When shopping at our stores you may notice some signage updates aimed to enhance the Seward shopping experience. Our aim is to provide customers with more prudent information about products on our shelves in order to remove the guesswork from the decision making process. We’d like to draw your attention to the produce and cheese signage in particular.

In Produce, we have increased the amount of signage categories in an effort to be more transparent about our producers’ farming practices and further educate our shoppers on various growing practices. The new color-coded signs give customers a quick way in which to determine if products are certified organic, non-organic, or somewhere in-between. Look for green, yellow, and brown headers on produce signage and in our Seward Co-op color guide to produce. We have literature available at the Customer Service desk that offers definitions of growing practices associated with the labels on the shelf.

In the near future, our cheese signage will note the type of milk used (depicting a silhouette of the source animal for easy identification). The reverse side of the signage will include a brief paragraph composed by our cheese mongers, noting flavor profiles, potential parings, and textural characteristics.

Seward Co-op is issuing a voluntary recall on bulk Schultz Eggs (Bulk; retail $3.99/dozen or $0.34 each) because we were shipped free-range eggs that were mislabeled as organic. We sold these eggs as organic when they were not certified organic. This recall has not been linked to illnesses.

The affected product has a PLU of 6 or 66. The product would have been sold between November 20, 2015 and November 30, 2015. Recalled products will be fully refunded at either our Franklin or Friendship store Customer Service desk.

Over the last six months, you may have been noticed as our expansion projects unfolded and came to fruition with the opening of a new restaurant and store. Needless to say, there’s a lot of growth happening at Seward Community Co-op. Now that the majority of grab ‘n’ go, bakery, and sausage production has been transplanted from the Franklin store to the Co-op Creamery building, production at the store level has significantly changed. Kitchen staff in the stores have shifted focus to preparing the daily hot bar offerings, and, at Franklin, soup.

The new soup production kitchen at Franklin occupies the space the Bakery once did, and staff continues to concoct a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and meat-based soup options that Seward shoppers expect and love. On a weekly basis, about 50 gallons of soup are produced for Friendship and 75 gallons for Franklin. Half of that is packed for the Deli shelves and half is served on the hot bar. Stop in and pick up favorite standbys, or try the new options.

For the most part, even a light frost signals the end of the growing season across the north. But for many members of the brassicaceae family (Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, collard greens), cooler temperatures trigger a survival response that enables them, to not only survive, but improve with hard frosts. As temperatures plummet, these plants sweeten, as starches are converted to sugars as a form of anti-freeze.

Unlike local kales and cabbages, which have grown sweeter as the seasons progress from summer to fall, local Brussels sprouts reappeared a little over a month ago and are truly a seasonal treat both in timing and flavor. A slow-growing crop, Brussels sprouts are started in the spring but aren’t harvested until the late fall, ideally after a transformative frost. We source organic Brussels sprouts from the Thimmesch Farm (La Farge, Wis.), Keewaydin Farm (Viola, Wis.), and Wisconsin Growers Cooperative (Mondovi, Wis.) and receive fresh deliveries up to four days a week.

Select small, bright green sprouts with tightly compact heads. Store in an uncovered bowl in the fridge for a few weeks or longer. The outer leaves may wilt with time but they can be removed just before cooking.

Brussels sprouts may be prepared whole, halved, quartered, chopped, or pulled apart leaf by leaf for salads or tossed in oil and baked for a variation on a kale chip. If cooking whole, be sure to score the base with an ‘x’ to allow the heat to penetrate the core for more even cooking. In their prime, Brussels sprouts are delicious very simply seasoned withbutter or olive oil, lemon juice, salt and roasted in the oven until browned and tender.

I also love a sweet late season Brussel sprouts salad with a warm vinaigrette.

