October Veggies & Comfort Food Staples for a Cozy Autumn
We are truly in the Autumn months with crisper weather and leaves changing color in many regions of our nation. October First is National Coffee Day! The perfect opportunity to brew a fresh cup of Melissa’s Herb’s House Coffee while creating your shopping list for Sukkot, Dia de Los Muertos, and Halloween. It’s time for more comfort food dishes, which also means batch cooking for freezing casseroles and soups for those busier school nights and long after-work shopping or sports practice. Regardless of what’s on your To-do list and social calendar, Melissa’s can help you create healthier meals and snacks this month and always.
NEW! START YOUR DAY WITH MELISSA’S HERB’S HOUSE SIGNATURE COFFEE
Sourced from growing regions throughout the world, Herb’s House Coffee sources only from growers who practice fair pricing, traceability, and sustainable growing in those regions. Herb’s House Blend whole bean coffee is a medium roast blend of beans with origins of Peru and Uganda, resulting in rich notes of fudge, molasses, and chocolate. This coffee is certain to get your day started, provide that mid-day work break pick-me-up, or weekend opportunity to catch up with friends or family. Order online at www.melissas.com in whole beans. Available year-round. Product of Peru and Uganda.
CULINARY KITS
At Melissa’s, we think of ways to make including fresh produce in one’s daily diet a bit easier. For contributions to impromptu gatherings or simply a good home-cooked meal, ask your local produce manager or purchase on our website the following kits. They help solve or kick-start meal ideas!
SALSA KIT and GUACAMOLE KIT: Two separate kits can act as an office pitch-in or last-minute contribution for Game Day, office potluck, or margarita night with the gals. The salsa kit is complete with tomato, garlic, shallot, jalapeño, and lime. Feel free to add in fresh chopped cilantro or crushed coriander seed (cilantro seed). As an option, rough chop all but the lime and toss on the comal or griddle with your carne asada or other veggie sides. Melissa’s Guacamole Kit is a no-brainer, too! Complete with fresh ingredients of ripe avocado, tomato, garlic, shallot, jalapeño, and lime. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper, and you’re set. All that’s missing are the chips and drinks! Contents must be washed before preparation. Available year-round. Product of USA and Mexico.
ORGANIC SOUP STARTER KIT: Just as it is titled, this kit includes the basics for any soup or stew, whether prepared on the stove or campfire, crock, or instant pot. After washing the kit contents, make it your own by adding browned meat before the veggies and broth, or finish with cubes of firm tofu or Melissa’s Cooked Quinoa. Toss in some of Melissa’s Steamed Six Bean Medley, Steamed Lentils (conventional or organic), or Steamed Fava Beans to give color and added protein. And if you’re not in the mood for soup but want a comfort dish, use the kit ingredients to make a basic pot pie. You may have prepared leftovers (batch cooking) that can be transferred to a freezable container, cooled completely, and labeled. Comfy lunch or dinner for the future is DONE! Available year-round. Products of USA and Mexico. All Melissa’s Organics are USDA Certified Organic.
POTATO LEEK SOUP KIT: Looking for a high-brow soup for this week or an occasion? Melissa’s Potato Leek Soup Kit is the answer! All the main ingredients are included and must be washed before preparation. Broth, milk, tabasco, salt and pepper not included. This classic soup may be served hot or cold (aka Vichyssoise) as a sipper or app for parties. Don’t have Potato Leek Soup recipe in your box? Try Nancy’s version, a Melissa’s teammate, a darn good vegetarian cook! Available year-round.
5-MINUTE ARTICHOKE
Melissa’s often makes adding produce to your diet easier. Instead of paring, then waiting for water to boil and setting up the steamer, then waiting for this tasty veg to cook through (test with a skewer or the tip of a knife), Melissa’s 5-Minute Artichoke solves the problem. Really? Yes, really. Simply toss the pre-washed and trimmed vegetable with its microwaveable wrapper into the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, open the wrapper, and serve. NOTE: cooking time may vary a bit less or more depending on the efficiency of the microwave. That’s it! Honestly, it took longer to write these few sentences than to cook Melissa’s 5 Minute Artichoke!
