August 2019 Health Hotline® Magazine Issue 26

Welcome to our August good4u Health Hotline Magazine. This month, we’re bringing you all the usual health topics as well as a word from the Isely family, founders of Natural Grocers.

As loyal customers you know we promote every aspect of health, including mental health. This month, consider adding nootropics and adaptogens to your daily regimen. These supplements have been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing traditions and can help improve cognitive functions, including memory, creativity, and motivation.

Kale, salmon, and berries typically take center stage when it comes to popular superfoods, but did you know bok choy is just as great? Bok choy is an excellent source of fiber, folate, B6, and many other nutrients. Craving a little protein to go along? We’ve got non-GMO, free range, whole chicken on sale for $7.99 this month.

We hope you enjoy the August edition of our Health Hotline Magazine!

Health Hotline August 2019 Cover
  • Natural Grocers Sweet and Spicy Korean Roasted Chicken Thighs
  • For The Love Of Organics: Bok Choy
  • Your Brain On Nootropics
  • Better Than Zoloft For Depression: Rhodiola
  • Natural Grocers Slow Cooker Cajun Spiced Chicken
 

Natural Grocers Sweet and Spicy Korean Roasted Chicken Thighs Served with Mushrooms and Bok Choy

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This weeknight-friendly dish takes advantage of the Korean chili sauce gochujang, a sweet and spicy sauce that livens up anything it touches. If you like it extra spicy, go for the full amount of sriracha. The roasted bok choy is just tender, with some of the leaves remaining a little crunchy, for an addictive veggie side.

For the chicken
4 tablespoons gochujang, or Kimchi Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons Natural Grocers Brand Raw and Unfiltered Clover Honey
2 teaspoons sriracha
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
4 teaspoons Natural Grocers Brand Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
3 tablespoons Natural Grocers Brand Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, divided
2 tablespoons grated organic ginger (from a 1-inch knob)
2 tablespoons minced organic garlic, (from about 6 medium cloves)
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  salt and pepper
For the mushrooms and bok choy
4 medium-large organic baby bok choy
  salt and pepper
1 tablespoon Natural Grocers Brand Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
2 tablespoons coconut aminos, divided
1 (8-ounce) package organic cremini or button mushrooms, stems trimmed, small and medium mushrooms halved, larger mushrooms quartered
1 tablespoon grated organic ginger
2 teaspoons organic sesame oil, (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Place one oven rack at the lowest setting and one at the center setting.
  2. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together gochujang, honey, sriracha, coconut aminos, vinegar, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Heat a large heavy bottomed skillet (such as cast iron) over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper. Once the skillet is hot, add remaining tablespoon of coconut oil and swirl the pan to coat with the oil. Place as many chicken thighs as you can fit without overlapping, skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, or until the skins are browned. Flip and brown the other side of the thighs for about two minutes. (If your skillet is not large enough to hold all the thighs at once, you may need to cook in two batches). Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the oil and chicken fat from the skillet and discard. Set the skillet aside.
  4. Once the thighs have browned, place about a teaspoon of sauce in a glass baking dish for each thigh, reserving leftover sauce. Place each browned thigh, skin-side up, on top of each spoonful of sauce and transfer to the middle oven rack. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
  5. Make the bok choy: Prep the bok choy by gently pulling the outer leaves back a little and flushing with water to remove any grit. Holding on to the base, shake the bok choy dry before slicing each one in half lengthwise. Place the bok choy in a large bowl, lightly season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the melted coconut oil and a tablespoon of coconut aminos. Toss to combine. Place the bok choy, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  6. Once the chicken has been cooking for about 5 minutes, transfer the sheet pan with the bok choy to the bottom rack of the oven.
  7. Return the skillet you used to brown the chicken to the stove top and heat to medium. Once hot, add the mushrooms and toss to coat with the oil that was left in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned and have just started to release their juices. Add the remaining tablespoon of coconut aminos and ginger. Sauté, stirring frequently, another 1-2 minutes, or until most of the coconut aminos have evaporated. Set aside.
  8. After the chicken has baked for 20 minutes, check it and the bok choy for doneness. The chicken is cooked when it has reached an internal temperature of 165° F. It should no longer be pink in the middle and the juices should run clear when the thigh is pierced with a knife. The bok choy should be tender.
  9. To serve, place the chicken and mushrooms on a serving platter or divide among four dinner plates. Drizzle the sesame oil over the bok choy and toss to coat. Transfer the bok choy to the serving platter or divide among the dinner plates. Serve immediately with the sweet and spicy sauce on the side (add some or all of the flavorful saucy drippings from the chicken baking dish to the sauce if you wish) and allow each person to add sauce to their chicken as desired.
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Natural Grocers Organic Slow Cooker Cajun Spiced Chicken Served with Potatoes and Green Beans

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Spice up your weeknight with this perfectly seasoned and perfectly simple slow cooker chicken! With buttery potatoes and green beans, this will become an easy weeknight go-to meal that tastes like you spent the day in the kitchen.

Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Herbs & Spices
4 teaspoons paprika
3 1⁄2 teaspoons Real Brand Orsa salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
1 Mary’s Free Range whole organic chicken, about 4.5 pounds
2 medium organic russet potatoes, (about 1.5 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 pound organic green beans, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons organic butter
  Fresh organic lime quarters and organic hot sauce for serving, optional
  1. Mix the salt and all the spices thoroughly in a small bowl.
  2. Remove the bag of giblets from the chicken and set aside (the giblets can be used with the chicken carcass to make soup or broth, or for added nutrition, grind the kidneys, liver, and heart to add to ground meat for burgers or meatloaf; freeze if not using right away). Rinse the chicken, pat dry, and place in a large bowl.
  3. Coat the chicken thoroughly with the spice mixture, getting under the skin of the breasts and thighs.
  4. Place chicken breast-side down in a four-quart slow cooker and cook on low heat four to five hours, high heat three to four hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  5. With about 20 minutes left on the cooking time for the chicken, set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with enough water to come just below the steamer basket. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes to the steamer basket, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Steam for 8-10 minutes. Add the green beans to the steamer basket and steam for another 7-10 minutes, or until the green beans and potatoes are done to your liking.
  6. Place potatoes and beans in a large bowl, add butter, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. When the chicken is fully cooked, remove from the slow cooker to a large cutting board. Remove the meat from the chicken and serve alongside the green beans and potatoes. For extra flavor and spice, top the chicken with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and serve with your favorite hot sauce or the drippings from the slow cooker.
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