Product Highlight - Gypsy Grove Foods

This week I am blogging about a favorite product line here at The Market, Gypsy Grove Foods.

Gypsy Grove Foods comes to us from Austin and it is a women ownded company. All their products are preservtive free and they try to use all local ingredients when available.

This Saturday at 11:30 a.m., Julia the founder will be hosting a cooking and sampling demo here at The Market.  She will be incorporating some of the products we sell and tips on how to use her products.

The following are the products we carry with descriptions from their website.

Julia's Cesar Salad Dressing

 Our dressing is famous as much for what is has for what is doesn't have:  Contains no Canola Oil. no egg and no gluten products.  100% olive oil and the freshest of ingredients make a difference you can REALLY TASTE. 

Chim - Chimichurri

A cold condiment (relish) developed in Argentina  that loves to accompany anything grilled:  meat, poultry, fish and veggies. Or you can serve is s a dip with plantain chips!  

Gypsy Knots Spicy Mini Pretzels

We don't make these spicy, crunchy mini pretzels, we make them better! They're tossed with a spicy blend of savory seasonings including cayenne, paprika, garlic, buttermilk powder, and vegetable oil.  Be warned: Our blend of spices and magic can be habit forming!  

Julia's "Everybody Wants It" Toffee

When I say this stuff is good, it is an understatement.  This stuff is so delicious, you will want to eat the entire box in one sitting.  Perfect for a gift, hostess gift or just to nourish the soul.

Hope to see all of you on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the sampling.  If you need some enticing, read the following story about Julia.  

"Love, laughter and the aroma of delicious food could could always be found in Princess Julia's small cottage in the little neighborhood of Gypsy Grove.  Although her kitchen was tiny, her imagination flourished.  Julia earned her Princess title creating recipes to delight her family and friends.  She cooks with passion and her guests greet her offerings with enthusiasm."

To your health,
Sandra

If you would like to know more about Gypsy Grove Foods, visit their website at www.gypsygrovefoods.com.

If you would like to know more about Sandra, our in house Nutrition Therapist, visit her website at www.renewwholehealth.com. 

Is Your Honey Real Honey???

Here at the Monument Market, we pride ourselves on carrying locally produced products.  We stock our shelves with foods from local farms and gardens, and with products that are made in Texas.

We strive to carry only the best healthy choice out there, and make sure that all our vendors meet our high quality standards.

One of these products is Bost honey.  This honey is made right here in Georgetown from bees and hives kept by the charming Mrs. Bost.

When I say this honey is popular, I am not kidding. This honey flies off our shelves, and for good reason.  It is raw honey and it is delicious.

There are many reasons why buying local and raw honey are important.  However, the most important reason is that the honey you buy in your grocery store may not even be honey at all.

The F.D.A. states that any honey that has been ultra-filtered to have the pollen removed, is no longer considered honey.  An independent study done by the Food Safety News, tested honey from a variety of stores and states around the country.  They found that over 76% of the honey bought, had had the pollen removed.  When they tested smaller samples, they found that 100% of them had the pollen removed.

So what's the big deal with pollen being removed?  Well, it is the bee pollen that has all the health benefits. Pollen helps with allergies, anemia, low energy, stomach ailments and other health issues. By removing the pollen, we are left with consuming just a bunch of syrup.

The problem goes even further.  Once the pollen is removed, the quality of the honey and mixing honeys is no longer an issue.

This has resulted in honey comeing from all over the world, most specifically China. This became an issue a few years back when tests found that honey from China was contaminated with chloramphenicol and other dangerous animal antibiotics.

As you can see, food quality is everything, and we believe Bost Honey meets the standards of good quality food.

If you haven't tried this honey, you are in for a treat.  Next time you are at the Cafe or Market, be sure to pick some up.  Oh, did I mention, they make an incredible apricot honey?  Yum!

Talks this week (Sat. Aug, 24th)

10:30 - Gardening with Michelle - Growing brassicas

11:30 - Nutrition with Sandra - Juicing and Smoothies: samples and recipes


To your health,
Sandra

The Fruits of Summer + Delicious Recipe

With all the back to school activity going on, it's easy to feel that summer is over.

However, take a step outside and from the heat that hits you straight on, you know summer is here for a while longer.

Despite the heat, there are some wonderful things about summer, and one of these is the bounty of fruit available.

One of the fruits that we all enjoy this time of year is watermelon.  Cold, sweet watermelon is so delicious and in a funny way, it cools us down.

Here at The Market, we carry organically grown watermelons that seem to fly off the shelf.

It is so fun to watch the little ones come with their parents to shop and insist on carrying these heavy melons around.  Fingers crossed that they don't get dropped.

If you are not a watermelon fan, we also carry some beautiful varieties of cantaloupe. Every time I have purchased one, I have not been disappointed at how much flavor these melons have.

Another great summer fruit that we have in abundance are peaches. The Market carries peaches that come from local farms and from the trees from the The Monument gardens.

Peach cobbler, peach ice cream and peaches & cream  are some delicious recipes that bring smiles to faces around the table.

Stop on in today and take your pick of our bounty for your next get together, kids lunch boxes or family meal.

