Happy National Cookie Day!

Who doesn't love cookies? 

We definitely do, but where cookies even came from? Or who makes up all these random holidays? Well, we looked it up! (Thanks, Google!)

 Turns out the English word "cookie" is derived from the Dutch word "koekie" which means little cake.  There have been cookie-like wafers in existence for as long as baking has been documented, their ability to travel well made the quite popular, however, they weren't nearly as sweet as the common cookie. The origin of the cookie seems to be in Persia in the 7th century, soon after the use of sugar became popular in the region. After that, they spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain. Cookies were common at all levels of society throughout Europe by the 14th century, from the royal cuisine to the street vendors. Cookies arrived in America in the 17th century. Macaroons and gingerbread cookies were among the popular early American cookies.

In 1976, Sesame Street included National Cookie Day on its calendar for the first time on November 26. The Cookie Monster also proclaimed his own National Cookie Day in the 1980 book The Sesame Street Dictionary. Then in 1987, Matt Nader of the Blue Chip Cookie Company out of San Francisco created Cookie Day celebrating it on December 4.

So, how can you celebrate National Cookie Day, and still eat healthily? Our Clean Eating Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies are a great option! 

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are soft and extra chewy! Our dried blueberries add a bright and sweet burst, while the warm cinnamon and oats provide a comforting backdrop. They'll stay soft for up to a week if stored in an airtight container.

Yields About 15 Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Cup instant oats
3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 large egg, room temp.
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Cup honey
1/4 Cup Sunset Valley Organics' Dried Blueberries

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the honey until thoroughly incorporated. Add the flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in the blueberries. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. (If chilling longer, cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the entire surface of the cookie dough.)

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

3. Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops on the baking sheet. (If chilled longer than 1.5 hours, flatten each slightly.) Bake at 325°F for 13-15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Happy National Cookie Day! 

June 2017 News & Updates

June Is Here!

Finally the rain is letting up and the beautiful sun is shining through! We had a pretty wet spring and because of that we are currently about 2 weeks behind with the growing season. If we get some really hot weather that can change really quick. It just depends on Mother Nature now.  

WE HAVE NEW PRODUCTS!

What a great reception we have received from our powders! We are so happy to hear that so many of you enjoy them! For those who missed last months newsletter, we have new berry powders up in the shop.  You can now purchase:

• Red Raspberry Powder
• Blackberry Powder
• Aronia Berry Powder
• Black Raspberry Powder
• Blueberry Powder

Our berry powders are a supercharged way of getting your daily fruits into your diet. You can mix our powders into baking, oatmeal, smoothies, milk, ice cream, and more! Just like our dried berries, there are no additives or preservatives, so we're keeping the product as natural and nutritious as possible! 

*Note: Our powders are not soluble*

We've also added a new size to our powders. Now you can purchase all of our powder varieties in 2 lbs. quantities for $110.00.  

We would also like to mention that our free shipping amount has increased to $235.00 after coupons are applied. Our spreads and frozen do not qualify for free shipping. 

Changes Are Coming:

Most of you are aware that last summer we were crazy busy during harvest. In the summer of 2016 we harvested about 2 million pounds of fruit, this year we are projecting at least 3 million. With that much fruit to be harvested we have had to make some hard choices in where to cut back so a balance can be achieved. This has resulted in our decision to not have a U-Pick this summer. We are sad that we can not continue, but our harvest is our first priority. 

We will still be offering already picked & washed blueberries in 30 pound boxes and 5 pound bags. For these you pull around to our office and we help you there. The price for those this year will be the same as in the past at $100 (30 pound box). 

We would like to thank everyone who has come out and supported us over the years. We hope you will continue to enjoy our berries. 

We will have a blog post late May about all the changes we are making why we are making them. 

This Month On The Blog:

Our blog is becoming more active! We will be having a variety of topics, you can expect these posts over the next month:

• Blackberry Crostini
• Spring Superfood Bowl with Blueberry Ginger Dressing
• Blueberry Broccoli Spinach Salad
• Raspberry Chia Seed Jam
• Super Berry Bars
• U-Pick Update

And did you see our delicious post this month? Oatmeal Aronia Berry Cookies. A surprisingly soft, delicious treat!

Have you seen this awesome spotlight video on our farm? It's just a little over 2 minutes so take a look!

