roasting raw sunflower seeds

Roasting Raw Sunflower Seeds

Roasting seeds and nuts does make them less nutritious,

BUT we love them so.

We carry raw unsalted sunflower seeds for those with salt restrictions.

Pre-roasted and salted seeds and nuts can sometimes be TOO salty, or not have the flavor that you want. Here is an easy way to roast

sunflower seeds that takes a little advance planning but will better suit your tastes. You can adjust the salt, add your own spices and adjust roasting times to please your palette.

Basic instructions:

Raw-in-shell sunflower seeds

Water
¼ cup salt (more or less)Large bowl
Colander or strainer
Paper towels
Baking pan or cooking sheet
Additional seasonings (try mixing one or more of these
before roasting the seeds:
½ to 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tbsp. lime juice, 1 tbsp. chili powder,
1 tsp. dried dill, 1 tsp. ground caraway seed, 1 tbsp. honey,
1 tsp. cayenne, your own spice mix, a prepackaged powderedmix like French onion or ranch dip mix-try our Simply Organic mixes).

Sort, remove ones with holes.

Combine 1 qt. water and ¼ salt, mix until dissolved. Use more or less as desired; you will need more for more than one pound of seeds. Soak overnight at room temp or for 8 hrs. Drain the seeds in a colander or strainer and pat with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Spread seeds in single layer on baking pan/sheet. Roast in preheated oven 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shells are lightly browned and fragrant. You can roast them darker if you prefer, but do not burn. (thanks to eHow for much of this information)

Attention Meat-Lovers: IT'S GRILLING SEASON!!!

Come on down to the store and try out some of our favorites:

-Grass-fed Highland Beef Hot Dogs and mouth-watering Pork Tenderloin and Baby Back Ribs from Beaver Creek Ranch (Burnett County)

-Pasture-raised steak and short ribs from Little Spring Valley (Eleva), Werlein Farms (Mondovi), and Wheatfield Hill Organics (Durand)

-Bone-in pork chops from Deutsch Family Farm (Osseo)

-Whole, cut-up, and wingless CHICKEN from Coon Creek Family Farm (Mondovi) and Beaver Creek Ranch

-And brats: Elk, Pork, Turkey, Lamb, and Buffalo bratwurst from a variety of local suppliers!

Any special requests, ask for Nik. Otherwise, fire-up your cookers and get ready for JULY 4^th!

Power to the People

This summer, Just Local Food is partnering with the WISPIRG Energy Service Corps ‘Power to the People’ campaign

to increase energy efficiency in Wisconsin by working with homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient.

WISPIRG's Energy Service Corps is a joint project of the WISPIRG Foundation and AmeriCorps. Specifically,

AmeriCorps members with WISPIRG Energy Service Corps will provide FREE home energy assessments and upgrades.

During an energy upgrade, trained Energy Service Corps members will visit your home, apartment, or business to

help you identify the places where you’re using more energy than you need to. You’ll learn about the simple steps

you can take to use less energy and receive information about local, state, and federal energy incentives and

assistance programs.

I hope you’ll join us in our effort to change Wisconsin’s energy future. For more information, or to sign up

for your FREE energy efficiency upgrade, visit www.energyservicecorps.org/schedule.

On Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/ESCEauClaire

Thanks for your consideration. We hope you’ll join the movement for

an energy efficient Wisconsin.

In ENERGY SAVING Solidarity,

Just Local Food

New products from Canaan

Canaan is a member of the Palestine Fair Trade Association, a group of over 1700 small farmers joined in fair trade collectives and cooperatives. Farmers are paid a living wage. Purchasing their products helps Palestinian families survive and maintain their connection to their land and their ancient olive trees.

Nabali Tree olive oil: Medium fruity with peppery finish. Made from olives from the native olive tree of Palestine. Certified organic, extra virgin, cold pressed.

Rumi Tree olive oil: Complex, sweet aroma, buttery finish. The Rumi tree has been cultivated in Palestine since the Roman Empire. Certified organic, extra virgin, cold pressed.

