New Stuff

We can barely keep up with all the exciting new things we’re bringing in lately, but we did want to make some time to tell you about at least some of them. Let’s start off with something we are intrigued with: THE SPOONK.

The Spoonk Acupressure Massage Mat is… sort of looks like a yoga mat, except that unlike a yoga mat, it’s covered in little rubber spikes. SIX THOUSAND little rubber spikes. (6,210 to be precise.) And you should do what with this mat?

Six Thousand Spikes of Spoonk

Lay on it. Stand on it. Feel it working. The mat is designed as a cross between Japanese shiatsu massage/acupressure and an Indian bed of nails in the way that the spikes stimulate pressure and reflex points throughout your body, releasing energy, stimulating blood flow, releasing endorphins and promoting relaxation at the same time it energizes. It has been said to help relieve back pain, tired feet, digestion and is now going through clinical trials to test its ability as a sleep aid. It even received a Top Choice in Clinical Trials stamp from Dr. Oz.

I gave it a try here at the store to test it out by standing on it. I took off my shoes and stood on it in socks. The sensation was strange and the spikes sharp at first, then energizing, like a foot massage. I could especially feel it on the balls of my feet and toes and when I rolled my feet on their sides. This feeling and tingling lasted for a long while after I put my shoes back on, I could literally feel the blood flow and energy after having stood on the Spoonk for only a few minutes. I think I’ll be buying one…tonight. My feet are making me. I have a suspicion my back will agree.

Also in that we’re jazzed about – Harmless Harvest 100% Organic Raw Coconut Water. The only bottled organic raw coconut water on the market and the world’s only wild-harvested coconut water as well and, if you’ve ever had coconut water straight out of the nut, this is the closest in taste you’ll ever find.

They source their coconuts from small organic agroforestry farms where the coconuts are hand-picked and the juice extracted and bottled within the day. The water is then pressure-treated (without heat) to kill any pathogens and keep it raw – thus keeping as much of its natural nutrition as possible. They are absolutely delicious and some of them are pink – read why here. Get some for yourself here 🙂

Look for the New Product Spotlight logo for what's new at Dean's

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Guilt-free Goodies

“Raw food is the preparation of whole uncooked foods. In this way of preparing foods, all the living enzymes and nutrients stay alive to aid the body in healing on a cellular level. Raw foods are never processed over 118 degrees; beyond this temperature the food loses its nutritional value.”

That sounds so scientific, doesn’t it? It’s quite the opposite though – uncooked, unprocessed whole foods as nature intended. Wait, even that sounded a bit too scientific. Let’s break that mood:

Raw Vegan Avocado Lime Pie

Raw Vegan Brownie

Introducing our new line of raw foods and guilt-free desserts. Not only are they guilt-free, they’re actually good for  you. Seriously!

Let’s take the Superfoods Cacao Mint Tart, for example. it’s a delicious crunchy-crusted little pie with a creamy, minty chocolatey filling – Chef Brian says “It tastes to me just like an Andes Candy!” It has the amazing taste down, and then we boosted the health benefits – we added in superfoods like maca, which is known to boost energy, balance hormones and support endocrine health; cacao, which has been shown to help the cardiovascular system (chocolate is good for your heart!); and spirulina, the high protein, nutrient-dense, immune boosting blue-green algae.

Raw Vegan "Meatballs" with our own Raw Marinara Sauce

It’s not just desserts, either – you’ve just gotta try the Raw Vegan “Spaghetti & Meatballs.” We made “pasta” out of zucchini without cooking it, paired it with “meatballs” made of a walnut base and topped it all in dollops of our raw marinara sauce (which has quite a nice kick!). You’ve got protein from the walnuts, which are among the highest in Omega-3s around and have also been shown to help lower cholesterol.  Then there’s the zucchini, high in vitamin C, manganese, B vitamins and antioxidants and tomatoes from the sauce, well, come on, they’re tomatoes. No explanation necessary.

Right now these are available only in our Ocean location but we’ll be rolling them out to Shrewsbury soon as well. Give ’em a try and let us know what you think (PS: You don’t need to register to comment!)

Look for the New Product Spotlight logo for what's new at Dean's

Juice for the New Year

After months of working out recipes, tweaking here and there, taste-testing with our customers, our NEW JUICE BAR MENU IS HERE, yay! We’ve added about a dozen new drinks (everything made with 100% organic produce, naturally), including a kids’ menu and several new add-ins, all carefully researched to attain the best health benefits possible. There’s even a section on the back describing the health-enhancing benefits of each Superfood add-in. We think it’s pretty awesome and hope you do too. Let us know what you think!

Technicolor Radishes and Local Goodies

We’ve been getting in local organic produce from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and it’s just so beautiful, have to share some pics with you.

Organic (and seemingly technicolor) Radishes from Lancaster, PA.

This is really cool – Organic Red Russian Kale. The leaves are the most interesting shape and pattern, almost like oak leaves, bright green and tinged purple. Space Kale?

This is Tatsoi, or Japanese Spinach. It has a mild mustard taste and is a different and unique Thanksgiving alternative to traditional spinach. The leaves are so glossy, the photo just doesn’t do it justice.

Look for the New Product Spotlight logo for what's new at Dean's

These adorable little jugs are eggnog from Maplehofe Dairy Farm in Quarrysville, PA. The farm’s been around since the 1940s and now produces some of the most memorable and fresh dairy products around. No growth hormones or antibiotics used and they process the milk themselves. Eggnog this fresh and without chemical flavorings is really something else indeed.

Everything we’ve been getting from our local people is just so special, we’re really feeling proud of it. I hope you stop in and see for yourself because like I said earlier, photos just don’t do them justice!

