Heading to the beach sometime this summer? Here’s a tip from our Greensbury team: when you’re packing your car full of boogie boards and frisbees and such, leave room for a cooler packed with ice and frozen organic meats and grass-fed beef.

No need to waste precious vacation time searching out speciality markets or butchers. Whether you’re staying for a long weekend, a week, or more, you can make the good times even better by making sure you have all the ingredients for some great nights of grilling. Even if all you need is burgers and hotdogs, why not enjoy the peace of mind you get from serving your family all-organic meat? 

Here’s a surefire recipe for making delicious organic grass-fed hotdogs on the grill, along with a crowd-pleasing potato salad:

• 4 hotdogs
• 4 hotdog buns
• 2 pounds small or medium red potatoes
• cup or more mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• cup minced sweet onion
• 1/3 cup finely diced celery
• 3 tablespoons minced parsley
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 all-beef hotdogs
• 4 hotdog buns
• Ketchup, mustard and relish
• Course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

As more research points to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals in our lives, choosing organic meats and produce is one of the easiest ways to cut down on your exposure to potentially harmful substances. 

According to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit environmental-research organization, “There is growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long-lasting effects.” 

The Group has become well-known for its “Dirty Dozen” list of the fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides. The conventionally grown peach – a beloved summer favorite that’s just now showing up in stores and markets — ranks as the number one culprit for pesticide load. In the veggie department, sweet bell peppers are the worst.

You can download the shopper’s guide to your iPhone or as a PDF. And if you’d rather not make a habit of eating chemicals and pesticides, try to choose organic meats, fruits, vegetables, and other foods as often as you can.

Most of the Moms we know are busy. REALLY busy. So this Mother’s Day, we’ve got an idea: why not send the Moms in your life a sampler of Greensbury organic meats?  The convenience factor is a big plus for anyone who wants to choose organic without making special trips to the store. 

Our beef, chicken and pork is not only delicious and certified organic — it’s also individually packaged, flash frozen, and shipped in environmentally resonsible packaging. If you’re not home right when it arrives, no problem: the cooler will keep it safely frozen for several hours. 

You can read our FAQs to learn lots more about how we package, deliver and ship Greensbury organic meats. Just in time for Mother’s Day, you can save 20% on our spring samplers of organic meats and grass-fed beef. 

And if you know a Mom who’s looking for time-saving recipes, here’s a helpful recipe blog from a busy mother of two.

Real Mom Kitchen Blog

Filet mignon with asparagus

Spring is the perfect time to begin cooking with healthy, organic ingredients. Your supermarket or farmer’s market will start offering more greens, herbs and vegetables at affordable prices.  Whether you’re firing up the grill, heading out to a picnic, or simply looking for more ways to put organic foods on your table, this is the season to experiment with new recipes, fresh-picked flavors, and earth-friendly choices.  

Here’s a simple Greensbury recipe featuring a perennial spring favorite, asparagus, paired with tender organic filet mignon and herb butter. Try it with grass-fed filet to increase the health benefits of this celebratory meal. 

Organic Broiled Filet Mignon with Lemon-Herb Butter and Asparagus

Serves 4

• 4 filet mignon steaks
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• Zest and juice from one lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• One bunch asparagus
• Course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

There are lots of great reasons to go organic. For many people, good health is at the top of the list. When you choose organic meat, it’s reassuring to know there are no added hormones or pesticides on your plate. And it feels good to know that the animals are raised in a healthy environment, where they range freely and have access sunshine, fresh air and organic vegetarian feed.

If you’re concerned about healthy cooking, here are some tips:

• Include whole grains and nutrient-rich organic fruits and vegetables in your meals.
• Learn about the health benefits of grass-fed beef.  
• Experiment with new recipes featuring a variety of organic beef, pork and chicken — plus some interesting veggies, herbs and spices, nuts, grains, and other good-for-you ingredients.   

Here’s a great, healthy recipe from Greensbury Market featuring delicious organic chicken sausage, fresh spinach, and pasta. Enjoy it in good health!

Chicken Sausage with Ravioli

Organic Chicken Sausage with Ravioli, Spinach and Toasted Pine Nuts

• 4 sausages, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound baby spinach
• 1 pound fresh raviolini, or ravioli
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Shaved parmesan
• Red pepper flakes, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage slices and sauté until nicely browned. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low and add pine nuts. Cook until the nuts are golden brown, stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat.

Put the ravioli in the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and return it to the pot. Stir in the sausage mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss gently.

To serve, divide among 4 rimmed bowls and pass Parmesan and red pepper flakes for sprinkling.

Check out more healthy recipes from Greensbury Market.