Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!
It's that time of year, our favorite time, Thanksgiving! I hope that you have nice plans with family and friends! Here at Wheatsville, we are gearing ourselves up for all the excitement to come in the next week and we hope to see you so we can do our part to help you have an awesome Thanksgiving!
Scroll down for all kinds of Thanksgiving action
More parking? (In a way…)
Thanksgiving yumminess = deli!
Make a damn fine pie, easy-like.
Local produce
Pumpkin soda and vegan marshmallows!
Beer deals
Holiday deals
Wines for Thanksgiving
Slivered almonds and a roasted green bean recipe!
Local dairy for Thanksgiving
Cheese island
A vegan Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Tips Countdown
Help us help you (with parking)
In an attempt to serve more customers with less parking frustration, Wheatsville will be offering valet service on Wednesday, November 24, the day before Thanksgiving. This is the busiest grocery shopping day of the year, and we anticipate that our lot will be quite busy. We'll have two of our own staff monitoring the parking lot to help people find spots and to otherwise assist customers in the parking lot. But when our lot fills up, we will also have a completely free valet service available to help customers get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. You can simply drop your car off at the front and get to your shopping. When checking out, if you let your bagger know that you used the valet service, they can even alert the valet folks in advance so your car can be waiting for you when you exit the store. If the lot is full when you arrive, we truly hope you'll consider taking advantage of this additional service.
If there's one thing the Wheatsville Deli loves most, it's our tasty Thanksgiving dishes! All year we wait patiently for our next opportunity to delight both staff and customers with our wonderful holiday foods! Starting this Sunday, November 21st, we'll once again have our classics available for your dining pleasure, including Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Creamy Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Fall Root Vegetables, Green Beans with Mushrooms, Leek-Roasted Carrots with Tempeh, Niman Ranch Pork Sausage Bread Stuffing, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Vegan Mushroom Gravy and Cranberry Orange Relish! Take some home for your holiday feast from our grab'n'go self-serve case, or have our Deli Counter staff portion you out just the right amount from our full-serve case!
Starting on Tuesday we'll also have ready-to-go Complete Holiday Sides bags in our self-serve case, with enough goodies to go alongside your turkey or Tofurky to feed 4 to 6 people, including heaping helpings of Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cornbread Stuffing, Cranberry Relish, Mushroom Gravy, Roasted Roots and Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes!
Also available at the Deli will be all of our holiday favorites like Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls, Vegan Rosemary Biscuits, LaBrea Wheat Dinner Rolls, Walnut Pecan Pate, Vegan Coconut Cream Pies, Vegan Pumpkin Pies, Classic Pecan Pies and Classic Pumpkin Pies! Come in and stock up on all of our homemade delights to make the most of your holiday celebrations!
The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before T-Day, November 22nd-24th, we will be running an All-Day Thanksgiving Feast hot bar from 11am-7pm,featuring sliced Roast Turkey with Gravy and sliced vegan Tofurky with Gravy, alongside an assortment of our holiday fare, so you can get a head start on your noshing, or just grab some great hot holiday food to go!
And don't let the holi-daze make you forget all of our other fantastic Deli items! Soup season is in full swing, and to celebrate, the Deli has put its Large 16 fl oz Hot Tempeh Chili and Homemade Soups, with an ever-changing selection, on sale for owners at the Food Bar, $3.49, reg. $3.99! Check our Facebook posts or put in a call to the Deli at 512-478-1164 to find out what hot soups we have today! We are also stocking an assortment of grab'n'go soups and Tempeh Chili on these chilly days for you to stick in your fridge or freezer, and heat'n'eat for an easy meal anytime!
Also on sale for owners at our Deli Counter is our best-selling Popcorn Tofu Po'Boy – crunchy, savory batter-dipped and deep-fried tofu nuggets on a hoagie roll with a drizzle of our house-made Cashew-Tamari Dressing – all of which come with your choice of veggies, just $5.49, reg. $6.49. Get one today!
