Stir-fry

Save 20 percent off deli platters through Feb. 14

foodette — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:46:26 +0000

Plenty of occasions call for a great spread: potlucks, parties, open houses, even a little football game you might be catching with friends Sunday afternoon. Well, PCC is ready to ease your workload: save 20 percent off any of our freshly prepared party platters through Feb. 14, 2012.

PCC Deli Antipasto Platter

We request 48 hours notice to get things just right, so be sure to get your order in for the weekend at your local PCC Deli if you'll be needing one Sunday! Choose from fresh sandwiches, artisan breads and spreads, our own special chicken wings, cheese and fruit, antipasto and other fun, high quality selections.

Renew your New Year's resolutions!

foodette — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:41:08 +0000

The third week of January is drawing to a close, and if your resolutions aren't faring so well (especially after our snowbound, comfort food-laden week) here are some handy tools, tips and resources to keep you going strong!

IF YOUR GOAL IS TO:

Eat more fruits and vegetables: PCC Nutrition Educator Leika Suzumura suggests reshaping your goal to "eat more colorful foods," as a simple reminder to boost not only your produce intake but the diversity of your produce intake. Watch her video for a great recipe. And check out our Produce Department, where on average more than 90 percent of the selection is organic! Our seasonal produce chart will help you know what's in season.

Eat less sugar: Check out this Sound Consumer article on kicking the sugar craving. And don't miss our online brochure all about natural sweeteners.

Eat more whole grains: Check out this video with recipes for easy side dishes and be sure to look for some of our delightful whole grain salads in the PCC Deli. Explore our online brochure about cooking with whole grains. Visit our bulk section on your next trip to PCC, where you can head home with a few servings each whole grain (rather than an entire package) to try them out and discover your favorite! Not sure how to cook? Just look up the grain by name or bin number in our bulk database and you'll find cooking instructions.

Eat more green leafy vegetables: Check out our cheat sheet and visit our PCC Recipe Database for plenty of great cooking ideas.

Eat less meat: Don't miss the January issue of PCC Taste magazine, available free in all stores, for our Meatless Mondays recipe spread. Or, find those recipes here. You also can search our Recipe Database for vegetarian and vegan recipes. Here's a quick tutorial for the uninitiated.

Eat healthier, but no time to cook: Visit the PCC Deli. Here's a look at all the dishes you'll find that can help you get more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and leafy greens in your diet.

Get your kids to try more foods: Check out our Kid Picks program, which flags more than 1,700 kid-tasted-and-approved foods in our stores with a bright orange label.

Exercise more: Listen to our Ask the Nutritionist podcast on eating for energy, sports and fitness. And here's a handy chart of our energy bar selection!

And happy year of the dragon to everyone celebrating Chinese New Year this weekend and next!

Snowbound snacks to make winter warm

foodette — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:26:36 +0000

Chilly, stormy weather is the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen. Warm your belly and your soul with these fun takes on everyday snacks.

Black Bean and Yam Quesadillas. Mmm...

Spiced Hot Cocoa is just the ticket to keep cozy as you're hunkering down.
Settling in to watch a movie? Try Maple-Glazed Popcorn. Take it to the next level with a sprinkle of crispy bacon. If you're a popcorn fan, don't miss our toppings suggestions.
Keep your hands warm today with Masala Chai you can simmer on your stovetop from scratch. Pour the extra into a thermos and take along as you hike to the sledding hill, bus stop or on your errands.
Tired of the same-old quesadillas? Change things up with black beans and pumpkin seeds. Or, try black beans and yam.
For a healthy snack, roast cauliflower with curry powder. Or try Chili and Garlic-Roasted Broccoli. Those of you with leafy greens in your crisper: there's always time for kale chips!

All of us at PCC hope you're safe and warm wherever you may be reading this. Have a favorite snow day snack? Please share!

2011 in review: Most-popular recipes, stories and more!

foodette — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:40:10 +0000

Here's a look at some of the content you found most intriguing in 2011!

PCC Quinoa Tabouli, a top recipe of 2011.

Top 10 most-viewed recipes (many are made right in our deli!)

Top 10 most-viewed videos

Recipe search screencast
Learn how to make homemade ice cubes (from our annual April Fools' Day website. Don't miss it in 2012!)
PCC Quick Bites: An easy way to slice watermelon
PCC Quick Bites: Bulk shopping tips and tricks
Meet our Producers: Schooner EXACT Brewing Company
PCC Quick Bites: How to choose a perfect pineapple
Screencast: How to add items to your online shopping list
PCC Quick Sips: The world of Riesling
PCC Quick Bites: Make your own roast chile paste
Video recipe: Festive Cuban Tortilla Torta with Warm Spices

Top 10 most-viewed Sound Consumer pages

Top 10 most-viewed PCC Taste pages

Eleven tips for a healthy new year
5 standout cooking oils
Roaming Washington: road trip to some of our great producers
It's easy being green
March Madness Munchies
Popcorn that pops
Summer sun protection
What to do in January
Summer preview
Feeding the healthy athlete

What were your favorite places to visit on our website in 2011? What would you like to see in 2012?

