Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, UCC, 233 North Country Road, Mt. Sinai will host a Chicken BBQ on Saturday, July 27 from 3 to 6 p.m.Catered by Tuscany Market, the meal includes 1/2 chicken, corn salad, potato salad, and corn bread for $19.99. Popular, traditional, and some original music will provided by Eddie & Bob, Bluegrass Buddies, and Hunter Caiazzo.Bring a chair, water and enjoy vendors, raffles and more. For more information including being a vendor at this event, call 631-331-2535.
Those summer nights when a cool breeze replaces the warmth of the day have arrived. Gather your family, friends and loved ones for a backyard celebration featuring small bites and sweet treats.
If you’re looking to bring something new to bring to the table and tired of the same boring salsas and layered dips, these two variations of Cowboy Caviar may quickly become a family favorite.
These potluck dishes can be a hit with loved ones at birthdays, holidays, graduations, reunions and more. They serve well with tortilla chips but can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Plus, they are a breeze to make and can be even simpler when prepared the night before your big event.
Call it a salsa, a salad, an appetizer, or a vegetable side dish—Cowboy Caviar the perfect dish that will make everyone giddy up and eat!
Texas Cowboy Caviar
Recipe courtesy of Culinary.Net
Texas Cowboy Caviar
YIELD: Makes 6 cups
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (15 ounces) sweet corn
1can (15 ounces) black beans
1 bunch cilantro
3 Roma tomatoes
2jalapenos
1/2 red onion
bell peppers (mix of green, red, orange and yellow, as desired)
tortilla chips, for serving
Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon paprika
1 lime, juice only
salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Drain and rinse corn and black beans; dry well. Finely chop and dice cilantro, tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers.
To make dressing: Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, paprika and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix vegetables with dressing. Serve with tortilla chips.
California Cowboy Caviar
Recipe courtesy of Tara Axell Rosenthal
California Cowboy Caviar
YIELD: Makes 6 cups
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (11 ounces) shoepeg or sweet corn, drained
1 can (4 1/4 ounces) chopped black olives
3 green onions, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 large, ripe, avocado, seeded, peeled and diced
scoop-shaped tortilla chips or lettuce cups, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Mix beans, corn, olives, green onions and cucumber. Gently fold in avocado and serve with tortilla chips or spooned into lettuce cups.
Variations: Use fresh corn instead of canned. Add heat with minced chiles like serranos or jalapenos.
New store features more than 2,000 local products from 400+ Northeast-based suppliers
Whole Foods Market has announced that it will open a new 43,916-square-foot store, located at 350 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station in the Huntington Shopping Center, on Wednesday, July 17 at 8 a.m. This will be the Northeast Region’s 98th store and 7th location on Long Island.
“The store’s design emphasizes simplicity and modernity, incorporating elements reminiscent of the bay area’s fluidity and the neighborhood’s commuter heritage,” said the company in a press release, adding that the store’s product assortment features more than 2,000 local products from 400+ Northeast-based suppliers.
On opening morning, customers will enjoy coffee from Sail Away Coffee Co., muffins from Abe’s and a sunflower photo station from Tucker Farms. The first 300 customers in line will receive a limited-edition Huntington Station tote bag and a Secret Saver coupon featuring offers up to $100 off. Features of the Huntington Station store include:
Curated grocery section filled with exclusive brand favorites and local products, including new to Whole Foods Market suppliers L’Isolina Pasta, The White Moustache, Don Carvajal Café and La Rossi Pizza, which will be exclusive to the Huntington Station location. Existing local favorites will include Vista Hermosa Tortillas, Family Farmstead Dairy, Heidelberg Bread, Oliver’s Organic Eggs and Adirondack Ice Cream.
An array of certified organic, conventional and Sourced for Good produce, plus offerings from more than 11 local farms and suppliers, including local sunflowers and floral bunches from Tucker Farms and Cranbury Fields, Rubi tomatoes from Oishii, and packaged salads from Satur Farms.
Specialty department dedicated to celebrating cheesemakers and artisan producers, including 20 local suppliers. Local items include fresh mozzarella from Lioni Laticini, sauces from Gotham Greens, and ricotta from Calabro Cheese. The cheese counter will be overseen by trained cheesemongers and a Certified Cheese Professional who can offer recommendations for any occasion and create custom boards.
Full-service seafood counter featuring locally and globally sourced seafood and a large selection of Ready to Cook and Ready to Eat Seafood. Local options include oysters from West Robins Oyster Company, smoked salmon from Catsmo Artisan Smokehouse, and seafood cakes from Lagniappe Foods. All offerings are either sustainable wild-caught or Responsibly Farmed.
