Natural Enquirer January 2022

Y O U R

C O M M U N I T Y

THE

N A T U R A L

F O O D S

NATURAL

a publication of the skagit valley food co-op

M A R K E T

ENQUIRER january - march 2022

carts full of heart: 4% friday Cover Image: Salish Sea Deaf School

Community is what makes us a Co-op, and it’s why we exist: to nourish, serve, and give back to our friends and neighbors in Skagit Valley. Every month all year long, when you shop on 4% Friday, we donate 4% of sales to local nonprofits. From school gardens and community kitchens to homeless outreach and the preservation of Skagit farmland, what you put in your cart plays a big part!

Thanks to you and our ongoing 4% Friday efforts, we have donated over $375,000 to date.

Last year, we prioritized healthy food for all by selecting groups with a focus on food security during the pandemic.

The level of need continues to rise, and as a Co-op, we’re still building on ways to increase food resiliency. So again, our 2022 4% Friday groups focus on food and family as well as fish and fun! Be sure to mark your calendars, stock up, and shop big to give with us in a big way.

You’ll find the 2022 4% Friday groups on page 8.

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in this issue

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4

From The Board ∙ 2

6

page

11

Cheers to Citrus ∙ 3 Resolutions ∙ 5 Tokens for Tomorrow ∙ 15 Spiderling ∙ 16 Who's Your Umami?

Peace in Pieces

New & Notable: Spudlove

from the general manager

from the board

Greetings Co-op Member-Owners!

As I sit to write this letter it’s mid-November. I have just experienced my first Skagit River flood event. I want to put a big thanks out there to all who were responsible for the planning, construction, and maintenance of the flood wall.

It was very impressive to see the efficiency in which the city workers erected the wall and how amazingly effective the wall was. I had heard stories from some long-term employees about previous floods and the physical labor required to fill sandbags in order to protect downtown businesses. After witnessing firsthand the raw power of the river and seeing the destruction so many others endured, I feel so very fortunate that our Co-op came away unscathed.

Believe it or not, I have just hit my two-year anniversary as the General Manager of our Co-op. For me, it is hard to imagine that two years have already gone by. It has been such an eventful period of time.

Call For Candidates Support the mission and vision of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op as a Board Member Candidate! Ever thought about running for a position on the Board?

Curious what credentials are needed? Read through some frequently asked questions and consider putting your name in the hat… (there are actually a few more steps involved.)

Why does the Skagit Valley Food Co-op have a board?

The Board of Trustees provides the governance necessary to allow the Co-op to broaden our offerings of high quality, healthy food, support our environment, support our community with relevant education, and support local farmers, international fair trade, and other co-ops. To provide a base for growth, a cushion for harder times, and support to members of our community in need, financial oversight is essential.

What are some of the desired attributes of potential candidates?

We have embarked on a more active mission to identify individuals who will be our future board members. We are especially interested in bringing in owner-members with skill sets that will enhance our role, and who will more accurately represent the diversity of our community and increase our impact in communities we feel are underserved and underrepresented in our ownermembership.

I’m ready to apply! What do I need to do?

If you are interested in sitting on the Board, we ask that you fill out the Notice of Intent available on the Co-op website and submit it (with the attachments described) to board@skagitfoodcoop.com.

We ask that interested owner-members also attend at least one board meeting and meet with current Board members to go over what the Board does and what you could expect if you joined. The deadline for the next Board election is fast approaching. If you are interested in being on the ballot, you’ll need to submit paperwork by February 4 and complete the meetings prior to February 18 in order to have your name and information included in the Notice of Election in the Natural Enquirer and online. (We’d also like a photo for the publication.)

In the past, I’ve shared with you some of the accomplishments, goals, and business decisions of the past two years. I would like to give you a little bit of an update on where things stand today and what our focus will be over the next few months.

First, let me say that our Co-op remains healthy and has had a strong and profitable 2021. Final results will be shared with you all as soon as we have wrapped up our financial reporting. We accomplished much in 2021.

We committed to a “livable wage” structure for our staff, which resulted in significant pay increases for 2021 and the expectations of annual ongoing adjustments in the future. I am committed to paying our staff a fair wage, one that allows them to continue to work and raise a family in the area. This will require us to continually make adjustments in our business to ensure adequate revenue to fulfill this goal.

We made significant equipment and refrigeration upgrades in our store in 2021, and we will continue to do so in 2022. However, most of the investments planned for this year will be in systems like electrical and HVAC, areas not visible to a shopper.

We permanently closed Third Street Cafe. We are in the process of repurposing the space to allow for increased food production and storage that will better serve our store. Due to the significant supply chain delays on equipment and supplies, the conversion process is taking longer than anticipated. I am hopeful that the process will be complete by the middle of 2022.

In January, we will be conducting a thorough Staff Satisfaction Survey. We have hired an outside consulting company to conduct the survey for us. This company has successfully conducted accurate and confidential surveys for dozens of co-ops across the country. Because so many other co-ops utilize the same survey, we will be able to benchmark our results against other coops. The survey will allow us the opportunity to identify areas we do well in and areas that could use improvement. The results from the survey will be used as a tool to help us strategize ways to increase the overall staff satisfaction at our Co-op.

When will elections take place?

Elections typically take place in April leading up to the Board of Directors Annual Meeting in May, and we anticipate introducing online voting in 2022, to facilitate participation. Please watch for more details in the store, on the website, and in the next Natural Enquirer.

Skagit Valley Food Co-op Mission Statement The Skagit Valley Food Co-op is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide good food at a fair price. As stated in the Co-op Bylaws: The Co-op shall promote member welfare by utilizing their united funds and their united efforts for the purchase and distribution of commodities in accordance with the following criteria: A. Maintaining the not-for-profit status of the Co-op;

B. Offering high quality products which contribute to good nutrition;

C. Supporting a low impact, non-harmful approach to the environment; D. Supporting local suppliers and producers; E. A commitment to building a cooperative economy and supporting others who share that commitment;

F. A commitment to educational programs relevant to members and non-members in the community.

The Skagit Valley Food Co-op Natural Enquirer is a quarterly publication of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and may not reflect Co-op policy. No articles are meant to be used for diagnosis or treatment of illness. The Co-op does not endorse the products or services of advertisers.

Editor: Nicole Vander Meulen | Layout & Design: Megan Feichtinger Staff Contributors: Contributors: nancylee bouscher, Ben Goe, Leigha Staffenhagen & Tony White Board of Trustees: Brad Claypool, Kristen Ekstran, Britta Eschete, Casey Schoenberger, Rob Smith, Wayne Rushing, Tim Penninger & Tom Theisen Copyright 2022: Reprints with permission

2 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

Other Thoughts

The pandemic has brought about so much change. We have unprecedented supply chain issues that continue to affect availability of foods, equipment, and supplies. We are constantly dealing with labor issues due to a shortage of workers, as well as our existing staff needing time off to deal with COVIDrelated issues like quarantines, school closures, and ill family members. All of the new challenges we now face at the Co-op have added complexity to our jobs, which increases the stress level all around. Our resiliency and patience have grown due to the changes we have faced these past couple years. I am proud of the success we have shown in spite of the many new facets of today’s work environment and world.

The ways we are required to interact with each other over the past two years has been far from ideal. It has been so challenging for staff, members, shoppers, and vendors to communicate with each other while having to wear a facial covering. So often our daily in-store personal communications can be misconstrued as a result of wearing a mask. It can be difficult to hear and/or recognize facial expressions which often leads to misunderstanding and sometimes even confrontation. I am concerned that our Co-op may not feel like the joyful and fun place we intend it to be. Your Co-op shopping experience is built upon sharing the joy and gratitude of multiple personal interactions with our staff on a daily basis. We yearn to exchange smiles with you and nourish our spirits in the process.

