Nasopure—“The Nicer Neti!”May 15, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 1:35 PM

You may have heard of a neti pot, a small ceramic or plastic “pitcher with a spout” that is used with a saline solution to clear nasal passages.  Well, Nasopure, a company whose product is carried in our GreenAcres stores in Wichita and Kansas City, has pioneered a most effective way to maintain sinus health.  Nasopure offers a nasal wash that when demonstrated and explained promises to become a weekly, if not daily, regimen to personal hygiene and health. 

On deck to help explain the benefits of this unique way of irrigating, cleansing and moisturizing the nasal passages is Dr. Hana Solomon, creator of Nasopure and author of Clearing the Air One Nose at a Time.  She will discuss the benefits of nasal washes this Saturday, May 19 on the Healthy Half Hour from 9-9:30 a.m. on B98-FM radio.  Tune in to hear Dr. Solomon on B98, or “like” us on Facebook (there’s a page for both GreenAcres Market and the Healthy Half Hour) and listen live.  She has some interesting things to tell us about relieving sinus infections, nasal dryness and allergies.

Everyone probably knows someone with the “chronic sniffles,” or someone who continually clears his throat, yet apparently doesn’t have a cold or flu. Nasopure might be just the thing the doctor orders.  It washes nasal passages, clearing away the tiny cilia irritants that collect in the sinuses from exposure to smoke, pollutants and allergens.

The nice thing about the Nasopure system, with its saline solution and patented apparatus, YOU direct the flow through one nostril, into the sinus cavity and out the other.  It might sound difficult, but once you’ve managed the technique, you’ll “go with the flow.”

Athletes, singers, seniors, firefighters, construction workers, farmers—all are big fans of the Nasopure system.  We are, too!  Join us on the Healthy Half Hour on Saturday, May 19, and let Dr. Solomon and our GreenAcres gurus tell you more.

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The “Cliff Notes” on Why our All Natural Local Grass Fed Beef is…The BEST!May 10, 2012

Filed under: Local Vendors, Natural Living - greenacres @ 5:23 PM

Have you noticed GreenAcres meat just tastes better?  Ground buffalo, ordered fresh from Yoder meats, is all-natural, grass-fed and promises to be moist and delicious even on the grill.  In fact, we serve our famous buffalo burgers every Tuesday and Saturday afternoon right up to the Fall, and anytime we gear up for a celebration—like our Gluten Free Festival or our yearly Anniversary Party.  This year, we’ve added two more burgers to our menu: Greek lamb burgers, and for the vegetarian in all of us: Portobello mushroom burgers.  You haven’t lived till you’ve tried our burgers! 

You don’t have to wait until we fire up the grill to enjoy good, natural, hormone and antibiotic-free meat.  Stop by and take home some of our Lucky Star Beef and see if you can taste the difference.  It’s kind of like the old adage, “good in, good out.”  That’s how we feel about all natural, free-range, grass fed cattle.  It’s the purest beef you can get. 

But just for a little education, 100% all natural beef means there is nothing in that package of beef--but beef.  No additives or other substances.  Organic, grass fed means the cattle have never grazed on grasses treated with pesticides from birth to processing.  Nor have the cattle been fattened unnaturally through the use of hormones or been treated with harmful antibiotics. No grains ever have been fed to all natural, organic, grass-fed cattle.  All natural beef where the cows roam free and feed on grasses grown without dangerous pesticides has less bad fat, more good fat (omega 3s,) and that’s a good thing. The beef’s natural marbling comes from cattle which feed on pure, natural grasses and have not been fed grain during the last few months before processing.  It’s the grain that becomes harmful to humans, breaking down the livers in cattle and thus becoming toxic to us.

Certified, Angus beef only has to have 55% Angus genetic material to qualify as certified.  Lucky Star has 85% Angus material which defines what is known in the industry as “heritage breed,” kind of like what heirloom tomatoes are to produce.  It means the genetic line of beef is purer, bred for domestic purposes and is the best of the best.

So that gives you a capsulated version of what to look for when you’re buying beef or buffalo.  Later on, we’ll discuss poultry and what to look for in all natural, free-range chickens who are allowed to feed in their natural environment.  Besides being much better for you, free range, organic poultry just tastes better.

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Tropical Magnesium—It’s Essential!May 07, 2012

Filed under: Supplements - greenacres @ 3:29 PM

“Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”–Hippocrates (Father of Modern Medicine 2,500 years ago.)

With the current state of the standard diet, the fact that our food supply travels hundreds of miles from its source, and with busy, working families stressed to the max, it’s no wonder we see a proliferation of junk, processed and refined foods.  Combining healthy food choices with dietary supplements makes sense in this day and age.  That’s where GreenAcres Market comes in.  We make helping you choose the right dietary plan and necessary supplements painless--and we cut straight to the essentials.  Magnesium, is a biggie where glucose metabolism is concerned.  There’s a huge rise in diabetes in our country, so keeping blood sugars within range helps keep chronic disease at bay.  You might be surprised there are several ways to absorb this vital mineral. 

• Intravenous drips
• Foot soaks
• Bathtub soak
• Topical applications (on the skin)
• Oral intake (this method takes one-three years to raise Magnesium levels in the cells, and it unfortunately has laxative properties which might result in a life-long dependency on laxatives.  We don’t want that.)

Topical Magnesium may seem odd, but it’s actually based on age-old principles, with a little bit of new age science thrown in.  Stop by GreenAcres Market and ask our knowledgeable staff about this essential mineral.  You might discover it’s as easy as soaking in a hot bath

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Listen up!May 04, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 4:22 PM

Back by popular demand, Shannon and Matt have teamed up with Wichita on-air personality, Brett Harris, from B98-FM to bring you the Healthy Half Hour every Saturday morning from 9-9:30.  It’s a fast-paced radio show that brings together some amazing, nationally-recognized experts and authors; gives you the skinny on local health news, GreenAcres Market happenings; and it’s a whole lot of fun to boot.  Do you like contests?  There are special one-day offerings on best-selling products that will knock your socks off!  Plus, we have a Facebook community of supporters you can communicate with to share ideas and thoughts.  Just type Healthy Half Hour into your Facebook search bar and like us to find out what’s going on with Shannon, Matt, Brett and their special guest of the week.  Tune into your local radio station or find the Healthy Half Hour online directly from the B98-FM homepage on Iheart.com.  One thing for sure, you will learn something every week, and you will stay in touch with your GreenAcres store in your area.  Tune us in.  We want to know what you think!

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SAY CHEESE (!)May 04, 2012

Filed under: Gluten Free - greenacres @ 2:37 PM

It's time to haul out the BBQ grill...but have you thought about actually grilling CHEESE?  In Greece, restaurants take pride in a goat cheese appetizer that's presented at table on a silver platter, drizzled with absinthe liquor and lighted on fire.  Spectacular to see--and to eat!  GreenAcres Market--both in KC and Wichita--carries the cheese that stands up to grilling: Halloumi Goat Cheese.  Our cooks have cubed and fried it and served it in bowls with our all-natural olives.  You might have noticed the abundant selection of mozzarella we have in our cheese bin this spring.  One of our favorites is a smooth and mellow buffalo mozzarella from Italy.  Sliced, with fresh basil (growing in our herb garden just around the corner from our cheeses), placed in between big, beefy slices of our Cheney Lake tomatoes, sprinkled with EVOO and a little kosher salt and pepper, you've got yourself a feast.  You can actually try some of these great cheeses at our Gluten Free Festival tomorrow from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. in both stores. And, need you ask?  Our cheese samples will be presented on gluten free crackers.  Come celebrate Cinco de Mayor at GreenAcres.  We want to introduce you to some fabulous cheeses, and a whole lot more!

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Kansas wines?  You betcha’!May 01, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized - greenacres @ 4:53 PM

You might find it strange to see wine tastings going on and wines on display at GreenAcres, but there you have it!   Lovely bottles of white, red and blush wines—with the most unexpected labels depicting bison and glorious Kansas sunflowers—are out there for all to see and sample in a small portable bar in the middle of our health food supplements and organic produce.    In Kansas, independent wineries are allowed to sell and display their wares in up to three private locations.  GreenAcres is proud to be among the chosen, and we think you’ll like this great addition to our store.

Cindy and Dennis Reynolds of Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery near Paola, KS, started growing grapes in fields overlooking a limestone ridge in the late 1990s.  By 2001, their winery was established with sustainable agricultural practices, meaning their grapes are lovingly nurtured without dangerous pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.  Now can you see the fit? 

Bianca Tyler, a Somerset Ridge rep, is on hand several days a week in the Wichita store to explain about the Somerset label and recommend just the perfect wine for your next family or guest gathering.  Don’t let the Kansas label fool you.  These wines stand up!  The vineyard makes dry to semi-sweet wines and several dessert wines, including a luscious Port.  Bianca’s quick to tell you her favorite is Citron, a golden white wine that’s a mix of brandy and lemon, that she swears tastes more luxurious than the finest Italian Limoncello.  Definitely worth trying!

Wine in Kansas, you ask, incredulously?  It’s not well known, but years ago, before prohibition ended its run, Kansas was alive with grape vineyards.  Until Cindy and Dennis, both world travelers and independent business people, bought property in Northeast Kansas, there wasn’t a wine vineyard anywhere in the area.  Today Somerset seeds 8,000 grapevines and produces 5,000 cases of stellar wine annually.  Its Oktoberfest won the national Jefferson Cup in 2010.  We welcome you to GreenAcres to sample their wares and take home a bottle for your next dinner party.  Somerset Ridgepours and sells every Tuesday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 11a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Thinking of going Gluten Free?  GreenAcres is here to help you.May 01, 2012

Filed under: Gluten Free - greenacres @ 12:06 PM

Since food allergies and Celiac disease are on the rise, it's not surprising that more and more people are looking for alternative food choices to wheat-based foods and recipes.  Not always an easy quest.  That's why GreenAcres is hosting a Gluten Free Festival to acquaint our valued customers--and hopefully encourage some new friends--to stop by and learn the benefits of going "wheat-free."

So what can you expect at our festival?  Lots of scrumptious samplings for one thing.  You might be surprised to learn you have myriad choices in the gluten-free bread and baked goods categories.  If you're a cheese lover, you're in for some tasty and tangy alternatives to the gluten cheeses you're accustomed to.  If you're wondering how to incorporate all these new ideas into your daily menu planning, we've got our knowledgeable staff on deck to give you the run down.

Come meet some pretty great folks with like-minded determination to live gluten free and love it.  Members of local gluten-free support groups will be on hand to share experiences and recommend what's worked for them.

And if all that doesn't tempt the "appetite," come hungry and ready for lunch.  We'll be firing up the grill on our patio with some very gluten-free specialties you won't want to miss.  See you there!

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Sparkling Probiotic Drink to Your Health!April 26, 2012

Filed under: Savings, Supplements - greenacres @ 11:09 AM

Probiotics is the buzz word these days.  Live strains of probiotics can promote health and aid digestion.  Green Acres is a big promoter of healthy immune systems through the use of natural probiotic drinks and yogurts.  If you’re the least bit iffy about intestinal symptoms and want balance and harmony in your digestive system, you’ll want to ask our knowledgeable staff which strength of probiotic drinks might be good for you.  Kevita is a product that can give you the same benefits as yogurt, but with coconut water instead of dairy.  Probiotics inhibit harmful pathogens and toxins from producing bacteria which upset your body’s natural immune system.  Probiotic drinks and yogurt cultures can alleviate chronic intestinal inflammatory disease and aid in the prevention of pathogen-induced diarrhea and urinary tract infections.  At Green Acres we carry a variety of probiotic products that are tasty and no-fat, and have the potential to alleviate digestive diseases. Probiotic drinks such as Kevita contain no sugar, and they’re caffeine free.  Low sodium and zero fat, Kevita is a lovely way to introduce your family and friends to healthy living.

Visit Green Acres by the end of April to take advantage of Kevita products on sale: $2.59 a bottle.

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Roasted Rhubarb Salad—Celebrate Spring!April 23, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 7:56 AM

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Toss rhubarb with sugar in a medium bowl until well coated; let stand, stirring once or twice, for about 10 minutes. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, oil, shallot, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add greens; toss to coat with the dressing. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Top with the rhubarb, goat cheese (or feta), walnuts and raisins.

recipe from EatingWell.com

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Mark Your Calendars for Earth Day—April 22ndApril 20, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 11:47 AM

Top 5 ways to celebrate Earth Day:

It’s a Sunday!  Stretch your legs.—Since most of us don’t have work on Sundays, try riding your bicycle or walking wherever you want to go this Earth Day.  You might even find you’re supporting local businesses closer to home.  If you enjoy it, try doing it every Sunday; then add another day that works for your schedule.  Before you know it, you’ll be buying less gas, and getting more exercise during your week.

Go Organic—Plan a fresh feast for your Earth Day using only organic ingredients. You might be surprised at the quality and even the flavor.  Many people find that switching over to organic in some of the fruit, veggie, and meat varieties they love offers more taste, greater freshness, and little difference to their pocketbooks.

Leave it!—If you’re planning to mow your lawn this Sunday, leave the clippings right where they drop!  They act as a fertilizer to your lawn, and save another trash bag going to the landfill.  You might also find that leaving your clippings means you use less water on your yard!

Unplug.—This is the oldest one in the book.  But we’re not just talking about turning off your lights when you leave the room.  Try one full day without electronics…and if you’re brave, try it without appliances.  That means no TV, computer, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, stove…and the list goes on.  Can you use your grill for meats and try raw, fresh veggies?  You just might find out how natural and healthful it feels to eat and live without our modern-day crutches.  Try it and see for yourself.  It’s just one day!  If you like it, try it once a month, once a week, or carve out a section out of every day to “unplug!”

Paper or Plastic?  Neither, please.—This is one that is near and dear to our hearts here at GreenAcres: using reusable cloth bags.  They’re not just for the beach anymore.  Cloth bags can be used for all your purchases, from groceries to sandals; from lunch on the go to that necklace you’ve been eyeing in the window.  Twelve million barrels of oil were used to make the 88.5 billion plastic bags consumed in the United States last year.  That’s a lot of oil!  You can help reduce that number with your own reusable bags…get a collapsible one for your purse or pocket, keep a few in the car, and hang a couple by the door.  Each shopping trip can make a difference!

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Feel Alive! —and register to win a FREE Kindle FireApril 16, 2012

Filed under: Savings, Supplements - greenacres @ 9:22 AM

With all this horrible Kansas weather, we should all feel lucky to be alive!  Embrace it with Nature’s Way “Alive” family of products.  From Ultra Shakes to everyday multi’s for every age range, you’ll find just the vitamin supplement you’re looking for.  You can even find adult gummy vitamins for those of us embracing our inner child! 

Alive vitamins promise 26 or more fruits and vegetables per serving, so you know you’re getting what your body needs, from whole food sources.  Gummies are made sans gelatin with no artificial flavors or preservatives, and all Alive products are gluten free and vegetarian.  

Choose from Children’s multi’s—chewables and gummies—adult multi’s for men, women, men 50+, and women 50+, or Whole Food Energizers with added Iron.  No matter what your nutritional needs are, these multivitamins are up to the challenge!  Stop by the store thru April 30^th to pick up any of these incredible products 40% off the entire month—and register to win a FREE Kindle fire while you’re here!  You won’t want to miss this incredible savings!

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Mushrooms: Not Just in Super Mario Brothers?April 12, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living, Recipes - greenacres @ 12:14 PM

When most people think of mushrooms, they probably think of the Mario Brothers games or stuffed mushroom appetizers.  But how often do you think of mushrooms as superfood?  Did you know that mushrooms can help your body to fight off viruses, kill unwanted bacteria in your system, and even lower cholesterol and control blood pressure?  It’s true!

Mushrooms have been valued as medicinal foods by the Chinese for centuries.  People even today will pay hundreds, even thousands, of dollars per ounce for certain rare and desirable mushrooms.  Mushrooms are special fungi that are low in calories, but high in nutritive value.  They are comprised of 80-90% water, with very low sodium and fat, with 8-10% of the dry weight in dietary fiber.  They’re ideal for those wanting to help their bodies shed unwanted fat or watch their cholesterol count.

Mushrooms are also an excellent source of potassium.  Potassium is a mineral that can support your body in its effort to lower elevated blood pressure, and can even reduce the risk of stroke.  One medium-sized Portobello mushroom cap contains even more potassium that a banana or a  glass of orange juice.  One serving of mushrooms also provides about 20-40% of the daily value of copper, a mineral that has cardio-protective properties. 

We’re all looking to eat foods that are healthier for our bodies, but at the end of the day, they have to taste good, or we’ll buy them, eat them once, and let them spoil in our kitchen cabinets.  Not so with mushrooms.  They’re rich in umami—the uniquely savory fifth taste—without the sodium or MSG. And with around 14,000 varieties, you’re bound to find one that fits your palette.  Add a couple mushrooms to your salad, throw them in a soup for a rich, delicious savory-ness, try that Portobello burger you’ve been passing up at your local burger joint, or put them in a sauce to top lean proteins like chicken and fish.  There are so many ways to incorporate this delicious superfood into your everyday diet—start today and feel the difference!

