Sweet Potato Soup...

There is nothing quite as satisfying as a warm bowl of soup as the weather starts to change and autumn brings cold wind and rain.  Here in the Andy's test kitchen we whipped up a batch of sweet potato soup.  With savory spices such as rosemary and tarragon this soup is rich with flavor...enjoy.

Sweet Potato Soup

6 sweet potatoes roasted

1 small onion diced

3 large carrots diced

3 stalks of celery diced

1-2 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp tarragon

2 tsp rosemary

1 tbsp olive oil

5 cups vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

*optional garnish of heavy cream and fresh rosemary

Roast sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until soft.  

Allow sweet potatoes to cool before handeling.  

Saute diced carrots, celery, onion, garlic and herbs in olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot till onions are translucent.  Peel roasted sweet potatoes and cube them, combine with sautéed vegetables.  Add vegetable broth and cook till warmed through.  

Once soup is warm, emulsify with a hand mixer or carefully ladle soup into a blender and blend until all vegetables and herbs are smooth. 

Add an additional garnish of heavy cream and fresh rosemary if desired. 

Serves 8 healthy servings. 

Protein Snack Bites....

Today from the Andy's Market Test Kitchen a recipe to keep you energized all day long. 

Protein Snack Bites

1 cup fresh ground Andy's Market peanut butter

1 cup fresh ground Andy's Market almond butter

1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup oat bran

3/4 cup honey or agave nectar

2/3 cup vanilla protein powder

1-2 cups raw medium shredded coconut

Combine honey, almond butter and peanut butter.  Next mix in protein powder, ground flax seed, chopped almonds and oat bran.  Roll one tablespoon of mixture into a ball then roll in raw coconut to coat.  Place finished product in small paper baking cups.  When all the mixture has been formed into balls and rolled in coconut, place in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  When the snack bites are at room temperature they are very soft, refrigeration is important for the snack bites to hold their shape.  

Makes 32 snack bites. 

Snack better...

Sometimes making it from your healthy breakfast to your healthy lunch can be a little difficult.

We can get caught in a moment of hunger and reach for a snack that is less than ideal.

Fresh fruit, graham crackers, and flaxseed peanut butter by Earth Balance are a delicious combination.  The addition of the flaxseeds in this peanut butter give this snack a boost of ALA Omega-3s.  Andy's also carries Earth Balance's coconut peanut butter which is also delicious.  Try it on a graham cracker with sliced banana for another healthy snack option.  

A spring sandwich...

  

One of the many gifts of spring this valley offers up is delicious, local grown asparagus.

Here is a simple, fast sandwich to enjoy while this crop is at its finest.

Spring Asparagus Sandwich

6-8 spears of asparagus

sourdough bread

fresh mozzarella cheese

Walla Walla sweet onion mustard

olive oil 

salt and pepper

Preheat oven at 400 degrees.  Toss asparagus with a teaspoon or two of olive oil, arrange on a baking sheet, dust with salt and pepper.  Roast asparagus for approximately 8 minutes, a little more if you like your asparagus well done and soft, a little less if you like it crisp and not so cooked.  

Smear a health amount of mustard on a good piece of bread, such as John Wheatland's sourdough.  

Add roasted asparagus, top with fresh mozzarella cheese.  Put sandwich back into a 400 degree oven just until the cheese has melted and started to bubble, about another ten minutes. 

Allow sandwich to cool slightly and enjoy!

*To enjoy this sandwich vegan, check out our selection of vegan cheeses in the dairy section.  For a delicious gluten free option, check out our gluten free bread options in the frozen section.  

Healthy kids...

Helping families raise healthy kids is one of our favorite things we get to do here at Andy's Market.

There is nothing quite as challenging as getting a toddler to eat a healthy, well balanced meal.  

These little eaters can be quite picky, their palette can change daily as to what they think tastes good or bad.  Offering them healthy choices that they can pick from is one way to help empower a toddler by allowing them to make their own choices, and yet ensure they are eating healthy options.

