chasing a ball, giving the rest of us an excuse to kick back, relax, turn on the TV and enjoy the ultimate American spectacle…hopefully fueled with good snacks and plenty of libations. We happen Normandy
to love the Super Bowl here at Cured, perhaps because of the excuse it gives us to make massive charcuterie platters and enjoy the bevy of Colorado craft brews at our fingertips. For the past 3 years, each Super Bowl Sunday we’ve had far too much fun creating massive foot…and a half…long sandwiches, perfect to be sliced into bite sized pieces and shared with a big ol platter of meat and a group of friends, or, for those of you a bit more ambitious, to be enjoyed by yourself with a good six pack of beer :-) Made on an entire baguette, each sandwich is the size of 3 normal Cured concoctions, and can be left whole or sliced up depending on your whim and fancy. This Sunday, we are offering our most classic of sandwiches: The Spicy Frenchman (brie, butter, French ham and peach jalapeno jam); the American Classic (rustic salami, sharp Wisconsin cheddar, Dijon mustard, aioli and romaine); and the Mediterranean (our veggie classic with house made hummus, olive tapenade, feta cheese, sliced cucumbers and oxford gardens greens). Large sandos cost $25 each and must be ordered by Friday at close.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Chicken Wing Bucket Sale!

Whole Foods is doing a slew of specials for this Super Bowl weekend, but the one I've been waiting for is their chicken wing bucket sale, nearly half off at $7.99 each for tomorrow through Sunday. The only reasons I look forward to the Super Bowl are for the commercials and my once a year indulgence in Whole Foods' incredible chicken wings.

Also on sale tomorrow through Sunday, you'll find three types of Olli salami at $7.99 each, cooked shrimp $14.99 a pound, baby boules $1.50 each, and 365 chia seeds $4 off at $9.99 each. And in a one week sale that started yesterday and runs through February 3rd, Hass avocados are $1.25 each. They'd have to be very large avocados to beat Sprouts' sale this week, with Hass avocados 49 cents there.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

One Day Sale At Whole Foods Today

Or technically next to Whole Foods, as the wine, beer and liquor shop adjoining the Pearl Street Whole Foods is doing 20% off all beer today, in preparation for Sunday's game.

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

We have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts and Whole Foods stores. I stopped by Vitamin Cottage yesterday and confirmed that they remain on hiatus as far as their big Hotline sale goes, although there are specials to encounter as you walk around the store. No word from their customer service regarding when the next Hotline might be. Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts just for this Friday through Sunday, all fresh chicken sausage (pork also) will be $3 a pound, a good price for them these days, but the Lucky's Market in Longmont has had their own fresh chicken sausage for just $1.99 a pound all week, ending today. In Sprout's regular sale through February 4th, I'm liking boneless pork loin chops for just $1.99 a pound, value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts also $1.99 a pound, their own very good stuffed chicken breasts $2.99 a pound ($1 less than their usual sale these days), and ground chicken breast or turkey breast $3.99 a pound. In fish, previously frozen Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets are $9.99 a pound, Peruvian sea scallops are $7.99 a pound, fresh farmed tilapia is $4.99 a pound, and 26/30 count cooked shrimp are $9.99 a pound.

In produce, while I usually buy organic, the big news to me this week is conventional, with Hass avocados 49 cents each (guacamole for the game of course), and asparagus $1.99 a pound. Back to organic produce, red bell peppers are 99 cents each, celery bunches or one pound bags of baby carrots are $1.50 each, butternut or spaghetti squash are both 99 cents a pound, table carrots are $2.99 for a five pound bag, grape tomatoes are $2.50 a pint, and Braeburn and red delicious apples are both 99 cents a pound. Elsewhere in the store, there's a 25% off bulk trail mix sale (over 25 varieties), some game day snacks are 25% off (I see my favorite rice chips in the picture), and some Annie's organic salad dressings are $2.99 each.