Our savory Black Olive Hummus, available in our self-serve case, is not only great for pita chip dippin', but makes a fantastic sandwich spread too, on sale for owners at $4.99/lb, reg. $5.99/lb. Our last owner special for this period is the pretty in pink Nile Valley Hibiscus Mint Iced Tea, refreshing and lovely at just99¢ a cup, reg. $1.69! All of these owner specials are good now through the end of November!
Want a beverage that's a little more hearty than iced tea? The Deli Counter will taunt your tastebuds this month with our sweet'n'spicy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie of the Month! Blending apple juice with pumpkin, cinnamon and graham crackers, this frozen orange concoction is an annual treat for just $4.99!
November's Salsa of the Month is the staff favorite Sweet Mango Fire! Sweetness from fresh apples and mangoes combines with the heat of spicy habanero peppers to create a beautiful and irresistible salsa that will keep your chips dippin' until the end!
Also on sale at the Deli Counter through the month of November are tasty cold cuts: Boar's Head Honey-Maple Ham at $8.49/lb, reg. $8.99 and Pepper Jack Cheese, $6.19/lb, reg. $7.19, so stock up on your tasty lunchables!
News from the World of Meat
The word on the street is TURKEYS!!!!! We will be getting in Grateful Harvest Organic Turkeys and will have them in stock this Saturday the 20th. Grateful Harvest turkeys are deep chilled for a premium bird and are $3.49/ lb. If you have pre-ordered your turkey just go straight to the Hospitality Desk to pick it up! These folks will get you all taken care of for your turkey or ham pre-order. Shopping at Wheatsville for the holidays is the right choice! Our parking lot is perfectly sized to get you in & out plus our employees are committed to helping you as quickly as possible.
We will also have turkeys breast, thighs, tenders, wings, and drumsticks for those folks that are looking for a smaller serving of turkey.
We also stock for gravies and soups for the Holidays. Turkey necks & giblets will be on sale as well as chicken livers.
Interested in learning a little more about Grateful Harvest? http://www.gratefulharvest.com/about_us.aspx
Niman Ranch Hams are now in stock! We have quarter hams and half hams for $8.99/lb. These hams are delicious and a great way to go if you are looking for something other than turkey to be the center piece for your Holiday meal. Below is a link to their featured farmers the Willis Free Range Hog Farm. http://www.nimanranch.com/featuredfarmers.aspx
We will be cutting larger pieces of Alaskan Sockeye, $17.99/lb., and Coho Salmon, $15.99/lb. – just the right size for the center piece of your holiday meal.
Make a pie, it's easier than you think!-Niki Nash Merchandising Manager
While some baking wonders can produce a perfect pie with lattice work and a sculptured crust edge, most of us are a little intimidated by the time and attention to detail that is required. If you are not Betty Crocker, or my Grandmother, you can still make a pie! I like to think of it as a 3 step method.
1.Plop stuff in a crust 2.Bake 3.Eat.
1.Use 1 can of Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Mix (reg$2.99 sale$1.99) This rich and smooth organic pumpkin puree is delicately mixed with all-organic spices and deliciously sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice, saving you time and sparing you the job of shopping for each individual organic ingredient!
Or use 1 can of Solo Cherry Cake & Pastry Filling or Arrowhead Mills' Pour N' Bake Pumpkin Pie Mix (reg$3.69 WV owners $2.49).
Plop this stuff in a Wholly Wholesome Organic Pie Shell (reg$3.99 sale$2.99) or Arrowhead Mills Graham Cracker Crust (reg $2.99 WV owners $2.49).
2. Bake
3. Eat -don't forget the TruWhip Non-Dairy Whipped Topping! reg:$3.39 WV owners $2.49)
If this all still seems too daunting, use the 2 step method of bake and eat with Wholly Wholesome Cherry Pie or Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie (reg$8.99 sale$6.79) or Wholly Wholesome Classic Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie(reg$ 7.99 sale$5.49). Conveniently frozen and ready for your oven. Of course you can easily skip to step 3 with one of 4 delicious Wheatsville Pies. Easy, easier & easiest!
