One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Tomorrow

For tomorrow only, May 1st (happy May Day!), our local Whole Foods stores will have avocados for $1 each.  Since organic isn't specified, I'd assume conventional.  The price at Sprouts is usually a little lower, but the avocados there are also usually smaller.  Here are the details from Whole Foods:

Tomorrow Only! Wednesday, May 1st!


Avocados
10 for $10
(save up to $0.67/ea)

Cinco De Mayo Ideas

If we're nearly at the end of April, Cinco de Mayo isn't far away.  If you're looking for inspiration, check out Cinco de Mayo Celebrations from Epicurious, or the ever-enlightening recipes on the site of chef Rick Bayless.

Weekday Dinner Ideas

It's too gorgeous a Boulder morning to be sitting in front of a computer writing posts, so this will be quick, and the ideas will be easy.  So easy, in fact, tomorrow will be the only dinner requiring a recipe.  We haven't had any pasta yet this week, and with really big shrimp from the USA $6.99 a pound and bulk organic spinach $3.99 a pound at Sprouts through Wednesday, that spells shrimp Florentine pasta from Cooking Light.  It's getting five stars out of five in the reviews.

Tuesday will be the last day of the current Whole Foods sale, and since I have yet to grab that large take and bake pepperoni pizza for $9.99, Tuesday will be the day.

Which means our reheat of something big done on the weekend will be Wednesday, and it will be tonight's grilled chicken, with fennel and leek casserole reheated on the side.  The beautiful "grill packs" of Rosie's organic chicken that Sprouts has for $2.79 a pound through Wednesday are big enough to make two dinners in this household.

We'll also grab the boneless center-cut pork loin chops that Sprouts has for $2.99 a pound by Wednesday in order to do a simple pork chop saute on Thursday.  Sprouts also has five pound bags of organic russet potatoes for $2.99 each for microwaved "baked" potatoes on the side, and organic broccoli $1.99 a pound to add some green, all through Wednesday.

Which quickly and easily gets us through the week.

Boulder Farmers' Market Today

Just a reminder to get out and see the Boulder Farmers' Market, starting at 8 this morning.  It's a glorious day, so what better way to start it (after your 6 am run, of course), than by strolling the lovely produce.

Weekend Dinner Ideas

Looking at a beautiful Boulder weekend, here's a quick rundown for what's on deck.  I'm impressed that Sprouts has domestic wild shrimp at $6.99 a pound this week for the really big 16/20 count size, and given my recent penchant for low country cooking, that spells shrimp and grits for tonight.  Recipes for that abound, and it really doesn't require one anyway, but one of my faves has been smoky shrimp and grits from Food and Wine magazine.  I love the addition of spinach to the grits, and Sprouts also has a great price on bulk organic spinach, $3.99 a pound.  For the grits, I turn to the bulk aisle at Whole Foods.

After so many snowstorms, we're finally looking at a lovely weekend of temperatures hitting the 70s, so I'm plotting to send the family griller outside to do the majority of the weekend cooking.  Tomorrow will be the bone-in New York steaks Sprouts has for $5.99 a pound, complemented by the conventional California white corn that's three for $1 (I usually don't like conventional, but being so corn-deprived at this date, I break the rules).  Sprouts also has five pound bags of organic russet potatoes at $2.99 each, so I can dice some of those into aluminum foil packages for the griller to do the whole shebang.

We'll send that family griller back outside for Sunday, since Sprouts has Rosie's organic chicken grill packs (consisting of drumsticks and split breasts) at $2.79 a pound this week.  I'm getting increasingly picky about my chicken, reserving the big cheapo deals for something diced and well spiced, and spending a little more for these kind of dishes where the chicken is the focus.  While the griller is outside, I'll actually do some work inside, making fennel and leek gratin from my venerable Great Good Food cookbook.  A version of it doesn't seem to have made it to the web, which is too bad, since that cookbook focuses on "luscious lower-fat cooking."