Our Normal Office Hours: Monday - Friday 10 am to 4 pm PST  These will also be the hours during harvest this summer. Please note: Do not respond to this email, it does not reach us.  Cold Weather Shipping  Cold Weather shipping is now over until fall. Thanks to everyone who called an placed an order, we are so glad we can provide a cheaper method of shipping so more people have the chance to enjoy our nutrient dense berries. When we get to September we will start looking at temperatures again to see if we can offer this method again sooner rather than later. Typically it won’t be available until mid-October though. If you have questions about frozen and shipping please call us at 541-752-0460 Monday through Friday 10 am to 4 pm PST. We will be having a First Day of Summer flash sale. Details will be posted on our Facebook page on June 20, the sale will take place on June 21st. No-Bake Nutrient Dense Raspberry Energy Bites Original Recipe from sunsetvalleyorganics.com Ingredients: 1 TBSP Coconut Oil 1/3 C Almond Butter (or nut butter of your choice) 1/4 C Honey* (or maple syrup) 1/2 C Old Fashioned Oats 2 TBSP Chia Seeds 2 TBSP Raspberry Powder Directions: Prepare baking sheet lined with parchment, set aside. Melt coconut oil in a large bowl. Stir in the nut butter*, honey (or maple syrup) until smooth. Add the oats, chia seeds, and mix ins of your choice. Roll into 1 tablespoon balls and place on prepared baking sheet, and place in freezer for up to an hour. Remove from freezer and transfer balls into plastic bag. Store in the fridge for up to one week or the freezer for up to 3 months. *If your nut butter is really hard you can try warming it up in the microwave, it makes it a lot easier to stir in!

Happy Healthy Thanksgiving: Home Made Bagles

Who can say no to a bagel? I know no one around here can! So we were super excited when we found a recipe that was gluten free + vegan friendly! We have also given it our own twist! 

Homemade 

Blueberry Bagels 

(Gluten Free + Vegan Friendly) 

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose white blend
1 3/4 cups milk of choice or water
2 1/2 tsp yeast or 1 packet 
1/2 cup dried blueberries
3 tsp guar gum
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt (+ extra for top)
1 tbsp sugar

Instructions:
1. Heat liquid to 100 degrees F. Add yeast and sugar, then mix and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 
2. In a separate bowl mix flour, gum, dried blueberries, and salt.

3. In large bowl combine liquid and oil. Gradually mix in all the flour mixture by hand to avoid big lumps. Mix until all incorporated and smooth.

4. Use a large cookie scoop or spray a ½ cup to scoop the dough. With wet hands form dough into a ball and use a finger to poke a hole in the center. Gently shape into bagel form by expanding the hole. Place on a individual piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Spray tops with oil, cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes. (Don't allow to double in size or else it will lose its shape and fall apart in the bath.)

6. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Gently drop a max of 2 bagels in the water and boiled each side for only 30 seconds each side. Remove individual parchment paper pieces and place back on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

7. Bake at 450 degrees F for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

Useful Info:

Be careful moving bagels to and from the water. The extra sheet of parchment paper makes it easier to move and comes off easily after boiling. The water should be a rapid boil and only let them sit for a short while on each side or else they will absorb too much water and become soggy. If you can, allow your oven to preheat at least 20 minutes prior to baking. These freeze extremely well and can be used for sandwich bread.

Original Recipe from Petite Allergy Treats

Healthy Halloween: Breakfast Pops

"Candy Corn" Breakfast Pops

Who wouldn't want to have candy corn for breakfast? I know I would want to! Enjoy this healthy spin on candy corn, that you can have for breakfast or an afternoon snack!

Makes 10 Popsicles

Ingredients:
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
4 Teaspoons Honey
3 Mangos (fresh is best!) medium to large size

Directions:
1. First off your going to have to cut the mangos into cube like pieces, after you have cut and cubed all three, puree them in a food processor.

2.  Puree the mangos until the puree is really smooth, you don't want chunks to linger. When your all done pureeing the mangos there should be around three cups. If this is not the case you will be in need of more mangos.

3. (For this part you will need 3 small bowls) In a small bowl add 3/4 cup of greek yogurt and 2 teaspoons of honey. In another small bowl add 2 cups of mango puree. And in the last small bowel add the remaining puree (around 1 cup) and the remaining yogurt (1/4 cup) as well as the remaining honey (2 teaspoons). In each bowl mix the ingredients in their respective bowls.