Produce time!
We're featuring two local, seasonal items in the produce department right now, Cameo Apples from Top of Texas Orchards and Bunched Turnips from Urban Roots farm right here in Austin!
The cameos are a really versatile apple: firm and moderately tart, they work well in any baked dish but can also easily be eaten out of hand – they're not super sour like a granny smith, the go-to baking apple. The cameos we have right now are on the small side, which makes them great for lunch boxes. They're very reasonably priced at $1.49/lb, and their small size makes them very inexpensive when you're thinking of the "per apple" cost.
The turnips from Urban Roots are possibly the most beautiful specimens I've ever seen! The roots are brilliant white with purple blush, and the greens are long, full, and verdant. When buying bunched root vegetables, I always encourage customers to save and eat the greens. Turnip greens are packed with nutrition: they've got four times more calcium than cabbage (which is known for its high calcium content), vitamins A, K and C, and they're high in glucosinolates – cancer-fighting compounds. Turnip greens can be cooked southern-style just like collards or mustard greens: boil them for an hour or so in a pot with a ham hock or chunk of salt pork. They can also be steamed and tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
Of course, you can't forget the turnip! Here's a simple recipe for roasted root vegetables. You can combine the turnips with hard squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, use your imagination!
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Cube the roots into 1 inch-sized cubes
- Toss them in a baking dish with olive oil and salt and pepper
- Cook 25 minutes, pretty much until you can stick a fork into them
- Garnish with some parsley or dill, then cook for 5 minutes more.
- Enjoy!
We're continuing our weekly sale program with Organic Lacinato Kale for $1.49 each, Organic Bosc Pears for $1.49 per pound and Organic Bok Choy for 99¢ per pound. The kale and bok choy are great components for an easy stir-fry. Grab some local tempeh, an onion, and some rice noodles and bam! Quick, easy dinner. Swing by our pear display and grab instructions for making poached pears. Boscs are perfect for poaching! Have a great week!
Pumpkin soda and vegan Marshmallows!
Don't let your Sweet Potatoes go naked this year! We have delicious, handmade Dandie's VEGAN Marshmallows on Sale for just $4.99 per package. These fluffy little delicacies taste the way marshmallows are supposed to taste and are totally free from gluten and all animal products. They're not only great as a sweet potato topping; float some on your hot cocoa, mix them into your favorite crispy cereal recipe or make tiny s'mores with them. My daughter likes them mixed in to trail mix and you can even eat them all by themselves. You can find them on Aisle 8 as well as the end cap across from Register 4.
We also have Maine Root's Pumpkin Pie Soda on sale for $1.49 in the ice cube in front of the Deli. It is delicious with your lunch today, but it would also make a great beverage to have with your Thanksgiving dinner, why not bring some (or a case) home with you?
Beer deal!
Victory HopDevil Ale is on sale for just $7.99 regularly $9.49! Menacingly delicious, with the powerful, aromatic punch of whole flower American hops backed up by rich, German malts. HopDevil Ale offers a roller coaster ride of flavor, coasting to a smooth finish that satisfies fully.
Thanksgiving shopping made easy with Wheatsville's Co+op Deals! – Brooks Wood, Wheatsville Co+op Deals Assistant
Flavoring your sides & main course has never been easier! Pacific Natural Foods Organic Chicken and/or Organic Vegetable Broth now $2.29 reg. $3.39,Lundberg Family Farms Gourmet Rice Blend now $2.29 reg. $2.99, Tofurky Vegetarian Roast now $8.99 reg.$12.99, Grown Right Organic Cranberry Sauce now $1.99 reg. $2.39, Cascadian Farm Organic Vegetables now $1.79 reg. $2.89, Edward & Sons Organic Mashed Potatoes now $1.99 reg. $2.79 and Near East Couscous Side Dish Mix now $1.49 reg. $2.19.