Here’s a super-easy recipe using Red Russian Kale with dried cranberries – really gives a Thanksgiving-ey flavor. It’s gluten-free, vegan and full of vitamins and nutrients. Take a look-see.

Kale with Garlic and Cranberries

yield: Makes 8 servings

Garlicky kale, a robust winter green, gains an unexpected twist with dried cranberries’ saucy hits of tartness.

• 2 pounds kale (preferably Russian Red), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely torn
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (2 ounces)

Neat New Stuff

Here at Dean’s, we’re always bringing in new products – some you may have asked for, others you may have raved about “Oh, you have just GOT to try this new _____!” and some our buyers discover and wonder “You know, this is pretty special and I think our customers are really going to love this.” But how do you ever know what these new items are, where they are and what makes them special?

Introducing: The New Product Spotlight

Look for this logo around the stores for the newest products we can’t wait to tell you about. Like Toy Cow Creamery.

Toy Cow Creamery is a small family farm run by Levi and Samual Stolfus, tucked away in the countryside of Williamsport, PA. Their line of super-creamy yogurts & yogurt smoothies are made with milk from a small, well cared-for herd of grass-fed, pasture-roaming Jersey cows, which are hormone- and antibiotic-free. The result is an incredibly rich and fresh taste you’ll just have to try for yourself.

Then there’s the Hope Springs Farms Organic Cheeses. Also local from PA, these organic cheeses are made with raw milk from grass-fed, pasture-roaming cows raised without growth hormones and antibiotic. The natural diet and lifestyle the dairy cows lead allows for nutrient-dense – and highly flavorful – cheeses, a perfect and different addition to a cheese platter or for snacking.

But wait, there is CHOCOLATE too! We have just brought in award-winning Coco Polo Chocolate, a company who are also local, right out of New Brunswick, NJ. Company founders Diane Yamate and John Cunnell started their company in are dedicated to making high cocoa chocolates without processed sugars. Sweetened with stevia, their dark cocoa bars are sugar-free, gluten-free, peanut-free and non-GMO − and are also low carb and diabetic-friendly. Did we also mention they’re delicious?

Be on the lookout for the New Product Spotlight logo around the stores for these and other great new products we’ve brought in as well as right here where we’ll be writing about what makes them so special.

See you in the aisles!

Funny how things work out

The funniest thing happened today. Well, not funny-funny but “funny” in the way of how things happen for a reason and coincidences.

We get emails every day for all kinds of reasons, usually customers asking if we have certain products and inquiries from potential vendors telling us about their products. Today we received one of those inquiries that made me go “Hrrmm…interesting.”

The email was from a guy named Ray, telling us about a new product called Heart Juice. He described it as “an all-natural beverage formulated for heart health and is fortified with Hawthorn and Resveratrol along with 5 other heart healthy ingredients.” I looked up their website and read a little about it – all-natural, 20 calories per bottle, antioxidant-rich ingredients such as hawthorn, resveratrol, garlic, pomegranate and green tea.  – and they’re local, from Wayne, NJ. I forwarded the email to our Grocery Manager Owen and told him a little bit about them.

About a half hour later, I’m out by the front and a man comes up to introduce himself to me. “Hi, I’m John, I’m from Heart Juice…” “Really? I seriously JUST emailed you guys back! Owen, remember the company I was telling you about a few minutes ago? Ta-daaa!” Turns out his partner got the email, not even knowing his associate was right there in one of our stores.

Owen and John spoke for a bit and right there we knew, this product was something completely different and special – specifically formulated for heart health and also totally on-point with our mission to raise health awareness and change people’s lives. What a great fit.

An hour later, Heart Juice is on our shelves.

(Ocean location only for now) In BOTH stores now!

What’s New at Dean’s

Hey hey hey!

We’re always on the lookout for great new items to bring into our stores for you. In the past couple of weeks, we’ve got some really exciting new things to tell you about.

Back in July, we attended the Red Bank screening of Forks Over Knives, giving out samples of some of our favorite vegan nibbles. At the stand next to us we met Chef Zoe of RAWbundant   and were able to try some of her raw & organic dishes. We were hooked. She has the most amazing raw “cheeses” made with 100% raw organic cashews from Bali, either feta-style or cream cheese-style, original, garlic & herb or with cracked black pepper. They’re dairy, egg, soy, GMO and gluten-free and absolutely delish. Plus she’s local too, right up in Linden, NJ. She’ll be in Ocean sampling on Friday (8/12), you’ve gotta try them!

DIRT? Todd’s Dirt. Yep, we all chuckled at this one too when Owen, our Grocery Manager in the Ocean store brought this new product to us. Owner/inventor Todd tried for years to duplicate a friend’s seasoning recipe, only to stumble upon one he liked even better, thus The Dirt was born. 100% all-natural and allergen/gluten-free, Todd’s Dirt is one of those favorite catch-all seasonings, great on anything from steak to popcorn. We’re experimenting in our kitchens with it, doing a dry rub on tofu steaks and spicy sweet potatoes. Pick some up and let us know what you come up with!

OK, here’s another one we were like “What?” when we got it in. Betty Lou’s Powdered Peanut Butter.  100% organic, 85% less fat than regular peanut butter, no cholesterol, low sodium and only 45 calories per serving, Betty Lou’s Powdered Peanut Better is quickly becoming a favorite for weight watchers, as a post-workout pick-me-up, or a healthy snack for kids

What else….OH! The Candle Cafe Vegan Pastries! I mentioned them the other day on Facebook and they’re almost gone now, but don’t worry, we’ll get more. My personal favorite is the mini chocolate mousse tart with the lemon-poppy mini muffins running a very close second 🙂

Check back with us now and then for more new item updates and remember, if you find an amazing food, drink, beauty product, etc. that you think we simply MUST carry, let us know!

Cheers!