Green Christmas gifts

By Selena Randall

This week I was reading an article by Kathryne Grisim on www.Foodmusings.ca, in which the author described how her family had come to the decision that they would exchange gifts that were either: homemade, fairly traded or locally produced.

She and her family took part in a Made in Manitoba Foodie Christmas project, and tried and tested a wide range of food items made in Manitoba. Their resulting Sunday roast of chicken thighs marinated and grilled in Danny and Buck’s Honey Mustard barbecue sauce,  with a wild rice (Naosap Harvest) pilaf, prepared with local garlic, mushrooms and a minced stick of Danny’s pepperoni, accompanied by carrots roasted in Manitoba canola oil and glazed in Wendell Estate honey, with Sleepy Owl bread, sounded delicious. And it became a real feast with Naughty & Spiced Porter from Fort Garry Brewing Company, and Piccola Puccina’s coconut almond macaroons for dessert.

All of these sound like scrumptious options to put into a gift hamper for friends and family and if you are looking for other locally produced items, what about hemp hearts from Manitoba Harvest. These go into granola in our house. And what better to make your own granola or fruit crisp with some Rolled Naked Oats from Adagio Acres.

Other great additions to a gift basket would be a favourite in our house – GORP Clean Energy Bars (made in Niverville), or how about some Nature’s Farm pasta (made in Steinbach), or some locally made perogies (Country perogy shop, Kleefeld).

I am sure you can think of many other local options, and wouldn’t it be great to put your money into local businesses rather than big box stores?

Piccola Cucina macaroons are available at Chocolatier Constance Popp, De Luca Specialty Foods, Generation Green at the Forks, GJ Andrews, High Tea Bakery, Organza, and Vita Health Stores.

Sleepy Owl Bread bakery is located at 751 Wall St.

Organic Naked Oats from Adagio Acres retail listing can be found at http://adagioacres.com/our-retailers

For information about Manitoba Canola Oil, visit http://canolaeatwell.com/

For Naosap Harvest products, visit http://www.naosapharvest.com/Ordering.html
Wendell Estate Honey — where to buy: https://secure.wendellestate.ca/

GORP Clean Energy Bars — where to buy: http://www.gorpworld.com/wheretobuy

Hemp Hearts by Manitoba Harvest — to buy online: http://manitobaharvest.com/category/13/Hemp+Hearts.html

Danny’s Whole Hog — http://www.dannyswholehog.com/

Naughty & Spice Porter — http://www.fortgarry.com/

For more information about the Country Perogy Shop see http://www.mysteinbach.ca/business/country-perogy-shop/

Natures Farm Pasta - http://naturesfarm.ca/

Kathryne Grisim’s foodmusings.ca blog was named best local blog in Uptown Magazine’s Best of Winnipeg readers’ poll

This column has been prepared on behalf of South Eastman Transition Initiative. Go to www.setimanitoba.org