The Franklin Avenue bridge (County Road 5) is closed for repairs through September 2016. Here is the alternative route to Seward Co-op’s Franklin store and Creamery Cafe.

Living Water Gardens is located on the outskirts of Wells, Minn., about 100 miles southwest of the Twin Cities. Three generations work together and handle the operation that grows 7,000 tomato plants and a variety of other vegetables in hot and humid greenhouses situated on roughly an acre of land. Like many of the producers that make their way onto Seward Co-op’s shelves, Living Water Gardens looks for opportunities to incorporate sustainable practices whenever possible. But the real difference is that they’ve traded in soil and earth for water and hydroponics. The water used at Living Water Gardens is the secret ingredient in the cultivation of their delicious produce. It tends to have high levels of iron, which cause frustration when they build up and clog the irrigation system, but it yields a tasty and nutrient-dense tomato.

The hydroponic process is quite involved and begins with starting seeds in rockwool, a fabric that promotes growth and decreases the spread of disease. Once the seeds bloom into healthy seedlings, they are moved from the nursery to the greenhouse, which provides ideally controlled growing conditions. To keep the greenhouses between 70–85F., old pallets are burned. Living Water Gardens partners with an organization that collects, bundles, and delivers pallets that would otherwise end up in a landfill. In the greenhouse, tomato plants are strung up on a single-string trellis system where they are able to reach their ideal “working height” and produce fruit from April­ to December.

In the spring, the well-being of honey bees is at the forefront of our minds. After all, we all benefit from a thriving bee population. Learn more below about how to get involved in supporting a healthy bee population!

Beekeeping 101 with the Beez Kneez
Monday, April 4, 6:30–8 p.m.
Kristy Lynn Allen, the Beez Kneez
$12/$10 co-op owners
Franklin store

Learn about the basics of starting your own hive, bee biology and bee advocacy from the Beez Kneez, a social enterprise working to “revive the hive for healthy bees, healthy lives.”

Click here to register!

Healthy Bees, Healthy Lives
Saturday, April 9, noon–3 p.m.
Both stores

Join our friends from The Beez Kneez bicycle-delivered honey to celebrate “Healthy Bees, Healthy Lives”, a campaign created by The Beez Kneez to protect pollinators from harmful pesticides and other chemicals. On Saturday, April 9 they will be in the stores promoting the annual Dandelion Honey Pastry Chef Challenge coming up on Wednesday, April 13th. We’ll be sampling their different honey varieties in store as well as the return of Honeybee Cream Puffs made by our bakery using Beez Knees honey.

The month of March is a time where we see a juxtaposition of fresh, spring vegetables coming from California and Mexico and winter storage crops available from local farms. A perfect pairing of spring and winter crops can be enjoyed with the following recipe; Creamy Asparagus Soup. It’s vegan; the cream comes from one of my favorite potatoes, the German Butterball. We are still getting these golden spuds locally from Driftless Organics in Wisconsin, where Josh and Noah Engle are selling a large bounty of stored potatoes harvested in the fall. Organic asparagus is in season in Mexico and California and we are selling it at the lowest prices I have seen in all my years as Produce Buyer. I would definitely sauté some asparagus to have alongside the soup. In fact, I ate a pound of asparagus last night, simply sautéed in butter with salt and pepper.

Asparagus contains anti-inflammatory phytonutrients as well as anti-oxidants. It contains significant amounts of inulin, fiber and B-vitamins. Inulin is a pre-biotic which helps with digestive issues and inulin also promotes healthy blood sugar levels. Inulin can be found in other foods such as artichokes, bananas, garlic, leeks, onions and sunchokes.
Speaking of sunchokes, I hear the C-op Creamery Café will be featuring overwintered sunchokes from a local farm on their upcoming new Evening menu. Overwintered vegetables have been left in the field during the frozen months and dug in the spring when the ground thaws. Overwintered produce is another great example of the winter to spring transition. Keep an eye out for overwintered parsnips and sunchokes in our stores this spring!

Creamy Asparagus Soup

1 ½ lbs. asparagus spears, trimmed
1 ½ Tbs. olive oil
1 ½ cups finely chopped shallots (about 10)
½ lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Coarsely ground black pepper for garnish

1. Reserve 8 spears of asparagus for garnish. Cut remaining asparagus stalks into 1-inch pieces.

2. In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add potatoes, cut-up asparagus and 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add bouillon and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in wide, deep pot of lightly salted boiling water, blanch reserved asparagus spears until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove spears to colander and rinse under cold running water, drain well and set aside.

4. In food processor or blender, process soup in batches until smooth and creamy. Return to pot and add freshly ground pepper to taste and lemon juice. Adjust salt to taste. Garnish with asparagus spears and ground black pepper. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Times

These parfaits are perfect for breakfast, or even a delicious dessert. To assemble parfaits, layer a clear, tall glass with your favorite P6 yogurt (mixed with honey if preferred), honey-sweetened lemon curd, and honey granola.

Honey-sweetened Lemon Curd

4 Tbsp. unsalted Rochdale butter, cut into small pieces

cup Beez Kneez honey

4 large Schultz egg yolks

2 large Schultz eggs

cup fresh lemon juice (about 6–8 lemons)

1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

In a medium bowl, cream butter and honey until fluffy. Beat in eggs slowly. Pour in the lemon juice and pour mixture into medium-sized, saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture has thickened and becomes jelly-like, about 5–7 minutes. Make sure to pull the pan off the stove before it gets to a rolling boil. It’s done when the curd sticks to the back of the spoon. Immediately remove from heat and stir in lemon zest. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

Honey Granola

2 cups Whole Grain Milling rolled oats

½ cup Equal Exchange nuts, chopped

¼ cup Bergin Fruit & Nut Co. sunflower seeds

3 Tbsp. Beez Kneez honey

2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

½ tsp. vanilla extract 1 large pinch sea salt

Preheat oven to 300º F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and use your hands to mix well and toss to coat. Spread mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Cool before serving or storing.

