Foodie Field Trip- Wheatsfield Cooperative and a very cool recipe

I carry a list in my purse. Old school style. In a teeny little spiral notebook I actually have lists- restaurants I want to try, recipes I want to make, places I want to visit/check out such as ethnic markets. Without the lists, I'd never remember all the cool stuff I want to see, like the Wheatsfield Cooperative in Ames. The Co-op is a very cool store with roots reaching all the way back to 1974, when a group of like-minded citizens decided to form a sort of buying club. Today the co-op serves its member-owners as well as the general public with a full service grocery store that focuses on local produce, organic foods, sustainability, environmental and social issues.

The co-op enriches the community as well, with educational programs focusing on health, diet and nutrition. The co-op's calendar is loaded with classes and programs with something for everyone, like a class on fermenting and kimchi, brewing beer at home, classes focusing on essential oils and using them for self-healing, recipe, baking and cooking classes of all kinds, and much more.

Kids 12 and under can join the Co-op Explorers Club. Programming with children in mind and free fruit when kids stop in to shop and cookies on birthdays make it fun for kids to learn all about where their food comes home and how to be a good citizen of the planet. The Nickel Club encourages shoppers to use reusable bags. For each reusable bag used the shopper gets a Co-op Nickel. The nickels can be redeemed on purchases or donated to the monthly cause. Since the program began in 2013 over $22,000 has been raised. That, my friends, is a LOT of nickels!

This is one time I'm ok with a sticker on my produce!

As you guys have been with me on several different shopping trips, you know the bulk of my food dollars are spent in the produce section. We all know fresh fruits and vegetables are good for us, and I live by those words. Checking out the unique and beautiful fresh produce in the Co-op store was my favorite part of the visit. Loads and loads of organic items and most, seriously, most of the produce was not only in-season but locally grown. That is hugely important to me and a lot of other people out there. Those huge grocery chains get produce from all over the world and it makes no sense to me to buy an imported tomato that was artificially ripened in a warehouse before being shipped when I can get a beautiful red ripe Iowa-grown tomato. Local wins every time for me. Not only is the quality better, the food is fresher and my purchase is putting money into the pocket of a local grower, who will then spend the money locally, and our economy is happy.

This weekend The Chef and I are committed to using up what we have in the house already- from our pantry, our freezer, and leftovers. I love repurposing leftovers into a whole new dish and the pasta sauce he made the other night was in the fridge waiting to be used. I've been craving zucchini for the last few days and that was all I really needed to make this dish happen. The Co-op had some gorgeous local zucchini, the cutest organic baby bella mushrooms and freshly baked baguette so my dinner was complete with just those three ingredients!

One tip I simply must share for making the zucchini boats- use a melon baller! After you cut the zucchini in half lengthwise you have to scoop out all the guts, and a melon baller is the perfect tool. The sharp edge of the cutting scoop makes it easy to get exactly the right thickness of remaining shell without poking through the bottom. Be sure to save all the scooped out zucchini because you'll chop it and add it to the filling.

Another tip for making this recipe successful is to use the super high quality olive oils and seasoning from Sinful Food. I used the Italian Herb oil but the basil or garlic would have been equally delicious. The garlic olive oil is also perfect for brushing over thick cut slices of Italian bread or baguette and grilled for easy garlic bread. Of course, the Signature Seasoning also makes the dish even better- no need to measure out a bunch of spices, the seasoning mix has it all!

To get your Sinful Food products for your own creations, click HERE.

Summer Zucchini Boats

2 medium zucchini, about 1 lb each

1/2 medium onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons Sinful Food Italian Herb olive oil

1 teaspoon Sinful Food Signature Seasoning

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. I left the stem attached but you can remove that if you want. Scoop out the inside of the squash, leaving about 1/2 inch shell. Place the zucchini boats on a baking sheet and set aside.

Chop the squash that has been scooped out and add to a bowl. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes. Season with the Signature Seasoning. 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add the Italian Herb Olive Oil. Add the chopped vegetables to the skillet and cook over medium high heat until softened and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and the marinara sauce.

Spoon the mixture into the zucchini boats. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the boats. 

Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

So delicious! Not only is this an easy recipe, it's healthy and low in calories. It's a great option for meatless dinners, and can be vegan if you swap out the Parm for a non-dairy cheese. My recipe was not vegetarian since I was using up some of The Chef's pasta sauce from the night before and the sauce was made with pork loin and salami. This dish had something to make everyone happy- locally grown zucchini, organic mushrooms, purchased from a food Co-op and finished with recycled pasta sauce! How's that for thinking outside of the box?

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador for Sinful Food, the company compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Foodie Field Trip- Loveland, Colorado

Springtime in Colorado is wonderful. You might have warm sunny days, chilly nights, dry conditions and wildfires, or snow up to your elbows. The Chef and I recently made the trek over the vast nothingness of Nebraska to Colorado to visit family and since we were there, why not make it a Foodie Field Trip at the same time? Sounds good to us! Since the reason for our trip truly was to be with family, we had to squeak a little time out for ourselves here and there, and while we didn't hit as many restaurants and food stores as we had hoped, we still found some great spots!

