Littleton Food Co-op | Littleton Food Coop

Mask Policy Update

July 21, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

We want to thank you all for the overwhelming support for our safety practices – there have been lots of changes and we really appreciate your patience and cooperation along the way. Starting Wednesday July 22, masks will be mandatory for every person over 2 years of age who enters the Co-op, without exceptions.

We will be strictly enforcing this new face covering policy in the store, for the safety of our staff and customers. Masks or face coverings must be worn correctly, and should cover the nose as well as the mouth. If you do not have a face covering you will be offered a free disposable mask by a member of our management team.

For those of you who are unable to wear a mask for medical reasons, or who are unwilling to wear a face covering, we offer a reasonable accommodation via our Curbside Pickup Service. Just place your order online, let us do the shopping, and when it’s ready we bring it out to your car! This free, flexible service is available through our website at www.littletoncoop.com/curbside.

Again, thank you all for your patience and understanding in these difficult times. We care about our community and wear masks for your health – please do the same for us!

COVID 19 Community Resources

July 9, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

Here is a list of links and resources we’ve collected to help people in our community who have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. We’ll update this post with new information and links as we find them.

General Assistance

Dial 2-1-1 if you have questions or concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. This free statewide information and referral service is operated by Granite United Way. They have also provided us with free masks to give away to the community – just ask at the Service Desk!

Civic Info Pages

GoLittleton.com
Bethlehem Select Board News
Littleton Chamber of Commerce
Lisbon
Franconia
Whitefield
Dalton

Food Pantries

Littleton Food Pantry: 70 Redington Street, Littleton
Little Free Pantry: 189 Main St, Littleton (in front of the Congregational Church)
All Saints’ Community Food Cupboard: 35 School Street, Littleton
Good Neighbor Food Pantry: 44 Church Street, Franconia
Bethlehem Food Pantry: 2155 Main Street, Bethlehem (inside Town Hall, open by appointment)
Lincoln-Woodstock Food Pantry: 194 Pollard Rd, Lincoln

Food Access Map

UNH Extension has created an interactive online map with local resources and information for those in need as well as those who would like to donate or volunteer.

Recovery Support

AskPETRA.org is your free and confidential guide to North Country resources for daily needs, Substance Use Disorder treatment and recovery options. During the COVID-19 outbreak, our helpline is open to connect anyone in the Northern NH to local resources for daily basic needs.

Summer Asparagus, Three Ways

May 28, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

By Annie Stuart, Marketing Manager & Cooperative Foodie

Muir Farm is a local grower here in Bath NH, and like many local farms, a large part of their business is growing food for local restaurants. Unfortunately many of their regular customers have shut down their kitchens due to the pandemic, leaving the folks at Muir in a bit of a lurch with no place to send their lovely bumper crop of asparagus. Fortunately we were able to step in and take some off their hands, and it really is beautiful – crisp green stalks, not too skinny or stringy, with tender tips flushed with pink. It cooks up beautifully on the grill (or in grill-adjacent dishes), so we’ve pulled together some outdoorsy summer asparagus recipes to get everyone inspired.

A couple techniques to get you started:

You can trim off the tough ends with a knife, but it’s better (and more fun) to simply bend each spear towards the bottom ’til it snaps at the natural breaking point.
Asparagus loves dressing, so consider olive oil, lemon juice, and/or italian dressing to snazz it up a bit. Salt & pepper or parmesan lend a nice finish.
High, dry, direct heat and fast-cooking brings out the best in this veggie, which is why it lends itself so well to grilling and broiling.
Grilling can be tricky since skinny stalks will slip through the grate. Skewer multiple spears together crosswise so they’re easier to pick up and turn all at once.

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients

1 lb thick asparagus, rinsed, trimmed, and dried
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbs lemon juice
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes (so they don’t burn!)

Instructions

Preheat your grill. If you’re grilling meat wait until that is finished and put side to rest, then grill your asparagus afterwards when the grill is preheated and very hot.
Place the asparagus in a dish and drizzle your marinade, oil, or seasoning over it. Toss to coat each spear with flavor.
Skewer the asparagus spears in groups of 5 or 6, with one skewer towards the bottom and another a few inches towards the top.
Grill the asparagus over direct heat and cook uncovered until you see char lines. Flip and cook the other side for 2-4 minutes, until you see char marks but the spears are still bright green.
Transfer the finished asparagus on a serving platter and drizzle with lemon juice, salt & pepper, or parmesan to taste.

