We now have a new website! Please visit us at
www.jaxorganic.com

Welcome to The Neighborhood Garden!
We are an organic produce co-op that provides organic fruits & veggies for less. Because we buy in bulk, we receive extremely low prices. For $33 you will take home 11-12 different varieties of organic fruits and veggies. Not only will you no longer pay grocery store prices for produce, but you may find that you are buying fewer unhealthy snacks.
If you would like more info please email me at jaxorganic@gmail.com.

All of our produce is top quality. If you ever have a problem simply let me know and it will be made up the following week.

We offer 12 different pick up locations and delivery to limited areas. Each Monday we pick up at our Arlington, Northside, Julington Creek, World Golf Village and Nocatee location. Each Thursday is Kensington, Atlantic Beach, JTB/Hodges, Mandarin, Orange Park, Westside, and Riverside.

We also have a convenient delivery service. Delivery is offered from Arlington to Ponte Vedra at this time. For only $5 you can have your produce brought to your front door. Won't be home? Just leave a cooler by your front door and it will be waiting for you!


Friday, December 10, 2010

12-13-10 Pick Up

Red Delicious Apples
Kent Mango
Mandarin Satsuma (Mandarin Oranges)
Bing Cherries
Bananas
Romaine Lettuce
Roma Tomatoes
Cucumber
Eggplant
Zucchini
Green Peppers
Fresh Rosemary

Enjoy!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

11/29/10 Pick Up

4-6 Jonagold Apples
3-5 Black Plums
1 Bunch Bananas
2-3 Fl Oranges
3-4 Tangerines
2 Cucumber
2 Sweet Onions
4-5 Yukon Gold Potatoes
Red Leaf Lettuce
10 oz Broccoli Slaw
1 Head Broccoli
10 oz White Mushrooms

Enjoy!

Gift Certificates are now available!

Healthier Ingredients-Make the Switch!

Cook up healthier recipes by swapping one ingredient for another. These substitution tips can help.
By Mayo Clinic staff

You stock healthy foods in your pantry, but what do you do with them? And how do you modify favorite family recipes so that they're more in line with your healthy-eating plan? It's not as hard as you may think. The key is to incorporate healthier alternatives into your daily eating routine.

The following suggestions can help you lower fat, salt, sugar and calories and increase fiber in your recipes.

If your recipe calls for:
All-purpose (plain) flour-

Try substituting:
Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked goods
Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in softer products like cakes and muffins.

bacon - Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham)

Butter, shortening or oil in baked goods- Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil
Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute oil for butter or shortening.

Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking - Cooking spray or nonstick pans

Creamed soups - Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents

Dry bread crumbs - Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal

Eggs - Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg

Enriched pasta - Whole-wheat pasta

Evaporated milk - Evaporated skim milk

Fruit canned in heavy syrup - Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit

Fruit-flavored yogurt - Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices

Full-fat cream cheese - Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth

Full-fat sour cream - Fat-free or low-fat sour cream, plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Ground beef - Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no poultry skin has been added to the product)

Iceberg lettuce - Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress

Margarine in baked goods - Trans fat-free butter spreads or shortenings that are specially formulated for baking

Note: If ingredient lists include the term "partially hydrogenated," it may have up to 0.5 grams of trans fat in one serving.
To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.

Mayonnaise - Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise

Meat as the main ingredient - Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews

Oil-based marinades - Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth

Salad dressing - Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars

Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt or onion salt - Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes, or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery or onions

Soups, sauces, dressings, crackers, or canned meat, fish or vegetables - Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions

Soy sauce - Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

Syrup - Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup

Table salt - Herbs, spices, fruit juices or salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends

White bread - Whole-wheat bread

White rice - Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley

Whole milk - Reduced-fat or fat-free milk

Fat-Free Gold Fries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a jellyroll pan with non-stick foil and spray with olive oil. Scrub potatoes. Parboil potatoes and cut into fries. Dry with paper towels. Whip egg whites to a light froth. Gently fold in seasonings of your choice, such as garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, etc. Dip fries into seasoned, whipped egg whites, shaking off excess, and spread evenly in one layer on cookie tray. Bake at 450 degrees F. for about 30 minutes until lightly golden, flipping fries halfway through cooking time. Sprinkle lightly with salt, cayenne pepper, or one of the new powdered bouillons. Serve hot.

Parboiling or blanching is a cooking technique in which something is partially cooked in boiling water, but removed before it is cooked all the way through.

Gold Potato Storage

Since they have a slightly higher sugar content, gold potatoes do not store as well as russets. They need a cold environment, 40 to 50 degrees F., and 90 percent humidity is optimum. Storage below 33 degrees F. will cause the starches to turn to sugar.

