Tag Archives: local economy

Next Week at Four Square Meals

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Menu for pick up Tuesday March 25Tarka

  • Rice noodles, azuki beans and bok choi in Thai mushroom-lemongrass broth; green kale and eggplant au gratin with barley and coconut
  • Tofu and cauliflower in creamy squash sauce; potato, mustard greens and almond with black pepper and dill
  • White bean, cucumber and pear salad with caper and sumac; faro and black rice pilaf with raisin, napa cabbage, lemon and cilantro
  • Black-eyed peas with lacinato kale in rich cumin-coriander sauce; sticky brown rice, carrot and beauty heart radish seasoned with rice vinegar and nori

To order click here.

If you like the look of some items but not others we can custom build a selection from this menu.

Veggieburgers are always available too – Classic and Spicy Black BeanChioggaNoodlesHeaderBright

Farm to School Benefit Art Auction

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CocoFarm to School Benefit and Silent Art Auction

IOWA CITY, IA – On Friday, March 21, guests will relax and enjoy an evening of fine dining against the beauty and excitement of a silent art auction and raffle at the Wedge in downtown Iowa City, from 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening. The event is free, open to the public, and sponsored in part by Four Square Meals, which will be providing complimentary samples. The event committee is passionate about the mission of Farm to School and is working diligently to make sure this event is fun and fabulous.

Guests will have the ability to enjoy the first day of Spring with a warming bowl of the Red Avocado’s Coconut Corn Soup, which will henceforth be a featured menu item at the Wedge, and available at discounted prices during this event. The works of many local artists will be on temporary display and auctioned off during the silent, with fifty percent of the proceeds going to Farm to School.dali-purgatorio-the-second-cornice-web

The highlight of the silent auction, an original Salvador Dali woodblock print illustration (“the Second Cornice”) from the Divine Comedy, will be the only item with a minimum starting bid ($2,000). Additionally, there will also be a raffle featuring prizes from New Pioneer Food Co-op, Four Square Meals, The Wedge Downtown and many more local businesses. The proceeds of this raffle will be donated to Farm to School; There will be something for everyone. For additional information on donating to, sponsoring, or attending the event call 443.857.0518 or email valentinpotra@gmail.com.

Event at a Glance: Farm to School Benefit and Silent Art Auction
To Benefit: Farm to School
Where: 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA
When: Friday, March 21, 2014
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening
Admission: Free to the public
Sponsorships and Corporate Tables are available.
For Additional Information on Donating to, Sponsoring or Attending the Event: Call 443.857.0518 or email valentinpotra@gmail.com.

About the Wedge: The Wedge Pizzeria is a locally owned and operated restaurant that offers a variety of dining options. Its menu includes pizzas, calzones, salads, breadsticks and beverages. The restaurant also serves soft drinks and desserts. It additionally provides in catering services for special events and private parties.

About Four Square Meals: Four Square Meals is a weekly prepared meal service in Iowa City, Iowa. It provides a way to maintain a busy lifestyle without sacrificing
slow-cooked, whole foods lunches and dinners. With a convenient once-a-week,
centrally located pick up, and local delivery available, Four Square Meals is dedicated to helping individuals maintain a healthy diet without spending hours in the kitchen.

About Farm to School: The Farm to School Chapter for the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) connects schools with local farmers; teaches students about food, agriculture, and nutrition; and supports the local food economy. Farm to School is a project of Field to Family, whose mission it is to grow healthy communities by connecting local food and families – envisioning a region where people eat with the seasons, where farmers make a living, and our rural landscapes are diverse, abundant, and healthy.

Contact:

Valentin Potra
valentinpotra@gmail.com
818 ½ South Summit Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
(443) 857-0518

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Next Week from Four Square Meals

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Barley, black rice and quinoa with beauty heart radish and chiogga beetFor meals to be picked up Tuesday March 11

  • Red lentil dal with red cabbage; basmati rice pullao with celeriac and brown mustard seed
  • Spiced black bean and fennel in herbed gravy; Spanish brown rice and faro
  • Coconut chole with savoy cabbage and turnip; potato, napa cabbage and zucchini with bay , paprika and fresh lemon
  • Tofu Dijon with asparagus and  cauliflower; kamut and black rice with beauty heart radish and ginger

For pricing and ordering, click here.Chole with bell peppers.JPG; barley pilaf with ancho peppers and daikon radish

 

 

Next Week at Four Square Meals

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Kidney bean sidebar Throwing’ in a salad again in hopes of a turn…

  • Kidney bean, savoy cabbage and turnip salad; brown rice and rye with carrot and cauliflower
  • Tempeh with lacinato kale and carrot in rosemary sauce; barley pilaf with eggplant and black cumin
  • Mung beans with daikon and red beets; curried potatoes with sunflower seeds
  • Seitan  and collard greens  in  carrot-coriander sauce; pink rice and amaranth with sweet potato and yellow pepper

Click here to order

Last week’s images below:

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Next Week at Four Square Meals

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RiceNoodlesPinto3Happy Spring to come!

We finally made some salads this week since we hit 40 degrees. Still have Iowa red cabbage, savoy cabbage and sweet potato.

Next week’s  menu below.