A Quick and Easy Recipe to Get You Started on Your Mushroom Trail:

Mushroom and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

12 Italian bread slices, grilled.
6 lettuce leaves.
1 medium avocado.
1 lb white mushrooms.
12 oz red bell pepper, diced.
12 oz green bell pepper, diced.
½ cup of sherry wine vinegar.
½ cup of basil leaves, chopped.
¼ cup of whole grain mustard.
1/8 cup of olive oil.

Directions:

In a suitably sized bowl, mix the mustard, vinegar, basil, bell peppers and olive oil, then set aside.

Wash and slice the white mushrooms. Add the mushrooms to the dressing and marinate for 15 minutes.

Place each salad portion on a lettuce leaf.  Slice the avocado and place on top.

Serve with two slices of grilled Italian bread.

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April Bonus Buys, Continued!April 09, 2012

Filed under: Savings, Supplements - greenacres @ 1:54 PM

Organic Sea Buckthorn--Sea Buckthorn is a natural super-food found originally in Asia, where it’s been used medicinally for hundreds of years both internally and externally.  We in the West are just now learning the amazing benefits of this hardy shrub.  It is used to provide nutritive support for healing serious skin ailments such as eczema and radiation burns, and helps to fight fatigue and boost energy.  It also boosts immune functions and cardiovascular health, and is a known anti-oxidant.   Try Solaray’s 16 oz. liquid version this month for just $11.99.  That’s a 40% savings!

Astaxanthin-- Astaxanthin is classified as a xanthophyll, which is a carotenoid pigment found in fish and algae.  It helps to provide the natural color in these organisms.  Astaxanthin is a super antioxidant whose unique structure allows it to exist in both lipid and aqueous environments, enabling it to be active throughout the body.  It helps to fight free radicals in the skin so as to maintain a natural, healthy glow, and can decrease the effects of inflammation that can make us sluggish and fatigued.

GOL Raw Protein--Are you getting enough protein in your diet? Protein is vital for your health. It provides building blocks for muscles, skin, blood, hair, nails as well as your internal organs, including your heart and brain. Our hormones need them, our immune system needs them and our general energy and vitality requires adequate protein. Garden of Life has a winning formula, Raw Protein, which is made from thirteen raw sprouts providing 18 grams of protein fortified with fat-soluble nutrients – Vitamins A, E, D and K plus enzymes and probiotics to support digestive health! If you have food sensitivities, are vegan or vegetarian, don’t want soy or whey protein – Garden of Life Raw Protein could be the ticket for you!

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Easter is Sunday: Dye Your Eggs the Natural Way!April 05, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living, Recipes - greenacres @ 11:17 AM

Spring has officially sprung!  We’re starting to cut our lawns, buds are morphing into leaves, and Easter is just around the corner…  If you’re thinking of dying some hard boiled eggs this year, why not take the all natural route?  All natural ingredients straight from Mother Earth can offer an endless variety of colors for your celebrations.  With a little patience and creativity, you can have a beautiful, elegant display this Easter that will “wow!” your guests at your traditional brunch.

Supplies:

Mordant: Alum, cream of tartar, or white vinegar will help the colors penetrate the eggshell.  These aren’t absolutely necessary, but you’ll usually get better results if you use one of the above.

Pots: Enamel or glass for soaking (aluminum is not recommended)

Water: Use distilled or filtered water

Eggs: White eggs will display the subtle, natural colors better than brown or green eggs; but these colorful variations can be fun all by themselves

Dyestuff: Try any herb or spice that looks like a good candidate (especially those that provide a pop of color).  The more eggs you’re dyeing, the more dyestuff you’ll need.

Recipe:

These are just guidelines!  The beauty of the natural method is its flexibility.  Try your own proportions and adjust as necessary!

4 cups water

Dyestuff (about 2-4 Tablespoons of ground herbs and spices, or 1 cup of whole or cut and sifted ingredients)

1 tablespoon mordant (alum, cream of tartar, or white vinegar)

4-6 hard boiled eggs, washed to remove any coating (use raw for hot bath, or hard boiled for cold)

A few tried and true methods:

Hot Bath:

The hot back method takes a bit less time that the cold bath, and can create a more pigmented dye, depending on the material.  You’ll find out best by trial and error with small batches of “dyestuff” and water.

Bring water, dyestuff, and mordant to a boil.  Add raw eggs and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook for about 15 minutes, removing from heat.  Cover and let sit another 15 minutes or more, until desired color is reached (the longer the eggs sit in the dye, the deeper the color will be).  Remove eggs, gently rinse in lukewarm water, and let air dry.

Cold Bath:

Make a dyebath by bringing water, dyestuff, and mordant to a boil.  Simmer the dyestuff until the water is deeply colored, anywhere from half an hour to a couple of hours.  Strain the liquid and cool.  Add hard-boiled eggs to the dye, and let soak until desired color is reached (overnight in the refrigerator if desired).

A few color tips to get you started:

Reddish Blue/Lavender: Hibiscus flowers

Deep Gold:  Turmeric Root Powder

Pale Yellow:  Safflower petals

Pale Orange: Curry Powder

Reddish Brown:  Chili Powder

Orange:  Paprika

Soft Brown:  Dill Seed

Tannish Yellow:  Yarrow

Purple/Reddish:  Red Cabbage Leaves

Pink/Red:  Beet Juice or Beet Powder

Good luck!  And most of all, have fun with it!  Happy Easter!

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Great Buys on Your Favorite Supplements!April 02, 2012

Filed under: Savings, Supplements - greenacres @ 4:10 PM

NightRest  from Source Natural combines the powerfully calming properties of melatonin and GABA with key amino acids and soothing herbs. GABA, an amino acid, inhibits nerve transmission in the brain, calming nervous activity and acting as a natural tranquilizer for your body.

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is produced from the world’s highest quality all natural materials. Unlike synthetic CoQ10, the all-natural form is identical to the body's own coenzyme Q10 for maximum bioavailability and superior effectiveness. Coenzyme Q10, also called Co Q10 or Ubiquinone, is a natural substance essential to cellular energy production. It is also an antioxidant which scavenges free radicals throughout the body. Co Q10 works well with Vitamin E and other antioxidants to support a healthy cardiovascular system.

Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus Pearls are one of our best-selling probiotics.  Probiotics support digestive, immune, and skin health by delivering key healthy bacteria to your gut.  They can help relieve occasional gas, and inconsistencies with your bowels.  They are also great for those with sensitive stomachs or certain food intolerances.  Probiotics ensure that your body is not weighed down by toxins, leaving your body free to maintain its health from the inside out.

Biotin, aka Vitamin H or Vitamin B2, plays a major role in the metabolism of fats, proteins, and sugars.  It is essential for healthy cell growth, and is recommended for the healthy maintenance of hair, scalp, skin and muscles.

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Fool Your Family This April Fools!March 29, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 10:04 AM

April Fool’s Meatloaf Cake – No Joking Here!

Sure to become a family, year-round favorite!

Meat Loaf:

2 lb lean organic or grass-fed ground beef

3 large eggs

1 C gluten free bread crumbs

2/3 C sliced green onions

1/2 C milk

1/2 C chopped fresh parsley

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

“Frosting”

3 1/2 C hot mashed potatoes

8 cherry tomatoes, stems removed, halved, or drizzled ketchup

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs (use Glutino or substitute for a gluten free cake!), green onions, milk, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, just until blended. Divide mixture between two 8-inch round cake pans, patting to cover pans evenly and make level. Bake 45-60 minutes in center of oven.

Pour off juices from pans. Invert 1 meat loaf onto a flat serving plate. Spoon mashed potatoes on top of the first layer and smooth with a rubber spatula.  Invert second meat loaf on top of frosted first layer. Using a spatula, spread 2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes over top and sides of meat loaf. Spoon remaining potatoes into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirls around top edges of cake. Pipe stars around bottom of cake.  Place cherry tomato halves, in a ring around top of meat loaf “cake” to resemble cherries. Cut meat loaf into wedges; serve April Fool’s Meat Loaf Cake immediately.

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Naturtint—The Natural Approach to Hair ColorMarch 26, 2012

Filed under: Savings - greenacres @ 2:33 PM

Our lives are full of harmful chemicals.  It’s basically impossible to escape them.  They are infused in the very chairs we’re sitting in, in the sheetrock that surrounds us, in the plastics in our computer.  And then there are the more obvious chemicals that we use habitually.  The most troublesome of these commonplace chemicals for many women is hair dye and the intense odors and sensations associated with traditional ammonia-based varieties.  Naturtint takes the worry out of dying your hair, especially as a regular user.  Naturtint formulates their dyes with completely plant-based materials, and no harsh chemicals to treat, protect, and of course tint your hair to match the color you love. 

• Naturtint's active plant-based ingredients protect and regenerate hair fibers, restoring lost vitality and shine, even in hair previously damaged by aggressive coloring processes and treatments. 
• Naturtint is ammonia free and paraben free and does NOT contain, resorcinol, silicones, paraffin, mineral oils, heavy metals, artificial fragrances, SLS or formaldehyde derivatives. 
• Wheat proteins substantially reduce hair breakage. Hair fibers appear smooth and soft, bringing back the healthy shine of young, natural hair. 
• Sunflower extract provides increased protection against the elements, so your new hair color maintains its rich color for up to 5 weeks.
• Ultra-concentrated micro-pigments penetrate to the deepest layers of your hair, giving it an intense and vibrant color that won't fade with washing.
• Naturtint's revolutionary healthy and effective hair coloring formula provides permanent hair color and complete coverage from the first application, even for gray hair.

And the best part is, with all these natural benefits, you still get the color spectrum that you need and want!  See below for all the colors that Naturtint provides to match the perfect shade you have in mind!

Plus, catch them on sale for the rest of March for just $10.69.  That’s a 40% savings.  Wow!  Hurry in while supplies last!

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Start Your Seedlings Now for a Great Summer Crop!March 22, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 5:31 PM

With all this unexpectedly warm weather and the absolute deluge of rain we’ve had in the last few days, we’re all itching to get out and do some digging in the garden.  What better way to set up your veggie garden for big things this season than seeding inside during this wet spell?  Choose from tons of seeds in the store from Seeds of Change.   Starting your own seedlings will give you a far greater variety than buying them from a nursery.  There are a huge variety of edible plants available in seed packets that you simply can’t find as seedlings in a nursery.  Try something new this year!  It just might be your favorite variety of ___ yet!

Here are a few simple tips to starting your in-home seedling operation.  It’s deceptively easy and incredibly rewarding!

1. Assemble your equipment.  You’ll need seed-starting containers (I like egg cartons or old seedling cups from nurseries collected over the years), starting medium or soil mix, watering can, and your seeds!
2. Plant 2-3 seeds in each well/pot.  Cover the seeds to a depth of three times their thickness by carefully sprinkling them with light, dry potting soil or seed-starting medium.
3. Note: be sure you label which container has which plants.  It’s easy to confuse some plants when they’re so young, and varieties can be impossible to decipher even once they’re grown.
4. Set the flats or pots in shallow containers of water and let them soak until the surface of the planting medium looks moist. You can also gently mist the mix with a fine-topped watering can nozzle so as not to displace the seeds.
5. Cover the container using clear plastic or a floating row cover for seeds that need light, or black plastic, damp newspaper, or burlap for those that prefer the dark.  Your seed packet will tell you what is recommended for that variety.
6. You’re done!  Just place your seedling containers in a warm place (in light if needed for germination) and monitor them daily for moistness, light exposure, warmth, etc.

Here’s to the vegetable garden of your wildest dreams this summer!  Don’t forget to share the bounty of your crop with neighbors, and, of course, brag about your prize tomatoes to everyone you meet.  Happy gardening!

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Spring is Springing!March 19, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 1:22 PM

As the old adage goes, April showers bring May flowers…

We seem to be a month ahead of schedule!  All this warm weather and these rainy days make it easy to believe that tomorrow is the first day of spring.  The trees are in bloom, daffodils and tulips are shooting up, and the sun is bringing everything to life.  And of course, the onset of spring means so many wonderful foods that have been imported or unavailable throughout the winter are now available closer to home, and fresher!  Look for in-season veggies like asparagus, artichokes, and celery root in the produce section.  As the warm weather continues we’ll be getting more and more veggies that are fresher and more local than we’ve seen them throughout this winter.  You can’t get it any fresher than buying your produce straight from the farmer.  Stay tuned for a start date for our seasonal Farmer’s Market on the website and the blog--the projected start date is April 24th!

In the meantime, try this incredible, fresh spring recipe for a dose of Mother Nature’s spring treat, and a twist on everyone’s favorite, classic potato salad!  This recipe is brought to you by Judy L. Young, cookbook author and produce expert extraordinaire!  Sign up to receive her emails, and get more great fresh produce tips and recipes here.

Grandma’s NO-Potato Salad

•  3 c. Celery Root, small diced, cooked
•  2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
•  ¼ c. green onion, finely sliced
•  ½ c. bell pepper, any color, diced small
•  ¼ c. regular table celery, diced small
•  ¼ c. dill pickle relish (no sugar)
•  ¼ c. real mayonnaise
•  2 T. mustard
•  1 pinch coarse ground pepper

To prepare the Celery Root:

Choose heavy bulbs, as they are freshest. This plant is not grown for the green celery tops but rather simply for the large meaty root bulb. You can use the tops, if available, to make veggie broth.

You'll need a stiff veggie brush to clean it. Immerse it in cold water in your sink and scrub the dickens out of it to loosen the sand embedded in the hairy roots. Place in a deep saucepan, add 2" of water, cover and steam for 20-30 min, until tender or a knife point enters the side of the bulb easily. Allow to cool, and the skin will slide right off like paper. You can refrigerate the cooked bulbs for several days before preparing the salad or you can dice it up and store in the freezer for a couple of months. Buy them when they are in season, cook and freeze for future use. Be sure to package in serving sizes that fit your needs.

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a large glass salad bowl, except the mayo and mustard. Add them last, squirt the mustard on top of the mayo being sure not to get the mustard on the other ingredients. Mix the mustard into the mayo then stir both into the salad, mixing well.  Enjoy!

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Organic Bistro Frozen mealsMarch 15, 2012

Filed under: Organic, Savings - greenacres @ 8:18 AM

Are you running out of time at the end of the day but still looking for “real” food?  Then look no further than Organic Bistro frozen meals.  Try all their lines of frozen entrees for creatively combined, delicious and healthful meals!

Super-premium, unprocessed, whole food ingredients are the beginning of each Organic Bistro meal, making it easy for you to eat a delicious AND nutrition-rich meal.  Organic vegetables, whole grains and legumes are balanced with wild-caught, sustainable fish, lean poultry or grass fed beef and finished with a punch of flavor.  Organic herbs, spices and nuts top it all off for a wonderful finish.

Stop by to get the NEW Organic Bistro “Baked Entrees” on special for $3.79 through March.  Choose from Wild Albacore Tuna, Turkey Cheddar, Wild Alaskan Salmon, and Chicken Parmesan Bakes.  Ready in minutes, you can incorporate an easy, wholesome meal into your busy weekdays and give your body the vital nutrients it needs while satisfying your evening hunger. 

Hurry in while supplies last!

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Celebrate the Luck ‘O the Irish with Us!March 12, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 5:25 PM

Are you Irish or are you “Irish for a Day”?  No matter your answer, this Saturday will be YOUR day to party as we all celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  GreenAcres Market will be celebrating with you by “wearing the green”!

Stop by our deli for traditional St. Patrick’s day fare, including corned beef and cabbage and “green” potatoes.  Look for the full deli menu on Facebook Saturday morning – we’ll be pulling out all the stops to celebrate Irish traditions!

You can find St. Pat’s celebration items throughout our store.  Be sure to check out shamrock-shaped cookies from McTavish Shortbread and Gianna’s Homemade Baked Goods.  We’ll also be the stop for all your party needs, including artisan cheese & crackers and chips & dips.

Keep on the lookout for a special savings coupon on the weekly e-newsletter later this week.  To receive our weekly emails with store specials and great health news, sign up here.

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Vitamin D, the New Vitamin C…?March 08, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living, Supplements - greenacres @ 2:53 PM

You may have heard about Vitamin D in the news recently.  Maybe you watch Dr. Oz, or Oprah, or subscribe to a health news blog.  Lots of folks are talking about it, and they all seem to be saying more or less the same thing:  the U.S. has a major problem with Vitamin D deficiency.  Research shows that 40% of the U.S. population is Vitamin D deficient.  But what does that mean for our health?  This is where some research differs, but the jury has weighed in, and it’s not good.

“Vitamin D3 deficiency can result in Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Depression, Psoriasis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Kidney Stones, Osteoporosis, & Neuro-degenerative disease including Alzheimer’s Disease. Eventually, Vitamin D deficiency may even lead to Cancer (especially breast, prostate, and colon cancers),” says Nurse Practitioner and Diabetes Educator Pamela Egan.  ‘Vitamin D3 is believed to play a role in controlling the immune system (possibly reducing one’s risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases), increasing neuro-muscular function and decreasing falls, improving mood, protecting the brain against toxic chemicals, and potentially reducing pain.  Vitamin D3 is both a vitamin and a hormone. It acts as a vitamin when it binds with calcium for proper absorption. Humans cannot digest calcium without adequate amounts of Vitamin D3.”

