Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

My children love artichokes. I realize this seems a bit of an odd thing to proclaim, but it is decidedly true in our house. My four-year-old daughter will bat her eyelashes and flash the puppy dog eyes at us next to the stand. "Please can we buy the ar-jokes today, please?" 

It's gotten to the point where they have turned to begging for them even when they're not in season. (I cannot complain, as artichokes are a naturally fat and cholesterol free food, a good source of vitamin C and high in fiber.) My kids are somewhat distracted by the marinated varieties that grace our pastas and become creamy dips during the holidays, but only once spring rolls in and fresh artichokes are basted on the grill or roasted in the oven are they truly satisfied.

My favorite way to eat artichokes is with a dipping sauce, either aioli or hollandaise. Aioli is gorgeous made from scratch, but you can cheat by adding lemon juice and garlic to mayonnaise, too. Do you have a favorite way that you serve artichokes?

Roasted Artichokes with Hollandaise

Artichokes:

4 artichokes (3-4″ in diameter)
1 lemon
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375° F. Rinse the artichokes and peel off the outer petals of the globe. Cut the stem to a short nub. Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze the lemon into the water, saving the halves. Cut 1" off the tip of the artichoke. Rub the cut pieces with the lemon halves and then submerge the entire artichoke in the lemon water.

When all the artichokes are prepped, drain and place stem side down in a baking dish. Pour ¼ cup water into the bottom and drizzle artichokes with olive oil. Roast uncovered for 50-55 minutes. Serve with hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise:

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Start a small amount of water simmering for a double boiler. Using electric beaters or a whisk, beat together egg yolks and lemon juice in a double boiler off heat until thick and the volume doubles. Place the double boiler over the simmering water and whisk rapidly. Slowly drizzle in melted butter while whisking until all the butter is added and the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add in cayenne and salt. Serve with roasted artichokes.

Editor’s Note: Artichokes are a wonderful spring vegetable that can be grown in nearly every climate of the United States. For another idea of how to cook with artichokes, check out Shaina’s Grilled Lemon, Asparagus and Artichoke Spring Pasta recipe.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

Sources Cited: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, VegetableGardener.com

After a few weeks of some not-so-pleasant weather, we’re finally starting to see spring bloom before our eyes. So to celebrate, we thought we’d give you some tasty recipes to cool you down. These are three of our favorite smoothie recipes that we can’t get enough of. They’re the perfect exclamation point to the start of the spring season. Enjoy!

Blueberry Smoothies 

Sweet blueberries plus tangy lemon yogurt—what a tasty treat any time of the day! This recipe features our Cascadian Farm organic frozen blueberries!

Creamy Peach Smoothies 

It takes just four ingredients to make these luscious yogurt-peach smoothies. Try them with our Cascadian Farm organic frozen peaches!

Spa Smoothies 

Wonderfully sweet and creamy describes these smoothies that you will make again and again. (They feature our Cascadian Farm organic frozen strawberries.)

Do you have a favorite smoothie recipe? Feel free to share it in the comments box below or on our Facebook wall!

Editor’s Note: Our Change Flows initiative may have come to a close, but here at Cascadian Farm we aim to make Earth Day every day. Here is some great information about how you can set up a river cleanup in your area!

Every year, huge quantities of trash find their way into our rivers. This garbage takes away from the natural beauty of the river and pollutes the water, wildlife, nature, and communities that it sustains. America's rivers provide our drinking water, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation areas—making the health of our rivers everyone's priority. Clean rivers supply a healthy, vital source of water that is essential for a thriving community and environment.

You can make a difference in the health of our rivers by helping to restore a river in your local area, either through participation or organization of a river cleanup. In just a few hours of your time, tons of trash can be removed from our rivers. You can find a national river cleanup to participate in through American Rivers here. You can also learn more about organizing your own local river cleanup by watching this fantastic video from American Rivers. It gives you an outline of all the steps you need to take to make your river cleanup a success.

Sources:
American Rivers: www.americanrivers.org
Howcast: http://www.howcast.com/videos/265972-How-To-Organize-a-River-Cleanup

Photo Source: 
“MN- Mason Neck River Cleanup” by vastateparkstaff

Something about the greening of the grass in my backyard spurs the urge to make brunch. Where cold and gray winter mornings have me reaching for a bowl of warm oatmeal, I'm now craving crêpes or a spinach omelet eaten in the morning sun with the day still ahead, just as the summer is yet to come.

