Get our newsletters

Susan S. Yeske: Recipe of the Week -- Time to highlight fresh spinach

Posted
Plans for Jim Gannon’s second organic grocery store and first café were well underway when the pandemic hit and work came to an abrupt halt.

Eventually work resumed, and the second Organnons Natural Market opened in November in New Britain Borough with shelves full of organic meats, produce and other products.

Gannon chose the site at The Gathering at University Village after months of searching. The original market is in Wrightstown’s Carousel Village at Indian Walk; it opened after Gannon’s wife, Danielle, became pregnant with their first child.

The couple wanted to eat the best food they could find, but became frustrated when they searched for organic and natural foods and had to visit multiple stores to get everything they needed.

They assumed that other families felt the same way, and their wish for one-stop shopping for organic and non-GMO foods led them to open the first Organnons market. Immediately popular, they found that many customers were coming from around the region to shop there. Now they have the option of traveling to the store just outside Doylestown as well.

Jim Gannon says that one of the draws is his competitive pricing. Organic products often are more expensive than non-organic but he belongs to a group of organic purchasers who buy together to keep costs down. “Pound for pound, we are competitive with organics,” he said, adding that “all of our products are the cleanest and best the industry has to offer.”

Located across the street from Delaware Valley University with student housing above them in the new multi-use building, the Gannons are already are drawing local residents as well as students. A large parking lot behind the building accommodates all visitors.

The café offers organic smoothies, juices, coffee, bowls, soups, kombucha, and “quick bites” such as avocado toast, bagels and sandwiches. It opens the same time as the store but closes an hour earlier each day.

Curbside pickup is available from both stores, and delivery is available within a limited radius. See the website for more information.

Spring is here, so it’s time to indulge in spinach, a favorite spring vegetable.

This recipe is from cookinglight.com.

One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1½ cups unsalted chicken stock
½ teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces whole-grain spaghetti or linguine
½ teaspoon salt
10 ounces fresh spinach
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ¼ cup)

Step 1. Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat.

Step 2. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until onion starts to brown.

Step 3. Add tomatoes, stock, oregano, and pasta, in that order. Bring to a boil. Stir to submerge in liquid.

Step 4. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 7 minutes or until pasta is almost done.

Step 5. Uncover; stir in salt. Add spinach in batches, stirring until spinach wilts. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.


X