Raw Vegan Blueberry Coconut Cheesecake

Many have asked if we could post the recipe for Raw Vegan Blueberry Coconut Cheesecake which Abby prepared at her last Intro to Raw Foods class in our stores. Of course, we are much obliged! I mean, come on, look at this:

So here it is, let us know how yours turned out!

Raw Vegan Blueberry Coconut Cheesecake by Abby Cahn Anton of Super Simple Super Foods ©2013
Serves 16 – 24.

Crust:
1 cup brazil nuts
2 cups walnuts (preferably soaked and dehydrated)
1/4 cup raisins
3 medjool dates
1/8 cup ground golden flax seed
1/8 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp Sunfire salt
coconut oil

Filling:
4 cups blueberries (can substitute other fruit such as strawberries or cherries)
2 cups coconut cream
1/4 tsp. Sunfire salt
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract (or 2 tbs. Sunfire Superfoods vanilla agave nectar)

Advance Preparation:
If using frozen blueberries, thaw in advance. Melt coconut cream by putting in dehydrator or placing jar in warm water.

In a food processor with the “s” blade, process brazil nuts until medium fine. Add flax, coconut flour and salt and pulse until mixed. Cut dates into small chunks and add along with raisins and pulse until broken up and evenly distributed. Add walnuts. Pulse and then process until it begins to form a ball. Be careful not to process too long or it will be more like nut butter, it should be a little grainy and sticky. Grease the bottom of an 8″ springform pan with coconut oil. Press crust onto bottom of pan. Place in freezer while making filling.

Blend blueberries, salt, cardamom and vanilla on high until smooth, set aside. Pour melted coconut cream into food processor. Turn food processor on. While processing coconut, slowly pour blueberry mixture from blender into food processor through the feeding tube. When thoroughly blended, remove springform pan from freezer and pour blueberry coconut mixture into cake pan. Chill in refrigerator for several hours until set.

Enjoy!

Read more about the raw foods lifestyle from Abby at supersimplesuperfoods.com

No More GMOs.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

And that is what we are going to do. We are taking a big step, an aggressive step, one that not too many stores are willing to take. We’re not waiting anymore for GMO labeling laws.

DEAN’S NATURAL FOOD MARKET NON-GMO POLICY ON NEW GROCERY PRODUCTS:  Effective March 18, 2013

Avoidance of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms):  While we do not claim to be GMO-free, we are taking decisive steps to move in that direction. Going forward, we will not accept any new Grocery item containing the top 5 most high-risk GMO crops (corn, soy, canola, sugar beets, alfalfa) into our stores unless they are organic and/or verified by the Non-GMO Project. This includes products containing ingredients such as fructose that are produced using corn or soy.

We strongly encourage any manufacturer that is making a GMO-free claim to have that claim certified by the Non-GMO Project. This service will benefit both the consumer and the manufacturer.

Yes, it’s true. We are not bringing any more grocery products into our stores containing corn, soy, alfalfa, sugar beets or canola unless they are organic and/or Non-GMO Project Verified. Period. It’s not going to be easy, but we are 100% committed. We’re going to be scrutinizing ingredients like crazy, looking for all those hidden sources of the High-risk 5. Corn starch? Sorry, can’t bring it in. Soy lecithin in those cookies, not organic or Non-GMO Project Verified? Sorry, can’t bring it in. This is the level of commitment we are going to bring to make sure that moving forward, we will provide the safest food choices for you and your family.

You may have a few questions about our non-GMO policy, so we’ve prepared a little FAQ.

You’re not taking in any new items containing GMOs, what about everything else in the store? Aren’t you knowingly selling us GMOs?

Few if any stores in the US and Canada are truly GMO free. We’re not there yet, but we are working hard to move in that direction. Going forward we will do our best to limit any products that contain GMOs and continue to find suitable organic/non-GMO replacements for items containing GMOs.

You can help us do this by choosing Non-GMO Project Verified and Organic products when you shop, and encouraging friends and family to do the same.  Look for the seal, check the Non-GMO Project’s iPhone app or product search page, or ask a staff-person for help.

What about other departments, such as Produce and Fresh Foods?

