And we’re not just talking carrots and potatoes here (yes, we know potatoes are tubers), we’re talking parsnips, daikon radish, beets, fennel, turnips, rutabaga, etc. Mark Bittman, the NYTimes food columnist says, “Most contain starchy sugars, so they brown beautifully and become sweet after cooking. (Only carrots and beets are sweet raw.) All of this can be disclosed simply by substituting just about any root vegetable you like in your favorite potato recipe. The treatment won’t be identical (the more sugar, the quicker the browning), but it will be similar, and the results will almost always be startling and good.”

So if you’re looking for some easier ways to truly enjoy the flavors of winter, click here for 6 delicious root hosting recipes from the New York Times.

Last week we had a little visit from WRIC TV8 where they asked us a simple question, “How do you save money on organics?” Here’s what we had to say:

1. Buy foods that are local and in season: When you purchase local and in season foods, you’re getting these items at their peak freshness and seasonal availability. Prices on foods that are in season tend to be much cheaper than buying foods out of season. When you add in the local factor, you end up not having to pay extra for transportation costs and you’re keeping money in your local economy.

2. Buy in bulk: Buying in bulk saves you money because you have the ability to get the exact amount you need. You’re also not paying the extra costs of packaging which saves much more than money. Buying in bulk creates far less waste than packaged foods, keeping plastics and materials out of the landfill. We also give a 10-cent container credit when you bring in your own empty container for bulk purchases.

3. Shop sale prices and use coupons: Our buyers work hard to provide you with competitive prices throughout our store. Look for the big yellow sale tags that indicate specials on delicious, organic items. We also offer money-saving coupons available at our registers. Most companies also offer printable coupons online on their websites.

Read the rest of the story here.

Until then, come by the store for some of Virginia’s finest apples from Crown Orchard, Fred Glaize Farm and more. We have some beautiful local Red and Golden Delicious apples on sale $4.99 for a 5lb bag.

Not sure what to do with okra, let this simple rosting recipe take care of the guessing work.

Ingredients:

1 pound okra

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fresh thyme leaves to taste (optional)

Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the okra, and drain on a kitchen towel. The okra should be dry. Trim away the stem ends and the tips, just the very ends, and then place the okra in a large bowl. Salt to taste, and toss with the olive oil until coated.

2. Lift the okra from the bowl, leaving behind any excess oil. Place on a sheet pan in one layer. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes (large okra might take a little longer), shaking the pan every five minutes. The okra should be lightly browned and tender, with a nice seared aroma. If you don’t want it to brown as much, set the oven at 400 degrees.

3. Remove from the heat, toss with fresh thyme, if desired, and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a platter. Serve hot.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can trim the okra several hours ahead, but this is a last-minute dish.

Nutritional information per serving (four servings): 95 calories; 1 gramsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligramscholesterol; 8 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 9 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 2 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Why not line streets with almond and avocado trees, he asks, or replace shrubbery with cabbage and currants? Golf courses could plant their roughs with kale and corn. Lawns—where they must exist—could be edged with chives and herbs.

Read the rest of this article here.

Click here for the recipe.

“I grow cherry tomatoes for Mary and I grow Roma tomatoes for sauces, bruschetta, and salsas. Your typical Hanover tomatoes I leave for people who have more of taste for the fruit in their raw form.” T.V.

If you don’t have the room to grow tomatoes or aren’t on the best terms with your neighbor, we’ve got USDA certified organic tomatoes from Amy’s Garden and certified naturally grown tomatoes from Plantation Woods, Victory Farms and Trial’s End Farm. All grown right here in Virginia, 100 miles or less from our store.

For the Sauce:

“My sauce is simple: I slice the tomatoes in half, sprinkle with kosher salt and ground pepper, then cover with sprigs of fresh thyme – roasting in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I saute fresh garlic and onion in olive oil on the stove-top. For this recipe I added sweet Italian sausage to the onions and garlic though if you prefer a meatless version you can skip this step.” T.V.

Note: Roasting the tomatoes this way will bring their sugars out. It makes for a naturally sweet & tangy sauce with no sugar added.

“Once the roasting is done I remove the sprigs of thyme, stripping the leaves off their stems, add tomatoes & thyme to a food processor (I don’t remove the skin) and blend with fresh basil.

This mixture is added to the onions, garlic, and sausage. Stir to combine and you’ve got your simple summer tomato sauce ready to use.” T.V.

Now, onto the pasta! If you’ve ever tried making your own pasta, then hats off to you. It definitely takes some time and patience. If you’re looking to try the delicious flavors of Richmond then look no further than Bombolini pasta.

Bombolini pasta combines the knowledge and skills of Lolita and John Kreckman. Lolita Kreckman learned the fresh pasta trade in 2005 while working at the Italian restaurant “Mangia Mangia” Key West, Florida where she was making batches of fresh pasta every day.  John Kreckman’s background is in culinary arts. He graduated from Johnson & Wells in 2003.  John’s optimism and creativity have brought new flavor ideas to the fresh pasta scene in central Virginia.

In December of 2008 Bombolini Pasta was launched. It was a small family business with no store front. Within a couple of years Bombolini has grown tremendously gaining quite a bit of loyal customers throughout the city and beyond. Bombolini has expanded not only with the customer demand but also a little helper Ella Kreckman (born 2009).

Bombolini Pasta is available at Ellwood Thompson’s and Richmond area farmers markets St. Stephens and South of the James.

Thanks to Tim for the great idea and wonderful pictures. All photographs are by Tim Vidra.

Our friends over at Plantation Woods just brought over a large shipment of locally-grown tomatoes including these big, yellow Brandywines!