Great Pumpkins!

What a beautiful time of year here in Ohio! If you have been to the store lately, you have noticed that we have our Fall supply of pumpkins for roasting, baking and decorating. Along with the pumpkins you will find squash, gourds and mums. Pumpkins have inspired us in the kitchen to start making Fall dishes and desserts too. Pictured above are staff members unloading the first pumpkins of the season and Chef Ernie making pumpkin seed encrusted tofu over sweet potatoes with a pumpkin and apple cider reduced sauce. There is a baked chicken version of this dish made as well. The pumpkin ideas don't stop there, try the pumpkin bisque or the tri-color pasta with a creamy pumpkin sauce and baked apples. Comfort food gets extra comfortable with our pumpkin mac and cheese! Look for these items in our entree case right now. Also, in the kitchen we are making Cajun Creole spiced tempeh over tomato basil pasta and hand rolled manicotti with chicken and peppers. Extra special baked items in the case this week include, pumpkin pie oat squares, vegan vanilla cupcakes with fudge frosting, peanut butter and jelly oat squares and chocolate chip, peanut butter and banana bread pudding.

Catering menu update

Here at Nature's Bin, we are always making great things and everything that we do is available for your catering needs. Just ask us if anything is needed. A few examples of what we do are available for viewing on our catering menu. The next time you are in our store please ask for a catering menu or visit our website for a printable version. The most current version of our catering menu is on our website today!. Take a look!

Customer Appreciation Day is coming!

Do you know who is really sweet? YOU ARE!! Come on in and feel the love this Saturday, September 17th and celebrate Customer Appreciation Day with us. This will be our 20th annual celebration! We will have samples, give aways and other special events planned as a well deserved thank you to our loyal customers. What a great day to plan a shopping trip!

Fresh in the bakery today, you will find vegan sandwich cookies. Have you ever had one of these before? These cookies are a real treat, larger than life and every bit- delicious! Filled with vegan buttercream and sprinkled with little Enjoy Life! chocolate chips, these top the list on customer favorites in the bakery case. Our bread pudding flavor of the week is peach and clove, we have pumpkin items including cake and cheesecake, peanut butter and jelly brownie bites (pictured above) and chocolate cookie cake.

We look forward to seeing you here this weekend!

Bouillabaisse!

We are serving up some wonderful things as entrees today at Nature's Bin. Now is the time to try Chef Ernie's Bouillabaisse creations. Pictured here is the fish and shrimp version with yukon gold potatoes and hints of clove, fennel, saffron and orange zest. Also available is the vegan version with chicken style seitan and our Bouillabaisse chicken soup.

Baking in the oven right now are the panko breaded shitake risotto burgers. This veggie burger will blow you away. Other notable things to try are our vegan Ohio City pasta and vegan sausage in a marinara sauce, stuffed tomatoes, fried okra and quinoa ragu and tofu curry and ground lamb curry.

We are noticing that everyone is in the mood for soup these days and we are excited to roll out some new and exciting things to try. Remember that four soups are featured daily to take home hot and several cold container soups are ready for you to grab in our grab and go case. Let us know if there are any old favorites that you have been longing for.

Bake Cake!

We are nothing but serious here in the kitchen and this picture proves it. Sharpie marker tattoos may be temporary but my love for baking is permanent! Thank you Chef Ernie for capturing this moment.

Red, white and blue cheesecake anyone? Come for a bakery visit this weekend and you will find this lovely cheesecake, vegan pumpkin cheesecake (yes, it is that time again), pumpkin pie oat squares, blondies, fudge brownies, Nutella hazelnut bread pudding and fresh carrot cake.
Also starring in the bakery case are two new vegan cupcake flavors, pictured above. The Earl Grey Tea cupcake with lemon zest and a very fancy s'mores cupcake with vegan marshmallow cream and made from scratch graham crackers!

Three of a kind

Look at these three new entrees that are sure to be snapped right up. First, try the breaded tempeh with a peach and plum salsa over rice. Next try the seafood and cream cheese filled crepes and lastly, try the roasted veggie stuffed tomatoes over spinach. They say that you eat with your eyes first, these all look great!
Also ready to go in the kitchen today are the beyond popular veggie burgers, beautiful knishs, veggie kasha varnishkes with mushrooms and buckwheat, sweet potato salad, sweet cabbage slaw and romano chicken.

Long Holiday Weekend!

