By Boston Organics intern, Sarah S.

It’s not all carrots, kale and tomatoes here in Charlestown.  Sometimes even produce ninjas like to get their sweet tooth on at the Boston Organics office.  Today we’re munching on homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  I baked them almost entirely from Boston Organics ingredients.  These chewy cookies have a rich taste from the rolled oats and dark chocolate.  Using all-organic ingredients really seems to make a flavorful, high quality cookie.

Chewy Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks (16 Tbs.) unsalted butter
1 cup (7 oz) brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt and set aside.

3. Beat butter until creamy.  Add the sugars and beat another 3 minutes until lighter in color and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.

4.  Stir the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture.  Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.

5.  Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.

6.  Bake until the cookie edges turn golden brown, 12-14 minutes.  Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.  Let cool at least 30 minutes before placing in air tight container.  May be stored 2-3 days.

Yield: 3 dozen

Recipe adapted from The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated

Organic flour, sugar, eggs, rolled oats and stone ground chocolate are all items that can be added to your produce box.  To make your own baking kit, you can check out our baking add-ons here.

For more cookie recipes, cookie hopes and cookie dreams, check out my blog, Can You Cookie.

Deliciousness is sprouting at Boston Organics!  This week’s box is filled with all New England grown items.  Broccoli and apples from VT, blueberries from ME, and many Massachusetts produce including alfalfa and radish sprouts, yellow bell peppers and chives.

Refrigerate your sprouts in a loose plastic bag perforated with a few holes so that water doesn’t condense. If your sprouts arrived in a plastic clam-shell container you can refrigerate them in the container. Try to use as quickly as possible for the best flavor and texture.  Sprouts are an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals and make a tasty addition to most any sandwich.

This week’s Dogma Box includes:

• Alfalfa and Radish Sprouts –Jonathan’s Organic (Rochester, MA)
• Broccoli – Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)
• Kale- Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Asian Eggplant- Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Salad Tomatoes -  Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Red Leaf Lettuce -  Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Yellow Bell Peppers – Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Chives -  Happy Valley Organics (Whately,  MA)
• Paula Red Apples - Dwight Miller & Son Orchards (E. Dummerston, VT)
• Blueberries- Burke Hill Farm (Cherryfield, ME)

The included recipes utilize many of the produce items that you’re receiving in this week’s Dogma Box.  Our recipes are usually quite flexible and easily adaptable based on your pantry and your dietary needs.  Feel free to get creative in the kitchen!  If you come up with new ways to use some of our recipes and would like to share, post them on our Facebook or Tweet us.

Panzanella with Eggplant, Corn and Tomatoes

Broccoli Slaw

 The Western Club with Sprouts

What are you cooking this week? Feel free to share with us at any time! For more recipes, check out the Produce Info, Storage Tips and Recipes section on our website and browse recipes by item. Here you can find nutritional information, preparation tips, and recipes for each produce item we offer.  Happy eating from your friends at Boston Organics!

We believe that organic certification is the best way to ensure that you are getting the healthiest and safest food that is good for you and the planet. However as a recent article in the New York Times points out, the organic standards are under attack of being watered down primarily by corporations trying to gain access to this rapidly growing market (see chart below). As consumers, we must be engaged in protecting the National Organic Program and its strict standards.

The following organizations make it easy to stay informed and take action…

• Organic Consumers Association
• Food Democracy Now
• Just Label It!

We agree that the organic certification program is not perfect, but we believe it is the best that is out there. On our website, we have additional resources and information that explain why we think the organic standard is still the best and most relevant certification when it comes to agricultural products. We have looked into other certification programs, but have not found any to be as objective and transparent as the national organic certification program.

A recent article from the Huffington Post also provides a good, general overview of organic certification. It does a good job of expressing why we think organic certification is important and relevant.

Boston Organics’ Produce and Grocery Items

The source of our produce can vary from week to week. We do our best to offer as much consistency, variety and reliability as possible throughout the year. Because of our relatively small volume, we must work with wholesalers that source from growers outside of New England. Especially in those instances when we are unable to meet the grower or visit the farm, organic certification ensures that the produce has met an objective set of standards before it reaches our warehouse.

Fresh certified organic produce is our main offering, but we also offer additional staple & specialty grocery items as add-ons. As more certified organic processed foods become available (see chart below), it is becoming more important to know where these foods are coming from, and what ingredients are being used. We do our best to ensure that our offerings are minimally processed as well as organic.

The majority of our add-on grocery products come directly from small, independently-owned companies in Massachusetts and the New England area. In many cases, we are able to meet the producers and learn first-hand how the product is made and the health & environmental impacts of its production.