As you are reading this letter from me now, I have no idea what the current facial covering practice is, but I suspect it is still a requirement. We will get through this most difficult time. But I look forward to the time where we will all be able to reintroduce ourselves, share a smile, have a laugh or two and embrace the joy and energy of our Co-op community. Until that happens, please believe that we are smiling behind that mask and are happy to be here to serve you.

It has been a fun and rewarding two years. I truly appreciate the opportunity to lead such an amazing Co-op. I am fortunate to have landed in such a wonderful place with an incredible group of employees and a dedicated and engaged group of owners. I look forward to and dream of a more normal year.

Cheers, Tony White

Cheers to Citrus

by Ben Goe

I know, I know, I always write about citrus for the winter Enquirer, but it’s been a weird couple of years for all of us, and we seek comfort in what we know and love. I also expect that we’ll all need some extra vitamin C before this winter is out: floods, darkness, the standard doldrums of a Northwest winter, and the still-looming threat posed by the pandemic. A taste of the summer sun past, and a reminder of warm days to come, citrus season always cheers me up during the winter. I thought that this year we’d discuss some ways to utilize and extend that cheer.

Firstly, decoration. Credit goes to Karin, our ingenious display and decoration person here at the Co-op. Slice a selection of colorful citrus into rounds—blood oranges, grapefruits, and pink Cara Cara navel oranges—half inch slices using a very sharp knife. Discard the ends. Select the prettiest and most even slices, and put them in your food dehydrator. The resulting dried pieces look like bits of organic stained glass, and can be strung up and hung in windows or saved for next year’s Christmas tree.

Next: candying. Most of us have candied orange peel, but of course, you can use the same method on any citrus. Some good choices are pummelos, Meyer lemons, and Buddha’s hands.

Cut the peel from the pith and into ¼ inch wide strips, then boil for a few minutes until tender.

Drain, rinse, and drain again. Then bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil. Add the peel and boil until soft, and then drain again. Save the liquid for reasons we’ll get to in a bit. After the peel has cooled and dried a little, toss it with caster sugar (not powdered sugar) and let cool fully on a parchment lined tray. You can dip some of them partially in melted chocolate at this point. Try chopping up some of the non-chocolate dipped ones and adding them to a salad!

I’ve used the same method with kumquats. I’d recommend skipping the first boil, and then just cutting them in half before adding to the syrup. Most of the seeds should end up in the liquid.

The syrup that’s left over can be used to make a delicious sweet-and-sour mix for midwinter margaritas and whiskey sours. You will use 2 parts simple syrup (half and half sugar and water, brought to a boil) and one part each lemon and lime juice, but why not get creative? Strain the leftover syrup from candying in place of the simple syrup, and then remember to adjust the level of syrup if you add sweeter fruits. After mixing the juice and syrup, bring the mixture to a boil and then refrigerate.

Finally, a word on sectioning citrus. I think most people shy away from it, but sectioning out citrus fruits can be very worthwhile. This is also a great use for the remaining fruit when you candy peels. Using your sharpest paring knife, cut the skin and pith away from the whole fruit, cutting into each section slightly to reveal the fruit beneath. Run your knife carefully into the edge of each section, and cut through both sides to release the segment. Seeds can be easily removed afterwards. You’ll never get quite all of the fruit, but you can squeeze what’s left at the end for the remaining juice. Use immediately for salads and desserts, boil briefly in simple syrup and can, or freeze as you would other fruits: arrange a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze to keep separate, then bag.

I hope this gives you a little inspiration for enjoying the fruits of winter, and spreads the sunshine a little further towards spring. And if the dark months are still getting you down, maybe a margarita will help.

Karin's citrus Christmas tree.

from the board

Join Our Next Community Conversation!

Growth in Skagit Valley: Our Future, Farming, & FCCs

Tuesday, Jan 11 6PM • via Zoom

Attend an educational session on growth in Skagit Valley that includes a general overview of the County’s current growth management plan, FCCs and what they are, and the impact of growth on local agriculture, our community, and the future of Skagit Valley.

The Board of Directors’ Member and Community Engagement Committee (MCEC) has been holding a series of virtual Community Conversations since 2020. Though we miss meeting face to face, these virtual events held via Zoom have been well attended and proven to be a great way to connect and learn with our members and community. Topics have ranged from local food security and the true cost of food to informative and interactive Q& A sessions with our General Manager Tony White.

We look forward to continuing these conversations in 2022 and are always in search of topics from our members. Is there something you think would make a great Community Conversation? Something you would like to learn more about? Please reach out to us at community@skagitfoodcoop.com

New Winter Hours

7am-8pm Daily

Stats from USDA and Wikipedia

skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 3

Who's Your Umami?

by Sarah Stoner

Miso: A Look at One of the World’s Most Famous Fermented Pastes Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, known in Japanese as koji, and sometimes rice, barley, or other ingredients.

I peer into the darkness of winter from a November now behind us. Yet we remain equidistant from the low swinging sun, simply on the other side, the winter solstice now behind us. Still, it is dark. Winter remains a long slog towards a higher arcing sun.

It makes sense somehow that the allure of a food that seems equally wintery— dark, earthy, mysterious—draws me to it. Miso. The fermented food from Japan considered a bedrock of Japanese cuisine. Densely nutritious, nurturing. It is most often used in soups and simmered dishes, vegetable glazes, and as a marinade for meat. Miso is a key ingredient of one of our family’s favorite soups, Red Rosemary Soup, made with red lentils, beets, and miso. I eat this soup and feel my blood wake up, cheeks flush.

Produced today in factories, miso historically was made in the home. This leaves miso with a strong association of comfort—of home. Miso activates one of our five core tastes. Taste receptors for umami, ‘the essence of deliciousness’ in Japanese, were identified on human tongue only in 2002—alongside our sweet, sour, salty, and bitter taste buds. The flavor has been around longer than that; 1,300 years for miso.

Miso is produced much like wine; in large casks of Japanese cedar. One of miso’s three essential ingredients—koji, the mold that allows for fermentation—is much like a sourdough starter unique to a batch of bread. How the microbes interact with the specific climate conditions within the walls of the fermentation room is much like a play about the marriage of science and poetry.

Variations in flavor come from fermentation times and variations on quantities of soybeans, grains, and koji starter used. Each Japanese household had its own recipe for miso. Purportedly, there are one thousand types of miso, though the types can be roughly categorized by color and grain. There’s rice miso, soybean bean miso, and barley miso. Regional differences—in climate, in crops—create regional flavors. West Japan, where barley grows readily, naturally is known for its barley miso.

Then there’s the color of miso: white (shiromiso) with a relatively shorter fermentation time and smooth even taste, red (akamiso) with a longer fermentation period bringing on more complex fully developed flavors, used to make miso soup, and a blend of white and red (awase), which many consider the best of both worlds. Generally, the darker in color, the saltier and stronger the taste; the lighter, the milder and sweeter.

A virtual tour I took through one Japanese miso factory showed me the batches of miso made, then stored in vast wooden vats nearly seven feet high and wide. As batches are added, the miso is compressed by foot to squeeze out air pockets, then left to ferment and mature over time—three years, at this factory.

The miso is moved once a year—into a different barrel and into a different room.

Much talk on the virtual tour revolved around the climate within each specific room.