You’re probably starting to see all the important roles that Vitamin D3 plays in our bodies.  Proper levels can help us to stave off infections, prevent certain types of cancer, keep dangerous chronic conditions at bay, and more. 

Studies from the Vitamin D Council suggest that there is no easy way to tell who is Vitamin D deficient and who is not: “Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency could be described as chronic pain, weak bones, frequent infections, depression, etc., but the same will not be true for everyone who is deficient. Because the possible effects of vitamin D deficiency are wide-ranging and can manifest in the body in any number of ways, there are no specific associated symptoms.” 

So how do you know if you are Vitamin D deficient?  There are some correlations between certain variables and an individual’s likelihood for deficiency.  For instance, seniors and those with darker colored skin are more likely to be Vitamin D deficient due to the skin’s lack of responsiveness to sunlight.  Of course, if you’re not seeing enough sun (you work indoors all day, and stay indoors in your evenings) you’re likely not getting enough sunlight for your body to keep up with manufacturing proper levels of Vitamin D. 

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should also be mindful of their Vitamin D intake.  Studies show that up to 76% of pregnant mothers are severely vitamin D deficient.  Deficiency can be passed onto the child if the mother is not producing or in-taking proper levels of Vitamin D.  This can cause widespread vitamin D deficiencies in their unborn children, which predisposes them to type 1 diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia later in life. 81% of the children born to these mothers were deficient.

So what can you do?  Getting more sunlight and spending more time outdoors is an option for some, but not all.  A high-quality Vitamin D supplement is recommended to ensure the body’s absorption, and that proper levels are maintained in the body.  We have many Vitamin D options available at GreenAcres.  Check out this month’s Country Life Vitamin D3 Bonus Buy…45% off thru March!

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Great Bonus Buys for March!!March 05, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living, Savings, Supplements - greenacres @ 1:41 PM

Did you see our newsletter for March?  We’re featuring 8 products and even 1 entire line throughout March, so you can find the supplements you love, and your body needs...at a great value.   Now who can argue with that?  Stop by and see for yourself the top-quality dietary supplements that we’re featuring!  We work tirelessly behind the scenes to get great deals from our vendors, and to pass on that savings to you, our customer.  Not sure what all those things are?  Find a short synopsis of each one below, and enjoy the savings!

Methylcobalamin—Now that’s a mouthful!  This tongue-twister is a particular form of B₁₂ vitamin that is useful in treating conditions that arise from a lack of B₁₂, like pernicious anemia.  It can also be helpful in managing neurological disorders associated with diabetes.  Get the Solgar brand and receive 40% off the original price!

Vitamin D3—Have you heard about Vitamin D yet?  Just this morning I was talking to a local producer who said that “Vitamin D is the new Vitamin C!”  It changed her life around when she started taking it, and it could do just the same for you.  Research shows that 40% of the U.S. population is Vitamin D deficient.  Wow!  That’s a big problem.  Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency can be one of the root causes associated with obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and more?   Find out more about the amazing effects of Vitamin D Thursday on our blog.

“Perfect” Multi’s—New Chapter has come out with a new line of targeted Multi-Vitamins, specifically formulated to assist each individual in the area they need the most.  This month find Perfect Energy, Perfect Immune, and Perfect Calm Buy One Get One Free!  These multivitamins are whole-food complexes of vitamins, herbs, roots, and other whole foods that absorb most effectively in our bodies for maximum impact, and maximum healing.  Learn more at these links: Perfect Calm, Perfect Energy, Perfect Immune

Magnesium Malate—Source Naturals Magnesium Malate is a compound of magnesium and malic acid.  Magnesium plays an important role in over 300 enzymatic reactions that play a part in your body’s metabolism (and is a great boon to your heart health!), while malic acid is a natural fruit acid present in most cells in the body.  It, too, is a key ingredient in enzymatic processes, and an important component of efficient energy production.  It’s 40% off now thru the 31^st.

5-HTP—A natural little amino acid with a big job!  At least one of my co-workers here at GreenAcres swears by 5-HTP to keep her calm when she’s stressed—and with two young boys, that happens pretty often!   5-HTP is used as an antidepressant, appetite suppressant, and sleep aid.  Ever heard of that chemical, tryptophan, that’s in your Thanksgiving turkey?  It’s the one that makes us sleepy after that big feat.  5-HTP is its mild, calming cousin.  Try the Natural Factors brand 45% off thru March.

B Complex 100—B Vitamins are little miracle workers, especially when they are all combined into one convenient package.  They are thought to increase the rate of metabolism, maintain healthy skin, hair, and muscle tone, enhance immune and nervous system function, and more.  They are even thought to reduce the risk of some types of cancers.  Get the Solaray version at 45% off this month!

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March is National Nutrition Month!March 01, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 2:08 PM

March is National Nutrition Month!  National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.  For more about National Nutrition Month, visit the webpage.  In honor of this month, we're bringing you loads of helpful hints, new and useful products, and more to help you feel healthier in your own skin!  Keep checking back on our blog for recipes, tips, product features, and more!

Everyone wants to feel healthy in their bodies.  That means making all the little choices correctly; and for most of us, that is easier said than done.  It seems so much easier to throw together a pizza than a salad, or to watch our favorite TV program than take a stroll around the block.  But part of living a healthier life is finding the simple solutions that work for you.  Don’t try to take a lot of time on a busy weeknight making an elaborate meal for yourself or your family.  Throw together something quick. Stock the things that make it easy on you, and make it part of your routine. 

Below you’ll find two healthy recipes that take almost no preparation: use pre-cut filets for the salmon (remember to get at least 2 servings of fish per week!), jarred minced garlic, and real bottled lemon juice (not from concentrate!) as super easy substitutes that save you time and still give you the taste and the nutrition you want and need.  For the salad, stock pre-cut, pre-washed baby spinach, pre-shredded Romano, and ready-made salad dressings from all natural companies like Newman’s and Annie’s.  This is a dinner you can easily be making once or twice a week, substituting a chicken breast or a handful of shrimp for the salmon, and tweaking the salad toppings to match your taste and lifestyle.  Go Greek and do feta cheese, canned artichoke hearts, your favorite olives, and roasted red peppers with grilled or baked chicken breasts; try it Cali-style and go with turkey, avocados, tomatoes, red onions, and toasted slivered almonds. There are so many variations on this theme…make it yours!  And start your wellness journey today!

Baked Salmon

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons light olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon

Directions

In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 25 to 35 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

Simple Spinach Salad

Ingredients

1 (6 ounce) package fresh spinach

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup raspberry walnut vinaigrette

1 tablespoon finely shredded Romano cheese

Directions

Combine the spinach, cranberries, walnuts, vinaigrette, and Romano cheese in a large bowl; toss until spinach is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

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Broccoli Rabe. Alias: Rapini.  Known Health Food.  Armed with Nutrients and Dangerously Healthy.February 27, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 9:39 AM

Broccoli Rabe, Raab, Broccoletti, Rob, Rapini...this little green plant has many names, and chances are most of us wouldn't know what it was if it bit us.  It's a mysterious veggie.  No one is sure if it originates from the Mediterranean or from China.  To see it you would think it was a hybrid between Chinese broccoli (a.k.a. broccolini) and mustard greens.  And you wouldn't be too far off.  Broccoli Rabe comes from the turnip family, or the brassica genus.  Its relations include cabbage, kale, cauliflower and mustard.  You're probably starting to get an idea of the taste already.  Like most greens and other brassicas (think brussels sprouts and kale) it has the potential for serious bitterness.  But if you get them on the young side of the peak of their season, they're sweet, earthy, nutty, and absolutely delicious!

Rapini is a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.  Like many hearty greens, it's a powerhouse of good fuel and vital nutrients for your body!  Broccoli rabe is best prepared sauteed or boiled.  In the Mediterranean it is traditionally prepared with garlic, chili pepper, and flavorful pork dishes like sausage, pork ribs, or porchetta.  As a safety precaution from any potential bitterness, many chefs suggest blanching the cooked greens in ice water.

Try this delicious classic sauteed Raab recipe...with a sweet twist!  For a complete meal, try it served with your favorite bratwurst and quinoa boiled in chicken stock.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

Ingredients

• 4 bunches (12 to 16 ounces each) broccoli rabe (rapini), stems trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup raisins (regular or golden)
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Directions

Working in batches, cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 1 minute per bunch. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Strain the cooled broccoli rabe and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the broccoli rabe and toss to coat. Add the reserved cooking water, the raisins, and cook until the broccoli rabe is heated through and the stems are tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Just before serving, toss the mixture with the pine nuts.

Recipe courtesy foodnetwork.com

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Avocados—Preventing Bad Cholesterol 1 Tablesponn at a TimeFebruary 23, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 3:30 PM

Across the years the avocado (sometimes called the "butter pear") has travelled a roller coaster in popular opinion.  It used to be that nutritionists told their clients to avoid avocados because of their high fat, and thus high calorie content.  But after a 1996 study at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Mexico (Archives of Medical Research, Winter 1996), many health experts began to change their tune.

"The 45 volunteers [in the study] who ate avocados every day for a week experienced an average 17% drop in total blood cholesterol. Their cholesterol ratio also changed in a healthy way: Their levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or "bad fat") and triglycerides, both associated with heart disease, went down. Their HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or "good fat") levels, which tend to lower the risk of heart disease, climbed." (from a WebMD article; check it out here)

Now it's back!  The avocado is once again in vogue among foodies, natural foodies, and their doctors.  But of course they have to be enjoyed with restraint.  Even though it's good fat, too much of a good thing can be, well, let's say sub-optimal.  Enjoy them as a meal accompaniment, not as a meal!

Check out this delicious meatless-main-dish salad featuring porotein-packed lentils and hearty healthy artichokes.  Yum! 

Lentil, Avocado, and Artichoke Salad

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Omega 3’s Have Never Tasted So Good!February 20, 2012

Filed under: Savings, Supplements - greenacres @ 5:24 PM

Remember those Omega-3’s we were talking about on the blog last week (if not, see below!)?  Now it’s easier and more delicious than ever to get your ALA’s without the oily taste and texture of normal Omega Oil Supplements, and without the hassle of swallowing those giant pills!  GreenAcres carries two lines of products that are sure to be a new favorite for the whole family!  Simply mix these fruity Omega Blends in with some yogurt or your morning smoothie, or eat them straight…they’re that good!  Serving size depends on the brand and variety, but most only require about 1 tablespoon per day to boost your Omega levels and get you on your way to wellness!

1. Barlean’s Organic Oils Omega Swirls—Barlean’s was the first to introduce this new concept in Omega supplementation.  They have 4 unique flavors and blends according to your personal taste and lifestyle: Fish Oil (Lemon Zest), Flax Oil (Strawberry Banana), Complete 3-6-9 (Orange Cream), and Vegan Omegas (Pomegranate Blueberry).  Everyone will find their favorite flavor and combo!  And of course they’re made with all the purest and freshest ingredients!  Barlean’s Swirls are naturally sweetened with Xylitol.
2. Spectrum Essentials Chia Twisters—These are all natural, creamy Omega blends available in Luscious Lemon Meringue or Tropical Coconut…yum!  Both formulations use Chia and Flax Oils to provide you with 188% of the Daily Value of Omega-3 ALA per serving.  Spectrum Twisters are naturally sweetened with evaporated can juice.

Find these amazing products in the refrigerated case of our supplements department!  And of course if you’re looking for anything else to boost your Omega levels, ask!  We’re more than happy to help you design your wellness regimen around your lifestyle!

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Get Your Omega-3’s…Your Heart Will Thank You!February 16, 2012

Filed under: Supplements - greenacres @ 5:49 PM

You may have heard about the recent hype surrounding fish oil.  It’s not just a supplement for athletes or health nuts anymore.  Even Wal-Mart, Target, and Walgreen’s are carrying their own brands of fish oil.  But what is for?  Who should take it?  How do you choose which brand to buy?  Doesn’t it taste like fish?  We want to answer some of these questions for you, and help you on your way to wellness.

Consuming fish oil has been used in many folkloric scenarios.  Some people take it for depression, dyslexia, menstrual pain, diabetes, or arthritis. It seems there is no condition that people aren’t treating with fish oil.  But though it may not be effective for all of these conditions, there are many conditions with which fish oil has a proven track record of aiding.  They may have been on to something! 

What is it?  Omega-3 Fatty acids are found in 3 main types:  EPA, DHA, and ALA.  Consuming a balance of these components has been found to improve overall health benefits dramatically!  The World Health Organization recommends at least 2 grams of Omega-3 oils per day. Because the body does not produce these beneficial fats, the only way to get them is through diet or supplementation.

What does it do?  Omega-3 fatty acids(found in fatty fish like salmon) and alpha-linolenic fatty acids [ALA] (found in plant foods like walnuts) help boost the immune system, reduce blood clots, and protect against heart attacks. They increase good [HDL] cholesterol levels.  They can lower trygliceride levels [when you think of fat developing and being stored in your hips or belly, you're thinking of triglycerides].  They protect arteries from plaque buildup, are anti-inflammatories, and lower blood pressure.  That’s great news for your heart whether you’re 25 or 95!  And it’s never too early to begin a heart healthy regimen that incorporates Omega-3’s into a balanced, fruit-and-veggie based diet to help your heart help you live a better, longer life. 

But doesn’t it taste like fish?  Sometimes…but it shouldn’t!  If it does, you know it has gone bad, or worse it wasn’t good in the first place.  It is absolutely critical that you buy a high-quality fish oil, independently tested for purity.  You don’t want to skimp here!  If you’re buying a cheap, box-store-variety fish oil, you may be getting a low quality product that gives you fewer benefits, and may even have unpleasant side effects…like fish burps!  Yuck!  And it’s not just uncomfortable, it’s dangerous.  Environmental advocates in California recently filed a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court against Omega-3 supplement manufacturers following the release of test results showing that several products tested did not meet California PCB and Dioxin standards. 

We carry many types of Omega-3’s and fish oils at GreenAcres, and we hand-pick them to ensure that the companies creating these products are using only the highest quality goods with the highest safety standards in the industry.  Here are just a few brands that we recommend:

• Nordic Naturals
• ReNew Life
• Enzymatic Therapy
• New Chapter
• and more!

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Quick Roast Chicken & Root VegetablesFebruary 13, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 5:31 PM

February is heart health month!  Look back on our blog, and sign up to receive our free e-newsletter, for great heart-healthy tips and recipe all month long!  For a great heart-healthy option try this easy roasted chicken  dish...ready in just 45 minutes!  This technique of starting bone-in chicken breasts on the stovetop and finishing them in a hot oven with vegetables gets a hearty dinner on the table in a hurry. While everything roasts, you still have time to make a quick pan sauce with shallot and dijon mustard. Serve with a spinach salad for a great iron boost!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 pound baby potatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 
• 1 teaspoon dried
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bone-in chicken breasts (12 ounces each), skin and fat removed, cut in half crosswise 
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons red- or white-wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Toss turnips, potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a medium bowl. Spread in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place flour in a shallow dish. Transfer 2 teaspoons of the flour to a small bowl and whisk in broth; set aside. Season chicken with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, skinned-side down, and cook until well browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

After the vegetables have been roasting for 15 minutes, stir them and place one piece of chicken, skinned-side up, in each corner of the baking sheet. (Set the skillet aside.) Return the vegetables and chicken to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more.

When the chicken and vegetables have about 10 minutes left, return the skillet to medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk the reserved broth mixture again, add to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, about 8 minutes. Stir in mustard and vinegar. Serve the chicken and vegetables with the sauce.

Serve and enjoy!

recipe and photo from eatingwell.com

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Sweet Treats for Your Sweetheart!February 09, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 2:57 PM

Looking for that perfect indulgence for your sweetheart this Valentine's Day?  Look no further!  We've hand picked the best chocolates, caramels, bonbons, cookies, chocolate pops, toffees, and much more!  You'll find a tempting array of truffles from Lake Champlain Chocolates of  Vermont to Knipschildt Rose Water Truffles or Dark Chocolate Raspberry Chipotle Truffles.  For something a bit more playful, check out a beautifully engraved chocolate heart pop, or a bag of heart-shaped flavored chocolates or caramels.  And of course that ever-popular dainty:  sea salt caramels.  Set up a taste test of all our varieties and let your sweetheart choose their fancy!  Or bring home a box of made-from-scratch decorated heart-shaped sugar cookies from our deli!  In the mood for some nuts?  Try Lula's California toffee, loaded with toasted almonds and covered in decadent chocolate and chopped nuts!  Or for a local toffee, try Tallgrass Toffee Company milk or dark.  No matter what delicacy you choose, you're sure to love that taste!

If a love-themed gift basket seems in order, pick up an already made treasure trove, or custom-design your own for your special someone! 

In the market for flowers?  We've got you covered!  Try fresh-cut festive blends, or classic, elegant orchids. 

Hurry in before all the goodies are gone!

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Kefir—The Natural Super-Powered ProbioticFebruary 06, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 4:33 PM

Like yogurt?  Heard of kefir?  If you love the way your tummy feels after a nice cup of tangy yogurt, you’ve got to try kefir!  This runnier, tangier version of the yogurt we all know and love packs a huge probiotic punch for your digestive system.  It’s cultured with little crystals known as kefir grains that contain yeast and live bacteria.  These little probiotic gems give kefir a slight effervescence, sort of like sparkling water or soda. 