Happy new year from all of us at PCC!

Sparkles and nibbles for New Year's Eve

foodette — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:31:20 +0000

Can you believe it's already the end of another year? But time's speedy passage has delivered yet another golden opportunity to eat and sip something wonderful. Here are some tips and recipes to get you started as we prepare to welcome 2012!

Wine quick links:

Find wine pairings for a variety of holiday meals here
Click on the "seasonal sips" tab for plenty of affordable sparkling wines
Hear PCC Wine Guy Jeff Cox's additional sparkling recommendations

Appetizer quick links:

Learn to transform local cheese into easy appetizers
Find plenty of recipes, including Honeyed Nuts, Artichoke Bits and Spice-Candied Pears
Watch PCC Chef Lynne Vea make a variety of delicious snacks, from Simple Chocolate Truffles to Oven Roasted Jalapeno Poppers, in this series of videos

Lucky foods at the dawn of a new year

Growing up, Mom raised us to eat long noodles for a long life, as well as plenty of fresh mochi and other special New Year treats. My friends from El Salvador eat 12 grapes at midnight, making a wish as they gulp each one. My Southern husband grew up eating black eyed peas, a key ingredient in a popular New Year's dish called Hoppin' John. Here's a great post from blogger Seasonal Wisdom about New Year traditions around the globe, as well as a fun piece from Epicurious about lucky New Year eats.

No matter how you celebrate, we wish you a delicious 2012!

Halibut: It's what's for dinner

foodette — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:24:36 +0000

Weary of Festivus fudge, Christmas cookies and Hanukkah gelt?

Steer your creative instincts back to the savory side. Make a dinner dish so satisfying dessert just has to take a back seat. Think delicate, dainty, delicious. Think wild Alaskan halibut, a steal right now at $15.99 lb through January 3 at PCC.

In the foreground: My first go at Pla Sam Rod. A-mazing.

My first experience with this gorgeous fish was less than stellar. A friend undercooked it to the point where it could have masqueraded as sashimi -- in a bad way. Years later, I tried it again in a PCC Cooks Thai cooking class with Pranee Halvorsen. She whipped up a simple yet grand dish called Pla Sam Rod. Lightly sauteed halibut, ensconsed beneath a flavorful bed of bright, vibrant vegetables, I was smitten.

Pondering a Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve supper? Consider serving PCC Chef Lynne Vea's Roasted Garlic and Wild Halibut Chowder with Basil-Caper Coulis as a starter or main. For a seasonal showstopper, try Lynne's Rosemary and Hazelnut Roasted Wild Alaskan Halibut with Sauteed Chanterelles and Pears. Talk about a fragrant, flavorful way to showcase all the best ingredients of these dark months!

Find even more halibut inspiration in our PCC Recipe Database. And if you're a newcomer to cooking with seafood, don't miss PCC Cooks instructor Becky Selengut's cookbook "Good Fish," also available at your local PCC.

On sale now: Previously Frozen Wild Alaskan Halibut Fillet, $15.99 lb
(Valid through 1/3/12)

Why buy halibut at PCC? Our entire seafood selection is sustainably harvested per the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. Read more about our committment.

Make the most of winter citrus

foodette — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:11:25 +0000

It's one of my favorite times of year: citrus season! It's an effervescent dose of liquid sunshine and fragrant zest right when we need it most to battle against wintertime gloom and darkness. Time to get peeling.

Citrus best bets

It's December, which means we're deep in the heart of Satsuma season! Pick up a box of these sweet, juicy organic gems as an easy hostess gift or potluck contribution. They also make delightful stocking stuffers and table centerpieces. Explore these fun recipes. Learn more about our grower, Johansen Ranch.
Why buy organic citrus? Well, the higest concentrations of pesticides in conventinoal citrus are found in the peel. Anytime you plan to grate or zest or candy citrus peels for baking, sweets or cocktails, be sure to go organic for optimal quality and flavor.
Did you know we sell preserved lemons in bulk in most of our Delis? Learn how to cook with them here (tip: put 'em to good use the next time you roast a chicken). And, learn how to preserve your own with fresh lemons here.
Organic ruby red Rio Star grapefruit from Texas is arriving now, and it's sweet and juicy from our growers at South Tex Organics. Broil it, use it in French toast, juice it, make a mean salsa, add it to salads: find plenty of inspiration.

