As the new school year begins, many parents are looking ahead and wondering how to squeeze family meals into a packed schedule. Keeping basic, healthy foods in the freezer can make life easier—and more nutritious—for parents and kids on the go.

Preserving the family meal

Balancing the demands of a fulltime job with kids’ afterschool activities, homework, and other commitments can leave little time for leisurely homemade dinners. Yet experts agree it’s important not to give up on the idea of sitting down and eating together. A study published in May in Pediatrics magazine found that children and adolescents who ate with their family three or more times per week were more likely to be in a normal weight range and eat healthier than kids who shared fewer than 3 family meals together.

The freezer can be a secret weapon in the fight to preserve the family meal. Grocery shopping for fresh food mid-week is one task too many for many parents. If you find yourself resorting to prepackaged frozen fare or takeout meals more often than you’d like, or giving in to the idea of cereal for dinner, try these tips for stocking your freezer and making last-minute meals using organic meats, organic produce and other wholesome ingredients.

Five keys to a well-stocked freezer

1. Vacuum-sealed organic meats — The vacuum seal on Greensbury organic meats ensures that our products stay good for up to six months in the freezer. Once they’re defrosted, as long as they’re still in their original packaging, they stay fresh and delicious for up to five days.
2. Organic vegetables and fruits — Vegetables and fruits retain their vitamins and minerals when they’re frozen, meaning they are as nutritious as fresh vegetables. Today’s supermarket veggie choices go far beyond corn, peas, and the standard vegetable medley. Try edamame, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and healthy preparations with light sauces or herbs. Frozen berries and other fruits can be a refreshing treat on their own, or as part of yogurt smoothie.
3. Individual portions – Keep individual portions of organic chicken breasts, organic grass-fed beef patties, organic sausages, and other organic meats and grass-fed beef on hand. You can defrost the number of portions you need overnight in the freezer, or even cook them frozen using a slightly lower temperature.
4. Variety of choices — With a wide variety, you can always find something to supplement a meal or to please the pickier members of the family. The beauty of frozen food is that you don’t have to defrost all at once — so you can make a little of this and a little of that, without waste.
5. Extra portions — When you take the time to make something more elaborate, prepare extra and freeze enough for another meal. Soups and stews are especially easy to make in large quantities, and they sometimes taste even better the second time around.

National Farmers Market Week kicked off on Monday, August 8. In addition to issuing a proclamation, the USDA announced there are now more than 7,000 markets listed in the USDA Farmers Market Directory, meaning it’s getting easier to do what we at Greensbury Market do every day: support family farms and sustainable, organic farming methods. Many local markets carry organic meat and grass-fed beef, as well as organic produce, dairy, cheese and other goodies.

Since summer is prime farmer’s market season, now’s the time to make the effort to seek one out, when you’ll find fresh and locally grown produce that’s full of flavor:  heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, juicy peaches and plums, and much more.  We hunted down some great recipes that you can pair with organic chicken, organic pork, or organic grass-fed beef for a delicious summer meal.

Zucchini and Tomato Gratin
Alice Waters, Chef and Owner, Chez Panisse
Pair with: Grilled 100% Grass-fed Strip Steak

Serves 6 to 8

1 yellow onion(s)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small bunch thyme
1 bunch fresh basil
6 to 8 medium tomato(es)
10 zucchini, or yellow squash

Preheat oven to 400F.

Peel and slice the onion and sauté it in olive oil until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme and basil leaves. Remove the stem ends of the tomatoes and cut into ¼-inch slices. Trim the squash and cut into ¼-inch slices on diagonal.

Spread the onion and herbs on the bottom of a 9×12 inch baking or gratin dish. Make a row of slightly overlapping tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper. Make a row of zucchini or squash slices. Make alternate rows of slightly overlapping tomato slices and zucchini or yellow squash until the pan is covered and the vegetables are used up.

Press down on the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and bake uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes until the gratin has started to brown.

Melanzane Ripiene (Stuffed Italian Eggplant)
Carmine Marzano, Chef and Owner, Ristorante Luigino
Pair with: Organic Italian Sausages

Serves 4

4 Italian eggplant
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion(s), chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 ounces sausage, pork
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 egg(s)
1 pinch dry marjoram
1 teaspoons parsley, chopped
salt
pepper(s)
Parmesan cheese, grated, as garnish

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score around the outside with a sharp knife, being careful not to pierce the shell. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Poach the eggplant shells for about 45 seconds in boiling water, and set aside to cool off.

