Checking Out - Creative Roots Coconut Beverages
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Senior Nutrionist
It can be challenging to ensure children are drinking enough – they get busy, are easily distracted, and can also be chronically fussy about what they will drink. Busy parents have a lot going on right now, especially concerning in a time when everyone is working harder to choose well and provide choices that support good health habits. Drinking water and staying hydrated is essential, and for families on the go, there is a new option on the shelves to explore and enjoy.
The Creative Roots Coconut Water plant-based beverage line starts with coconut water, and is then flavor enhanced with 15 % juice and natural sweetener stevia. Simple ingredient lists and exciting flavors, like Watermelon Lemonade and Peach Mango may be enough to tickle their taste buds and get them to finish up the right-sized 8.5 oz bottle every time they take one. Younger children may also like the fruity characters, The Sploots, decorating the label and sharing smart hydration messages. They feel good when they are hydrated, and you feel good knowing they are improving hydration without added sugars – one gram of sugar in each bottle.
How does this fit into your busy family routine? The Creative Roots Coconut Waters are perfect for grab and go when you are late for the game, headed out on the summer road trip, or playing in the backyard sandbox. It may be a great addition to a child or teen backpack as a handy hydrator in the middle of the day. More than 50% of children may be under-hydrated per a study published in the American Journal of Public Health ¹ – and with new policies in schools likely limiting access to water fountains, the Creative Roots line may be a good back up plan. Families can be confident in their risk management and supporting positive immune system biochemistry with hydration. Kids and adults love the flavor, and some seniors are packing these for their busy days as well. Explore all four flavors to find your favorites. Enjoy!
Kodiak Cakes Crunchy Granola Bars
High up in the mountains of Park City, Utah, the folks over at Kodiak Cakes have spent their spring perfecting a new snack for adventurers, explorers, and hungry people across the country. We are proud to introduce our brand-new Kodiak Cakes Crunchy Granola Bars. That’s right, be
still my beating heart, because the whole-grain, non-GMO oats that people know and love from our Kodiak Cakes Power Oats have taken on a whole new form.
Our bars are light, crispy, and packed with the protein that folks who are on-the-go need to get through whatever task lay ahead. So, whether you’re scaling a mountain, taking a break on the sidelines, packing a lunch, or digging through the pantry, we think we may have created your new favorite snack. With flavors like Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Oat & Honey, and Maple Brown Sugar, there’s a frontier inspired granola bar for everybody.
The pioneers of yesteryear may not have had the luxury of getting the nutrients they needed for rugged expeditions from a single perfectly-packaged snack — but we do. These bars may feature hearty, rustic ingredients, but they’re made to fit today’s frontier. They’re convenient, delicious, balanced, and… did we mention crunchy?
So, what else sets our bars apart? Well, like everything that comes out of the Kodiak Kitchen —the ingredients are what matter most. So, when we created this recipe, we made sure to only use whole grain, non-GMO rolled oats, and no artificial preservatives. Besides making our bars more filling and protein-packed, it also means they’re lighter with an unmatched crunch.
But, don’t even start to worry about pockets, cupholders, or countertops because our bars have significantly fewer crumbs than the competition. That’s right, less mess and more yum — making them a great choice for little cubs or messy grown Grizzlies.
Looking to pick up a box of your own? Trek your way over to the snack aisle and look for the box with the big bear on the front!
Cinnamon Apple Pancake Sandwiches
by Jodie Fitz
Great breakfast filler that you can have made ahead of busy days.
2 apples
1 ¾ cups PICS flour, unbleached
½ teaspoon PICS sea salt
1 tablespoon PICS baking powder
1 teaspoon PICS cinnamon
1 cup PICS milk
4 oz. PICS cinnamon applesauce
3 tablespoons PICS brown sugar
1 PICS egg, large
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
Nonstick cooking spray
Peanut butter
Wash, peel, core and dice one apple into small pieces. Set it aside
Add the flour, sea salt, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir the dry ingredients together so that the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Add the milk, cinnamon applesauce, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Hand whisk the ingredients together.
Fold in the diced apples.
Cook the pancake batter in a griddle style pan coated with nonstick spray over medium heat until both sides are golden brown and the inside is fully cooked.
Wash, core and slice the additional apple. Create a breakfast pancake sandwich with peanut butter and apple slices.
Time Saver: Make the pancakes on a weekend. Let them cool completely. Wrap each one individually in parchment paper or waxed paper. Place each individually wrapped pancake in a freezer bag or container. Take them out and toast them on busy weekday mornings.