Thick-cut French Toast with Maple-Ginger Pink Grapefruit. Mmm...

Learn more about citrus

Take a video tour of our citrus selection with P.J., our Redmond PCC produce manager.
Check out our winter citrus primer.
Get baking! Try Lemon Coconut Chews as a light treat after tea.
Go savory. Citrus plays well with nearly any cuisine. Roast cauliflower with lemon tahini sauce or pull together Sizzling Szechuan Tangerine Chicken.

PCC Chef Lynne Vea's Sizzling Szechuan Tangerine Chicken. Just imagine how great it smells!

Tell us: How do you most like to enjoy citrus?

Baking recipes galore

foodette — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:23:43 +0000

December is a baker's dream. The oven's heat is more than welcome. Recipes both treasured and new fly between friends and family. Traditions are born and continued. Homes and hearts fill with the scent of fresh-baked cookies, sugar and butter. So what are you waiting for?

Let's get started with recipes. Here are some quick links to frequent reqeusts in our recipe database:

Butter. Most bakers already have a favorite, but December's the perfect time of year to explore all your options. PCC's dairy cases are stocked with creamy, delicate butter ideal for baking from Denmark, single-origin butter from France, European-style goat's milk butter and everything in-between. Read more about all these creamy options and more in this Sound Consumer article.

Sugar. Intensify or lighten the sweetness of your baked goods with our range of sugars and alternative sweetners.

Eggs. Yes, you'll find locally raised organic chicken eggs. But have you discovered the loftiness duck eggs can lend your cakes and other baked goods? Learn more.

Flour. Why limit yourself to all-purpose white flour? PCC carries flour from just about every grain and seed imaginable, including brown rice, teff, buckwheat and quinoa. Browse our selection.

Now, get baking! And feel free to share photos of your handiwork with fellow PCC members and shoppers on our Facebook page!

3 simple tips for a healthy holiday

foodette — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:40:34 +0000

Nothing dampens the cheeriness of the holidays quite like being down for the count with an awful cold or a bout of the flu. So play offense this December: follow these easy tips to keep your immune system strong.

Tip 1. Eat your organic greens. And keep eating them. Kale, chard, beet greens, collards and other vivid green leafy vegetables are packed with vital nutrients and antioxidants. Even better: they help the body rid itself of toxins, making it easier for the immune system to function at its peak. Click here to learn more about them and find plenty of vibrant recipes. If you prefer to drink your greens, click here to learn about powderered greens supplements you can easily add to your morning smoothie. And click here for our most popular video of 2011: how to make kale chips!

Tip 2. Take a probiotic supplement or eat probiotic-rich foods. Probiotics are good bacteria found in fermented/cultured foods that find a home in our digested system. According to PCC Nutrition Educator Nick Rose, these beneficial organisms assist with normal digestion and benefit our immune systems. Find them daily in foods like yogurt and kefir (all yogurt and kefir at PCC contains live active cultures), miso and tempeh, sauerkraut and kimchi, and kombucha, the popular fermented tea. If you prefer a supplement, find plenty of healthy options in PCC's health and body care department.

Tip 3. Wash those hands. It seems so obvious, but when you consider all the surfaces we touch throughout each day, keeping your hands clean is key, especially before you eat. Wash with hot water and soap long enough to sing yourself a round of "Happy Birthday." Or, try one of PCC's alcohol- and chemical-free hand sanitizers from CleanWell, powered by naturally antibacterial thyme-oil.

Here are even more wellness tips:

Learn to maintain healthy sinuses
Get a full list of immunity boosters
Ways to beat cold and flu
A helpful video review of some of our best-selling cold and flu fighting products

Good luck, and stay well!

Homemade gift ideas

foodette — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:41:04 +0000

Make this the year you surprise your friends and family with homemade gifts, just as you've been meaning to do for years. While a tin of cookies is always welcome, we've got a variety of options to whet any appetite, including homemade mustard, from-scratch soup mix, spiced cocoa mix and herb roasted nuts.

Iole Aguero's Chocolate Almond Biscotti. Find the recipe here.

Find ideas and recipes for homemade gifts here. Or, pick up a free copy of December PCC Taste magazine on your next trip to PCC. And click here for a variety of our cookie recipes, including Whole Grain Cutter Cookies and Almond Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies.

If you or your intended recipient avoid flour, don't miss our selection of recipes for wholesome, flourless sweets, including Cashew Coconut or Chocolate Truffle Power Balls.

Have fun getting crafty!