In Whole Foods' new sale through February 10th, Whole Trade pineapples are $3.50 each (they're $1.99 each at Sprouts but without that pedigree), organic Gala apples are $1.68 a pound, organic cauliflower is $1.98 a pound, and Brussels sprouts, presumably conventional, are also $1.98 a pound. Sockeye salmon fillets with a fine pedigree are $13.99 a pound, very fine American Homestead pork loin chops are $5.99 a pound, and turkey breast tenders or ground turkey are also $5.99 a pound. (Whole Foods and Sprouts are running quite a bit in parallel this week, underscoring the question of how much to pay for that pedigree.) Spectrum chia seeds are very good at $7.99 a bag, some Amy's pizzas are $4.99 each, Cotswold cheese is $6 off at $12.99 a pound, Late July crackers are $2.50 a box, and Andalou Naturals lotion or shower gel are both half off at $4.99 each.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

National Chocolate Cake Day

There's a holiday for everything. Just passing along that today is National Chocolate Cake Day, if you're looking for an excuse to indulge.

Lundberg Rice Bags Not On Sale

I was bummed but not surprised to find that bags of basic (and rather pricey) Lundberg rice are not part of the current Gluten Free Favorites sale at Sprouts through tomorrow. That used to be a great way to stock up on a staple, but I guess Sprouts wised up to it. There are plenty of other temptations, though, including Lundberg's rice cakes, for those who are into those. In addition to stocking up on my usual Nut Thins, Crunchmasters, Pamela's cookies and the like, I strayed into temptation territory by picking up a couple of products new to me. I've been seeing freekeh, one of those up and coming ancient grains, getting mentioned rather frequently these days, so I picked up a bag to try. It looks like it cooks quite quickly, unlike some of the other alternate grains. I also succumbed to the convenience of a box of Lundberg traditional Italian risotto, the porcini mushroom variety, when I usually make that kind of thing from scratch. There are lots of Lundberg products included in the sale - just not their one pound bags of basic rice like brown or basmati.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Bike To Work Day Wednesday

In addition to the ever-popular Bike to Work Day that happens in June, Boulder has added a winter day that will be this Wednesday the 28th. With the incredible springlike weather we've been having recently (like near 70 today???), it should be a great time for biking, although Wednesday should be just a bit more moderate in the 50s. As with the summer bike day, free breakfast is available for bikers, although in fewer locations than in summer. Look here to check out the list of breakfast stations. You can also register your ride to be eligible for prizes.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Super Bowl Party Ideas

I view the Super Bowl merely as an excuse to dive headfirst into a bucket of chicken wings from Whole Foods, and they do a great special on those so reliably for the game, I'd just about bet that's coming up this week (stay tuned). If you are more ambitious in your planning, here are a few guides to help you out: Super Bowl Party Recipes and Drinks from Epicurious, Super Bowl Recipes from Food and Wine magazine, and Our Ultimate Super Bowl Party Guide from Bon Appetit. I might just have to be sure some classic New England dish is on my table, despite deflate-gate.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Real Food For Real Kids

If you are interested in the future of healthy food for kids, this talk is for you this coming Tuesday, with thanks to the Boulder Farmers' Market for giving me a heads up on it. Here are the details from BFM:

Tuesday, January 27: 6-7:30pm
Real Food for Real Kids talk with Chef Ann Cooper, Casey Middle School in Boulder
Two of the nation's strongest advocates for healthy food for our kids live and work right here in Boulder. Don't miss this informational and engaging evening with Ann Cooper, Director of Food Services for the Boulder Valley School District and Robyn O'Brien, food advocate, as they discuss the future of healthy food for our kids at home and at school. Be a part of the discussion as they help us untangle and understand the challenges of our food system and how it affects the long-term health of all of us. For more information on BVSD's LifelongLearning program, visit BVSD.org/lll

Friday, January 23, 2015

Lucky's Community Health Fair

Don't know what's involved, but tomorrow the 24th from 11 to 2, the Lucky's Market in Boulder will host what their calendar dubs a Community Health Fair.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Payment Changes With The Times

Sprouts is now accepting Apple Pay, which Whole Foods has been doing for some time. Also, Whole Foods has little signs at its registers saying that as of the 17th, a few days ago, they will no longer accept checks. I can't remember the last time I wrote a check in a grocery store, and will be glad to no longer have to stand behind someone who is, but if they ever stop taking debit cards, I'm sunk.