  • Indian style green lentil with celery root; Curried basmati rice with broccoli and orange peppers
  • Rice noodles in hot and sour broth with red Green lentils with lacinato kale and sweet corn; brown rice with broccoli and carrotsand yellow peppers; Bubble and Squeak (mashed potato, roasted garlic and Iowa savoy cabbage)
  • Pinto bean chili with sweetcorn; Black rice and faro with Iowa red cabbage
  • Tofu spring salad with butternut squash and Iowa sweet potato; Buckwheat with rutabaga and sesame

Photos of some of last week’s offerings below:

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The Power of Broccoli

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Broccoli Purple

Purple Broccoli

Broccoli is so common now we forget how beneficial a food it is.

Broccoli Romanesco 1

Broccoli has high levels of fiber, vitamin C and other micronutrients. One 4 oz serving of broccoli has 150% of your daily vitamin C.

Broccoli contains the phytonutrients known as indoles and isothiocyanates which have anti-cancer properties

Broccoli Flower

Broccoli Flower

Broccoli has been found to help combat cancer, osteoarthritis and heart damage.

Many of these health giving properties are shared by other members of the cruciferous vegetable group: kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, bok choi and cauliflowerBroccoli

Link here for more information.

What’s Cooking at Four Square Meals

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A slideshow of last week’s meals

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Garbanzo bean, green cabbage ragout with coriander
Indian inspired stew
Tofu, purple potato, broccoli and kale in Thai coconut broth
Ginger and lemongrass dominate the creamy sweetness of coconut mulk broth
Celariac, turnip and rye with black cumin
Deep earthy flavors of the roots and rye with the slight sweetness of black cumin
Black-eyed peas in curried squash sauce
Classic curry flavor witht the familiar sweetness of winter squash
Brown basmati rice with red cabbage and smoked paprika
A paella influenced dish but with the whole grain basmati and the sweet smoky deliciousness of smoked paprika
Carrot, green cabbage, sunchoke and sunflower seeds in almond-chili sauce
A tangy sauce of roasted ancho chilis and white wine vinegar thickend with sweet almond butter
Faro-Kamut-amaranth pilaf with eggplant brown mustard seed and fennel
Sweet chewy high protein grains with savory sweet seeds and deep flavors of roasted eggplant

The Beauty of Beets

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We have been including beet often in our weekly meals this winter mainly because Grinnell Heritage Farms are supplying at least three varieties on a regular basis: red, chiogga and gold. We love the flavors and colors of all of them; they brighten the plate and palate in this cold, dark wintertime.

In addition to their unique flavor and appearance beets provide a great array of health benefits. Among other things beets increase the number of white blood cells, can lower blood pressure and improves blood flow through the body.

While hard to find in winter, whenever possible don’t neglect the beet greens which are excellent sources of iron, calcium, manganese and potassium. Vitamins A, C and folic acid are strong in their profile

See articles here and here from the BBC and for more in depth, click here.TempehBeet1

Valentine’s Day Meal from Four Square Meals

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romantic-dinnerWe are happy to offer an extravagant Valentine’s menu to pick up and enjoy in your own home with your special one. We will provide wine pairing and a couple of recipes for condiments to make this a memorable Valentine’s meal, away from the hubbub of a busy restaurant where we are often rushed through the system.

Price includes 5-course meal for two with wine recommendations and recipes for extra condiments to make this a dinner to remember..

Stir-fried pink rice and rye topped with toasted pumpkin seedsChana dal with sweet potato and cilantro; kamut with roasted beet and mint3
A deliciously simple saute of Madagascar pink rice, onion and garlic with far eastern flavors of tamari and sesame seed

Red and gold beets simmered with cumin
A vibrant dish, deep purple with the earthy sweetness of beets offset by the gentle aromas of cumin seed

Braised portabello mushroom stuffed with cilantro-sunflower seed pesto and toasted pine nuts
Deep, rich flavors with a memory of warmer times – shimmering green pesto in a balsamic braised portabello

BuckwheatBrownRiceGolden glazed potatoes with fennel seed and lemon pepper spinach
Simply delicious flavors of ginger, garlic, paprika and turmeric meld to glaze the potatoes

Chocolate-raspberry heart
Deep dark chocolate with juicy succulent raspberries melted in.

Price is $60 including tax. Pick up is Thurday February 13, 5-5:30pm at Hillel House, 120 Market St, Iowa City, or by appointment. Order below

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Pink rice with beets and sweetcorn9

Beet Remoulade

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Beet Remoulade

The wonderful savory flavors of capers and mustard meet the earthy sweetness on red and gold beets.

1 medium red beet
1 medium gold beet
1 cup vegenaise or mayonnaise:
3 tbs capers
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Peel the beets and cut into 1 inch cubes. First cutting in half and laying flat surface on the cutting board.
Steam the beets for 25-45 minutes, checking first after 20. They should be soft like a cooked potato.
While the beets steam, place the capers, Dijon and white wine vinegar in a food proceesor and process briefly a few times, scraping the sides between blands. When faily uniform add the vegenaise or mayonnaise and blend for 30 seconds or so. Try not the overblend as the vegenaise and mayonnaise both become bitter woth over-blending. This is the remoulade.

When the beets are done, take half the remoulade and mix with the beets and serve. Alternatively, blend the beets with the caper, mustard and vinegar, before adding the vegenaise/mayonnaise.