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Make a complete (and healthy) Friendsgiving dinner in less than an hour

Appetizer. Entree. Salad. Side. Dessert. 60 mins.

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O Organics make eating organic affordable

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Friendsgiving might have started as a novel alternative to Thanksgiving, but today it’s an American holiday in its own right.

For many, especially millennials and Gen Zers, Friendsgiving offers an opportunity to get creative with their celebrations without being obligated to outdated, even problematic traditions or having to break the bank.

However, some of us might not want to go to the extreme of only having pizza and beer. What if there were a way to balance the decadence of a traditional Thanksgiving meal while still keeping it easy and laid-back? And could we make it healthy too?

As it turns out, we can.

Here’s a super simple breakdown of what your next Friendsgiving prep could look like. An appetizer, salad, side, entree, and dessert. All done in an hour—even quicker if you assign certain dishes to different partygoers. #spreadsheetsrule

But wait, it gets better—all of these meals can be made organic at an affordable price, using O Organics® at Albertsons. O Organics helps shoppers find quality ingredients at reasonable prices every day of the year. Friendsgiving is no different.

Without further ado, let’s get cooking!

Appetizer: Charcuterie Board


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Nothing quite hits like the fancy, grown-up version of Lunchables. Crackers, meats, cheeses, and various fancy toppings that can be combined in endless ways. The easiest form of culinary creativity there is.

You already know how to make one of these bad boys, but here’s a basic template if you’re needing a dose of inspo:

Meats: Some tasty choices here are salami, prosciutto, sausage, etc. I made a smaller-scale board and decided to go with salami. If you or your friends aren’t a fan of pork, sliced turkey or smoked salmon are some yummy alternatives.

Cheese: The possibilities are endless here. You can even opt for a dairy-free cheese option!

Bread or Crackers: Artfully arranged. Speedily snacked upon. Some O Organics options here and here.

Fillers: this is where the charcuterie really shines. Fill in the spaces with splashes of color and flavor. Be sure to go for both savory and sweet. That means olives, sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, nuts, and a vibrant array of fresh or dried fruit. A yummy fruit spread doesn’t hurt either.

Time: 5 min

Salad: Squash And Feta Salad

Ingredients:

(3-4 servings)

1 small red onion (O Organics sells them in a bag)

1 bag O Organics frozen Butternut Squash

6 cups fresh O Organics spinach, arugula, kale, or whatever salad green you like

1/4 cup O Organics pecans

1/4 cup O Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil

O Organics Lemon and Olive Oil Salad Dressing

CrumbledO Organics Goat Cheese

Salt and pepper

Chop some onions. Sautee them in olive oil. Add a bag of frozen squash. Dress some salad greens with dressing. Add the onions and squash. Top with pecans, cheese, salt and pepper. Badda bing badda boom.

Time: 10 minutes

Side: Autumn Seasoned Air Fryer “Roasted” Potatoes

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As any millennial will tell you, we love our air fryers. Nothing quite ticks all the quick, easy and healthy boxes quite like one. And if you haven’t yet had a perfectly crispy on the outside, buttery soft on the inside air fryer potato, then what are you waiting for?

Ingredients:

One 3 pound bag of O Organics red or russet potatoes—honestly any potato will do

2 Tablespoons O Organics olive oil

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

That’s it. No really.

Cut potatoes into one-inch pieces. Coat with olive oil. Sprinkle seasoning. Cook in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Toss the potatoes in the basket and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender and crisp.

Time: 20 minutes. TOPS.

Entree: Coconut Chicken Curry

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Because who needs turkey? This one pot piéce de rèsistance is the very essence of Friendsgiving—unique, versatile and not without a little spice.

Being the entree, this dish calls for a few more ingredients, but is honestly not much more demanding. You’re basically looking at 15 minutes for prep, and about 30 minutes to simmer.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon O Organics olive oil

1 medium onion diced

2 teaspoons ginger minced

2 teaspoons green curry paste

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 cups O Organics Thai Style Curry Chicken Broth

1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

1 15-ounce can O Organics full-fat coconut milk

2 ½ cups O Organics cooked chicken breast

1 8.8 ounce package O Organics 7 Grains & Lentils Blend

1 16 ounce bag of O Organics frozen peas

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Lime juice

Cilantro

Chopped O Organics cashews to garnish

Using a Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid), saute the onion and ginger in olive oil over medium heat, for about 4 minutes. Add the curry paste and curry powder and saute for one more minute.

