Open House at The Riverwalk Inn and Garden Cafe in Chelan, Washington!

Saturday, April 25, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

204 E. Wapato Avenue
Chelan, Washington

"Across from The Riverwalk Park"

Welcome Friends! We have taken on a new venture ... we are now the proud proprietors of The Riverwalk Inn and developers of The Garden Cafe in the heart of Chelan, WA, a beautiful town situated on the shore of Lake Chelan.

The Riverwalk Inn is a historic building, built in 1918 and lovingly restored (2000-2005) by Mike and Mary Sherer of Chelan, Washington. The inn offers 14 clean and cozy rooms, located in the heart of Chelan, and just across the street from the famous Riverwalk Park and the scenic mile-long walking path that takes you on a mile-long loop by the Chelan River.

The Garden Cafe, new to The Riverwalk Inn this year, features a complimentary gourmet breakfast for all overnight guests, with locally grown fruit and vegetables from our chef's gardens, fresh egg dishes, coffee and tea, and exceptional artisan breads and rolls from our in-house bakery.

The cafe will also be open extended weekend hours for lunch to the public, serving a buffet of homemade soups, garden salads with fresh herb dressings, and artisan breads.

Save the date for our Open House on Saturday, April 25, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. We will be serving breakfast and lunch dishes in the cafe, giving tours, and hosting live music from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. by a fabulous stringed instrument trio, appropriately named All Strings Considered!

More photos to follow soon - we are in the midst of adding a new sidewalk and entry to the inn, and planting gardens! We are officially open to take inn reservations as of May 1, 2009.

For more information, please call us at: 509-670-6195 or call The Riverwalk Inn directly at: 509-682-2627. (Our Riverwalk Inn/Garden Cafe website will be up and running soon!)

The daffodils, 7 inches tall on the south side of our home, didn't care that it was 20 degrees for an overnight low two nights ago--they just keep pushing up and are nearly ready to bloom.

In the solar cold frame, despite a month of cloudier-than-usual weather, the first row of Arugula is popping up, unaffected by the freezing of the surface of the soil as they emerge.

I like working with hardy plants. They have something to teach us about thriving in the face of any adversity. And they taste so much better once they have been frozen, yet they live to grow another day...

I'm making another order from Johnny's Selected Seeds, in Maine, today. I realized that by simply reading their catalog, once a year, that anyone can learn amazing practical knowledge about growing food, and flowers, for people.

Rob Johnston and his seed company are an inspiration for me, and reading those catalogs on the long winter days and nights in Minnesota years ago certainly got our gardens and our lives on a good path to success!

Healthy Gourmet Personal Chef Service 509-663-8326 Weekly Food Delivery Menu: February 10 - March 3, 2009

Each week's supply of food feeds 2 people at least 2 meals (4 meals total). If you add additional foods to the Healthy Gourmet package, you can stretch your meals even further (for example, add whole grain corn chips, avocado and salsa to the Black Bean and Seasoned Rice Salad, divide into 4 servings, and you have a light dinner for 4)!

Week One: Delivery on February 10
1 quart Healing Vegetable Soup with Miso Carrots and Cauliflower
Spinach Mushroom Lasagne with Tofu
Black Beans and Seasoned Rice over Mixed Greens
1 pint Rosemary White Bean Dip
1 Garlic Whole Wheat Baguette

Week Two: Delivery on February 17
1 quart Soba Noodle Soup with Greens
Thai Curry over Basmati Rice with Baked Tempeh
Marinated Chickpeas and Veggies over Mixed Greens
2 oz. tub Leek Pesto Spread
2 rounds Flatbread

Week Three: Delivery on February 24
1 quart Potato Leek Soup
Mahi Mahi with Citrus Ginger Sauce over Quinoa
Broccoli Salad over Mixed Greens
1 pint Hummus
1 Whole Wheat Baguette

Week Four: Delivery on March 3
1 quart Minestrone
Brown and Basmati Rice Bowl with Baked Tofu, Vegetables, and Sesame Garlic Sauce
Roasted Red Peppers and Basil Pesto Pasta over Mixed Greens
1 pint Spicy Pinto Spread
1 pkg. Parmesan Bread Sticks

Please see previous post for price and delivery information, or simply call us at: 509-663-8326!

