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Fast & Easy Dinner: Butternut Squash Panzanella

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:45:45 -0800

Bread salad is a popular Summer dish, but that doesn't mean it can't be modified for Fall. Instead of the classic tomatoes and basil, this recipe calls for a more seasonal butternut squash and sage. To cut down kitchen prep, bake the butternut squash and the bread ahead of time. To get this comfort recipe,

Monday's Leftovers: Sautéed Shrimp & Couscous

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:45:32 -0700

If you've got leftover shrimp in your fridge, it's the perfect start of a weeknight meal. The quick-cooking shellfish, when combined with couscous and field greens, is a healthy, delicious meal.

It takes a minimal amount of time to make, so you can even prepare extra shrimp and field greens to put in a salad for the next day's lunch.

To add this recipe to your repertoire,

Whole Foods Offering Bigger Discounts

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:00:48 -0700

Natural and organic supermarket Whole Foods really wants to be there for you during tough times. In fact, the retailer wants to give you a deal so badly that it's posted a printable online coupon for $5 off.

The discount is part of a new Whole Foods value guide called the Whole Deal. According to Whole Foods, the program is about "giving you the whole story, so you'll know just how to get the most bang for your buck without sacrificing the benefits of natural and organic foods." The packet, available in stores, contains more coupons, budget recipes, and recession-proof cooking tips.

Will you be downloading the coupon and running to the nearest Whole Foods to get your hands on the Whole Deal, or do you think this is just another marketing ploy?

Source

Come Party With Me: My Birthday — Menu

partysugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:00:09 -0700

Although my birthday starts at 9 p.m. on a Saturday, I want to offer my friends snacks to nibble on throughout the night. Since the kitchen at 15 Romolo is still under construction, I'll make an assortment of easy appetizers that are best served at room temperature.

Marinated mushrooms and prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks are delicious starters. Chicken liver pate on crostini will suit the palates of my foodie friends and pair nicely with a goat cheese pesto torta. For these wonderful recipes,

Whole Foods Falls Short of Success In UK

YumSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:00:19 -0700

Earlier this month, Whole Foods reported losses of $18.4 million for its UK stores.

In addition to its domestic struggles, the Austin-based natural foods chain has been unsuccessful in its attempt to snag a piece of the UK market share. In the last year, the chain has opened six stores in Britain. The highly anticipated debut was a three-story, 80,000-square-foot emporium that opened on London's High Street last June.

So what went wrong? There are several factors: First, the company set up shop at a time when organic foods were still flying off shelves.

Since the credit crunch occurred, however, the country's sales of organic produce have fallen. Second, the organics industry is well developed and competitive in Britain, and existing stores such as Waitrose and Tesco have developed brand loyalty.

With the economy's downward spiral, it's unlikely that Whole Foods's problems will magically disappear. What do you think about the development? Are you surprised Whole Foods wasn't a success in the UK?

Source

Yet Another Recall? Beef From Whole Foods

partysugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:10:05 -0700

Yet Another Recall? Beef From Whole Foods Sorry to spread the bad news, but we have yet another recall to deal with. Whole Foods voluntarily recalled more than 1.2 million pounds of ground beef that has come from Coleman Natural Beef's Nebraska Beef processing plant. It pains me to say it but E. coli strikes again.

Safeway to Roll Out Private Labels Nationwide

YumSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:00:00 -0700

For those of you who've raved about the Whole Foods private-label 365 brand, I've got good news for you: There are more of these brands coming your way.

Fellow grocery giant Safeway has plans to go national with two of its house brands, O Organics and health-conscious line Eating Right. So far, both lines have limited market, but will expand nationally this Fall. In the wake of the troubled economy, America's grocery giants have reported record sales of their own private-label brands.

The Safeway brands aim to be different from generic store brands. The New York Times explains that O Organics and Eating Right have been marketed entirely differently:

Both were built much more like name brands than like store brands ... Instead of competing simply on price they appeal to consumers who feel they ought to be eating better, but perhaps find the thicket of smaller, virtue-food brands confusing — or simply inaccessible.

I've tried the brands and think they're great — my cutie is a huge fan of the orange juice and the ice cream bars. Still, I won't be letting them pull a price trick on me. What about you — will you give the new brand a try?

Source

Do You Shop at Whole Foods?

partysugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:45:30 -0700

Earlier this week the New York Times reported that Whole Foods is in the midst of a store makeover. With the economic crisis and the increasing price of food, the expensive grocer is attempting to rebrand itself as a value store along the lines of Costco and Trader Joe's. I've always found the prices at Whole Foods to be high and stopped shopping there months ago. Although I do sometimes miss their wonderful selection of cheese, wine, and premade products. How about you? Source

Do You Shop at Whole Foods?