So what’s so great about that?  Consuming probiotics—i.e., the good bacteria that live in our stomachs—is one of the best things you can do for your body!  Providing our delicate intestinal systems with all of the enzymes and bacteria that they need helps them to do their jobs better—to digest our food, maintain regularity, promote healthy immune response, and more.  There have even been studies that correlate certain strains of probiotics common in kefir and dietary supplements to successful management of blood pressure and cholesterol.  Not too shabby, eh?

If you feel inspired to try it, check out some of the great deals this month on kefir.  Nancy’s kefirs are a great start!  They’re small, just a 99¢ investment to try something new, and flavored and sweetened to mask some of the intensity of the probiotics.  If you’re new to probiotics, start with just a few ounces a day.  For some people’s bodies, the sudden onslaught of all that good-for-you bacteria can cause intestinal upset.  Don’t be afraid to start out small and increase gradually—your body will love the little doses of probiotics it’s getting, while becoming accustomed to the extra help. 

If you’ve been taking probiotics, drinking kombucha, or eating your yogurt faithfully, you might be ready for Lifeway’s new Bio-Kefir shots.  Containing more than 20 billion units of probiotic activity in each bottle, it’s twice as potent as normal kefir.  These neat new shots are also available with targeted probiotic strains:  Pomegranate/Blueberry and Kiwi/Passion Fruit are designed to offer the best immune support; Blackberry and Cherry are targeted for heart health; and Vanilla is specifically formulated to give you the most digestive aid.

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Avoid Taking a Hit at Your Waistline on Game DayFebruary 02, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 5:57 PM

It's just 1 week into February, and hopefully our New Year's Resolutions are still hanging in there by the skin of their teeth.  If you're trying not to ruin your diet in one night, consider giving a healthy boost to your game-day snacks.  You can still enjoy your favorites without compromising your diet...or taste!  Here are a couple ideas to get your started on the healthy path for this Sunday's munchies:

Salsa-Mole

What is a super bowl party without the guacamole?  Even though this delicious classic already contains good-for-you fats, it can also be made with too much sodium and bad-fat-boosting additives like mayo.  Try this healthier bent on the original,

and you might just find a new family favorite!

Ingredients

• 2 avocados, diced (if you don't know how to do this without the mess, check out this video!)
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 t. garlic salt
• 1 t. apple cider vinegar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl...and enjoy!  Try it on veggies--carrots, bell peppers, or stuffed inside cocktail tomatoes--for an even healthier twist!

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

This deliciously crunchy, spicy little snack fills the craving for chips without all the fat, plus they give your body the protein and fiber it wants.  Tip:  Make sure the chickpeas are completely dry after draining and rinsing them. Otherwise they'll end up chewy and soggy.

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons of spice mixture (a curry, Morrocan, or Mexican spice mixture work well)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Drain and rinse chickpeas in a colander. Pat completely dry.  Toss chickpeas in a medium sized bowl with olive oil, sea salt, and spices.  Arrange chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until crispy. While baking, shake pan or stir chickpeas to avoid burning.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  If desired, sprinkle and toss with more spices.

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Big News at GA!!January 30, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 5:46 PM

Special Edition—This Just In—Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

GreenAcres Market, in partnership with Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery, is proud to introduce a new TV campaign to help you and your family eat and drink healthy, delicious, and nourishing foods that your body will thank you for, and that tickle your taste buds!  Check out the first installment on our Facebook page, or watch for them on Channel 12 between 7 and 7:30am!

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Healthy Snacks—For Kids and AdultsJanuary 26, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living, Organic, Savings - greenacres @ 5:28 PM

We at GreenAcres know it’s hard to keep up with healthy eating when you lead such a busy and active life.  All the pressures that are pushing and pulling us from this direction and that can mean that we often forget to take care of ourselves, and we even forget that we should be doing it.  But if you want to commit yourself to more healthy habits, it just takes a few healthy changes to start making a difference.  Changing just  one habit a week is not so daunting as a sudden lifestyle shift, and many people find it to be a more manageable path to wellness.  That’s why we bring you great values on the products that are easiest to incorporate into your healthy habits as you continue on your wellness journey.  Below are just a few great items featured in our Newsletter this month that could be just the right change for you and your family!

Change Your Chip! 

January’s Monthly Newsletter features 2 great potato-chip-alternatives.  The first, Nut Chips, are brought to you by the same folks who made those nutty crackers we all know and love by now, Nut Thins!  They are made from whole-grain brown rice and almonds—so you’re not getting all those saturated fats that are the antagonists to our diets.  Plus, whole grain rather than processed, refined white flours found in many crackers or chips, absorb more slowly into your body, so they won’t leave you with that dramatic spike and drop in your blood sugar levels…leaving you full longer, and allowing your body the time it needs to digest your food, naturally.  The second chip alternatives, Beanitos, are made from whole beans and whole grain rice.  They are high in fiber (a must for proper digestion and fat burning!), contain Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids, and absolutely no corn!  Both these chips are great for aiding in your healthy diet, and are completely gluten free.  Try them today!

Eat Your Veggies

You may have seen the salad by this same name in our deli cold case.  It’s packed with all that good-for-you organic stuff that your body craves!  Try this salad, make your own, or eat them plain…it doesn’t matter how you eat ‘em, just eat ‘em!  Self-contained fruit like apples, bananas, and oranges are all perfect options for on-the-go snacking.  Baby carrots offer a satisfying crunch and are so much better for you than crackers!  Add broccoli to your noodles, tomatoes and spinach to your sandwich, mushrooms and peppers to your pizza.  Every time you turn around you’ll start seeing more opportunities for more veggies…just open your mind!

Moo More

Okay, you might get funny looks if you actually start mooing at your desk or in traffic, but studies show that even one 8-oz. glass of a milk a day can have a significant impact on overall health.  Why?  Well, milk is one of those “superfoods” that you hear about in health magazines.  It’s no coincidence that cultures around the world have been drinking milk daily for centuries!  It contains a whole laundry list of good-for-you nutrients:  Calcium, Protein, Potassium, Phosphorous, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin A, just to name a few.  According to some well-quoted research out of Cardiff University, drinking milk can lessen the chances of dying from illnesses such as coronary heart disease and stroke by up to 15 to 20 percent.  Wow.  I’d say it’s time to get our “moo” on!

Watch for more healthy snack replacements to come!  And don’t forget to come in before February 31^st to take advantage of these great values!

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Weight Loss Ideas to Boost You to Your New Year’s Goals!January 23, 2012

Filed under: Savings - greenacres @ 5:17 PM

It’s probably about 3 or 4 weeks in to your New Year’s Resolution Diet.  That means you might be losing less weight than you were at the beginning.  And when you don’t see the changes in your body that your efforts are producing, it’s easy to get down-trodden.  But don’t give up!  Here are a few easy ways to boost your weight loss and reach your goal!

Zevia Soda—0 CALORIES!  Zevia is sweetened naturally with all natural Stevia, a little green plant from the sunflower family, and originally native to South America.  That means that it doesn’t increase your blood sugar level, so it can be a great tool for both diabetics and those trying to lose weight!  But if it’s supposed to be a substitute for normal soda, will it give me energy? Well, we all need a little boost, now don’t we? That’s why 3 of Zevia’s flavors, the ones that you would most expect, are made with caffeine. Zevia Cola, Dr. Zevia and Mountain Zevia all contain caffeine naturally derived from coffee.  Safe and natural.—Plus it’s on sale thru January for 35% off!

Tea—Most everyone has heard of the antioxidant properties of green tea.  But did you know that a regimen of drinking green tea, or taking green tea extract, can actually boost your potential for serious weight loss (mostly in that pesky tummy fat!)?  Studies have shown that in conjunction with a steady exercise program and concentrated healthy eating, the addition of green tea or its extract can boost your weight loss during your normal diet.  In addition to the digestion-boost that green tea’s antioxidants give, the catechins in green tea can actually help our bodies burn calories faster, as well as promoting fat oxidation (i.e., fat-burning!).  That’s just one more thing you can add to your New Year’s Resolution that will have you feeling healthier and happier…faster!  Try Tazo Tea 20-bag boxes for just $3.49 thru January!

Kind Fruit & Nut Bars—This is one of the healthiest hunger-pain punchers in the store!  Made of all-natural mixed nuts and  dried fruits, it’s just what the doctor ordered for satiating your belly, and tricking your mind into thinking it’s eating more than it is!  The high good-for-you fat and fiber content of nuts gives you energy throughout the day, and helps to clean out your digestive system…a must for boosting metabolism!  Kind bars are also on sale thru January 4 for $5.00.  WOW!

Stop by the store to take advantage of these great deals, and for more ideas on how to give your diet a little push!

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Trim Toniq—Re-Think the Diet Drink!January 19, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 9:52 AM

In the past, you may have associated “Diet” drinks with diet sodas sweetened with chemicals like Aspartame, Splenda, NutraSweet, and Equal.  But most of us have woken up to how dangerous and unhealthy these sweeteners can be for our bodies.  They don’t work for our diets, and there is some evidence that they’re actually leading to more complications than solutions.  That’s why Trim Toniq is pleased to offer a satisfying soda-like drink that doesn’t just claim to have a net-zero effect on your diet, but can actually help you to lose more toward your weight loss goals.

Trim Toniq recognizes what most nutritionists and natural foods experts have been screaming from the roof-tops:  the key to weight management is volume control.  Most of the tens of millions of Americans struggling with weight have fallen into a chronic habit of over-consumption—in their meals, drinks, and snacks—put simply, consuming more than is being used.  It doesn’t take a Nobel scholar to see how that over-consumption can add up…in a day, a week, a month, a year. 

That’s why Trim Toniq utilizes a blend of herbs and supplements that have been correlated with appetite suppression. This drink is the world's first true botanical-based non-caffeinated, non-stimulant appetite suppressant beverage. It is unique because it uses no caffeine, no hoodia, and no artificial anythings (including sweeteners) to get its effect.

Try it today…literally!  GreenAcres Market will be passing out free samples of Trim Toniq today, Thursday, January 19^th, from 11:00-3:00.  Don’t miss this opportunity to test out the real thing.  It might be just the boost your New Year’s Resolution is begging for!

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Are You Healthy Enough for the New Year?January 16, 2012

Filed under: Classes & Events, Supplements - greenacres @ 11:11 AM

Thursday , January 19th at 7:00pm

The low-down on this week's seminar:

The new year is a time to begin anew and “clean up your act.”  You are constantly exposed to toxins from your diet, your environment and from your own metabolism.  There are a multitude of symptoms that can indicate a toxic overload within your body.  Unlike your automobile, there are no warning lights like on your dashboard to tell you to stop and fix something, but there are warning signs that you might be carrying a toxic overload.  If you’re feeling increasingly tired or sluggish, regularly fatigued during the day, anxious, stressed, or struggle with your weight, your body may be crying for a cleanse; consider these your “warning lights” telling you to stop and perform some much-needed body maintenance.

Cleansing and detoxification can be just the way to manage these pesky, often chronic symptoms.  If you’re like many people, though, the thought of “cleansing” brings up connotations of maple syrup with cayenne pepper, starvation, and bathroom breaks.  But you may not know that the body naturally detoxifies every day. Detoxification is a normal bodily process.  The liver and colon, to name two big players in your body’s cleansing world, work to eliminate or neutralize toxins day in and day out. 

But sometimes your body needs a little push when the toxic load gets to be too much for your body to control on its own.  Healthy and balanced whole-body detox uses your body’s natural cleansers to their fullest potential, and aids them in their detox efforts.  A whole body cleansing regimen adds fresh, healthy, home-made foods to your diet, cuts out the offenders we know we shouldn’t be eating—and that make us feel sluggish in the first place—and gives us a sense of mental clarity and body wellness, without the crutches of caffeine and sugar.

So how can you get started?  There’s a lot to learn about this purification process, and each person should choose the cleanse that is right for their body.  Thankfully, you don’t have to go it alone. Dr. Gaetano Morello will be holding a free seminar, Thursday, January 19^th at GreenAcres Market on healthy whole-body cleansing.  Dr. Gaetano Morello is a naturopathic physician practicing in West Vancouver, Canada.  For the past 17 years, Dr. Morello has been training and educating physicians, pharmacists and health experts on the scientific use of natural medicines in the fields of cardiology, immunology, gastroenterology, anti-aging and detoxification. He is lecturer and regular contributor to a number of magazines, journals and publications, and has hosted and appeared on numerous television and radio shows discussing the power of natural medicine. This is your chance to hear one of the nation’s leading experts!

All attendees will receive a free copy of Morello’s book, Whole Body Cleansing: Transform Your Health Through Gentle Purification and Effective Detoxification.  Dr. Morello will walk us through where toxins come from, what they do to our bodies, and what we can do to eliminate them from our bodies.  In addition to highlighting intensive detox, he will also teach us how we can incorporate detox into our daily lives through a natural and healthy lifestyle.  You won’t want to miss this informative evening.  This is your chance to make a significant impact on your health!

(Appearing 1/17/2012 in The Wichita Eagle, Health Chat section)

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PGX—Meet the Guinea Pigs!January 12, 2012

Filed under: Natural Living, Supplements - greenacres @ 4:04 PM

This month we are featuring PGX as one of our most popular and most effective weight loss aids.  In order to make this a little more fun for all of us, and give you a real-time sense of what PGX can do for you, we've chosen a guinea pig at each location that is trying the PGX diet and letting us know how it works for them.  But first, a bit  about what PGX is, and how it works:

PGX is a proprietary blend of water-soluble plant fibers.  That doesn't sound too complex, right?  So how could it possibly work?  Well, it is the simplicity of PGX that makes it most powerful.  The key to using PGX for weight loss or weight management is what it does to regulate blood sugar levels in your body.  Becuase of its slow viscosity rate, the fiber, mixed with your food intake, and digestive acids and enzymes, stay in your digestive tract longer, giving your body the impression of a greater volume of food, and limiting your drop in blood sugar as well as pesky cravings.  If you take PGX before a meal, you'll feel more satiated, and want to eat less; and your meal will last longer and make you less prone to hunger pangs and food cravings. 

PGX comes in a softgel that you take 20-40 minutes before meals, or in granules that you simply mix in with your food.

That's it, in a nutshell.  To learn more about PGX straight from the horse's mouth, visit their webpage.

Or view a short video of GreenAcres Wichita manager Matt Murray on Facebook!

So let's get to our guinea pigs.  The guinea pig for Wichita is Angie.  Here are her goals and initial impressiong with PGX:

I want to try PGX to lose a few holiday pounds, in addition toreturning to a healthier weight.  That being said, I've always found that my weight loss efforts have been most successful just by diet alone.  I already eat a pretty balanced diet, but I know there is more I could do to limit my portion sizes, and cut out bad fats and sugars.  Hopefully the structure of PGX will help me as I try to improve my habits toward health!  Here goes...

Day 1--I feel a bit of bloating and gas from all the extra fiber I'm getting in the PGX.  Matt suggested a Natural Factors 12/12 probiotics that I'm also taking.  I take 2 PGX to start 30 minutes before my meals, and a probiotic with my meals.  Hopefully my system will catch up to the new input soon!  I do feel more satiated, and less of a need to snack between meals.  I also feel motivated to get more active and really make this thing work!

Day 3--The bloating is gone and I'm already up to 3 PGX capsules per meal, along with my probiotic.  Still feeling even-kealed with food cravings, and I'm really enjoying the lack of negative symptoms as my body has adjusted.  I actually don't own a bathroom scale, so I'm just going on my gut instincts (no pun intended!).  Don't know that I've lost much weight with all this water I have to drink with it, but when I wake up my tummy feels healthier than it has in months.  Amazing!

Day 5--Up to 5 capsules per meal!  I notice my portion sizes getting smaller, and I don't feel deprived at all.  Just got to keep with it...

Thanks, Angie!  Good luck!  We can't wait to see what the next chapter will be in your weight loss story!

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We Want You!January 09, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 2:27 PM

At this time of New Year’s Resolutions, after a week of striving to keep up with them, many of us lose drive and confidence, even with our best-laid plans.  That’s why we’re asking people like you to step up with your own weight loss success stories, commiserations, questions, and words of encouragement.  This is just another way that we’d like to bring our community together around health, and help each other help ourselves!  Whether you’ve struggled for years to lose weight, you’re trying to regain your pre-holidays figure without that tummy, or you’re just striving to build a healthier body and lifestyle, we want to provide you with the tools to do just that!  That’s why throughout the month of January we’ll be posting on this blog, and on our Facebook page (link), on great ways to move forward in 2012 with health.  We’ll be talking about all kinds of great foods, supplements, habits, recipes, and more…from our most effective weight loss supplements to broccoli.  Good health doesn’t come in a pill; it’s a holistic endeavor that takes knowledge and education, inner drive, the tools to help you along the way, and most of all encouragement. 

To help us bring this message of health to Wichita one person at a time, please comment on our blog, submit an email from our “Contact” page, comment on our Facebook page, or drop by the store and tell us your story. We appreciate all the feedback we can get! 

And for those of you in the throes of your diet right now: “Keep it up!  Those little changes in your body that you feel will get more and more dramatic the longer you keep up your good habits.  You’ll thank yourself when you’ve reached your goal; and you’ll have something incredible to be truly proud.  Go get ‘em!”