Full-service meat counter, with butchers available to cut steaks and poultry to order. Local options include pork from Briar Woods Farms, smoked cooked cured chicken sausages from Bilinski’s, and cured salami items from Brooklyn Cured.
Extensive selection of more than 300 craft beers, including 40 local suppliers. Local options include Money IPA from Barrier Brewing, Sun Up IPA from TALEA Beer Co., and Rose Cider from Sand City Brewing.
A Prepared Foods department featuring a hot bar, salad bar and fresh pizza. Customers can also shop for made-to-order sandwiches and rotisserie chicken.
Bakery department offering bread baked fresh daily as well as everyday favorites, such as Whole Foods Market’s Berry Chantilly Cake and brown butter chocolate chip cookies. The department also carries a wide variety of special diet items. Local offerings include pastries from Balthazar, pita bread from Angel Bakeries, and muffins from Abe’s.
Wellness & Beauty section featuring more than 300 local products from 40 local suppliers. Local products include ginger shots from Annie’s Ginger Elixir and soap bars from RAD Soap Co.
To give back to the community, Whole Foods Market has partnered with local suppliers and organizations, including Helping Hands Rescue Mission, Long Island Cares, and Island Harvest. On opening day, Whole Foods Market will donate a Nourishing Our Neighborhoods van to We All We Got, Inc., along with $3,000 in products as part of the Stuff the Van event.
Prime members who shop at Whole Foods Market have access to a number of benefits year-round, including deep discounts on select popular products each week and an additional 10% off hundreds of in-store sale items. Additionally, customers can pay in-store with their palm using Amazon One or with the Whole Foods Market or Amazon app.
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores and serves customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Other locations on Long Island include Lake Grove, Commack, Garden City, Manhasset, Massapequa Park and Jericho.
Stop & Shop will close the Coram location by November of this year. Photo courtesy of Mapquest
Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. brand, Stop & Shop, has announced the next steps in its plans to position the company for growth in a July 12 press release.
“In addition to continuing to make investments in price and the customer experience as part of its growth strategy in its markets, Stop & Shop will close 32 underperforming stores by year-end. Following the closures, Stop & Shop will continue to have a strong presence across its five-state footprint with more than 350 stores. Stop & Shop associates at impacted locations will be offered other opportunities within the company,” read the release.
Stores slated for closure on Long Island include Coram, East Meadow, Greenvale and Hempstead.
“Stop & Shop is proud of the deep roots and community ties we have developed as a neighborhood grocer of more than 100 years, and we remain committed to nourishing our associates, customers and communities,” said Gordon Reid, President, Stop & Shop. “As we announced in May, Stop & Shop has evaluated its overall store portfolio and made the difficult decision to close underperforming stores to create a healthy base for the future growth of our brand.”
“Our associates are a strong community dedicated to growing and working together, and all of our store associates will continue to have a place in the Stop & Shop family as we look forward to serving customers at other nearby locations,” added Reid.
Stop & Shop will communicate specific store closing dates to local customers well in advance of any store closures.
“Stop & Shop is focused on growing through large, multi-year price investments and a stronger customer value proposition, both in-store and online. This means we’ll be focused on delivering lower everyday prices, as well as even more savings for our customers through strong promotions,” added Reid. “Since 2018, we have completed more than 190 store remodels, with the customer shopping experience in mind. These stores are outperforming other Stop & Shop stores that haven’t been remodeled. We’re taking these learnings and implementing them at other stores as we build upon our strong foundation, similar to our new Boston flagship location, opened last month in the Allston Yards development. We look forward to continuing to serve and care for our communities and to grow Stop & Shop as a local brand for many years to come.”
After the store closures are complete, Stop & Shop will operate more than 350 stores spanning five states, including 81 stores in Connecticut, 115 in Massachusetts, 47 in New Jersey, 91 in New York and 25 in Rhode Island.
The 32 impacted store locations, which are anticipated to close on or before Nov. 2, 2024, include:
Connecticut
100 Division St., Ansonia
211 High St., Torrington (931 Torringford St., Torrington will remain open)
1937 West Main St., Stamford (2200 Bedford St., Stamford will remain open)
855 Bridgeport Ave., Milford (1360 East Town Road, Milford will remain open)
72 Newtown Road, Danbury (44 Lake Avenue Ext., Danbury will remain open)
Massachusetts
932 North Montello St., Brockton
36 New State Highway, Raynham
341 Plymouth St., Halifax
539-571 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury
165 Needham St., Newton (bfresh Market)
415 Cooley St., Springfield (1600 Boston Rd. and 1277 Liberty St., Springfield will remain open)
545 Lincoln St. Worcester (940 West Boylston St. and 949 Grafton St., Worcester will remain open)
24 Mattakeesett St., Pembroke (125 Church St., Pembroke will remain open)
La Buena Vida Restaurant, 714 Montauk Highway, Moriches will host the 7th annual Pig Roast fundraiser to benefit Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson on Wednesday, July 10 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. $30 donation per person includes dinner and soft drinks with a special musical performance by Tommy Mulvihill. Reservations suggested by calling 631-909-1985.