One of our goals at Boston Organics is to connect Boston area residents with healthy, sustainably-grown foods while providing transparency about the food chain. We strongly believe that the organic certification program is a vital component that allows us to do this in a meaningful way.

If you have any thoughts or comments, we would love to hear from you!

A recent video posted on the NPR food blog The Salt investigates How Much Does a Hamburger Cost.  While a burger at a fast food restaurant may cost less than a couple of bucks, the environmental and societal costs are much higher and long lasting.  In order to help reduce these long term expenses is the idea of Meatless Monday.  Just eating meatless meals one day a week can help reduce the American dietary influence on the planet.

This week’s Meatless Monday Recipe utilizes many of the items found in your boxes!

Grilled Eggplant, Corn & Bread Salad with Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 large ripe tomatoes, about 1 lb. total
6 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh basil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
8 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
2 large eggplant, about 2 1/2 lb. total, cut crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick
1 loaf (3/4 lb.) pane pugliese or other coarse country bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

Directions:

It’s hard to believe that summer is already coming to an end. With back-to-school season approaching, we’ve got plenty of grocery add-ons to help you put together nutritious breakfasts and lunches. Some highlights of this week’s produce include sprouts from Jonathan’s Organic, Asian eggplant, tomatoes, and corn. Also, Neighborly Farms’ sharp raw milk cheddar is back!! Check out the newsletter!

Back-to-school season is a busy time for students, parents and teachers.  We would like to help you get ready for the transition to school, so we’re offering plenty of  nutritious add-ons that can be enjoyed by every member of your family. 

Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and oftentimes the most rushed or  skipped over.  Start the day out right with a bowl of Fiddlers Green Farm Hot Cereal in either 7-Grain or Irish Oats.  This is a full-bodied hot cereal suitable for any time of year.

We offer an assortment of GrandyOats Granolas from Maine.  Loaded with nuts, seeds and grains, and you can eat this granola with milk, yogurt, and/or fruit.

Brown Bag Lunch

Many schools are peanut-free, leaving the classic PB&J to the wayside.  Simple Soynut Butter is the perfect alternative to peanut butter.  We offer a variety of flavors including chocolate, cinnamon sugar and sea salted spreads.  A great source of protein, it is enjoyable on a bagel, with carrots or apple slices, or as a pretzel dip.  It goes where you want it.

The foundation of every great sandwich is the use of delicious slices of bread.  Order a pre-sliced loaf of Iggy’s renowned “Pain De Mie” Rye, White, or Wheat bread and begin to build your sandwich destiny.   Made from 100% organic flour (or whole wheat flour), water and sea salt, these breads are moist and flavorful and perfect for sandwiches.

Snacks

The best part of every kid’s school day is snack time.  You can arm yours with a homemade trail mix, combining dried fruit such as dried organic apple rings, mango slices or raisins, with cashews or chocolate covered almonds.

For a no-prep snack, Little Duck Organic Fruit Snacks come in Blueberry Apple, Apple Banana,and Strawberry Mango.  These fruit snacks are all organic and your kids will love them!  Each bag contains four servings of fruit so that your child gets the vitamins and nutrients he or she needs, without any preservatives, artificial flavors, or chemicals.

Fresh fruit is always a wonderful snack idea!  You can add organic bananas to your produce box by the pound.  Also available as add-ons, we have bunches of organic red grapes (2 lbs.), organic strawberries (1 lb.), and organic oranges (3 lbs.).

Caffeine

Back to School means early risers!  We offer an assortment of certified organic coffee and teas to help mom and dad get up and get everyone to school on time!

To order any of these grocery add-ons, visit our add-on order page! Best wishes for a great start to the school year from your friends at Boston Organics.

Congratulations to all of our Boston Organics customers who participated in the Summer Sweepstakes!  Thank you for your enthusiasm and for your ongoing support.  After weeks of challenges and bonus points our intern has finely (and finally) combed through every social medium to tally the total points earned.  Using state of the art technology, our marketing department enlisted the help of a computer and science to pick our winners.    We are thrilled to have had so many dedicated contestants and hope you had as much fun as we did playing the sweepstakes all summer long!

The Summer Sweepstakes was designed, in part, to help celebrate Boston Organics’ 10 Year Anniversary!  We are happy to celebrate 10 wonderful years in the Boston community with help from you, our loyal customers and Facebook groupies!  If you haven’t had the chance yet or if you just want to watch it again, check out our amazing new video all about Boston Organics and the local farms we work with.  Feel free to share it with your friends and spread the Boston Organics Love.

