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We are a small, full-service Natural Grocery Store in the heart of Historic Cumberland on Vancouver Island. We focus on mostly organic, natural, and locally grown and manufactured food. We have everything you need, all at competitive prices.
We carry a fantastic assortment of:
- Fresh Produce
- Local, natural meat and seafood
- Dry and bulk goods
- Dairy
- Baked goods
- Canned goods
- Baby care
- Body care products, including refillables!
- Household products
- Small supplement department
- Full Botanical Dispensary now available
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Monday - Friday 9:30-6:30 |
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We are committeed to reducing the ecological footprint created by food consumption. We do this by providing a place for Cumberland residents to shop without having to leave their community. We do this also by supporting local growers and food manufacturers. We purchase our products from as small a radius as possible.
We are proud to be the first food retailer in the Comox Valley to be plastic bag free -- including no plastic produce bags. No worries about being stuck -- we have boxes, paper bags, and even re-usable 'loaner' bags for regular customers -- simply bring it back on your next visit.
We recycle, donate or compost 95% of all the waste produced by the store, generating less than 1/2 of a standard garbage bag of waste each week.
All of our interior furnishings and equipment are re-used, re-furbished, or made from locally, sustainably harvested wood, and created by local artists and carpenters.
Local businesses produce more income and jobs for local communities than big box stores do. Local businesses are more likely to utilize local ads, banks, and other services. Supporting local businesses preserves the economic diversity of our communities and the unique character of our neighbourhoods.
According to the LifeCycles Project, one kg of grapes can travel 10,408km to reach our homes in the Comox Valley, and cause 1.4kg of greenhouse gas emissions. Buying a hybrid car and recycling is one thing, but if you want to make a real impact on global warming, we invite you to look at what you eat and where it comes from.
Fresh, locally grown food is more nutritious and it tastes better. It supports local farm families and builds community. By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavourful, and abundant food. And did we mention that there is just something special about meeting the folks who grow your food?
Seeds thanks the following local food producers and farms for helping us to maintain a fantastic and delicious year-round inventory of beautiful, local food:
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Seeds is owned and operated by Tina and Jim Willard-Stepan. They are the very enthusiastic (and exhausted) parents of two young children who are frequently seen helping and playing around the store. Young families are always welcome, and Seeds boasts a small play area for little customers while their parents enjoy a relaxed shopping experience.
Posted by: Christina -- 21-Jul-10
Grilling Corn
Grilling corn on the cob brings out such incredible flavours -- far superior to boiling it and doesn't heat up the kitchen on a hot day.
Prep each cob by gently pulling back the husks to the stem. Remove the silk and replace the husks around the cob (tie with twine if it falls open). Soak the whole cobs in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the BBQ to medium-high. Drain the cobs and place them on the grill, cooking them for 5-10 minutes with the lid closed, and turning them every minute or so. It's done when a kernel pricked with a sharp knife breaks easily. I think it tastes so good this way that it does not even really need seasoning, but if you'd like to venture away from the traditional butter and salt, try one of these more gourmet combinations:
- Squeeze on fresh lime juice and sprinkle with a little cumin
- Or lemon juice and smoked paprika
- Drizzle with maple syrup, melted butter and kosher salt
- Rub with 1/2 fresh garlic clove and brush with olive oil. Shake on kosher salt
Really, the possibilities are endless……
Posted by: Christina -- 12-May-10
What is Agave Nectar?
It is a low glycemic sweetener that is extracted from agave plants. It is absorbed more slowly by your body than sugar is, preventing blood sugar spikes.
How do you use it?
- Use in small portions - Agave Nectar is sweeter than regular sugar, so you can use less of it.
- You can stir it into coffee or tea (hot or iced). It dissolves equally well in hot and cold liquids.
- You can use it as an alternative to syrup to top waffles or pancakes.
- Try it on hot cereal instead of brown sugar.
Best of all, you can use agave for all of your baking needs to replace sugar. It can take a little creativity to keep the dry and wet ingredients in balance for more finicky recipes, but I have been very successful in using it in muffins, brownies, granola bars, cookies and banana bread. Here is one recipe to try:
Agave Sweetened Banana Bread
3 large over-ripe bananas
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup milk or soymilk
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup Chopped nuts or chocolate/carob chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil.