To your health,

Sandra

Saturday, August 17th Talks

10:30 - In the Garden With Michelle - Garden Designs

11:30 - Nutrition with Sandra - 10 Ways to Avoid the Weight Trap

Peach Cobbler

• 
  
• 
  

• 
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk 
• 4 cups fresh peach slices
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).
3. Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
4. Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Southern Living
JUNE 1997

Have You Heard? Something New is at the Market and it is Fantastic!

It has been a long time in the works and it is finally here.......Grab n Go meals!

Over the last two years, we have had many requests for meals that can be picked up on the go.

As much as we all love The Monument Cafe, there are many times we don't have the time to wait for a table or take the time to sit and enjoy a leisurely meal.

Enter our new Deli Menu of take out items.  We have a great selection of pasta, bean and green leafy salads.  An array of sandwiches to choose from and some delicious baked goods to round off your meal.

If you are in need of a meal for home, we now carry frozen prepared Mac-N-Cheese, King Ranch Casserole and Meatloaf.

Grab one of our daily freshly made loaves of bread, a bag of mixed greens and some summertime tomatoes, and you are good to go.

Take a peek at the menu below, and next time you are looking for a quick meal on the go, stop on in and pick some up.

If you are hankering for an item that we do not carry, please let us know. We are always looking for suggestions and ideas, and our customers are our best resource.

SALADS

Seasonal Salad - Tomato – Watermelon                                                                                                                    $6.95/pound

Market Salad                                                                                                                                                $6.95 each

(Field greens, sprouts, roasted beets and potatoes, goat cheese, dried cranberries, red onion)

Old Fashioned 

Chicken Salad          $7.95/pound

Pesto Pasta Salad    $5.95/pound

Sandwiches - $6.95

served with multi-grain bread

Seasonal– pesto, tomato and fresh mozzarella              

Roast Beef – slow roasted beef, horseradish sauce, sprouts, tomato, havarti

Turkey – oven roasted turkey, fig confit, goat cheese

Garden – sun-dried tomato- cream cheese spread with seasonal vegetables

Quiche of the Day                                                                                                                                                             $4.95 slice                                                                                                                                                                             

Happy Eating,

Sandra
In-house Nutrition Consultant

August Class Calendar

Check out our August Class Calendar here.

GMO's and Gut Health

There are many reasons to avoid eating food that contains Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) but the most important is to maintain good gut health.

Gut health plays an important role in overall health because more than 75 percent of your immune system resides in your digestive system. A healthy gut fights off toxins, allergens, and microbes, while absorbing the nutrients you need to stay well. Also, your gut and brain have neurotransmitters that send information back and forth. If the messages in either direction in the gut are altered or not received properly, your health can become compromised.

GMOs and Your Health

Your immune system cannot identify GMOs and when detected it sees a threat and initiates an inflammatory response. One of the most critical places where the inflammatory response occurs is in your gut. Your gut is the second brain of your body and if it is continually detecting these threats and sending out signals of inflammation it becomes a chronic condition. Chronic inflammation leads to diseases such as heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases.

In an effort to make it easier for farmers to control pests in these crops, genetic engineers created something called “BT Toxin.” They took a gene from a bacteria that grows naturally and engineered it into the corn and soy crops so the plants would fight off the insects themselves.  After ingestion, BT Toxin attacks the cells of the insect’s gut, essentially causing the insect’s stomach to explode. Both Monsanto (the company that created it) and the FDA assured the public that there was no risk to humans ingesting BT Toxin, claiming the digestive system would destroy the toxin. However studies show the toxin has contributed to the rise in such diseases as leaky gut syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and even cancer¹. Another study showed that the toxin breaks open pores in human cells, which may mirror what it does to the gut of insects.

The good news is that avoiding GMOs can be relatively easy—if you know what to look for.

How to Avoid GMOs

Since GMO labeling doesn’t currently exist in the US it’s important to understand where your food comes from and to avoid processed foods. There are nine primary Genetically Engineered food crops, but their derivatives are in more than 70 percent of supermarket foods, particularly processed foods. The most prevalent genetically modified crops include canola, corn, papaya, soybeans, and sugar beets.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• ·      Buy whole food and organic food whenever possible
• ·      Purchase beef that is grass-fed
• ·      Seek products specifically labeled as non-GM or GMO free. (This is rare; it’s not required yet by the USDA)
• ·      Avoid aspartame, which is derived from a GE organism
• ·      Shop locally. Most GM food produced in the US comes from large, industrial farms
• ·      Grow your own food or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
• ·      Learn how to read PLU (Product Look Up) codes. A 5-digit code starting with 8 is a GMO product

Since labeling on GMO products is not mandatory, your best chance of avoiding GMO foods is to pay attention to the origin of your food. Eating whole food, grown with safe practices, that’s not processed is so important for maintaining a healthy gut. This in turn will enable you to maintain good overall health as well. Remember: A healthy gut means a happy body!

Shopping at The Market, ensures that you are purchasing high quality products.  Produce that is organically grown, milk that is hormone and antibiotic free and beef that is grass-fed.  

Happy Health,

Sandra

In-house Nutrition Therapist

P.S. If you would like to know more about me and my business, hope on over to www.renewwholehealth.com and say hi. 

References

[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19007233