Za'atar: organic thyme is gathered, dried and blended with roasted sesame seeds, ground sumac and a touch of salt. Prepared by women-owned cooperatives. Use za'atar on tomatoes, bread, meat, fish, eggs and cheese.

Maftoul is an organic couscous: whole grain organic wheat that is cracked, hand rolled and sun-dried by a women-owned cooperative. Wholesome flavor, firm texture.

Sun-dried tomatoes: Tomatoes selected and sun-dried by women-owned cooperatives are pickled in organic olive oil. Add a deep flavor to sauces and other recipes.

Olive oil soap: crafted by women-owned cooperatives from organic olive oil and coconut oil. Natural olive scent, no added perfume.

The Grand Trio of Spring

Wild Leeks, Morel Mushrooms & Fiddleheads

ONLY available at Just Local Food where we work with experienced foragers who deliver the freshest wild bounty of Eau Claire and Chippewa County.

More Morels coming today and tomorrow. Plenty of Fiddleheads and Ramps on hand.

Call ahead for availability – 715-552-3366

Morels $31.89/lb

Ramps $2.99/each

Fiddleheads $9.59/lb

Celebrate with us!

Howdy Friends!

Just Local Food is turning 7 years old and you are invited to celebrate with us this Friday, May 13th, from 2-6 pm, in our parking lot at 1117 South Farwell.

Food, beer, and live music will be provided, including, but not limited to:

• The Stoop Singers of Eau Claire, WI (playing old-timey string music from 2-5 pm)
• Lambalot Acres of Augusta, WI (serving succulent lamby goodness)
• Deutsch Family Farm of Osseo, WI (serving some of the best pork you'll ever eat)
• Maiden Rock Orchard of Stockholm, WI (serving Grandaddy's apple chutney and fruit preserves)
• Big Donkey Pizza of Eau Claire, WI
• Nathan Berg serving Castle Rock cheese (Osseo, WI)
• David Anderson of Wilson, WI (serving wonderfully-hopped BrewFarm lager and specialty ales from 4-6 pm)

We are so proud to work with all of the great many farmers, butchers, brewers, bakers, artists, artisans, entrepreneurs, distributors, and tradesfolk, who have labored to improve our land, secure our economy, beautify our community, and keep our bodies fed and healthy.

Thanks to all of you for supporting us for seven years!

See you at the store!

COFFEE MUGS

Hi again! We really need some used coffee mugs here at the store. As many of you know, we use coffee mugs instead of disposable coffee cups here at the store to serve up coffee to our customers. We have this really cool honor system. Whatever you can afford for a cup of coffee that day we will graciously accept. Just throw your change into Spock's head and take one of our mugs with you. We leave it up to you to get these mugs back to us, when you can. Over the years, customers and workers at Just Local Food have donated used mugs for this really nice, eco-friendly coffee service. It is up to all of us to maintain this service. If you can please, bring us some mugs, whether you are holding on to some that you borrowed from the store, or wish to clean out your storage room and donate some mugs. We don't care if they are pretty as long as they hold hot delicious liquid. Thanks for helping us out!

It's time to HAM it up

Ham-Lovers, Easter-Lovers, and Celebrators of Ancient Pagan Festivals:

The seasonal hams have arrived!

We have hickory-smoked bone-in quarter hams from the Deutsch Family Farm (Osseo, WI) and Gingerbread Jersey (Augusta, WI). And, if you aren't prepared to eat a whole bunch of ham all by yourself or with a select group of loved ones, we also carry little boneless hams (uncured, no nitrates) from Beelers in Madison County, Iowa.

First come, first served.

Even more bulk....

Back for even more bulk! This week the bulk department added some more tasty cashews-roasted ginger agave cashews! We're trying out all of these different flavors on your taste buds so that we can narrow the selection down to favorites-so make sure to weigh in on your faves!

Back this week-

a NEW mix of SPICY PEPITAS that have such heat that they may just bite you back! Rarrrrr.

Nature's Bakery: trail mix and FRUESLI. What is Fruesli? Organic rolled oats, organic oat bran, organic raisins, organic dates, almonds, organic barley flakes, organic rye flakes, sunflower seeds, walnuts & water.
Mmmm, yummy and substantial-everything that life should be and not a morsel more.