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Healthy HabitsJanuary 05, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 3:45 PM

There’s a lot of talk out there at this time of year about the newest miracle drug, the most effective weight loss methods, and how to get fit in 1 week.  Some of them may be gimmicks, and some of them may have real solutions, but the best way to feel healthy in the new year doesn’t take a miracle pill or an extreme diet.  The most effective and long-term solution for your health is to arm yourself with knowledge: how to eat right and stay active, in a way that fits with your lifestyle.

Eat Your Veggies (etc.)  It’s hard to balance your meal times when you’ve got a full-time job and children to get to soccer practice and music lessons, but healthy snacking doesn’t have to be one of your stressors.  Thankfully, nature, and our modern grocery industry, have come up with some pretty handy solutions.

• Apples—it just takes a bit of tap water to make your apple ready to munch!  One medium-sized apple gives you just enough of a calorie kick to fight away cravings, and aid in healthy digestion.  Keep a few at your desk to keep away the temptation of unhealthy afternoon snacking.
• Baby Carrots—a classic of healthy snacking, these are perfect on-the-go, accompanying a sandwich, or steamed with any well-balanced dinner for fast prep!
• Dried Fruits—like raisins, apricots, cranberries, or mangoes, don’t have to be refrigerated to taste great, and make some of the tastiest hassle-free snacks!  Try them on top of salads, in your breakfast cereal, with a few nuts, or toss them in with some veggies to sweeten up your savory sides at dinner!

Supplement Your Diet – Even if you’re not looking to take a miracle drug, there are some nutritional supplements that are all natural that can give your body the boost it needs to reach its optimum health potential.  Everyone is different and you should consult your doctor before beginning a regimen, but here’s a list of some common supplements that are almost universally safe and effective.

• Probiotics—choosing a good broad-spectrum probiotic helps to support all the good bacteria throughout your digestive system: from your stomach to your colon, these little microscopic warriors are helping us to break down our food and absorb it into our system to our greatest benefit.
• Multi-Vitamin—most everyone out there will tell you take a good multi-vitamin is a must when you’re looking at how you should be supplementing your diet.  Luckily, we have multi’s tailored to men, women, and children of all ages and dietary needs.  Stop in to consult someone in our Supplements department to find out which one might be best for you!
• Essential Fatty Acids—New studies are indicating that one of the best indicators of future health is your blood sugar level and stability.  And these are directly related to your balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that you consume. Most Americans consume far more Omega 6 than Omega 3, but our bodies need the reverse to be true.  Incorporating more fish into your diet is extremely helpful, but especially for those of us in a land-locked state, it can be hard to find good, fresh, inexpensive seafood options.  So it doesn’t hurt to try an Omega 3 supplement.  These can be taken in pill form, as easy-to-eat chews, or as straight oil to add to juices and smoothies.  A word of caution:  make sure to get a pure, high quality oil, otherwise you could be burping fish all day.  All of the Fish Oil supplements at GreenAcres have been hand-picked by our supplement experts for their freshness and safety.

Stay Active – You don’t have to have an elaborate plan or an all-access membership to an expensive gym to help yourself get in shape.  There are many ways to increase your activity during the day that will leave you feeling slimmer and stronger bit by bit.

• Walk, Walk, Walk. –For most people this is the easiest, and one of the most effective, ways to get more exercise in during the day.  We’ve all heard the admonitions to park further away from stores or from the office, take the stairs, and take a lap around the block.  But it can be hard to get in the habit.  Add just 1 habit per week, and you’ll soon find yourself successfully reaching all your exercise goals.
• Chair Yoga—OK, it might sound silly at first, but simple stretches that you can do your chair at work can go a long way toward working out the kinks.  Many experts find that once we experience an initial sense of well-being, we are more likely to continue on a path toward wellness and fitness.  Sometimes all it takes to reach that feeling is a few stretches every couple of hours.  Follow this link to check out some simple stretches that can help free your spine from pressure and increases tone and flexibility.

However you decide to improve your life and your health in the new year, we want to help!  Next time you come in, don’t hesitate to ask us what we can do—whether it’s picking out a tea that helps balance blood sugar, or pointing you in the direction of the almond butter, we’re up to the challenge!  And stay tuned to our Blog and our Facebook page as we chronicle some ways to stay healthy and stick to your New Year’s diet throughout the month.

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Try Protein Shakes to Start the New Year Right!January 03, 2012

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 2:31 PM

Start with this basic recipe and expand it from there!  You can substitute different fruits, nuts, juices, and protein powder flavors for different twists.  And of course don't be afraid to try some add-ins:  Chia Seeds give these shakes a banana'like flavor; flax meal or flax oil is great for the skin and aids healthy digestion; and Omega Oils can help balance that oh-so-important Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio!

• 1 to 2 scoops of vanilla flavored Whey Protein Poder, such as Bluebonnet, Solgar, or Country Life
• 1- 1 1/2 cups of pure water or skim milk
• 1/2 -1 chopped green apple
• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• Add ice for extra thickness
• 1 scoop Green Powder such as Garden of Life or Barlean's

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth, adding ice cubes until shake reaches desired consistency.  Enjoy!

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Add Some Color to Your Party’s Palette!December 29, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 4:32 PM

You can prepare this all-purpose dip up to a day ahead. Serve it with cauliflower and broccoli florets, carrot and celery sticks, and bell pepper strips.

Creamy Garlic-Herb Dip

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth.  Prep your veggies for your guests, and call it a day!  This platter will be the hit of the party!

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Healthy Hot Chocolate for the New Year!December 26, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 4:24 PM

Indulgent as it may seem, a cup of rich hot cocoa can offer enough health benefits to dissolve any guilt. One cup has twice the level of antioxidant activity of a five-ounce glass of red wine and two to three times more than a cup of green tea. This version combines bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened cocoa with espresso, brown sugar, and orange rind for a pick-me-up that's enjoyed in Spain and Europe.

Barcelona Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 2 ounces good-quality dark or bittersweet (60 to 70 percent cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 2-inch piece orange rind strip
• 1/4 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• Cocoa powder (optional)

Preparation

Combine 2/3 cup boiling water and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan, stirring until chocolate melts. Add milk and next 4 ingredients (through rind); cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a whisk. Heat 5 minutes or until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan, stirring frequently (do not boil). Discard rind. Pour 1 cup mixture into each of 4 mugs. Spoon 1 tablespoon whipped topping over each serving. Dust with cocoa powder, if desired.

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Lula’s Toffees—Out of This World Stocking Stuffers!December 22, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 4:13 PM

One of my favorite staples of the front goodies table--if you shop here, you know just the one I mean!--is Lula's toffee.  It comes in just milk or dark chocolate almond, with 1 generous square of toffee, but it's one of the most delicious candies I've ever eaten.  Lula's creates all their chocolate confections in small batches, lovingly made by the owner and his small handful of trusted helpers.  Owner Scott Lund learned how to make these and other incredible chocolates right from the knee of his beloved grandmother, Lula Lund.  Now he is making some of the country's finest caramels, truffles, toffees, and many other sweet and delectable treats.  He uses only whole nuts, slow roasting them for optimal flavor and crunch.  He also uses the finest ingredients like fresh dairy cream and butter and pure cane sugar. 

Don't believe me?  Taste them for yourself!  I promise you'll be addicted.  And as the title of this post suggests, don't forget to spread the joy!  Offer these sweet little morsels to your loved ones for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, and Fridays!  There's never a bad time to share these incredible treats!

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Black Eyed Pea and Tomato Salsa—Simply YUM!December 20, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 9:44 AM

Try this awesome twist on a classic salsa for all your party needs...especially your new year's gatherings!  Get those traditional good-luck charms in your new year's diet with this healthy and simple dip!  Goes great with veggies, breads, and of course tortilla chips!

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup prechopped red onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped poblano chile
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15.8-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss to combine.

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Indulge in Fine Chocolate for the Holidays with Vosges Haut Chocolat!December 15, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 11:25 AM

Vosges' exotic chocolates are made from the finest ingredients offered around the world. Owner/Chocolatier, Katrina Markoff personally chooses every spice, flower and chocolate that is flown into their Chicago kitchen.  Katrina utilizes the original methods of French confectionery artistry which she learned during her training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.  Having graduated with the Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu and having worked extensively in France, Spain, Italy, Southeast Asia and Australia her collections of haut-chocolats have great, worldly inspirations. Inspired by her global apprenticeships, Vosges truffles have exotic influences of an "East meets West" theme. The infusions of rare spices and flowers combined with premium chocolate give a delicate balance of flavor, leaving you with a layered and lingering sensation of spice and chocolate, a true haut-chocolat experience.

Try some of their exotic offerings today…Why not start with their Bacon + Chocolate line and try out Mo’s Milk or Dark Bacon Bar.  With tiny chunks of bacon and sea salt, this crunchy and creamy treat will leave you wanting more!  Or for a more exotic feel, why not try their Enchanted Mushroom bar, infused with Reishi mushroom powder and walnuts…or get that classic antioxidant berry with your chocolate, and try the Goji Bar!  Whichever flavor you choose, you’re bound to fall in love with these incredible, pure-tasting chocolates!

Try them as decadent stocking stuffers, hosting gifts, or party favors

…the sky’s the limit!

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Fast & Easy Black Bean DipDecember 12, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 2:08 PM

Start with black bean soup mix to make this zesty bean dip. Serve with slices of cucumber, bell pepper, or your favorite raw vegetable to make it unbeatably healthy, or try crostini and pita bread for a more filling option.

Cuban Black Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (6-oz.) package Cuban-style black bean soup mix
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Garnishes: diced tomatoes, thinly sliced green onions

Directions

1. Bring soup mix, olive oil, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and beans are tender. Let cool 30 minutes.
2. Process soup mixture, lime juice, cumin, and chile powder in a food processor 20 seconds or until smooth. Spoon mixture into a serving bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 days. Spread center of dip with sour cream and garnish with diced tomatoes and green onions, if desired. Serve with desired bread or vegetable pairings.  Enjoy!

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Mt. Vikos Treats You to Easy Entertaining!December 08, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 12:14 PM

If you’re searching for delicious, sophisticated, and high quality offerings for your holiday party, look no further than Mt. Vikos Mediterranean fare.  Surely you’ve seen our display at the front of their wonderful spreads, dips, biscuits, and more!  If you’re just dying to taste them, drop on by tomorrow between 11 and 3, while we’ll be sampling some of our favorite Mt. Vikos products out for all to try!

You’ll also find Mt. Vikos autherntic Greek cheeses to try and to buy from our cheese case!  These incredible Fetas and Halloumi cheeses are made with only the finest quality building blocks, a blend of sheep and goat’s milk.  The herds are free-ranging, grazing on the hillsides, eating wild grasses, herbs, wildflowers, and local vegetation. Since the animals are outside, there is no reason to give them any antibiotics or hormones. The shepherds who tend the herds do the actual milking. The fresh milk is brought to the dairy where it is pasteurized and made into cheese the very next day.  The milk is fresh, herbal, and clean, and it goes straight to our artisanal cheese-makers to concoct the fabulous end product that you’ll enjoy every time.

Mt. Vikos’s dedication to surrounding their fine cheeses with only the best pairings means they’ve created their own biscuits, hard cracker breads, and tortas to give a base, and a whole line of toppings to match.  You’ll find apricot, fig, and hazelnut based sweet spreads, as well as savory dips like Artichoke, Red Pepper & Feta, and Kalamata Olive Taverna spreads. 

Together, these elegant appetizers are bound to please any crowd.  So let Mt. Vikos do your work for you this holiday season.  Just open, slice, spread, and enjoy!

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Yummy Munchies for Your Gathering!December 05, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 10:08 AM

Orange Chipotle-Spiced Pecan Mix

Put a big bowl of these crunchy morsels in front of the TV for guilt-free muching during the game, on side tables for your mingling guests, or with your cheese course for a flavorful crunch on the palette.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 large egg white
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

• Preheat oven to 225°.

• Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Stir in pecans. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper. Add to pecan mixture; toss well. Spread mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 225° for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool completely. Stir in cranberries.

• Note: Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Shopping List:

• 1 orange
• Eggs
• 2 Cups Pecans
• Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Chipotle Chile Peppers, Ground
• Cooking Spray
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries

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Try Our Custom Gift Baskets—The Perfect Catch-All Holiday Gift!December 01, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 1:54 PM

It's that time of year again!  ...time to make your list and check it twice.  And how many of those people on your list are tricky to buy for?  We understand completely!  Why not order a custom gift basket suited to their taste and the number of people you're buying for!  Our design team can build a basket to suit any taste...sweet and decadent, elegant gourmet, savory snacks, health food junkie, and so much more!  And of course if we they have dietary requirements to plan around, we've got you covered!  Our special diet baskets include gluten free, low fat, low glycemic, vegan or raw.

Call the store today to place an order, or drop and fill out a form with our team.  You'll be glad you decided to...and so will your lucky friend!

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Let Us Work for You—Made-To-Order Trays From Our Deli!November 29, 2011

Filed under: Deli - greenacres @ 5:12 PM

'Tis the season for holiday parties.  And usually that means stress...and a nice big mess for your kitchen.  But it doesn't have to!  Let our deli work for you.  We have all kinds of pre-order catering options available, including our Holiday Dinners--a fully prepared turkey dinner with all the trimmings!--catering trays, and more!

Check out our regular catering trays offered below, but don't feel wed to them.  We'd be more than happy to make equivalent substitutions to make your special event to your taste and to your guests'.  So don't wait, call us up today and find out how you can take advantage of all our incredible special order options!

24 Hours’ noAdditional fees apply for delivery orders.  Substitutions may be made according to product availability.

Baked goods are also available for catering orders.  You can either call the deli at (816) 746-0010, or print out the order form and fax it to the number provided.  Additional notice is appreciated for all bakery special orders.

• Good Morning! - A breakfast “trifle”: layers of yogurt, granola, fresh fruit and/or berries surrounded by mini-muffins and breakfast breads

• Fruit Tray - Fresh seasonal fruits surrounding a brown sugar-yogurt dipping sauce.  Cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, and grapes.

• Veggies & Dip - A fresh mixture of raw veggies: carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers.  Choice of dipping sauce: Buttermilk Ranch, Spicy Peanut or Feta Cheese.

• Cubes & Curds - Sharp Cheddar, Smoked Gouda and Creamy Havarti Cubes and three flavors of Locally-Produced Cheese Curds.

• Meat & Cheese Tray - All Natural Sliced Meats and Fine Cheeses: Oven-Roasted Turkey, Ham and Roast Beef plus any three of the following cheeses: Swiss, Cheddar, Provolone, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Mozzarella.  Includes lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and condiments.  Served with local artisan breads.
• Specialty Cheese Platter - A selection of beautiful domestic and imported cheeses surrounded by fresh and dried fruits, nuts and crackers.  May have a combination of Brie with cranberry-orange relish, Point Reyes Blue, Beamster, Windsor Red, Sage Derby, and Goat Cheese encrusted with pistachios.

• Baby Buns - Small artisan rolls filled with any three of the following:
  • Salads: All Natural Chicken, Albacore Tuna & White Bean, Wild-Caught Salmon, Tofu No-Egg, or All-Natural Curried Chicken Salad
  • Grilled Vegetables: Portobello Mushrooms & Goat Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Eggplant & Goat Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, or Red Peppers and Mozzarella with Basil Pesto

• Salads - Wonderful Salads to accompany any tray, available by the pound: Pharaoh Salad, Potato Salad, Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw

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Thanksgiving Fusion: Pecan and Pumpkin Pie!November 21, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 4:25 PM

Does your family ahve a tough time deciding between pumpkin or pecan pies?  Check out this delicious pumpkin/pecan fusion from Bon Appetit!  If you'd like to save a step, work with a pre-made pie crust...but be sure not to over-fill it.  This recipe calls for an 8" spring form pan, so you might even be able to squeeze 2 pies out of 1 recipe!  You can't beat that, right?

Pumpkin-Pecan Pie with Whiskey Butter Sauce

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Pumpkin Filling

• 1 cup cooked pumpkin purée
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten until frothy
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground allspice
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pecan Syrup

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 2 small eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup pecan pieces

Whiskey Butter Sauce

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tablespoon very hot water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

Directions

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Thanksgiving Pairings:  The Great Brussels Sprout!November 17, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 5:30 PM

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots

Ingredients

• 6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced shallot (about 1 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• 1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and sauté for 5 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan (discard the remaining drippings).
• 2. Return pan to medium-high heat, and stir in bacon, shallot, and Brussels sprouts; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine, Nov. 2011.

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Find Locally Raised Heritage Turkey in the Freezer Case!November 07, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 10:47 AM

Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch, located in Tampa, KS, is dedicated to producing historically authentic heritage poultry, raised free range, given only vegetarian feed, and never treated with antibiotics.  Their objective is to protect the American Poultry Association’s (APA) approved standard-bred (i.e., purebred) poultry.  The APA defines what qualifies as a heritage bird as long as it has 4 important characteristics:

1. The birds comply with APA Standard-Bred genetics, approved by a licensed APA Judge.  That means you know where the birds are coming from, and that they did not undergo unnatural genetic modification .
2. Naturally mating without artificial human intervention.  Most industrially-raised turkeys have, over time, famously lost the ability to mate on their own terms. This is due to unnatural over-growth of muscles that create more meat in less time.  Under APA standards, this sort of modification is seen as unnatural, inhumane, and ultimately unhealthy for the birds.
3. Raised on a pasture setting—living a long, productive outdoor life span.  In common parlance:  free range.  But they don’t just technically have access to the outdoors—a loophole that some poultry farms take advantage of.  Heritage birds spend most of their time outdoors, just as a wild bird would in the wild.  Heritage birds are allowed and encouraged to return to their natural “chicken-ness!”
4. Finally, heritage birds are grown slowly and allowed to reach their marketable weight at maturity.