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

Whole Foods has a lot going on in the next few days, starting with a one-day sale on bison tomorrow, with ground buffalo, shoulder roast, and stew meat all $6.99 a pound, all 30% off. There are also five items on sale for the whole weekend, tomorrow through Sunday. The about 1.5 ounce Evolution bars are $1.25 each, jumbo Bairdi snow crab legs are $3 off at $12.99 a pound, half pound Truroots sprouted pastas are half off at $2 each, Amazing Grass wheat grass is better than half off at $12.99 each, and 15 ounce Evolution juices are up to 30% off, says to check with the store for details.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Today

For today only, the 21st, Organic Valley's Kingdom English cheddar is two for $8, $7.99 off. When they word it that way, it's hard to tell whether the amount off is each or for two, probably the latter.

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

We have a new sale starting today at our Boulder Sprouts stores, while the current one at Whole Foods continues through January 27th. Vitamin Cottage has been on hiatus in terms of its big Hotline sale, but I need to see if that's still the case. Here's what's looking good to me now.

The news to me at Sprouts through January 28th is sale prices on gluten-free items. Unlike in the past, when they've put all gluten-free products at one fixed discount, this one looks to vary from item to item, so you'll just have to look to see how your favorites might be discounted. Some products are up to 35% off regular retail (including all Udi's and Glutino items that high), and others I'm seeing include yummy Pamela's cookies $2.50 a box, Pirates Booty $2 a bag, San-J sauces $2.50 a bottle, and Van's cereal or snacks at 30% off (all say "select varieties"). I just hope my favorite Lundberg rice bags are included, as that would be a great time to stock up.

In meat and fish at Sprouts, chicken breast tenders are $1.99 a pound, bone-in New York steaks are $5.99 a pound, all chicken sausage is $3.99 a pound, ground chicken breast or turkey breast are both also $3.99 a pound, bone-in pork country style ribs or shoulder roast are $2.99 a pound, and in fish, fresh farmed salmon fillets are $5.99 a pound.

In organic produce, red, yellow or orange bell peppers are $1.25 each, butternut or spaghetti squash are 99 cents each, Gala or red delicious apples are also 99 cents each, green curly kale or red or rainbow chard are all $1.50 a bunch, grape tomatoes are $2.50 a pint, and Valencia oranges or grapefruit are both $2.50 for a four pound bag. In conventional produce, looks like it's already time to be on the watch for asparagus, as it's $2.50 a pound, and even less at Safeway, where I don't usually shop ($1.99 there). Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking Voskos Greek yogurts for 99 cents each.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Kudos For Bramble & Hare

Eric Skokan's Bramble & Hare, sister to his Black Cat restaurant, gets the nod from Food and Wine magazine in its list of Best Bar Food in the U.S.  And this is on top of that wonderful new cookbook he released just a few weeks ago, featuring a year of recipes from his Black Cat Farm. Guess I need to start drinking (and eating) more.

Lucky's Gluten Free Fair

According to its calendar, the Lucky's Market in Boulder will host a gluten free fair tomorrow, the 21st, from 3 to 6 pm. That also is double ad Wednesday, so a good day for shopping.

