Check out our South region’s local grower and vendor profiles.

Thanks for watching our slide show and please let us know what you think!

Given the heightened focus on flu this season, here’s a very pertinent encore presentation about the homeopathic remedy Oscillo.

Christophe Merville the national Pharmacy Development Manager for Boiron joins us to talk about homeopathy and share with us the benefits of Oscillo during the cold and flu season.

Podcast: Download

A huge shout out goes to everyone who supported the Whole Planet Foundation’s 2009 Prosperity Campaign. Thanks to the generosity of shoppers and team members, over $1.8 million was donated – 100% of which goes to microlending programs! (Remember, Whole Foods Market covers all operating expenses of Whole Planet Foundation).

Our Team Members put lots of energy into sharing information about Whole Planet Foundation with our customers. As an incentive and reward for all of their hard work, several Team Members were treated to a trip to Guatemala where they met local participants and experienced the power of microcredit firsthand. (Trips paid for by Whole Foods Market – not on the dime of the Foundation!).

Here’s a video that takes us along on a bit of their journey.

Whole Planet Foundation is funding microcredit in 15 communities around the globe that supply products to Whole Foods Market, including Bolivia, Costa Rica, East Timor, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Nicaragua, Thailand, Peru and the United States. Over $6 million in Whole Planet Foundation microloans has been disbursed through implementing partners to more than 50,000 poor women, with a repayment rate of 97%, enabling them to create or expand small home-based businesses and lift themselves out of poverty.

Stay tuned for information on our 2010 Prosperity Campaign – beginning in February.

Let’s Hear about Restaurant Meals Made at Home

Sometimes when I go out to eat, as I’m enjoying a favorite restaurant dish, I think about what went into that dish and how I might make it—or something similar—at home. It’s fun for me to try to identify the ingredients and the preparation steps. And, of course, it’s also a real money saver to cook and eat at home!

I’d love to hear which restaurant dish you’ve tried to replicate at home—or which one you wish you could! So share your desired dish for a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Market® gift card plus three of our favorite cookbooks. The winner will be chosen at random from entries received by the deadline of October 26^th.

Remember, if you haven’t already, sign up for The Whole Deal e-newsletter. You’ll hear from us a few times each month about in-store specials and money-saving tips…and future contests, too.

Tune in to our Whole Story blog next Wednesday for another special value-focused weekly contest!

Last week, we thought we did pretty well with over 300 responses to the “Get the Good Stuff for Less” Value Guru giveaway. This week, we had over 1000 responses to the “What is your favorite 365 Everyday Value product?” question.  A big thanks to you all for sharing your faves with us!

Congratulations to our randomly selected* winner…

CadesMom:

I love your 365 semi-sweet chocolate chips! I make the 30 mile trip to get them whenever it’s time to bake cookies and brownies. I also buy in bulk! They have the richest, chocolaty-est taste. Wonderful!

CadesMom will be receiving a $50 gift card and a Better Bag loaded with some of our 365 Everyday Value favorites (and her favorite 365 semi-sweet chocolate chips!). Keep an eye out tomorrow and all this month for more great value giveaways on The Whole Story!

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* This comment was randomly chosen using random.org.

Remember our secret ingredient flourless brownies that were such a big hit? The surprising addition of black beans inspired lots of readers to share their favorite secret ingredients. Amy posted a comment with her tip for hiding healthy pumpkin in brownies. With Halloween right around the corner, the time is certainly right for baking up a pumpkin treat. We decided to try a variation on Amy’s idea and created a simple Pumpkin Chocolate Cake.

This cake is perfect unfrosted or with a light dusting of powdered sugar if you prefer. Serve with a hot cup of tea, coffee or cocoa. It would be fun to serve small bites at a Halloween party too! Check out the full recipe here.

Here’s the scoop on our healthy updates:

• Using whole wheat pastry flour in place of white flour increases the fiber, magnesium and manganese in this cake.
• Adding pumpkin bumps up the vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, manganese, folate, thiamin, copper, vitamin B5, vitamin B6 and niacin.
• Chocolate and cocoa contain phytochemicals (plant compounds) called flavonoids that that help protect against free radical damage that can lead to disease in the body. Cocoa powder ranks the highest of the chocolate products to contain these antioxidants, followed by dark and milk chocolate. Cocoa powder is also lower in fat and sugar than most other chocolate products (especially milk chocolate).

We love baking with pumpkin! In addition to our new favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Cake, here are a few more baked goods we love that feature one of our favorite fall ingredients:

Honey and Walnut Pumpkin Bread

Mini Pumpkin Gingerbread Cupcakes

Pumpkin and Millet Muffins

What are some of your favorite ways to cook and bake with pumpkin?

Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe for a healthy makeover and publish the improved version on our website, we’ll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.

Happy Halloween!

Plenty of experts agree that keeping a food diary is a great way to help you lose weight. But did you know that it can also give you incredible insight into your cravings, moods, snacking habits, and even help you determine if you have a food allergy or sensitivity?

