Saturday, August 31, 2013
King Salmon Price Differential
As previously mentioned as a plan, I did a rare detour to our Boulder King Soopers this morning to get some of their fresh wild king salmon that they have for a spectacular $11.99 a pound with card through Tuesday. Yes, I wound up with previously cut individual pieces packaged on those nasty foam trays, but I was also there quite early, and they were just starting to fill the fish case. I'm pretty sure that if I'd arrived later, or simply bugged the staff this morning, I also could have gotten a whole fillet instead. I did the rest of my shopping at the Pearl Street Whole Foods, and swung by the fish case for comparison. Fresh wild king salmon fillets there are $27.99 today, so my detour to King Soopers seems definitely worth it.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Herbal Kitchen Class At Alfalfa's
Alfalfa's has an interesting sounding class coming up, but the question is, what day is it really on? Their info says twice that it's on September 7th, which is a Saturday, but the graphic is topped by "Wellness Wednesday." Here's what they say:
Herbal Kitchen with Erin Smith
September 7th, Alfalfa's Community Room, 6:30 to 8:00pm
Not only is food the best medicine, it's the best way to take your medicine! Join Erin for this fun and delicious class and learn about the five top herbs to start incorporating into your diet. These are tonic and nutritive herbs that help to ease stress, boost the immune system, and are packed full of important nutrients and are safe for all. Their mild and/or delicious taste makes them easy and fun to use in the kitchen. You'll learn how to make Erin's famous herbal treats that will have even your most discriminating eater asking for more! Click HERE to register for this free class.
Not only is food the best medicine, it's the best way to take your medicine! Join Erin for this fun and delicious class and learn about the five top herbs to start incorporating into your diet. These are tonic and nutritive herbs that help to ease stress, boost the immune system, and are packed full of important nutrients and are safe for all. Their mild and/or delicious taste makes them easy and fun to use in the kitchen. You'll learn how to make Erin's famous herbal treats that will have even your most discriminating eater asking for more! Click HERE to register for this free class.
Weekend Dinner Plans
We'll not really, since I've hardly had time to flesh them out, but maybe the focus on sales might be helpful. And I'll throw in Labor Day, since we're thankfully facing a long weekend.
Tonight, I'm planning on checking out the fresh tilapia fillets Sprouts has for just $3.99 a pound. If from the USA, that can supposedly be quite eco-friendly. I've used a recipe from that was published years ago in Bon Appetit from Passionfish, a fave restaurant in Pacific Grove, CA, but without time to go fishing for the link, the basic idea is sauté tilapia in a bit of olive oil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and serve. Who needs more?
We'll hit the grill tomorrow for some fresh wild king salmon, and King Soopers wins that one this week at $11.99 a pound with card. Sprouts is a runner-up at $14.99 a pound.
For Sunday, we'll turn to a seasonal chowder, again enjoying corn and green chile chowder from the Food Network. Whole Foods has roasted fresh Hatch green chiles plus a weekend special on corn at half price, but I still might head out to Munson's Farm for the corn, fresh picked that day.
Since Monday's Labor Day, obviously something's got to go out on the grill. And since we've already been fairly reasonable for the weekend, with fish twice, followed by a nearly vegetarian chowder. we'll hit the steaks. I'm thinking one of two steaks the new Lucky's in Longmont is offering, both grass-fed Teton Waters Ranch ones, the sirloin steak at $4.99 a pound, or the New York strip at $5.99 a pound. The NY strip will undoubtedly win out, as I more often use sirloin as something more to cut up for stir-fries, although it is also decent on its own.
So, happy long weekend!
Tonight, I'm planning on checking out the fresh tilapia fillets Sprouts has for just $3.99 a pound. If from the USA, that can supposedly be quite eco-friendly. I've used a recipe from that was published years ago in Bon Appetit from Passionfish, a fave restaurant in Pacific Grove, CA, but without time to go fishing for the link, the basic idea is sauté tilapia in a bit of olive oil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and serve. Who needs more?
We'll hit the grill tomorrow for some fresh wild king salmon, and King Soopers wins that one this week at $11.99 a pound with card. Sprouts is a runner-up at $14.99 a pound.
For Sunday, we'll turn to a seasonal chowder, again enjoying corn and green chile chowder from the Food Network. Whole Foods has roasted fresh Hatch green chiles plus a weekend special on corn at half price, but I still might head out to Munson's Farm for the corn, fresh picked that day.