For the Love of Baking - Our shelves are filled with all the good quality ingredients you need to make Thanksgiving delicious! Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar now $2.99 reg. $4.89, Organic Valley Organic Butter now $3.99 reg. $5.99, Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin now $1.79 reg. $2.69, If You Care Parchment Paper now $3.99 reg. $4.99, Organic Valley Organic Whipping Cream now $2.99 reg. $3.29, Bob's Red Mill Organic Flour now $3.99reg. $5.69, Frontier Natural Bulk Organic Ground Cinnamon now $4.79/lb reg. $7.29, Spectrum Naturals Organic Canola Oil now $6.49 reg. $10.49,Tropical Source Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips now $2.99 reg. $4.69, Wholly Wholesome Organic Pie Shells now $2.99 reg. $3.99, Frontier Herb Organic Vanilla Extract now $6.49 reg. $9.49 and Santini Evaporated Milk is now $0.99 reg. $1.59.
Remember, our Deals are easy to reference. Go to http://www.wheatsville.coop and click on the Co+op Deals link.
Wines for Thanksgiving! This year we are featuring three great wines from the fantastic French Le Grand Noir Winery. Le Grand Noir Pinot Noir stands out from the crowd for its unique taste of spiced cherries and pure aromas of currant, and savory spices. Le Grand Noir GSM offers intense aromas of licorice, cocoa, and spice. On the palate, it is rich and complex with soft tannins. And for a white we have Le Grand Noir Chardonnay, This wine has a note of exotic fruit and citrus with hints of toasted vanilla. Also don't forget when you buy six or more wines you get 10% off !
Slivered Almonds in Bulk
Hi folks, I wanted to tell you about a festive new addition to the bulk department, Slivered Almonds have arrived just in time for Thanksgiving! These are perfect for a number of holiday recipes, one of the most popular being Roasted Green Beans. Here's a simple and tasty way to prepare this dish:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lbs green beans, trimmed
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
3. Combine the broth, lemon juice and oil in a bowl.
4. Place the beans on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the broth mixture.
5. Spread the beans out into a single layer.
6. Roast for 8 minutes.
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
8. Season beans with the salt and the freshly ground pepper , then stir and turn over.
9. Sprinkle with the almonds.
10. Roast for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the beans are wrinkled and tender and the nuts are fragrant and browned.
Making your thanksgiving a local one
Here at Wheatsville we have an excellent selection of local products for all of your baking and cooking needs, from alexander and h&j family farm eggs to local and organic milk, cream and now Buttermilk. For vegan and vegatarian patrons we have a local tempeh that can be used to make a most excellent stuffing alternative (recipe featured in the latest edition of the breeze, and for desert we now carry a delicous local raw brand called Yummy living foods which comes in three variety's chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and carrot cake. Hope to see you around the dairy case!
Cheese Island
We have a few deals going on at Cheese Island. Organic Valley Cream Cheese and Neufchatel 8 oz. bar are on sale for $2.79 ea. regularly $3.29 ea. Nancy's Conventional Cottage Cheese 16 oz. is on sale for $2.79 ea. regularly $3.29 ea. Parmigiano Reggiano is on sale for $18.99/lb, regularly $21.29/lb. Organic Valley Four Cheese Italian Shreds 10 oz. are on sale for $4.29 ea.
We are now stocking Vermont Butter and Cream's Crème Fraiche. It is $4.99 for an 8 oz tub.
We have brought in a few new cheeses for the holiday. We have two Montechevre goat cheese logs. One is chevre and honey and the other is a chevre with figs. Both are $3.29 each. And I also brought in a Wenslydale with cranberry $15.29/lb. These cheeses would go great on an appetizer cheese plate!!
I know this is the cheese email but I am including some cool Turkey Roasting Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z80YtGnsVhw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-OFXUaMIv8
A vegan Thanksgiving? It's not just possible, it's awesome!