When warm temperatures arrive, few people want to spend extra hours in the kitchen whipping up elaborate meals. Many would rather be outside enjoying the great weather. That is why sandwiches, barbecues and picnic fare are so popular this time of year. What accompanies these outdoor foods? If you guessed salads, you’d be correct.
Potato salad is one such food that turns up regularly this time of year in many shapes and forms. Traditional potato salad is delicious, but it may not be so great for health-conscious individuals, as it’s typically swimming in mayonnaise. Change the flavor profile and even the nutritional benefits with this sweet potato version or try this lighter version featuring Greek yogurt in the dressing.
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (you can also use white distilled vinegar, cider vinegaror lemon juice)
2 tablespoons coarse mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Combine sweet potatoes, green onions, parsley, and cherries in a large bowl; gently mix. Whisk vinegar, mustard, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well blended. Pour over sweet potato mixture; gently toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Greek Yogurt Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of Pitchfork Foodie Farms
Greek Yogurt Potato Salad
YIELD: Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold)
6 hard-boiled eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
1⁄2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1⁄2 cup dill pickles, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Peel and dice potatoes and boil until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool to room temperature. Add Greek yogurt, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, celery seed, and dill weed to a large mixing bowl. Stir until smooth. You can taste test to see if you need to add ingredients.
Add cooled, diced potatoes, pickles and hard-boiled eggs. Gently stir until potatoes are coated with dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add a splash of milk if too dry. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Soy may reduce breast cancer recurrance. METRO photo
By David Dunaief, M.D.
Dr. David Dunaief
A common question in my practice revolves around soy. Should you consumed or avoid it, especially for women who have breast cancer risk factors? It is a valid question, and the medical research has begun to debunk the myth that soy is detrimental. The form of soy is important; soy from food seems to be safe, but soy in high supplement form has shown mixed results.
Why are patients worried? Soy contains phytoestrogens (plant estrogens). The thought is that phytoestrogens have similar effects as estrogen produced by humans or other animals. However, the story is complex: soy may actually help prevent breast cancer and its recurrence. It may also have other positive health effects. In some cellular and animal studies, high doses of isoflavones or isolated soy protein stimulate cancer growth (1).
Further research shows that these findings don’t translate to humans, most likely because humans metabolize these differently.
Breast Cancer
The Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, an over 5,000 patient observational trial that followed patients for a median of 3.9 years, has had resounding effects on the way we think of soy in relation to breast cancer. The population consisted of women who had already had one occurrence of breast cancer that was in remission. The women who consumed the most soy from food, measured as soy isoflavones or soy proteins, had a 32 percent reduction in a second occurrence of breast cancer and a 29 percent reduction in breast cancer mortality, compared to those who consumed the least (2).
This inverse relationship was seen in both estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-negative women. It is more difficult to treat estrogen receptor-negative women; therefore, making these results even more impressive.
One prospective study followed over 6,000 women in the U.S. and Canada. It found that women who ate the highest amounts of soy isoflavones had a 21 percent lower risk of death compared with women with the lowest intakes (3). The Shanghai Women’s Health Study followed 73,223 Chinese women for more than 7 years and was the largest study of soy and breast cancer risk in a population with high soy consumption (4). It found that women who ate the most soy had a 59 percent lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer compared with those who ate the lowest amounts of soy. There was no association with postmenopausal breast cancer.
The study authors published a follow-up analysis from the same cohort seven years later to evaluate any association between soy foods and specific types of breast cancer, breaking out the results by type (5). In all cases, risk was lower with higher soy intakes.
Menopause
Soy and soy isoflavones may help improve cognitive function in postmenopausal women. This effect was seen only in women who increased their soy intake before age 65. There may be a “critical window” of therapeutic opportunity in early stages of post-menopause where soy has the greatest impact on cognitive function (6).
Soy is not the food with the greatest phytoestrogens, flaxseed is. In a randomized control trial, a daily flaxseed bar did no better at reducing vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women, such as hot flashes, than a fiber placebo bar. This took the study’s authors by surprise; preliminary studies had suggested the opposite (7). Reinforcing these results, another randomized controlled trial failed to show any beneficial effect of soy isoflavones on menopausal symptoms or on preventing bone loss (8).