Here is one of our favorite tricks we are happy to pass along to you:

Muffin Tin Meals

The idea is simple, take a small six cup muffin tin and fill each cup with a healthy option.   The portions  are a great size for a toddler, it offers several options in one meal, and your toddler feels like a big kid for getting to chose what they eat. 

Ideas for filling a muffin tin include:

fruit

veggies

humus

nut butters for dipping fruit

dressing for dipping veggies

crackers

pretzels 

slices of cheese

yogurt

dried fruit

dry cereal

sliced luncheon meat or hot dog

nuts

trail mix

Winter Treats...

source

Just in time for making sweet treats for this festive season...

Autumn Brittle

1 Cup Almonds

1 Cup Cashews

3/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

2/3 Cup Dried Cranberries

2 Cups Granulated Sugar 

 1/2  Cup Golden Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Honey

1 Cup Water

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Butter

Heat the sugars, honey, water and salt in a large pot over a low-medium flame. Use a pot that is larger than you would think necessary because when the mixture begins to boil it will foam up and increase in size. Stir every five minutes or so. Using a candy thermometer, continue to heat the mixture until it reaches a temperature of exactly 302 degrees Fahrenheit. This is very important because this is the temperature at which sugar hardens into a rock-like state after it cools. Pay close attention not to go very far above 302, otherwise you will burn the sugar. It can take up to an hour for the mixture to reach that high of a temperature, so don't get too worried if 15 minutes go by and the thermometer is still at 175.

While the sugar mixture is boiling, place a sheet of parchment paper on top of a shallow pan, about 9 x 13 inches in width and length, and grease the parchment paper. Set aside. Once the sugar mixture reaches 302, immediately remove it from heat and stir in the butter, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries until they're coated in the mixture.

Immediately pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and spread it out into a large rectangle using a rubber spatula. Try to keep the surface relatively even and about 1 inch in height. Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow the brittle to cool for one hour. Once it has finished cooling, remove the sheet of brittle from the parchment paper and break the brittle into pieces using a meat tenderizer or clean hammer. Arrange the pieces on a serving platter and serve. Store excess brittle in a cool dry place.

Sweet Potato...

Sweet potatoes are one of fall's kindest gifts.  Here are three very different ways we have recently found to enjoy them....

Sweet Potato Oatmeal Breakfast Casserole 

source

Fall Pizza

source

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

source

Pumpkin steamer...

When the weather turns cold during autumn, there is just nothing quite like sipping a warm beverage.

Here in the Andy's Test Kitchen we have been enjoying a new recipe...

Vegan Pumpkin Steamer

1 cup soy milk

3 tablespoons canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

dash of ground nutmeg

dash of ground allspice

 Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan.  Warm slowly on medium heat, stirring with a whisk till combined.  Take off heat before liquid begins to boil and pour into a mug through a strainer.  Top with soy whipped topping (in the dairy section at Andy's) and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Makes one mug full of pumpkin steamer.

The perfect thing to wrap your hands around on a brisk fall day.

Wrap it up...

Vegetables.

We all know we need to eat more of them.

We understand that they have a powerful impact on our health.

But there comes a time when another salad for lunch just won't do.

And that's when it's time to wrap it up.

Lets start with some fixings that might make up a great salad:

Broccoli

Carrots

Spinach

Lettuce

Tomato

Avocado

Cabbage

Green Onion

Peppers

Cauliflower

Sprouts

Kale

Now to kick things up a notch, here are some options for extra flavor:

Olives

Cooked rice

Cooked quinoa

Beans

Fresh herbs

Cream cheese

Humus

Dressing

Drizzle of olive oil

Squeeze of fresh lemon

Put your choices in a warmed whole wheat wrap and enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Pasta...

As summer warms up, tomatoes are ripening all over our valley. 

Today's recipe is inspired by tomatoes of all kinds.  

Roasted Tomato Pasta

Take one pint of cherry or grape tomatoes.  Cut them in half and arrange on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil till lightly coated.  Add salt and pepper and toss tomatoes with hands to make sure they are all evenly coated.   Add three cloves of garlic randomly to the pan and bake in a 225 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours.  This slow baking process will start to dry the tomatoes on the edges but leave them soft and juicy on the inside.