As miso ages, the sharpness of the salt recedes and the flavor deepens. On my virtual tour, I glean the understanding that the complexity of miso parallels the complexity of wine—the tongue recognizes a young miso, which might be just fine for your everyday miso versus the long-aged special occasion miso.

Soybean miso in production.

When I mentioned my miso research to friends in the Valley, I learned of the Israeliborn British chef Yotam Ottolenghi and his newest cookbook that includes a recipe for Sticky Miso Bananas with Brown Sugar and Lime. The description goes like this: “This dessert ticks all of our flavour boxes – sweet, salty, tangy, umami — and all of our texture boxes — sticky, crunchy, and creamy.” Other recipes of Ottolenghi’s include Leeks with Miso and Chives (which explains that the punchy dressing pairs with mildly sweet leeks or new potatoes, and maybe as well drizzle it over fish, chicken, or tofu while you’re at it), and Gochujang Braised Eggs with Potato.

In my fantasy world, I will sample all these dishes soon; but most likely, since I often need to feed myself quickly, and my kids, we’ll be trying the Tuna & Miso Cheese Toastie recipe found on misotasty.com—good old fashioned canned tuna blended with white miso, mirin, and the tiniest amount of fresh ginger. A twist on our usual tuna melts.

Miso is rich in minerals and rich in vitamins, along with being high in protein. Miso is rich in enzymes making it a probiotic. Oh, and did I mention The New York Times recipe that my tween made together with her grandpa this fall? The Miso-Maple Loaf Cake was a savory-sweet-citrus soft surprise.

What’s said of miso and vitality is much like what’s said of apples and health here in the west. The Japanese saying goes, “One bowl of miso soup gives three leagues of energy” and the more direct, “Miso soup kills a doctor.” That’s right, a bowl a day just might keep the doctor away. Recipes and flavors built around miso seem limitless— I hope you find yourself inspired to explore. (recipes continued on pg. 14)

Sarah Stoner grew up in Uganda, Morocco, Belgium, and Thailand and lived in the U.S for the first time at age 18. Folks like her who spent their childhoods outside of their passport country are called Third Culture Kids or Cross-Cultural Kids. Time and place are ingredients that create complexity and depth of flavor in all of us. What’s your flavor?

Fermented Foods From Around the World Sourkraut

Germany

Kombucha

China/Russia

Fermentation science is simple. Yet it folds in the mystery of place, the dark art of fungi, the ingredient of time. Indeed, miso owes its complexity to the fact of fermentation. Dare we call it, the complexity that comes with age?

Tempeh

Natto

Kimchi

Kvass

Indonesia

Japan

Korea

Ukraine

Yoghurt, Lassi, Kefir & Crème Fraiche

Eastern Europe

Cheese

Europe/Americas Curtida

El Salvador

Sourdough Bread

Europe/US

We make food right, we make it right here, and we’ve been doing it for decades. As we head into the New Year, we’re excited to share some of our Deli favorites to make eating fresh, healthy, and deliciously as easy as possible. You can start your mornings with an Evergreen Smoothie, grab a lunch salad to-go, or indulge with a handmade pizza and ice cream.

Here’s what you can expect on your upcoming trips to the Co-op!

January

• Gluten-Free Donut Muffins • • Fresh To-Go Salads • • Evergreen Smoothie • • Orange Seville Ice Cream •

February

March

• Jam-Filled Shortbread Cookies • • Take-n-Bake Pizzas • • Sweet Tart Smoothie • • Ginger Ice Cream •

• Irish Black Bottom Cupcakes • • Quiches • • Green Machine Smoothie • • Dazzelnut Ice Cream •

4 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

Resolutions: The Long Game

by Leigha Staffenhagen

Welcome to January 2022. Yes, 2022. Can you believe just two years ago we were on the brink of the whole world changing? The word “COVID” was only a whisper in our vocabulary.

Nowadays, it’s hard to go a day without hearing or reading it somewhere. And while January 2020 feels like a lifetime ago, there’s one thing about the month of January that seems to stick around, regardless of a global pandemic.

Resolutions.

Whether you love the idea of a resolution or not, throughout the month of January we’re inundated by all sorts of messaging about eating healthier, waking up earlier, journaling more, saving money, practicing more yoga, and on and on. And with social media, we feel even more pressured to do it all perfectly, the first time. I don’t know about you, but for me, that feels like a recipe for failure. Especially when you think about the Januarys we’re so lucky to enjoy in the Pacific Northwest: dark, cold, and rainy.

On paper, it may look dazzling and doable. In reality, it doesn't seem like the ideal time to start jogging daily at the crack of dawn.

Leigha's morning routine.

In 2019, it was reported that only 7% of people who set resolutions actually completed them.

7! If you are a part of that 7%, amazing! Keep going. But if you’re like me, you’re a part of that 93% that has the best intentions to complete your resolutions, but find yourself stuck with an unfulfilled goal (I’m looking at you, books I said I’d read before the end of the year), and maybe feeling a bit defeated.

For me, one of the biggest goals I've always had the intention of setting was waking up earlier.

For years, I was staying up late, sleeping in, and always wishing I could be that person who’s sipping a cup of coffee and enjoying the stillness that is those early morning hours before most of the world wakes up. But it was always the same cycle. I’d try to wake up early, I’d hit snooze a couple of times, and inevitably wake up at my normal time. Or, I’d wake up, completely sick with exhaustion, power through the day with an extra cup of coffee, and give up on trying it again. I never had the willpower to become a morning person, mostly because I had convinced myself I was a night owl by nature, and it simply couldn’t be helped. It was as if there was this little switch inside me that just needed to be flipped in order for me to be that early riser.

I wish I could tell you there was a big secret formula to how I flipped that switch in my brain.

How I became the person who wakes up before the dawn even breaks, and how I’m early, or at least on time, more often than not. And though it might not be what you want to hear, what really helped me make the change wasn’t some ah-ha moment or magic potion. It was one simple, but often frustrating thing that we never want to give up in our fast-paced, instant gratification world: time. Flipping that switch took time, and plenty of patience with myself. It took way longer than just the month of January, when many of us feel the pressure to complete some arbitrary resolution simply because the calendar has flipped from 2021 to 2022.

Sometimes setting deadlines for ourselves does work. But more times than not, giving ourselves grace, and plenty of time is the key to flipping that habit switch, no matter what it might be. For me, being patient with myself, and slowly easing into going to bed earlier and waking up earlier was what did the trick. I had weeks of groggy mornings and nights when I wanted to stay awake, just to watch that extra Survivor re-run. But with practice, a little self-discipline, and a lot of patience from a partner who is truly an early bird by nature, I was able to start a more regimented routine that has overall made me less anxious, stressed, and happier with the person I am. Not to mention, some melatonin and sleepy time tea sure don’t hurt, either.

Trust me, this is not to say that I don’t have my moments. We’re all human, and it’s really easy to slip out of new habits and into old ones. We’re creatures of habit, after all. The key is to celebrate when you get it right, and not be too hard on yourself when it doesn’t work out like you plan.

I’m of the mind that we deserve to celebrate those achievements, even if they feel small to us or are already second nature to others. When I think about it, waking up at a reasonable hour doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment. To many, it’s what they’ve done their whole lives.

But even the simplest change in your life can start a domino effect and open up the doors to so many other small habit changes that can transform your world. I hope that you don’t see the small habits you want to change as benign – they can be that first step that changes everything.

And that’s not hyperbole.

So, this year when you're noodling with the idea of setting a resolution, I urge you to reflect.

