Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Tropical Green Smoothie

Now that a majority, if not all, my favorite summer farmer's markets are no longer available, I wanted to find another way to get fresh, organic and high quality ingredients. That's when I learned about Door to Door Organics here in the Chicago area. They are an online grocer specializing in organic produce and natural groceries including dairy, prepared foods, baked goods, meats – pretty much everything you need and could want! Door to Door Organics began delivering in Chicago in 2010 and they currently deliver for free within 50 miles around the city. You can see if they deliver to your area using their zip code locator.

One of the things I appreciate about Door to Door Organics is that they partner with local farmers and artisans such as Red Hen Bread and Deer Creek Organics to bring fresh food to Chicago families every day. They truly are the ultimate virtual farmers market, making it such a great service that works with the local community too. In fact, they recently opened a new 25,000 square foot warehouse in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago and added more than 1,000 new grocery items, including frozen foods, pantry staples, ethnic foods, vegan options, gluten-free items, Non-GMO snacks, local products and more local and organic produce. 

Ordering from Door to Door Organics was actually a lot of fun. First off, they offer a few different sizes of produce. I started my Door to Door Organics service with an 'bitty fruit box'. It's the perfect starter box for the single cook, roommates, or a couple. I chose the bitty fruit box just to test it out. Unlike some produce delivery services, Door to Door Organics also tells you what you can expect in your box. And because everyone likes choices, you also have the ability to customize your order and swap out items for things you prefer.

Although I started with the bitty fruit box order size, I can always change my order size to others available - small, medium, and large. It's nice to know I can change my order without any questions asked and to try a few different sizes to see what works best for me and my family. And regardless of what size I order, I can choose between a mix of 100% certified-organic veggies, fruit, or a combination of both!

Aside from the produce, Door to Door Organics also have a full online grocery store. They have an ever-growing selection of organic, natural, and local foods that compliment the fresh produce. I loved perusing throughout their site to discover local producers and finding my family pantry staples at the Shop. A variety of farm-fresh milk, free-range eggs, gourmet cheese, humanely raised meats, sustainably fished seafood, and artisan breads were all available. And just like your local grocery store, they also have weekly sales with great deals.

I love the attention to detail Door to Door Organics has. Even their packaging and delivery is well thought out. Groceries come in 100% recyclable, SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified box. All their packaging is either reusable or recyclable - so I can leave them out for the next delivery day to reuse/recycle on future orders. I also didn't have to worry about my produce and groceries from being roughly handled. All my fruit came perfectly delivered, just as I would have picked them myself at the store or farmer's market. They also use insulated sleeves and reusable ice packs for my purchased meats. I love that Door to Door Organics work hard to ensure everything gets to my doorstep in great condition and even do extensive testing to make certain that if the box is left on my doorstep for an extended period, everything will still be fresh and safe when I bring it inside. As for delivery, you can choose to have an order delivered weekly or every other week too. If you plan on going on vacation, you can even place your order on hold and restart whenever you'd like. It's an extremely flexible service and everything can be done right online.

So with my first Door to Door Organics, I purchased a few organic items including kale, spinach, bananas, Asian pears and other items. I've been conscious of the coming holidays lately and how I've been incorporating more fruits and vegetables in my diet. A favorite way to do that is making smoothies. Using the amazing produce I got from Door to Door Organics, I made this Tropical Green Smoothie. Smoothies in general are easy to make using fruits and vegetables you have on hand. And with fresh produce delivered every week, it's been great for me and my family to enjoy smoothies so we can get our delicious dose of healthy.

To help share my love of Door to Door Organics with my readers, they have generously provided a $10 off discount for first time customers. Click HERE to take advantage and use on your first Door to Door Organics order! 
Tropical Green Smoothie
original Joelen recipe

 1/4 cup spinach, packed
1/4 cup kale leaves, packed
1/3 small banana, peeled
1 small Asian pear, peeled and diced
1/3 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/3 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup coconut water

 Place all of the ingredients into your blender in the order listed.

 Cover blender and blend on high until smooth or desired consistency.
Don't forget to check out Door to Door Organics on social media!