I love Thanksgiving. I always have. But since becoming vegan, I may like it even more. And it's actually pretty easy to have a vegan Thanksgiving. Here are my suggestions for you if you're considering a vegan Thanksgiving for yourself or someone that you're hosting. (As a vegan, I always appreciate it when my dietary preference has been considered for a food holiday and it doesn't have to stress the host out either!)
Pick an entrée- LOTS of choices here.
You can go with a turkey alternative like the super popular Tofurky, the Field Roast Celebration Roast, or new Gardein Turky. Each of these have their own cooking instructions, but they are all easy to prepare and take minimal time and prep, unlike their poultry counterparts. When visiting relatives, I get mine ready and just sneak it into the oven at the appropriate time. Tofurky has two choices, a roast which is a single stuffed entrée or the feast which includes the roast plus gravy and cake. If you go with the Tofurky roast, you can buy Tofurky gravy ala carte, use the deli's awesome vegan mushroom gravy or any other gravy of your choice. If traveling to an unfamiliar kitchen, Road's End makes a packaged dry gravy that is pretty tasty in a pinch.
You can also go with a home-made stuffed squash. I have simply made my favorite stir-fry and filled a baked delicata with it. It was simple and delicious. But here are some other recipes to consider- http://www.ehow.com/how_2111118_vegan-stuffed-squash.html
A fancy looking, but relatively easy Delicata Squash Stuffed with Cherry Apple Almond Couscous:
Get your sides on- the deli has a whole bunch of delicious vegan sides that will make omnivores into believers, so that's a great option. When I visit family, I often just ask them to leave some of their boiled potatoes for me so I can mash them up vegan-style. You can also ask them to do the same with green beans or carrots or any other vegetable. It's no problem for them, so don't be afraid to ask! (Your host WANTS you to have a yummy meal, too!)
Pie time! Thanksgiving is not the time to go without pie! You can find some of our most delicious pie here at Wheatsville. Our Coconut Crème and our Vegan pumpkin are both delights. You can also make a pie with vegan pie shells. Our frozen shells are vegan and so are the Arrowhead Mills Graham Cracker pie shells. Making your owk pie crust from scratch is also not as heard as one might think- http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-recipes/desserts/vegan-pie-crust.htm
Enjoy!
Thanksgiving Countdown
Our friends at the Davis Food Co-op have created an excellent Thanksgiving day tips list ot help and make your holiday as stress-free as possible! We've adapted it for you!
Turkey Day Countdown:
T - 10: Plan your menu and make your shopping list.
We have a list at the Hospitality desk to help you!
T - 9: Check your cooking equipment and serving ware – what's missing?
We've got thermometers, basting bags and other turkey-related items in store for you!
T - 8: Shop for non-perishables and stuffing bread early.
Stores are crowded Thanksgiving week, so get some of the work out of the way now.This weekend is a good chance for this.
T - 7: Bake your cornbread and cube and freeze bread for stuffing.
Freezing will help it dry out a bit before you need it.
T – 6: What are you going to eat before and after T-Day? A plan is a good idea!
We'll be running a Thanksgiving hot bar all week long or one of our Rush Hour recipes might be up your alley! http://wheatsville.coop/recipeindex.html
T – 5: Make and freeze pie crusts
Because there's nothing like trying to roll out pie crust in a kitchen where you're cooking a turkey.
T – 4: Do a trial run of any new recipes.
Eat your mistakes to hide the evidence
T-3: Pick up the turkey and perishables
If you're brining, check your recipe for when to start the brine.
T-2: Make ahead dishes that keep well: casseroles, cranberry sauce
Cover and refrigerate immediately to avoid food borne illness problems. Keep a close eye on the refrigerator temperature this week.
T-1: Prep vegetables, make pies, make dough for rolls
Choose a roll recipe that can be refrigerated for 24 hours.
Turkey Day: Stuffing and turkey in the oven, you in chair enjoying your family!
I hope you have a most excellent Thanksgiving!
Dan
