Variety of Pastas Available at the Co-Op

Pasta serves as a fast and easy foundation for a wide array of meals--from a quick after-work family meal, to a gourmet dish for a dinner party. Best of all, your favorite pasta dishes can be adapted to nearly any dietary need with the diverse options available at Mountain People's Co-Op.

The Co-Op offers organic, whole wheat, gluten-free, and brown rice pastas, among other varieties. With the bulk food set-up at the Co-Op, you can purchase just the amount of pasta you need--whether it's a single serving, or enough for a 12-person meal.

And if you're looking for a way to make your favorite pasta meal vegan, check out the vegan, dairy-free cheeses available in the Co-Op's refrigerated section. You can also "dress up" a boring pasta dish with mix-ins such as lentils cooked in veggie broth, roasted vegetables, artichoke hearts, or fresh pesto.

For a light and fresh summer meal, try this easy recipe for Pasta with Veggies & Hummus (pictured above):

Pasta with Veggies & Hummus

(vegan and gluten-free)

Ingredients:

• Cooked gluten-free pasta
• Hummus of choice (roasted garlic or roasted red pepper hummus both work well!)
• Fresh red bell pepper, sliced
• Fresh (or roasted) broccoli florets
• Grated carrot
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place an individual serving of pasta on plate. Stir in desired amount of hummus and top with veggies. Enjoy!

Great Grains at the Co-Op

As frequent patrons of the The Mountain People's Co-Op have likely noted, our store boasts a full aisle of bulk grains, flours, rice, spices, and more. While you may be used to filling up a bag of rice, or picking up a pouch of curry powder, it's always fun to explore the grains and flours that may not be as common in your household.

Take bulgur, for instance. This fantastic grain cooks up fairly quickly and pairs beautifully with a variety of veggies, seasonings, nuts, and homemade dressings. As an added bonus, it's also a great source of fiber and vegetable protein.

So this week, as you peruse the bulk 'grains and spices' aisle at the Co-Op, try exploring some of the many healthy options you may never have tried before (Adding spelt flour to your pumpkin muffins? Or using quinoa as a bean burger base?)

Or, simply start with bulgur. This simple recipe for a vegan bulgur salad (pictured above) is crunchy, filling, and just plain scrumptious.

Bulgur-Apple-Almond Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked bulgur
• 2 cups veggie broth
• 2 cups chopped apple
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted (to toast, place chopped almonds on a dry skillet over low-medium heat. Toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned--about 3 - 5 minutes)
• 2 TBSP honey
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Bring broth to a boil in a small sauce pan. Stir in bulgur, remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit until liquid is absorbed (about 30 minutes).

2) In the meantime, whisk the honey, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil together in a small bowl.

3) When the bulgur is ready, combine it with the apples, celery, almonds, and cranberries in a large bowl. Pour dressing over the mixture and stir until well-combined.