Select a pre-wrapped artichoke that shows no indication of brown leaves, shriveling, or mold. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook. Be mindful of unwrapping a cooked artichoke; steam can burn skin. A few condiments to serve cooked artichoke are Melissa’s Hollandaise sauce, soy balsamic, mayo, and Costa Azul or mayo and Hatch Pepper Sauce. Available year-round. Product of USA.
KALE SPROUTS
A toothsome cross of Red Russian kale and Brussels sprouts, Melissa’s Kale Sprouts are versatile and flavorful whether served raw or cooked. This crucifer has the hearty chew and crunch of kale with the bold flavor of Brussels sprouts. So easy to prepare and include in dishes and soups or as a side for dinner. Think kale salad with a twist, or fabulously smoky roasted kale sprouts tossed with a bit of reduced balsamic and toasted Melissa’s Pine Nuts. Simply trim the root end just enough to remove any dried root yet keeping the sprout intact, then rinse well under running water, pat dry, and do your thing. Quartered and steamed, then added to au gratin, penne/rigatoni casserole, or roasted with a sprinkle of Melissa’s Pico de Gallo seasoning, oil, and cubes of kabocha squash or sweet potato.
Select kale sprouts with fresh, not withered leaves, no mold. The buds, if any, should be firm just like Brussels sprouts. Refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag up to one week. Do not freeze. Available year-round and perfect for autumn and winter dishes. Product of California.
ORGANIC ASSORTED WINTER SQUASH
October is the beginning of Comfort Food Season with the vast availability of hard squash. Why ‘hard’? Because this squash can be stored for long periods of time, its skin is too thick or tough to consume, even though it makes a great cooking vessel. Granny probably had some hard squash in her cellar along with potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, apples, and other hearty items. Its only predator is moisture or mold, and because it is a low pH food (low in acid to stave off bacteria), it is quite susceptible to spoilage once cooked, so refrigerate your cooked product within one hour of cooking. Split up the leftovers into smaller batches to cool quickly. Cover loosely in the fridge until cool, then cover or wrap for storage and consume within the week or freeze up to two months. No refrigeration needed unless pared, seeded, and prepared for cooking or cooked. Once cooked, combine with root veggies, leafy crucifers (kale sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, or Romanesco florets), Melissa’s Sundried Tomatoes, brothy soups, mashed with spuds or cauliflower, serve with roasted nuts and top with crushed Clean Snax®; Pepita or Coconut pair well with hard squash – or a few grinds of Melissa’s Spicy Sesame. Squash also pairs well with rice or beans for filling meals or can be puréed with broth or juice for soups, whipped and mixed with nut milk for your own spice latte, or baked as a pie, added to quick breads and muffins. They can be a substitute for pumpkin, another hard squash. Melissa’s Assorted Winter Squash varieties range from classic acorn and butternut to more unusual kabocha (often used in tempura and soups), delicata, red kuri, gold nugget, and buttercup.
Select squash that is heavy for its size with no shriveled skin or interior rattling when shaken. Avoid fruit (yes, it has seeds and is botanically a fruit) with gashes, soft spots, or mold. Store unwashed in a cool, dry place at room temperature. Use within a few months. Does not freeze well unless cooked and puréed. Available through December. Product of USA. All Melissa’s Organics are USDA Certified Organic.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS STALKS
Very impressive if given as a gift, especially when children are present, Brussels sprout stalks are the whole stalk with a bounty of fresh sprouts still intact. Hopefully, you can make room to store whole, unwashed, in your fridge as the Brussels Sprouts will stay fresh longer this way. If not, you can carefully snap off each piece and place it in a plastic bag for up to one week. When ready to prepare, remove as many of the same size as possible for more even cooking, rinse, pat dry, and halve, then prepare as your recipe directs, or toss in oil, seasonings, and roast at 375º in a single layer, tossing about every 20 minutes to evenly brown until the root end pierces with the tip of a knife or turkey skewer. They may also be sliced in a processor, then sautéed and seasoned with salt, pepper, and reduced balsamic. Gild the lily with Melissa’s Dried Cranberries or Dried Tart Cherries and grated orange peel or toasted Red Hatch Pecans. Brussels sprouts are also very good as au gratin, pickled, or dressed in Melissa’s Four Cheese Sauce or browned butter and nuts. Available through January. Product of USA.