Electronics Recycling Tomorrow

Tomorrow from 3 to 7 pm, the Pearl Street Whole Foods will hold an electronics recycling, something most of us need to do.  Also, look a few posts below for details about electronics recycling at the Superior store, part of their Earth Week celebration stretching across the entire week.  Here are the details from Pearl:

Electronics Recycling

Friday, April 26th
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Whole Foods Market Pearl Street, FREE

Our friends from Techno Rescue will be back in action on the west patio of our store collecting your unwanted electronics and disposing of them properly. Please note- we will only accept donations during the event time window.

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

We have a new sale starting today at our Boulder Sprouts (Longmont, too), while the current sales continue at Whole Foods (through April 30th), and Vitamin Cottage (through June 1st), click for prior reports.

For its part, Sprouts has lots of appealing (at least to me) news in its sale that runs through May 1st.  First, the Vitamin & Body Care Extravaganza returns, with 25% off all supplements and body care, a great chance to stock up on those favorites you know never otherwise go on sale.  In fish, I'm happy to see really big 16/20 count wild raw shrimp from the USA at $6.99 a pound.  They're previously frozen, but only those lucky folks in Georgia and its environs are probably eating fresh ones right now.  In meat, chicken breast tenders are $1.99 a pound, bone-in New York steaks are $5.99 a pound (and with temps hitting 70 this weekend, that grill will get fired up), boneless center-cut pork loin chops are $2.99 a pound, Rosie's organic chicken grill packs (split breasts and drumsticks) are $2.79 a pound (maybe back out to the grill, and I'll hardly have to cook!), organic sirloin tip roasts or steak are $5.99 a pound, and fresh ground chicken or chicken breast are both $2.99 a pound.

In organic produce, Sprouts has Arizona on-the-vine tomatoes for $2.49 a pound, one pound bags of baby carrots back down to $1.50, green or red leaf lettuce are both $1.29 a head, broccoli not the lowest we've seen at $1.99 a pound, russet potatoes remaining great at $2.99 for a five pound bag, bulk spring mix or spinach still wonderfully low at $3.99 a pound, cantaloupe and honeydew melons both 99 cents a pound, and three pound bags of Fuji or Cameo apples just $2.99 each.  I don't usually eat much conventional produce, but I'm such a corn freak that the new crop of California white corn might tempt me at three for $1, while we wait several months for our lovely local corn season.

Elsewhere in the store, Sprouts has Chobani Greek yogurts at $1 each, Clif bars also $1 (although they've been known to go lower), select Earth Balance buttery spreads (no cholesterol!) very good at $2.99 each, and Cedar's hommus just $2.50 each.

One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Tomorrow

For tomorrow only, the 24th, our local Whole Foods stores will offer us two very tempting specials.  Mmmm, I do love Crave Bros mozzarella, and Whole Foods' shrimp is welcome any day of the week.  Here are the details:

One Day Sale
Tomorrow Only! Wednesday, April 24th!
Cooked Shrimp
2 lbs for $15
(save $5.49/lb)

Crave Brothers - 8oz.
Mozzarella Balls
2 for $6
(save $2.99/ea)

Fish Monger And Butcher Battle

This Thursday, the Pearl Street meat and seafood dudes and dudettes will be at it again to see who is the best in their respective categories.  This is usually the first step towards a national competition, in which the Pearl store does pretty well, if I remember correctly.  Here are the details from them:

Best Butcher/Fish Monger Competition

Thursday, April 25th
1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Whole Foods Market Pearl Street, FREE

It's back! The competition where we crown our best of the best in our seafood and meat departments. Come cheer on your favorite as our butchers and fish mongers compete for glory in the first round of this annual event!

Concert And Good Works Tomorrow At Pearl WFM

Good morning, Boulder.  I hope you got where you needed to go safely this morning, with icy roads about the worst I've ever seen in many years in Boulder.  Anyway, on to some food news.  The Whole Foods store on Pearl Street will be busy tomorrow, with a concert at 5 pm, plus they'll be donating 5% of tomorrow's sales to the Thorne Nature Experience.  Here are the concert details:

Jeff and Paige Concert

Wednesday, April 24th
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Whole Foods Market Pearl Street, FREE

Jeff Kagan has been entertaining and educating children and parents with his original, environmental music for over a decade. He and Paige are excited to be rocking the stage at Whole Foods Market Pearl Street for the very first time. The kiddos will love this- don't miss out!