NAUGHTIES: Barsy's Almonds' Naughties are back by popular demand. With roasted almonds, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne, everyone can embrace a little naughty.
If your not sure about yours, balance it out with some Sweeties.

NEW PRODUCTS IN BULK

Berry trail mix from Urban Processing in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. This super mix brings together Wisconsin cranberries, Michigan blueberries and cherries, with some crunch from walnuts and almonds. If you are already familiar with the cranberries, cherries and blueberries sold on their own in our bulk section, you know you are in for a treat with this really good for you snack mix. Thanks to Tim from Urban Processing and his son, who recently moved to Eau Claire to attend UWEC and NEEDED his berry trail mix, we are the first coop (or retail outlet for that matter) to carry this product in bulk.

Garam masala cashews from Tierra Farm. So, have you tried the curry cashews from Tierra Farm? Good, huh? Well, the garam masala cashews are right up there on the taste bud chart with the curry cashews. Mix together for a tasty Indian cashew snack.

Goji berries are here per popular request. We've also got the chocolate covered goji berries and raw cacao and goji berry energy squares for those of you who don't want to do the goji straight up.

Ceci fava bean snack mix: a combo of roasted/salted garbanzo beans and roasted/salted fava beans. A popular italian snack, or so I am told, that is really hard to find in the states.

Dry roasted edamame snack mix. Those of you who like your edamames will really enjoy this dry roasted and salted edamame option in bulk.

Bounty from the Sea!

Just Local Food now carries a wide array of good-tasting fish!

Beer-battered fish n' chips? We have wild-caught COD and SCALLOPS from U.S. waters.

Better yet, Herby and the gang from Menomonie's Bullfrog Fish Farm are presently offering their fresh RAINBOW TROUT -- frozen stiff. (Note: This trout is extremely good when broiled with butter and salt and served on a bed of Jordan's "wilted kale salad." Just toss your kale with honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and feta cheese, and bake for ten minutes until the kale wilts and the cheese melts.)

Also on the horizon: biodynamically-raised TILAPIA from Future Farms in Baldwin (52 miles west of our store) and fresh SHRIMP from U.S. waters!

Here's a recipe for Scallops with Mushrooms in White-Wine Sauce to get you inspired.

Grandaddy's 2-Pepper Apple Chutney, Super Hot!!!

Mark your calendars!

This Saturday afternoon, March 26th, from 11 AM until 2 PM:

Herdie from the Maiden Rock Apple Orchard (Stockholm, Wisconsin) will be sampling his famous Grandaddy's 2-Pepper Apple Chutney, Super Hot!!!, and apple jam preserves. Come hungry and eager to listen to Pepin County's foremost orchardist and wine and cider maker, waxing apple poetry and distributing his delicious "Brat au Baguette" (marinaded apple brats, grilled or sauteed in chutney, and served on a freshly sliced baguette), ice cream amaretto preserves, chutney and cream cheese, etc., etc.

You don't want to miss this rare and joyous occasion.

Check out Herdie's website for more information.

Ham and Leg-o-Lamb!

For those of you with carnivore tendencies, please know that Just Local Food has many delicious options for you.

Smoked bone-in hams from the Deutsch Family Farm (near Osseo) and Gingerbread Jersey (Augusta) will arrive prior to Easter, but the deadline for you to specify what you would like is Sunday, March 27th. Ham sizes range from 3 to 8 pounds and are $5.99 per pound.

Additionally, Deanna and Dwayne from Lambalot Acres (Augusta) will be offering leg-of-lamb, fresh or frozen, bone-in or butterflied. Deadline for you to specify is Sunday, April 10th. Butterfly-cut lamb leg ranges from 3 to 3.5 pounds ($12.19/pound); bone-in lamb leg ranges 4.5 to 6 pounds ($11.49/pound).

No guarantees on any extras. First come, first served.

A sign-up sheet will be posted on the freezer door. Otherwise, you are welcome to e-mail me directly at nik AT justlocalfood DOT com.

