"A rolling stone gathers no moss." 

-Publilius Syrus

"In a world where everyone wants to be a truffle, a potato is a wonderful thing to be." 

-Massimo Bottura 

     Do you consider yourself to be a busy bee? Constantly on-the-go with little to no time or energy to drag yourself to the grocery store to pick up weekly staples? If so, let us help take some of that load off your shoulders.
     Here’s the buzz - we have specially curated an a la carte local food box as well as a subscription-based program just for you! Introducing the Busy Bee box. An a la carte box would include local pantry staples such as eggs, pasta or bread, chips and salsa, cheese, and beans. A subscription would include 6 curated boxes delivered every other week. Each box would include a dozen eggs as well as 5 other rotating pantry items. Products can vary from preserves and chocolate to potatoes, pasta sauce, and more. The boxes are priced at $35 before sales tax. 
     If you would like more information about the Busy Bee box and subscription program, please email Maria at maria.valleyroots@gmail.com. 

Instructions

Prepare the tempeh:

• Whisk the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and liquid smoke together in a small bowl.
• Add the tempeh cubes and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes while you prepare your quinoa. Stir the cubes once or twice during marinating to keep them well-coated.

Prepare the quinoa:

• Rinse the quinoa well under cold running water, then transfer it to a small saucepan with vegetable broth over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Cover and simmer until the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the quinoa to sit for another 5 minutes, covered.

• Make your Cuban Fried Quinoa:

• Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh cubes; reserve excess marinade.
• Cook the tempeh, flipping occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the tempeh from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Return the skillet to the stovetop.
• Arrange the pineapple slices in the skillet and cook until tender and browned, about three minutes on each side. (You may have to cook them in batches depending on the size of your skillet.) Remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate, then return the skillet to the stovetop.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, along with the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño. Sauté until the onion and pepper just begin to soften a bit, about 3 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and add the quinoa and reserved marinade to skillet. Cook the quinoa, tossing frequently with a spatula, until it becomes slightly translucent and begins to crisp up, 3-5 minutes.
• Add beans and cooked tempeh to skillet and cook for another minute to incorporate, tossing frequently.
• Divide pineapple slices among plates and spoon quinoa mixture over pineapple slices. Top with green onions.

"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work." 

-Mary Oliver

Ingredients
Chicken Soup:

• 1 tablespoon oil*
• 2 carrots large, chopped*
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 1 onion chopped*
• 4 quarts Chicken Stock
• 2 cups cooked chicken*
• 1 tablespoon rosemary fresh, chopped*
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, chopped*
• 1 tablespoon thyme fresh, or 1 tsp dried*
• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Cream of Wheat*
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs lightly beaten*
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped*

1. In a large pot drizzle about 1 tablespoon oil and sauté the carrots, celery, and onions until soft and the onions are translucent. Add chicken stock and simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Salt and Pepper to taste. Add the dumplings from the recipe below. Drop dumplings with a tablespoon into simmering soup. Add chicken. Cover and gently simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes or until dumplings are cooked. Add the rosemary, parsley, thyme, and chicken. Stir gently. Do not over stir or the chicken and dumplings will begin to fall apart.

Farina Dumplings

1. Combine milk and salt in a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer. Slowly sprinkle in Cream of Wheat or Farina, stirring constantly. Cook for 2-3 minutes. This mixture will become very thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter and eggs until the mixture is smooth. Stir in parsley.

2. Drop by tablespoons into simmering soup. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

"In a world of infinite choices, choosing one thing is the revolutionary act. Imposing that restriction is actually liberating." 

-Priya Parker

• Pickup is available Thursdays between 9 & 5pm unless otherwise discussed. 

• Home delivery fees vary depending on your location.
• If your house is difficult to get to in our vehicles, we may ask to meet you in town or drop at the nearest pickup location.
• Please email us specific delivery instructions if you have them and won't be at home at time of delivery.
• Don't forget to leave old boxes on your porch for our drivers.
• Drivers might be calling or texting if they have trouble finding your house.

• These spaces are shared with other entities. Please be respectful of the different policies per pick up location as most often they are a shared space or a donated space.
• Be sure to take all frozen items from either the chest freezer available or cooler. We are not to be held responsible for forgotten, perishable goods. Invoices are highlighted with frozen items as an extra reminder.