Mix the milk with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and let stand until it curdles. In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add the remaining lemon juice, milk, and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined. Fold in the nuts or chocolate chips if using. Spread evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow it to partially cool before removing from pan.
Posted by: Christina -- 28-Apr-10
Finally -- new crop beets. It's great that this vegetable stores so well all winter, but it is such a treat when the new season is once again upon us. This is because you can buy them with the green top still on, and Voila! Two side dishes from one veggie…..
Roasted Beets and Sautéed beet greens
Ingredients
- 1 bunch beets with
- greens
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vinegar of choice (red wine or rice are good)
- Preheat the oven to 350. Wash beets, leaving the skins on. Remove and rinse greens (take out any large stems) and set aside. Place beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes (depends on size of beets), or until a knife can slide easily through the largest one.
- When the roasted beets are almost finished cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, and cook briefly. Tear the beet greens into bite-sized pieces, and add them to the garlic. Cook and stir until greens are they wilted and tender (they don't take long at all). Season with salt and pepper. Serve the greens as is, and the roasted beets sliced with either the vinegar, or butter and salt and pepper.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm………….
Posted by: Christina -- 12-Apr-10
Early up in the Garden, this Gourmet Herb has MANY uses..........
We are so happy to finally be selling local greens again – it's tough to wait for the beginning of the season. We now have nettles, spinach, salad peas, lettuce mix, kale and ARUGULA.
Arugula is one of those greens that I love. Not only is it one of the first available locally, but it is fabulous eaten both raw and cooked. It is high in vitamins A and C. Its attractive light to dark green fleshy leaves resemble elongated oak leaves. It has a warm peppery fragrance, and is popular as a gourmet herb – it has a distinct rich flavor that is mildly peppery, spicy and tangy all at the same time.
How do you use it? It is lovely on its own as a salad or added to other mixed greens to pep them up. It is also a great replacement for spinach or other greens in warm dishes -- Italian pasta tosses, Asian stir fries, or Mediterranean meat dishes. You can easily substitute a handful of quickly blanched arugula for the basil in your favourite pesto recipe. One of my favourites is to add a few leaves to my grilled cheese sandwich. A search on Google can quickly unravel the mysteries of this wonderful herb for those who are curious but are not sure what to do with it…..we just eat it on its own and think it's fabulous.
Posted by: Christina -- 6-Apr-10
Spring Cleaning for Under $2.00/bottle.
We usually talk about food, but now is the time of year I start to get the urge to do some Spring cleaning. You know – deep clean all of the spots that you neglected all winter long. Open the windows and really clear out the dust bunnies. We have a regular customer who has recently shared this fantastic cleaning recipe for a homemade all purpose cleaner, and so we are passing it along.
By our calculations, it ends up costing about $1.80 per bottle, is environmentally friendly, and yes – IT REALLY WORKS WELL!
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
Ingredients: Dr. Bronners Liquid Soap, white vinegar, borax, water
In 16 oz. spray bottle mix 2 Tbsp of vinegar with 1 tsp borax. Fill rest of bottle with very hot water. Shake until borax is dissolved. Add 1/4 cup liquid soap last.
You can add essential oils if you like – tea tree oil or a mix of tea tree and lavender oils will make the spray and antiseptic spray.
Posted by: Christina -- 23-Mar-10
I know -- I am still talking about nettles…..but it's only a few weeks a year that we get to enjoy these healthy, delicious greens. I had a customer recently share this recipe with us -- I had never thought to make a pesto with them, but it's delicious!
Fresh Nettle Pesto
- 2 cups fresh nettle leaves, packed and then blanched for 20 seconds to remove the sting -drain
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
- 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pulse nuts a few times in a food processor. Add the nettles and pulse again. Add the garlic, pulse a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss with favourite pasta or use as a spread – any way you would use other pesto.
Posted by: Christina -- 11-Mar-10
Stinging Food?