FRESH ITALIAN CHESTNUTS
Yes, Virginia, not only is Santa Claus real, but FRESH CHESTNUTS are also available!!! Roasted on an open fire or in one’s kitchen oven, fresh Italian chestnuts have a wonderfully nutty, sweet aroma and really make the Holiday season special, especially when the family pitches in to peel them around the table… something like making tamales, gnocchi, sushi, etc. Select chestnuts that are firm with shiny shells and no signs of mold. Refrigerate until ready to roast.
Did you know chestnuts are the tree nut lowest in fat and high in fiber? Once roasted and peeled, they make a great standalone snack but may also be added to stuffings and roasted or steamed green beans, Brussels sprouts, braised veggies, apples, or roasted quince. They are also tasty puréed with a bit of cream and spread on a toasted crostini or add a bit of bourbon or other spirit to make chestnut ice cream. Available mid-October to November. Product of Italy.
ORGANIC GREEN BEANS
Even though we are accustomed to having fresh green beans year-round in the US, they seem to be omnipresent in fall months for the classic Green Bean Casserole, loaded with sauce, fresh mushrooms, and fried shallots. Green beans are such an easy, fresh vegetable to prepare; they take little time to cook! Simply snip the dead stem end and snap in half, then sauté, stir fry, blanch to crisp tender, or roast and serve lightly dressed in your favorite soy miso glaze, chopped tomatoes and almonds, or Melissa’s Hollandaise or Four Cheese Sauce. They also make a great addition to a jar of pickled peppers and onions or add to salads of any sort for color and texture. Available year-round. Product of CA. All Melissa’s Organics are USDA Certified Organic.
ORGANIC YELLOW AND RED POTATOES
Another classic for fall season dishes, batch-cooked soups and casseroles, Organic Yellow and Organic Red Potatoes are simple and tasty comfort food just as they are. Easy to prepare, give them a light scrub on their edible skin, then halve and steam, boil, or roast and serve seasoned, as is, or smashed with sautéed garlic, butter, and heated cream, milk, or reduced broth. You can probably air fry them, too, if quartered for even and faster cooking. Don’t forget a grind of Melissa’s Himalayan Salt and Black Peppercorn! Available year-round. Product of USA. All Melissa’s Organics are USDA Certified Organic.
ORGANIC SHALLOTS
Shallots are not an onion, but they are a cousin of the allium family. A sweeter profile than onions, and they lack that bitter bite, shallots seem to have a high-brow reputation, but really aren’t. It’s simply that the United States doesn’t use them as much as European cooks do, but Melissa’s is making inroads toward this. Just look at all the website recipes we offer that include shallots! Use them in dips (included in our guacamole and salsa kits), relishes, sauces or dressings, stuffings, and most any application calling for onions when you want a milder, slightly sweeter result. They are a little drier than onions, so they will crisp nicely when lightly oiled, then air-fried or deep-fried.
Select shallots that are firm and dry with no soft spots or mold. Store them the same as onions in a cool, well-ventilated area and away from potatoes and sweet potatoes (which hasten spoiling tubers). Do not refrigerate unless partially used, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and placed in a sealed container to prevent transfer of flavors. There’s nothing like unwanted shallot-flavored butter for your pound cake! Available through December. Product of the Netherlands. All Melissa’s Organics are USDA Certified Organic.