5 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. grainy mustard

1 Tsp. sugar

1 small shallot finely sliced

¼ cup lardons

¼ walnuts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts finely sliced

½ cup loosely packed arugula

Shaved Pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper

Warm the vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. When the sugar has dissolved, pour the mixture into a small bowl with the sliced shallot. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a skillet, brown the lardons then remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. To the same skillet, add the chopped walnuts and cook also until slightly browned. Remove from heat and add the shallot mixture and a pound of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. Toss until the sprouts are well coated. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the arugula, thinly shaved Pecorino, and the reserved lardons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make-ahead meals are great to have waiting in the freezer during the busy holiday season. Healthy family dinners are a priority to many, but sometimes can be difficult. Practical expectations are important for maintaining a manageable and low-stress season. This pasty recipe is easy to multiply or divide to suit any family size, and it keeps well in the freezer for up to eight months. Not to mention, this recipe fits our Nourish standards by feeding a family of four for under $15 ($10 for recipes without meat).

If cooking is out of the question, our Deli offers an extensive selection of other options in the Grab n’ Go. Our Co-op Creamery Café is another option for getting a P6 meal on the go. The daytime menu is served 8 a.m.-3 p.m., and the evening menu is served 5-10 p.m. Stop in for a snack or drink special on your way to and from your holiday shopping during out social hour between 3-5 p.m.

Pasties

Recipe makes 4 servings

Crust:

¼ lb. lard

½ cup boiling water

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ Tbsp. salt

Filling:

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

½ large rutabaga, peeled and diced

½ lb. ground sirloin

1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped

1 Tbsp. salt

½ Tbsp. black pepper

1 egg whisked for wash

Crust:

Pour boiling water over the lard until the lard is dissolved. Add salt to flour and add this to the water and lard. Mix together until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Filling:

Combine the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit and meld together, while rolling out the crust. Cut the dough into four even pieces, about five ounces each, and form into balls. Make sure the dough is cold for easier handling. Flour a work surface and roll out each ball of dough into an eight-inch circle, inch thick.

Evenly divide filling into four portions. Put large cupful of filling on one half of the dough circle; dab ice water around the edge of the crust to seal. Add a tsp. of butter on top of the filling before sealing. Fold crust over top of filling like a turnover, and seal edges well. Make three small slits on top of each pasty for venting. Brush top with egg wash.

At this point, you have some options. You can either pop these directly into the oven or freeze the pasties uncooked for up to eight months. To freeze and cook at a later date, wrap individually in aluminum foil then place in a freezer bag to avoid freezer burn. When you wish to cook the frozen pasties, remove from freezer and defrost and follow the instructions that follow. If baking right away, place fresh pasties on parchment lined baking sheets and bake at 425° F for 15 minutes; then turn oven down to 350° F for 60 minutes or until nicely browned.

This time of year is all about gathering, no matter what your celebration looks like. Most soirees are centered around food, family and/or friends. At some point during this season, your host may ask that you bring a dish to pass, a prerequisite for attending most holiday get-togethers. We’ve investigated many potential offerings and landed on this delectable wild rice dressing. We carry a variety of wild rice options at both the Friendship and Franklin stores, but one of our favorites is from the P6 producer Native Harvest.

The Native Harvest product line was founded by legendary Anishinaabe activist and author Winona LaDuke and is produced by White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP). Native Harvest was created as part of an effort to preserve indigenous traditions and knowledge, including the protection of native seeds and heritage crops, as well as naturally grown/raised fruits, wild plants, and animals. WELRP also seeks to preserve and restore traditional practices of sound land stewardship, language fluency, and community development. Native Harvest’s Mahnomin, or wild rice, grows naturally in the lakes and rivers of Northern Minnesota and is hand harvested and wood parched by tribal members using traditional methods. The wild rice dressing below is not only delicious, but it is also so beautiful it will turn heads as you walk in to your next gathering.

Kale and Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients

2 large bunches of Kale, leaves torn

1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4 Tbsp. flour

1 cup milk (recommend 2%)

1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

¼ cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk

4 cups cooked wild rice

1 ½ cups gruyere cheese, shredded

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 large sweet onions, sliced into thin rings

Salt and pepper

Instructions
Grease a 2–3 quart casserole dish. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add all of the torn kale to the skillet with one cup of water, then cover. Wilt the kale in the skillet for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the kale is wilted and all of the water has been absorbed, remove the kale from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the mushrooms into the skillet in a single layer, and let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom. After approximately two minutes, toss them once and season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to cook without stirring for about five minutes.