Thank you,
Nik

Something new to try in bulk

Try something new in bulk-a number of products arriving this month.
Turkish figs
Energy squares: raw cacao/goji berry and chocolate paradise (certified organic)
pasta: spirals and elbows (white, certified organic)
Garam masala cashews (certified organic)
dark chocolate chips (certified organic, about 48% cacao)
hazelnuts (certified organic, raw)
currants, zante (certified organic)

ALL bulk RICE on sale thru March 20% OFF

Bulk up on RICE this month - ALL BULK RICE 20% OFF thru MARCH 2011
Varieties we offer include:
Jasmine
basmati (white and brown)
long grain (white and brown)
short grain (white and brown)
wild rice blend
wild rice hand harvested
sushi rice
black jasmine rice

Broccoli rabe, Currants, Pancetta

We now have broccoli rabe, dried currents, and pancetta, and some yummy-sounding recipes for you to try...

Broccoli Rabe with Bulgur and Walnuts


Broccoli Rabe with Sweet Italian Sausage


Kale Salad with Pinenuts, Currants and Parmesan


Red Cabbage Salad with Warm Pancetta-Balsamic Dressing

Smoked Pork Chops and Pancetta!

Hey there! We have two new additions to Just Local Food's meat department:

Hickory-smoked pork chops from Alison and Jim's Deutsch Family Farm. Chops are smoke-cured and fully cooked, the products of pastured pigs east of Osseo, Wisconsin. They are wonderful when warmed in a skillet and served with rye bread, butter, and cabbage of some sort -- sauerkraut with caraway or steaming red cabbage with a little salt and honey. Pair with Capital Brewery Maibock or Hundred Yard Dash freshly-hopped ale.

We now carry the much lauded pancetta (pronounced pan-che-ta) from Bolzano Meats in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Pancetta is a specialty meat, sliced from the belly of an heirloom Berkshire hog and preserved with garlic, salt, and juniper berries, by artisan butcher Scott Buer. Per our standards, the animals are raised on pasture; they are not administered antibiotics, growth hormones, or chemical additives of any kind. Pancetta can be eaten straight out of the bag, with fresh cheese and tomatoes, or layered and cooked like bacon. It is magnificent.

Bon Appetit!
Nik (aka "The Meat Guy," and/or "Meat Head")

BTW, beef brisket registration coming soon for St. Patty's Day!

Houligan's Candied Garlic Sauce Sampling

Just Local Food is proud to have partnered with another local establishment, Houligans Steak & Seafood Pub. We have been carrying their house made Candied Garlic Steak Sauce for a couple of months now. This sauce pairs well with any meat, especially steak, medallions, or meatballs. (Try it as a glaze on baked tofu for the non meat eaters out there.)

We are excited to have two samplings of Houligans Candied Garlic Steak Sauce scheduled for this weekend, pre-Super Bowl.

Stop on down to sample a meatball...
Friday February 4th from 3PM-6PM
-or-
Saturday February 5th from 12:30PM-3:30PM
(Samples may run out, so stop down early.)

In conjunction with the samplings, the Candied Garlic Steak Sauce will be on sale for $6.99 per jar.

coffee mugs please

We need your mugs! (Please don't send us the photo shoot from your visit to the local police). Any used mugs that you may want to donate, or the mugs that you have borrowed and accumulated in a box waiting by your door to be returned to our store, would be appreciated. We are low and trying to maintain calm among frenzied coffee drinkers everywhere. Thank you.

Farm Visit: Beaver Creek Ranch

A few weeks ago, Nik the meat manager scheduled a visit with Doug Anderson at Beaver Creek Ranch up near Grantsburg. Like most farmers we meet, Doug took the invitation to heart and welcomed us with a giant arrow sign. (A test of Doug's attention to detail, you'll notice the sign leaves the "s" off the end of the co-op name AND spells Nik's name right. That's why we're smiling so big.)

Beaver Creek Ranch is a 185 acre certified or

ganic (OCIA) farm. They grow a wide variety of crops on the land including plenty of hay/forage for their Scottish Highland cattle. Other crops of note include buckwheat (what Doug calls "the magic fruit"), squash and different varieties of corn. The only animals we were able to observe on the farm during our winter visit were the highland cattle used in BCR beef products such as the jerky and hot dogs that we sell.