Since Monday's Labor Day, obviously something's got to go out on the grill. And since we've already been fairly reasonable for the weekend, with fish twice, followed by a nearly vegetarian chowder. we'll hit the steaks. I'm thinking one of two steaks the new Lucky's in Longmont is offering, both grass-fed Teton Waters Ranch ones, the sirloin steak at $4.99 a pound, or the New York strip at $5.99 a pound. The NY strip will undoubtedly win out, as I more often use sirloin as something more to cut up for stir-fries, although it is also decent on its own.
So, happy long weekend!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
More Good Deals At Lucky's Market
So I've confirmed that Lucky's Market, at least for the time being, is doing two separate sets of sales for its two stores, the one in north Boulder that I've always loved but could rarely get to, and the new one that just opened in Longmont, and is in a frequent travel path for me. There are some similarities between the sales, but the Longmont store is clearly still in grand opening mode, sometimes offering better deals than the Boulder store on items listed in common. Not getting to the north Boulder store, I'm concentrating on the Longmont one for this.
In the Longmont Lucky's new sale that runs through September 4th, a very hot item is Hass avocados (those would be conventional, but you peel them anyway), for a fabulous 25 cents each. (Avocado aficionado Ms. A., may I shuttle some to you?) By contrast, the Boulder Lucky's has organic ones instead on sale this week at 50 cents each, also very good, particularly for organic. Quickly running through more Longmont specials, two Teton Waters Ranch beef specials look very good for Labor Day grilling: grass-fed sirloin steak for $4.99 a pound and grass-fed New York strip at $5.99 a pound (bones not specified, but with Lucky's "never ever" high standards, those are good prices whether boneless or bone-in, and bone-in supposedly adds flavor). Another grilling favorite, bone-in chicken breast, is $1.79 a pound, grass-fed super lean (95% - maybe even too lean) burger is $3.99 a pound, and organic pork spare ribs are stunning at $2.99 a pound. I don't really know anything yet about their seafood, so I want to check out country of origin of the previously frozen four ounce lobster tails for $5.99, and since the cod and red trout fillets at $7.99 don't say anything about fresh/frozen, does that mean they're fresh?
The Longmont Lucky's not surprisingly also has some great specials in organic produce, including red, green and lacinato kale (all locally grown) for 99 cents a bunch, red or green leaf lettuce 99 cents a head, russet, red or yellow potatoes all 99 cents a pound, jewel or garnet yams also 99 cents a pound, and red, green and black seedless grapes all $1.50 a pound. Satsuma fans will like that their brief season is arriving, with organic ones at $2 a pound.
Elsewhere in the Longmont Lucky's, I'm definitely liking Chobani Greek yogurts for $1 each, Evol burritos (a local company and also very, very good) actually BOGO, and Norseland Jarlsberg cheese for $6.99 a pound. The Jarlsberg is another example of the differences in the sales between Lucky's Longmont and Boulder stores, as in Boulder, the sale for it this week is $8.99 a pound.
In the Longmont Lucky's new sale that runs through September 4th, a very hot item is Hass avocados (those would be conventional, but you peel them anyway), for a fabulous 25 cents each. (Avocado aficionado Ms. A., may I shuttle some to you?) By contrast, the Boulder Lucky's has organic ones instead on sale this week at 50 cents each, also very good, particularly for organic. Quickly running through more Longmont specials, two Teton Waters Ranch beef specials look very good for Labor Day grilling: grass-fed sirloin steak for $4.99 a pound and grass-fed New York strip at $5.99 a pound (bones not specified, but with Lucky's "never ever" high standards, those are good prices whether boneless or bone-in, and bone-in supposedly adds flavor). Another grilling favorite, bone-in chicken breast, is $1.79 a pound, grass-fed super lean (95% - maybe even too lean) burger is $3.99 a pound, and organic pork spare ribs are stunning at $2.99 a pound. I don't really know anything yet about their seafood, so I want to check out country of origin of the previously frozen four ounce lobster tails for $5.99, and since the cod and red trout fillets at $7.99 don't say anything about fresh/frozen, does that mean they're fresh?
The Longmont Lucky's not surprisingly also has some great specials in organic produce, including red, green and lacinato kale (all locally grown) for 99 cents a bunch, red or green leaf lettuce 99 cents a head, russet, red or yellow potatoes all 99 cents a pound, jewel or garnet yams also 99 cents a pound, and red, green and black seedless grapes all $1.50 a pound. Satsuma fans will like that their brief season is arriving, with organic ones at $2 a pound.
Elsewhere in the Longmont Lucky's, I'm definitely liking Chobani Greek yogurts for $1 each, Evol burritos (a local company and also very, very good) actually BOGO, and Norseland Jarlsberg cheese for $6.99 a pound. The Jarlsberg is another example of the differences in the sales between Lucky's Longmont and Boulder stores, as in Boulder, the sale for it this week is $8.99 a pound.