Add the butter to the skillet and cook until the butter begins to brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, thyme and nutmeg and cook for about 10 seconds.

Add the kale back to the skillet with the mushrooms, garlic and spices and toss well.

Sprinkle the flour over the kale and mushrooms and cook for one minute. Add the milk and broth, bring to a boil, and cook two–three minutes or until there is a thick sauce. Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked wild rice. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Increase the temperature to medium-high heat and add onions and ¼teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook mixture while stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften and turn golden brown for about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle half the cheese over the casserole and then add the onions and the remaining cheese.

Bake the casserole for 20–25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the onions are crispy.

Recipe adapted from “Half Baked Harvest”

For more than 40 years, Seward Co-op has been committed to giving back to our community. In 2011, we introduced SEED, a new way for customers to participate in this commitment. This simple yet powerful community giving program allows customers to “round-up” their grocery bill for recipient organizations that share our commitment to a healthy community.

SEED Recipients are selected once per year. Application information for 2017 will be posted at seward.coop in the spring of 2016.

2015-16 SEED Recipients

October 2015
WE WIN Institute, Inc.
WE WIN supports student learning and social development in urban youth through academic activities, civic and community engagement. Funding will support WE WIN youth gardens that teach young people about the importance of food origins, eating healthy, and exercise.

November 2015
Waite House Neighborhood Center
Waite House trains neighborhood teens in community culinary arts and food justice. Funds raised would support the community based portion of their training – in Southside Kitchen providing healthy, made-from-scratch, free meals daily to neighborhood youth.

December 2015 and June 2016
Isuroon Ethnic Food Shelf
Isuroon is dedicated to building Somali women’s self-sufficiency so that they can lead healthier, more productive lives in Minnesota, nationally and in Somalia. Funding will support the creation of an ethnic food shelf serving the Somali Community in South Minneapolis.

January 2016
Full Cycle Bike Shop
Full Cycle is a bike shop that helps put homeless youth on a path toward independence. SEED funding will create jobs for homeless youth using a fleet of bike trailers to pick up and deliver food donations to organizations serving homeless youth. Homeless youth are best able to build up their own stability when they have the opportunity to help others at the same time.

February and December 2016
Sabathani Community Center
Sabathani provides food, clothing and housing to 26,000 neighborhood residents each year in South Minneapolis. We feed the chronically poor, those on disability or chemical dependent individuals and families. Sabathani Community Center has been providing basic needs services for nearly fifty years.

March and September 2016
Brian Coyle Food Shelf
Brian Coyle Community Center’s Basic Needs program offers a choice model food shelf, healthy cultural cooking classes, free produce giveaways, monthly senior NAPS food program, and is working toward expanding its community garden on site. Funding will support the purchase of fresh produce, dairy, whole grains and culturally-specific foods for the food shelf.

April 2016
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre
On May 1, 2016, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre’s 42nd annual MayDay celebration will build community vitality on an enormous scale. We will bring together 1200 volunteers to build and stage a parade and pageant welcoming spring and inspiring positive change for 50,000 attendees from every part of our community. Children, parents, youth and seniors are engaged for weeks in advance, building artmaking skills as they gain respect and develop friendships with each other.

May 2016
Mashkiikii Gitigan Urban Community Farm
Mashkiikii Gitigan (Ojibwe for medicine garden) addresses the food justice needs of people living in the Phillips neighborhood of South Minneapolis, many of whom face challenges in accessing fresh, healthy foods. SEED funding will support Mashkiikii Gitigan’s Karma Markets, weekly “pay what you can” farmer’s markets that provide community members with fresh fruits, vegetables, and traditional herbal medicines.

July 2016
Hope Community
SEED funds will support a Network of Community Gardens at Home Community, at the intersection of Franklin and Portland Avenues–about two miles west of Seward Co-op, in Philips Community. Hope is a community development organization that’s been around since 1977, doing both housing and community engagement in Philips. Gardens at Hope bring people together to learn about and grow healthy food, develop leadership and build a stronger, healthier community.