Store gold potatoes in a paper bag (preferable) or perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator vegetable crisper drawer, away from onions. Use within a week. If you have a cold storage area, you can store the potatoes in a well-ventilated area, being careful to keep them away from any light source.

Do not wash before storing as you will remove the protective coating. Lightly scrub just prior to using.

It is true that refrigerating starchy white potatoes promotes the starches turning to sugar. However, the golds have a lower starch content, causing less of a problem. Depending on how long the potatoes have been in storage before you purchase them, some experts say you can remove them from your refrigerator and let them sit in a cool dark place to let whatever sugar has formed revert back to starch. Potatoes with a higher sugar content will brown more quickly during cooking.

Cooked, mashed gold potatoes can be frozen. Pack in a sealed container with 1/2 inch headspace and freeze up to one year. Reheat in the microwave, or over low heat in a saucepan with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water, while stirring constantly.

Chinese Cabbage Salad

Ingredients
3 T Red Wine Vinegar
2 T White Sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 (3ounce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles, crushed, seasoning packet reserved
1/2 vegetable oil
1 package broccoli coleslaw mix
1/2 cup chopped green onion
4 ounces toasted slivered almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Directions
1. In a small saucepan, cook the vinegar and sugar over medium heat until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, ramen seasoning packet and oil. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the uncooked ramen noodles, broccoli coleslaw mix, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad; toss evenly to coat. Refrigerate until chilled.

3. Sprinkle with almonds and sesame seeds before serving.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Mint Tea

Ingredients

* 12 bag(s) tea
* 1 bunch(es) mint sprigs
* 4 quart(s) boiling water

Directions

1. Boil water. Add tea and muttled mint to boiling water. Turn off burner. Let sit until tea has steeped. Pour over ice into 1 gallon serving container. Serve iver ice in glasses with mint sprig garnish.

Country Living

Plum Smoothie-Pop

Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart

* 1/4 cup(s) sugar
* 1 tablespoon(s) corn syrup
* 1 pound(s) assorted plums, pitted and chopped
* 8 teaspoon(s) fresh lime juice
* 6 ounce(s) plain yogurt

Directions

1. Bring the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and cool. Puree the plums, cooled syrup, and lime juice in two batches, using a blender, until smooth. Stir the plum puree and yogurt together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top, as the mixture will expand when it freezes. Follow popsicle mold manufacturer's instructions and freeze until solid -- about 4 hours.

Country Living

Salad Dressing-Thank You Amanda

I am an excited new member of your neighborhood garden and I wanted to share a salad dressing recipe that is delicious with the pomegranate and perhaps even the lettuce. I like adding walnuts, feta cheese, etc.

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of ketchup
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup oil

Put sugar, ketchup and vinegar in mason jar and mix...then slowly add the oil. It is simple and very tasty!

Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

* 2 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
* 4 teaspoons butter
* 4 teaspoons brown sugar
* Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place butternut squash halves on a large baking sheet flesh side up. Place 1 teaspoon butter in the middle of each squash. Sprinkle brown sugar over each squash. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast 25 minutes, until flesh is fork-tender. Reserve 2 halves for future meal.

Food Network

Friday, November 12, 2010

Tabbouleh

Ingredients

* 1 cup bulgur
* 2 cups boiling water
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoons sliced green onions (tops only)
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
* 6 leaves romaine lettuce

Directions

1. Place bulgur in a bowl; stir in water. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Drain and squeeze dry. Stir in the lemon juice, oil, onions, parsley, salt and mint. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in tomato. Serve in a lettuce-lined bowl.

Storing Mint

How to store: Keep stems down in a glass of water with the leaves covered in plastic for a week changing the water every 2 days, or in plastic with a damp paper towel.

Matches well with: carrots, chocolate, duck, eggplant, fruit, goat, ice cream, lamb, lentils, oranges, peas, peppers, pilafs, pork, salsas, tomatoes, vegetables, yogurt

Friday, November 5, 2010

Jonagold Apples Sauce

The Jonagold apple is a cross between the Golden Delicious apple and the Jonathon apple. It is excellent eaten raw or when used in pies and other baked goods.

Applesauce Recipe
Most applesauce recipes call for boiling the apples. But in this applesauce recipe, the apples are roasted. It brings out the apples' natural sugars, caramelizing them as they cook. This apple sauce only needs a touch of honey to make it sweet and delicious.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

* 8-10 Jonagold apples
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 Tbsp. honey
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. cloves
* 1/4 tsp. salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Peel and dice apples into 1-inch pieces. The more uniform the apple pieces are, the more evenly they'll cook.