These cattle are amazing creatures. Thick coats of fur and huge horns that grow anew annually set the breed apart from others. Even with the sharp horns, it was safe to mingle with the herd which included a large bull on the loose. The animals are fed almost exclusively on fresh and stored organic forage grown on the farm. Doug sprinkled a little grain on the snow to attract the herd for our inspection and photos here.

Doug uses a variety of butchers for meat processing, choosing each one for their particular specialty products - Lindstrom for the kill floor & ground, Cannon Falls for Hot Dogs, Rochester for snack sticks, etc.

And this attention to processing detail is what defines Beaver Creek Ranch products. As one of the top five direct market farmers in Wisconsin, the Anderson's aren't just farmers, they are distributors too. Doug traverses the region in search of other quality farmers to fill in the gaps for their own production shortfalls, and inspects the farms personally before putting his farm name on a product. Turkeys from Central Minnesota, Chickens from Iowa - sometimes he has to travel a bit to find what his customers want, but the trip is worth it. Our customers know that when they buy Beaver Creek Ranch, they are buying quality.

It's not just crops and animals Doug and Kathy are concerned about, either. A good section of their land is a protected swamp, providing acres of wetlands for migrating birds. They have bat boxes for insect control and power their tractors with biodiesel blends. These are all things they do to make the planet a better place for everyone and everything.

I've included a few more of my notes below. Doug and Kathy welcome visitors to their farm, and Nik and Aaron would be happy to share more of what we know, too.

• they raise pigs seasonally, typically a yorkshire and hampshire cross, free ranging and supplemented with corn and oats
• nutraceuticals from a nearby oilseed processor are used with the animals, things like blackberry seed meal
• the land is fed with all sorts of stuff to grow better crops: Mississippi River fish meal, North Florida kelp
• chickens are cornish cross, usually Amish grown
• their farm cats are spoiled with their own house (old chicken coop) and heat lamps
• spinach cured bacon is made in Hayward using Doug's own recipe
• they have several great barns including one made using timbers from the swamp, and store lots of hay - good green leafy hay!
• rodent control is handled with perches scattered among the fields for hawks, eagles and owls
• it's sometimes hard to get Doug to stop talking, the man is a walking encyclopedia and adventure/crime novel (Doug worked at a famous prison out west before retiring to become a hard working farmer!)
• all products are USDA inspected and vacuum sealed, no MSG, no chemicals
• the Anderson's make a good chili, Doug served it with bread sauteed in garlic oil

A big hearty thanks to the Anderson's for their hospitality and continued hard work creating healthy food for us all!

Belated Mini January Brew News

We've been busy bringing in lots of new products and bringing back some old favorites. Here is a smattering of them. Just click on the beer below for a description.

Capital Dark 6pk
Capital Square Eisphyre 4pk
Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout 4pk
Central Waters Satin Solstice Imperial Stout 6pk
Furthermore Makeweight 6pk (in stock 1/29)
Hinterland Maple Bock 4pk (in stock 1/21)
Leinenkugel's 1888 Bock 6pk (in stock 1/21)
Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout 4pk (in stock 1/21)
New Glarus Cabin Fever Honey Bock 6pk
New Glarus Snowshoe Red Ale 6pk
Potosi Fiddler Oatmeal Stout 6pk
Rush River Nevermore Chocolate Oatmeal Stout 6pk
Rush River Winter Warmer Winter Ale 6pk (JLF Exclusive in Eau Claire)
Sand Creek Groovy Brew 6pk
Sand Creek Frank's Wild Rye'd Imperial IPA 4pk
South Shore Rhodes Scholar Stout 6pk (in stock 1/21)
Tyranena Sheep Shagger Scotch Ale 6pk

As always,
Cheers,
Jordan (for the Beer Dudes)

Just Local Food NOW HIRING!!

Please submit updated resume, cover letter and availability by January 20th, 2011. You must be 18 years of age or older. We look forward to hearing from you!