Reflect on the achievements you have made, even if they might feel small. And on the flipside, reflect on those resolutions you have in the back of your head that might feel impossible, and just start.

Try waking up earlier, even if it’s only 15 minutes. Roll out that yoga mat and make space for yourself to stretch out and feel more at home in your own body. Head to our Produce Department and try that vegetable you’ve been a little hesitant about. Pick up that pen and write something in your journal, even if it’s a short sentence that says “I have no idea what I’m doing.” An awful lot of amazing things comes from that feeling of having no idea what you’re doing.

Whatever it is, just start. And remember that most resolutions worth sticking to don’t complete themselves in a month.

skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 5

from wellness

Peace in Pieces by nancylee bouscher

heart string deep inside as my mind loudly proclaimed “SAME!” It was like the puzzle all over again. I knew I needed a piece, but I didn’t have enough information to find it. Yes, we are all still pretty stressed with trying to find the piece that is going to click and complete the scene so it makes sense. We all so desperately need to rest and breathe a sigh of relief, check SOMETHING off the list and move on.

It felt kind of reassuring that others were as lost as I was—and then I had some moments of worry—like, “nobody knows what’s happening!” But then, I settled on this pleasant thought about how special it is that people were coming to my work to find that piece. I would never wander a grocery store and leave feeling more at peace. But coming here, as a worker or a shopper does make me feel like something settles inside. We are all so complex and confusing, even to ourselves. I don’t know what you need, but I do know what everyone needs.

Like so many of you, during the heart of the COVID darkness, we got a little bit stir-crazy in our house. In truth, we are all kind of homebodies that only have a handful of people, places, or things we enjoy more than being home.

Maybe it’s the dog or my new love of formless house dresses with pockets, but going out to dinner or to a movie was something we’d manage maybe once a month. Even still, when that wasn't even an option, the rooms started to shrink, and that’s when we decided to get a jigsaw puzzle.

I probably only bought it because it was of a Charlie Harper print. I came across one of the posters he did for the National Parks service at a thrift store when I was in college and nothing lived on my walls that was more than $10.

The way he could take the infinite details, textures, and colors of nature and smooth it into clean lines and simple shapes, lit up my brain like nothing since high school geometry. The focal point was on a ram with great curving horns with various flora and fauna tangled around in an oval, framed by seemingly identical black pieces to fill out the rectangle shape of the puzzle.

We brought up the ancient card table from the basement and quickly found we needed a standing table— and yes, there was one of those in the basement, too. We snatched table lamps from spots they had sat for years and created webs of extension cords to give the pieces the best lighting for sorting and plucking. Sometimes we’d turn on an audio book while we searched for the tip of a leaf or the pattern of a feather and lose hours hunting, yearning for the satisfying “click” of putting the right piece in its place. Taming the chaos of hundreds of pieces of a puzzle gave us a small amount of control in a time when we had so little. The satisfaction of running my fingertips over a square inch space of beauty that I recreated making up for all the things my fingers could not magically re-connect.

All went well with the puzzle until we had completed the main picture leaving a lacey edge of unfinished black pieces. There was at least a hundred pieces that all looked the same and my attempts to make it “click” were met with frustration. We packed up the puzzle, put the table in the basement and unwove the web of cords. I couldn’t find what I needed, so I gave up.

Recently, I noticed customers in wellness having a similar response when I ask them, “are you finding what you need today?” They shyly smile and say, “I’m not really sure what I need.” The first time I heard this, it plucked a

Take a Walk on the

Bright Side

Rose and neroli (orange blossom petals) essential oils produce uplifting energy and a vibrating scent, while softening visible skin lines.

Also, your feet need some love. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Moon Valley’s lotion bars should live in several spots in your home. It looks like a bar of soap, but it’s actually a very dense beeswax and herb-infused puck that helps all dry body parts. If your feet ache at the end of the day, Moon Valley also makes a peppermint foot rub that also has “good slip” for massaging.

Grace Harbor’s MSM Goat Milk Lotion is also a great choice for your feet. Or for someone else’s feet.

This reminds me of a story and since it’s in my top five Co-op stories, I bet I have shared it before. It’s worth repeating. When I first started working in Wellness, I often asked my customers what they liked about a product or how they used it so I could expand my product knowledge. So, when a very sweet grandma came in (probably wearing a formless house dress with pockets) to buy the above-mentioned Grace Harbor lotion, I asked her about it. She told me that she buys it for her husband’s hands, but he didn’t know that.

He was a retired farmer, and his hands hurt from decades of working them.

She explained that he wasn’t the type of man to put lotion on his hands, no matter how much pain he was in. She also had significant pain in her feet from decades of being on them. Her solution to that puzzle was simply beautiful: she would ask her husband to rub her feet each night with the MSM lotion so that he would get the lotion on his painful hands. “Click”—they both found relief and connection.

Over the years, I’ve seen lots of moments when folks find what clicks for them and sometimes it starts with not knowing what you need, and just showing up anyway. We have to welcome the puzzle before we can solve it. I know it’s not always easy and some of us don’t have a basement full of tables to switch out until we find the one that doesn’t hurt our back while we hunt for that last corner piece. Sometimes we just make do, until we can do a little better. And sometimes I do get tired from the searching and solving, but I’ll never get tired of being able to work at a place that helps you find a little bit of your peace. May 2022 be a bit easier and a bit brighter and cheers to the clicks you can claim as your own.

2

Rock solid solutions to renew and re-energize from the inside-out.

Harmony Moisturizer 1 zatik

Poor sleep is fastest way to make everything else more difficult. It’s not always the first item off of the shelf that fixes it, but we have been getting great feedback from CVScience’s new sleep gummies. They contain 10mg of hemp-based CBD along with 3mg melatonin and some magnolia bark and lemon balm. If CBD isn’t your thing, Natural Factor’s offers Tranquil Sleep in chewable tablets or soft gels with 200mg of L-Theanine, 30mg of 5-HTP, and 3mg of melatonin.

1

3

C Powerhouse 2 Vitamin navitas organics

Orange, camu, and acerola cherry: nature’s three best sources of vitamin C combine in this simple mix, so supporting your immunity is easy-squeezy.

Essentials Kit 3 Face dirt bag beauty

Pucker up, buttercup! With a cleanser, facial mask, lip polish, and cute mixing bowl set, this vegan all-natural kit is all about your lovely face. Can you say, DIY spa day?

4 Crystal Clear Intentions Red jasper for energy, citrine for abundance, quartz for clarity. Stock up on our selection of crystals and gemstone bracelets to help power you toward your goals.

6 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

4

In-Season Produce Dried mixed wild mushrooms in a jar (wild, so not certified organic) from Organic Antics

Shiitake mushrooms, oyster and shiitake mushroom kits, dried reishi mushrooms from Cascadia Mushrooms

Apple cider (not organic) from Cedardale Orchards

Pea shoots, spicy mix microgreens, mild microgreens, red kohlrabi, radish, and pea shoot microgreens (not certified organic) from Dahlia Depot

Dragon mix microgreens, broccoli microgreens, red cabbage microgreens, kale mix microgreens from Tops and Bottoms

Skagit Fruit & Veggie Prescription Program We’re happy to announce that the Co-op is now participating in the Skagit Fruit & Veggie Prescription Program (Skagit FVRx)! Coordinated through United General District 304, Skagit FVRx is a free, year-long healthy eating program that supports families with vouchers (FVRx Bucks) to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, along with supporting nutrition education and connections to local resources for healthy eating and active living.

