Posts tagged “produce”

Summer is a vibrant time for fresh produce, offering a colorful bounty of fruits and vegetables that are as delicious as they are nutritious. From juicy cherries to succulent melons, summer’s harvest provides endless opportunities to create refreshing and healthy dishes. Let’s dive into some of Summer’s Best Produce and explore delightful recipes that highlight their flavors.

Local Cherries 

Cherries are synonymous with summer. Bing cherries, with their deep red color and sweet flavor, are perfect for snacking. Rainier cherries, known for their golden-yellow hue and delicate sweetness without the higher acid levels, are great for eating by the handful. 

Fresh Melons

Nothing says summer like fresh melons. Whether it’s a traditional cantaloupe, honeydew, or the lesser-known but equally delicious organic Umi black seedless watermelon, these fruits are hydrating and perfect for hot days. Enjoy them individually or toss together a delicious fruit salad, fruit kebabs, or try your hand at “shaved fruit dessert.”

Don’t forget to try delicious, super sweet, orange fleshed honeydew! This hybrid variety of melon is a cross between green fleshed honeydew and orange fleshed muskmelon. The result is an incredibly sweet and beautiful fruit to add to your breakfast spread!

Big Seeded Old-Fashioned Watermelon

For those who love a bit of nostalgia, the big seeded old-fashioned watermelon offers a taste of summers past. Its sweet, juicy flesh and fun-to-spit-out seeds make it a family favorite. Seeded old-fashioned watermelons are one of Summer’s Best Produce items. Serve in oversized wedges and host a seed spitting contest! Or try your hand at homemade Watermelon Aqua Fresca!

Flavor Bomb Tomatoes
& Tower Basil

These tomatoes are aptly named; their intense flavor bursts in every bite. They are excellent for salads, salsas, or just eating fresh off the vine. Try them tossed with mozzarella, basil, cucumber and a drizzle of Sotto Voce olive oil.

Tomatoes & basil are best buds. Pick up a tower basil plant to have basil on hand as your garden tomatoes ripen. Tower basil, with its robust aroma and flavor, is essential for summer dishes, especially when making pesto or caprese salads.

Local Peaches & Berries

The juicy sweetness of local peaches is unparalleled. Fruits are picked at optimum ripeness for flavor, not for traveling long distances. Local berries, such as strawberries and raspberries, especially from Washington, are also summer staples, known for their exceptional flavor and freshness.

Garlic Spears

Garlic spears are the flower of young garlic plants picked before flowering. They offer a mild, garlic flavor, perfect for grilling. They have a short season of availability, but are absolutely worth picking up when they are available.

Summer Recipes to Savor

Fruit Kabobs

Fruit kabobs are not only delicious but also fun to make. Thread chunks of watermelon, melon, peaches, and strawberries onto skewers. Serve with a yogurt dip flavored with a hint of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Grilled Fruit

Grilling fruit enhances its natural sweetness. Try grilling peach halves, pineapple slices, or melon wedges. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill until you see char marks. Serve as a side dish or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert.

Berry and Basil Dessert

For a light and elegant dessert, toss fresh strawberries and raspberries with a bit of sugar and let them macerate for 30 minutes. Serve over a dollop of mascarpone cheese or Greek yogurt, and top with thinly sliced basil.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

This classic combination is a summer favorite. Cube big seeded watermelon and mix with crumbled feta cheese, thinly sliced red onions, and chopped mint or basil. Drizzle with balsamic glaze for a sweet and tangy finish.

Making the most of summer’s best produce is a delightful way to enjoy the flavors and health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables. Whether you’re snacking on juicy cherries, savoring a fresh fruit salad, or enjoying a grilled fruit dessert, these recipes highlight the best of what summer has to offer. Visit your local Tacoma Boys’ and H&L Produce to find the freshest ingredients and celebrate the season with these delicious dishes.

Winter is rolling in quickly which means it’s time to roundup a long list of your favorite soup recipes to keep you warm and cozy this cold season. Nothing beats a hot bowl of your favorite soup when the weather is cold and grey, especially in the Pacific Northwest! What better way than to plan ahead for the new season with fresh winter produce and the ultimate winter soup recipe lineup?!

Tacoma Boys’ Favorite Soup

Okay, to be honest, Tacoma Boys doesn’t have a favorite soup – it’s too difficult to decide on just one! What we do know is that your local Tacoma Boys is stocked with every soup essential you can think of. From canned goods to broth, produce, and even bacon, you’re sure to be covered this winter season to whip up some of your favorite soup! 