Gluten Free: Swap the flour for gluten free 1 to 1 flour options.
Peanut Allergy Alternatives: Swap the peanut butter for WOWButter® found in the allergy friendly aisle at your Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarket.
Dairy Free: Try making this recipe with either rice milk or almond milk.
Lessons for Children when making this recipe;
- Measuring ingredients
- Leveling dry ingredients
- Whisking
- Dicing
- Spreading
- Slicing
- Knife safety
- Griddle Safety
- Pancake Flipping
- Following directions
Favorite Recipes from our Farmers
We love sourcing fresh, home.grown. produce and products from our local farming partners. These products provide our families with delicious recipes to enjoy throughout the year. It’s always our goal to make your family feel the same way. We hit up some of our local partners to highlight some of the best dishes that use the fresh, local products that they produce themselves. Check it out!
Spicy Maple Mayo: At Butternut Mountain Farm in Morrisville, VT, maple is a staple. They have a website full of maple recipes beyond your typical pancakes and waffles. Spicy Maple Mayo, for example, would make an excellent condiment for Labor Day Weekend.
Maple for Dessert: Sticking to syrup, Mapleland Farms in Salem, NY suggests using maple to satisfy your sweet tooth. They have so many delicious sweets on their website it was impossible to spotlight just one recipe. Check them out!
Summer Squash and Onion Quiche: A. Gurda Produce in Pine Island, NY benefits from their prime location in the “Black Dirt” region. Using some of North America’s most fertile soil to grow their onions, you can rest assured any recipe from these guys will be top notch.
home.grown. Corn Fritters: Our friends at Reeves Farms in Baldwinsville, NY hooked us up with this delicious recipe for Corn Fritters. It’s an easy, creative way for corn fanatics to get their fix.
Cold Hollow Apple Bread: Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury Center, VT features a number of comforting, tasty apple and cider recipes. Their signature Apple Bread is a must try if you’re a fan of fall flavor!
We’re grateful to work with so many great local producers who bring you and your family the finest home.grown. products all year round. Use Northeast-hailing ingredients in the best way possible by trying some of these all-star recipes. For everything you need, visit your local Price Chopper/Market or shop with us online.
home.grown. Tour 2020: Teammate Abby on Tour!
We’re rockin’ the support for local farmers & producers on our home.grown. tour! Our tour has brought us to local dairy farms, maple sugaring farms, chocolate artisans and more. We recently discovered one of our own teammates who’s on a home.grown. tour of her own: Abby S. in our Bennington VT store! Check out Abby’s story below.
Abby, Co-Manager, Bennington VT Price Chopper
A few years ago, I came across a Vermont Club called the 251 Club. It encourages people to visit all 251 towns in the State of Vermont. I have slowly, over the last few years, been visiting the towns whenever I find the time throughout the different seasons Vermont has to offer. So far, I have 122 towns complete and have photographed every town sign I’ve visited.
My goal was to not just drive through the towns, but to stop and get out and walk around. I have seen amazing landscapes, historical sites, little country stores, farms, and even the tiny, struggling, forgotten towns of Vermont. I have traveled many dirt roads and seen places I would have never seen without the club. I have skied the many peaks Vermont has and snowshoed many locations including The Notch in Stowe. I have walked around in the hometown of President Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, and even explored old Marble quarries that don’t operate anymore.
In the Fall of 2019, I began day section hiking The Long Trail. The oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country. It’s 273 miles span the entire length of Vermont. So far, I am approximately 40 miles in and have never been so mentally and physically pushed in my life but full filled at the same time. I have seen some of the most beautiful but rugged landscape a road can never bring me to. Vermont is an amazing place I am lucky to call home. It has more to offer than meets the eye, you just need to get out and look for it!
How cool is Abby’s tour? We love it! If you’re interested in learning more about our home.grown. tour, check out https://www.pricechopper.com/homegrown-tour/.
Happy trails, from Abby and her Price Chopper & Market 32 team!
Looking for a lighter dessert option that’s delicious and fun to make? Try making an easy Watermelon Pizza; it’s fruity and fresh.
Watermelon Pizza by Jodie Fitz
8 oz. PICS whipping cream
¼ cup PICS confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
Watermelon
6 oz. PICS Greek vanilla yogurt
½ cup fresh strawberries
Fresh fruits (see below)
Prepare the whipped topping by adding the 8 oz. of heavy cream, the ¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla into a bowl. Whip it with an electric mixer until it reaches a stiff peak.