Add the Thai Style Curry Chicken Broth and the diced sweet potato. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and catch up with friends for 20 minutes while the dish simmers.

When the sweet potato is tender, shake the can of coconut milk well and pour it into the pot. Add the chicken, 7 Grains & Lentils Blend, and peas. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let the curry simmer for another 10 minutes.

Congrats! You are finished. You can add salt, lime juice, cilantro, extra curry powder/paste, or garnish with roasted cashews. Each bowl is customizable.

Time: 40 min

Dessert: Holiday Kettle Corn Bark

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Of course, you can always opt for pie, but sometimes people might want to opt for something a bit more bite-sized when it comes to desserts—especially after a hefty meal. This sweet and salty finger food does the trick quite nicely.

Ingredients:

1 bag (6 oz) O Organics Kettle Corn Organic Popcorn (about 9 cups)

1 bag (10 oz) O Organics Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

8 oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 cup pistachios, roasted and salted

2/3 cup O Organics Dried Cranberries

2 tbsp O Organics Organic Coconut Oil

1 tsp salt

Line a 12x17-inch baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Spread kettle corn on the lined baking sheet in one thin single layer. Put the semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate evenly over kettle corn, reserving about a 1/3 cup for finishing touches. Sprinkle the pistachios and cranberries over the kettle corn evenly.

Follow the same melting instructions for the white chocolate, then drizzle evenly over the kettle corn. You can follow with any remaining semi-sweet chocolate for a layered effect. Let the kettle corn stand for 5 minutes.

Place the kettle corn bark in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Once the bark has hardened, break into pieces.

Time: 20 minutes.

OR…if you want to make life even easier…just grab some pints of ice cream and call it a day. No judgment here.

Time: literally a few seconds to open the freezer and grab some bowls.

And there you have—a no muss, no fuss, healthy and affordable Friendsgiving spread. Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your chosen family.

Get to your nearest Albertsons today and find everything you need to make these yummy dishes! No Albertsons in your area? You can also find O Organics products exclusively at Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls, and Pavilions.

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Simple ways to stay healthy even when you’re insanely busy

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Now that life is returning to normal (sort of!), people are finding it hard to fit in healthy meals amid a busy schedule. While the easiest solution may seem like grabbing fast food at a drive-thru or vending machine, that’s certainly not the healthiest choice.

Albertsons makes it easy to avoid falling into the fast food trap by offering O Organics® snacks and easy-to-prepare on-the-go meals, keeping bodies fueled and ready to run. But first? You have to make some sort of a plan, and then actually stick to it. Depending on your schedule and how many people live in your household, it may be beneficial to meal plan every week, making one large grocery list to prep lunches and dinners ahead of time.

If you don’t have time to walk the aisles of the grocery store, there’s the option of grocery pickup and/or delivery, the single most amazing invention of all time. Albertsons offers the option to create a profile based on your location, build shopping lists based on meal plans and recipes (both are available on their website), and a few clicks later, VOILA. Your order is ready for pickup!

Photo courtesy of Albertsons

For days when you know you won’t have much time between appointments to eat an actual meal, keep items in your bag or car like O Organics® mixed nuts, O Organics popcorn, O Organics fresh fruit, or protein bars. That will prevent you from getting hangry and whipping into the closest fast food chain. Items that need to be refrigerated, like string cheese, O Organics yogurt, and frozen meals, can be stowed in a refrigerator at work or school, or an insulated lunchbox.

Baby carrots with individually packaged containers of hummus or veggie dip is a great choice if you’re too busy to cook but also not behind the wheel of a car, because that particular snack requires both hands. Personally, I like to pack crackers and cheese, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes to snack on if I’m waiting in a parking lot (I find myself doing this a lot) or sitting at my desk, waiting for a Zoom call to start.

