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Winter Recipes: Massaged Kale Salad + Sunchoke Chips + Garlic-Cider Vinaigrette

2012-12-17T22:18:30Z

Despite the cold and rainy weather, Diana and I had a blast serving up winter appetizers at our cooking demo at the Greenmarket in Carroll Gardens. We kept warm in front of the grill while making Crostini with Baguette from Bread Alone, which we topped with Beet-Walnut spread from Rogowski Farm, Roasted Delicata Squash from Fishkill Farms and beautiful Romanesco from Jersey Farm.

We also made a Massaged Kale Salad with Shaved Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes) and Danby cheese from Consider Bardwell Farm. We dressed it with a Garlic-Cider Vinaigrette and topped it with crispy Sunchoke chips. The result was so tasty that market goers were scooping it out of the dixie cups with their hands.

Baked Sunchoke chips

½ lb sunchokes

1 tbsp olive oil

parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Wash and scrub the sunchokes, making sure to remove all dirt. Dry with a kitchen towel.
Shave the sunchokes using a mandolin or slice very thinly with a sharp knife.
Toss with a little olive oil and salt. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes. Watch them carefully after the 15-minute mark to make sure they don’t burn.
Allow the chips to cool for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy chips on their own, with a favorite dip or as a soup or salad garnish!

Garlic-Cider Vinaigrette

½ tsp garlic

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

Mince the garlic. Add vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and whisk until incorporated.

Massaged Kale Salad

Destem the kale and cut into 3/4” ribbons.
Transfer the kale to a mixing bowl and season with a sprinkle of salt. Start working the kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes, squeezing it in between your fingers until it wilts and becomes softer.
Shave the sunchokes using a mandolin or slice very thinly with a sharp knife.
Toss the kale and sunchokes with the dressing. Top with shaved cheese and sunchoke chips. Enjoy!

Sweet Roots NYC is Seeking Kitchen Prep and Management Intern

2012-11-15T20:15:43Z

Kitchen Prep and Management Internship

This position is for a stickler – someone who wouldn’t dream of sneaking 12 items into the store’s 11 or under line. You’ll work closely with our Operations Manager to help bring order to a frequently chaotic kitchen environment. You’ll be part of our effort to document kitchen procedures and systemize our employee training process. One day a week will be spent working in the office and the other in the kitchen, participating in kitchen activities with an eye towards improving efficiencies and inventory management processes.

The right candidate for this position:

Loves figuring out how things work
Works well in a fast paced environment
Craves routines and structure
Has strong written and oral communication skills
Picks up new things quickly
Aspires to work in and/or run their own kitchen

In particular, we’re looking for:

Team players
Basic excel skills
Attention to detail
Strong organization skills
Passion for good food

To apply for this position, please send us a cover letter describing how you organize things in your daily life. Tell us what about this particular internship makes you excited. Highlight any relevant past experience. We’d also like to know about your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit.

This internship is UNPAID. We’re looking for students who can commit to 6 hours during the week and one day from 10 – 4pm during the weekend.

Sweet Roots NYC is Seeking a Food Buyer/Procurement Intern

2012-11-15T19:48:24Z

Food Buyer and Procurement Internship

This position is for a food nerd. Each week we craft new, seasonally inspired menus for our clients. You’ll work under the supervision of Marisa (our CEO) to identify the best produce that’s coming in that week and place orders with our vendors after the menus have been created. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, you’ll go with our CEO to meet our farmers and pick-up the produce that we’ll use that day. Returning to the kitchen, you’ll help us unpack and store everything so that our kitchen team can jump right in and begin the prep work that is the core of our business. You’ll learn about how we make decisions about which vendors to use, what to buy and how we manage kitchen inputs.

The right candidate for this position:

Functions well at 7:15 am (even if it takes a little caffeine to get going)
Makes friends out of strangers (building rapport with our farmers and vendors is key to getting the information and products we need, when we need them)
Knows the difference between endive and radicchio (and probably thinks you’d have to be dense not to)
Follows instructions and protocols consistently and without error (essential for making sure everything stays fresh, complies with health code, and makes everyone else’s life easier in the kitchen)

We are specifically looking for:

Team players
The ability to lift 15 – 20 lbs.
Attention to detail
Passion for the local food movement

To apply for this position, please send us a cover letter (info@sweetrootsnyc.com) describing how you shop for food. Tell us what about this particular internship makes you excited. Highlight any relevant past experience. We’d also like to know about your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit.

This internship is UNPAID. We’re looking for students who can commit to Saturday and Sunday morning from 7:15 to noon.