Beans

Beans are a popular soup ingredient in various recipes – and for good reason! Legumes are packed with fiber, protein, and provide a hearty component to lighter soups. Some of Tacoma Boys’ favorite legumes for soups include black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and garbanzo beans.

Brands

Field Day Organic

• Black beans, pinto beans, ranchero chili beans, cannellini beans, kidney, and garbanzo beans.

Eden Organic

• Great northern beans, kidney beans, aduki beans, pinto beans, and black beans.

Pepper Creek Farms

• A great choice for dried beans vs canned. Offers more unique beans such as canary and black calypso beans!

Broth

Broth or stock is the base of most, if not all soups! Depending on what type of broth is chosen, it can add a great deal of flavor and richness to your soup. Beef broth works great for rich chili while seafood stock works great for creamy soups such as clam chowder. No matter the soup you have on your list, Tacoma Boys’ broth selection is stocked, pun intended.

Pacific Foods

• Organic Vegetable
  Broth
• Beef Bone Broth
• Chicken Bone Broth
• Turkey Broth
• Chicken & Beef Broth

Epic Artisanal

• Bison Apple Cider Bone Broth
• Turkey Cranberry Sage Bone Broth
• Homestyle Savory Chicken Bone Broth

Ocean’s Halo

• No Chicken Vegan Broth
• Ramen Broth

Other Soup Essentials

Depending on the type of soup you’re making, there are many different options for add-ins. Hempler’s Original Center Cut Bacon works great for potato soup while Smith Brother’s Whole Milk is a high quality option for a creamy based chowder. The possibilities are endless for winter soups!

• Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Sour Cream to top a vegan chili
• Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham for a ham & potato soup
• Tacoma Boys Carolina Reaper Salsa for a spicy tortilla soup
• Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk for a creamy curry soup
• Manischewitz Medium Egg Noodles for classic chicken noodle soup
• Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes for a hearty lasagna soup

Winter Produce

As always, produce is a must for any dish, including soup! Using produce in soup is a great way to hide leafy greens that may tend to scare some away when found in its purest form. Adding loads of fresh produce to soup recipes is a sure way to get nutrients that are needed for everyday life. Afterall, keeping your immune system in check during the cold season is essential. Some of Tacoma Boys’ favorite winter produce includes: Kabocha squash, carrots, pumpkin, parsnips, brussels sprouts, and swiss chard!

Winter Soup Recipes 

What’s on the menu for your winter soup recipe list?! If you don’t have any, Tacoma Boys has you covered, as always. We’ve gathered a list of soup recipes that are guaranteed to be soup-er.

• Immune Boosting Feel Good Veggie Soup from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
• Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup from Food Menu
• Creamy White Bean & Pumpkin Chili from Family Style Food
• Spicy Parsnip & Sweet Potato Soup from Kitchen Sanctuary 

Quick & Easy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

This tomato soup uses Tacoma Boys’ delicious fresh grape tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, herbs, and sweet onion for the ultimate comfort food dish. 

Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cups fresh grape tomatoes
• 8 garlic cloves
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups Pacific Foods vegetable broth

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit while you prep. 
2. Place the onion on the bottom of a 9×9 baking dish. Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3. Bake for 30 minutes until the tomatoes are blistered and the onions are cooked through.
4. Pour everything into a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
5. Pour back into a saucepan and add the vegetable broth. Cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until hot. Season with more salt and pepper as needed.

Pre-Made Soup from Tacoma Boys

If making soup from scratch isn’t your thing, Tacoma Boys carries pre-made soup options ranging from mixes to canned soup. This is a great option to have on hand when you’re in need of throwing together something quick and easy for dinner! 

• Rao’s Sausage & Potato Soup
• Namaste Gluten Free Hearty Vegetable Soup
• Bar Harbor Clam Chowder
• Safe Harvest Dairy Free Shrimp Bisque
• Bear Creek Vegetable Beef Soup Mix
• Rill Foods Tekoa Split Pea Soup Mix
• Anderson House Chicken Noodle Soup Mix

Swing By! 

Hop into the Tacoma Boys closest to you to grab all of the ingredients to satisfy your soup needs! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to grab one of Tacoma Boys’ very own to guide you through the store to find what you’re looking for. 

Don’t forget to shop early this season for Christmas Trees! TREES ARE SELLING FAST. Click here for more info on Tacoma Boys’ Christmas Trees this year!