Lung Cancer
Soy isoflavones help to boost the effect of radiation on cancer cells by blocking DNA repair in these cells (9). They also protect surrounding healthy cells with an antioxidant effect. Soybeans contain three powerful components, genistein, daidzein and glycitein, that provide this effect. Pretreating lung cancer patients may promote better outcomes.
The risk of lung cancer was also shown to be reduced 23 percent in one meta-analysis of 11 trials (10). In subset data, when analysis was restricted to the five highest quality studies, there was an even greater reduction: 30 percent.
Cholesterol Levels
Soy may have modest effects in reducing cholesterol levels. Interestingly, people who convert a soy enzyme to a substance called equol, an estrogen-like compound, during digestion were considered the only ones to benefit; however, one study showed that equol non-producers also benefited with a reduction in LDL “bad” cholesterol (11). The equol producers maintained their HDL “good” cholesterol whereas the non-producers saw a decline.
What does all of this tell us? Soy is most likely beneficial for men and women alike, even in those with a risk of breast cancer. It does not mean we should eat a soy-based diet, but rather have soy in moderation – on a daily basis, perhaps. It is best to eat whole soy, not soy isolates. Also, soy supplements are not the same as foods that contain soy, so it is best to consume soy in food form.
References:
(1) Cancer Research. 2001 Jul 1;61(13):5045-50. (2) JAMA. 2009;302(22):2437-2443. (3) Cancer. 2017 Jun 1;123(11):2070-9. (4) Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr 29;89(6):1920-6. (5) Int J of Cancer. 2016 Aug 15;139(4):742-8. (6) Obstet Gynecol. 2011;18:732-753. (7) Menopause. 2012 Jan;19(1):48-53. (8) Arch Intern Med. 2011;171:1363-1369. (9) J Thorac Oncol. 6(4):688-698, April 2011. (10) Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Dec;94(6):1575-83. (11) Am J Clin Nutr. March 2012 vol. 95 no. 3 564-571.
Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.
Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket will hold its annual Summer Food Drive from July 1 to August 18. A donation table will be located in the library’s lobby to the left of the Circulation Desk, and all are welcome to donate during library hours. Some suggestions for food items include cereal, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, tuna fish, juice, gum, snacks (pretzels, granola bars, trail mix, cookies), pasta, and pasta sauce. For further information, call 631-941-4080 or email [email protected].
Celebrate America with sweet dessert favorites that don’t call for wasting a sunny day in the kitchen. Single-serve solutions like Peanut Butter Cookie Banana Pudding and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches are perfect for sharing with guests, whether you’re hosting a pool party or calling over loved ones for a backyard barbecue on the Fourth of July.
In large measuring cup, whisk pudding mix and milk until thoroughly combined. Set aside to soft set, about 5 minutes. Cut or break six cookies in half and set aside. Pour remainder of package in 1-gallon bag, seal it and use rolling pin to crush cookies.
Spoon layer of cookie crumbs in bottom of each jar, reserving some for topping. Top with layer of vanilla pudding. Cut one banana in half lengthwise and slice. Put layer of bananas on top of pudding. Top bananas with another layer of pudding. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, top with whipped topping and sprinkle with crushed cookies. Serve each with broken cookie half.
Note: Twelve 1/4-pint canning jars fit into disposable foil lasagna pan with clear lid for easy refrigeration and transportation.
24fresh baked chocolate chip cookies (about 3 inches in diameter), cooled
1 1/2 cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
chopped peanuts, for topping
mini chocolate chips, for topping
toasted coconut, for topping
DIRECTIONS:
On 12 cookies, top sides down, spread layer of peanut butter. Add one scoop of ice cream to each. Create sandwiches by topping with remaining cookies. Roll edges of ice cream in chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips or toasted coconut, if desired. Place on baking sheet in freezer and freeze until firm. Serve slightly frozen.
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright with a few of the pet food donations. Photo courtesy of Leg. Englebright’s office
Over the past few months, Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright’s (D-Setauket) office has participated in the 2024 Legislative Pet Food Drive to collect necessary items for the Long Island Cares-Baxter’s Pet Pantry. Not only does Baxter’s Pet Pantry assist Suffolk County residents by easing some of the financial burdens associated with caring for pets, but they also help ensure that they remain with their families and the people who love them most.
Since the start of the 2024 Suffolk County Legislative Pet Food Drive, Legislative District 5 residents have come together to help donate a total of 589 pounds of pet food and supplies.
“As an avid animal lover myself, I was truly touched to see how many of my fellow community members went out of their way to stop by my office to deliver these donations,” Englebright said.
“Animals have the unique ability to bring joy and enrich our day-to-day lives, so we owe it to them to ensure that they are properly fed and cared for just like any other member of our families.”
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