Organic Baby Spinach Salad with Coconut-Lime Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

Dressing:

- 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk

- Grated zest of 1 lime

- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

- 2-1/2 tsp sugar

- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger

- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

- 1/4 tsp Asian chile sauce

- Sea salt, to taste

Salad:

- 5 oz organic baby spinach

- 1 small organic carrot, coarsely grated

- 1/2 cup each julienned mango & papaya

- 1/3 cup julienned jicama

- 1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

- 2 Tbsp shredded sweet coconut

DIRECTIONS:

Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a jar and shake

vigorously.

Place the spinach and carrot in a large bowl. Add two-thirds of the dressing

and toss. Divide the dressed mixture between 4 plates and garnish each

serving with some of the mango, papaya, jicama, sunflower seeds, and

coconut. Drizzle the remaining dressing atop each salad and serve

immediately.

Source: Earthbound Farm Organic

http://www.ebfarm.com/recipes/recipeView.aspx?rID=58

1. Glass reformed from recycled glass instead of raw materials reduces air

pollution up to 20% and water pollution by 50%.

2. Americans use 50 million tons of paper per year, consuming a little more

than 850 million trees.

3. If 25% of families replace 10 plastic bags with reusable bags, it would

reduce production by at least 2.5 billion bags per year.

4. By turning your central heating thermostat down by one degree, your fuel

consumption can be cut up to 10%.

5. In Malaysia, 125 acres of tropical forest has more species of trees than

the entire continent of North America has.

March Promotion: Organic Vegetable Garden Supplies Giveaway!

At the end of March, we are giving one lucky person an Organic Vegetable Garden Supplies Package from Marvin's Organic Gardens! Here are the details of what you can win and how:

TO ENTER:
Tell us what your favorite veggie is and how you like it prepared. You can post this information on our Facebook Fan Page or you can comment directly on this blog entry. Either way, your veggie and preparation will count as one submission. You may enter up to 2 times per person. You must enter by March 31, 2010.

At the end of the month, Marvin, owner of Marvin's Organic Gardens, will pick his favorite entry. You could post a recipe or a picture of your family eating the veggie. Originality and creativity are highly encouraged!

WHAT YOU WIN:
An Organic Vegetable Garden Supplies Package! You will receive 1.5 yards of Marvin's Organic Garden's homemade compost, 1 yard of shredded leaf mulch, 10 organic vegetable plants and 4 packets of organic seeds. We will also include 1 roll of our NEW Control Roll to help control weeds and watering needs. Value of $175.00.

Organic Strawberry Rhubarb Compote with Streusel Topping

INGREDIENTS:
Compote:
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 Tbsp of potato starch
- 6 Cups strawberries, trimmed & halved
- 4 Cups rhubarb stalks, cut crosswise into 1/2” slices
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp grated fresh lemon zest

Streusel Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp grated orange zest
- 8 oz butter, @ room temperature
- 1/2 cup of walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425°. Prepare compote: Stir together sugar & potato starch. Toss with strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice & zest. Transfer mixture to an ungreased shallow 3-qt (13x9x2) baking dish. Prepare streusel and bake: Combine flour, sugars, salt cinnamon and zest. Work butter into mixture with your fingers until combined into a crumbly mixture. Add nuts, stir to combine. Spoon topping over compote. Bake on a sheet pan (to catch the juices) until top is browned and filling is bubbly, about 30-45 minutes. Cool to warm on rack before serving. This can also be served with vanilla bean ice cream.

1. Food is the #1 least recycled material.

2. The average American produces 4 lbs. of landfill waste per day; that’s more than 50 tons over a lifetime!

3. Food and paper are biodegradable in nature, but not in landfills due to lack of oxygen.

4. Food and paper are the two largest contributors to landfills and make up more than half of all landfill waste.

5. One ton of recycled paper can save up to 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 4,000 kilowats of electricity.

(Source: www.smarthome.duke.edu/downloads/compost facts)

Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup buckwheat pancake mix
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup low fat buttermilk
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 2 tbsp sugar-free syrup
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 tsp butter

DIRECTIONS:
Combine pancake mix, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, buttermilk, skim milk, egg and syrup in a large bowl. Add blueberries. Heat a griddle or non stick skillet over medium and coat with cooking spray. Drop batter onto griddle or skillet in 1/4 cupfuls for small pancakes or 1/2 cupfuls for large ones. Cook pancakes until brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Perfect Lasagna

Per serving: (1 lasagna):

348 calories, 7 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 46 mg chol, 1,012 mg sod, 44 g carb, 6 g fib, 29 g prot, 431 mg calc

INGREDIENTS:

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 c frozen loose-packed cut-leaf spinach

1 c sliced cremini mushrooms

1⁄4 tsp salt

1 c fat free ricotta cheese

4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1⁄4 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1 c pasta sauce with roasted peppers

3 (3 1⁄2 X 6 3⁄4 inch) no boil lasagna noodles, halved crosswire

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 2 (5”) square baking dishes or 2 (11⁄2 X 5 3⁄4 X 8”) foil pans with nonstick spray. Mix zucchini, spinach and mushrooms on microwavable plate. Cover and microwave on High until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes, stirring once after 2 minutes. Drain; stir in 1/8 tsp salt. Mix ricotta, 3 tbsp Parmesan, oregano, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/8 tsp salt in bowl. In each baking dish, layer in order, 2 tbsp sauce, 1 half noodle, half of ricotta mixture, 2 tbsp sauce, 1 half noodle, 1⁄4 cup sauce, and 1⁄2 tbsp Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.Uncover and bake until bubbling, 10-15 minutes.