Our first night in Loveland we were BEAT!! Our hotel had an indoor heated pool AND a hot tub so guess where we rested our road-weary bones? You got it- hot tub time. By the time we were unwound and ready for a late dinner we just couldn't face another minute in the car, so we began to hunt down delivery options. Chain pizza places were an option but we decided to find something local. 

We hit the jackpot with Silver Mine Subs. The sandwich spot featured a large menu of cold and hot sandwiches and great sides. The Chef immediately spotted his sandwich choice- The Mother Lode, which is a monstrously huge sub heaped with roast beef, ham, turkey, salami, Provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, oregano and dressing. I chose the Homestake, a warm sub on a soft Italian loaf with thinly sliced Angus steak cooked perfectly, pepper jack cheese, grilled peppers and onions. So so so good. Potato salad and giant crunchy dill pickles completed our dinner.

The next day was spent entirely with family, but we were still able to experience some local flavor. After a long discussion earlier in the day about where the best pizza is in Loveland- we were leaning towards Beaujo's and heard lots about other local spots. The Chef and I almost headed out to check out Beaujo's but instead the family got together and had a pizza party with pizza from Arte. This local pizza spot is owned and operated by a Naples native and makes delicious thin and crispy pizzas with a huge assortment of toppings. Dough made fresh daily in house sets this pizza apart from all the chain places and the toppings are fresh and generously piled on the pies. I think we had one of everything!

Saturday morning we were up and at 'em early! We did some driving around town, scouted out a Starbucks, drove through the FABULOUS Promenade Shops at Centerra. Wow oh wow. I kept ooohing and ahhhing and thinking "oh man, my daughters would LOOOOVE this place." It was huge and wasn't an enclosed shopping mall. The open-air stores look like a village, with lots of store-front parking and great shops. Across the interstate we found a very nice outlet mall with even more fun things- the Chef perked up when he saw the Bose outlet and of course I was dying to go in the kitchen outlet. Rather than spend the beautiful day inside the stores, we decided to head for the mountains and check out Estes Park.

Estes Park is such an adorable town. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains there is something for everyone in this town. The main drag is lined with shops and businesses. Souvenirs, clothing, household items, jewelry, wine shops, gourmet food shops, candy stores- just literally anything you can think of. We grabbed a parking spot outside of Distinctively Colorado Food and Gifts and wandered in to make them take my money. Guys.....this is exactly the kind of shop I love and wish I owned. Local husband and wife, live in town, quaint shop filled with products made in Colorado- this is why it's so important to support local businesses. Mrs. was manning the store while we were there, Mr. off doing something else, and she was a great hostess. We browsed the many food products made locally- honey from different types of flowers, Gourmet pastas and gluten free gourmet pastas line an entire shelf, with several varieties to choose from.

Row after row of small hand-mixed spice blends and mixes made it hard for me to choose what I wanted to take home to try. Another large shelf was filled with hot sauces, salsa, pasta sauces, a variety of pickles and pickled vegetables. Almost as if they knew they'd snag my heart, the shop owners tuck a variety of kitchen linens and accessories in and around the food products. Hmmmmm, elk jerky or kitchen towel........ well you know which one I'd chose!

If you were interested in checking out local beers, craft sodas, or wines, the shop has got you covered there as well. Chilled and ready to take home, or off to the hotel, they had a pretty decent selection. Because I wasn't sure how many more stores we'd hit and didn't want a heavy bag to lug along, I limited my selections to two items, Yampa Valley Sauce Company's Purple Blaze hot sauce, and Bee Squared honey.

The hot sauce is literally purple- but not in a gross food coloring way, in a blueberry and habanero sort of way. Yes, blueberries and habanero peppers- the stuff of nightmares! We still are kind of pepperhead types and still seek out interesting hot sauces and peppers and spice mixes when we're out and about. But fruit and heat, you ask? Sure! Sweet and hot is a very popular combination of flavors, touching many different cuisines, even everyday American- in pepper jelly. So Purple Blaze claims, on the label, to be a "mind-blowing infusion of blueberry and habanero." This stuff is fantastic! Real blueberries, not flavors, bring their deep purple color and sweet flavor to this vinegar-based sauce that kicks your butt with habanero. Goooooood stuff. Reminds me of Caribbean foods. Good thing they have a website! I might have to order more!

There's no heat in my other goodie but still plenty of good stuff. Bee Squared is a small scale apiary that produces award winning local honeys, in a chemical-free environment. Bee-keeping, sustainability and preservation of bee populations is critical, not just to honey production but also to maintaining a food source for humans. The jars are packed so attractively they would make a fabulous addition to a gift basket, and each one has a hangtag with the basic story of honey- very unique and important! Many people don't know that honey never expires, and never spoils. The tag tells you all about it, and what to do when your honey hardens. Plus, if you ever wondered exactly what honey is....... they got you covered too- all on that cute little tag. Bee Squared also has a website with products, info and more.