The Good Shepherd line of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys (not to be confused with the common industrially-farmed breed, the Broad Breasted White) is the oldest continuous strain of standard bred heritage turkeys in North America.  Most of the line comes from the Good Shepherd founder’s poultry mentor: Norman Kardosh—who got his birds from his mother.  Mrs. Kardosh purchased 10 eggs from Bird Brothers in 1917.  From those eggs, 5 hatched…and a turkey line was born!

Now we have Mrs. Kardosh to thank for all the delicious heritage poultry products available to us through Good Shepherd!  Look in the Poultry frozen case for all the Good Shepherd products, like:  Ground Turkey, Ground Chicken, regular and Spicy Chicken Bratwurst, Fajita-Spiced Chicken, Chicken Thighs and Legs, Whole ducks and turkeys and chickens, and more!

Stay tuned for more information on ordering heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving!  We’ve pre-ordered from Good Shepherd, so you can just pre-order from us to save one for your special holiday meal.  Check back on our blog and on Facebook as Thanksgiving approaches for more details!

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Spread the Word About Earth Balance Coconut Spread!November 03, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 2:48 PM

So you’ve seen the Earth Balance buttery spread in the refrigerated case for years.  But did you know they’re now making a spread out of extra virgin coconut oil?! Welcome to this newest addition to the Earth Balance family!  You can do just about anything with it that you would normally do with butter or oil.  Bake, sauté, stir-fry, spread it raw…anything your imagination can concoct.  The smoke point for unrefined extra virgin coconut oil is 350°F, so you can get pretty hot without degrading the nutritional content of this naturally beneficial tropical fat.  There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for the heart. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats. However, coconut oil is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in preventing various heart problems including high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.   Lowering your “bad” LDL cholesterol and raising your “good” HDL cholesterol has never been so easy!

 Earth Balance Coconut Spread is lactose-free, soy-free, gluten-free, organic, vegan, non-gmo, and just plain good-for-you!  Stop in today and pick up a tub:  you can try it on your toast, in your morning smoothie, in those muffins you’ve been dying to indulge in, and just about everything else!

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PUMPKINS—Not Just for Scary Faces!October 27, 2011

Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 2:39 PM

Halloween is just around the corner!  And that means that everywhere you turn grocery stores, churches, and local farmers are all vending their pumpkin wares for that special night.  You can paint them, cut them out into scary faces, places them decoratively on your porch with hay bales, dried corn stalks, and fall mums…and cook with them!  Pumpkins aren’t just for crafts; they’re low in calories and fat, and they’re a great source of all kinds of healthful vitamins and minerals with amazing health benefits:

Great source of Beta carotene--The rich orange color is a dead give away to the nutrients present in pumpkin. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers than those who fail to include beta-carotene-rich foods in their diet—and we all know it’s good for our eyes!

Loaded with Potassium--Studies show people who have a potassium rich diet lower the risk for hypertension. Potassium rich foods include bananas, broccoli, avocados, pomegranate and many others.  It’s also an important mineral for athletes as it is one of the primary actors in building and repairing muscle.

Zinc---Not only is zinc a major boost for your immune system, it also aids in bone density support for people at risk for osteoporosis.

High in Fiber---Diets rich in fiber may prevent cancer, heart disease and other serious ailments.

Antioxidants to help fight signs of aging skin—Pumpkins  contains lots of anti-oxidant vitamins A and C that fight free radicals, as well as zinc and alpha-hydroxy-acids which help to reduce the signs of aging in your skin.

Orange Pumpkin Loaf

Check out this twist on an old favorite.  The orange in this pumpkin loaf coupled with sweet raisins and crunchy walnuts creates a perfect storm of healthful foods and fabulous flavors.  Make this sweet bread for a chilly weekend breakfast, a holiday gathering, or as munchies while sipping cocoa…you can’t go wrong!

Ingredients

• 1 large orange
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Cut orange into wedges, and remove seeds. Place orange, peel and all, in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the pumpkin, water, and the ground orange. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir into batter just until moistened. Stir in nuts and raisins. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving (Serving=1/12 of 9"x5" loaf pan) Calories: 286 | Total Fat: 9.5g | Cholesterol: 49mg

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Orange-Pumpkin-Loaf/Detail.aspx

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October is Non-GMO Month!October 24, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living, Organic - greenacres @ 4:39 PM

What is GMO? 

The acronym GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism.  It can sometimes be referred to also as GEO, or Genetically Engineered Organism.  This is a label used to delineate any type of organism that has been genetically engineered, combining molecules from different sources to create a new set of genes.  This new DNA pattern is then transferred into an organism, giving it new or modified genes.  As you can tell from the definition, this is a broad way to indicate any kind of genetic manipulation.  And foods that are GMO are simply any food that is a new genetic composite.

GMO food products can be a composite of two plants.  In the past the most common method of genetic manipulation of plants was simply breeding.  Certain plants were chosen for their disease resistence, cold-hardiness, etc., and used to pollinate a new crop of the same plant.  In more recent years, clever plant breeders have come up with ways to combine different plants, like the pluot:  a combination of plums and apricots.  But with today’s technology, we’re able to genetically manipulate our foods to include genes from organisms other than plants. 

The best known example of this is the use of B.t. genes in corn and other crops. B.t., or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B.t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer. 

Many people refuse to eat foods that contain GMO crops for 3 primary reasons:

1. Negative Effects on the Environment:  Some manipulations are being found to do harm to other organisms within the GMO plant’s ecosystem.  For instance, a study published in the scientific journal Nature suggested that the B.t. gene in GMO corn crops was causing the corn pollen to poison surrounding tree and flower blossoms, killing butterflies and caterpillars.  This study has not been unanimously endorsed, but it has led some to question the long-term effects of GMO crops.
2. Effects on Human Health:  The FDA has yet to do extensive testing on GMO crop foods and their effects on the human body.  One disputed study in rats suggested “appreciable differences” between the digestive tracts of rats fed traditional potatoes and those fed GMO potatoes.  Again, this paper has not gained unanimous endorsement, but it suggest that not enough is known about how GMO plants effect the human body.
3. Effects on the Economy:  Economic concerns have come into play in the production of GMO crops because the cost of production is so high.  Large bio-tech companies like Monsanto spend millions, and sometimes billions, of dollars developing bore-resistant corn or RoundUp resistant soy beans.  So the cost of the seeds that they sell is proportionally high.  Such high seed cost, and proprietary practices in this industry, lead to a widening gap between big, wealthy agri-business and small-time farmers.  It also becomes a concern when attempting to sell GM seeds that have been manipulated for higher nutritional profile to Third World Countries.

These are just 3 of the primary concerns in the GMO debate, but each one implies a whole host of questions revealing just how little we know about GMO crops and their long-term effects.  As is alluded to in the final point, genetic manipulation of food crops can be positive.  It can lead to foods that are higher in their nutritive value than their traditional counterparts, or drought and disease resistance that can be so important in unstable and impoverished countries.

But because of the fundamental concerns behind the use of GMO’s, that’s why many people have simply proclaimed “the jury is still out!”  And that’s why they avoid these foods.  Organizations like the Non-GMO Project wish to educate the public on just how little know about GMO’s.  They also offer non-GMO certification to companies who wish to proclaim GMO independence in their products.  GreenAcres is proud to carry almost 150 different brands who have either been non-GMO certified, or who are in the process of gaining certification (see the certification label above on food packaging to find these brands in our store!).  These brand include BARE Fruit, Lifeway, Q.Bel, Tree of Life, and more!  Stop by, check out the labels, and support the efforts of non-GMO month by supporting the companies who are pledging to eliminate GMO’s from our shelves and our tables.

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Did You Know?—October is Fair Trade Month!October 20, 2011

Filed under: Organic - greenacres @ 4:50 PM

What better way to celebrate the Fair Trade endeavor than through chocolate?!  Askinosie Chocolate is a relative new-comer to the chocolate world.  They’re a small family start-up that has gained a name among natural foodies, Fair Trade lovers, and chocolate connoisseurs alike.  They’re producing an incredible product with real integrity.  You can’t ask for a better way to spend your money.

Shawn Askinosie, founder and chocolate maker, travels to the countries from which their chocolate is sourced (Ecuador, Honduras, the Philippines, and Tanzania) to listen to, learn from, and excel with the farmers who make such amazing chocolate possible.  He works with them to develop the finest beans with the highest quality and best tasting base for the chocolates that he makes.  They don’t buy beans unless they’ve been to the farm and met with the farmer first.  They strive to make every ingredient in every bar traceable—“so you can know the story behind the story, and not just marketing hype about the origin of the bean.”

Most importantly, Askinosie shares their profits with the farmer, and given the personal bonds between the company’s founder and the farmers/co-owners, it’s not hard to see why he’d want to share those profits with his partners and friends.  Askinosie Chocolates takes the “Middle” out of “Middleman” to deliver a humane and fair product, and a wonderful chocolate!  Learn more at their website.  And stop in the store today to see their selection of award-winning chocolates that feature their farmers right on the bar’s packaging!  We’re proud to carry Askinosie, and you can be proud to enjoy their finely-crafted chocolates.

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Susatainable Seafood Leaving a LegacyOctober 17, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 11:39 AM

We’re all concerned with the safety of our oceans and the marine wildlife that call them home!  That’s why responsible seafood harvesters have chosen to adhere to certain rules and regulations that will ensure the fish-ability of our oceans for generations to come…preserving all of the health and nutritional benefits that come out of wild caught fish.  That’s why the Marine Stewardship Council has developed a program of certification to recognize and reward sustainable fishing the world over.  They are a global organization working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental choice in seafood.  And that’s why GreenAcres is proud to carry a slew of MSC certified seafood options. 

• Crown Prince—Alaskan Pink Salmon and Skinless & Boneless Pacific Pink Salmon       

• Henry & Lisa’s—Canned and Frozen Wild Alaskan Salmon—fillets, burgers, nuggets…you name it!     

• Wild Planet—Wild Pink Shrimp           

• Natural Sea—Canned Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon           

We also carry many varieties of seafood that, although they have not been MSC certified, they do maintain sustainable practices that keep our marine environments safe.  They have not been certified either due to lack of time on the part of a reviewing body or lack of a unified group of stakeholders requesting assessment, such as Marine Stewardship Council itself.  Again, this does not mean that harvesting practices are not sustainable.  Rather, it usually means that there is too much demand on the part of the review board to process and review all certification requests immediately.  All of the brands above also have seafood products that have not been MSC certified, but are held to the same strict standards (for instance, canned tuna that is dolphin-safe, sea turtle-safe, and harvested without long lines that endanger many marine species.  These sustainable companies include:

• Legacy Seafoods—frozen Flounder, Halibut, Sea Scallops, Cod, and more! 
• Natural Sea—Canned Seafood Products
• Daughter Frozen Shrimp

And more!

See them all in our freezer cases and on Aisle 7; and taste the difference that wild caught can make in your diet!

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The Taste of AutumnOctober 13, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 1:12 PM

Have you seen the beautiful honeycrisp apple display at the front of the store?  Get closer than 3 feet from it and you’ll pick up the sweetest scent of fresh, juicy apples.  This prized apple variety has been on the market for just 20 years, but has only enjoyed popular acclaim for the last 10 or so.  The honeycrisp has a rather mysterious (how fitting for the time of year!) background.  It was originally proclaimed as a hybrid of the Macoun and Honeygold apple varieties, but later DNA tests can’t confirm either as a parent.  The Keepsake apple variety has been confirmed as one of the parents, but the other remains a mystery…

Despite this sordid history, the honeycrisp became the state fruit of Minnesota in 2006.  And it’s no wonder!  The honeycrisp is known for its crisp texture and extreme juiciness.  Depending on maturity and time during the growing season it can range from slightly tart to super honey-sweet!  That makes it the perfect apple for eating all by itself.  It’s not too dense, not too mealy, never dry, and the skin is easy to chew through.  They also have a great counter life, so you can keep the same fruit in your basket for up to a month before it will start to degrade in quality.

Stop in and try them today for just $1.99 per pound!  Pair it with some organic caramel dip, honey and yogurt mix, or all by itself!  You won’t be disappointed!

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Seventh Generation—Saving the World!October 10, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 2:09 PM

Earlier on this blog we brought you news about what we’re doing, and what you can do, to help reduce our impact on Mother Nature, and reign in some of the detrimental practices that have damaged our planet.  But we’re not the only ones at GreenAcres doing our part.  We’re proud to support companies that have our planet at heart when it comes to producing, packing, and transporting their items.  We support them by carrying their products and promoting them on our shelves…and you can, too, by doing the same on your end!  When you know of a great company with a great product and an earth-friendly outlook, pledge your agreement by pledging your consumer dollars to that company’s mission.  Together we can ensure that more businesses in more places are dedicated to fulfilling their environmental responsibilities.

That is why GreenAcres is proud to carry the Seventh Generation line of products.  Seventh Generation is a company that started years ago, and that saw its way into the mainstream market before many other sustainable-living companies were even a twinkle in the founders’ eyes.  And that’s why they’ve been a sort of flagship in the natural living world for what we can do in our own homes to support more sustainable and less impactful methods of daily consumption—by using recycled tissues and toilet paper, chlorine and chemical free diapers and wipes, safe cleaning solutions, and so much more. 

Among all the conventional, industrial cleaners on the shelf, Seventh Generation differs for so many reasons!  One of those reasons is that they offer the consumer a choice between fragranced and non-fragranced products. Many companies use chemicals that offer a fragrance to their cleaning products, but they are only required to list “fragrance” or “parfum” with the ingredients…so there’s no telling what they may use to scent their product!  Seventh Generation’s scented products are fragranced with 100% whole essential oils or botanical extracts, not synthetic chemicals. They use fragrances that come from sustainable or organic plant-based resources using environmentally friendly extraction processes.  Seventh Generation’s “Free and Clear” line of products can be found on GreenAcres shelves, and are formulated to leave no odor and no fumes in your home.

Seventh Generation is also active in their community.  As a company that uses ingredients that come from plants, not petroleum, it is only natural that they would have close ties to their local farming community. The Intervale, a fertile strip of land along the banks of the Winooski River, just 2 miles from their office in Burlington, VT, is home to more than a dozen locally owned and operated farms. Intervale farmers grow organic produce found in many local restaurants, schools, and business cafeterias. Local families, including several Seventh Generation employees, enjoy weekly deliveries of produce from the farmers there. It's truly is a model of what community supported agricultural can be…and they support the Intervale strip by purchasing their food products for use in their business offices.

These are just a few reasons why we’re glad to carry Seventh Generation products on our shelves. From production, to manufacture, to corporate responsibility, they are truly doing their part to make our world a safer, more chemical-free place.  Thank you for supporting our planet and our future!

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Pacifica Perfumes—Naturally Sweet Smells for the Sweet Naturalist!October 06, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 10:33 AM

As your body's largest organ, your skin is your most important immune defense barrier, and all the chemicals you see in most body care products create a Body Burden. The result: neither you nor your skin are as healthy as you could be!  As our health and beauty manager, Susan, puts it, “When you’ve been placing those chemicals on your skin for years, that whole time they are absorbing into our bodies and our blood stream.  Eventually your liver is just screaming ‘help!’”  If you’re looking for incredible scents without the toxins, look no further than Pacifica brand fragrances. 

You’ll be intoxicated by the incredibly subtle and sweet scents wafting off of the Pacifica display at the front of the store.  With names like “Lotus Garden,” “Tuscan Blood Orange,” and “French Lilac” how could they not smell as delicious as they sound?  We brought them in by popular demand.  “Customers have been asking for spray and roll-on perfumes that are ‘clean’ for years.  When I saw this line, I knew it was the perfect pick and the perfect fit,” says Susan.

Pacifica makes a whole line of these spray and roll-on perfumes, soy candles, body butter, and soaps, that are bound to have you smelling your sweetest…without the worry of overpowering, toxic preservatives and artificial fragrance additives and fillers.  They are committed to using only the highest quality ingredients—including essential and natural oils from all over the world.  Pacifica does not support the use of naturals that are threatened, or where the harvesting of the plant endangers biodiversity or causes other environmental issues.  Pacifica’s candles use by-products of the soy and petrochemical industry that are safe and highly refined that would otherwise be waste—and transforms that unwanted material into something extraordinary and decadent.  They’re also using 100% post-consumer recycled paper in their packaging, and sourcing as much of what goes into their products from local growers, producers, and refiners.  That means they’re supporting the local community as well as reducing the carbon footprint involved in the making their line of products.

If you’re looking for a great fragrance that won’t pollute the air in your home, or harm your precious and vital skin, then look no further than Pacifica.  To learn more about their brands, fragrances, and products, visit their website.  Or drop by the store and ask a team member for Pacifica today!  We’re continually expanding the line to bring in the scents and the products you love the most!