3. Toss apples with remaining ingredients. Spread out in an even layer on a sturdy baking sheet or shallow roasting pan.

4. Roast 10 minutes. Stir. Roast another 5-15 minutes until apples are soft enough to mash lightly.

5. Scrape apples into a dish, mashing lightly. Leave some chunks, if desired.

6. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Guacamole (with cilantro)

Cilantro and cayenne give this tasty guacamole a kick. Makes four servings.
Prep Time: 10m
Ready in: 10m
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

How to freeze broccoli

Instructions
Step 1 - Get the broccoli!

This is the most important step! You need broccoli that are FRESH and crisp. Limp, old broccoli will make nasty tasting frozen broccoli.

Broccoli are of the best quality when they are tight, before the florets start to open or turn yellow.


Step 2 - Wash the broccoli!

I'm sure you can figure out how to rinse the broccoli in plain cold water.
Step 3 -Split the broccoli

Select firm, young, tender stalks with compact heads. Split lengthwise so flowerets are no more than 1 1/2 inches across. Remove leaves and woody portions. Separate the heads into convenient-size sections.

Step 4 - Soak the florets in brine (salt water)

Soak the broccoli in brine (4 teaspoons salt to 1 gallon ordinary tap water) for 30 minutes to remove insects. The rinse under fast running water.
Step 5- Get the pots ready

Get the pot of boiling water ready (about 2/3 filled) and a LARGE bowl with ice and cold water.

Step 6 - Blanch the broccoli.

All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color, flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. broccoli requires a brief heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to destroy the enzymes before freezing. Blanching times for broccoli is 3 minutes (or blanch with steam for 5 minutes) - the duration is just long enough to stop the action of the enzymes and kill the bacteria.

Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the broccoli in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a high temperature for the required length of time. You may use the same blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required height.
Step 7 - Cool the broccoli

Cool broccoli immediately in ice water. Drain the broccoli thoroughly (this shouldn't take more than a minute).

After vegetables are blanched, cool them quickly to prevent overcooking. Plunge the broccoli into a large quantity of ice-cold water (I keep adding more ice to it). A good rule of thumb: Cool for the same amount of time as the blanch step. For instance, if you blanch sweet broccoli for 3 minutes, then cool in ice water for at least 3 minutes.

Drain thoroughly.
Step 8 - Bag the broccoli

I love the FoodSavers (see this page for more information) with their vacuum sealing! I am not paid by them, but these things really work. If you don't have one, ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the bags. Remove the air to prevent drying and freezer burn. TIP: If you don't a vacuum food sealer to freeze foods, place food in a Ziploc bags, zip the top shut but leave enough space to insert the tip of a soda straw. When straw is in place, remove air by sucking the air out. To remove straw, press straw closed where inserted and finish pressing the bag closed as you remove straw.

Step 9 - Done!

Pop them into the freezer, on the quick freeze shelf, if you have one!

This is from a great website, pickyourown.org.

Bruschetta with Shallots

Ingredients

* 12 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons minced shallots
* 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
* salt to taste
* freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss together the roma tomatoes, minced garlic, shallots, basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 1/3 cup olive oil.
2. Place the slivered garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Discard garlic.
3. Toast the bread slices, and brush with the olive oil heated with garlic. Top slices with the roma tomato mixture.

Shallots: Storage & Cooking Tips

Shallot Cooking Tips and Measures
• Shallots work particularly well in dishes using wine.

• Although shallots carmelize like onions, it is important to saute them gently. Browning over high heat is likely to turn them bitter, much like garlic.

• Roast shallots in their skins until soft. Then peel, puree, and use as a flavoring for soups or sauces.

• Refrigeration is not recommended for shallots as cold temperatures tend to encourage sprouting.

• 3 to 4 shallots may be substituted for 1 medium onion.

Storage
Most cooks buy only as many shallots as they will need for a particular recipe, but if you have an abundance of shallots, store them as you would any allium in a cool, dry, dark place with plenty of air circulation. Knot them in clean pantyhose, hang from the ceiling in a dry garage, cellar or closet, and they can last up to 2 months. Or store in a hanging metal mesh basket. If they sprout, you can still use them. Remove the bitter green sprouts if you don't want a strong onion flavor. Many cooks choose to include the sprouts and use them much like chives.

Shallots may be chopped and frozen up to 3 months. However, when thawed, they will have the texture of a lightly sauteed shallot, so do not expect any crunch. This may actually be a time-saver in many recipes.

About.com