Feast Of Fermentation Tonight
Sorry for the short notice, but I've just learned there's an interesting and worthy-sounding event tonight, A Feast of Fermentation, which is also a benefit for Boulder Food Rescue. This will be a "feast of all things fermented," (think of those possibilities!), and you can read the details here.
Grilled Baby Backs At Sprouts
I don't know if the other local Sprouts stores will be doing this (I think the one on Arapahoe usually participates as well), but I picked up a flyer at the Baseline Sprouts that says they'll be grilling full racks of baby back ribs over mesquite onsite tomorrow and Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm for $12.99 each. Possibly a nice way to kick back at the start of your Labor Day weekend instead of doing all the work yourself.
Long Weekend Sale At Whole Foods
Presumably in honor of Labor Day, Whole Foods will offer us a special sale starting tomorrow that will run four days, instead of the customary three. Here's what they say:
AUG 30-SEP 2 (FRI-MON)
Regionally Grown Sweet Corn: 50% OFF
Sale Price: 4 for $1.00
Cold Teas By Guayaki®: 4 for $5
16 oz Ready-to-Drink Bottles
Wild Salmon Burgers: $3 OFF/lb
Sale Price: $6.99/lb
Market Made Buffalo Burgers: $5 OFF/lb
Cheddar, Green Chile, Sassy Blue Cheese
Sale Price: $5.99/lb
Brioche Hamburger Buns: 2 for $5
Seaweed Snacks by Sea Tangle®: 40% OFF
AUG 30-SEP 2 (FRI-MON)
Regionally Grown Sweet Corn: 50% OFF
Sale Price: 4 for $1.00
Cold Teas By Guayaki®: 4 for $5
16 oz Ready-to-Drink Bottles
Wild Salmon Burgers: $3 OFF/lb
Sale Price: $6.99/lb
Market Made Buffalo Burgers: $5 OFF/lb
Cheddar, Green Chile, Sassy Blue Cheese
Sale Price: $5.99/lb
Brioche Hamburger Buns: 2 for $5
Seaweed Snacks by Sea Tangle®: 40% OFF
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)
We have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts and Whole Foods sales, while the current one continues at Vitamin Cottage through September 28th (click for prior report). There also should be a new sale starting today at Lucky's, so my quandary continues as to whether to try to write more when I don't have the time, and if the new Longmont store keeps specials separate from the original Boulder store, does it even make sense to cover Longmont just because I can sometimes get there, when this blog is supposed to be about Boulder? In any case, here's what's looking good to me from what I'm looking at now.
Sprouts' new sale runs through September 4th, and I definitely want to check out the country of origin of their fresh tilapia fillets, which are stunningly low at $3.99 a pound. I read several years ago that domestically farm-raised tilapia is one of the most eco-friendly fish around. Value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts are okay at $2.49 a pound, bone-in New York steak is $5.99 a pound, Rosie's Organic chicken drumsticks are $1.99 a pound, boneless pork country style ribs (good on the grill) are $2.49 a pound, pork baby back ribs are $2.99 a pound, and all types of chicken sausage (pork also) are $2.99 a pound. Gourmet stuffed clams, crab or scallops are spectacularly low at 99 cents each and make great appetizers for a party, but with our temperatures in the mid to high 90s right now, I'm not inclined to crank up the oven quite yet. Finally, fresh wild king salmon fillets are good at $14.99 a pound (I've seen them nearly twice that elsewhere), but this week it might be worth a detour to King Soopers, where fresh wild king fillets are just $11.99 a pound with card.
In organic produce at Sprouts, on-the-vine tomatoes are $1.98 a pound, celery is just 98 cents a bunch, baby carrots are $1.50 for a one pound bag, gala apples or yellow peaches are both $1.98 a pound, and strawberries are $2.98 for a one pound clamshell. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking eight ounce cups of Galbani fresh mozzarella at $2.99 each (I'm sensing a caprese salad coming up), Chobani Greek yogurts at $1 each, select DeLallo whole wheat pasta (my new fave) at $2 a one pound bag, some MaraNatha peanut butter $4.99 for a 16 ounce jar, and Spectrum Essentials chia seeds $8.99 for a 12 ounce bag (I've really gotten into chia or flax seeds on salads).