Asparagus Antipasto

Ingredients

Antipasto

1 lb (1 bunch) fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1 c canned artichoke hearts, drained and halved or quartered
1/4 lb prosciutto, thinly sliced
1/4 lb salami, sliced into bite-sized rounds or pieces
1 c Kalamata olives (or other olives of choice)
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 lb sliced provolone cheese

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed or minced
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbs red wine vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 orange
Pinch each of salt and ground black pepper

Preparation

Blanch the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 3-4 minutes, then rinse with cold water or cool in an ice bath. Drain well.
Zest the orange, and juice half for the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. Toss the blanched asparagus and artichokes in 2 tablespoons of the dressing and marinate for 60 minutes.
Once asparagus and artichokes have finished marinating, arrange the antipasto on a large platter, and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Serve with fresh crusty bread or baguette slices.

Snow Pea and Asparagus Salad with Ginger-Cardamom Dressing

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
1/3 lb snow peas, string removed (or substitute sugar snap peas)
2 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 c walnuts, raw or toasted (optional)

Dressing

1/3 c vegetable oil
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp fresh ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation

Use leftover grilled asparagus, or blanch fresh chopped asparagus in a pot of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
Add the snow peas, tomato wedges, and asparagus and let sit 30 minutes.
Serve on a bed of Romaine lettuce, drizzled with any remaining dressing and garnished with walnuts.

Comfort Food from the Co-op Kitchen

May 7, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

There’s no question that we could all use a little comfort food these days, and one of the most popular items we carry is our handmade pot pies! Jose, our Deli Manager, makes these from scratch a few times a week, using fresh ingredients, savory homemade gravy, and buttery flaky hand-rolled crusts.

We put together some photos of how they’re made, and it’s sure to get your taste buds going!

Step 1: Good Gravy

We start each batch of pies with homemade filling, including a creamy and savory gravy and a mix of veggies.

Step 2: Roast Chicken

Next in the pot – finely chopped chunks of tender roasted chicken. We use Smart Chickens, which are hormone and additive free. Meanwhile we get the bottom crust ready, and then the filling goes in the pie dish.

Step 3: Hand-Rolled Pastry Crust

We could cut corners and use boring pre-made crust, but the secret to a good pie is hand-rolled pastry made from scratch, so that’s what we do!

Step 4: Seal in that Flavor

Each pot pie gets a perfectly rolled top crust, and a light egg wash to get it extra golden and delicious. Here are some pies about to go in the oven!

Step 5: Baked ’til Golden

And here are the freshly baked pies, ready to get packed up and sold! Take one home and eat right away, refrigerate or freeze for later, or pop it in the oven for a few minutes to get it extra bubbly and warm.

Hope you enjoyed the behind the scenes peek in our kitchen!

New Hampshire Stay at Home 2.0

May 1, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

On May 1st, Governor Sununu’s Economic Reopening Taskforce announced new guidelines for retail establishments operating in New Hampshire. We were pleased to see that most of these recommendations and mandates were already being followed here at the Co-op, and had been for quite some time. Among those many notable procedures not already mentioned above are:

All co-op staff must wear cloth face coverings at all times in the workplace.
All co-op staff have been trained on proper mask wearing and hand washing.
Hand sanitizer stations have been set up in all departments, each register, and around the store for shopper use.
All co-op staff are screened daily before reporting to work with a temperature check from a touchless thermometer as well as a series of health questions regarding COVID exposure and symptoms.
Signage must be in place inside and outside the store promoting cloth face covering use and 6-foot social distancing reminders.
All co-op staff are empowered to monitor and enforce the compliance to social distancing practices of customers and staff alike.
Customer self bagging promoted at the front end to reduce exposure of one more staff member per register.
Curbside pickup service established to assist medically vulnerable or elderly shoppers.

We are also constantly monitoring the number of customers within the store at any given time to make sure we do not exceed the 50% total capacity mandated by the governor. As of yet, even during our busiest peaks we are well below that number, but we will continue to monitor to make certain. We have limited the number of shopping carts to assist in this measure, so if you arrive and there are no carts available, please be patient and wait for the next cart.