Chop the flesh of the eggplant and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chopped eggplant and sausage and cook for about ten minutes. Set aside while the filling cools off. Mix the eggplant and sausage with the Parmesan cheese, eggs and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill the eggplant halves with a pastry bag or spoon and sauteon both sides in a skillet with olive oil for about two minutes or bake in a 350F oven for 15 minutes. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Chile Rellenos
Grady Spears, Co-Owner and Executive Chef, Reata Restaurants

Pair with: Organic chicken

Grady Spears worked as a cowhand and cattle broker before becoming executive chef and co-owner of the Reata Restaurants in Alpine and Fort Worth, Texas, and in Beverly Hills, California. Named one of the Top 5 New Chefs of 1998 by Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, his work at Reata has been widely praised in newspapers and magazines from coast to coast. He is the author of A Cowboy in the Kitchen, Cowboy Cocktails and Texas Farm to Market.

Serves 2

Red Chile Sauce:
2 ancho chile(s)
2 New Mexican dried chile(s), or Mexican guajillos
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 onion(s), minced
1 clove of garlic, minced

Slit each chile with a sharp knife and remove the sees and stem. Place the ancho and dried peppers in a large saucepan, cover with chicken stock and add the onion and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are soft. Pour the pepper mixture and cooking liquid into a blender and blend on low speed, increasing to high speed as the pureé combines.
Chicken Stuffing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound, skinless, boneless chicken, thigh meat
1 3/4 cups tomato(es), peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup red chile(s), sauce (recipe above)
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper(s), to taste

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the chicken. Sauté the meat over medium heat, turning it several times, until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to cool. Coarsely chop the meat and put it in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, chile sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix Gently.
Rellenos:
4 large poblano peppers
2 cups (about 8 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

Roast peppers: Lightly oil their skins and roast them over a flame or under a broiler until they are charred on all sides. Set aside in a sealed plastic bag for 10 minutes to allow the steam to loosen the skin. Peel off the charred skin and discard it. Slit one side, remove and discard the seeds. The peppers are now ready to stuff.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Put one quarter of the chicken mixture in each pepper, with the cut side facing up. Place the peppers on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Mix together the Monterey Jack and goat cheese and divide it evenly among the peppers, piling cheese on top of the chicken mixture. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes or until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve at once.

These days, you can get “artisanal” chocolate, bread, cheese, and coffee…so why not artisanal beef?

When the Greensbury team first heard that people were using the term “artisan” or “artisanal” for organic meats, we thought it was a little strange, since artisans have traditionally been defined as craftspeople who work with their hands, making things everything from furniture to leather belts. But the more we thought about it, the more we realized that small family farmers are practicing a traditional craft, and sustainably raised grass-fed beef deserves to be recognized for its unique flavor and quality.

Here are some reasons to put the organic grass-fed beef raised on American family farms into the same category with other finely crafted foods and products:

• Made in small batches: “Small batch” is now a term, like artisanal, often attached to canned foods, or baked goods, or other edible items to distinguish them from industrial or mass-made products. When you buy small batch salsa, for example, you can assume that it wasn’t made on an assembly line in a enormous factory that cranks out thousands of bottles a day. By the same token, when you buy grass-fed steaks and other grass-fed meats raised on organic family farms, you know that the animals were raised with care in pastures, not in feedlots, and that the farmer’s livelihood depends on following strict organic standards and producing beef that is “a cut above” what you find in the average supermarket aisle.
• Traditionally made: Before the rise of industrial farming, cattle were routinely grazed in pastures, and therefore beef was grass-fed. Industrial farming introduced grain into the picture, as well as antibiotics and added hormones, which were designed to make producing beef faster and cheaper. Unfortunately, most Americans began to get used to beef that is grain-finished and raised on farms that use pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
• Unique: Greensbury works with family farmers raise that their livestock and poultry with an emphasis on taste. These farmers have created innovative and unique diets that consist of a variety of green-growing forage. One of our ranchers admitted he spent more than 15 years fine-tuning the different types of grasses, plants and alfalfas he feeds his cattle to make his meat taste great.
• Authentic and wholesome: Our farmers and ranchers treat their animals humanely, allowing them to graze freely. They rotate grazing to allow the grass and soil to replenish naturally. Organic grass-fed beef is better for us, and better for our planet. When compared to grain-fed livestock, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats are among the healthiest of protein sources on the planet, with more “good” fat, less calories, more omega-3s, and more conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs).