August 2016
The Hmong American Farmers Association
The Hmong American Farmers Association creates more economic opportunity for Hmong farmers. They make sure Hmong farmers earn more income through new markets like co-ops and schools, while bringing fresh, locally grown produced to thousands of people in the Twin Cities.

October 2016
Community Emergency Service, Inc.
Community Emegency Service has been feeding hungry people in our neighborhood for more than four decades, providing groceries and hot meals for 2,500 people monthly. SEED funds will help the organization provide holiday food for neighbors in need this season.

November 2016
Dream of Wild Health
Dream of Wild Health promotes health in the urban Native community by expanding knowledge of and access to healthy indigenous foods and medicines.. DWH’s programs focus on increasing knowledge of healthy foods, nutrition, cooking, disease prevention, traditional foods, organic farming and community advocacy.

Seward Community Co-op launched the Seward Community Fund (SCF) in 2005. The establishment of the SCF embodies our co-op’s commitment to grow not just as a business, but also as a community resource for organizations whose work aligns with our vision for a healthy community.

SCF grants are awarded annually in amounts up to $5,000 each. Applications are reviewed by a grant committee comprised of co-op staff, and recipients are announced at the annual co-op owners meeting in October. The next application deadline will be in early summer 2016. Click here for more information.

Grants are given to organizations whose work aligns with our Ends Statement:

Our Ends Statement

Seward Co-op will sustain a healthy community that has:

• Equitable economic relationships;
• Positive environmental impacts; and
• Inclusive, socially responsible practices.

In addition, priority will be given to organizations that:

• Are based in the communities served by Seward Co-op.
• Reflect the cultural and racial diversity of our communities.
• Use the funding for specific projects rather than general operating costs.
• Are nonpartisan and do not advocate a particular religion.
• Are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

2015 Seward Community Fund Recipients:

Alliance of Early Childhood Professionals
$5,000
We will use this grant to revitalize Dakota and Ojibwe languages at the early childhood levels, as MN’s First languages; Dakota and Ojibwe are critically endangered. We are using an analogy of a tropic cascade when speaking of revitalizing Dakota and Ojibwe as current data points towards numerous cognitive benefits, cultural self efficacy and community well being.

Ananya Dance Theatre
$3,000
Ananya Dance Theatre is a contemporary company of women artists of color. Grant funds would support the creation and presentation of our 2016 production, “Horidraa: Golden Healing.”

Dream of Wild Health
$5,000
We work to restore health and well-being of the Twin Cities Native American community by increasing access to healthy fresh foods through our farm production, market and CSA outlets and donations; providing educational programs in organic farming, healthy indigenous foods, cooking skills and nutritional knowledge; and by creating opportunities for youth educational summer enrichment, employment and entrepreneurship programs.

Frogtown Green/Asian American Elders Garden
$3,500
We seek support for coordination, infrastructure and supplies for the Asian American Elders Garden, a space where elderly refugees build social connections and economic resilience by growing produce for household consumption and occasional sales. The Garden, a Frogtown resident-led initiative, also enhances cultural interaction and learning, by showcasing Asian farming techniques and produce.

Kente Circle
$5,000
Kente Circle, an African American owned mental health organization, is obtaining 501(c)(3) status for a new training institute and community gathering place – Kente Circle Training Institute (KCTI). KCTI’s work will align with the Seward Co-op ends statement in that it will be geared toward culturally inclusive trainings, research and community building in the Twin Cities and more specifically in the community where the new Seward Co-op Friendship Store is located.

Mashkiikii Gitigan: 24th Street Community Urban Farm
$5,000
The Mission of the Mashkiikii Gitigan is is to create and nurture the culture and practice of local food production, healthy eating, healthy living and related activities along the 24th Street Wellness Corridor and throughout the Phillips Community. These funds would go towards hiring a local resident, market supplies and “Karma Market Bucks” to support our “Karma Market” where communit members can contribute what they can afford for healthy, organic produce from our Urban Farm.