4. In the popsicle mold, carefully pour the yogurt honey mixture first. Then you can mix and match the remaining two layers of orange mango and yellow mango mixes.

Harvest Update: Open Season

It's finally happening! Our farm stand is opening this week with pre picked berries! Here are all the details you'll need!

Officially Opening: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 9 am
Farm Stand Hours: Monday - Sunday 9 am to 6 pm
What We Have: Pre Picked blueberries, and raspberries. 

We expect our farm stand to be open from June 17, 2015 until August 1, 2015. We estimate our U-Pick blueberries will open around the 4th of July. The price of our U-Pick blueberries will be $2.75 per pound. Keeping an eye on our social media, and here on our blog is the best way to stay informed about our harvest. 

If your wanting more than a flat of raspberries we kindly ask you call a head and place an order with us. You can reach us at 541-752-0460, please call during business hours. 

We are so excited to finally start the season, and we can't wait to see you all out at our farm stand and in the field this summer! 

It's Finally Summer! Fresh Berries + News from Sunset Valley Organics

Happy Start of Summer!

We are so happy it’s finally SUMMER! Anybody else feeling the heat we have gotten over the last few days? All this heat really helps our berries ripen, and it helps make them sweeter! Yum! As we have announced we do not have fresh strawberries (frozen is still available) this year. However we will have raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. 

News From Around The Farm

We have finished trellising the black raspberries, and what a boat load of work that was! After we got it all trellised we put in drip irrigation to the field so we could easily make sure everything was getting the water it needed and that took a good part of our May. 

Every week now we are feeding our plants and soils so they stay nice and healthy during the harvest. Just as we work hard and need food to continue so do our plants. 

In May we also got to try Bearded Brother’s Blueberry Vanilla Energy Bars they were so good you guys! The reason we wanted to try them is because these specific bars are made with our dried blueberries. 

We have also been voted the best U-Pick Berry Farm of 2015 by the readers of Willamette Living Magazine. We would like to thank everyone who voted, and even if you didn’t, you are the whole reason we do this, with out you guys we wouldn’t be in business. So THANK YOU! 

Social Media Updates This month on our blog we are posting about National Men’s Health Month, and some delicious recipes to go along with it. We will also have a Father’s Day inspiration gift guide. This is also going to be a great place to check for updates about our harvest this summer.  We are also going to be starting an Instagram account so if you wanna see some awesome shots of our farm and what harvest looks like for us then be sure to watch Facebook for that announcement!  Our Pinterest board theme is Schools Out! It’s time to be outside and relax! This board celebrates the start of summer with delicious recipes and great ideas for spending some quality time with your kids!  Specials + Coupons So we have a couple of ways to help you save this month: First of all, if you come out to our farm stand and show us you have liked us on Facebook, or Follow us on Twitter then you can save 10% off your total order! This offer will be available as long as our farm stand is open.  Finally We are sending out post cards with a special offer, but if you don’t get those post cards all you have to do is find our ad in Oregon Family Magazine and tell us about it and get a great saving! Each of these is a one time only, and will be valid during our 2015 Fresh harvest, only valid at our farm stand.

Recipes This month we are trying to beat the heat with some delicious, healthy smoothies. We hope you enjoy the selections we have chosen.  Raspberry Coconut Smoothie Dairy-Free, Vegan Friendly Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 0 mins Ready in: 5 mins Yield: 1 smoothie Ingredients: 1/2 cup coconut milk  1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries 1 tablespoon coconut butter 1 banana peeled, chopped into pieces optional: sweetener of choice, if needed.  Directions: Blend all of the ingredients into blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender. Optional: Add sweetener to taste. If the smoothie is too thick for you, add milk until it’s your desired consistency. Raspberry Mango Tango Smoothie Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 0 mins Ready in: 5 mins Yield: 1 large smoothie, or 2 small smoothies Ingredients:  1/2 of a large banana, peeled, sliced and frozen.  1/2 cup favorite brand of Mango yogurt 1 cup fresh or frozen mango 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries optional: milk for desired thickness. Directions: Add all of the ingredients into the blender Blend on high for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Serve + enjoy!