Walking out in that mountain air made us hungry. There are some really awesome restaurants in Estes Park. Even though it really isn't tourist season, the restaurants around town were bustling. Since exploring the hot sauces, we decided on Mexican for lunch and stopped at Pepper's Mexican Grill. Pepper's is a quick-serve setup where you order at the counter, and your food is made fresh right in front of you. The Chef chose a giant burrito with shredded beef and all kinds of delicious fresh veggies and salsas in there. It was HUGE! I ordered the beef and cheese enchiladas and was blown away by the huge portion. It starts with three cheese enchiladas covered in a heaping pile of carne asada, and fresh lettuce, tomato, beans, rice. Enough for two people easily. I also tried the pineapple mango salsa and it was so bright and delicious and had a decent jalapeno kick.

After returning to Loveland we toodled around town a bit more, checking out all the sights, scenes and wishing we had more time to spend here. We did compile  a fairly lengthy list of things we want to do next time, places to eat, things to see, stores to visit. We can't wait to come back!

His and Hers Burger Night

I really love date night. When you share life with a chef you don't usually get weekends to go out and enjoy a nice dinner like everyone else. Instead he is cooking their dinner and I'm on my own. Date night for us happens on a Tuesday or a Wednesday and rarely includes things like prime rib and crab stuffed shrimp specials. It usually means a big juicy burger, and honestly, that's what we really like.

On a recent Tuesday night after my work hours we ran his and hers errands, and met up after for dinner, our version of date night. I keep a running list on my laptop of places in the area where I want to eat and check out the menu. Tonight's dinner spot isn't on that list. Shame. I might have explored it sooner!

Tucked away on a busy intersection in Clive, Iowa, sits a sports themed restaurant. Now usually I am not too impressed by places like this- hordes of loud and obnoxious sports fans swilling brews and chomping on wings and generally annoying me. Rookies Sports Bar and Grill is nothing like that. Sure televisions line the room- and I mean line the room completely, and a couple different baseball games were playing, with the volume on, but it was just the perfect volume- loud enough to hear the play by play and not having to yell at my date. I totally enjoyed that, and it's LOCAL. Locally owned, not a big nationwide chain with flashy commercials and cheesy gimmicks. I much prefer supporting a local business over throwing my money at a bazillionaire chain.

Rookies has two large dining rooms and a great selection
of brews and cocktails

The menu was classic American grill- a large selection of appetizers, many fried, but hand breaded and homemade, a great selection of sandwiches, just enough entrees to suit most peoples' taste, and a lineup of really really good burgers. Chatting with the owner was great- he was very friendly and knew the menu- obviously not a guy who sits at a desk somewhere and run the business from afar. 

Of course, we chose burgers. The Chef chose The Wisconsin Burger, a half pound of hand pattied beef topped with Swiss, American and Mozzarella cheeses and served on grilled garlic Parmesan bread. 

The Wisconsin Burger- I had to take a pic on the fly as The
Chef wasn't wasting any time digging in.

I chose The Steakhouse Burger- the same giant half pound of beef with American cheese, bacon, onion straws, lettuce, mayo and steak sauce on a great big toasted bun. Brew pub fries came with the burgers- nice steak fries tossed with seasoning. 

The Steakhouse Burger comes gored with a steak knife.
It was massive!!

Now you guys know how picky I am about salad dressing. It's always got to be homemade vinaigrette for me, period, and I am not a ranch dressing person at all- unless I'm eating fries. Then I must have ranch, and their ranch was really good- if it wasn't homemade it was a good mix!!

Needless to say........ I ate too much. We really needed to have Double Date Night with another couple so we could sample more foods, but I'm quite sure we will be back many times. Rookies has a pretty nice drinks menu and beer selection, with cocktail specials but they really focus on the food. Definitely more restaurant than bar, and that's the kind of place I like to hang out.

Rookies is located at the corner of Hickman Road and NW 156th Street in Clive, It's tucked behind a convenience store but not really hidden. They also have a website with their full menu and a Facebook page.

Foodie Field Trip- Early Morning Harvest

Tucked away in the countryside of Panora in Guthrie County, Iowa, is a very unique and special kind of -farm- Early Morning Harvest. This family-owned farm is an aquaponics farm, not your typical Iowa farm at all!! They are much more than just an aquaponics farm too.

What do they grow there? Lots of things! Fresh vegetables of all kinds is just the beginning. Certified organic grains and grain products such as flour, cereals and even granola, are offered for sale year round. Free range chickens provide eggs, and grass fed beef offer a better alternative to store-bought eggs and beef. They also have honey, fresh herbs, and tilapia- sold live. It's a very unique way to buy local and organic.

Every week the farm sends out an email containing a list of what's available that week and how much is available. What a great way to serve their customers! I think it's vitally important to our local communities and small businesses to support them by buying local and buying fresh. That's especially important in an area like I live in- rural communities that are far from any huge supermarkets. We need good choices, fresh foods, and supporting a sustainable local business is something I can really get behind. They also sell products at local farmers markets and from the farm.

You can also learn more about Early Morning Harvest by reading this recent article from Seedstock. And if you visit their website, you will find loads of pictures of the aquaponics equipment, the free range chickens, and much more. Check it out, and believe me, it's worth the drive to Panora.