MSPCC/Sunshine Tree Child Development Ctr.
$5,000
We are an Early Childhood Development Center that provides sustainable Early learning services for Children from a diversity of families in our community. The funds will be used to upgrade our facility and enhance the materials used for the learning of our Children to make them exceptionally Kindergarten ready and also assist those that are in school to have successful educational and social experiences.

Permaculture Research Institute-Cold Climate
$4,500
PRI will provide full scholarship tuition for training eight new urban farmers from low-income, immigrant, and/or native communities, and will provide them with access to land and the training needed to launch businesses, to become teachers, and grow healthy food in their neighborhoods. Collectively, these eight new farmers will gain the leadership skills and experience to transform eight new farms and teach an additional fifty new community members over the course of their learning.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park Legacy Council
$4,000
We will use the funds to landscape an area around the Freedom Form II sculpture in the park. This is a special place, sacred ground containing the sculpture donated upon the re-dedication of the park in Dr. King’s name and then enhanced with granite and metal benches inscribed with quotes from Dr. King and responses from the community. The final touch would be landscaping.

Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership
$5,000
SLRJP provides a restorative conference process, as an alternative to the juvenile justice system, to neighborhood youth who have been arrested for lower level offenses including shoplifting, property damage and theft. Funding will be used to grow a new partnership with the Center for Multicultural Mediation and Restorative Justice in order to provide culturally-informed restorative conferences in Somali to referred youth, with participation of a Somali co-facilitator and Somali community members.

The Cedar Cultural Center
$5,000
Launched in 2014 in partnership with Augsburg College, Midnimo is a program featuring multi-week residencies with Somali artists from Minnesota and around the world that include public performances, workshops, discussions, and activities on campus and in the community. The proposed funding will support the growth and continuation of Midnimo, and build on its momentum as a platform for developing the social connections and cultural touchstones that promote unity and the celebration of our community’s diverse cultural assets.

Brussels Sprouts

For the most part, even a light frost signals the end of the growing season across the north. But for many members of the brassicaceae family (Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, collard greens), cooler temperatures trigger a survival response that enables them, to not only survive, but improve with hard frosts. As temperatures plummet, these plants sweeten, as starches are converted to sugars as a form of anti-freeze.

Unlike local kales and cabbages, which have grown sweeter as the seasons progress from summer to fall, local Brussels sprouts reappeared a little over a month ago and are truly a seasonal treat both in timing and flavor. A slow-growing crop, Brussels sprouts are started in the spring but aren’t harvested until the late fall, ideally after a transformative frost. We source organic Brussels sprouts from the Thimmesch Farm (La Farge, Wis.), Keewaydin Farm (Viola, Wis.), and Wisconsin Growers Cooperative (Mondovi, Wis.) and receive fresh deliveries up to four days a week.

Select small, bright green sprouts with tightly compact heads. Store in an uncovered bowl in the fridge for a few weeks or longer. The outer leaves may wilt with time but they can be removed just before cooking.

Brussels sprouts may be prepared whole, halved, quartered, chopped, or pulled apart leaf by leaf for salads or tossed in oil and baked for a variation on a kale chip. If cooking whole, be sure to score the base with an ‘x’ to allow the heat to penetrate the core for more even cooking. In their prime, Brussels sprouts are delicious very simply seasoned with butter or olive oil, lemon juice, salt and roasted in the oven until browned and tender.

I also love a sweet late season Brussels sprouts salad with a warm vinaigrette.

5 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. grainy mustard

1 Tsp. sugar

1 small shallot finely sliced

¼ cup lardons

¼ walnuts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts finely sliced

½ cup loosely packed arugula

Shaved Pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper

Warm the vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. When the sugar has dissolved, pour the mixture into a small bowl with the sliced shallot. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a skillet, brown the lardons then remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. To the same skillet, add the chopped walnuts and cook also until slightly browned. Remove from heat and add the shallot mixture and a pound of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. Toss until the sprouts are well coated. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the arugula, thinly shaved Pecorino, and the reserved lardons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.