We have no GM produce, as all the produce we sell is organic. This same produce is what we use in our Fresh Foods department. We have taken great care to ensure that almost all ingredients in our kitchens are organic or Non-GMO Project Verified; we still continually seek out replacements for products which do not meet those standards.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us at info AT deansnaturalfoodmarket DOT com.

We would like to give a HUGE Thank You to the Non-GMO Project for their collaboration! Please visit them at http://www.nongmoproject.org for more info.

 

 

New Product Spotlight: Lilly’s Hummus

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

We’ve got another great new munchie on our shelves to let you know about, in case you haven’t tried it yet, which you should. Most definitely you should.
Here is Lilly’s Hummus.

Lilly’s Kalamata Olive Hummus

Lilly’s started out selling her hand-crafted artisan hummus at the Portland Farmer’s Market in Portland, Oregon where they quickly took off. People loved them so much she soon had to expand, setting up shop in a 6,500-square foot kitchen to keep up with the demand. It’s easy to understand why once you taste them. Six flavors – Traditional, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olive (my favorite!), Smoked Tomato & Basil and Roasted Jalapeno – great for dipping, adds a kick to sandwiches, as an interesting pizza sauce/base, cooked up on a quesedilla…(hhmmm, I’m thinking of the Kalamata Olive on a quesedilla with a sprinkling of feta cheese, tomatoes and arugula, AWW YEAH)…

All six varieties of Lilly’s Hummus are trans-fat and gluten-free and made
without preservatives. They use only organic garbanzo beans, quality olive oil and local-to-Portland-sourced hand-roasted vegetables. “Hand-roasted,” isn’t that time-consuming? Lilly tells us “Hand-roasting fresh vegetables such as red bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and smoked tomatoes, does take longer, but we are of the belief that crafting food is a gratifyingly creative experience.” We agree. Taking that extra step, putting that little bit more of caring into a dish – it really pays off, as it does here.

Anyway, stop in and give them a try – at 2 for $5 for a 12-oz. tub (hummus is usually half that size), you’d be crazy not to! Looking for more feedback? Check out this great review Lilly’s got in Glamour Magazine.

And now, for an adorable photo of the kids. HOW CUTE ARE THEY OMGZ.

Mango Mania

It’s Ataulfo mango season! Only twice a year are we privvy to this unique mango, otherwise called the Champagne Mango, known for its golden flesh and intense ripe sweetness, often described as “creamy” and “buttery.” There are little to no fibers in the fruit of the Ataulfo and the pit is the smallest of all the mangos, which means more fruit for us! Look for the most golden yellow fruit which is still firm, but a bit giving and if you’re in doubt, just ask  a Produce team member for a sample and they’ll gladly cut one open for you. (PS: This week they’re on sale, only $3 for FOUR, get ’em while you can.)

Golden ripe organic Ataulfo (Champagne) Mangos, just in

Besides being loved for its exotic, juicy sweetness, the mango is also known for its extraordinary health benefits, rating high in Vitamins C, A and B6, dietary fiber, potassium, beta carotene and antioxidants. What I find interesting is that mangos contain an enzyme similar to papain from papayas, which soothes the stomach and helps digest proteins in meat – which is why it is widely-used as a great marinade.

This classic mango-pineapple salsa can be used as a marinade or as the “exclamation point” of any grilled meat recipe. It’s also delicious with tofu or even over rice.

* 1 mango, peeled and diced

* 1cup fresh pineapple, diced

* 1 half jalapeno, seeded and chopped finely (more if desired)

* 1 half medium-sized red onion, diced

* 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

* 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

* Salt and pepper

* OPTIONAL: you may also add red bell pepper and/or cucumber, if desired

Combine the mango, pineapple, jalapeno, red onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving so the flavors come out. Spoon over meats, un-meats or use as a marinade (discard used portion and use fresh for topping).

The Bamboozle Festival: Let’s rock.

Dean’s Natural Food Market welcomes the up to 100,000 music fans visiting our area over the next few days for Bamboozle – and we hope to meet some!

Customers and employees alike in our Ocean store are starting to feel the excitement (translated: “ARE FREAKING OUT”) for a HUGE event happening here on the Jersey Shore this weekend: The Bamboozle Festival. Dean’s Natural Food Market Ocean is only a 5-minute shot up Sunset Ave. from the festival, taking place on the beach and boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ.