Photo courtesy of Albertsons

Another, more industrious option is to make a double batch of fiber-filled chewy chocolate chip cookies. This particular recipe includes quinoa and applesauce, so obviously they’re healthy. These cookies are delicious fresh out of the oven or for several days afterwards—you can even freeze them!

Main Ingredients

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375º. In a food processor, pulse 1 cup of the oats about 7-8 times to a finer consistency.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and evenly incorporate.

Step 3

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Drop by rounded tablespoon full drops onto baking sheet. Use spoon to slightly flatten the top of the cookies.

Step 4

Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for 1 minute before placing on a baking rack to cool.

Hydration! Don’t forget hydration. I have a terrible habit of grabbing a cup of coffee when I feel worn out, when I’m actually on the struggle bus because my body needs water. Keep a refillable water bottle handy—and use it!

In review: the first key to staying healthy when you feel like you’re way too busy to stay healthy is always being prepared with nutritious snacks within reach, both in and out of your home. The second is having items on hand to whip together a homemade meal quickly, and the third key to staying on track is to bake plenty of cookies.

Lucky for you, O Organics, only available at Albertsons and their sister stores— Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls and Pavilions, can help with with every single one of these, so you can be merrily on your way to your next meeting with a bounce in your step.

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Easy, organic recipes for under $5 per serving

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Summer is officially over, which means we’re looking for any excuse to get together and watch a game or grill outside in the cooling temperatures.

The thing about hosting though is figuring out what to feed your guests—especially with rising prices all around. And frankly, everyone is sick of pizza.

Albertsons has you covered with fresh, organic ingredients to create delicious meals that cost under $5 per serving to create. The philosophy of their O Organics® product line is “NON GMO. AND YES GTF (Great Tasting Food).”

All photos courtesy of Albertsons

Eating organic is good for your body and the planet, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. By following a few suggestions, you’re almost guaranteed to impress whatever crowd you’re serving: friends, family, colleagues, even a romantic interest.

You’ve got this in the bag, friend—so create a party playlist and get your cutting board ready.

Starting with appetizers, Roasted Tomato Salsa is a crowd favorite. It’s versatile and easy to customize and can be served with eggs for a festive brunch or with tortilla chips as a cure for the munchies while everyone waits for the main course. There is some prep work involved, so we recommend making the salsa ahead of time and storing it in the fridge. While the recipe doesn’t specifically call for organic tomatoes, organic Roma tomatoes can be swapped in or out, depending on your mood.

Another option is to pick up a few bags of O Organics® baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery and cucumbers to make a crudite tray. For a main course that is sure to please a crowd, Killer Beef Chili costs less than $3/serving to make, and can easily be morphed into taco salad if desired.

Main Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lean (93/7) O Organics® ground beef
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (divided into 1/2 tsp. and 1/4 teaspoon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 (6 ounce) can O Organics® Tomato Paste
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans O Organics® Pinto Beans
  • 2 cups fresh pico de gallo (from produce section)
  • 2 cups water

Cooking Instructions

Step 1

Spray a 5-quart pot with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium high heat, brown ground beef, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper, about 4-5 minutes.

Step 2

Add garlic into beef and cook for about 30 seconds. Push all ingredients to one side of the pan and add chili powder to the cleared side. Stir to toast the seasoning, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste to chili powder and toast, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Add remaining ingredients, stirring thoroughly to combine. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and let simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Step 4

Remove from heat and add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve.

Don’t like beef or beans? No problem! Try our Spinach & Artichoke Quinoa Stuffed Peppers. These stuffed peppers make a great vegetarian main dish (to make it vegan, remove the cheese), and add cheery pops of color to any table. Pair with a simple salad and crusty bread, and it’s a whole meal.

Main Ingredients

  • 3 bell peppers (any color)
  • 1/2 cup O Organics® cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup O Organics® baby spinach (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup O Organics® cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 avocado (diced)
  • 1 clove garlic (grated)
  • 1/2 cup quartered artichoke hearts (roughly chopped)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus more for topping)

Cooking Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450º. Cut bell peppers in half and remove seeds. Spray both sides lightly with olive oil spray. Place cut-side-down in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, combine all other ingredients with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Remove peppers from oven and scoop quinoa mixture into bell peppers. Top each with a tablespoon of shredded cheese.

