Jultomten, The Christmas Tomten
At this time of year, we often see these cute little Tomtens or Christmas Gnomes in shops and windows. They are there to remind us that we are protected and safe throughout the winter, and that Spring will come again and bring new life.
Originating in Scandinavian lore, a tomten secreted away inside or under houses to protect children and animals from evil or misfortune. Sometimes a tomten would even help with chores or farm work. Despite being tiny, they were also known to have a temper, playing tricks or killing livestock if offended by rudeness.
In the 1840’s that tomten became Jultomten, or “Christmas Tomten,” and started to play the role of Santa after being depicted wearing a red cap and having a white beard. Then the tomten started delivering Christmas gifts.
Jultomtens live in the nearby forest, not at the North Pole or in the house.
Harkening to our ritual of leaving cookies and milk for Santa, families would leave out porridge for their tomten. A tomtens not only likes porridge, he requires it! If not gifted with porridge (and butter and almond), the tomten would stop helping and leave the house or, even worse, cause mischief.
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Why We Love NutriGold Supplements
By Candra Cantrell
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If we are choosing organic, whole foods for our meals, shouldn’t we do the same for our supplements? It only makes sense to me, since I know that I can’t realistically get ALL of the vitamins and minerals I need through my diet and lifestyle because I don’t spend EIGHT hours a day basking in the sun naked, or grow ALL of my own food in nutrient-rich soil. The truth is we don’t live in a climate where we can do that, and if we buy any food that has been grown on mega farms far, far away, chances are it’s not very nutrient dense.
That’s why we need to supplement for optimal health, and shop for our supplements the same way we shop for our food, based on quality.
Following is a short article from the founder of NutriGold, a company that produces what I think is the highest quality supplement line on the market. She explains the difference between different types of vitamins, and that difference is why I chose to bring this brand to our customers at Harvest Moon.
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Where do the vitamins in supplements come from?
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Published by Priya Khan
January 24, 2019
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Vitamins are organic compounds that are essential in very small amounts for supporting normal physiologic and metabolic functions. They are “essential” because the body cannot synthesize them and, therefore, must be consumed either from diet or through supplementation. Although there is little clarity or consensus within the industry on what “natural” means or what its scope is within the context of dietary supplements, most consumers consider nutrients sourced from foods as “natural” and anything that is created in a lab to be “synthetic.”
From a purely chemical standpoint, natural and synthetic nutrients are basically the same: their molecules contain exactly the same numbers and kinds of atoms. However, they differ in terms of their molecular structure and configuration—elements in synthetic nutrients are arranged in a different way than they are in natural nutrients. More specifically, synthetic nutrients are mirror-image duplicates of natural nutrients.
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Many companies, consumers, and even the FDA believe that the structural differences between synthetic and natural nutrients are non-significant and inconsequential, but there are reasons, both from clinical and common-sense perspectives, to believe that the body can tell the difference. For example, natural vitamin E is not only three times more absorbable than its synthetic counterpart (1), it may contain co-factors, enzymes and other bioactive compounds that work synergistically to provide intended benefits.
But not all “natural” vitamins are created equal. The word “food” is used indiscriminately and without reasonable justification by dietary supplement companies in combination with other words (e.g. real food, raw food, food state, food grown, food based) to create the illusion that a product is completely natural. In fact, many multivitamin products that are marketed as “food-based” are actually made by adding isolated synthetic vitamins to a “food” base that may include a combination of fruit, vegetable, and/or superfood powders. These food powders have no effect on the structure of the synthetic vitamins themselves, do not increase bioavailability or absorption, and cannot trick the body into thinking that the vitamins are natural.
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There are also multivitamin products marketed as raw code, food state, code factors, or whole food, which are actually fermented vitamins manufactured by “feeding” synthetic vitamins and inorganic minerals to nutritional yeast. Manufacturers of fermented vitamins claim that they use proprietary or “special” processes that allow the chemical vitamins to get incorporated into the yeast during the fermentation process, and this is in a “whole food” form that the body readily recognizes and assimilates efficiently, a claim that critics reject as pure marketing hype.
Unlike food-based and fermented vitamins, “true” whole food vitamins are not made from or fortified with synthetic vitamins at any point during the manufacturing process like synthetic or fermented vitamins. The essential nutrients are concentrated from foods using processes that preserve the original structure and configuration of the nutrients as they occur in nature. They include naturally occurring cofactors that enhance their bioavailability and bioactivity inside the body and include other phytonutrients that are absent in chemically pure, isolated and fermented vitamins.
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At NutriGold, we believe that fresh, organic foods picked at the peak of freshness and consumed mostly raw are the most bioavailable and complete sources of essential nutrients. But this option is not always available or accessible to all consumers. The next best thing to minimize deficiency risk? Get the essential nutrients from true, whole food multivitamin supplements that are mindfully formulated without any synthetic nutrients created from industrial chemicals or potentially GM ingredients or synthetic nutrients fermented with yeast. When it comes to multivitamins, just remember, “Nature does not make synthetic vitamins. Companies do.”