Do you have everything you need for the holiday weekend? Fire up the grill and enjoy the last weekend of summer.
You can count on Nature's Bin for the best hot dogs, veggie dogs and creative burgers. If you buy organic we have everything extra that you might be needing, ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, baked beans and whole wheat buns.
Look in the deli for coleslaw, potato salads and pasta salads. We are stocked up and ready for you if you need us!

RAW brownies that you have to try!

Do you know anyone that eats an entirely raw diet? We have plenty of customers that shop at Nature's Bin that do. Today I had the pleasure of making a great recipe that was given to me by Ryann in the grocery department for a raw and vegan brownie. Look for it in the bakery case and give us feedback on this item. I had a small taste of it and it is really all I can think about, even now. The recipe simply called for dates, walnuts, cacao powder and nibs and I added a few things to make it my own and pressed it in a brownie pan and was very happy with the results. Cacao powder, similar to cocoa powder can be found in our store. Cacao is also available in a bar or small chopped pieces for any recipe. I joked with Ryann that chocolate in this form was used as money when trading for goods in ancient cultures. If I had to place a value on chocolate, it would be priceless!
Look for other raw items to come in our bakery case, I am up for a challange!

Kenya's Favorite

What a nice surprise in the kitchen today! A visit from Kenya and she was sweet enough to share her favorite with me. I couldn't wait to see what she chose and it was one of our own home made salads. Right now Kenya loves the vegan pasta salad and she is not alone. "It is yummy and I don't feel guilty at all when I eat it" declares Kenya. Since we have perfected this recipe in the kitchen it flies off the shelves. This elbow macaroni salad gets it's creamy texture from Vegenaise, a product that you can buy here to make salads and sandwiches just the way you like at home- and vegan!! Of course Vegenaise is the star of this salad but how can you ignore the crunch from the carrots, onions and celery. What a good summertime choice Kenya! Come back and rant and rave in the kitchen any time you'd like!

A Romantic Lunch

Beautiful and light, the crepes pictured above are filled with goat cheese and roasted veggies on a bed of spinach. I think this savory entree would be perfectly paired with the mini fruit tarts in our bakery case. You could be the apple of someones eye by delivering this for an impromptu lunch. wink wink!

Whoopie!

Did you know that smiles are guaranteed when eating a whoopie pie? It's true and I have captured it on film here as Josh prepares to take a bite.
Whoopie pies are perfect for lunchboxes and that is how and why they were created. Amish bakers were looking for cake items that could easily be packed up without ruining the frosting on top. The perfect solution was to put the frosting inside. Pretty smart idea. So with school starting, do you know anyone who could use a smile like this and has a lunchbox?
Red velvet whoopie pies are in the case today. Smile!

Gigantic Cinnamon Rolls!

Vegans rejoice! Here is Brittany making the kitchen smell good, too bad you can't smell it for yourself. These cinnamon rolls are full of love and topped with a vanilla icing. Easily big enough to share or splurge.
Also, be on the lookout for vegan pistachio and rosewater cupcakes, vegan corn and pecan muffins, chocolate brownie bites with buttercream and candied pecans. We also have hummingbird cupcakes made with coconut, pineapple and pecans. Let us treat your sweet tooth to something special!

Swing by Nature's Bin for breakfast! Every morning we have fresh doughnuts, muffins and pastry items for everyone to enjoy. Even grouchy Monday morning co-workers will light up if confronted with a sweet treat or two. Pictured here are things that are must haves for breakfast on your agenda. Try our power muffins, or super power muffins made with flax, banana, cranberry and blueberry. Our vegan muffins today are sweet potato crunch and every Sunday it is time to make the doughnuts, VEGAN doughnuts! Lost of variety, as you can see. Several times each week we offer Becker's Doughnuts as well.

Beyond breakfast, look for other goodies in the bakery case to try including the vegan maple nut cheesecake and the vegan cherry almond cheesecake. This weeks bread pudding flavor is chocolate chip, coconut and almond. -Think of a candy bar! We have both versions of the buckeye bliss bars, the caramel apple cake and fresh carrot cake.

Did you try any of our Ohio items this weekend? We had a great turnout and a chance to rub elbows with local vendors and sample items that are produced from our own backyard. It makes sense in this economy to make an extra effort to support local, small and independent companies and individuals. This is something that you already do as a customer at Nature's Bin! Nice work!

Fancy Pants Pizza

Now this is something to try! In the kitchen we are always passing cooking magazines around to try to generate ideas. Recently we found some really creative ideas as a springboard for new and exciting menu items and this is the latest one. Chef Sije has constructed a gourmet pizza that has Calimyrna figs, prosciutto, mild Italian cheeses and basil. All of these great toppings are on a fluffy baked pastry crust and packaged as a meal for two... or one, depending on how much this makes your mouth water!