Free Chiropractic At Whole Foods

This Saturday, the 24th, the Whole Foods in Superior will have Dr. Shane Kurth of Apex Chiropractic in the cafe from noon to 4, where you can stop by for a free visit. Here's what Whole Foods says:

DR. SHANE KURTH- APEX CHIROPRACTIC
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24TH
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
SUPERIOR WHOLE FOODS MARKET CAFE, FREE
Saturday, January 24
12:00pm-4:00pm
Dr. Shane Kurth- Apex Chiropractic
Free
Stop by and visit with Dr. Shane located in our Café- Dr. Shane the owner of Apex Chiropractic uses state-of the-art technology in order to give each person the Specific scientific chiropractic care that they deserve in order to allow you to reach your optimal health level.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Cooking With Winter Staples Class

Here's a class we could all use about now, cooking with winter staples this Thursday the 22nd from 6 to 7 pm at the Whole Foods in Superior. It's free, but note they would like you to sign up in advance. Here's the word from them (and these things always cut off on the right, sorry):
-
HEALTHY COOKING CLASS-"WINTER STAPLES AND VALUE COOKING
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22ND
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
SUPERIOR WHOLE FOODS MARKET CAFE, FREE
Thursday, January 22
6:00pm-7:00pm
Healthy Eating Class- “Winter Staples and Value Cooking”
Free
Join Stephanie for this healthy eating Cooking Class which will include winter staples to create amazing recipes with Value added! Please sign up at our Customer Service Desk or emailrm.sup.events@wholefoods.com

Sunday, January 18, 2015

$10 Off $50 At Alfalfa's

I've gotten an email from Alfalfa's saying if you like them on Facebook (at either store, Boulder or Louisville, or maybe even both), you'll get an offer for $10 off your $50 purchase. Not bad.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Time To Start Thinking About Your CSA

Given that today might top 60 degrees, this doesn't have quite the impact it would if it were 9 degrees and snowing, but I just got an email from beloved Red Wagon Organic Farm that they are now taking subscriptions for this year's CSA, a reminder that spring will come sooner than we realize. You can check out their options here, and of the several CSA options we have in the area, I particularly liked Red Wagon because of its biweekly pickup option, plus the convenience of the day, time, and location choice that's close to me. Hope I'll have some time in the future to cover some of the other local CSA options. Last year's inaugural experience for us was a learning experience, very fun, and delicious and healthy on top of that.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

Our local Whole Foods stores will offer us a trio of special sales for tomorrow through Sunday. Gluten free mini brownie bites by Flax for Life will be $5 each, $1.99 off (I'd presume that's for some sort of container of them, not one mini bite!), the large 32 ounce size of Very Emollient body lotion by Alba (original and unscented) will be $9.99 each, $7 off, and sunglasses by ICU will be half price. Cute name for a company in the sunglasses business.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Today

For today, the 14th, the olive bar at Whole Foods will be $3 off at $6.99 a pound. But a hint - at least at the Pearl Street store, where the olive bar is so extensive it requires two huge cases and includes all kinds of other great things like artichokes and fresh pesto, it is $6.99 every Thursday. I sure hope they intend to keep it that way.

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

We have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts and Whole Foods stores, while if I was told correctly, Vitamin Cottage should still be on sale hiatus, at least as far as its big long lasting Hotline sale goes. Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts, first of all, don't forget that with their double ad Wednesdays, today is the last day of the big Vitamin and Body Care Extravaganza, with that whole department 25% off. Second, there's a 72 hour sale for this Friday through Sunday, where I'm eyeing jumbo Hass avocados for $1 each (pretty good if they're really jumbo), value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.79 a pound, previously frozen Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets $7.99 a pound, 6 year aged extra sharp cheddar $5.99 a pound, and Spectrum chia seeds (great on salads) $6.99 for a 12 ounce bag. Moving on to their new sale through January 21st, I'm liking all fresh chicken sausage (pork also) for $3.99 a pound, stuffed chicken breasts also $3.99 a pound, fresh ground pork (good in Asian dishes) yet again $3.99 a pound, and previously frozen mahi mahi fillets (good for fish tacos but I don't think I've had it from Sprouts) for $4.99 a pound. There's also a Buffalo Stampede will all types of bison on sale, but I'm not a bison person, and I'm otherwise not seeing much of my faves in this week's meat and fish.