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What’s All the Hype About Coconut Water?October 03, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 12:27 PM

You’ve probably read in the newspaper or seen on TV something about coconut water.  This is a recent trend sweeping the natural foods industry that has had some great press—as well as some not-so-flattering coverage.  Coconut water is, in short, the clear liquid that comes from young, green coconuts.  Locales with tropical growing climates like Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and Hawai’i have all traditionally enjoyed this mild, sweet, and naturally cooling beverage.  It has been used as an electrolyte replenisher after strenuous exercise or prolonged illness for its relatively high potassium, magnesium, and sodium content.  It has also historically been used as an IV solution, and it may have some antioxidant properties in the body once consumed.

Coconut water has gained somewhat of a cult following among celebrities—Madonna and Rihanna are drinking it—athletes, and everyday folks like you and me.  Although the science on this new natural drink is too new to interpret just yet, there seems to be agreement that coconut water isn’t going away anytime soon.  Many people claim they feel a burst of energy when drinking coconut water during games or practices, and some people swear that it increases metabolism.  It’s a great alternative for kids over other sugary and chemical-filled sports drinks, and has a much lower glycemic profile to avoid the sugar rush and ensuing crash.  But when it comes down to whether or not you should try it for yourself…follow your heart, and your taste buds!  Our staff favorite among the numerous coconut water options on the drink aisle is Zico.  It comes in several flavors and sizes, and convenient packaging for on-the-go enjoyment.  Try it today; see if you can feel the difference in your after-work-out energy levels after a refreshing coconut water, and let your body be the judge!

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Want to Recycle?  Check out these awesome local programs!September 29, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 1:37 PM

Up until about 10 years ago, recycling programs in Wichita were few and hard to come by.  Now it seems there are many governmental programs and independent businesses stepping up to help Wichitans dispose of their waste more responsibly.  Going green doesn’t just mean turning off your lights when you’re not in the room.  It also means getting rid of your excess responsibly: rather than throwing those old batteries in the trash to go into the landfill, recycle them at a battery store or recycling center.  Check out the options below for different places in Wichita that help you recycle:

Waste Connections Recyclebank:

            Waste Connections is the program that GreenAcres is a part of.  We recycle everything that we possibly can from the store, office and deli into our containers out back.  If you leave empty glass or plastic bottles at the front after your meal, we also recycle those into the same bins.  This is a great program because it doesn’t take any hassle at all!  Just chuck all accepted materials into your bin and move on with your day.  Simple as that.  Plus, when you’ve accumulated enough points based on the weight of your recyclable material, you can redeem them for all kinds of rewards…including free groceries at GreenAcres!  Visit their website here.

Pro Kansas Miller Recycling Center:

            This not-for-profit recycling center is located at 725 E. Clark in Wichita.  It runs almost entirely off of volunteer time and support with only 2 paid staff members.  The facility is open for limited hours, but it collects most of the items that many other recyclers can’t or don’t, including print and toner cartridges, eyeglasses, old cell phones, and batteries.  For more information, click here.

SedgwickCountyHousehold Hazardous Waste Facility:

            If you have something that you’re not sure should be thrown into the landfill, chances are it probably shouldn’t.  The Hazardous Waste Facility can safely dispose of chemicals and other pollutants like paint, fluorescent light bulbs, medications, computers, antifreeze, and more.  For more answers to your hazardous waste questions, visit their website by clicking here.

To see the county’s guide to recycling…everything from computers and clothes hangers to ammunition, visit the web page below:

http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/environment/recyclingguide.asp

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Congrats to Our 2011 Tasting Fair Gift Basket Winners!September 26, 2011

Filed under: Classes & Events - greenacres @ 1:35 PM

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Tasting Fair on Saturday, September 17^th.  Your presence and participation made the day a great success!  Thanks also to everyone who went out to visit the deli when they were grilling at the Autumn and Art Festival on Bradley Fair Parkway.  We had tons of fun, and it was so nice to see some familiar faces out there in the beautiful weather!

We’ve given away most of the gift baskets to our lucky winners!  Check out the pictures below to see some of the lucky customers with their baskets...

    Will with his awesome Nordic Naturals gift basket.

  Bill's new Gluten Free Basket

  Mary and her Prairie Fire Basket

  Pam with a basket-full of Enzymedica goodies

  Chris with his Charlie's Soap bag...sorry you came out fuzzy!

  Our grand prize winner, Karen, wih her brand new Citizen Compact Bike!

Congrats also to our other Gift Basket winners who didn't get a picture taken or haven't stopped by.  If you haven't, come snatch it up; we can always add you to the gift basket family post!

Looking to win some great GreenAcres goodies?  Enter for the Great Grocery Giveaway anytime you’re at the store!  You can put a slip in each time you make a purchase. Winners are drawn weekly, and receive a GreenAcres canvas tote that is chock full of all your favorite treats…from cereal and chips to chocolates and candies.

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Juicing: Get Your 5-A-Day Fast!September 22, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living, Organic, Recipes - greenacres @ 12:15 PM

As fall rolls around, our bodies crave less of the fruits and vegetables that they did in the heat of the summer.  It can be hard to convince your mind and body that you really should eat those carrot stick with lunch or reach for an apple rather than crackers for an afternoon snack.  But luckily modern technology has provided us with a quick and painless way to get all the benefits of our fruits and veggies without the hassle of gobbling down tons of roughage.

There is no doubt that fruits and vegetables are a healthy source for a whole array of vitamins and minerals, but many people don't realize that much of the nutrition in whole vegetables is bound by fiber.  While fiber is good for us and has many benefits for the body, vitamins that are trapped in it are difficult to assimilate.  For this reason, many of the vitamins in whole vegetables pass through the body unused.  When these whole vegetables are juiced, however, the vitamins and minerals are freed from the fiber, so the body can process and absorb them much more easily.  Fiber also makes it difficult for the body to use the water in vegetables, but fresh homemade vegetable juice contains plenty of this vital element. 

While most conventional bottled juices are pasteurized at high temperatures (or contain additives and preservatives) juicing preserves the enzymes that are present in live produce.  Enzymes are naturally occurring, and are an important part of all processes that happen in our bodies.  They help us to digest our food and absorb all the nutrients to allow them to work most effectively in our bodies.

Another up-side to fruit and vegetable juicing is also closely tied to the lack of fiber consumed from juicing as opposed to eating the whole fruit.  Many juicing recipes contain many different fruits and vegetables, so they provide an extensive variety that is vital to total health.  It can be unexpectedly difficult to get your five servings a day, but when you juice you are able to include a whole spectrum of fruits and vegetables that you might not otherwise take the time to prepare.

But juicing can also be a great tool for those trying to maintain a healthy weight, or even shed a few pounds.   Many juicing recipes contain far fewer calories than the sum of the vegetables within them, including fat-burning and metabolism-boosting ingredients like lemon and other citrus, or additives like protein powders and chia seeds can help you burn more fat and calories while maintaining satiety to curb cravings.

And don’t forget: when you’re juicing, it always pays to go organic.  It’s important to remember that organic versus conventional is a question of system and process.  Produce grown conventionally has been sprayed since its infancy with fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.  That means it’s not just surface contamination that affects us; these chemicals are present in the innermost fibers of conventional produce.

For starters, try out this awesome juicing recipe that was featured in our July Newsletter: 

Green"Acres" Lemonade

This lively green drink will satisfy your craving for lemonade while helping maintain your body alkalinity.  Some claim this beverage is a terrific beverage, while others say it satisfies their sugar cravings and leaves them fulfilled.  Either way, it is surely a terrific snack that will leave you energized and refreshed!

Ingredients:

• 1 organic lemon
• 2 organic fuji apples
• 6 organic kale leaves
• 1 bunch organic celery
• Mint sprigs (for garnish)
• Ice cubes

Directions:

Wash thoroughly the lemon, apples, kale and celery.  Cut into pieces that will fit into your home juicer chute.  Juice everything into a large cup and mix well.  Pour over ice and garnish with fresh mint.   Serves 2.

Don’t have a juicer at home?  Check out the options in the store!  We also have special discounts on juicing cases for staples like apples, carrots, and wheatgrass available all the time, as well as most fruits and vegetables available for special order by the case.  Talk to us today to find out more by calling the store at (316) 634-1088.  Enjoy your juicing adventures!

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Got Fall Allergies?  Could Local Honey Be Your Ticket Out?September 19, 2011

Filed under: Local Vendors, Organic - greenacres @ 3:14 PM

wisdom that eating local honey in a healthy daily dose can act as a sort of vaccination for allergy sufferers.  The theory goes that the bees producing the honey buzz about to many local blooms and collect pollen on their legs, which makes its way into their honey.  Then consuming that honey, with small doses of that pollen will then force our body into a gradual immunity to these pollens.  This prevents the body from over-reacting to the offending pollen with itchy, watery eyes, sore throats, sniffles—in short, seasonal allergies.

But does this theory hold water?  A preliminary Google search brings up many contradictory views and findings.  In the natural food community, we tend to be more than willing to believe that something as simple, pure, and delicious as honey could be a “cure” to our allergy woes—it’s a natural junky’s dream, really.  Clinical studies have come to various conclusions.  Some find little to no measurable change between a control group and local honey in seasonal allergies.  Some find that some symptoms among certain subjects are lessened, while other subjects experience no difference in any of their symptoms.

Of course, on top of scientific inquiries, we have loads of anecdotal evidence from ex-allergy sufferers whose daily honey regimen has been credited with their eventual recovery into the symptom-free world.  After all, allergy shots operate on exactly the same principle.  If any of you experienced allergy shots when you were children (I know I did!), although they can be painful and traumatic…they work!  Allergies that were once nearly deadly for children can become minor annoyances by adulthood with simple weekly or monthly treatments.  When given a dose of the offending substance, gradually and over long periods, the body becomes immune to a reaction against that material.

At the end of the day, we at least know that honey certainly can’t hurt us!  Honey can immediately sooth a sore throat (whether it’s caused by seasonal allergies or not). It’s a natural, temporary energy booster. According to the National Honey Board, it “contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.”  Wichita store manager Matt Murray adds that “While local honey is considered to possess properties that might help our airborne allergies by building up our immunity to those pollens, we just can’t know for sure.  But at least we can say that we’re supporting our local farmers and producers to create a truly delicious and healthful natural product.”

GreenAcres carries honey from west Wichita from a producer named Randy Hamill.  You’ve probably seen his bears and jars in several places on the store shelves.  This is one of my favorites because it’s pure, raw, and unrefined.  Unlike other un-refined honeys I’ve tried, though, it doesn’t have any bitterness that can sometimes be associated with local honeys.  If you’re willing to test yourself in a one-person clinical study, this is the way to go!  The question I’d like to pose is this:  Have you ever, or has anyone you know and trust, ever tried a local honey regimen to reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies?  Did it work?  What were your methods, and your impressions of how it worked?  We’d all love to know how it went!

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Are Your Hormones in Balance?September 15, 2011

Filed under: Classes & Events, Natural Living, Supplements - greenacres @ 4:59 PM

Join us Thursday, September 22^nd at 7:00pm at the store for an in-depth class on women’s hormone health.  Do you suffer from pre-menstrual symptoms like mood swings or cramps, are you having menopause-related symptoms like hot flashes or fatigue, or maybe you’re just feeling sluggish, un-interested in sex, or you’ve been experiencing weight gain.  If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you could be suffering from hormone imbalance.  Join Jennifer Kaumeyer from the Riordan Clinic for a look at natural remedies and safe solutions to combat a lack of hormone support.

Hormones are a vital part of everyone’s bodily functions.  And men’s and women’s hormones function differently in each sex’s body.  Everyone’s hormonal balance is affected by their diet.  It is astounding the extent to which the foods we eat can dictate our hormonal balance.  A high-carbohydrate diet of junk foods, processed vegetable oils, trans fats, stimulants, and soy products can instigate such an imbalance.  Foods from animals that have been treated with hormones and antibiotics can also be prime candidates for throwing women’s hormones out of equilibrium.  Many foods, including all kinds of meat products, and dairy products like milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and more can all contain these offenders.  It’s important to look out for hormone, antibiotic, and chemical-free products, and especially organic products, that will not be harmful to that delicate balance.

But what can you do to not just prevent, but fight your negative symptoms associated with hormone imbalance? Jennifer will address this very question using integrative medical techniques and training that focuses on naturopathic solutions.

To be a part of the conversation, simply attend this informative seminar.  Call the store to save your spot, or click “Attending” on our Facebook page here.  Registration is required, but there is no fee for attending.  Hope to see you there!

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New BioSil Bone Support from Natural FactorsSeptember 13, 2011

Filed under: Supplements - greenacres @ 10:21 AM

“Bones are not inert structures, like the beams or pillars of your house. They are dynamic living tissue that requires a wide range of nutrients for optimal health—and not just minerals like calcium.”  —Dr. Michael Murray of doctormurray.com.

Intro BioSil from Natural Factors.  BioSil provides a unique blend of vitamins and minerals designed to support bone health and assist in regenerating bone, naturally and safely.  The folks at Natural Factors have come out with 2 new products in the BioSil line designed to work together to build bone strength and health.  BioSil Bone Mineralizer provides 3 forms of calcium to increase bone mineral density.  These 3 type are specially formulated to be easier to digest than many leading calcium supplements, so your doses may be taken between meals with little likelihood of an upset stomach.  Because less than half of dietary calcium (calcium consumed through food and drink) is absorbed into our bones, the calcium source in BioSil is paired with other materials like Magnesium, MK-7, and Lysine.  These ensure that the calcium is transported to the bones, giving it a greater likelihood of absorption.  

While this alone can do tremendous good for bone strength, to reap the full effects of the BioSil system it is best to pair the Bone Mineralizer with the Bone Collagenizer.  New bone growth is made possible by the work of collagen—the key building block of bone tissue, comprising nearly a third of all bone matter.  Collagen provides the "binding sites" for calcium and other bone minerals. When bone collagen diminishes, bone mineral density decreases.  The collagen, calcium, and Vitamin D (to name a few) in BioSil all work together to build the strong chemical bonds that make for super-strong bones.  In addition, collagen gives bones the vital flexibility they need. New bone research reveals that collagen, in conjunction with deposited calcium, gives bones their ability to withstand physical stress, as with sudden impact.

All this in combination with a good, alkaline-based diet—fruits, veggies, nuts & legumes—and regular physical exercise can go a long way toward preventing problems with osteoporosis in the future. Don’t wait!  Start your bone health regimen today!  BioSil’s new Mineralizer and Collagenizer are also available in a combined value pack…and they’re all on sale thru the month of September!  Come in and see if BioSil’s bone support pack could be right for you.

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Groundbreaking News for GreenAcres in Jenks, OK!September 12, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 2:39 PM

Last week marked the long-awaited Groundbreaking Ceremony for the third branch on the GreenAcres family tree.  Co-Owner and President Shannon Hoffmann spoke to a crowd on Thursday about GreenAcres’ mission and the mission of the development of which we’ll be one of the pioneers:  Village on Main.   The complex is centered around creating a healthy lifestyle; and that is right in line with our own goal:  to educate and assist the community in all of its healthy living goals.  Below is some an article written about the new store in Jenks, OK--just south of Tulsa:

Ground broken for GreenAcres Market

By Steven James
Staff Writer
Article link:  http://jenksjournal.com/news/ground-broken-for-greenacres-market/article_6e654e8c-da3f-11e0-aeea-001cc4c03286.html

Years of planning and months of site preparation came to fruition Thursday when officials broke ground on a new nearly 13,000 square-foot grocery store in Jenks.

GreenAcres Market is the third project in the Village on Main development, behind Utica Park Clinic and Waterfront Grill, but the first building to go up in the heart of the planned commercial, office and residential development located south and west of the intersection of Main Street and Aquarium Drive.

Village On Main owner and developer Duane Phillips called the new store the "cornerstone" of his vision.

The 12,000 square-foot organic and natural foods market will be the third GreenAcres facility. The first opened in 1994 in Wichita, Kan., and another opened later in Kansas City, Mo.

Shannon Hoffman, co-owner, said GreenAcres Market is focused not only with providing its customers with the best natural, organic and locally-grown food, but also educating the community on healthy living.

The market will host regular in-store classes to encourage customers to make healthy food choices and seminars held by wellness experts, she said.

Hoffman said GreenAcres hopes to be able to open its doors in late spring or early summer next year.

Find the YouTube Video of Shannon (and others) at the ceremony!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTCZEy4fkDM

To see more coverage, check out the links below:

From the Tulsa World:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=53&articleid=20110909_53_E1_JENKSA76317

From This Week magazine:

From Channel 2 News:

http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/new-village-on-main-project-moving-forward-in-jenks

To see more pictures of the ceremony, click here.   While you’re there, “Like” us to follow construction news and up-to-date ETA’s!

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September is Organic Harvest Month!September 09, 2011

Filed under: Organic - greenacres @ 9:14 AM

The Organic Trade Association has designated the month of September as Organic Harvest Month!  Originally started as a low-key way for the organization to get the word out about organic foods and agricultural practices, it has now become a nationally recognized month in honor of the organics industry and its core principles.

Why go organic?

