Healthy Updates Newsletter

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Community Outreach, Education, Healthy Updates Newsletter

 One cashier at Valley Natural Foods, Mandy Mulder, is planning a 48-state, 90-day road trip across America this May, and no, it isn’t a vacation. Mandy Mulder isn’t going to be staying in luxurious hotels and laying out on sandy tropical beaches as others her age might. Instead, Mandy will be going across the country as a homeless person,  staying in shelters on a journey she is calling “Mission America”. With only a car and a few changes of clothes, she will be doing an act of service in each location she visits. The goal of her trip is to inspire people to not just feel bad about homeless people but to feel bad enough to do something. She wants people to be moved enough to go down to the shelter in their community and serve.  Because she is videotaping her entire journey and has the

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Green Spotlight, Healthy Updates Newsletter

Green Spotlight:  Notes from Nancy GrantCooking and serving lots of tasty foods from the deli kitchen takes great recipes and attention to the tiniest details. That includes thinking about energy use, water consumption, and ways to prevent waste.Deli manager Jill Webster says the job’s easier because she’s surrounded by helpful “green thinking” team members.Valley Natural Foods co-op general manager Susan McGaughey believes in purchasing the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances available that save money in operating expenses in the long run. Today’s co-op kitchen features large stand mixers, slicers, a high-tech convection oven, plus a ten-rack “combi” oven that can steam and bake different kinds of foods at the same time. Such multi-tasking is simple with programmable controls that help prevent energy waste.Webster also counts on her keen-eyed deli staff members to turn off equipment when it’s not needed. Webster says

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Healthy Updates Newsletter

If you're thinking of avoiding restaurant crowds this Valentines Day, go for preparing a fresh meal at home using a  few ideas from the co-op:Start with a simple salad of mixed tender greens, top with thin slices of pears, crumbles of goat cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with bottled (or your own home-made) vinaigrette.Select a couple of 100% grass-fed or traditional-finished heart-shaped rib eye steaks from our meat counter (special $8.99/lb pricing for a limited time!) Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then combine some melted butter and minced garlic and spread on the steaks with a brush.  Grill or broil on top rack of oven for about six minutes on each side for medium rare, and a little more time for medium well.Serve with a side of classic mashed potatoes or garlic and chive twice baked potatoes from the deli service counter. You can also saute fresh broccoli florets

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Green Spotlight, Healthy Updates Newsletter

Green Spotlight:  Notes from Nancy GrantTrying to figure out the exact energy-saving benefits of switching to something new can be tough if you try to go it alone. Are you using the right thing for your situation? How much money can you save over a year’s time? How can you figure the impact on the environment?When Valley Natural Foods general manager Susan McGaughey needs answers to energy questions like these she calls on the helpful folks at Dakota Energy Cooperative. Operating a grocery store presents unique energy problems. For safety, the foods and drinks in freezers and refrigerated cases must be kept at certain temperatures. Lighting within these display cases must be bright enough so shoppers can read product labels easily.Working with Dakota Energy’s Tim Dougherty, Susan examined a new idea. Would replacing the good fluorescent lights inside the cases with

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FRESH Recipes for Healthy Food, Healthy Updates Newsletter

Bartlett, Danjou, Bosc. Pears carry such elegant names and no wonder—they are an elegant, fragrant, succulent fruit. December is peak of pear season and perfect for a cold weather dessert or combining flavor to a holiday cheese plate. When selecting pears, seek ones that are firm. As with all fruit, examine the skin for bruising. Orchardists allow pears to reach optimum sugar level, yet pick them while they are still green and firm. A tree-ripened pear is mushy to the point of disintegration. Pears can be ripened at room temperature and then stored in the refrigerator. If you are preparing a plate of cheese, pears can add color and sweetness to your array. Serve with Brie, aged cheddar, Swiss or Gruyère. Add almonds and a sprinkle of dried cranberries for another layer of texture and color. If you are looking for a

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Green Spotlight, Healthy Updates Newsletter

Green Spotlight:  Notes from Nancy Grant Ever get frustrated peeling away two or three layers of packaging around a simple purchase? Ever toss a plastic bottle into the trash instead of the recycling bin? Do you sometimes forget to bring along your reusable bags on a shopping trip?Making new greener ideas a steady part of life does take a bit of thinking ahead. At Valley Natural Foods sustainable habits are built-in to every department.In the meat department, trims go to an independent company that uses the leftover bits to make fertilizer. In the produce department, any veggies leftover after donations to local charities go to the co-op’s on-site compost heap. In the stock rooms, empty cardboard shipping boxes go to a paper and fiber recycler. In the employee break room, a co-op worker gathers aluminum cans and plastic bottles for recycling later.The

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Education, Healthy Updates Newsletter

 Everybody knows that recycling paper, aluminum, plastic and cardboard helps lessen  waste, creating a cleaner, healthier society.However, did you know that it is also important to recycle your cell phones?  Cell phones contain hazardous substances, similar to any other electronic device, and can damage our environment. In fact, there is more gold in a ton of cell phones than in 20 tons of ore from a gold mine!Also, everyday Americans retire 365,000 cell phones.  Therefore, if you get a new phone this holiday season, be sure to recycle your old one at Valley Natural Foods! Yes, at Valley Natural Foods you can not only drop of your phone for recycling but save the rainforest too.  No, we are not joking on this one!Our store now  has a  Minnesota Zoo cell phone recycling drop off box located by the entrance of the store. All working phones collected are refurbished for resale

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Green Spotlight, Healthy Updates Newsletter

Green Spotlight:  Notes from Nancy GrantCan a food co-op add sustainable ideas to its daily operations? Sure, the co-op encourages food producers to take the best care possible of their land and natural resources. But what about other opportunities for a “greener” approach?At Valley Natural Foods the hunt is on to find ways to take better care of the environment right here in the store.The first good idea: Replace the paper towel dispensers in the restrooms with electric hand dryers to cut down on paper waste. The second good idea: Encourage office staffers to use e-mail and other computer technology as often as possible, then print documents on paper only when absolutely necessary. Throughout the co-op, the idea is to use a little less paper, please.Simple steps like these are part of a much larger effort to put the sustainability

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Healthy Updates Newsletter

Harvests from backyard and community gardens must be in full swing because lately, we've been getting a lot of inquiries about canning salt! Since our co-op does not carry canning salt, below are a couple of tips and recommended substitutes. You can find 3 lb. boxes of Kosher salt in our meat department. pickling salt = canning salt = canning and pickling salt Canning or pickling salt is similar to table salt, but lacks the iodine and anti-caking additives that turn pickles dark and the pickling liquid cloudy. Pickles made with table salt would still be good to eat, but they wouldn't look as appetizing. Pickling salt is available in large bags or boxes in some supermarkets, but sometimes hard to find in cities. Substitutes: Kosher Salt (Since it's not as dense as pickling salt, you'll need to use more, but follow directions on package or use a recipe that has measurements for

13750 Co Rd 11, Burnsville, MN 55337

Call us during store hours at: 952-891-1212

Valley Natural Foods Co-op works in partnership with the South Metro community to support health and well-being through education and expertise in local, sustainable food and wellness services.

Store Hours:

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily

Coffee & Juice Bar In-Store Hours 8:00 a.m. –7:00 p.m. daily

Coffee & Juice Bar Drive-Thru Window 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily

Holiday Hours

OPEN on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 – 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

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