Thanks for all of the great feedback on our Zero Waste holiday series of blog posts. If everyone was taking the steps our readers are, we’d make a huge dent in that stat about North Americans producing 25% more waste during this time of year! It’s so wonderful to know, judging by your comments, that we are not the only environmentally conscious souls out here. Read the rest of this entry »

Hope you and your loved ones are enjoying a joyous and healthy Christmas Day!

Need last minute help on your holiday meal prep? Check out our recipes and tips pages!

For those last minute “oh I forgot the…!” quick dashes to the market, find out what your store’s holiday hours are by checking your store’s webpage, twitter feed or facebook page.

Wishing you and yours a peaceful Christmas filled with hope.

Every year at Christmas my mother cooks an amazing feast. The main course rotates and the side dishes get tweaks according to what is fashionable in food that year, but we always, always, always have cranberry sauce. Not fancy cranberry sauce, mind you. Cranberry sauce from a can, spruced up with a few fresh berries. It might be served alongside horseradish encrusted prime rib with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and chestnut stuffing with rye bread and sausage, but there it is: the traditional Demase family cranberry sauce. Last year I tried to dress up the presentation a bit, but my mom wasn’t too excited about it (see picture). Read the rest of this entry »

With stores all over the country (and in Canada and the U.K.), we have a lot of team members who travel… a lot. Alana’s post about eating well when traveling inspired me to check in with some of our enlightened travelers to find out about their healthy travel routines. Here are their secrets. What are yours?

From Jody:

I find that minimizing stress is a really simple way to enhance wellness during traveling. For me, this means getting to the airport early, being prepared (researching parking beforehand, having your boarding pass printed out, have your liquids in the baggie), not rushing during the travel, keeping a mellow and patient attitude when you encounter other potentially cranky travelers or during delays, and having calming music in my ipod for the plane. I also bring rescue remedy (I hate turbulence!) as well as some calming supplements or tea. If I remember, I bring a small spritzer of water with a couple drops of essential oil to freshen my skin during the plane ride, as the air can be dry and stuffy. And I always remember to pack my daily supplements: a multi, probiotics, fish oil and a mushroom (or immune enhancing) supplement. Read the rest of this entry »

I had a bit of a panic moment earlier this month. Our annual office holiday meal was right around the corner and I was having no luck locating good foraged mushrooms (Chanterelles) for the dish I traditionally contribute. Fortunately I had a trip scheduled to Austin the day before the event and the Whole Foods Market store there had about 25 pounds of perfect chanterelles. I also discovered in the process that carrying four pounds of fresh mushrooms through airport security raises some eyebrows but is generally allowed. Read the rest of this entry »

What do brownies, cookies and cupcakes all have in common? In addition to being just plain fun to eat, these favorites have all received recipe makeovers as features in our Make It Natural posts. Whether they needed lighter ingredients or substitutions for special diets, the following reader favorites got top honors in rating and comments.

The ultimate winner? Flourless Brownies! These incredibly moist brownies taste great and include a super secret ingredient that won over the skeptics. Read all about it and give them a try. Read the rest of this entry »

With Christmas and New Year’s just around the corner, many of us will be packing our bags and heading off to celebrate. Unfortunately, most airports, train stations and roadside stops offer the standard American junk-food fare. The good news is you can bring your own food!

While there are specific rules about what you can take through security onto a plane (no creamy, saucy foods allowed, for example), there are foods that you can pack to eat well, which will keep you feeling better on your trip. Read the rest of this entry »

…on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose. I’ve sung that song for (many) years but grew up with little understanding of chestnuts. Living in Texas and California, I spent more time decorating cactus at Christmas time than ice skating, playing in the snow or eating roasted nuts.

For anyone who joins me in the unfamiliar terrain of chestnut roasting, here’s how it’s done at home:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. With a very sharp knife, cut an X in the rounded side of each chestnut, making sure to cut all the way through the shell. This is an important step, because it will prevent the chestnuts from exploding.
3. Place the chestnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the chestnuts, shake the pan, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Wrap them in a towel, and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Crush them gently with the bottom of a heavy pan. Unwrap the towel, and place the chestnuts in a big bowl.
5. Take the bowl to a comfy spot (a roaring fire is good) with some friends and family (and maybe some glasses of port). Peel the skins off of the meat, while you have a pleasant chat.

You can also give them a try in this Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Chestnuts or pick up a jar of prepared chestnuts to use in this Madeira-Glazed Chestnuts.

How do you enjoy chestnuts?

Holiday time is the perfect time to enjoy a delicious port wine! Port wine is a “sipper” kind of wine – it slowly warms your spirit and soul while you mingle and enjoy time with family and friends.

We brought in this delightful port wine called “The Portly Gentleman” from Buller Wines, a fourth-generation Australian winery. Made in the style of a Tawny port, this wine comes from Grenache, Shiraz and Cabernet grapes. It is oak-cask aged for three to five years, which gives it a beautiful almost Burgundy pale red color. With a bouquet of liquored berry fruits and flavors of strawberry and cherry syrup, it is delicious as an after dinner drink on its own or as an accompaniment for dessert. We love port wine with chocolate and this wine pairs deliciously with bittersweet Belgian chocolate.

Another part of this port wine that we love is its price tag. You will warm someone’s heart (and palate) if you show up with a bottle of “The Portly Gentleman” at your next holiday party. And you may as well pick up a few bottles so you can keep at least one for yourself – who said gifting was only for others? The time seems just about right for a little gift from you to you!

Got a lot of extra mouths to feed with holiday guests? We do! Here are some of our best recipes for serving a house full of hungry visitors. What are your go-to favorites for a crowd? Share your recipes in the comments below so we can try them out!

From Barry:

I made this Spinach and Cheese Lasagna the other night for house guests. I added pine nuts and grilled eggplant (which I grilled at home but you could also use roasted veggies from Prepared Foods). It was really easy to prepare – just simple assembly. I would suggest turning up the heat for the last 10 minutes to let the top get brown and crispy. It was really good and great as leftovers too. Read the rest of this entry »