April Health Hotline® Magazine Issue 33

Happy Spring from all of us at Natural Grocers! 

 

Our featured organic this month is spinach. Spinach is one of the most nutritionally valuable veggies on the planet, but not if it comes covered in pesticides. Conventionally-raised spinach has more pesticide residue by weight than any other kind of produce tested. Yikes! If you want to reap the nutritional benefits of spinach, make sure it is organic. Spinach can help enhance glowing skin, combat oxidative stress and inflammation and can help protect eyes from blue light damage. Get your spinach in by following our quick keto organic chicken florentine recipe. 

 

Plus, learn about B vitamins, why they’re so important and where we’d be without them, the impacts of regenerative agriculture and more! And, as always, we have featured deals on organic products. Happy reading!

April HHL Cover
  • Natural Grocers Quick Keto Organic Chicken Florentine
  • Can Regenerative Agriculture Help Save The Planet?
  • B Vitamins For Life
  • Earth Watch - Organic Farming Promotes Biodiversity, Reduces Foodborne Illness Risk
  • Nutrition Bytes - April 2020
  • Natural Grocers Organic Savory Baked Egg Cups
 

Natural Grocers Quick Keto Organic Chicken Florentine

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We’ve taken traditional Chicken Florentine and made it Keto friendly, but you don’t have to be on a keto or low-carb diet to love this comforting, creamy meal! It is quick and easy to prepare (and loaded with good4u veggies!) and a satisfying meal everyone will love. It’s also great served over baked spaghetti squash or your favorite pasta if you’re not watching your carbs.

1 1⁄4 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced against the grain into 1-inch strips
  Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Real Salt and Organic Ground Black Pepper
3 tablespoons organic butter, divided
1 large organic shallot, finely diced
2 large organic garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces organic cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
3⁄4 cup organic chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon Natural Grocers Brand Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup organic heavy whipping cream , (or thick plain, unsweetened non-dairy alternative, such as ripple® Unsweetened Original)
1⁄2 teaspoon Natural Grocers Bulk Real Brand Salt
2 cups organic baby spinach
1⁄4 cup Natural Grocers® Brand Organic Parmesan Cheese Shreds, optional
  1. Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Generously salt and pepper all sides of each piece of chicken. Add two tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once the butter has melted and the foaming has subsided, add the chicken pieces and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until browned and mostly cooked through.
  2. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan along with the shallots and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, for one minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high and add ¼ cup of the broth and the vinegar to the pan. Cook until the broth is mostly evaporated, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining ½ cup of broth, the cream, and the salt and stir well.
  3. Heat the sauce until it just starts to bubble, reduce the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer, and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Add the chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate to the sauce. Nestle the chicken pieces into the sauce and continue to simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
  4. To serve, divide among four serving plates and top each with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. 
  5. Note: This recipe is outdoor grill friendly. Preheat the grill to 375-400° F. Once hot, preheat a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven for approximately 10 minutes before adding the butter and chicken in step one of the instructions. Follow the cooking instructions and in step three move the skillet over indirect heat to finish cooking.  

 

Beer and Wine Pairings

Beer Style: Hard Kombucha

  • Wild Tonic Hard Kombucha

Grape Variety: Pinot Noir

  • Maysara 3 Degrees Pinot Noir
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Natural Grocers Organic Savory Baked Egg Cups

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Quick and easy baked eggs? Sign me up! These egg cups are loaded with garlicky kale and robust tomatoes and makes for a delicious and good4u breakfast or post-workout snack. Don’t like runny yolks? No problem! Extend the cooking time a few minutes for soft yolks or even further for hard yolks. But we recommend sticking with runny or soft if you are looking at leftovers.

1 tablespoon Natural Grocers® Brand Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove organic garlic, minced
1 bunch organic Lacinato kale, destemmed and ripped into bite-size pieces
1⁄2 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Red Chili Flakes (adjust to preferred spiciness level)
  Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Real Salt and Organic Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 (14.5-ounce) can Natural Grocers Brand Organic Diced Tomatoes , flavor of choice, drained
12 Natural Grocers Brand Regenerative Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs
1⁄4 cup Natural Grocers® Brand Organic Parmesan Cheese Shreds

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line the cups of a muffin pan with baking cups.

2. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, kale, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix until all leaves are well coated.

3. Divide the seasoned kale among the muffin cups (they will be close to full) and top with about 1 tablespoon of the diced tomatoes. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the kale has begun to shrink a little. Remove from oven.

4. Carefully crack one egg into each muffin cup. You may need to push the kale and tomatoes down to make room for the egg. Top with Parmesan cheese and return pan to the oven.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes for runny yolks, or until eggs are cooked to your preference. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week.

 

Beer and Wine Pairings

Beer Style: Fruited Sour

Grape Variety: Cava Sparkling Wine

  • Miquel Pons Brut Reserva
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