The National Organic Standards Board has defined “organic” as “a labeling term that denotes products produced under…guidelines for organic production [that] use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole.”  Now that’s a movement to get behind!  Bringing our farming ecosystems into a balance with plants, insects, animals, and of course people, we and our earth can begin to heal from the over-use of monoculture farming and chemical pesticides and herbicides that have left scars on our environment and on our food system.

But organic isn’t just about our planet.  It’s also about what we put into our bodies.  Going organic eliminates much of the risk associated with consuming chemicals that have been a concern in the public eye for years now.  And it tastes better.  A totally subjective statement, of course, but surveys have found that consumers truly do taste a difference between organic and conventional carrots.  We’re also finding that organically grown products have a higher quality nutritional profile than their conventionally grown counter-parts.  Vitamin, nutrient, and antioxidant levels are higher in over two-thirds of organic match pairs, and nitrate levels are also uniformly lower—higher levels indicate a greater risk for the spread of disease and bacteria, while lower levels are associated with dietary health benefits. (For the full report from The Organic Center, click here.)

So what can you do to support Organic Harvest Month?

Here are 5 simple suggestions to get you and your family started on the organic path:

1. PREPARE one meal with as many organic ingredients as possible. Don’t forget to serve the organic beverage of your choice with your meal and enjoy an organic dessert.  Make it a celebration!

2. GO SHOPPING and fill one grocery bag with all organic products. Remember, organic isn’t just in the produce aisle, it’s in the frozen section, in the health and beauty department, and it appears everywhere between dairy and canned goods. If you can’t find organic items in your store, talk to your grocer to find out about bringing some in.

3. WEAR organic cotton clothing, available in everything from socks to sweaters. Enjoy the comfort and style while you support agriculture that builds healthy soils and protects the environment.

4. INDULGE yourself. Take a long bath in water scented with organic oils. Nibble on rich organic chocolate. Sip organic wine, beer or even a martini made with organic vodka. Buy yourself a bouquet of organically grown flowers. Cuddle in a towel or robe made from organic cotton.

5. SAY THANK YOU to an organic grower or producer because they’re the ones who bring organic food and fiber products to the tables and stores all across North America. Grab a friend and go to your local farmers market where you can buy organic products directly from a certified organic grower and say “Thanks!”

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A Sit-Down with Andrea Cassell of Dining Light with AndreaSeptember 02, 2011

Filed under: Classes & Events, Recipes - greenacres @ 11:34 AM

We know and love Andrea Cassell from her cooking classes here at the store...and we'd like for you to get to know her, too!  That's why we sat down to get her story, key points along her cooking journey, and a bit of sage advice from a sesaoned cook to the kitchen novice.  I hope you enjoy reading our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it!

Where did you grow up, and how did your childhood influence your cooking journey?

I grew up in Miami, FL in the city with my parents and brother.  From the time I was 6 months until entering preschool at age 3 I spent almost all my time with my grandparents while my parents were teaching. My grandmother and grandfather owned a grocery store that was right in their backyard.  Every morning we would walk over; I was kind of like the store mascot.  It was there that I formed my personality; I learned the art of hospitality and developing personal relationships from them, the vendors, the customers.  I grew up there.

How did you get interested in cooking?

Well, I was always around food, and of course my grandparents would bring food from the store.  My grandmother taught me in her own kitchen and I would assist her, ever since I can remember up through when I left for college.  She was always teaching me new dishes and techniques, and of course, my favorite part was being the taster…does that need more salt; is there enough lemon?  The tasting was important because she never used measurements; and I still don’t to this day.

What would you say is your philosophy behind cooking and eating?

When you cook for others, or for yourself, you are essentially sharing the love of cooking with your hands. When you go to a fast food place, you don’t get that love through the food, and the sense of sharing.  But in the home, using foods that you chose and bought, when you sit down as a family you give something more than just a meal; and food is a gift that everyone can enjoy!  And it doesn’t have to be hard.  Even a plate of scrambled eggs shares the love of cooking with your hands. 

I think it’s so important to bring meals back to the home.  When you go out to eat you just don’t get that feeling as much, especially at fast food places.  I think that’s why GreenAcres is such a good fit for me.  I feel very comfortable here, and I love all the people.  I can come in and greet everyone and give hugs and chat, and feel totally comfortable. It feels like a continuation of family here, GreenAcres is just that kind of environment.  Now that I’m talking about it, I feel like I’ve come full circle; here I am bringing me right back around again to where I grew up.

What dish do you make the most from your cookbook?

That’s a hard one!  I think I’d have to say that I make the tabouleh most frequently—except for the wheat, it’s all stuff that comes straight from my garden, so it’s the most fresh, and I don’t even have to go to the store!  I also make grape leaves a lot.  It’s more time consuming, that’s for sure, but it’s definitely a favorite.

What advice would you give to beginners who want to eat healthy and cook for themselves?

• Cook what you like.  Make it simple.  You don’t need to follow measurements, just be creative with the things you already know you like.
• Take a simple cookbook that is healthy and add your own kick to it.  For example, if you know you like hummus, change it up by adding something that you like…a taste you enjoy.  Don’t be afraid to add and subtract from recipes.
• If you don’t have time to cook, buy a slow cooker and whatever you like to eat, throw it in, turn it on, let it cook all day, and when you get home from work it’s ready; take any recipe you like that you could make on the stove and do it in the slow cooker.  And you’re still keeping that experience in the home and in your kitchen.
• Finally, I have to add that my secret ingredient (for everything!) is Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I use extra virgin because it comes out of the first cold press, so it’s lighter than the others.  But I use it on everything!  I never use butter; I always substitute olive oil for butter and oils.  And not just in cooking…on my skin, hair, cuticles.  But ingesting it is really so good for you.  Too much of anything is not good, of course, but my grandmother used to take a tablespoon just straight olive oil every day after breakfast, and she lived to 101.  She never took medication, had all her teeth, and only a couple gray hairs…so I’m a believer!  I call it my secret weapon.

Thanks so much for everything—the interview and the classes you teach.

It’s my pleasure and honor to help people out. That’s really what it’s about.  I have so many friends that think it’s so hard to cook!  What’s up with that?!  I get 4 or 5 emails a day from people who’ve read my cookbook telling me they didn’t know it was so easy—and that’s really why I do this.

Phone interview, 9/2/11.

For more information on Andrea’s cookbook, visit the Nahima’s Hands website.

Andrea's next class will be held September 8th at 7pm.  Cost is $15 per person per class.  Seating is limited so registration is required.  For more details see our events page; and to save your seat call (316) 634-1088.  If you can't make the 8th, there will be another September class on the 29th at 7pm, and more classes to be announced in October.  See you there!

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Eating Breakfast Can Make for a Better DayAugust 23, 2011

Filed under: - greenacres @ 9:16 AM

Tempted to skip breakfast? Studies have found that eating breakfast may improve short-term memory and attention. Students who eat breakfast tend to perform significantly better than those who don’t. Foods at the top of researchers' brain fuel list include high-fiber whole grains, dairy, and fruits. Just don't overeat; researchers also found high-calorie breakfasts appear to hinder concentration.  Studies have also found that people who consistently eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight, and to have more successful dieting regimens—who knew eating more could help you weigh less?!

Summer is the perfect time to make some of the absolute tastiest breakfasts—Cheryl, or awesome bookkeeper has been known to enjoy some delicious Rocky Ford cantaloupe, and Danna at the registers can’t get enough of the organic raspberries!

Here are 5 healthy and nutritious breakfast ideas to kick-start your day…the whole week!

• Ready-Made Flax Meal Waffles
• Raspberries
• Yogurt

• Ancient Grains Oatmeal
• Blueberries
• Orange Juice

• Kefir Smoothie with Mangos and Peaches
• Toasted Almonds or Walnuts

• Quinoa Flake Breakfast Cereal with Milk
• Strawberries
• 2 Hard Boiled Eggs

• Almond Flour Pancakes with Pure Maple Syrup
• Fruit Salad

Looking for delicious ideas for breakfast?  Check under the “Recipes” tab for the “Breakfast” page.   The Veggie Feta Quiche is a tried and true classic in our deli! 

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Back-to-School Brain BoostsAugust 18, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 2:21 PM

Sometimes I ask myself what I can do to help my poor brain when I misplace those car keys or forget an appointment.  Good thing there are so many ways that children and adults of all ages can work to improve brain function and support sustained brain health.  Some of the best ways are through diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements.   We at GreenAcres have compiled a short list of 8 of the best brain boosters to help us all think sharper, stay focused, and improve memory:

1. Water! Water! Water!  Dehydration raises stress hormone levels, causing serious brain damage. Drink at least ten glasses of water a day.  Plenty of water is beneficial for your whole body, from your skin (your largest organ) to the tiniest of cells, it is the building block that keeps everything functioning normally.  You wouldn’t believe how many buckets of ice for our water we go through in the office!

2. Fish--especially wild caught varieties: DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, is the main component of brain synapses. A lack of omega-3 has been shown to diminish intellectual performance.  If you don't eat fish, omega-3 is also found in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds.  Check out the Children’s Yummi Bears with DHA.  They’re on sale this month for just $23.99 per 90-gummy bottle; and the kids just eat them like candy!

3. Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Vegetables: The best antioxidant-packed fruits are blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, avocados, and raspberries…and who can’t get excited about that?!  The highest antioxidant veggies include: brussels sprouts, broccoli, beets, and red bell peppers.  Get the highest antioxidant punch by enjoying them as a raw snack by themselves or in a smoothie.

4. Complex Carbohydrates: For energy, your brain needs fuel, and the best choice is glucose. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, starchy vegetables and fruits digest slowly, providing a steady supply to the brain over longer periods of time.

5. Green Tea: Ingredients in green tea (and to a lesser extent, black tea) slow the build-up of plaque in the brain from amyloid deposits. Drinking tea is associated with mental alertness; it’s mile caffeine kick can be just what you need to beat that afternoon energy dip.

6. Eggs: Eggs are rich in choline, a fat-like B vitamin, which has been shown to enhance memory.  Choline is also a key component of acetylcholine. A neurotrasmitter that carries messages from and to nerves, acetylcholine is the body's primary chemical means of sending messages between nerves and muscles.  Check out the “Veggie Feta Quiche” in the Breakfast category of the Recipes pages.

7. Chocolate & Nuts:  Nuts and seeds are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is associated with less cognitive decline as you age. Dark chocolate also has other powerful antioxidant properties. And it contains natural stimulants like caffeine, which can enhance focus and concentration.  Enjoy up to an ounce a day of nuts and dark chocolate to provide all the benefits you need without excess calories, fat, or sugar.

8. Supplements:  There are so many options available to assist brain function in one way or another.  Fish Oils, CoQ10, and Gingko Biloba (just to name a few!) have all been associated with increased health and function in the brain and the nervous system.  Always ask your doctor before beginning a supplement regimen.  And of course, ask our friendly GreenAcres staff when it comes time to pick out the product that will be right for you or your child.

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The Amazing, Incredible, Fantastic…Almond Butter!August 15, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living - greenacres @ 8:02 AM

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit extreme, but with all that almond butter has to offer, it’s a wonder we don’t break into song about it more often. 

The proteins found in almond butter, especially when eaten in combination with foods with a complementary amino acid profile (primarily legumes such as beans or lentils), can properly balance your amino acid intake.  This is essential for vegetarians who aren’t receiving complete proteins from meat or dairy products, or for others with special dietary restrictions. 

Almond Butter is also an excellent source of Vitamin E and magnesium and a good source of fiber.  It also contains protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron.  Almond Butter is a highly nutritious replacement for peanut butter.  Comparatively few people have severe allergies to almonds as opposed to peanuts, so it’s a natural for kids’ lunches or an office pick-me-up.  Come try our freshly ground almond butter, or one of the many brands and varieties available in the store.  Try it on apple slices, on an “AB&J” or in a morning smoothie; it’s sure to be a hit with the whole family!

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NEW REDUCED DAIRY PRICES!!August 02, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living, Organic, Savings - greenacres @ 1:13 PM

Hey folks!  In these these tight times, we’re all cutting back.  Fuel prices have increased drastically, which means that food prices are only set to rise.  But we at GreenAcres envision a better future for the health-conscious than higher prices in an already value-high industry.  We want the best for you and your family.  And that means not just stocking great products that promote your healthy lifestyle, but providing affordable options for every budget.

That’s why we’ve decided to reduce all the prices in our dairy and refrigerated section!  All of your favorite high quality antibiotic and hormone free meats, cage free eggs, organic cheese, milk, and yogurt, will all cost less for you and your family—some as much as 25% less!!  Now that’s a savings to get excited about!  Drop by the store today and check out the new deals!

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2011 Ice Cream Social a Great (Plains) Success!July 25, 2011

Filed under: Classes & Events - greenacres @ 11:39 AM

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out to this year’s Ice Cream Social last week!  We love being able to give something back to the community that has given us, and continues to give us, a reason for being here every day.  We like a serious conversation about your health, but we also love to kick back and just share a bowl of ice cream with our awesome customers!

This was our first year to dedicate all proceeds—and then some!—to a local non-profit that is close to the GreenAcres family:  Disability Supports of the Great Plains.  They serve the disabled community in Hutchinson and McPherson through hosting events, providing transportation, assisting with opportunities for employment, and so much more.  Thanks again to representatives from DSGP, Michele, Jodi, and Clayworks artist Amanda who came out to share with us, and to sell clay-ware from their entrepreneurial brach, The Clayworks at Disability Supports.  I feel so thankful to have met them all, and I hope that some of you walked away with the same feeling.  At the end of the night, we were able to give this awesome team a check for $1,000.  This will go to all the programs they’re already involved with, as well as new initiatives that will be expanding in coming months and years.  Follow their progress on Facebook by “liking” them at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Disability-Supports-of-the-Great-Plains-Inc/343869484561.  

Watch for more upcoming events by going to the Events Calendar.

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Welcome to Wichita’s NEW Blog!!July 07, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living, Savings - kkeith @ 10:54 AM

Welcome to Wichita’s very first ever blog post!  We’re so thrilled you’ve decided to check us out online!  Watch our blog for bi-weekly posts on the topics you care about the most.  We’ll cover seasonal produce, cooking tips and recipes, health news, community events, new products, and so much more!  If there’s anything you want us to cover, don’t hesitate to post a comment, and we’ll look into it right away—because at GreenAcres, we’re here to serve you!

When Barb and John Hoffmann opened GreenAcres 17 years ago, it began as a way to serve the community through education—about healthy diet and lifestyle choices, and alternative approaches to buying your food.  In short, GreenAcres was and is about how to feel better in your own skin.  After a personal experience with poor health and the restorative effects of alternative health care, Barb was compelled to share her knowledge and expertise with others.  That’s why it’s our mission to make Wichita a healthier place, one pesticide-free apple, one Omega-3 Fish Oil softgel, or one tub of fresh-ground almond butter at a time. 

GreenAcres Market has seen a few health fads come and go, but we’ve kept our focus on helping customers build a healthy lifestyle.  “Anyone can sell you products,” Matt Murray, co-owner and store manager offers, “but we are interested in your getting the results that will actually build your health.”  Long before organics were mainstream, GreenAcres Market prided itself with the largest certified organic produce department in the area.  That pride and commitment has not wavered.  Today you’ll find organic products all over the store: in the produce department, in the delicious food the deli serves every day, on the grocery shelves, in the bulk department…just about everywhere!  And it’s not just about organic.  We are pleased to offer customers cage-free eggs, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, certified humane, local and heritage meats, non-GMO baked goods, gluten free products of every variety, dairy-free milks, vegetarian meat substitutes, paraben, casein, and cruelty-free health and beauty products, raw foods, superfoods…and so much more!  "We here at GreenAcres so love what we do," says Barb Hoffmann, GreenAcres owner and drive behind the whole project.  "We love the industry, we love the products, we love the freshness, and most of all we love being here for our customers.  Our goal is to stay on the cutting edge of what's available:  from sustainable fish, organic, natural, heritage, and grass fed local meats, hand-picked specialty cookies and crackers...everything we can think of!  We're constantly traveling around the country, seeking out new items to bring in for our customers to enjoy."

We want healthy living to be a priority for you and your family, and we want it to be accessible to everyone.  "We are constantly negotiating deals so we can bring you affordable prices," says Barb.  "We are dropping all our dairy prices this week, so be sure and check out the new values!"  To find our in-store specials, look in our monthly newsletters, watch out for our bi-weekly ads in the Eagle on special drastically reduced items, look for Everday Low Price Tags on our shelves...and now we're introducing our new price-slashing good deal: Bonus Buys!  This month it's 35% off New Chapter's Bone Strangth calcium supplement.

If you’ve never visited, or if it’s been a while since you’ve been in to the store, you’ll be sure to find something you need, something you want, and something you didn’t know you needed until you sampled it in our store.  So drop by, chat with our friendly staff, kick-start a new diet regimen, re-vamp your refrigerator, or just find out which of those funny greens is kale. 

We hope to see more of you in the store and online!  Watch for our events, classes, and promotions on our blog, on Facebook, in our monthly newsletter, sign up for the weekly e-newsletter, or simply follow us on Twitter.  No matter what medium you prefer, we want to connect with you! 

Thanks for your continued support, Wichita!  Have a healthy, happy day!

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