Veggie Burgers from scratch!

Have you ever tried one of Chef Sije's veggie burgers? One bite and you will NEVER eat a frozen veggie burger again! Find these in our deli case. We have already had such a great response to these that we have decided to make them as often as we can to meet the demand. Chef Sije uses a variety of beans, black olives, colorful peppers and oats among other secret special touches to make these beauties. Pictured on the right in this photo, veggie burgers are what you need to try on your next visit to Nature's Bin!
Also featured in the photo are the Portabello Fillo wraps and our entree serving of Chicken Piccatta- with a lemon, chicken stock and caper sauce, served over veggie rice. Smells wonderful and tastes out of this world.

Now is the time for local Ohio sweet corn! It tastes better than ever and is a featured ingredient in so many of the things that we make. Here is Lafayette prepping for the corn and blueberry salad. Fresh corn makes all the difference here and paired with fresh, ripe blueberries, red onion, cucumbers and cilantro, it all comes together in one of the best salads that you have ever tried. Also pictured is the orzo pasta salad, made in the kitchen today. Orzo pasta, sun dried tomatoes, olives, Parmesan cheese and peas are combined to make this a star. Also, look for the golden beet, carrot and raisin salad, our chunky anti-pasta and beet salads.

Kitchen is hopping!

Wondering what we have waiting for you today at Nature's Bin? Trays of orange cream cake are the perfect frozen treat to try today! It is a bit like a creamscicle in cake form. Look for a few flavors of organic vegan muffins with a thick layer of crunchy sugar on top.

Goodies being made in the kitchen include, Risotto with cranberries and spinach, pine nut stuffed portabello caps over sauteed spinach, regular and vegan mac and cheese, cucumber wasabi salad, double corn quinoa and Asian quinoa. Pack a lunch for the day and don't forget to include us!

Heather's Favorite

Hi Heather! I hear that you are happy to have Phil working in the kitchen again. He is the mastermind behind your favorite thing here at Nature's Bin. Chef Phil's chicken burritos are all the rage. Heather claims that they are "yummy and delicious"! It's amazing that any of them make it to the deli case with the amount of fanfair they receive with staff members. These burritos are hand rolled, baked and contain shredded chicken, refried beans, cheese, corn and black beans, ground cumin and secret special touches of course! We agree with you Heather that this is a favorite thing for sure!

Honey Honey!

Did you know that we now offer senior discounts of 10% off on Wednesdays and Thursdays?

The bakery is full of great things this week. Look for these cupcakes- peanut butter and honey with a sweet cream cheese frosting and mini pb chips. Also in the bakery case you will find fresh chocolate chip and cherry bread pudding, vegan double chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles and organic vegan blueberry muffins. A must have for anyone buying soup are the green chili and cornbread muffins! Don't miss out!

Knish!

Knish can transport you to street vendors or delicatessens in New York City if you use your imagination but gas is expensive these days. Stay here in Lakewood and enjoy the same treat without the trek.

Nosh on this little snack! For those of you who have never heard of or tried a knish, it's flavor is similar to another ethnic dish- a pierogi! In the center of a puff pastry ring is a scoop of creamy potatoes, onions and cheese. Think of it as a mashed potato sandwich!

Treat yourself to a knish!

Inspired Chefs

The kitchen is busy today making some great entrees for the store. Pictured here is the Brushetta chicken- a citrus roasted chicken covered with a mixture of roasted tomatoes, olives and cloves of garlic. Also new on the scene is the ginger grilled pineapple served with crispy toasted coconut over rice! This super sweet treat is making us think of Caribbean inspired cooking.
Chef Ernie and Chef Sije have been coming up with all kinds of new things to try that you can find in the entree and deli case right now. Look for chicken manicotti and cheese stuffed shells, braised bison green chili enchiladas, agave lime tofu stir fry and moussaka- an eggplant, tomato and ground lamb casserole with a beschemel sauce. We are on a roll here with the new entree ideas, let us know what you fall in love with and we will keep it coming!
Don't forget to try the pasta primavera, an old favorite in the entree case. It's back again thanks to Chef Phil!

Smile!

Every now and then we smile around here! This is Chef Ernie
working on one of his anti-pasta trays for a catering order.
Pretty fancy stuff, don't you think?
I'm smiling in the bakery too today, we have all kinds of
goodies ready for the weekend such as the strawberry
lemonade bread pudding, vegan cookies and cream chocolate
bark and the vegan pumpkin and spice oat squares. Stop in and tell us what kind of cupcakes you would like to see.