And the 2012 Boston Organics Summer Sweepstakes Winners are:

1st Grand Prize Winner:
Winning her very own iPad, Katherine Bryant

2nd Grand Prize Winner:
A one-year subscription to America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School, Marissa Sobczynski

High-Level Winners:

Taste of Taza Gift Box & Apron, Jennifer Lee

Equal Exchange Fair Trade Gift Basket, Suzanne Baker

Cuisinart Panini Press, Amy Farber

Two Tickets to Boston Foodie Tours, Adam Klauber

The Boston Homegrown Cookbook (3 Winners)

Keri Crowe
Katie Daily-Bruckner
Kristen McRae

 Boston Organics $20 Discount (5 Winners)

Brett Cough
Fish McGill
Kimberly Oaks
Frances Pulver
Susan Sweeney

***

Congratulations again to the Summer Sweepstakes winners.  All winners have been notified via email.  Eligibility and official sweepstakes rules are listed here.  Thank you again for participating.  Special thanks to Boston Foodie Tours, Taza Chocolate, and America’s Test Kitchen for donating fabulous prizes to the Boston Organics Summer Sweepstakes.

This might be the luckiest Local Box yet.  Rockin’ a rainbow of colors, we have Paula Red Apples from Dwight Miller & Son Orchards in VT, (orange-ish) salad tomatoes and yellow bell peppers from our neighbor Atlas Farm, vibrantly green basil from Happy Valley Organics in Hadley, MA,  blueberries from Burke Hill Farm in Maine, and leafy lettuce with a violet tinge.

This week’s Dogma Box includes:

• Cantaloupe –Picadilly Farm (Winchester, NH)
• Kale- Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Salad Tomatoes -  Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Red Leaf Lettuce -  Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
•   Yellow Bell Peppers – Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Corn on the Cob -Lakeside Organics (Hadley,  MA)
• Basil -  Happy Valley Organics (Hadley,  MA)
• Paula Red Apples - Dwight Miller & Son Orchards (E. Dummerston, VT)
• Blueberries- Burke Hill Farm (Cherryfield, ME)

The included recipes utilize many of the produce items that you’re receiving in this week’s Dogma Box.  Our recipes are usually quite flexible and easily adaptable based on your pantry and your dietary needs.  Feel free to get creative in the kitchen!  If you come up with new ways to use some of our recipes and would like to share, post them on our Facebook or Tweet us.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

Ratatouille

Bean Salad with Corn, Tomatoes and Basil

Blueberry Pops

What are you cooking this week? Feel free to share with us at any time! For more recipes, check out the Produce Info, Storage Tips and Recipes section on our website and browse recipes by item. Here you can find nutritional information, preparation tips, and recipes for each produce item we offer.  Happy eating from your friends at Boston Organics!

Local heirloom tomato add-ons continue this week! We also have red field tomatoes, Asian eggplant, bell peppers, and leafy greens from Atlas Farm, and fresh basil is the herb of the week from Happy Valley Organics. Wild organic blueberries are coming in from Maine, and delicious Paula Red apples are here from Dwight Miller Orchards in VT. Check out this week’s tasty recipes and more in the newsletter!

A  box full of super foods is being delivered to Dogma Box subscribers this week.  These include antioxidant rich blueberries from Maine and beta-carotene filled carrots from Atlas Farm in Massachusetts.  Also new to the box: fresh cantaloupe from Porter Farm in NY.  Beautiful eggplants, chard, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, onions and apples round out the box.

This week’s Dogma Box includes:

• Asian Eggplant –Picadilly Farm (Winchester, NH)
• Pickling Cucumbers –  Picadilly Farm (Winchester, NH)
• Salad Tomatoes -  Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Romaine Lettuce -  Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
•   Green Bell Peppers – Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Chard -Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Rainbow and Orange Carrots - Atlas Farm(S. Deerfield,  MA)
• Yellow Onions -   Porter Farms (Elba, NY)
• Cantaloupe-   Porter Farms (Elba, NY)
• Paula Red Apples - Dwight Miller & Son Orchards (E. Dummerston, VT)
• Blueberries- Burke Hill Farm (Cherryfield, ME)

The included recipes utilize many of the produce items that you’re receiving in this week’s Dogma Box.  Our recipes are usually quite flexible and easily adaptable based on your pantry and your dietary needs.  Feel free to get creative in the kitchen!  If you come up with new ways to use some of our recipes and would like to share, post them on our Facebook or Tweet us.

Wheat Berry Pilaf

Tomato, Spelt and Herb Salad

Grilled Vegetables with Rosemary and Goat Cheese Polenta

What are you cooking this week? Feel free to share with us at any time! For more recipes, check out the Produce Info, Storage Tips and Recipes section on our website and browse recipes by item. Here you can find nutritional information, preparation tips, and recipes for each produce item we offer.  Happy eating from your friends at Boston Organics!