Elevated Leftovers: Vegetarian Fall Salad with Farro, Mizuna and Butternut Squash

2012-11-14T13:13:00Z

Every Tuesday we make our version of "everything but the kitchen sink." This week, Diana tossed the mizuna from an orange and mint salad with the fennel that was used in a basque-inspired mussels dish. Mustard greens from a haute potato salad turned out to be a good foil for sweet roasted butternut squash. We roasted imperfect, abandonned Brussels sprout leaves until they were brown and crispy. Everything was folded into a bowl of warm farro and dressed with the juice of a tangerine, olive oil and drop of mustard.

Kristin Esposito dishes on Fall, Detox and End of Summer Love

2012-10-08T11:29:00Z

I’m in love. I have a flutter in my tummy, a constant glow and a never-ending smile – all for fall. Yes, autumn I love but what I truly adore is our Indian summer. With nature providing us a union between summer and fall, our Indian summer makes it easier to embrace the change and welcome the new autumnal equinox. And being that our Indian summer will only stick around for a few weeks this love affair will be filled with adventures in apple picking, outdoor dining, the fall harvest, and of course cooking with summer and fall favorites.

With the warmth of summer sticking around and October never fearful to deliver cooler grayish days – we’re provided with an array of summer and fall colors, produce and flavors, making cooking and eating glorious activities this time of year. With that, I propose a celebration. Let’s toast to change and all the goodness autumn brings and take the time to honor earthly change while remembering summer flings, for me that means heading to the kitchen.

I’ve been patiently awaiting the cooler temperatures as I’ve been dying to make soup. And here it is - my first butternut squash soup of the season. This meal will leave you feeling warm, refreshed and nourished. I’ve paired the soup with a summer corn and radish salad making the combination healthy and healing. The cleansing and detoxifying power of this soup and salad will have you wanting seconds, and maybe thirds.

The change in season is a great time to detox, cleanse and clear up unwanted gunk. By detoxing we can purify our body and remove unwanted internal toxins, environmental toxins, negative emotions, and stress that naturally builds over time, thus making room to welcome new energy, spiritual awakening, or tackle new goals. And it can all begin with a bowl of butternut squash soup.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, remove seeds and skin, cut and cube
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ tablespoon corriander
a pinch of ground nutmeg
3 cups veggie broth
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Over a medium flame heat warm the extra virgin olive oil. Cook the onions and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, cumin, and coriander; stirring occasionally allow for the squash to cook down, about 8 -10 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Simmer on low flame until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

I usually puree ½ or ¾ of the soup as I enjoy having different textures. When pureeing the soup be careful as warm/hot liquids have a tendency to splatter. Once blended pour the blended portion back into your pot. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup topped with a spoonful of the accompanying radish corn relish recipe.

End of Summer Corn and Radish Salad

1 bundle Radish
1 ear of corn
juice of 1 small lime
a small handful of cilantro
salt to taste

Slice the radish in half or full moon shape. Cut corn kernels from the cob. In a bowl, add radish slices, corn kernels, cilantro, limejuice and salt. Mix well until evenly coated with limejuice and serve.

Butternut Squash:
Beta-caratone, an antioxidant found in butternut squash convert into vitamin A which help ward off a slew of external toxins, such as pollution, cleaning products, skincare products and carcinogens, which can be found in BBQed/grilled meats and produce. Funny how nature is always looking out for us and supplying foods to help detoxify our bodies after all those summer BBQs! Also an anti-inflammatory this can aid in digestion and clearing of internal mucus build-up.

Cumin:
Boosts immune function, which is needed this time of year as fall allergies are at their peak and flu season around the corner. Also aids digestion and is anti-carcinogenic as well.

Cilantro:
Helps relieve symptoms of allergies, such as hay fever. Aids digestive problems and reduces flatulence. Most importantly, cilantro promotes heavy metal detoxification from our bodies.

I’m just so excited to be partnered with Sweet Roots NYC for food delivery as part of Retreat to Treat, my 10-day Staycation Detox taking place in NYC Oct. 25 – Nov 2, 2012. How can you resist such a beautiful union; fresh greenmarket ingredients and well-crafted detox smoothie and meal recipes?

Kristin Esposito, yoga instructor, nutrition educator and writer living in NYC, inspires health and happiness one yoga pose and healthy meal at a time. Check out Kristin’s 10-day Staycation Detox to learn more about the detoxifying powers of food, yoga, smoothies, and self-care. Visit www.kristinesposito.com for details.

Link RoundUp

2012-08-29T17:21:53Z

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food. Check out this webinar presented by the USDA, airing today at 2pm. Learn about resources for building local and regional food systems in your community.

Don't forget, celebrate the farmer! Why? Because it isn't easy.

Great reasons for not eating out. Listen to Cathy Erway on the Heritage Radio Network.

Eating too much candy? Throw it out! On second thought, give it to a factory farm. More evidence that you should eat organic beef. BPA's are scary too, stick to the fresh and local stuff.