Cool!

It is still so toasty outside that it is common to have a much lighter appetite, most of our deli salads fit the bill and are perfect for a nibble or two or even to pack and take on a picnic lunch. Two new choices this week are the pickled cucumber salad and the Mediterranean tuna salad. Think of bread and butter pickles for a hint of the cucumber salad taste and our new tuna salad is dressed with a lemon and dill dressing and has the snap of cherry tomatoes, chickpeas and cucumbers as well.

Today in the Deli we welcomed Chef Phil back! We will look forward to his signature mashed potatoes, larger than life burritos and all of the extra special touches that he brings to the kitchen. Welcome back Phil! You were greatly missed!

Things to look for in the bakery today are the treasure muffins! Todays flavor is raisin bran and you will find that little pocket of cream cheese baked right inside! Vegan doughnuts are ready to go, vegan red velvets are featured in the case as well as a new flavor of bread pudding- caramel and white chocolate chip. It's a great day!

Oh my oh, GYRO!

This is a sneak peek at something new coming to our sandwich grab and go case- GYROS! This new choice has a split lamb patty along with tomato, fried yukon gold potatoes, lettuce, Greek yogurt sauce and red onions all served on fluffy nan pita bread. We have a feeling these will FLY out of here! At $4.99 they aren't going to last very long at all.

Angry Arribita Sauce!

That crazy Chef Ernie! There is not an angry bone in his body but today he made some dishes with an Arribita sauce that you will love. First, try the Arribita tofu steaks over polenta. For the meat eaters, try the braised chicken Arribita. Both are spicy and garlicy, the only anger will be if you miss out on this treat!

Time to make the doughnuts!

Words are not necessary for this blog post because we have vegan doughnuts! Hurry in!

Sweet tooth

Are you craving that perfect sweet treat? We have several items that will fit that bill. Pictured here are the vegan blueberry and lemon scones with a vanilla glaze and the vegan chocolate and chili cupcakes, these are filled and topped with a sweet and mildly spicy cayenne buttercream and sprinkled with cacao nibs and a chili and dark chocolate dusted almond. Other yumminess from the bakery today includes pineapple upside down cake, vegan peach and pecan muffins and powdered sugar brownies.

Southern Style

Look at whats new in the kitchen today- fried green tomatoes! A few times each year Chef Ernie takes the time to make this treat! His fried green tomatoes are breaded in a crispy corn meal and served along side rice with collard greens and okra! I could probably eat two dozen of these with hot sauce and smile for the rest of the day. Look for these in the entree case and enjoy! For a vegan version, try the southern fried tofu over the same rice, okra and collard greens.
Also in the kitchen, take the time to try the eggplant roll-ups! These are filled with veggies and cheese, topped with cheese and marinara.

Vegan Delights

Attention vegans! It will not be hard to find the latest cookies in the case, unless they are sold out.. black and whites! Just like fancy bakeries in NYC! Enjoy this cakey cookie with chocolate and vanilla glaze. Which side will you eat first?
Also look for the new German chocolate cake with toasted coconut and pecans on top. Other goodies to look for in the case include vegan vanilla cupcakes, coffee brownies and banana brownies with walnuts. Grab a piece of our orange icebox cake too while it is with us this summer!

Ohio City

Did you know that most of our pasta used in entrees are from Ohio City Pasta? You will find them in our lasagnas, pasta salads and warm entrees too. Ohio City supplies us with traditional pastas as well as gourmet flavors and vegan pastas as well. Today I spotted a Caprese salad made with spinach spirals, mozzarella, basil and roasted cherry tomato. Find this with chicken sausage too for a nice variety. Gnocchi is something to look for as well from our buddies at Ohio City! Thanks guys!
All kinds of things are happening early this week in the kitchen. We can cool you off with a blue cheese broccoli slaw (I would love to put this on top of a hot dog straight from the grill!) Feel free to steal this idea from me if you would like! Look at this delicious work of art otherwise known as a fresh fruit salad. Josh worked hard on this masterpiece for a catering order, it is really the best time ever to enjoy all of the fresh produce that we have available. This was the most picture worthy item that I could find in the kitchen. We were all full of oooh's and ahhh's when we saw this.
Other things to look forward to today are Ohio City Pasta's potato pirogi with sauteed onions, chicken Marsala and chicken Parmesan, Chef Sije's cold eggplant salad, Chef Ernie's Tofu Loaf with roasted potatoes and a big batch of summer veggie gumbo. We are off to a good start this week!