Skagit FVRx takes a new approach to helping people lead healthier lives by providing access to nourishing foods and supporting people on the path to well-being. With Skagit FVRx, United General has partnered with PeaceHealth and Sea Mar clinics in Skagit to provide alternative approaches to managing diet-related chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. When given the power to buy and eat more fresh, healthy produce, individuals are able to prevent, and in some cases, reverse risks for chronic disease.

Eligible participants receive prescriptions in the form of paper vouchers called FVRx Bucks that can be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs at select stores.

The 2022 program runs from January through December and provides up to $150 in FVRx Bucks per month ($30 per month per person in the household) along with helpful nutrition information and easy recipes.

And FVRx isn’t just about long-term health. Participants have also described feeling more satisfied in their lives overall because they have enough energy for the day-to-day activities that matter to them.

As part of our goal to provide good food at a good price and increase healthy food access for everyone, we’re excited to be one of the places Skagit FVRx participants can come to find fresh fruits and veggies.

Info via unitedgeneral.org/fvrx

Bagged rainbow beets, bulk beets, purple and savoy cabbage, radicchio, kohlrabi, winter squash from Boldly Grown Farm

Cubed Sugar Hubbard squash from Sherman’s Pioneer Farm

Shallots, green cabbage, Savoy cabbage, January King Savoy cabbage, winter squash from Hedlin Family Farms

Leeks, parsnips, cabbage, and daffodils from Ralph’s Greenhouse

Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp apples from Brownfield Orchards

Assorted winter squash from Well Fed Farm

Sunflower sprouts

from Moondance Farm

Sunchokes

from Southern Exposure

Honeycrisp apple cider from Sauk Farm

Our produce department.

classifieds You deserve a Reiki Vacation! 1 hour of deep relaxation brings clarity & peace, awakening your inner healing presence. Experience Reiki blessings in person at the Vera Wellness Center in Mt. Vernon, by phone, or online.

Learn more: yourgoldenrosehealing.com or 360-840-1723 Reiki Blessings to all, from Valerie Rose.

skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 7

Board Announces 2022 Recipients Photos Courtesy of 4% Friday Recipients

JAN 28

Little Mountain Elementary

The Little Mountain Elementary School seeks to connect students and families to a healthy lifestyle and nutritional choices by developing and maintaining a school garden on campus.

Little Mountain will use 4% Friday funds to purchase a garden shed to store their tools for easy student access and to build a kiosk and outdoor classroom on campus near their garden.

FEB 25

Page Ahead

Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children. They are the leading provider of children’s books and literacy services in Washington State.

Funds from 4% Friday will support Page Ahead’s Book Up Summer, in which K-2 students at majority low-income schools receive 12 brand-new books of their choosing at the end of the school year for three years in a row for summer reading, minimizing or eliminating the “summer learning slide.”

APR 22

Salish Sea Deaf School

The Salish Sea Deaf School (SSDS) uses innovative teaching practices to provide academic excellence, utilizing an ASL/English bilingual approach to bring opportunities to enhance language competency, student curiosity, and a positive self-identity.

Funds from 4% Friday will be used to develop a gardening program for the students and their families that would include building raised beds, learning organic growing practices at school and in the local area, farm visits, and growing, harvesting, cooking, and preserving produce.

MAY 27

boys & girls clubs of skagit County

The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County is to enable all young people to reach their full potential, as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The Boys & Girls Club provides youth ages 6-18 with a safe, fun, and positive space to thrive in.

Funds from 4% Friday will go directly towards scholarships for members to attend the club.

MAR 25

jun 24

skagit fisheries enhancement group

skagit Gleaners

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) builds partnerships that educate and engage the community in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship activities in order to increase salmon populations and ensure a healthy community for all of us.

SFEG will use funds from 4% Friday to offer its Junior Stream Steward program to 500 local students. This year long program gets middle school students out of the classroom and learning about how they can ensure healthy watersheds for our future.

8 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

Skagit Gleaners' purpose is to provide food, household merchandise and clothing to frugal, waste conscious, and working families by rescuing surplus food and product from local businesses.

Skagit Gleaners will use funds from 4% Friday to purchase imperfect fruits and vegetables from Latino-owned farms, providing Latinoowned businesses an opportunity to thrive, while contributing to the community at large.

Save the date!

One of our most exciting ways to support community is through 4% Friday!

You shop and together we give 4% of Co-op sales on one Friday a month to a non-profit charitable community organization. And just think— each of these organizations is itself supporting the community! What a great circle of giving.

jul 22

Oct 28

IRIS

Youthnet

IRIS will use funds from 4% Friday to provide immediate support to local families to alleviate suffering by meeting basic needs such as access to food, clothing, and shelter.

Funds from 4% Friday will be used to support youth by providing equity, diversity and inclusion, and cultural competency training for foster parents so that youth can be given the best quality of care that supports individualized needs and honors their identity, race, and culture with knowledge and understanding.

Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support’s (IRIS) mission is twofold: to connect immigrants with existing resources in the community, and to provide immediate assistance to those experiencing a temporary period of crisis.

AUG 26

Communities in Schools

The mission of Communities in Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Funds from 4% Friday will be utilized to support Communities in Schools’ Basic Needs Resource Closets at 5 schools in the Mount Vernon School District.

SEP 23

MVPD Homeless Outreach

MVPD’s Outreach Coordinator, Erin VonFempe, is a master’s level social worker who works directly with homeless individuals in the community. This program provides services and funding for such necessities as meals, housing, healthcare, treatment for substance abuse, and more.

The Mount Vernon Police Department will utilize funds from 4% Friday for transportation, temporary housing, emergency necessities such as food and clothing, and to procure identity paperwork.

The purpose of Youthnet is to provide foster homes for children in need of a temporary home until they can reunify with their families.

Youthnet also provides family preservation services to keep families safely together.

NOV 18

Brigid Collins Family Support Center

Brigid Collins Family Support Center is a community-based organization dedicated to ending child abuse by building strong families and protecting children.

Funds will be used to offer nourishment in Brigid Collins’ Children’s Advocacy Center, including healthy drinks and snacks for families during forensic interviews, medical exams, and therapy support.

Dec 23

Help Me Grow

Help Me Grow - Skagit Family Resource Center aims to offer families seamless access to community services and support so they can easily connect to what they need, when they need it.

4% Friday funds will be used to purchase supplies to be distributed to families in need. These items range from household and personal care basic needs items to other infant and childcare related items.

skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 9

You Shop, We Give 4% Every time you shop at the Co-op you help support our local economy and community. 4% Friday is another easy way to do your weekly shopping and contribute to organizations you care about. You shop, and together we give 4% of the Co-op's sales on the 4th Friday of each month to a non-profit community organization.

JAN 28

Little Mountain Elementary

Little Mountain Elementary provides high-quality, student centered education that allows kids to use their voice and power to make a difference in their community.

Little Mountain seeks to connect students and families to healthy lifestyle and nutritional choices by developing and maintaining a school garden on campus.

Little Mountain has already begun to see positive change in their students with this program in place. As students learn about sustainability and take civic action in the garden, they are also learning about where their food comes from, and how important it is for everyone to have access to fresh, healthy food.

Little Mountain will use 4% Friday funds to purchase a garden shed to store their tools for easy student access and to build a kiosk and outdoor classroom on campus near their garden. Currently, Little Mountain is storing garden equipment outdoors where it could easily be damaged by weather or lost entirely. A shed would ensure safety and access to garden tools for all students. Adding an outdoor classroom in a currently empty lot from recent portable removal will provide students with the opportunity to take pride in their school by beautifying the area, while fostering an appreciation for the outdoors, our environment, and community.