Healthy Thanksgiving Alternatives

Every thanks giving we all basically throw out whatever good eating habits we have been trying to stick with because of all of the delicious food that happens around the holidays, especially thanksgiving. This year we would like to offer some healthy alternatives so you can still enjoy all those delicious dishes and not feel bad about it! Best of both worlds! We hope you enjoy!

Gluten Free Stuffing inspired from Yammie's Gluten Freedom

For the Bread:
1 cup warm water 
1 1/2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
3 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup Tapioca Flour 
1/2 cup Potato Starch 
1 cup White Rice Flour 
2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the water and yeast. Let it sit for a couple minutes. Add the eggs, brown sugar, tapioca flour, potato starch, 1/2 cup of the white rice flour, the xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Stir until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of rice flour and stir to combine (I just add it later so it's not as hard to stir).
Plop it on a greased baking sheet and allow to rise for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350ºF for about 45 minutes. 

For the Stuffing:
6 cup dry bread cubes (cook at 200ºF until dry or chop into cubes and set out for a day or two until dry)
A few tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic 
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery 
 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or any combination of sage, thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary)
3 cups chicken stock
1 egg, slightly beaten

Saute the garlic, onion, and celery. Add the bread and seasoning. Add the chicken stock and egg and mix just until combined (don't over mix). Dump into a greased baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350ºF or until the top is toasty.

Southwest Style Baked Sweet Potatoes (paleo friendly!) 
inspired from savory lotus

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 large garnet or jewel sweet potatoes
• 1 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil
• 1/4  onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 LB ground beef, bison, or turkey (preferably grass fed/pastured)
• 1/2 tsp  celtic sea salt (like this)
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder (I use this one)
• 2 TBS filtered water
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
• FOR SPICY AVOCADO SAUCE:
• 1 ripe avocado, mashed
• 1 TBS olive oikl
• juice from 1 lime or lemon
• a pinch of celtic sea salt
• a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (my favorite)
• FOR GARNISH:
• green onions
• cilantro
• 1 tomato, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender and completely soft, about 45-60 minutes.
3. Prepare avocado sauce by combining all avocado sauce ingredients and mixing until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
4. About 30 minutes into baking the sweet potatoes, melt fat of choice in skillet and saute onion for 7-9 minutes until beginning to brown.  Add ground meat and continue to cook until meat is completely browned.
5. Add salt, cumin, chili powder and water to skillet.  Mix to combine and cook another 5 minutes on low-medium, until water is all cooked off, stirring occasionally.
6. Add chopped spinach and cook another couple of minutes until spinach is wilted. Cover and remove from heat.
7. When sweet potatoes are done, make a slit in the top of each sweet potato and squeeze the ends to create a little well inside. Gently loosen up some of the inside of each sweet potato with a fork.  Then top with big mound of spiced ground meat.  Drizzle with spicy avocado, and garnish with green onions, cilantro, and tomato.
8. Serve with fresh green salad or steamed greens.  Enjoy!

For more Healthy Thanksgiving ideas and recipes please check out our Pinterest board for this month! 

Berries Travels: Living Earth Bakery

Living Earth Bakery is a gluten-free bakery, located on SW Jefferson Ave.
in Corvallis, Oregon. Jenney and Eric (the owners) found that they were gluten-intolerant, and didn't want to settle for eating "treats" that were better for being rocks than sweet deserts. They opened their doors in 2006, and now offer a wide verity of treats and breads.

Living Earth Bakery uses our organic blueberries in their blueberry muffins. And are now offering their treats through online ordering.

Follow this link to visit Living Earth Bakery online: http://www.livingearthbakery.com

Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp Recipe

I love blueberry crisp, but I have to eat Gluten Free. Because of my restricted diet, I really appreciate the added nutrients that come from Sunset Valley Organics Blueberries. This works just as well with Frozen Berries as fresh, so it can be made any time of the year. Try this one out, and tell me what you think.

Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp
2 Pints (3-4 cups) Fresh or Frozen Blueberries - washed
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour (I used Pamela's wheat free bread mix)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup Shortening (Butter or Margarine depending on your sensitivity to dairy)
1/3 cup gluten free oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Mix the blueberries with 2 Tbs of the flour mixture and place in the dish.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, oats and shortening. Use a fork to mix the shortening through the mixture. Hint: the shortening works best if cold / solid.

Pour mixture over the top of the blueberries and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until it bubbles and the crust is browned.

I need to thank my friends at the GF/CF forum for this one. -- Its awesome!