Well, here is our shameless PSA to everyone out there attending the Bamboozle and looking for food – STOP BY! First of all, I know that whenever I stay at a hotel, #1 thing I do after checking in is to find the nearest decent market and stock up on bottled water & snacks for the hotel room, sometimes even a take-home meal or a salad. Hotel tap water can sometimes be kind of grody and paying $5 for a minibar/venue bottle is just not going to happen. And often when traveling, the healthier options just aren’t there and you’re stuck eating fast food or loading up on a greasy hotel breakfast buffet of bacon and undercooked scrambled eggs. We’ve got healthy breakfasts, a great 100% organic vegan salad bar, quick grab-n-go sandwiches, fresh organic juices and smoothies, wheatgrass, whatever you might need on your way to a very long day of music and partying on the beach. And speaking of beaches, got sunblock? We have that too.

The Bamboozle main stage, photo courtesy of The Asbury Park Sun.

Oh and Skrillex and anyone from We Came as Romans – A fresh juice is on me if ya stop by 🙂

Supporting Local Farms in the Garden State: Honey Brook Organic Farm CSA

Dean’s Natural Food Market is very proud to support the Honey Brook Organic Farm local CSA program as their new Monmouth County CSA Boxed Share pickup location.

Photo: David Hunsinger for The New York Times

Dean’s embraces the value and importance of supporting local, but more importantly the significance of supporting local organic farming in the Garden State and we are committed to supporting local farmers and their mission to bring healthy, organic produce to our tables.

What’s Honey Brook? What’s a CSA? What’s a Boxed Share? To help explain, we asked Susan of Honey Brook Organic Farm to give us a little background.

Tell us a little about Honey Brook Organic Farm.

Honey Brook is one of the oldest operating organic farms in New Jersey. 

New Product Spotlight: Twin Oaks Tofu

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

There’s a new product we’d like to tell you about – thing is, this one isn’t on a shelf really, but rather on the salad bar and in our Fresh Foods cases. Introducing…..! Twin Oaks Tofu.

First a little about Twin Oaks Community Foods. Located in Louisa, VA, Twin Oaks is a worker-owned cooperative started over 40 years ago, an eco-village and egalitarian community founded on the principles of sustainability, nonviolence, equality and ecology. They are 500% dedicated to making the Earth a better place and do so by practicing what they preach and living as eco-friendly of a life as they they can. They all pitch in and do the work, they share food, housing, vehicles and other resources, minimizing waste and making as small an impact on the environment possible. Honestly, it sounds wonderful, can I go??

So let’s get to the tofu.

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

Next week, we’ll be holding a little contest – subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it!

Try Going Without

If you follow us on Facebook, you may have seen us mention a project called “A Patented Life.” We think it’s pretty important and would love for you to know a little more about it.

A Patented Life: Sowing the Seeds of Human Rights is a documentary-style project started by Jessica, one of our favorite Juice Bar employees and her friend Mary. They have embarked on a mission to go Monsanto-free for 6 weeks and to document all of it along the way. But what does “Monsanto-free” mean?

Monsanto, as many of you know, is a globally-powerful agricultural biotech company who “dabbles” in GMOs (Genetically-modified organisms.) Their reach goes so much further than any of us know, their seeds being grown and the product reaching our tables, cotton for our clothing, ingredients in our body care – everything. We wrote a little about GMOs a while back for Non-GMO Day, you can read that here.

Jess and Mary have vowed to go 6 weeks without eating or using anything that came from Monsanto and is GMO. It’s a lot harder than you’d think! Mary told us just how hard it is finding not just food, but simple things like shampoo, which contains glycerine derived from GM soy (“It’s in EVERYTHING!” she says.) She downloaded the Non-GMO Project GMO Shopping Guide App to help her – you should try it too, you’ll be surprised at how many of your favorite products are not “clean.”

So far, Jess and Mary told us they’re making a lot of their food at home and bring it with them because when you’re out and about and hungry, what are you going to do – not like you can just stop anywhere and find an organic, non-GMO quick bite to eat (unless you come to Dean’s, of course! ::shamelessplug::).

Jess and Mary invite you to join them and try going without Monsanto too, click here to read the “rules.” All of us here at Dean’s Natural Food Market fully support A Patented Life and wish them the best of luck – hope you do too!

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!