The month of March is a time where we see a juxtaposition of fresh, spring vegetables coming from California and Mexico and winter storage crops available from local farms. A perfect pairing of spring and winter crops can be enjoyed with the following recipe; Creamy Asparagus Soup. It’s vegan; the cream comes from one of my favorite potatoes, the German Butterball. We are still getting these golden spuds locally from Driftless Organics in Wisconsin, where Josh and Noah Engle are selling a large bounty of stored potatoes harvested in the fall. Organic asparagus is in season in Mexico and California and we are selling it at the lowest prices I have seen in all my years as Produce Buyer. I would definitely sauté some asparagus to have alongside the soup. In fact, I ate a pound of asparagus last night, simply sautéed in butter with salt and pepper.

Asparagus contains anti-inflammatory phytonutrients as well as anti-oxidants. It contains significant amounts of inulin, fiber and B-vitamins. Inulin is a pre-biotic which helps with digestive issues and inulin also promotes healthy blood sugar levels. Inulin can be found in other foods such as artichokes, bananas, garlic, leeks, onions and sunchokes.
Speaking of sunchokes, I hear the C-op Creamery Café will be featuring overwintered sunchokes from a local farm on their upcoming new Evening menu. Overwintered vegetables have been left in the field during the frozen months and dug in the spring when the ground thaws. Overwintered produce is another great example of the winter to spring transition. Keep an eye out for overwintered parsnips and sunchokes in our stores this spring!

Creamy Asparagus Soup

1 ½ lbs. asparagus spears, trimmed
1 ½ Tbs. olive oil
1 ½ cups finely chopped shallots (about 10)
½ lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Coarsely ground black pepper for garnish

1. Reserve 8 spears of asparagus for garnish. Cut remaining asparagus stalks into 1-inch pieces.

2. In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add potatoes, cut-up asparagus and 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add bouillon and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in wide, deep pot of lightly salted boiling water, blanch reserved asparagus spears until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove spears to colander and rinse under cold running water, drain well and set aside.

4. In food processor or blender, process soup in batches until smooth and creamy. Return to pot and add freshly ground pepper to taste and lemon juice. Adjust salt to taste. Garnish with asparagus spears and ground black pepper. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Times

At Seward Co-op, we are very proud of our Bulk foods department. Bulk has been a keystone of the co-op from its earliest days, and it continues to be one of our greatest successes.

Whether shopping in bulk is a new prospect for you, or you’ve been shopping bulk exclusively for decades, we have a rare treat for you: a 10-percent-off sale on all bulk items on March 24. All day — for one day only — everything in the Bulk department (even sale items) is 10 percent off.

Please join us Thursday, March 24, in the Bulk departments of both stores, where extra staff and product vendors will be on hand to answer questions and assist you in shopping the best way possible — in bulk.

Throughout the day, enjoy samples of bulk products like Equal Exchange coffee (at the Franklin store), granola, and Barsey’s almonds. Also visit with a handful of our suppliers, including Equal Exchange and local grain producer Whole Grain Milling.

(The March 24 bulk sale does not include: reusable glass and plastic containers; items sold per pound in other departments, such as Produce; and Meat & Seafood).

Homemade Soba Noodles

Ingredients:

For the noodles:
2 cups buckwheat flour
1 cup white spelt flour (can also substitute with all-purpose flour)
1-1 1/4 cup hot water

To serve:
2 carrots, diced, shaved, or cut into matchsticks
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. garlic oil (or 2 cloves of minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of your choice of oil)
2 Tsp. toasted sesame seed oil
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cashews (optional)
Protein of your choice, such as fried tofu

Method:
Combine the buckwheat flour and kamut or spelt flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the water gradually, and then work the flours and water together, kneading to form the dough. If at any point the dough feels too crumbly, add a little more water. Alternatively, if the dough is too sticky, add a little more kamut or spelt flour. Knead the dough until it comes together in a smooth, round ball, then turn it out on the counter and knead it with the heel of your hand. The dough should be soft and smooth; if any cracks appear, add a little more water. Once it’s smooth, shape the dough into a flat rectangular parcel. This will help the dough keep its shape as you roll. Sprinkle the semolina or buckwheat starch onto the counter and lightly over top of the dough, which will prevent sticking. Now it’s time to start rolling out the dough: The best way is to roll from the center outwards, shaping the edges as you go so that the dough remains rectangular. This will save you from having to trim later. Spread a generous handful of semolina or buckwheat starch over the dough. Then fold the top third of the dough down and spread it with more starch.

Fold the bottom third of the dough upwards, like you would fold a letter, and coat that with the semolina or starch, as well. Begin cutting the noodles approximately half a centimeter (a quarter of an inch) thick. Keep slicing until you have used all of the dough. Toss the cut noodles with a little more semolina or starch so that they don’t stick together. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water generously, and drop in the soba. Cook the noodles for one minute, then drain them, and rinse them under cool water immediately. Use your hands to lift and gently shake the noodles as you rinse them; this helps to remove the starchy film that coats the noodles as they cook. After rinsing, drain the noodles and serve them cold or at room temperature. Toss the noodles with garlic oil, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce. Toss in protein and scatter with chopped spring onions, carrots, and toasted cashews over top.

Serves 4