In organic produce at Sprouts, eggplant or pints of grape tomatoes are just $1.50 each, red, yellow or orange bell peppers are also $1.50 each, Granny Smith and Fuji apples are both $1.50 a pound, broccoli is also $1.50 a pound, 5.6 ounce blackberries are $2.50 a container, and four pound bags of Valencia oranges or grapefruit are also $2.50 each. When you consider four pounds versus 5.6 ounces, looks like the citrus eaters definitely have the advantage. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking WholeSoy organic soy yogurts for 89 cents each, frozen Alexia potatoes $2.50 a bag (the sweet potato fries are really good if I'm too lazy to make my own), some Barbara's cereals just $2.50 a box, some Near East rice or couscous boxes just $1.50 each (an excellent side but an even better quick main dish with some sauteed chicken breast added to it), some Ezekiel 4:9 breads $3.99 a loaf, and Le Roule garlic and herb cheese spreads $3.99 for 5.3 ounces (try putting a dab of that in the middle of a ground turkey or chicken burger, yum).

In Whole Foods' new sale through January 27th, previously frozen Copper River sockeye salmon fillets are $17.99 a pound (although if the particular river isn't that much of a concern, consider Sprouts' weekend sale price of $10 less per pound), Icelandic cod's sale price has bumped up a dollar to $13.99 a pound, very fine Pine Manor boneless skinless chicken breasts are $5.99 a pound (again the dilemma of value packs for $1.79 a pound in the Sprouts weekend sale, but without that fine pedigree), and two types of Market Made stuffed chicken breasts are $5.99 a pound ($3.99 all week at Sprouts, but again with differences). Organic garnet or jewel sweet potatoes are $1.48 a pound, which is also the price for organic D'Anjou pears, navel oranges or eggplant. Applewood smoked gouda is $3 off at $12.99 a pound, and I wonder if Kerrygold has managed to make a good reduced fat cheese, as their reduced fat Dubliner cheddar is also $3 off at $9.99 a pound. Some Alexia sweet potato fries and puffs are $3 a bag, and the 20 ounce size is larger than the 15 to 19 ounce listed by Sprouts for $2.50. Finally, fans of MyChelle skin care will be pleased to see that entire line 25% off.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Downton Abbey Cookbook Arrives

I can only hope that some collections of the Boulder Public main library are still in storage following its massive renovation; otherwise I can't conceive of how it possibly took 11 days to get the available copy I requested of The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook a few miles across town to my nearby branch. The email that it has finally (my word, not theirs) arrived there just dropped in. Hope to have some fun with it this weekend.

Blackbelly Makes Eater Heatmap

No surprise here. Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg's wonderful new east Boulder restaurant Blackbelly has made Eater Denver's "Heatmap" of hot places to dine now. I could have told them that last week when we tried to get a reservation on the spur of the moment and found that doing a same day one just wasn't going to work. As healthily as we eat at home, I still find myself wondering what the Fried Thing of the Day might be. And I have yet to try the vaunted green chile posole. Eater of course misspells it as chili (I've been over that territory many times on this blog), but since Hosea is from Taos, he gets the spelling right.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Sprouts Wellness Webinar Thursday

This Thursday, the 15th, Sprouts will host a webinar called Eat, Move & Improve in 2015, from 7 to 8 pm our mountain time. They say the hour will convey this: "Eat and lose weight; Move and become lean; Improve your mood with Superfoods! Join us and learn how you can achieve the body you want to be in 2015." You can register for the webinar here.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Looking Forward To Temple Oranges

Sorry, but this is about as close as I can get to the orange and blue Broncos fever that is sweeping the state on this playoff Sunday. The current issue of Saveur magazine reports that it is worth keeping an eye out for temple oranges, which have a very short season, from about late January through February. Sounds like they might be the next satsuma craze, and I bet Whole Foods will have them. Saveur describes them thus: "a cross between mandarin and sweet oranges, the super juicy temple is more complex than your standard navel orange, clipping to the tarter side." Saveur notes that the rumor the name derives from an obscure Buddhist sect is not true, but rather is a reference to William Chase Temple, a former Florida Citrus Exchange executive. I kind of prefer the obscure Buddhist sect idea myself.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

A Library Cookbook Grouse

So a week ago today, shortly before the premiere of season five of Downton Abbey, I put in an online request for the one available copy of The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook to be sent from the main library in Boulder to the branch that is conveniently close to me (and thanks to them for having that option). But as of late yesterday, my request was still listed as being as "in transit," which stymies me as to why it should be taking going on a week to get a book across a fairly small town. I might not actually cook from the thing, but I am really looking forward to seeing it!