Works Cited
1. www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635589409514349
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Pairing Ideas for Those Who Like to
“Wine Down” for the Holidays
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Great wine and food pairings either emphasize the similarities or highlight the differences between the wine and food. In wine, elements are predetermined. But in a recipe, a match can be made by choosing ingredients and cooking methods that complement or contrast with the chosen wine.
Matching wine with food is a personal choice – forget the old rules about red wines with meat and whites with fish. Instead, experiment with different combinations, and take note of the aromas and flavors you like. Pull off a good match with these considerations:
As a general rule, wines are better appreciated when they progress from light to heavy over the course of the meal, with white wines served before reds, and dry wines before sweet ones. Sweet dessert wines should taste sweeter than the food they are served with.
Conventional pairings came about to complement or contrast the main ingredient of a dish. For example, white wine has traditionally been paired with fish because its tactile elements – light food and light wine – are complementary. The same rule applies for heavy red meats and full-bodied red wines. But often the dominant flavors of a dish come from other ingredients instead, such as cooking fats, sauces, spices or herbs, that have affinities with particular wines.
Cooking methods influence the aromas, tastes and textures of foods and figure prominently in the wine match. Charcoal-grilled foods pair well with oaky wines because they complement the smoky elements of both partners. Braising adds weight and richness to foods, helping them form a stronger link to fuller-bodied wine styles.
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Colorful and Comforting Recipes
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Cold Weather Lentil Soup
Finally, a bowl of lentil soup with a nice thin broth, yet one that’s hearty and filling enough to fight the cold weather chills!
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 184kcal
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
3 cups canned lentils, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen green peas
fresh thyme leaves and/or fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions:
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid, add the olive oil, onions, and salt. Over medium heat, sauté the onions until just translucent – about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir into the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Next, add the carrots, celery, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and ground black pepper. Stir together. Cook the vegetables, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable stock, stir, and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes; stir to incorporate, cover the pot and cook for another 20 minutes.
Next, add the lentils and dark soy sauce. Stir. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Lastly, remove the bay leaves and add the green peas. Stir into the soup and turn off the heat. Cover and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
Remove the lid. Stir the soup and ladle into bowls. Garnish and serve with crusty bread.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 860mg | Potassium: 741mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4746IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 5mg
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Gnocchi w/ Corned Beef & Cabbage
This hearty wintery bowl of comfort is colorful and filling, using seasonal ingredients. You can find quality gluten-free gnocchi in the store.
From Food Network
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Serves: 4
Total Time: 30 min.
Difficulty: EASY
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Ingredients:
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 small head Savoy or green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced Freshly ground pepper
1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
6 ounces deli-sliced corned beef, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with the olive oil in another large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, thyme and a big pinch of salt to the hot oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start softening, about 4 minutes. Add the cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the gnocchi and add to the cabbage mixture. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, the corned beef, mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until everything is coated, 1 to 2 minutes, adding the remaining 1/4 cup cooking water as needed; season with salt and pepper.
Divide the gnocchi among shallow bowls. Top with the chives.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving):
Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1475mg | Sugar: 6g
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Cranberry Galette w/ Sesame Frangipane
From Eating Well Magazine, Dec. 2019
Expand your holiday desserts repertoire with this cranberry galette. Frangipane is a sweet pastry cream typically made with ground almonds; here we substitute ground sesame seeds in the form of tahini to give it a complex, earthy flavor.
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon, divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons ( ½ stick) very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup ice water, plus more if needed
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash
Filling & Frangipane
2 cups cranberries, thawed if frozen (8 ounces)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup tahini
4 tablespoons ( ½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Glaze
¼ cup cranberry jam or red currant jelly
¼ cup pure maple syrup
Whipped cream for serving
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Directions
To prepare dough: Combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Add butter and oil and pulse until the butter is about the size of peas. While pulsing, slowly drizzle in ice water. Continue pulsing until the dough starts to form a ball. Squeeze a handful of dough: it should hold together without crumbling and shouldn’t be sticky. (If it’s crumbly, add a little more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time.)
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it into a ball, kneading a few times. Flatten it into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Let the dough stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while you make the filling.
To prepare filling: Toss cranberries with granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
To prepare frangipane: Combine tahini, butter, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cardamom and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl. Using the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
To assemble galette: Spread the cranberries over the crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Spoon the frangipane over the berries. Fold the edges of the dough up over the filling, pleating as you go and pinching the seams where the dough overlaps. Freeze the galette for 10 minutes.
Brush the edges of the galette with egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake until the crust is browned, and the frangipane is slightly puffed and brown, about 50 minutes. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving platter.
To prepare glaze: Combine jam (or jelly) and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over low heat just until the mixture becomes liquid, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave in a small bowl on High for 1 minute.) Brush the glaze over the filling.
To serve: Cut the galette into wedges and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
To make ahead: Refrigerate dough (Steps 1-2) for up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling.
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NEW, BACK IN STOCK & SEASONAL ITEMS
DURING NOVEMBER
We want to be YOUR store. Please let us know if there is something we don’t have that you want, and we will do our best to get it in!
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