FEB 25

Page Ahead

Guided by the fact that literacy is essential to lifelong success, Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children.

Page Ahead is the leading provider of children’s books and literacy services in Washington State, partnering with elementary schools, early learning centers, and other agencies across Washington to create home libraries for children furthest from educational justice and to support educators with current literacy research and teaching strategies. Since its founding in 1990, Page Ahead has given away more than 3.5 million books.

Funds from 4% Friday will support Page Ahead’s Book Up Summer, in which K-2 students at majority low-income schools receive 12 brand-new books of their choosing at the end of the school year for three years in a row for summer reading, minimizing or eliminating the “summer learning slide”. Book Up Summer costs $45 per child, so $2,000 will cover 62 brand-new home libraries, or three kindergarten classrooms worth of kids!

MAR 25

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) builds partnerships that educate and engage the community in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship activities in order to increase salmon populations and ensure a healthy community for all of us.

SFEG will use funds from 4% Friday to offer its Junior Stream Steward program to 500 local students. This year long program gets middle school students out of the classroom and learning about stream ecosystem, salmon, and how they can ensure healthy watersheds for our future.

Together we gave:

September

$5,328 YMCA Oasis Teen Center

10 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

October

$5,254 One Community One Family

November

$5,388 Skagit DVSAS

vendor spotlight

Spudlove for You & Your Spudbuds

by Leigha Staffenhagen

Delicious Dips for Your Organic Chips

With the big-game-we-shall-not-name right around the corner, potato chips are snack list must-haves.

Snag a couple bags of Spudlove, and try out one of these dip recipes:

Avocado Herb Dip

Fresh and herby, this dip is cool and refreshing; the perfect break from hot wings and nachos.

• 1 clove garlic, peeled • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon • 1 large avocado • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, fat free or low fat • 1/2 teaspoon salt • Baguette slices, pita wedges, carrot sticks or sliced veggies for dipping In a food processor, mince the garlic and tarragon by pulsing and scraping the mixture down until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the avocado, yogurt and salt and process until smooth.

When you reach for your usual bag of potato chips in the Co-op snack aisle, you may not think about much more than what flavor they are or if you’ll make it home without eating them all. Or maybe you consider whether they’re oven-baked or fried, but end up going with the current craving either way. Beyond that, you probably don’t spend time wondering about the potatoes in the bag or what their journey from soil to salty snack actually looked like—hunger is demanding like that. But when it comes to Spudlove, the story is everything.

As the name suggests, this chip company loves spuds. In Spudlove’s words, from seed to soil, field to fryer, cut to crunch—they make their chips with a little extra TLC, if you will. Farmerowned and farmer-grown, Spudlove isn’t just interested in the final crispy crunchy snackable snack. The way the humble potato is grown is always at the forefront of their minds.

As fifth-generation potato farmers, the folks at Spudlove know what it takes to produce the perfect potato. And for them, the perfect potato is more than one that simply tastes good. It’s a potato that’s sustainably and organically grown, and non-GMO, to maintain the long-term health of their farmland.

Spudlove farmers are dedicated to closed-loop sustainability on their Oregon farm. By combining a dairy farm with an organic potato farm, they’re able to create a synergistic system in which the two farms benefit one another. Natural fertilizer from the dairy farm supports the organic spuds, while the potato plants act as a cover crop for the soil, aiding in the growth of feed for the cows.

Spudlove’s dedication to the environment is also represented through their careful use of water and their wildlife protection initiatives: Spudlove recognizes that water is a precious resource. When they established their farm in Oregon, they voluntarily relinquished their water rights in order to protect the Columbia River.

Instead, to conserve water in the potato growing process, they built their own irrigation system specifically designed to utilize less water than more traditional systems.

The farmers worked directly with The Nature Conservancy to thoughtfully set aside 25% of their land to protect four native species most at-risk of endangerment in the region. Now, thanks to Spudlove, the Washington Ground Squirrel, Ferruginous Hawk, Loggerhead Shrike, and Sage Sparrow have a safe, protected habitat where they can flourish.

So, next time you’re wandering hungrily through the chip aisle, fall in Spudlove with the crunchy potato chips made from 100% organic ingredients and cooked in small batches by a farmer-owned company set on protecting the planet one perfect potato at a time.

Transfer to a medium bowl and serve with dippers. Any leftover dip can be covered with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the dip to prevent air contact (which causes discoloration), for a couple of days.

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Because who doesn’t love cheese dip at a football party?

• 1 4 oz. link fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage • 1/2 cup minced onion • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock • 4 oz. grated yellow cheddar • 4 oz. grated Monterey Jack Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the chorizo and onion. Cook, stirring and scraping with a spatula, until chorizo is cooked and onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. (If using vegan chorizo, cook in a tablespoon of olive oil.)

Using a slotted spoon, lift the chorizo and onions out of the fat in the pan, and place in a small bowl; keep warm. If the chorizo didn't render much fat, add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to the pan.

Sprinkle the flour over the fat in the pan, stirring to mix well.

Cook for a minute, until the mixture is bubbling. Remove pan from heat and add the stock gradually, whisking until smooth after each addition. When all the stock is added and the mixture is smooth, place back over heat and stir until the liquid bubbles.

Add cheeses one handful at a time, stirring until melted before adding more. When all the cheese is incorporated and smooth, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chorizo mixture. Makes about 11/2 cups of queso.

Rustic Artichoke Spinach Dip

If you like a chunky dip with some veggies in it, this artichoke spinach dip is the ticket. Along with chips, you’ll want some baguette slices, too.

• 1/2 cup canned or marinated artichoke hearts, drained • 2 cups fresh spinach, washed • 1 green onion • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese • 1 teaspoon pickled jalapeño peppers • 3 tablespoons roasted red peppers, drained and diced • 1/3 cup mayonnaise • 2 teaspoons lemon juice • Salt and pepper to taste Mince the artichoke hearts, spinach, jalapeño pepper and green onion.

Place them into a mixing bowl, add the Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice and roasted red peppers, then fold the ingredients together with a spatula.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

All recipes adapted from grocery.coop

skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 11

The Dancing Camel Yoga Studio

910 15th Street Anacortes

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Classes Daily!

New Student Specials Classes for all abilities In Studio & Virtual Private Lessons available Anusara, Vinyasa, Kundalini Sound Baths & more!

Anusara Teacher Training 200 hour course begins 5/1/22

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Check out our retail!

Manduka Equipment & Clothing.

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Contact The Natural Enquirer: nicole@skagitfoodcoop.com 360.336.5087 ext. 136 or visit our website at www.skagitfoodcoop.com

We offer discounts for prepayment. All first-time ads MUST be paid in advance.

The ad deadline for the next issue (April 2022) is Friday, February 21.

12 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

new & notable

Italian-Grown Citrus Effervescence

by Leigha Staffenhagen

Did you know that citrus was first brought to Italy as early as 850 A.D.?