Layer 1:
Cut one large round slice out of the center of a whole watermelon. This will serve as your dough for your watermelon pizza. Place it on a flat surface.
Layer 2:
Rinse, hull and slice the ½ cup of strawberries. Place the sliced strawberries into a mini chopper, food processor or blender. Fold the strawberries and a third of the whipped cream into the Greek yogurt. Spread the mixture onto the watermelon circle.
Layer 3:
Spread the remaining whipped cream on top.
Pizza Toppings: Rinse and prep your favorite fruit to go on top. Here are some options, add your favorites,
- Sliced strawberries
- Blueberries
- Pitted, sliced fresh cherries
- Cut grapes
- Slices of kiwi
- Diced pineapple,
- Diced melon
- Banana slices
- Diced mango
Finally, cut your watermelon pizza into 8 slices and serve!
Dairy Free: Substitute the heavy cream with coconut cream. However, coconut cream will only reach a soft peak when whipping vs. a stiff peak.
Use your favorite dairy free yogurt alternative for the yogurt.
Lessons for children include…
- Whipping cream
- Stiff peaks when making whipping cream
- Slicing
- Dicing
- Spreading
- Folding
- Measuring ingredients
- Following directions
- Knife safety
- Electric mixer safety
Keep the kitchen cool by making this watermelon cooler. It’s a light, refreshing drink with a whole lot of goodness in the mix. There’s just one thing….beware of brain freeze!
Watermelon Cooler by Jodie Fitz
3 cups diced watermelon
4 cups ice
2 lemons, fresh
½ cup PICS honey
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
2 cups water
Remove the fruit of the watermelon from the rind and dice it into small chunks. Measure 3 cups of watermelon. Add it to the blender.
Measure and add 4 cups of ice to the blender.
Cut the lemons in half and extract the juice from the lemons using your hands, a citrus squeezer or juicer. If you are extracting the juice by hand, squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl and remove the seeds before adding the lemon juice to the blender.
Add the honey, vanilla extract and water to the blender.
Blend the ingredients well and serve!
Little Hands: Younger children can cut the watermelon using a plastic knife.
Lessons for children when making the Watermelon Cooler Recipe:
- Dicing
- Knife safety
- Measuring ingredients
- Extracting juice
- Blending and blender safety
- Following directions
Did someone say pizza? Well if you did and you’re looking for an EASY dough recipe, you’ve come to the right spot. This no rise pizza dough is deliciously easy and fun to make.
It adds an interesting twist of flavor vs. traditional pizza dough, which is equally yummy. These cooked pizza dough’s are great to make for play dates, to serve as a lunch, snack or dinner. You can make them ahead and store them or eat them fresh out of the pan; well, once they’ve cooled.
No Rise Pizza Dough with Jodie Fitz
2 cups PICS all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tablespoon PICS baking powder
1 teaspoon PICS sea salt
2 teaspoon PICS canola oil
1 ¼ cup of warm water
Crisco®
Saran Wrap
Measure the flour, baking powder and sea salt together into a bowl. Using a fork, stir the ingredients together so that everything is evenly distributed.
Add in the two teaspoons of canola oil and stir it though the dry ingredient mixture.
Slowly pour in the warm water, you may not need to use it all so pour and stir until all of the ingredients come together.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and forms into a ball of pizza dough. Sprinkle flour onto the dough as needed during the kneading process. Note: If it’s sticky, add flour lightly and continue to knead.
Lightly coat a bowl with the Crisco® using a napkin or paper towel. Place the dough in the bowl and cover it for 30 minutes.
Once the dough has rested and is ready to cook, remove it from the bowl and divide it into 5 equal pieces by simply pulling it apart with your hands. Place each piece of dough onto a floured surface and roll it out and stretch it with a combination of your hands and rolling pin to create five personal pan sized pizza dough’s.
Lightly coat a skillet style pan with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or canola oil and heat the pan over medium heat. Carefully add the pizza dough’s to the pan. Depending on the size of your pan you can add one or two at a time. Cook one side until it’s golden brown and the dough starts to puff slightly, flip it over with heat safety tongues and cook the other side until it’s golden brown.
Pizza Yum: Once your dough is ready to use, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Add your favorite toppings and baking until your cheese is melted and ready to eat!
Get Creative: Like the picture above, use veggies to create a veggie face. Or, like the picture below, create a baseball. Use healthy ingredients and get creative!