Knowledge is power, as they say, and today many Americans want to know as much as possible about the food they eat: where it comes from, what’s in it, and whether it’s good for their health and the environment.

The government has responded to new concerns about food safety, quality and public health with more laws about nutrition labeling in supermarkets and restaurants. Especially where meat is concerned, however, it can be confusing to sort through all the information on packages and labels. What does “natural” mean? If it says “no growth hormones,” does that mean it’s organic? Where does “grass fed” or “free range” fit into the picture?

At Greensbury, we believe that “certified organic” provides the best insurance that meat is as natural, healthy and environmentally friendly as possible. Here’s why:

1)   Organic farmers do not use antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones. Organic livestock are never given antibiotics or synthetic hormones such as the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone. Their feed is organic and vegetarian. By eating organic meats, you also limit your intake of genetically modified foods, because organic farmers cannot raise genetically modified crops or livestock or use production aids that are genetically modified.

2) Organic meat comes from animals that are given 100% organic feed. Organic animals are raised the way nature intended, in an environment with fewer toxins, no pesticides, healthier soil, and 100% organic all vegetarian feed.

3) Organic animals are given access to the outdoors and/or pastures. Animals on certified organic farms are raised with special attention to their health and wellbeing. They have access to fresh air, sunshine, and the outdoors. This is good for them, and food for you, too. Organic meats come from animals whose good health is looked after.

4)   Organic grass-fed beef has special health benefits. When compared to grain-fed livestock, organic grass-fed, pasture-raised beef is among the healthiest protein sources on the planet. Grass-fed beef can have up to one-third less fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal. Because they are lower in fat than grain-fed animals, grass-fed meat is lower in calories. Grass-fed beef has two to four times more heart-friendly omega-3s than meat from grain-fed animals.

5)   Organic farms do no use most conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Certified organic farmers do no use most conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Organic agricultural practices prevent pesticides and other chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.

6)   Organic farmers emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Well-balanced soil is the foundation of healthy, nutritious food. Conventional farming depletes the soil over time. Organic farmers use practices that replenish and build healthy soil.

7)   Organic farms are inspected by a Government-approved certifier. The inspection process is rigorous and ensures the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic meats must be certified, too.

As soon as the warm weather arrives, many of us feel inspired to fire up the backyard grill immediately. Before you invite the whole neighborhood for a barbecue, however, a few moments of preparation can pay off. Spring is a great time to get organized by cleaning your grill, ordering organic meats and grass-fed beef to keep handy in your freezer, and practicing techniques that result in the most flavorful meals.

Here are few steps to make sure you make superior grilled meats and grass-fed steaks this spring and summer:

1. Clean and season your grill, and order new parts as necessary. Grills can take a beating over time, especially if they ever get left out in the rain or snow. Scrub grates or drip bars and wash with hot soapy water. After they’re completely dry, wipe down with vegetable oil or solid vegetable shortening and season at a high temperature for at least an hour to an hour and a half. If have a gas grill, make sure there are no cracks or holes in the gas lines.

2. Stock your freezer with high-quality, sustainably raised grass-fed steaks. Try rib eye, porterhouse, t-bone, top loin (NY Strip) or tenderloin (filet mignon) steaks for maximum flavor, juiciness and tenderness on the grill. Organic grass-fed steaks are not only delicious, but they are also better for your health. Grass-fed beef has as much as one third less saturated fat and two to four times more omega-3s than beef from grain-fed animals. (Omega-3s are heart-friendly, “good” fats that play a vital role in every cell in your body.) You can support family farms and sustainable eco-friendly farming practices by buying organic grass-fed beef and other organic meats.