Friday, January 9, 2015

Prepackaged Greens Shortage

When I was at the Baseline Sprouts yesterday, the refrigerated case where they keep the prepackaged organic greens was empty, with a sign posted re apologies regarding a shortage. Then today, Whole Foods posted this further explanation of the situation, which would indicate just about everybody wanting good greens already packaged is affected:

Hello, leafy green eaters! Being able to offer you the very best greens is imperative to us, but that also means we have to rely on Mother Nature to be good to the farms where these crops grow. Unfortunately, an unexpected frost hit an area that supplies our pre-packaged mixed green salads, limiting our inventory greatly. Please consider trying romaine instead while we are out of stock of some of your favorites. Thank you for your understanding!

Weekend Sale At Alfalfa's

From today through Sunday, the entire bulk department at Alfalfa's in both Boulder and Louisville is 20% off. This includes not only the usual trail mix-type suspects, but also their very nice coffee selections and their fabulous oil and vinegar dispensers. I absolutely adore the Tuscan olive oil I've been getting at the Boulder store, and I bet it would be at the Louisville one too. It's infused with wonderful Italian herbs and a pinch of garlic, making it a quick cook's lifesaver to dress veggies, pasta, whatever needs a boost in three seconds.

Lafayette Oatmeal Festival Tomorrow

If you are looking for some weekend fun, the annual Quaker Oatmeal Festival in Lafayette is tomorrow from 7:30 am to noon. It includes a 5K walk/run, an oatmeal breakfast, and a health fair. You can check out all the details here.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

Our local Whole Foods stores will offer us a special sale for tomorrow only, plus a trio of sales for the entire weekend. For tomorrow only, the 9th, top sirloin steaks and roasts will be $7.99 a pound, $5 off. For tomorrow through Sunday Wallaby Greek yogurt cups will be half off at $1 each, quarts of the same will also be half off at $3.50 each, and Garden of Life Raw Fit Protein Powder will be 47% off at $24.99 each. I don't know anything about the protein powder, but 47 is one of my favorite numbers.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

Good morning Boulder, and watch that absolutely treacherous ice out there! Being Wednesday, it's time for a new sale at Sprouts, while the current one continues at Whole Foods through January 13th. I think Vitamin Cottage is still on a hiatus as far as their big, lengthy Hotline sale goes, but may be doing some smaller sales until it returns. Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts through January14th, the big news to me is the return of the Vitamin & Body Care Extravaganza, with everything in the department 25% off. This is a great time to grab those favorite products you know otherwise don't really go on sale. In meat, chicken breast tenders are $1.99 a pound, Italian chicken sausage (pork also) is $3.99 a pound, whole or split fresh chickens are $1.69 a pound, with cut-up a little higher, pork shoulder roast and bone-in country style ribs are $2.99 a pound, and ground chicken breast or turkey breast are $3.99 a pound. Previously frozen Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets are $9.99 a pound, and 30/40 count Peruvian sea scallops are $8.99 a pound.

In organic produce at Sprouts, broccoli is $1.48 a pound, curly green kale is $1.48 a bunch, baby carrots are $1.48 a one pound bag, celery is $1.48 a bunch (somebody's really on a roll with 1.48), Braeburn or red delicious apples are both just 98 cents a pound, butternut or spaghetti squash are also 98 cents a pound, Bosc pears are $2.50 for a three pound bag, and Valencia oranges or grapefruit are $2.50 for a four pound bag. Elsewhere in the store, aside from the big vitamin and body care sale, I'm liking bulk coffee for $7.99 a pound, Fage Greek yogurts $1 each, select Westbrae organic beans $2 for the big 25 ounce size (maybe I should do that chili with black beans, butternut and chard this weekend), and I'm thrilled to see some DeLallo organic whole wheat pastas at just $1.50 for a one pound bag. It usually sells for nearly twice that, and DeLallo whole wheat has become my favorite go-to pasta brand these days.