Reclaim barren space, grow an urban garden.

If your produce isn't organic it will contain pesticides, even washing won't eliminate them.

Great health and fitness apps for your smart phone.

The number of Farmers' Markets in New York State has more than doubled in the past 10 years. Along with new health policies, local and organic products are becoming available to all New Yorkers.

Who would have thought art students were so into take-out? Here, chew-on some food art!

Looking For More Great People to Join our Team!

2012-08-28T20:10:04Z

Prep Cook

We're seeking an experienced prep cook.

The ideal candidate will be able to:
- refer to prep lists at the start of each shift for assigned duties
- work carefully and quickly in a fast paced environment
- open/close kitchen according to instructions and maintains a clean work station
- adapt quickly to changing situations

Requirements:
Excellent knife skills are a must.
Food handler's license preferred.
Available for shifts on Saturdays and/or Sundays, 8 - 4pm.

$9/hr

Sweet Roots Rep

We're looking for friendly delivery people to join our team! You'll ride shotgun with our delivery drivers and present Sweet Roots boxes to our weekly clients.

Our ideal candidate is:
- personable; comfortable making conversation and answering questions
- passionate about local & organic food
- willing to learn about our brand and the products we deliver
- able to use a map to provide directions in the event of traffic/construction/other unanticipated blockages

You must be available Sunday, Monday and/or Tuesday from 3:30 - 9pm.

$9/hr

Delivery Driver

We're looking for experienced NYC drivers to join our delivery team!

Our ideal candidate:
- has professional NYC driving experience
- knows Manhattan and Brooklyn like the back of their hand
- adapts quickly to changing situations
- shows up on time

Requirements:
- Valid driver's license
- No accidents or DUI/DWI in the past 3 years
- Must qualify as a driver on our ZipCar business account (ZipCar requires all drivers to be over 21 years of age)
- Must be available on Sundays and Mondays between 3:30 and 9 pm.

$14/hr

Email Carla at carla@sweetrootsnyc.com if you're interested in any of these postions!

Intern at Sweet Roots NYC!

2012-08-10T11:06:00Z

It's that time of year again.

We are looking for 4 awesome interns to join our team this fall.

Kitchen Prep & Menu Planning (2 interns)

This position is for food nerds. You’ll work under the supervision of our CEO to develop menus for clients on a weekly basis and then our Operations Manager will show you the ropes in the kitchen. In this internship, you’ll learn all about local, seasonal produce. You’ll discover the amazing weirdness of people’s food preferences. You’ll be exposed to wholesale markets, artisanal makers, and specialty products. By the end of your time with us, among other things, you’ll have stellar knife skills.

The right candidate for this position has the ability to:

stay calm under pressure
take direction
be a team player

We are specifically looking for:laser-like attention to detail

solid knife skills
experience in a professional kitchen or culinary school classes
passion for the local food movement
know-how when it comes to home cooking

To apply for this position, please send us a cover letter in which you describe your experience with food. Tell us what about this particular opportunity makes you excited. Highlight relevant past experience. We’d also like to know about your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit.

Operations & Business Management (1 intern)

This position is for the aspiring entrepreneur. You’ll assist our Operations Manager in the day-to-day business of our company. The work you do will be critical to making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes. In this internship, you’ll learn about the mechanics of scaling a business to meet demand. You’ll work closely with the Sweet Roots staff as we work to gain efficiency and streamline the consumer experience. You’ll attend team meetings and participate in strategy sessions. By the end of this internship, you’ll have access to enough of the business side of things to know if start-up life is for you.

The right candidate for this position:

focuses on creating solutions
evaluates data for its practical implications
adapts quickly as situations change

We are specifically looking for business/accounting/economics students with:

solid Excel skills (eg. you know your way around a pivot table)
laser-like attention to detail
an ‘if it doesn’t exist, build it’ mentality

To apply for this position, please send us a cover letter in which you answer the following prompts. We’d also like you to tell us what about this particular opportunity makes you excited. Highlight relevant past experience. Be sure to tell us about your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit.

1) You were just hired at a small bakery. It’s only your second day on the job, when a positive review of the bakery comes out sending sales through the roof. By the looks of things, sales are going to continue along this trajectory. The baker can’t keep up with the demand, the storefront is swarming with unhappy impatient customers, and the supervisor looks distraught. (S)he asks you to develop a plan of action.

List 3-5 major changes you impose to tackle this problem. Consider the short/long term, currently limited finances, quality assurance despite the expansion, re-pricing, hires/fires, efficiency analysis, etc.

2) Your little sister has a lemonade stand. She starts losing track of her inputs, sales, and profits because her business is booming (her ginger thyme infusion is irresistible), and she has to use each second to either pour lemonade or accept payment from the customers. You decide to help her out by creating a spreadsheet to automate the process.