Dough Storage: You can keep extra pizza dough’s in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let the dough’s cool completely. Separate them by placing parchment paper in between each of the dough’s. Keep them in an airtight container, snap and seal style storage bag or covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Adding Flavor: When you cook your dough in the skillet, use a flavored olive oil. I love the Tuscan flavored Saratoga Olive Oil that can be found at Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets.
Cooking with Kids: Every recipe has steps and life skills to focus on when cooking with kids. Here are a few to focus on when making this recipe…
- Measuring ingredients
- Leveling dry ingredients
- Kneading dough
- Following directions
- Stove top or skillet safety
- Storing ingredients
3 Tips for Choosing Heart Healthy Pork
Monica Stewart, MS, RD
Tyson Foods, Inc.
A Google search for “heart healthy foods” produces thousands of food lists including fruits and vegetables like berries, avocados, leafy greens and grapes, along with other foods like walnuts, olive oil and whole grains. While a heart healthy diet is an important factor in lowering the risk of heart disease, knowing exactly what foods to choose can sometimes be a challenge.
When I asked my husband “What comes to mind when you think of heart healthy foods?” He responded without hesitation, “Fruits and vegetables.” For fun, I asked my nine-year-old daughter the same question. Her response was similar, “Apples and bananas.” And in true kid fashion, followed that with a question. “Mom, is protein healthy?”
Based on my fun family poll and quick Google search, I think it’s safe to assume most people know that fruits and vegetables are heart healthy but like my nine-year-old points out, when it comes to protein, including pork, the answers aren’t so obvious.
Heart healthy foods are lower in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. When you’re at the meat case, try these three tips to help you shop smarter:
- Focus on extra lean meats. Extra lean meats, including pork, can fit into a heart healthy diet. The key is knowing which cuts are extra lean. These contain less than 5 grams of total fat, less than 2 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams of product and per labeled serving size*1. For pork, this includes boneless pork sirloin roast and pork tenderloin.
- Watch out for sodium content. Single ingredient meats with no solution added will offer the lowest sodium value. Read through the ingredient statement on the package and compare sodium content on the nutrition facts panel to help you choose a protein with a responsible sodium content. Aim for less than 360 mg per serving.
- Look for the American Heart Association Heart Check certification on packages. This tip takes all the guesswork out because products bearing this claim must meet specific nutrition criteria that includes maximum values for saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium2. The Chairman’s Reserve® Prime Pork tenderloin is heart healthy certified, making it a great choice that ensures a heart healthy protein on your plate.
Remember to choose a variety of foods from all food groups. You can find heart healthy recipes for pork from the American Heart Association. A thoughtful portion of fully cooked lean meat is three ounces, which is about the size of the palm of your hand. When preparing your meal, use your plate as a guide and make half your plate fruits and vegetables, while leaving the other half for extra lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy.
* Labeled serving size is determined by the reference amount, which reflects the amount of food customarily consumed per eating occasion.
Local Legends: King Arthur Baking Company
Local Legends: King Arthur Baking Company
We’re rockin’ the support for local growers and producers this summer! We’ll be touring our Northeast region, highlighting local products and crops, talking to farmers and artisans, and telling stories on local legends. Join us on our journey! Next up, King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich, VT.
In 1790, when King Arthur set out on their mission to be “America’s First Flour Company” a lot was different. America only had 13 states, George Washington was president, and the company was known as Henry Wood & Company, after Henry Wood began importing flour from England to Boston’s Long Wharf. Wood’s endeavor was a success as the company became the first flour company in the United States, and the first food company in New England.
It wasn’t until 1849 that the King Arthur name came to be. At the time, it was known as The Sands, Taylor, & Wood Company. They introduced their “new and improved” flour at the Boston Food Fair, naming it King Arthur after it’s Arthurian attributes: “purity, loyalty, honesty, superior strength, and a dedication to a higher purpose.”
After a mid-century expansion in 1968, King Arthur became the largest bakery supply distributor in New England, offering a plethora of ingredients from pie fillings to ice cream toppings. However, in the late 1970s, they decided to return to their roots of selling flour to professional and home bakers. Then in 1984, King Arthur made the move to Norwich, Vermont after 200 years headquartered in Boston. They remain in Norwich today and continue to serve our region with high quality flour.
King Arthur Baking Company is a staple in the kitchen of homes and businesses alike. They’re dedication to providing a top product to our communities allows for easier access to delicious food and baking items. Find King Arthur for yourself at your local Price Chopper/Market 32 or on our website.