It's such cravings that lead to the production of 80 cinnamon rolls as I search for the one I am dreaming of. Of course, now armed with the recipe, it's only right that we should tinker a bit, and what came next was the spreading of blueberry preserves, tucked into an ever-so-lightly lemon-dusted dough and baked into fist-sized puffs of breakfast heaven.

These lemon blueberry rolls take a traditional cinnamon roll dough and introduce it to the brightness of lemon zest and a filling of blueberry preserves. They are a fun and unexpected twist on the classic.

Lemon Blueberry Rolls

1 ¼ cups whole milk

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:

10 oz Cascadian Farm Blueberry Fruit Spread

Before baking:

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 teaspoons milk

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Turn the burner off and add  butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Stir to combine, then continue stirring until the butter melts. Allow the mixture to sit until it reaches between 110º and 120º F. Add the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes, until it turns frothy. 

Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and start adding the flour a ½ cup at a time. Once all the flour is incorporated, cover and let it rise in the bowl for one full hour. Punch down the dough and knead lightly. Roll the dough into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Spread the blueberry preserves over the entire surface and roll into a long tube. Cut 1 1/2" sections from the tube for the rolls. Place 2” apart on a parchment-lined sheet or in a baking dish. Allow to rise for 45-60 minutes. The dough will continue to rise after you put it in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 425º. Beat together egg and water and brush over the tops of the rolls. Bake for 8-12 minutes, remove from oven.

Mix together all glaze ingredients. Drizzle lightly over warm rolls. Serve warm or up to 24 hours later if stored in an airtight container.

Makes 20 cinnamon rolls.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

Hello, friends! We want to thank all of you for your overwhelming support for our Change Flows initiative to help keep our waters clean. Over the last few months we have accumulated over 9,745 votes, with the most votes coming from the Great Lakes region! Congratulations, Great Lakes region, we’ll clean a river in your area soon!

We will let you know when we have decided which Great Lakes region river it will be, and we’ll make sure to post lots of pictures from the day of the cleanup. We have also contributed $50,000 to help support American Rivers. We couldn’t have done all this without your tremendous support. We want to thank you again. You have truly helped make a difference in keeping our waters clean.

Great Lakes region, we’ll be seeing you soon! More to come…

This year in our new yard, we have decided to build a raised bed for our garden. A raised bed can be built with a variety of non-toxic materials: concrete blocks, brick, untreated wood. (Treated wood contains toxic chemicals that can leach into the soil and enter the plants.)  Sunset has great step-by-step instructions to create a 4’ x 8’ wood bed. A four-foot width, with sides 12–16 inches high, is ideal because it allows you to sit on the edge and reach into your plants. A raised bed has many other advantages:

• Space saving—since you do not need walking space between each row (only between beds), they take up less space.
• Longer planting season—raised beds warm up earlier in the spring and hold onto heat longer in the fall, allowing you earlier and later planting.
• Reduced soil compaction because you don’t walk on the growing medium.
• Better drainage and retention of water, as well as aeration of the soil due to the minimal soil compaction.
• Bigger yields due to greater root development—the benefits to the soil benefit the plants!

Do you have raised beds in your garden? What benefits have you found?

Image Source: “raised bed” by Aka Hige

I have to admit that I love lush, green, traditional grass lawns. For me, they conjure up wonderful childhood memories. For others, they’re a calming reminder of a leisurely day on the golf course. That being said, the grass in my backyard has never come close to looking like a golf course. There are always dandelions, patches of dead grass, and yellow spots. I’m convinced that the only way to achieve a beautiful grass lawn is by using toxic weed killers and inorganic fertilizers—something I REFUSE to do. And then there’s the amount of watering required, which, in my drought-prone area, makes me wasteful. Here are a few alternative options to a typical grass lawn.

Native Plantings

It has become increasingly popular to replace grass lawns with native, drought-resistant plants and/or edible gardens. It creates a beautiful, varied landscape that is far from a boring grass lawn. Small “hard-scaped” areas (using pavers, concrete, etc.) can easily be integrated into this type of landscaping to create a seating or play area.

Green Ground Cover

It is possible to get a sea of green without the grass by using a ground cover like moss or clover. Moss is low-growing, great for shady areas, and has a lush appearance. Clover can actually be mowed to create a “lawn.” Clover is low maintenance, drought tolerant, doesn’t get yellow dog spots, and is insect resistant. In fact, it attracts beneficial insects, great for your vegetable garden! If you’re like me and want a soft spot for your kids and pets to play, without all the upkeep of grass, then clover may be the best option for you.