Flatbread Modern Cuisine from an Ancient Tradition

Scott brought back the tradition of baking flatbread in the 1973, when he returned from his travels in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. As Scott tells the story, he was on a bus through the Khyber Pass toward Kabul when the bus broke down near Jalalabad, in Eastern Afghanistan. He had nothing to do for four hours while repairs were made, except watch local bakers at work making naan, the local flatbread of the region. The aromas of wood smoke and fresh-baked naan, combined with the sweet/tart flavor of the local apricot jam on the warm bread, created an unforgettable "village food" experience!

The bakery was completely outdoors-- the oven was made from a thick, horizontal plate of steel set on a long rectangular base of firebrick and adobe, with a stoking door for adding entire 6-foot logs, lengthwise. Adobe was formed in an arcing tunnel over the steel plate, with no door at enclose the "oven" space--but obviously the oven was hot enough it did not need a door!

It was January, but the workers were lightly dressed as they worked near the huge oven. Each long naan flatbread was placed all the way in the oven on a long wooden paddle, then removed, less than two minutes later, fully baked, with a few charred spots adding to the unique whole wheat flavor....

During our time in Minnesota, we made flatbread on the stovetop of our Home Comfort woodstove, but now we use a similar, simple recipe and a modern, very hot, convection oven to create a fast-baked and delicious whole-grain flatbread.

Instant "Flatbread Pizza" Ideas: (Heat oven to 400 F. and bake 12 minutes)
Marinara sauce, onions, peppers, tofu and parmesan cheese.
Hummus, diced tomatoes, Kalamata olives, oregano, and Feta cheese
Black bean spread, salsa, and sweet corn kernels with cheddar cheese
Vegenaise, pesto, shredded smoked salmon, and parmesan cheese

(Note: We always use cheese sparingly, as a "seasoning", and suggest you do the same.)

Other "Quick Meal" Ideas using Flatbread:
Flatbread Pannini with Grilled Veggies or Tuna Salad
Flatbread and Dal (Traditional Indian soup with Red Lentils)
Flatbread and Chili
Flatbread and Egg Scramble with Fresh Veggies (see photo above)

The possibilities are virtually endless, so use your imagination! Flatbread is a staple bread in our food subscription service. Order some from us today!

Healthy Gourmet Personal Chef Service
509-663-8326


Weekly Food Delivery Menu:
January 13 - February 3, 2009

Each week's supply of food feeds 2 people at least 2 meals (4 meals total). If you add additional foods to the Healthy Gourmet package, you can stretch your meals even farther (example: make up a simple tuna salad to go with the Rye Bread for a workday lunch)!




Week One: Delivery on January 13
1 quart Vegan Beet Soup (Borscht - pictured above)
Vegetarian Sausage and Cabbage over Creamy Caraway Noodles
Potato Salad over Mixed Greens
1 Loaf Rye Bread
1 2 oz. tub herb butter

Week Two: Delivery on January 20
1 quart Red Lentil Dal with sweet red pepper
Channa Masala over Basmati Rice
Nappa Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing
1 8 oz. tub Apple Chutney
2 rounds Flatbread with Onion Seeds

Week Three: Delivery on January 27
1 quart Butternut Squash and Miso Soup
Roasted Wild Salmon and Leeks with Lemon Pesto Sauce over Quinoa
Mixed Greens with Marinated Chickpeas and Red Onion
1 pint Hummus
1 Whole Wheat Baguette

Week Four: Delivery on February 3
1 Quart Savory Onion Soup
Tempeh Chili with Roasted Peppers
Mixed Greens and Parmesan Herb Pasta
1 - 2 oz. tub Molasses Butter
1 Whole Grain Cornbread

Price List:
1 week: $50.00 + 8% sales tax = $54.00
2 weeks: = 108.00
3 weeks: = 162.00
4 weeks: = 216.00

All weekly orders must be completed and pre-paid prior to the week ordered.
(Please specify which week you are ordering (1 - 4 as described above).
Prepaid Orders for the entire month are due January 10, 2009.