3. Practice techniques that maximize the natural flavor and tenderness of grass-fed meat. Some people think grass-fed meat is less tender than grain-fed—but you can prove them wrong! In fact, grass-fed meat can be every bit as delicious, juicy and tender as your favorite grain-fed steaks. It is important, however, to remember that a healthy grass-fed steak tends to require a little more TLC, so it does not get overcooked and become tough or chewy. Here’s our advice:

• Bring your grass-fed steaks to room temperature and season with salt and pepper.
• Sear each steak for a couple of minutes on high heat, just long enough to create a light crust that protects the interior.
• Don’t finish your steaks on high heat! Instead, move your grass-fed steaks off the high flame and continue cooking at the edge of the grill, covered, until they come to your desired internal temperature. Cooking grass-fed steaks more gently, off the flame, will keep them nice and moist and tender.

As a rule of thumb, remember that treating animals more tenderly (through humane and sustainable farming practices) and cooking grass-fed meat more tenderly (through more gentle grilling techniques) results in a wonderfully tender, satisfying grass-fed steak.

Potatoes and beef have always been great together. Naturally the best beef deserves the best potatoes—and we think it’s tough to come up with a better pairing than 100% organic grass-fed beef and 100% organic farm-fresh spuds.

Consider, first of all, how many different cuts of grass-fed beef there are share the plate with potatoes. And then consider all the amazing ways to serve potatoes—not to mention the wonderful variety of heirloom potatoes that are more common nowadays at farmer’s markets and supermarkets.

Any way you slice it, it all adds up to delicious. Here are three of our favorite combinations.

1. Grilled grass-fed hamburger and hand-cut Russet fries ­— Grass-fed beef patties have lots of flavor, but less saturated fat and cholesterol. To really bring out the taste of fresh Russet potatoes, leave the skin on and cut them into thick sticks or wedges. You can toss them in a few tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and “fry” them in the oven. If you want to go whole potato and fry your own, here is some guidance on how to make hand-cut homemade fries.
2. Juicy grass-fed rib eye steak and French Fingerling potato salad — Start with a marbled grass-fed rib eye that’s been dry-aged 21 days for maximum tenderness and flavor and comes from family farms where great taste is a point of pride. Grill to perfection. Then pair with fingerlings that have been steamed, boiled or roasted, and tossed in fresh-tasting vinaigrette like this gremolata-inspired dressing.
3. Grass-fed pot roast and garlic mashed Yukon Golds — A grass-fed rump roast can become the ultimate Sunday night dinner. We like this Galloping Gourmet recipe featuring bitter beer—especially when it’s served with buttery Yukon Gold potatoes mashed with the perfect blend of seasonings and creamery butter. Learn the secret to buttery garlic mashed potatoes without cream, and you’re lowering the saturated fat a little more—which you already did by choosing grass-fed over traditional beef.

Now that we’ve got you started, you can probably dream up a thousand different ways to make the most of organic grass-fed beef and the not-so-humble potato.  Here’s are some tips to help you choose the right potatoes for the right kind of recipe:

Starchy potatoes (like Russets, Sweet Potatoes and Jewels Jams) are great for baking and frying. They don’t hold their shape when boiled, and they can be gluey if over-mashed.

Waxy potatoes (like Russian Bananas and Fingerlings) have a smoother, waxy texture. Because they hold their shape while cooking, they work well in soups, stews, and potato salad.

All-purpose potatoes (like most red and blue varieties, Kennebecs and Yukon Golds) aren’t waxy but have less starch, so they work well in most dishes.

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve brought back absolutely delicious, 100% organic whole chickens. When the weather outside is frightful, roast an organic whole chicken in the oven for an easy, classic meal. Our whole chicken comes without giblets, so it’s a snap to defrost, season, and cook any time of year.

If you’re looking for an easy, healthy and festive family meal, try recipes like this one for Perfect Roast Chicken from Emeril Lagasse, which includes savory roast vegetables and a rich gravy made with the pan juices.

Ring in the New Year with Organic Chicken Wings

If your New Year tradition involves a party – or a football game – why not serve chicken wings that a cut above?

You don’t have to be from Buffalo to love wings. And you don’t have to go to Buffalo to get great ones. With no antibiotics or added hormones, our mix of organic chicken wings and drumsticks make delicious organic finger food. Spice them up with your favorite marinade or rub, and barbecue or oven-roast.