Yes, I've always shopped at Whole Foods.

No, groceries from Whole Foods don't fit in my budget.

Sometimes I'll go to Whole Foods for specialty items that I can't find anywhere else.

There isn't a Whole Foods in my area.

Other — I'll tell you what I think about Whole Foods below.

Come Party With Me: Pool Party — Menu

partysugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:45:42 -0700

When planning a menu for a pool party, select a variety of cold and hot (preferably grilled) dishes. Serve small, light bites buffet-style all day, replenishing plates as they go empty.

Offer guests a cool treat the moment they arrive in the form of watermelon wedges with lime ice. Served with tortilla chips, shrimp and avocado ceviche make a nice alternative to classic guacamole.

Skewered hot dogs with toasted croissants and spicy, cold gazpacho round out the menu. For these delicious recipes please,

Simple Tip: Store Your Pineapples Upside Down

YumSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:00:44 -0700

Pineapple happens to be one of my absolute favorite fruits. Yesterday they were on sale at my local Whole Foods (2 for $6) and I decided to grab a pair. When I got to the checkout counter, the gal asked if I would like her to remove the tops for me. I said yes and watched as she gave the leafy bit a firm twist.

Once the leaves had been popped off, she told me an amazing tip: she suggested I store the pineapple upside down. This helps the sweet juice that has accumulated on the bottom during shipping, flow back to the other end.

I've often wondered why one side of the pineapple is sweeter than the other, and it looks like I finally discovered why! So tell me, did you know this trick already and do you think it works?

The Crack Heard Around the World

YumSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Another strange food-based world record was set last month, but at least this time it wasn't a giant vat of food, or salad. In fact this time, it was actually sort of fun! On April 12 at 3 p.m. ET, cheesemongers at Whole Foods in the US, Canada and UK simultaneously cracked open nearly 300 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano. With official recordings coming in from 176 stores, the record for Most Parmigiano Wheels Cracked Simultaneously was set.

While it sounds simple, the process of cracking open and carving an 85-pound cheese wheel can take up to a half an hour. When asked about the event, Cathy Strange, Global Cheese Buyer — doesn't that sound like a great job! — for Whole Foods said:

It was a sight to behold as our cheesemongers "broke open happiness" and shared this crown jewel of cheeses with our guests. We are thrilled that Whole Foods Market has made its mark in the Guinness Book of World Records.

To check out a video of a cheesemonger cracking open an 80-pound wheel, or see a step-by-step video of how to crack the cheese open, just

Whole Foods Bans Plastic Bags

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:27:31 -0800

Plastic bags seem to be the new public enemy number one. They have already been banned in San Francisco, Melbourne, Hong Kong, and several other cities. Not to mention that the entire country of China is going to start charging consumers for them. Having said all that, it should come as no surprise to hear that Whole Foods is eliminating plastic grocery bags from its stores. The chain is hoping to encourage folks to BYOB — Bring Your Own Bag — and will refund five cents for every brought bag that is used. Folks who don't bring their own bags will be able to use Whole Foods's 100 percent recycled and recyclable paper bags. It is hoping to be completely plastic bag free by Earth Day, April 22, 2008.

So what do you think of this plastic bag ban? Do you agree? Will you be bringing your own bag?

Yummy Link: Words You Might Find on Whole Foods Labels Defined

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:18:39 -0800

If you've a few minutes to spare, this fun poke at words you might find on food labels at Whole Foods is definitely worth the read. — McSweeneys

Batter Blaster Blasts Away My Expectations

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:18:33 -0800

I was perusing the dairy section of my local Whole Foods Market when something caught my eye. There, on the top shelf, glinting like a jewel, was Organic Batter Blaster. At first I thought, WHAT??? WHY IS THIS HERE? I thought Batter Blaster would end up as one of those weird products — like HeadOn — that you hear about but never see. Then, once the shock wore off, I remembered that I was at Whole Foods, and that they have a pretty high standard when it comes to products they sell. So I did what every other foodie would have done: I picked up a can and put it in my cart.

Let me say right now, this product is surprisingly good. I was highly skeptical, and a bit worried by it, however, in the end it won me over. The batter itself oozes out of the can — I was expecting more of a high-powered spray like whip cream — and is a little difficult to shape, but not impossible. The flavor is like your standard fluffy pancake, only a tad sweeter. I've definitely had much, much worse at diners across America.