Method of Payment: we accept cash, check or PayPal.
Those ordering all 4 weeks of food will receive an additional 2 dozen Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies and 1 bag Cranberry Pecan Granola.

Delivery Schedule:
Delivery will generally be Tuesday evenings. If you cannot be home at the time of the food delivery, please leave an empty cooler with blue ice at your door, and we will pack your food order into the cooler. In winter, please rememver to bring in your cooler when you arrive back home, to avoid freezing your salads.

We use recyclable food-grade plastic containers and canning jars to pack soups, main courses, and salads. Canning jars may be returned to us for sterilization and re-use. Please recycle plastic containers.

Items and prices subject to change, due to the season, availability, and market prices.

Happy New Year!
The Healthy Gourmet
Personal Chef Service offers
FREE WEEKLY DELIVERY in 2009!

Please review the menu for the first month of Healthy Gourmet Personal Chef Service, starting on Tuesday, January 13, and continuing through the fourth week, February 3.


We plan to provide a Winter Quarter of Weekly Food Delivery (3 months
worth). A menu for the second month will be posted on January 27, and
for the third month on February 24.

GOOD NEWS! Lower fuel prices allow us to provide delivery to you this
winter FREE OF CHARGE. We have two reliable Jeeps, and we can get food
to you in just about any weather! Relax at home after work, and let us
bring the food to you. This offer also includes Leavenworth residents.

Please note also the ethnic origins of the foods ...

The first week reflectsGerman/Ukrainian traditions of hearty root veggies, with sausage and
cabbage--delicious, nutritious, and traditional! The second week, journey to South Asia and the Indian subcontinent for some soothing hot entrees, then enjoy atraditional favorite from the Northwest, with a bit of Asian flair for week three. Finally, we round out the month with
some world-fusion cuisine, mixing European and Asian nuances, with classic American fare!

This is a time of renewal and planning for the new year-- The Healthy Gourmet Personal Chef Service will help you through the process...

We look forward to hearing from you. Please consider referring us to friends, acquaintances, and family who may take comfort in eating well through the winter. It's the best strategy we know for moving beyond "just surviving" to "thriving"!

Scott and Ruth
The Healthy Gourmet
509-663-8326

Basil and Pesto--the tastes of summer!

Summer of 2008 was a wonderful season in North Central Washington--just the right amount of heat, and virtually every day was a sunny day.

We grew six varieties of basil this year--Italian Large Leaf, purple ruffles, Thai basil, holy basil, lemon basil, and Aftrican blue basil.

The photos show our largest harvest of the Italian Large Leaf, from our plot at Solid Rock Farm, Chelan, WA. We processed more basil into pesto this year, than in any year since we were commercial pesto producers on our large farm/food processing operation in the midwest.

Now comes the cold season of late fall and winter, when we all appreciate the bright flavors of summer. We look forward to sharing our basil and pesto in The Healthy Gourmet cuisine throughout the time between now and our first basil harvest of 2009, which we expect in late June.

Yes, winter is coming, but spring is always just around the corner!

Announcing our Introductory Food Subscription Service: November 17 - December 8, 2008

This weekly service of delicious, locally-prepared food, using many fresh ingredients from our chef gardens, is available to residents of greater Wenatchee and Chelan County, Washington.

Stay healthy and fit this winter! Make certain that you are eating enough vegetables, fruits, and whole grains We make it easy with our Food Subscription Service.

For more informationa and a pricelist, please email us at:
healthygourmetschool@gmail.com

or call:
509-663-88326