• 1 lb lean ground beef*

• ½ cup raw white rice, long-grain or basmati work best
• ¼ cup EACH: finely minced fresh mint and cilantro, packed*
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon EACH: pepper, cumin, and dried oregano
• 1 large egg*
• 1 tablespoon oil*
• 2 medium carrots, diced*
• 1 medium onion, minced*
• 4 cloves garlic, minced*
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
•  Optional: ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced*
• 1 cup frozen corn 

1. Mix all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Using a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoons), scoop the meat into 42 balls. Gently roll them into balls.
   1 lb lean ground beef, ½ cup raw white rice, ¼ cup EACH: finely minced fresh mint and cilantro, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon EACH: pepper, cumin, and dried oregano, 1 large egg
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and (if using) the chili flakes, and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat so that the soup is simmering gently.
   1 tablespoon oil, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, 6 cups beef broth, Optional: ½ teaspoon chili flakes
3. Add the meatballs to the soup and DO NOT stir. Let them cook for 10 minutes in the simmering broth without stirring them.
4. Add the potatoes to the pot and gently stir. When they are almost cooked (in about 10 minutes), add the corn to the pot and let it heat through.
   2 medium yellow potatoes, 1 cup frozen corn

"Today is the best day of your life." 

-Jesús Flores

• 1 pound (450g) sunchokes, rinsed and trimmed of any dark spots*

• Kosher salt

• 1 1/2 tablespoons (20ml) sunflower or safflower oil*

• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 30g) unsalted butter

• Large pinch freshly picked thyme leaves*

• Salt, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, cover sunchokes with 1 inch cold water. Season generously with salt (the water should taste nicely salted, as if you were seasoning soup). Set over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until paring knife inserted into a sunchoke meets little resistance, about 10 minutes; be careful not to overcook.
2. Drain sunchokes using fine-mesh strainer or colander. When cool enough to handle, place sunchokes on work surface or cutting board. Working 1 sunchoke at a time, use the bottom of a heavy skillet to press firmly on each sunchoke until it is flattened but still in one piece; take care not to press so hard that the sunchokes break apart.
3. In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add sunchokes in a single layer and cook without moving until well browned, about 3 minutes. Flip sunchokes, then add butter to the pan and allow to melt. Add half of thyme to the melted butter and continue to cook, spooning butter over sunchokes, until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer.
4. Transfer sunchokes to a serving plate and spoon the thyme butter on top. Garnish with remaining freshly picked thyme leaves and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve immediately.

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." 

-George Santayana 

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil*
• 1 small yellow onion diced*
• 1 large potato cut into 1/2-inch chunks*
• 2 red bell peppers diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic about 1 tablespoon
• 2 pounds ground beef*
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder* 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups pinto beans, soaked overnight*
• 1 15-ounce pumpkin purée (roasted pie pumpkin & pureed in a food processor)* 
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth or water
• Sliced jalapeno avocado, chopped cilantro, red onion, and/or non-dairy plain yogurt, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potato, red and green bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft.
2. Add the turkey, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often to break up the chunks.
3. Once the meat is browned, add the chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir and cook until very fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the beans, pumpkin, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes in their juices, and 1 cup chicken broth (or water). Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Let simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens further, about 30 minutes, stirring every so often so that the chili does not stick to the bottom. If the chili becomes too thick, add additional broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
6. Toward the end of the cooking time, taste, and adjust the seasonings as desired. Add more chipotle chili powder for an extra smoky/spicy kick (be careful; a little goes a long way) and more salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with desired toppings.

The seed I planted in the earth
Will slumber 'neath the snow.
And many days will come and pass
Before I see it grow.

But when the harvest-time has come
And crops are gathered in
I'll breathe a quiet prayer of thanks
That I chose to begin.

The Wheel of the Year is turning, slowly but surely, toward Spring.
Energy and Life are returning after a long, dark Winter.
The time for peaceful slumber is nearly over. 

Imbolc blessings 
to you and yours. 

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa*
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 packages Honey Smoked Fish*
• 1–2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro*
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 large eggs*
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, plus extra for serving
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• Olive oil or avocado oil, for cooking
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

• Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Cook according to package directions. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Mix to combine quinoa, salmon, green onions, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, lemon juice, and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Form into 12-13 patties, about 1/4 cup each.
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil and when hot add the salmon patties.  Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Reduce heat if patties brown too fast. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining patties, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Before serving, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the patties.