Whole Foods' sale that ended yesterday had so many enticing items to me, it's hard to work up similar enthusiasm for their more normal new sale that runs through September 17th. Their excellent air-chilled chickens do look good at $1.99 a pound (the ad says whole, but I've always known the meat guys to be ready to cut them up if desired). Atlantic salmon steaks are $9.99 a pound, but Atlantic would mean farmed, so I'll stick with the fresh wild king options mentioned above. Also, coho salmon fillets are $16.99 a pound, so ditto re the king above. I do love Whole Foods' prepared salmon burgers for a quick and easy meal, and this time it's the citrus bbq burgers that are on sale for $7.99 a pound. In organic produce, gala apples are $1.99 a pound, effectively matching Sprouts' sale, Bartlett pears are also $1.99 a pound, and variety cherry tomatoes look pretty good at $3.99 a pound. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking my favorite breads, Ezekial 4:9 at $3.99 a loaf, and Whole Foods' own yummy seeduction bread at $3 a loaf. Barber's cheddar is $5 off at $8.99 a pound, and for a mini celebration, little four inch cakes from Rubicon Bakery are $3.99 each.
Sprouts' new sale runs through September 4th, and I definitely want to check out the country of origin of their fresh tilapia fillets, which are stunningly low at $3.99 a pound. I read several years ago that domestically farm-raised tilapia is one of the most eco-friendly fish around. Value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts are okay at $2.49 a pound, bone-in New York steak is $5.99 a pound, Rosie's Organic chicken drumsticks are $1.99 a pound, boneless pork country style ribs (good on the grill) are $2.49 a pound, pork baby back ribs are $2.99 a pound, and all types of chicken sausage (pork also) are $2.99 a pound. Gourmet stuffed clams, crab or scallops are spectacularly low at 99 cents each and make great appetizers for a party, but with our temperatures in the mid to high 90s right now, I'm not inclined to crank up the oven quite yet. Finally, fresh wild king salmon fillets are good at $14.99 a pound (I've seen them nearly twice that elsewhere), but this week it might be worth a detour to King Soopers, where fresh wild king fillets are just $11.99 a pound with card.
In organic produce at Sprouts, on-the-vine tomatoes are $1.98 a pound, celery is just 98 cents a bunch, baby carrots are $1.50 for a one pound bag, gala apples or yellow peaches are both $1.98 a pound, and strawberries are $2.98 for a one pound clamshell. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking eight ounce cups of Galbani fresh mozzarella at $2.99 each (I'm sensing a caprese salad coming up), Chobani Greek yogurts at $1 each, select DeLallo whole wheat pasta (my new fave) at $2 a one pound bag, some MaraNatha peanut butter $4.99 for a 16 ounce jar, and Spectrum Essentials chia seeds $8.99 for a 12 ounce bag (I've really gotten into chia or flax seeds on salads).
Whole Foods' sale that ended yesterday had so many enticing items to me, it's hard to work up similar enthusiasm for their more normal new sale that runs through September 17th. Their excellent air-chilled chickens do look good at $1.99 a pound (the ad says whole, but I've always known the meat guys to be ready to cut them up if desired). Atlantic salmon steaks are $9.99 a pound, but Atlantic would mean farmed, so I'll stick with the fresh wild king options mentioned above. Also, coho salmon fillets are $16.99 a pound, so ditto re the king above. I do love Whole Foods' prepared salmon burgers for a quick and easy meal, and this time it's the citrus bbq burgers that are on sale for $7.99 a pound. In organic produce, gala apples are $1.99 a pound, effectively matching Sprouts' sale, Bartlett pears are also $1.99 a pound, and variety cherry tomatoes look pretty good at $3.99 a pound. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking my favorite breads, Ezekial 4:9 at $3.99 a loaf, and Whole Foods' own yummy seeduction bread at $3 a loaf. Barber's cheddar is $5 off at $8.99 a pound, and for a mini celebration, little four inch cakes from Rubicon Bakery are $3.99 each.
One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Today
Our local Whole Foods stores are offering us a duo of special sales for today only, the 28th. Here's what they say:
AUG 28 (WED ONLY!
Regionally Grown Watermelons: $2 OFF
Sale Price: $3.99 each
Brats by Continental Sausage®: 50% OFF
Smoked Buffalo & Southwestern Buffalo Varieties
Sale Price: 2 for $7
AUG 28 (WED ONLY!
Regionally Grown Watermelons: $2 OFF
Sale Price: $3.99 each
Brats by Continental Sausage®: 50% OFF
Smoked Buffalo & Southwestern Buffalo Varieties
Sale Price: 2 for $7
Monday, August 26, 2013
Labor Day Quickly Approaching
Hard to believe that next weekend is already Labor Day weekend. It's a holiday more associated with a last frenzy of summertime activities than culinary aspirations, but grilling obviously has to be a part of it. If you're looking to do more than throw hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, here's a link to the grilling guides I put out for its grilling holiday predecessor, Memorial Day.
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