While tomatoes are baking chop a small handful of fresh basil and grate about 1/2 a cup of Romano cheese to stir into your pasta and tomatoes later.  

Cook one pound of penne pasta .  Andy's has several varieties of pasta to choose from such as brown rice, whole wheat, spelt flour and many other options.  When the tomatoes are done baking combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, basil and Romano cheese in a large bowl and serve. 

Zesty Salad

Hot summer weather calls for cool, crisp food.  Nothing lives up to that description quite like a salad.

Your basic lettuce, carrots and tomatoes can get a little dull after a while. 

It's time to spicy things up, to keep eating those delicious greens but with a twist.

In the Andy's Market Test kitchen we wiped up a Zesty Salad for you and it couldn't be more simple.

Zesty Salad

Just start with your basic salad: lettuce, tomato, carrots.  Now add in a little (or a lot) avocado, olives, cooked corn, and rinse a can of kidney beans.   Ready to kick it up a notch?  Chop up a big handful of cilantro and toss that in.  Now instead of drizzling with  dressing, top with your favorite salsa.  Add and edit as you like.  A fresh way to keep the salads coming all summer long.

A guest visits the Andy's Market Test Kitchen...

A special treat today for you from the Andy's Market Test Kitchen.

One of our Andy's Market shoppers is sharing a favorite cookie recipe with us.

Laura Kyle brings us a family favorite from her home to yours....

Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

The perfect treat with a slab of watermelon on a hot summer's eve? A sweet, chunky, chocolatey, vegan oatmeal cookie. Really, it's a meal in itself.

You could even call these little dears "breakfast cereal". What an energy boost.

Who wouldn't eat oatmeal, applesauce, coconut, cranberries, walnuts {...} for breakfast? These are perfect.

Take them camping, to the beach, to the pool, to your neighbor's picnic...you get the idea. They are good anytime, anywhere.

And very simple to make. Just assemble your ingredients, all available at Andy's Market in College Place, WA {and many other fine stores}, and mix everything together! ;)

If you'd like to call your cookies vegan, simply find some chocolate chips {like the ones pictured below} that don't contain any milk products. These have a very strong cocoa flavor, but fit in quite nicely with the sour cranberries. And yes, the recipe calls for sugar. A little bit. You'd put a shake of brown sugar on your morning oatmeal, now wouldn't you? ;)

Frozen cranberries really lend the best flavor {especially if you like things tart}, but we have tried this recipe with dried, sweetened cranberries and found it to be just as delightful. There are many ways to adapt this recipe -- you can make it just right for you!

You'll find tummies of all ages growling for more. This is a real crowd pleaser.

{Vegan} Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cups vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp pure vanilla

6 cups oatmeal, thick/old fashioned

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup walnuts

1 cup frozen cranberries, chopped in half

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup angel flake coconut

Mix sugars, oil, water and vanilla and add applesauce. Mix separately the flour, salt and baking soda, then add to the creamed ingredients. Mix well. Add oats one cup at a time, stirring. Then stir in nuts, cranberries, chocolate chips and coconut. Form into small drop cookies and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Want to print the recipe?

Thanks for sharing this recipe Laura....for more inspiring cooking visit Laura HERE.

Millet and rice puffed bars...

Today the Andy's Market Test Kitchen is happy to bring you a great gluten free, healthy, good for you, tasty, snack treat...

Puffed Millet and Rice Bars

1- 6oz bag of puffed millet cereal

1- 6oz bag of puffed brown rice cereal

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

1- 21oz jar of brown rice syrup

2 tbsp of molasses

1/2 cup of honey

1 tsp vanilla

Cook brown rice syrup, honey, and molasses at a soft boil for approximately 8-10 minutes.  In a large bowl combine puffed cereal and seeds.  Remove syrup mixture from heat and add vanilla, pour over seed and cereal mixture a little at a time, stirring well in between.  On two, raised edge cookie sheets spread mixture into thin, even layer.  Wet hands before spreading to keep from sticking to the snack mix.  Bake in a 225 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until nuts look slightly toasted and snack bars begin to get crispy.  Allow to cool for easy cutting and bars to set and get crispy.  Store in a air tight container and enjoy!  Makes approximately 40 snack bars when cut. 