Here are the many reasons I suggest keeping a daily food diary, at least until you gain some insight, make some new habits, and meet your goals:

• Helps with weight loss or weight gain
• Keeps track of how much water (pure water!) you drink
• Helps you determine if you are allergic or sensitive to a particular food
• Shows you what you are craving and when you are craving it
• Helps you figure out your personal connection between food and mood
• Helps you get a grip on excess snacking
• Helps you meet your goals for getting in those veggies, whole grains, and other important foods
• Keeps you accountable (to yourself) – a food diary can be a real eye-opener!

Read the rest of this entry »

Have you heard about The Prince’s Rainforests Project? His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales is asking everyone to help send the world’s biggest SOS on behalf of the rainforests before the international climate change meetings are held by the United Nations in Copenhagen this December.

Read the rest of this entry »

Whole Foods Market was one of the major sponsors of Fun and Fit in the City, part of the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival last weekend. Fun and Fit in the City is a groundbreaking event focusing on family health, nutrition and fitness and took place at the Harlem Children’s Zone, an innovative and unique community-based organization, offering education, social services and community building programs to children and families since 1970. Over 700 community members participated in the health expo featuring Chef Ann Cooper, local vendors Red Jacket Orchards, Honest Tea and Munchies Cookies, and a rooftop garden tour for children with vegetable lifecycle and composting stations. A panel discussion on Healthy Eating was moderated by Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times, with special appearances by NBA star Allan Houston, Rachael Ray and Dr. Mehmet Oz. The panel discussion was preceded by Former President Bill Clinton who addressed the crowd on the topics of diabetes and obesity facing the community.

Whole Foods Market, in partnership with Weight Watchers and Share Our Strength(R), also sponsored the Good Food Gardens that were installed permanently at the Harlem Children’s Zone rooftop providing sustainable healthy food options for children and a platform for nutritional education.

Since we all couldn’t be there for this fun event, we’ll share some of it with you in pictures. A thousand words, don’t you know?

It’s October and that means it’s pumpkin ale time in the beer world. Check your local store to discover which of these delightful brews are available in your neck of the woods.

Wolaver’s Certified Organic Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale

This adventure began back in 1997 when Wolaver’s embarked on the mission to brew their beer in a sustainable way. It was one of the first certified organic breweries in the nation and simply put, its mission is to brew great beer and to support organic agriculture. Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale is brewed with organic pumpkins grown by Will Stevens and his wife Judy at their farm in Shoreham, Vermont – less than 10 miles from the brewery. With every sip of this amber ale characterized by a hint of pumpkin and baking spices, you will be supporting Wolaver’s local agricultural ecosystem – beer that will warm your body and soul!

• Produced at a brewery working to minimize environmental impact, supporting organic agriculture.
• Well balanced amber ale with a hint of pumpkin and spices.
• Pairs well with cheesecake or other desserts.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

The adventure began in the historic seaport city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1994. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is a tribute to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers. It is brewed with the addition of real pumpkin to the mash, along with traditional spices. With aromas of cinnamon and hops and a full-bodied, roasted malt flavor and hints of pumpkin, this is a true American original that pairs exceptionally well with many autumn dishes such as squash casseroles, hearty stews, as well as your Thanksgiving feast.

• The nose is full of spice, mostly cinnamon, with hints of the Liberty hops lending itself to a full flavor with a nice bitterness yet balanced with the roasted malts.
• The taste lingers into a nice dry spicy, hoppy finish that stays with you without being overbearing.
• A unique blend of spicing and hop goodness backed with just enough malt sweetness to bring it all into balance.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Pumpkin Ale

The adventure started in 1983 in Hayward, California, when Bill Owens started one of the first brewpubs in America. Owens began adding unique ingredients to his beers after learning that George Washington was a home brewer who used pumpkin. Today, the Seasonal Pumpkin Ale carries on that tradition – brewed with real pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and has been referred to as “Pumpkin Pie in a Bottle.”

• America’s Original Pumpkin Ale handcrafted for 25 years.
• At the brewery they serve “Pumpkin Roca.” Rim a wine glass with lime dip in finally chopped spiced roasted pumpkin seeds, fill with Pumpkin Ale, and enjoy!!
• Golden amber to orange in color with a rich head. It has aromas of pumpkin pie with distant pumpkin spice flavor and malt character.
• Pumpkin Ale is wonderful with all fall foods like roasted turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries and nuts. It is perfectly paired with the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

The adventure began in 1995 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Dogfish Head Brewery was borne out of the idea that beer can be food-friendly and worthy of ageing like wine, and it continues to maintain its commitment to quality and to developing “off-centered ales for off-centered people.’” The seasonal Punkin Ale is a lush, smooth, and full-bodied brown ale brewed with pumpkin, organic brown sugar, and all-natural spices including allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It was originally named after a local “off-centered” event – the annual World Championship Punkin’ Chunkin’ that takes place the weekend after Halloween in which teams compete to build machines that hurl pumpkins through the air.

• Full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Pairs well turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, and dessert dumplings.
• It’s also a great cooking beer – Perfect for beer bread and for soups/stews!