Unique Gifts from the Co-op

Mason jars are a great way to present a simple gift.  These easy recipes use ingredients from the bulk aisle, and allow your recipient some room for creativity in the kitchen. A teaspoon of chai spice mix in with your dry coffee grounds amps up your daily brew’s flavor, or try adding some to a … Continued

Getting Dirty to Get Clean: Activated Charcoal

It may seem counterintuitive to scrub black powder over your skin or teeth. In fact, the word “charcoal” probably makes you think of summer cookouts rather than a cleansing detox. But “activated charcoal” is a little different. This amazing material has super-absorbency and antibacterial properties that make it ideal for purifying skin and body. The “activation” … Continued

Back to the Grindstone

The toasty, yeasty scent of bread baking catapults me right back to my grandmother’s kitchen. There, as a child, I’d stand on a step and help her twist dough into a braided loaf or shape fist sized dinner rolls.  These days I find baking bread, actually, baking anything, to be as relaxing as it is … Continued

Summer Sun & Bug Care

Pro: Warm weather is here. Con: Harsh UV rays and bugs are too. Try these proactive tips and remedies to stay healthy without the chemicals as you enjoy all the wonders of summer. Safer sunscreens. During these longer days, the sun’s rays are stronger, especially between 10 am and 4 pm. When covering up or … Continued

Seasonal Produce Pairings

Fresh ways to serve up the season’s hottest flavors. Burrata Made from either cow or buffalo milk, burrata is a variety of fresh mozzarella cheese  formed into a pouch and filled with soft, stringy curd and cream. Cutting into a ball of burrata releases the creamy interior, and eating burrata is often described as “eating … Continued

Get Egg-ucated: Cage-free, Pasture-raised and Organic Eggs

Eggs are one of nature’s most perfect foods. Loaded with healthy protein and naturally “prepackaged,” they can be prepared in dozens of delicious ways. At Lakewinds, all our eggs are cage-free, humanely raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free and sourced from as nearby as we can get them. (You can read more about our standards here.) Our … Continued

What Is It? Yuca (Cassava) Root

One of the joys of shopping at the co-op is discovering unique foods to try. If you’ve ever been browsing in produce and spied what looks like a small club a cave man might use to go hunting — that’s yuca! What is it: Yuca, pronounced YOO-ka, is the root of the cassava plant. Its … Continued

Plant-Based Wellness 101

The benefits of following a plant-based diet can include increased productivity, improvements in anxiety, fatigue and general health (American Journal of Health Promotion, March/April 2015). In addition to the benefits outlined by the AJHP, incorporating plant-based products into other areas of our life, including beauty products and supplements, can be helpful too. We’ve included a … Continued