Frequently Asked Questions

May 1, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

Q: Is the Co-op planning on offering a Senior-only shopping time?

A: We take the well-being of our senior customers very seriously. In our management meetings we have discussed the idea of setting up a dedicated shopping time for seniors, but we decided that for the health and safety of our older and vulnerable customers it would be dangerous and inappropriate to encourage elderly people to congregate in our store.

If you or someone you know needs help with shopping, please reach out to bcolpitts@littletoncoop.org. Our Community Outreach Coordinator, Becky Colpitts, can try to put you in touch with community resources for volunteers and services. You can also contact the 211 hotline for Granite State United Way to find assistance.

Q: Can the Co-op offer pick-up, delivery, or curbside service?

A: We now offer a Curbside Pickup service for seniors, people who are highly vulnerable to COVID 19, or people who are sick and staying isolated. You may place an order online or by phone, and come pick your order up outside of the store.

Again, if you or someone you know needs help with shopping, please reach out to bcolpitts@littletoncoop.org. Our Community Outreach Coordinator, Becky Colpitts, can try to put you in touch with community resources for volunteers and services. You can also contact the 211 hotline for Granite State United Way to find assistance.

Q: Are you limiting the number of customers in the store?

A: We’re limiting the number of shopping carts that are available at the store entry area, thereby limiting the number of customers in the store at any given time. We count the number of shoppers in the store at frequently throughout the day to monitor capacity. We’re also restricting our entrance and exit areas so they are one-way.

Please help us reduce traffic in the store by shopping alone. Leave your children at home if you are able to do so, and refrain from bringing your spouse or family members with you.

Q: Can you make the aisles one-way?

A: We’ve talked about that option extensively with our staff and managers, and we decided it’s not a good fit for the store at this time. The consensus among our staff is that it’s much quicker to skip the busy aisles and loop around to come back. If we set up traffic rules not only would we have a difficult time enforcing them, but it would also cause major backups and pinch points. Our Co-op has many narrow corners and differently-facing aisles, so letting shoppers choose the path of least resistance will allow for a quicker, safer shopping trip, especially when armed with our store map and a plan.

Q: Why aren’t all the employees wearing gloves?

A: Gloves are not a substitute for hand washing or regular hand sanitation, and can pick up and transfer the virus just as easily as bare skin. Gloves are not meant to be worn for an extended period of time, since they can cause cross contamination if they are not changed almost constantly. We wear gloves in our food service areas and our bulk department, as part of our regular food safety protocols. Our staff have the option of wearing gloves for their own protection but they are not required to do so.

Q: Should I wear gloves when I shop?

A: If you would like to wear gloves when you shop you are welcome to do so. Please remember that gloves transfer virus just as easily as bare skin, and you should still avoid touching your face or any items you do not intend to purchase. Disposable gloves are available in the Bulk Department for your use at any time. They are required for customers using the bulk scoop and gravity bins, but you may use them elsewhere in the store as well if you wish.

We’d appreciate it if you’d put on a clean pair of gloves or sanitize your hands (at the sanitizer station on the inner door) before you enter the store, so that you don’t inadvertently bring the virus into our community. Also, please dispose of your gloves properly when you leave; use a trash receptacle and do not discard used gloves on the ground or in the grocery carts. There is a trash receptacle in the exit, near the entrance, and at the cart corral for this use.

Q: Should I wear a mask when I shop?

A: The CDC recommends that people wear masks when in public, to protect the community from asymptomatic transmission. The State of New Hampshire requests that customers wear face coverings at all times when inside a retail establishment. Please wear a mask when you come to the co-op. If you forget your mask, we will provide a free one to you! Just ask at the service desk and one of our friendly associates will get you one. We do apologize it is a bit of a walk from the entrance, but we wanted to make sure these were kept in a safe, sanitary location.

Q: May I still bring my reusable bags to the store?

A: UPDATE Aug 2020: Yes, you may bring your clean reusable bags to the store. Please bag your own groceries at the register. We also have paper bags for 10 cents each, as well as complimentary grocery boxes for you to pack your purchase in.

Meet Our Curbside Pick Up Heroes!