We like the simplicity and clear directions offered in Elizabeth Karmel’s Hands-Down Best Chicken Wings Recipe printed last year in The Washington Post.

Cook with Organic Chicken

You’ll love the convenience of cooking with Greensbury’s juicy, flavorful boneless and skinless organic chicken leg meat. No need to spend time removing skin or de-boning. Ideal for many chicken recipes, plus it’s organic and raised in a free-ranging environment on a family farm. Here’s a great recipe that will add some spice to your life in 2011: Spicy Roasted Chicken Thighs with Miso and Ginger.

Ground Beef

By popular demand, Greensbury now offers our delicious organic grass-fed ground beef in one pound packages as well as in patties. Same great organic taste! Grass-fed ground beef is higher in omega 3s and lower in saturated fat.

A Wonderful Gift Idea: Grass-fed Beef and Organic Meats (Delivered!)

Let Greensbury Market help you spread the joy of the season! You can have organic grass-fed beef delivered directly to the doors of your family members, clients, and loved ones.

We were interested to see that the USDA recently launched a program called Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, which supports the growing movement to connect the food we eat with the people, places and methods that produce it.

Not too many Americans know what life is like on a farm. Most of us grow up with an idealized view of what a farm should look like: a big red barn, lush green fields or pastures, free-ranging livestock, and hardworking people who care about the land. Sadly, today’s industrial farms are far from ideal. In fact, you have to make an effort to find the kind of local American farm that is pleasant to visit, where the animals and the people and the environment seem to be harmoniously coexisting.

That’s why we are so proud to work with organic family farms. Greensbury is committed to working only with producers that meet high standards for sustainably raised organic meats. We spend time visiting our farms and farmers because we know our customers can’t. And we promise: these are farms you can feel good about.

People often ask us whether our organic meats are healthier and more nutritious than other kinds of meats. We believe the answer is definite YES. But it’s not an easy question to answer. This is true for a few reasons.

First of all, “healthy” is a broad term that encompasses many aspects of living. Also, until recently, little research had been done on the health benefits and nutritional content of organic versus nonorganic foods.  And proving the link between improved health and switching to organic meats and other foods is a complex task.

Nonetheless, the evidence is mounting that organic foods are the healthier choice. Below are some examples of recent research exploring the health benefits of organic foods.

• A study in the medical journal Pediatrics reported that children who have higher levels of organophosphate pesticides in their urine had higher rates of attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD). For one of the pesticides, those children who had high levels of it had almost twice the rate of ADHD as those without any of that pesticide in their urine.
• The Miami Herald reported that Researchers at Washington State University tested both organic and conventional strawberries grown in 13 side-by-side California fields. They found that organic strawberries had significantly higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds. This study supports other research showing that organic foods may have higher nutritional value than conventional food, because in the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, plants boost their production of the phytochemicals (vitamins and antioxidants) that strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds.
• Even low-level pesticide exposure can be significantly more toxic for fetuses and children (due to their less-developed immune systems) and for pregnant women (it puts added strain on their already taxed organs), according to a report by the National Academy of Sciences.
• A recent Dutch study suggests that children are one third less likely to suffer from allergies before age two if they’re raised on organic dairy products. In the study, children and breastfeeding moms ate organic milk, cheese and yogurt. The study author said the connection between choosing organic dairy and less incidence of excema was clear. The risk for other allergies and asthma also decreased. Researchers believe the reason may be the higher concentrations of conjugated linoleic acids that are found in organic milk. Studies have shown that organic milk has 71 percent more omega-3 fatty acids, too, another important nutrient for growth and development.

Eating organic meats and other foods reduces your exposure to pesticides and added hormones, which studies such as those cited above suggest is good for your health. Human health is tied to the health of the environment, too, so in a broader sense you’re protecting your health by supporting sustainable organic farming methods. And if you choose grass-fed organic meats, you get the following health benefits:

• Grass-fed meats have more “good” (unsaturated) fats and fewer “bad” (saturated) fats, and fewer calories
• Grass-fed meats have four times more omega-3s than meat from grain-fed animals.
• Grass-fed meats are also one of the richest sources of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs), which may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer.
  

  Organic farming