True or False:

You feel comfortable manipulating Excel to create metrics for her.

You can also help her analyze them to make her business more efficient.

*Of course, everything can be Googled in today’s world. We’re interested in whether you’re the kind of thinker and learner that use the tools at hand to build something that doesn’t exist yet.

Branding & Marketing (1 intern)

This internship is for a gifted communicator. Working closely with our CEO, you'll gain experience building a brand from the ground up. You'll definitely flex your social media muscle, but you'll learn that, at this stage in particular, branding is about more than clever tweets. Our clients are our best advocates, so our work begins with them. You'll participate in the design of client experience. You'll assist the CEO in creating materials that will facilitate consistent communication of the brand message at all levels of the company. By the end of this internship, you'll have a clear understanding of what it means to be client-side and a portfolio of written work to share with future employers.

The right candidate for this position:

takes challenges head on
works independently
plays really really well with others
delivers on deadline

What we're looking for:

sophisticated writing
Internet savvy
upbeat personality
strong organizational skills
quick-studies

To apply for this position, please respond to the following prompt:

Using our website and online articles that have already been written about us as your source material, identify a media outlet that would be a strategic place to communicate the Sweet Roots message and articulate 3 reasons why that media outlet should cover Sweet Roots. Pay special attention to the overlap between the media outlet’s audience and the Sweet Roots target market. You only need to write a paragraph, but be mindful that this is a sample of your writing - watch out for typos, grammar, and clarity of thought.

In your cover letter, you should also tell us what about this particular opportunity makes you excited. Highlight relevant past experience. Be sure to include your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit.

FYI

All interns will be expected to commit to 2 days each week. These internships are unpaid, but we will pay for public transportation costs to and from the Sweet Roots NYC office in South Williamsburg and we’ll provide lunch. We are also happy to work with you to arrange for credit at your university.

Send all applications materials to carla@sweetrootsnyc.com. Please indicate which internship you are applying for in the subject line.

Beat the Heat with No-Cook Summer Meals

2012-07-07T11:32:00Z

For most of the summer, I feel virtuous. There is no a/c in my kitchen or in any room other than the bedroom, so I do my part to help the planet, save a good chunk of change on my electric bill and on hot days, I make lots of iced coffee and relish in the fact that I live alone (read: clothing optional). There are days, though, when the box fan in my window doesn’t cut it and the idea of turning on my oven makes me sweat.

So, the prospect of a few more days in the high 90’s (a “realfeel” of 106 according to Accuweather) has me planning a weekend of home cooking without any actual cooking. Salads are obvious choices. I have some beautiful radicchio, lots of kale, english breakfast radishes, and cucumbers to work with. I like adding nuts and seeds to everything. I’ll work through my jars of pickles and mash chickpeas and tahini on sprouted bread. I’ll chop up green beans into bite size pieces and toss them with tons of lemon zest and fresh herbs. Raw favas with fresh ricotta and mint. Chilled gazpacho topped with dried chile crumbles.

Best of all, I’ll make a batch of Barbados Cream. I told one of my clients about it a few weeks ago and she’s raved so much since then that I’ve been meaning to make it in my own kitchen. I remember it as thick, sweet and creamy and delightfully cold. Perfect for this weekend because there’s absolutely no cooking involved. No recipe needed either. Whisk equal parts heavy cream and thick Greek yogurt until thick. Top with brown sugar and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Serve it with tons of berries.

Looking for an awesome summer internship? We're hiring!

2012-06-30T12:51:46Z

We're in the market for a bright, ambitious intern to help improve our menu planning process. As many of you know, we've optimized it for quality and customer satisfaction. Now it's time to tweak things behind the scenes to make it faster and more efficient.

Here's what we'll be doing and need your help with:
- Observing and documenting our existing process
- Identifying bottlenecks and testing solutions
- Researching and setting up meetings with businesses in other industries that have solved similar problems
- Helping Sweet Roots team members implement the latest process iteration

Who is our dream candidate?
- You are incredibly organized, some might say you're neurotic
- Your bookcase is organized, possibly by color
- You sometimes feel compelled to rearrange your friend's closet
- You don't understand people who don't always keep their keys in the same place
- While waiting in line at the post office, you think of 10 ways to cut down wait time
- You are opinionated, but you base it on evidence and a dose of shrewd intuition
- You are known for your keen observation skills
- You enjoy good food and play well with others
- You can commit to 2 days a week through September

If that sounds like you, shoot us an email at info@sweetrootsnyc.com. Tell us why you're right for the job and include your resume in the body of the email.

PS - The internship is unpaid, but we're pretty ace in the kitchen, so we'll take turns making you lunch!