Step 3

Turn oven down to 350º. Cover dish with foil and place back into oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and quinoa mixture is hot.

If you’re looking for a few easy (or complicated!) side dishes, or maybe you’re thinking about hosting a lunch rather than a dinner, all you have to do is use the search bar in the Albertsons recipe database where you’ll find not only shopping lists, preparation instructions, and more, but you can also create a profile to order groceries for a fast and easy pickup.

From desserts to breakfast to lunchbox, O Organics® products are more than organic, it’s flavorful food that you can’t get enough of. Always grown without synthetic pesticides, O Organics produce is farmed to conserve biodiversity, USDA certified organic, and always non-GMO. Get to your nearest Albertsons today and load up! No Albertsons in your area? You can also find O Organics® products exclusively at Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls, and Pavilions.
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How eating organically really does save the planet

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When I was a kid, I loved picking blackberries. I spent hours in the scalding hot sun pulling the fattest ones off the bushes and collecting them in a bucket, careful to avoid the thorns.

My dad trained me to watch for snakes, because they like blackberries too, and my mom taught me how to turn those berries into mouth watering blackberry cobbler.

If I was feeling brave, I’d accompany my dad to the big lake in the woods behind our house, where he’d hang out for hours fishing for freshwater bass. I was fascinated by the way the hook caught in their wide mouths as they twisted on the line. When he’d caught enough, we—and by that I definitely mean he—moved on to the next stage: fileting their scaly bodies with an electric knife, and prepping the meat for frying.

I didn’t realize until many years later that I was raised on a mostly organic diet, which kind of blew my mind since we were a blue-collar family living in one of the poorest parts of the state. Exactly zero members of my household knew how to recycle, and even if we did, our neck of the woods certainly didn’t offer recycling bins. I had never even heard the word “organic” until I was much older; after all, aren’t organic foods mostly for the wealthy upper class? In the words of my daddy, “that ain’t us.”

Or was it? When I really think about it, I remember eating green beans and tomatoes straight from the garden, and pecan pie made from the nuts that fell from grandma’s pecan trees. Even now, I have several friends with egg-laying chickens and a neighbor who makes homemade jam, salsa, and pickles.

Come to think of it, I was eating organic way before it was cool.

Photo courtesy of Albertsons

Organic foods are much more affordable than one might think. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to have friends or family who share their farm-fresh eggs, chances are high that there’s an Albertsons grocery store in your area. As a commitment to offer accessible, high-quality items for every budget, Albertsons seeks to make eating organic affordable for everyone. Its line of O Organics® products, offers an extensive array of high-quality, USDA Certified Organic grocery items - but what does that actually mean?

In 2000, The U.S. Department of Agriculture officially defined the term “organic” to mean that farmers do not use any form of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides to grow their produce. This method of food production is widely considered to be a far more sustainable alternative when it comes to farming. Not only is it substantially better for our bodies, but the environment as well. When it comes to meat and dairy products, the USDA Organic regulations prohibit the use of all hormones and antibiotics and require that animals be fed one hundred percent organic feed, free of animal byproducts and growth hormones, have access to the outdoors, and that producers meet animal health and welfare standards.

According to an article published by Columbia University, the lack of pesticides and a wider variety of plants on an organic farm enhances biodiversity and results in better soil quality and reduced pollution from fertilizer or pesticide run-off. When biodiversity is maintained, it allows species and organisms to work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. This is how supporting organic farming helps all of us save the planet.

The gradual shift towards organic farming and consumption over recent years is due in large part to rising consumer concerns about the health impacts of unknowingly consuming pesticides and chemical fertilizers (yum, arsenic!).

Photo by Steven Weeks on Unsplash

While it might sound daunting, Albertsons makes eating organic really easy. O Organics® products are USDA Certified Organic, and certified delicious. They are made responsibly and safely. They are always Non-GMO, grown without synthetic pesticides, and easy to catch on sale through the Albertsons app or in the weekly ad. And although I do sometimes miss picking berries directly from the bush, it’s a whole lot easier to pop in and grab a container of them.

Shop O Organics only at your local Albertsons or one of their sister stores— Safeway, Vons, ACME, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls or Pavilions!

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