Homemade Veggie Burgers...

The Andy's Market Test Kitchen has come up with a delicious, hearty veggie burger just in time for summer fun eating....

Veggie Burgers

1 1/2 cup cooked rice

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup oats

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup cottage cheese

3 eggs

Half an onion finely chopped

1 tbsp Braggs liquid amino (or soy sauce)

1 tsp sage

1 tbsp Bill's Best Beef Seasoning (or any other vegetarian seasoning substitute)

Combine all dry ingredients and set aside.  Combine all wet ingredients, then pour into the dry ingredients.  For an easier time forming the burgers, set mixture in the refrigerator till chilled.  Heat skillet at a medium high heat.  Add a bit of olive oil or non-stick spray to the pan.  Form burgers about the size of your palm and cook on both sides till lightly brown.  If the burger is not staying together when you try to flip it over, it usually means it needs to cook on that side a little longer.  Recipe makes approximately a dozen burgers.  Left over burgers can be frozen in a zip lock bag and reheated in the microwave.

Dill Potato Hash...

Today the Andy's Market Test Kitchen whipped up some warm satisfying comfort food that was tasty AND nutritious.

Dill Potato Hash

Ingredients

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

2 medium red potatoes

1/2 an onion chopped

4 heaping tbsp of freshly chopped dill

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 package of George Washington Golden Broth

1-14 oz package of firm tofu

Salt and pepper to taste

To start with we used precooked potatoes, this cut down on the cooking time for this dish by quite a bit.  We started by sauting our diced onions in about a tablespoon of olive oil until soft and translucent.  Next we added in the diced cooked potatoes and chopped dill and tofu diced into small chunks.  To this mixture we sprinkled in the nutritional yeast and G.W. broth to evenly coat the potatoes and tofu.  Add in about a tsp more olive oil so the potatoes and tofu will get a crispy golden brown color to them as you stir and fry them in the pan, approximately 15 minutes or so.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

This dish is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  You could serve this with some tortillas as a breakfast burrito, or just as a side dish with dinner.  

Enjoy!

Winter Citrus Salad

Craving a great tasting, fresh salad right about now?  After the holidays we sometimes feel the need to up the vegetable consumption.  Here is a great way to eat a fresh, crisp salad that is seasonal friendly.

Winter Citrus Salad

1 bag of baby spinach leaves

1/2 bag of mixed salad greens

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 large grapefruits segmented

4 satsuma oranges

Dressing

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tsp grated orange zest

1tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Toss mixed greens and spinach in a large salad bowl.  Toast walnuts if desired, lightly chop when cool and add to salad.  Peel oranges and add to salad.  Peel and segment grapefruit and add to salad.  

For dressing whisk together ingredients and add to salad.

Lentils...

Bulk Lentils are on sale this week for just $.69 lb

price good thru 12/29/10

Here are some great recipes rounded up for you by the Andy's Market Test Kitchen this week:

Lentil Tacos

Lentil Salad

Curry Lentil Soup

Winter Salad...

Today in the Andy's Market Test Kitchen we whipped up a fresh winter salad.  The pears have been great at Andy's recently and so we wanted to take full advantage of them.  

Winter Pear Salad

Salad greens

Fresh pears

Chopped toasted walnuts

Dried cranberries

Cardini Raspberry Pomegranate Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Combine salad greens (we used Romain lettuce), sliced fresh pears and dried cranberries.  Chop walnuts and lightly toast walnuts if desired in a low temperature oven.  When walnuts have cooled, top salad.  Add Cardini Vinaigrette to taste and enjoy!

 Cardini's Raspberry Pomegranate Salad Dressing mixes the tartness of raspberries and the health benefits of pomegrantates into one good-for-you salad dressing.