Would I buy this product again? Probably not, however I could see where it would come in handy. In just a few short minutes, we were eating our fill of pancakes. If I were a hungover college student or a busy mom, and just wanted to have decent tasting pancakes for myself or my brood, then it would definitely make sense. The ingredient list didn't look too weird — the first two ingredients are filtered water and organic wheat flour — they were super simple to make, and as the checkout guy at Whole Foods said, "Hey, sometimes you just want one pancake."

Have you seen Batter Blaster at your store? If so, will you end up trying it?

Yummy Link: Meet John Mackey aka Rahodeb

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:11:38 -0700

In a what was he thinking moment that lasted 7 years, Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey has been posting information on a Yahoo finance bulletin board under a pseudonym. - New York Times

Yummy Link: Whole Foods Opens Its First UK Store

YumSugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:31:18 -0700

Whole Foods opened up their first UK branch a few weeks ago, and the customers are calling it the "Disney World of food." - Guardian Unlimited

The Birth Of Chicken Marengo

partysugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:10:39 -0700

June 14, 1800 was a significant day in French history: at the Battle of Marengo - in Northern Italy - the Napoleon-led French forces drove back the Austrians. This day sealed the fate of Napoleon's successful Italian campaign and a chicken dish was created in honor of the battle. The creation, Chicken Marengo, grew to be one of Napoleon's favorite post war meals, as well as one known around the globe. The dish is just as delicious now, with the chicken smothered in a mushroom and tomato sauce, as it was then. Flavored with fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and crushed garlic, this is a fragrant must make chicken recipe. Experience a part of history, get the recipe now, just

Yummy Links: Weekly Food News Roundup

YumSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:03:18 -0700

Summer's here, are you ready to make ice cream? Find out which ice cream makers are the best. - Slashfood
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But what if the imitation is taking your recipes and opening up shop a few blocks away? - Serious Eats
Everyone loves superfoods. Take a minute to learn more about açai, the Brazilian superfruit. - The Daily Tiffin
If you live in the New York area, now's your chance to trade beer for a new bag. - Will Work For Food
We all know the 5 second rule, but this college class puts the rule to the test. - Baking Bites
Whole Foods opens their first store in Britain, but will the Brits embrace it? - Chow
In soda (and environmental) news, Coke is pledging to conserve water. - Apartment Therapy: Kitchen

Fresh Spring Side: Spinach & Strawberry Salad

partysugar — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 03:19:21 -0700

Last Sunday night I was in charge of making dinner. I sent my dad to the store with a list, but at the last minute I called him to change my mind about the side dish for my bacon and onion risotto. Dad, I said, how do you feel about a spinach and strawberry salad on the side? He loved the idea as much as I did. I love incorporating fruit into salads for a crisp and complex taste experience. This salad makes a great side for the aforementioned risotto, a lemony pasta dish, or a spice rubbed grilled chicken. Throw in a couple hard boiled eggs, some avocado, mushrooms, or crunchy bacon bits and this side salad can easily be turned into a quick and flavorful dinner. To bookmark this recipe - trust me it's one you are going to love -

Eggs + Sugar + Cream = Endless Possibilities

partysugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:05:18 -0800

It may be incredibly geeky, but I think the science of cooking is extremely interesting. For example, you can create a variety of dessert dishes depending on what you do with eggs, sugar, and cream. Ice creams, custards, and puddings all are a combination of eggs, sugar, and cream.

Today I feel like experimenting with an egg, sugar and cream treatment that will result in my favorite Spanish dessert, flan. To make the experiment even more exciting, I'll be making coconut flan. For the recipe,

Today's Special: Cuban Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 08:59:17 -0800

At my house we have a tradition that every Wednesday (well, just about every Wednesday) is sandwiches for dinner day. My husband and I used to be part of a pub trivia team and on game night (Wednesday) we would have to be at the pub with our thinking caps on and our stomachs full (yes, we could have ordered pub food, but we found that our scores were never as high when we did). Our team has since broken up and we no longer attend quiz night, but sandwiches on Wednesday has become a long standing tradition. After all, it's the middle of the week and a quick, easy, hot sandwich hits the spot. Who wouldn't love a hassle-free dinner with oh-so-yummy-oozing melted cheese? For tonight's sandwich recipe,

Side Salad: Winter Salad of Endive, Pear, and Walnuts

YumSugar — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:04:11 -0800

It's easy to forget about salads when, in the winter, I crave hearty, more filling warm dishes. I'm determined to break this habit and make more salads during the cold months. After all, winter salads are a great way to incorporate fresh, local, in season ingredients into any meal. Salads also are a nice vegetarian option for dinner parties. Nuts, fruits, cheeses, warm vinaigrettes, and lesser used greens make salads a very now, very light side. To make one tonight to go along with your robust main,