While it isn’t native to the area, thanks to Italy’s warm climate with mild winters and wind, the sweet, tangy fruit quickly became a mainstay. Nowadays, Sicily stands out as thee spot for Italian citrus cultivation and sales. There’s simply something magical about a grove of orange trees backdropped by the cerulean blue vastness of the Mediterranean Sea. This winter, citrus imported from Italy and extended vacations on the beaches of Sicily might not be within arm’s reach, but a glass bottle with bubbly, fresh-squeezed Italian citrus juice is! While you may be preoccupied with peeling into bright, juicy orbs of winter sunshine in the form of a satsuma or a Rio Star grapefruit, we’re also excited to introduce you to a fantastically fizzy drink that’s perfect for dinner parties, or you know, just because: Organic Sparkling Italian Sodas from CADIA. Available in Blood Orange, Pomegranate, and Lemon, these Italian sodas are gluten-free, vegan, USDA-certified organic, and best of all, made in Italy. To achieve this sparkling drink’s beautifully bright colors and full-on flavor, CADIA only uses hand-harvested fruit that’s picked at peak ripeness to ensure those sweet, juicy flavors are infused into each bottle.

Made with just a few simple ingredients, these drinks are delicious on their own, but we recommend trying them in your favorite cocktail or mocktail or poured over a scoop of Co-op vanilla ice cream for a citrusy twist on an ice cream float!

And in case you wanted a little Italian soda history lesson, funny enough, though these Italian sodas from CADIA are made in Italy, Italian sodas as we know them actually originated right here in the United States. When Torani, a syrup brand from Italy first came to the United States to start their company, they introduced what became known as an Italian soda to the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. From then on, bottled Italian sodas started popping up in restaurants and stores and naturally, many people assumed they were invented in the country of their namesake.

staff profile

Matt Terry

Blue Room Team Lead Co-op Employee Since December 2009 Favorite Customer Moment: My favorite customer interaction actually happened on the ferry returning from Friday Harbor. My wife overheard a couple sitting behind us talking about the food co-op and how they couldn’t wait to get some ice cream. I got up to get a drink and my wife happened to tell the couple that her husband was the ice cream person there. They were super excited to meet me, and we spent most of the trip talking about how much they loved the Co-op.

Favorite Item in the Co-op: I love getting steaks from the Meat Department. They are delicious and reasonably priced. I also love walking though Mercantile, they always have cool trinkets to check out.

Favorite Way to Spend Time Outside of Work: When I’m not working I like to play disk golf or wiffleball with my children at the park. We also love playing video games and board games together. I enjoy cooking for my family as well. Apparently, I’m good at it too, lol!

NATURE. BODY. MIND. BUILD STAMINA. MOVE WITH NATURE. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS. FARMFIT Personal Training & Health Coaching at Highwater Farm New Yearlong Transformation Journey: 2 days/month in the field +2 hours/week onsite or online

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Danielle 360-661-8458 CONNECT TO NATURE • CONNECT TO YOUR FOOD • CONNECT TO YOUR BODY skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 13

Functional Fungi

by Karl Mincin, Functional Medicine Nutritionist

Medicinal mushrooms are functional nutrition heavy artillery for everything from gut and immunity to heart, brain, and lungs. Their therapeutic value is so potent, they are one of the top five functional foods I recommend for cancer, COVID, and building immune resilience.

I've always loved mushrooms, but in the age of COVID, they are increasingly growing their way not only into my patient protocols, but also into my own diet.

They are so easy and tasteful to incorporate into so many different meals.

The Magic in the Mushroom

Mushrooms contain biologically active glyconutrients and polysaccharides, such as beta-glucan, which increase host immune defense by activating the complement system, enhancing macrophages, and natural killer cell function.

And you, dear mushroom muncher, are the host!

Beta-glucan enhances surface receptors such as complement receptors and selected scavenger receptors. They can prevent oncogenesis and protect against genotoxic carcinogens that incite tumor growth.

Targeted Mushrooms

The health benefits of mushrooms don't stop at the immune system. As with other functional foods, each mushroom has its own unique properties and targeted body system.

For example Reishi is lung specific, while Lion's Mane is focused on brain and neurological activity. The list to follow describes other mushrooms that aid sleep, promote longevity, enhance exercise performance, improve mitochondrial ATP production, cardiovascular function, and gut health.

· Lion’s Mane— supports healthy brain function. Studies show it can induce neurotrophic factors such as Nerve Growth Factor. In one small but wellcontrolled study, it improved mild cognitive impairment. · Reishi— sleep, anti-aging, and lung specific. In Vitro studies show it boosts immunity by increasing natural killer cells. Its role in cancer treatment is being actively researched. It has also been shown to help with sleep. · Cordyceps— energy and performance. Shown to improve exercise performance mediated by increased ATP production and blood vessel dilation. · Maitake— research focuses on cancer therapy. Mechanistic studies have shown it to have anti-cancer properties and preliminary clinical trials show benefit when combined with conventional cancer treatments in breast, lung, gastric, and colorectal cancers. It also has anti-viral properties. · Shiitake— immune-boosting and potential anti-influenza properties via direct action on viral entry and replication in the respiratory tract. · Turkey Tail— also being studied in combination with standard cancer therapy for gastric, breast, and stomach cancers. Rich in antioxidants and has demonstrated gut health benefits.

Here are just a few ideas for putting your mushrooms to good and tasteful use: add to soups, broths, stews, sauces, drinks, chocolate, stir fry, plant-based meat swaps.

Karl Mincin is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist in practice for 36 years.

360.336.2616 | Nutrition-Testing.com | Instagram @MincinNutritionist | Facebook @NutritionTesting1

(continued from page 4)

Who's Your Umami?

Soba Noodles with Miso Sesame Tahini Dressing

Soba noodles, made from buckwheat, are naturally gluten free (although versions of soba noodles might combine buckwheat and wheat flours) and when cooked al-dente are a perfect complement to this Miso Sesame Tahini Dressing. Yum! From misotasty.com • 6 oz of dried soba noodles, roughly • Handful of fresh green beans • Freshly snipped chives, black or white sesame seeds (optional) For the Dressing:

• ¾ cup tahini • 2 Tbsp white miso paste • ¾ cup water • 1 tsp soy sauce • Pinch of black pepper Steam or grill the green beans in one saucepan, and boil and drain the Soba noodles in another pan according to packet instructions.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients until smooth, and toss the desired amount in with the noodles and green beans until all combined.

Sprinkle with chopped chives and sesame seeds before serving.

White Miso Chive Butter

Miso production in Okayama, Japan.

Fabulous slathered onto toasted sourdough bread, grilled corn, or atop a thick, juicy steak, this is far superior to your regular herb butter that relies on a decent amount of seasoning to impact deep flavor. What’s more, this herb butter only takes minutes to make and can keep in the fridge for months. But trust me, you will find other ways to use it, such as a stir-fry sauce for mushrooms.

To make one cup of herb butter, simply combine ½ cup organic unsalted butter, with ½ cup white miso and a handful of chives. The taste is deeply cheesy and rounded with a slight sweet tang to finish. Soften the butter slightly to room temperature before whipping it into the miso paste with a wooden spoon.

Nasu Dengaku- Miso Glazed Grilled Eggplant A classic Japanese side dish. Rich, creamy, savory.

From pickledplum.com • 2 small eggplants • Vegetable oil • 3 Tbsp white miso • 2 Tbsp mirin • 1 Tbsp caster or granulated sugar • 1 Tbsp sake or rice wine • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds to garnish

Photo: Paul Winch-Furness

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and score the flesh in a crisscross shape without cutting through to the skin.

Using a spoon or pastry brush, spread a thin layer of sweet miso paste onto the eggplant pieces, cut side up.

In a shallow frying pan, heat up 3-4 tablespoons of cooking oil on medium heat before adding the eggplants flesh side down for 3-4 minutes until charred and the flesh becomes soft. Flip them over and fry for 4 more minutes, before flipping over a final time for 2 minutes. The eggplants should be about 80% cooked through.