April 30, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

By Becky Colpitts, Community Outreach Coordinator

Audrey picks out the perfect tomato

A little over a month ago, the pandemic hit our community amidst the North Country mountains. In an instant we watched our world change. Our mission – to provide a community owned marketplace that supports local and promotes healthy choices for people and planet – had not changed. Our vision – making our Food Co-op a catalyst for cultivating a vibrant community and regional economy – had not changed. Yet our world had changed, and we needed new ways to serve our beloved community.

Our intent is to be the best marketplace we possibly can be in the face of turbulent times. Many in our midst needed to isolate to keep themselves safe and healthy, yet they still needed the good, healthy food and earth-friendly products we provide. Thus, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, our Curbside Pick-Up service was born. This service is specifically for seniors 60 & older, people who are highly vulnerable to COVID-19, or people who are sick and staying isolated. This would help our friends and community members.

Sarah pulls an order together

As a cooperative, guided always by our values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity, we set out to create a working system. We did this by collective brainstorming, to ensure all staff could contribute ideas. We did this by working together across departments leaning on one another. At first, our front-end was taking numerous phone orders while the store was incredibly busy. When someone came to pick up an order and the front end was busy, staff from other departments stepped out of their original role to make sure those groceries were safely delivered to the car. Individuals from deli, produce, grocery, and the administrative offices came willing and cheerfully to the rescue. Now, with the expertise of our marketing gurus, we have an online ordering system. We are a Cooperative, and we are proud to be so. I must say though, while those initial days were filled with some intense personal moments, we supported each other through it all.

Many of you know Audrey from the Service Desk. A small woman with sparkling eyes and a smile that brightens up the day. Audrey is now our Co-op Curbside Wizard, heading up this initiative to keep it running smoothly. “I love it. It’s getting easier, and our set-up is more professional,” Audrey states. Audrey takes, fills and rings up orders before calling for payment and pick-up information. When the customer arrives, she brings the orders out to the cars. She is the go-to person for on the ground feedback about how this new initiative is working.

Melody is all smiles under that mask!

In fact, there are several staffers working hard to create this smooth-running, new system. Sarah takes orders, shops, rings up, calls, and delivers to the cars. When asked about her thoughts, she smiled from behind her mask (twinkling eyes never lie) and said: “I enjoy providing a valuable human community service!” Audrey quickly agreed.

Mel, our Front-end Matriarch, knows customer service backwards and forwards. She has a heart of gold and goes all the way to make a good idea come to fruition. When sharing her experience, she beamed. “I really enjoy our curbside service,” she said. “It’s our way of giving back to the community and members. We’re able to put our own special touches on each order.”

Kylie, Anastasia, Sheridan, and Meg are also regulars on the Curbside crew, performing all the tasks and keeping their attitude positive. We are all so grateful for their participation here at the Co-op! And, judging by the comments we receive from our Members and customers, the wider community is very thankful to have this service in place. Each of our hearts has opened even wider as people share their stories and how grateful they are that the Co-op is here for them. It feels like family- really. A big virtual hug from the Co-op to you! Stay safe, stay well, and see ya (from a 6 foot distance) at the Co-op.

Earth Day Starts at Home

April 16, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

By Robin Asbell

I have a confession to make. Sometimes, in the course of my week, I make too much food. Sound like a good problem to have? Well, it seems to be alarmingly common in our affluent country. My excuse is that I develop recipes for a living, so I test recipes even when I already have food to eat. My family, friends and neighbors all benefit from my overproduction, but more often than I would like, things go to waste. That half a jar of tomatoes for the pizza I made a couple of weeks ago got ignored when I moved on to testing dessert recipes. Then, we meant to finish all that cake, but by the time we realized that we couldn’t eat another bite, it was stale.

I feel terrible about it, every time, and resolve to do better. This year, for Earth Day, I’m going to do my small part to cut back on waste.

Earth Day started in 1970, back when there was no regulation of pollution. It was perfectly legal to dump sewage in the river, or send tons of toxins up in smoke. That year, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day, and 20 million Americans came out in solidarity across the country. By that December, Congress created the EPA, and started reining in industrial polluters and protecting our air and water.

Since then, Earth Day has become an annual reminder that we still have work to do, on recycling, cleaning up our toxic industries, as well as not wasting food.