Be careful out there!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

New Year's Wishes En Francais

I've previously sung the praises of Chocolate & Zucchini, the email newsletter (plus Facebook, blog, etc.) of Parisian Clotilde Dusoulier as a fun way for foodies to brush up on their rusty French (I believe she's totally bilingual, hence the English spelling of the site). In her newly released newsletter for January, she opens with wishes for the New Year that I could not have said better myself (or maybe could hardly have remembered how to scrape together at all):

J'espère que 2015...

... sera pour vous une année pleine de joies, petites et grandes, d'aventures excitantes, de rencontres enrichissantes, d'expériences inspirantes et bien sûr, de repas délectables.
Bien dit. You can find links to all her resources at her Chocolate & Zucchini website. Bonne annee!

Healthy Eating Cooking Class In Superior

The Whole Foods in Superior will offer a Healthy Cooking class this Thursday, the 8th, from 6 to 7 pm, but note they ask you to sign up.  Here's what they say (and apologies that the bottom will cut off on the right):

HEALTHY EATING COOKING CLASS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8TH
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
SUPERIOR WHOLE FOODS MARKET CAFE, FREE
Thursday, January 8
6:00pm-7:00pm
Healthy Eating Class –
Free
Join Stephanie for an introduction to Healthy Eating after the Holidays! New Year, New You. Please sign up at the Customer Service Desk or at rm.sup.events@wholefoods.com to reserve your spot today!

Monday, January 5, 2015

Cooking Of A Bygone Era

If last night's premiere of season five of Downtown Abbey put you in a nostalgic cooking mood, check out The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook: From Lady Mary's Crab Canapes To Mrs. Patmore's Christmas Pudding byEmily Ansara Baines. Well don't check it out literally, because I put dibs on the remaining available copy at the Boulder Library yesterday, but you can always put a hold on it for when one is returned, at which point you can indeed check it out. There's also A Year In The Life Of Downton Abbey: Seasonal Celebrations, Traditions, and Recipes by Jessica Fellowes (also currently claimed at the library). I could also consult my beloved copy of Fanny Farmer's 1896 Cook Book. Although published earlier than the era covered in the series, it gets me in the mood for period dining or at least research.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Lose Something At The Farmers' Market?

The Boulder Farmers' Market reports they've developed quite a collection of personal items forgotten at the Market this past year. If you lost something, call their office at 303 910-2236 before January 9th to claim. After that, it will be donated.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Dazzling Boulder Dishes?

Happy Saturday, with more snow expected today. So I'm a little slow getting to the Friday magazine in yesterday's Daily Camera, and I find its feature is "14 plates that dazzled our dining critic in 2014." The dishes are wide-ranging both in cuisine and geography, coming from restaurants all over Boulder County and beyond. Since I haven't eaten at any of them, I clearly need to get out more, much as I enjoy cooking at home. You can get the lowdown on these 14 dishes from the Daily Camera here.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

Looks like our local Whole Foods stores are trying to get us off to a healthy start for 2015 with a duo of sales, one of which actually started yesterday. Through Sunday, Kevita sparkling probiotic drinks are $2 each as of today, and in a four-day sale that started yesterday and runs through Sunday, large tubs of Vega One nutritional shakes are $42.99 each. Can't say I've had experience with either product.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

A Cleanse For 2015

Happy 2015! After all the overindulgence of the holidays, some folks are looking for ways to dial it back, and cleanses are popular in Boulder. Bon Appetit offers a food lovers cleanse that looks to be far more appealing than a week of nothing but kale juice. You can find all the recipes and instructions for their food lovers cleanse here. I might just follow Mark Bittman's advice and try to add more veggies and lessen the meat.