Artificial Grass

I know, I know! Fake grass?! I have never been a fan of any type of artificial plants. In fact, a few years ago I considered fake grass one step above paving over your yard and painting it green. But the ecological benefits to using artificial grass have begun to change my opinion. First of all, it is made of recycled plastic and uses recycled tire “crumbs” to hold it in place. It requires zero water, fertilizer, or weed killer to keep it green. And the zero-maintenance lawn it provides is not just a matter of convenience—think of the carbon load that is eliminated without the need to cut it with a gas lawnmower. Aesthetically, artificial grass has come a long way. It really does look good—it has its place. However, it is still synthetic, and I personally think it’s best for small areas and places where growing is very difficult. How do you feel about fake grass?

Are you considering replacing your traditional grass lawn?

Photo Sources: “Clover and Little White Flowers” by roens, “Fake grass – love it! Low Maint, always looks good!” by Nick Bastian Tempe, AZ

As many of you know, last Friday was Earth Day. We hope that you were able to get out and do things to help better the earth and keep our planet green.

Throughout April we have mentioned our “Change Flows” initiative, and we’ve received a lot of great responses. We are thrilled to see how much people care about protecting our water sources.

For those of you who are unaware of our “Change Flows” initiative, we’ve teamed up with American Rivers in an effort to keep our country’s water sources clean. To show our support, we’re contributing $50,000 toward river cleanups, protection, and restoration across the country.

The best part about it is that the region with the most “likes” on our Change Flows page will receive a river cleanup* sponsored by Cascadian Farm. We will announce the winner on or about May 2.

In the meantime, we’d love to know why you think your region deserves a river cleanup. Leave your comments in the box below or on our Facebook wall. Have a great day!

Photo Source: “canyon_5087” by doviende

* A river clean up includes collecting debris along a river or stream.  Your vote will help determine which region receives a river cleanup. There is not a limit to the number of regions to "like". Voting ends April 30, 2011 at 11:59pm.

With the air warming and the grass greening, we've been planning and prepping for summer nights with dinner eaten outside in the middle of our backyard gardens. I have been devising ways to make the process easier, and to refrain from balancing plates on knees and trying to cut food with dull knives. The solution? Put everything on a skewer.

Yakitori is a marinated meat that's grilled at fairly high temperatures on the grill. The skewers make it a perfect outdoor dining food with no utensils needed. We serve ours alongside skewered and grilled pineapple and vegetables.

Note: I opt for free-range chicken breast and all organic ingredients, and encourage you to do the same.

Yakitori

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons molasses or buckwheat honey

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2-3 lbs free-range chicken breasts, cut into strips (or chicken tenders)

Bamboo skewers

Mix together soy sauce, molasses/honey, mirin, ginger, garlic and white pepper in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Add chicken breast pieces and marinate for at least four hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. 

When you're ready to grill the chicken, soak the bamboo skewers in water for 10 minutes. Heat the grill to 400 º F (medium-high setting). Remove the chicken from the marinade and slide the chicken pieces onto the bamboo skewers. Place the skewered chicken on the grill and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the skewer and baste with leftover marinade, grilling for an additional 1-2 minutes. Flip again and continue until chicken is cooked through and no pink remains when you cut into a piece. Total cooking time should be around 7-8 minutes, but will depend on the thickness of your chicken pieces. 

Remove chicken skewers from the grill and allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

Happy Earth Day, friends! Although we look forward to this day all year, we don’t just practice living sustainably for a mere 24 hours, we think every day should be Earth Day. To celebrate Earth Day, we’re supporting American Rivers in an effort to keep our waters clean. We know that water is truly our most important resource and we should do whatever we can to protect it. We wholeheartedly believe in American River's mission and we’re contributing $50,000 to help support river cleanup, protection, and restoration initiatives across the country.

You can help support your river region by “liking” it on Facebook. Check it out at cascadianfarm.com/sustainability. The region with the most “likes” could receive a river clean up, which includes collecting debris along a river or stream. There is not a limit to the number of regions to "like". Voting ends April 30, 2011 at 11:59pm. The region with the most votes will be announced on or about May 2, 2011.

What other things are you doing to live sustainably this Earth Day? We’d love to hear about them. Leave your comments in the box below or on our Facebook wall.

If you’re looking for a little Earth Day inspiration, consider preparing for your summer garden by organically “feeding” your soil, start implementing some of our water conservation tips, or check out these 10 eco-friendly spring activities that the whole family will enjoy!

Have a green day!

Photo source: “Skagit River Valley” by vincelaconte