Pop under the grill or hot oven at 425˚ F, for 3-4 minutes or until the miso is bubbling and starting to char.

Lay the eggplants in a baking tray rubbed with a little oil.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together the miso, sake, and mirin until you have smooth paste, then add the sugar and mix again.

14 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022

It is tempting to add too much miso on your eggplants. Be sparing with the glaze. Don’t worry if you have some leftover miso paste though. It is lovely as a marinade for salmon and chicken too. Top with toasted sesame seeds just before serving. Mmmmm…

Meet the 1st Quarter Tokens for Tomorrow groups!

With Tokens for Tomorrow, every time you bring in a reusable shopping bag, we honor your commitment to reducing waste with a token worth 8¢ that you can give back to one of these local organizations.

Skagit Animals In Need

Anacortes Middle School Garden to Kitchen The mission of the Anacortes Middle School Garden to Kitchen program is to help students develop life-long habits and knowledge around sustainably growing and cooking nutrient-rich food. AMS offers two daily “Garden to Kitchen” classes where students apply their science skills in a large garden and six fully outfitted kitchens. Students have physically constructed the garden beds, worm bins, compost bins, fences, benches, a tool shed, a trellis, a patio, and more.

Skagit Animals in Need (SAIN)’s mission is to prevent and respond to animal cruelty in support of law enforcement. SAIN is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitating and rehoming large animals and livestock seized in neglect and cruelty cases, or released to animal control or law enforcement. Once in SAIN custody, the animal is placed with a safe foster home, a medical and behavioral assessment is performed, and rehabilitation begins. Once the animal is at a healthy weight and up to date on medical care, it is made available for adoption to loving homes.

Children of the Valley

Skagit Land Trust

Children of the Valley (COV) is an afterschool program that serves students in the Mount Vernon School District. The mission of COV is to provide a positive environment every day after school for the community’s most in need children. COV is a referral-based program, referred by the student’s school counselor and/or teachers based on academic and personal needs.

COV seeks to break the cycle of poverty within each family they serve by empowering students to DREAM BIG and to pursue their educational goals by graduating high school and obtaining post-secondary education or a degree.

The mission of Skagit Land Trust is to conserve wildlife habitat, agricultural and forest lands, scenic open space, wetlands, and shorelines for the benefit of our community and as a legacy for future generations. As a nationally accredited land trust, Skagit Land Trust demonstrates sound finances, ethical conduct, responsible governance and lasting stewardship. Since their founding in 1992, Skagit Land Trust has protected over 8,627 acres in Skagit County and has worked side by side with community members to steward the land.

time you reuse your bag, you’re giving back. How many times have you given back? How many times have you Reuse. Every reused your bag? Probably too many to count, and we are so grateful for your efforts. Now, how many times have you Rinse. reused your bag since you washed it last? Chances are, probably too many times to count. So, please remember to wash Repeat. your bags to help keep everyone’s food safe and clean. And thanks again for reusing your bag!

customer service awards Clarence I read in the newsletter a suggestion to try new vegetables. Today I found Jicama and asked Clarence about it. He encouraged me to buy it and try it. We ate Jicama raw and cooked in a rice dish. It had a slightly sweet flavor that was delicious.

Everyone.

Everyone is amazing!

BEST STORE EVER!

Ryan O.

The Co-op is always a good place to shop for food products. The staff is always helpful and understanding regarding the recent problems with supply. I'll always return to shop again!

Always has a smile! Efficient, knowledgeable of the products (particularly produce), and speedy!

Kaitlyn Kaitlyn is an extraordinary worker.

I mistakenly bought a vitamin supplement, and was able to quickly and easily return it with her pleasant help.

Galen He's always so helpful.

He spends as much time as we need with him. But I have to say everyone at the Co-op are the best around!!! Love ya all!

Probably one of the best co-ops in the state. Their selection of locally grown and organic produce is top notch.

Their deli serves a wide range of amazing fair... carne, veggie, or vegan. Great juice bar, huge holistic style supplement health and beauty area, large bulk food section and a fun kitschy gift shop round off this establishment.

skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022 15

Spiderling

by Beverly Faxon

After naptime, some banana and waffle, and two consecutive readings of Spiders, my granddaughter, the dogs, and I went out to the orchard bordering the grassy field. It was a typical Northwest afternoon—sunshine and blue skies to the west where ferries slide between the San Juan Islands, and dark gray clouds pushed up against the Cascade Mountains in the east. Anything might happen—chilling rain or a burst of shirtsleeve sunshine. For the moment, the wind was whipping, and I pulled my light wool hat down over my granddaughter’s ears.

3... 2...1... Happy New Website!

We’re excited to announce that we launched a new website early in December.

With gorgeous graphics (see below!), fun photos, and better organization, it’s easier to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take a peek, and let us know what you think. Until then, join us for a quick trip down the Magic Skagit for a cute Co-op history lesson.

We had a mission. In our book, we read of baby spiders, that they are called spiderlings, a word so delightful that I emphasized it for her. She assured me, however, in a definitive three year-old way, that some spiders—“alternate” spiders, had not spiderlings, but litters of cubs. And more than loving spiderlings, I love how the vocabulary of nature is working into her being: litters and cubs, camouflage and predator. I love how she sees the folding petals of an Itoh peony budding and tells me it is a tulip, how she hears birdsong and tells me it is a chickadee. I love how her Lego horses rear up, wrestling each other with their forelegs, just like marmots do, she explains.

The day before, on the stump of what was once a pear tree, we found a mass of bright yellow spider cubs, each smaller than a pinhead. The spiders were still there on this afternoon, and my granddaughter crouched down, her nose just inches from the huddled bodies. Once in awhile, one slipped down a silky thread and then crawled back up. They seemed to be preparing for their spider act of ballooning—each floating off to find its own home in the world.

Beverly's granddaughter & spider friends.

Every day, we study a different creature. We have our routine: we look for photos, search for interesting facts, watch a short video. At some point, a howling, or screeching, or scuffling animal argument was too intense, so now we watch on mute. But this child is not daunted by the concept of prey and predator. When she learned that the great horned owl eats rabbits, she insisted on seeing a picture of that dining, and looked with interest at the owl, bunny fur hanging from its beak.

We’ve studied elephants and wolves, kingfishers and loons, skunks and stick bugs.

Her friends grow exponentially. When we studied porcupines, she found one named Spike under the table, eating tater tots.

The other morning, she asked me to stop naming the cows we see at the neighboring dairy—Betty, Spotty, Midnight. Perhaps every cow named is another one she feels she must invite into the car with us, and the backseat of her heart is filling up.

How many ways have we learned this: to name something is to begin to know it, to know it is to love it, and to love it is to want to care for it.

And here is what I know—much of what she is learning to love will disappear in her lifetime. Many of the animals we read about with such curiosity will never exist for her except in books, videos, and photos. Even her blue skies are in danger.

We live where August and September, once the months we could count on to be clear and bright, are now the fire months, and we spend days inside, the sky yellow with smoke, the air as breathless as that in Beijing, the sun a watered-down disc, our eyes stinging.

Do I do her a disservice to teach her to love what is disappearing? Do I have any choice? Since she was two weeks old, I’ve carried her through doorways and said to her, “Let’s go see the world.” We can’t stop now. She is slipping down a silky thread into what awaits.

A special thanks to Mu Creative and Katheryn Moran Photography for bringing our site to life. mucreativeco.com // katherynmoranphotography.com

16 skagit valley food co-op • the natural enquirer • january–march 2022