Dried up carrots, moldy nubs of cheese, and stale bread heels pile up in refrigerators across the USA, and they add up to billions of dollars in food waste. In fact, food scraps are the number one thing that goes to the landfill. According to the EPA, methane gas released from food waste in landfills accounts for 20% of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions.

We waste food at all points in the supply chain, so it’s not just your fridge that’s causing problems. At harvest, it gets damaged and tossed on the way out of the field. At the processing plant, things spoil or stick to the machinery and get rinsed down the drain. Grocery stores have to sort through and discard produce that isn’t perfect, although some of that is picked up by food shelves (a recent study found that food co-ops recycle 74% of food waste compared with a recycling rate of 36% for conventional grocers.) Out of date packaged goods have be pitched, as well. Restaurants and food service fill dumpsters with all the food we leave on our plates, combined with things that didn’t sell in time.

I am going to work to waste less this year and use more of the food I buy. If you’d like to do the same, here are a dozen tips that can help reduce your waste, and as a bonus, save you money!

12 tips to reduce food waste

1. Use those radish and carrot greens

Buying radishes or carrots by the bunch? Use the leaves to make pesto, salads (like Moroccan Carrot Radish Salad), and toss in soup. Think of them as peppery parsley.

2. Savor broccoli and cauliflower stems

Do you discard broccoli and cauliflower stems? Peel the tough skin from the stems and chop the tender cores to use in the dish, or cut in planks to eat with dip. This Creamy Broccoli soup uses the stems and florets.

3. Cook kale stems like you would celery

Do you discard kale and other greens stems? When cooking with kale, you can simply separate the leaves from the stems, chop the stems, and cook the stems first; they will cook a bit like celery. If you juice, save all your greens stems from meals you prepare, including parsley, and add to your juice for a chlorophyll boost.

4. Flavor stock and other dishes with potato peels

Do you peel potatoes? The peels make a flavorful addition to stock, and even thicken it a bit. Consider whether you even need to peel; many soups, potato salads and even mashed potatoes are more nutritious and filling with the skins left on.

5. Enjoy the flavor and nutrition of apple peels

Baking or cooking with apples? Leave the skins on and you will reap the nutrients and fiber they contain, and save time. If you do peel, add them to soup stock, for a subtle sweetness.

6. Zest your citrus and freeze for future use

Juicing a lemon or lime or eating an orange? Zest your organically grown citrus first, then you can freeze the potent zest in a freezer bag, for adding a hint of citrus to everything from muffins to pastas.

7. Peel overripe bananas and freeze for smoothies or baking

Are those bananas looking a little too brown to put in the lunch box? Peel and freeze them, then add them to smoothies (like Hidden-Spinach Berry Smoothie or Orange Dream Silken Smoothie), or thaw and puree for banana bread, muffins and cakes.

8. Puree and freeze veggies before they go bad

Do you have veggies going soft in the crisper? Cook and puree carrots, sweet potatoes, greens, cauliflower, and other veggies, then freeze. Stir the purees into pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese, soups, casseroles and meatloaf for an added veggie boost.

9. Save veggie trimmings for soup stock

Cutting up vegetables for a dish? Save and freeze the skins and trimmings from onions, carrots, celery, sweet potato, potato, parsley, spinach, and other mild veggies (peppers, cabbage and broccoli can be too strong) until you have a good amount to make Veggie Trim Stock.

10. Use up stale bread in flavorful recipes

Do you have bread going stale? Freeze the slices to use later in stuffing, croutons, or recipes such as Ribollita soup, Creamy Lentil Soup with Wheaty Croutons or Flexible Bread and Veggie Casserole. Make croutons for salads and soups, or crumbs to toss with pasta or top casseroles. Don’t forget about bread pudding and stratas, too.

11. Keep food that needs to be consumed soon front and center

Organize your refrigerator and pantry, and put foods that should be consumed sooner right in front. Switch your storage containers from opaque to clear glass, so that you will see that tasty lasagna from last night, because out of sight is out of mind.

12. Turn your vegetable scraps into fertilizer

Do you have room for a compost pile or a worm bin? Ultimately, transforming your plant waste into fertilizer is better than packing it in the landfill.

This article originally appeared on Co+op Stronger Together.

