C'est la vie

As many of you may know, I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of the Food Front Co Op in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Portland, OR. Yesterday was the glorious first day to shop. I was so excited. I got my list and my bags out and I even borrowed the car so I could get as much stuff as I wanted without having to carry it home! It was so wonderful to see the doors open and people busy shopping away inside!

OK, on to the my review of the co op. I love most everything about it. The location alone is awesome cause it's within a fifteen minute walk from my front door and it is near many bus lines. Good choice on location.

I got a cart and headed to my favorite section - PRODUCE! I had walked over to the Hillsdale Farmer's Market yesterday morning, so I didn't need many veggies, but I did forget/need a few things. I went over to check out the onions. The onions were in a bin and I pulled one out and 15 or more onions all came crashing down on the floor next to me. I had to laugh. I was so embarrassed, but some girl came and helped me pick them up and said, ya, this is onion display is not working out so well. Luckily the onion bin was only inches off the floor. I grabbed a slightly bruised onion and made my way to the bulk section.

The selection of items in the bulk section was not as good as I would have liked. They didn't have sucanat which is weird. They had a bin labeled evaporated cane juice, but it didn't look like the evaporated cane juice I normally buy, it looked like processed sugar. I asked this nice guy working in the bulk section and he said he'd check into it and a few other things. The only types of flour they have in bulk are regular white, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry (which I LOVE), and rice flour. No chickpea flour, what? I seriously need some more flour choices. I know, I am not your average shopper. I can't shop in "regular" grocery stores (aka Fred Meyer or for the folks in the midwest, any Roundy's owned store). I end up getting frustrated and asking where they keep the tahini or the arrowroot powder. Then, if they have it, I am not happy with whatever brand tahini they are offering. I guess Chad is probably right (meaning he is right) I am a food snob. I can't help it.

I was looking to buy a larger quantity of whole wheat pastry flour, but the bags they had out couldn't even hold 2 cups. I asked some guy for a bigger bag for flour. The guy gave me a produce bag and I was like, ah, this is probably not the best bag for this, so I only filled it w/ about 5 cups of flour. Sure enough, bag ripped and flour all over the flour of the brand spankin new coop floor. I was AGAIN mortified. I tell ya, it is a good thing I don't know these people and don't really care what they think. The guy working in the department just looked at me and laughed. I put the remaining flour in a paper bag and muttered my apologies. I guess it just wasn't my day. Oh, well, I know the people at the coop are going to get sick of me coming in there 3-8 times a week asking for special items and wanting large quantities of whole wheat pastry flour. OH, I can't believe I almost forgot to mention the best part!!!! SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS! Can you say spicily delicious?

The bread selection was priced better than expected. I was hoping to be able to buy bread for $3.50 a loaf and tada! I got bread for $3.50. The refrig section was not fully stocked yet, but still nice. They were already out of almost all the brands of firm tofu. I guess that is something that will be a top seller! I was able to pick up some Stumptown coffee for $9.50/lb, which is a better price than New Season. They are also carrying Zbeans, but it is $12.50/lb. You can get it for $11 at the farmer's market, so not going to buy it at the co op.

The surprise is an entire isle dedicated to all natural home and body products. Very spendy stuff. I didn't really look closely cause I was afraid I'd up my bill by $20 with a tiny bottle of moisturiser.

The deli looked really good and I had to try some baked tofu and vegan pasta salad. I was planning on taking some photos, but it was so good, I just ate it. Chad loved the pasta salad and I promised to buy it again. The baked tofu was outstanding. Tasty!

The boxed food and freezer selection looked good, but to be honest, I try not to buy that stuff (especially since i have all the time in the world to cook) so I didn't look too close. I was able to get some vital wheat gluten flour from bob's red mill. I know, wheat gluten isn't something we should be eating a ton of, but Chad loves the Chickpea Cutlets and Seitan Cutlets from Veganomican so I just make it every once in a while. I gotta say, good homemade seitan is good w/ some beans and gravy. OH, ya. I'll post pics from our feast tonight later.