February Recipes from Cooking With Chad

February 24, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

Stuffed Orange Peppers

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 orange bell peppers, tops and core removed
1 pound ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
½ cup brown rice or other whole grain
½ cup water or stock
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey and onion in skillet until browned and crumbly, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any grease off.
Stir tomatoes, grain, water/broth into turkey mixture, cover and simmer for a few minutes to soften the grain and absorb most of the liquid. Stir in the shredded cheese during the last few minutes.
Stuff each pepper with the mixture and place peppers in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil
Bake until cheese is melted and heated through, 25-35 minutes

Heart-Healthy Tuna & White Bean Salad

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients
2 6-ounce cans of tuna, packed in water
1 15-ounce can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 medium red bell peppers
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon olive oil
10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Drain the tuna and place in a mixing bowl. Add the beans, tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard and oil.
Whisk together and add to the tuna mixture and toss. Season with basil and toss again.

Roasted Beet, Avocado and Citrus Salad

Serves 4-6 as a side

Ingredients

Dressing
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad
4 medium beets (multiple varieties if possible)
2 naval oranges
2 tangelos
2 cara cara oranges
2 blood oranges
2 avocados
1/3 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
Optional: fresh basil

Directions
Start with the dressing and whisk all ingredients together in a bowl except the olive oil.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking. Pour dressing in mason jar or other container and keep in refrigerator until ready to use
Roast your beets. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub olive oil on washed beets and wrap in foil and place on a pan. Roast for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.
When done, you will be able to insert a sharp knife into the middle. Once roasted, peel and slice beets. Mix with a tablespoon of the dressing to keep them from sticking
together and refrigerate while you make the rest of the salad
Thinly slice the avocados and section the citrus into slices
On a large platter or serving bowl, layer with beets, citrus and avocado.
Top with cheese (if desired) and nuts. Add fresh chopped basil if desired and serve with the dressing. Enjoy!

Breakfast or Dessert Fruit Tart

Makes 3 (4/75-inch) tarts, or 1 (9-inch) pie

Ingredients

Crust (Option 1)
1 ½ cups cashew halves and pieces (unsalted)
1 cup raisins, dried dates, or dried apricots (or other sticky fruit)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt to taste

Crust (Option 2)
1 ½ cups rolled oats
4 Tbsp coconut oil
3-4 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp honey

Filling
¾-1 cup vanilla honey Greek yogurt
2 (6oz) pkgs raspberries
Optional Toppings:
Drizzle of honey
Powdered sugar
Fresh mint

Directions
For the Crust:
In a food processor, pulse together cashews, dried fruit, vanilla and salt. It’s ready when the cashews have broken down and the mixture sticks together when squeezed.
Grease 3 (4.75- inch) round tart pans or 1 (9-inch) pie pan and press dough into the bottom and sides.
Freeze for 30 minutes- 1 hour

For the Filling:
Remove the tarts/pic pan from the freezer
Divide the yogurt evenly between the 3 tarts or put it all in the pie pan
Top with raspberries and any additional toppings
Serve immediately

10 Great Valentines Day Gifts You Can Get at the Co-op!

February 13, 2020 By Littleton Food Co-op

Need a last minute gift for your Valentine? We’ve collected together some special ideas, all of which you can buy right here at the co-op!

1.) Pamper someone with lotions, bubbles, face masks, and jewelry.

2.) Pucker up and pick up a bottle of fruit-infused brew to share with your sweetie.

3.) Need something to go with that bottle of beer or wine? Check out our wonderful local cheeses.

4.) Bring home a beautiful bouquet of roses, or a colorful custom flower arrangement made by Deeper Roots.

5.) Create a romantic mood with candles – we have lots of pretty colors and heartwarming scents to choose from.

6.) Chocolate is always appreciated! Make it high quality and fair trade with a bar of Tony’s Chocoloney.

7.) Did you know that mead is the traditional drink for newly married couples? That’s where the word honeymoon comes from, so mead makes a very sweet gift.

8.) Show your love for your beau and for the planet with eco-friendly presents that reduce waste.

9.) Brighten their day with a pretty potted house plant. We have flowering plants as well as trendy foliage.

10.) Warm their heart with high quality coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. We have fair trade, locally roasted, and whole bean coffees as well as a huge range of lovely teas.

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