Lastly, I will mention, there is a beer and wine selection. They are going to have to work on their lack of IPAs. I mean, Full Sail IPA is a staple in any good Portlanders diet.

As expected, the staff were all dressed in their trendy Portland best. The cashier supervisor guy was wearing skinny buttonfly white jeans that were so tight you could see the buttons and a tiny tshirt w/ a scarf - if I didn't know better, I would have thought he was in the Kings of Leon. The outfits of the staff may be a fun side reason to go there! I'm not meaning to judge, I mean, if I had those legs, I'd probably wear those tighty whity jeans, too. I just am too lazy and wouldn't put that much thought into what I would wear to work at a food co op. I'm more of a jeans (not tight) and t shirt w/ a bright colored purse and tennis shoes kinda girl myself. I'm just saying, it's good times. However, if I take on a new and funky "Portland Persona" that I've seen so much of out here, please, cut me some slack. I promise not to get a tattoo for the sake of a tattoo.

OK, the good stuff....

It's been cool out here in the pacific northwest, so we've been eating soup. OH, I love me some soup. My favorite soup is a combination of black bean and any veggie. I never make it exactly the same, but I'll share the jist of it w/ you.

Black Bean Veggie soup (a variation)

Seriously - ADD WHATEVER YOU LIKE. If you screw it up, well, you can't it's that easy.

4 c veggie broth (i prefer 4 c water boiled then add better than bullion brand)
1 chopped onion
cloves of garlic - do you like garlic - yes - add 5 big cloves. not really - add 2.
1/2 or 1 chopped pepper
1-2 carrots peeled and chopped
2 med potatoes
1 - 22oz can of diced tomatoes (i like the muir glen fire roasted)
1 t ground cumin
1 t chili powder
1/4 c or more chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
can add any other favorite spices to increase spiciness. i like cayenne and chipolte ground. just a bit to heat it up!

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained) or 1 cup dried black beans, soaked, rinsed, cooked, cooled.

So, here is it. Boil water, add bullion. Add everything else EXCEPT BLACK BEANS. Bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer about 30-45 minutes. Lastly using blender or food processor or immersion blender (not in soup pot), blend black beans to a puree w/ some of veggie soup broth. When pureed, add to soup and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Let soup chill out for 20 minutes while you make a salad or do dishes or whatever. eat. enjoy.

I like to add random stuff I have in the fridge to this soup. Last time, we had a 1/2 cup of chickpeas in the fridge, I threw that in there. This is the soup for people who say they don't like bean soup cause the beans are pureed. I never thought I'd like a black bean soup. I always thought they were too salty, but after using dried beans, I now LOVE black bean soup and make it often. Hearty, healthy, and tasty, NICE!

Here are some pics. If you like cheese, add some cheese. I like some green onions. The more beans you add, the thicker the soup. Seriously, you can't mess up this soup. Well, technically, you could, but I don't know how you would.







Dessert



Vegan Peanut Butter cookies (not too sweet!)
These little itty bitty peanut butter cookies are low in sugar and taste more like a breakfast cookie or something, but I still love em. These are a great afternoon snack and easy to make.

1c whole wheat pastry flour
1c oats
1t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1c all natural peanut butter
1/8-1/4 c soy milk (or more) - you probably could use reg milk
1/2 c brown sugar or sucanat or natural sugar
1/4-1/2 c chocolate chips (dark is GOOD)

Preheat oven to 375. Heat peanut butter in micro to soften. Still in sugar and soy milk.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix w/ wood spoon. Add oats and chocolate chips. Stir till combined. It will be tough.

Use greased cookie sheets or line cookie sheets w/ parchment paper (I've just began to enjoy parchment paper). Make cookies into cookie shape. They will not raise or spread so make them nice. if you like, sprinkle a few w/ sugar.

Bake 10 min on center rack.

YUM.