It's that time of year again -- Stinging Nettles are abundant for only a brief time. You can pick your own (if someone is willing to share their 'spot' with you), or buy them at your local Natural Grocer (i.e. Seeds ;)). But what do you do with this once-a-year delectable delight? We could list a bunch of recipes, but instead are going to simply tell you - find any recipe that calls for greens, such as spinach or kale and replace those greens with nettles. You can put them into your favorite soup, stew, quiche, lasagna, pesto or even spanakopita. Or you can simply steam the nettles and serve them as a delicious side dish. Sprinkle with vinegar or parmesan cheese to zip it up a little.
Here is the trick -- for the most part, nettles need to be cooked, or they sting you. You need to use gloves to transport the nettles to your pan or pot, but as soon as they begin to cook, the sting disappears. The exception I have found is when raw nettles are blended thoroughly into a smoothie. I do this often (great way to get your greens out of the way for breakfast!) and there is no sting – just be sure to really pulverize them.
Nutritionally speaking, they are a superior vegetable and are given credit for healing many aliments – Herbalists prescribe this cure-all to their patients often. Nettles are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, silica, iodine, sodium, sulfur and other elements including tannin, beta-carotene and amino acids. It's easy to understand why the herb is so highly regarded in the world of natural medicine. Nettles are also a good source of vitamins C and B complex and they are said to dish up more protein than any other vegetable.
Enjoy!
Posted by: Christina -- 5-Mar-10
"When you cook, you are not just working on the food, you are working on yourself, you are working on others."
-Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
Posted by: Christina -- 16-Feb-10
We recently held a "Make Your Own Raw Chocolate" workshop in the store and wanted to pass along the recipe….it's so incredibly easy to make, and has many health benefits. These ingredients are available at most health food stores -- we actually sell them together in a kit with a bonus fresh vanilla bean.
2 parts (by weight) raw Cacao Butter
1 part (by weight) raw Cacao Powder
1 part by volume liquid sweetener (agave, honey, maple syrup, etc.)
- Start boiling some water
- Chop the cacao butter finely and place in a glass measuring cup
- Place the measuring cup in a deep bowl with boiling water, being careful not to get the water into the measuring cup
- Slowly, the Cacao butter will start to melt. Stir it around to speed up the process
- When it is all melted, add one part (by volume) of the sweetener
- Next add Raw Cacao powder and mix. At this point add any ingredients you like to make your chocolate unique, but do so before it hardens
- Pour your chocolate into a mold (you can even simply use a Tupperware lid) and put into freezer for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy with a loved one!
Suggestions for additions: Raw Cacao nibs, vanilla beans, coconut, chopped nuts, goji berries or other dried berries – be creative.
Posted by: Christina -- 9-Feb-10
One of my new favourite vegetable discoveries is celeriac (also called celery root or knob celery). It has a long history and was used by Arabs as a delicacy by the 16th century. It has a delicate flavour and solid, fibrous flesh. It can be eaten raw, and also makes a great veggie for soups and stews. I'm not entirely sure why all of this is new to me. A German employee of our store says that when she was a child they didn't even eat the tops of the celery – the root was the only part that they used. Regardless, it's my current favourite – it tastes like the best part of the heart of a celery. I've been grating and using it in salads, so thought I would post an easy recipe.
Celeriac Salad
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 lb celery root – peeled and coarsely grated
- 1/2 tart apple peeled, cored and grated
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Toss it all together and refrigerate for one hour before serving to let the flavours mix.
Posted by: Christina -- 28-Jan-10
It turns out that "Food is the rare moral arena in which the choice that’s best for the world and best for your community is also the best for your table."
-Barbara Kingsolver, author of the must-read: Animal Vegetable Miracle
Posted by: Christina -- 11-Jan-10
Still 'New Year’s Resolution-ing'? I'm not big on making resolutions, but I am still trying to eat as 'cleanly' as possible to make up for all of the goodies that I ate over the holidays. Here is an easy healthful breakfast that can be prepared easily the evening before for a quick breakie in the morning.
Swiss Muesli
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 grated apple
- 1/2 cup Frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup hempseed
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal - raw
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon berry jam (optional)
Directions
Mix all ingredients together and leave overnight in the fridge. You can easily scale this up to accommodate more people and it stores well for up to 4 days.
Posted by: Christina -- 13-Jan-10
This winter is feeling like it might go on forever, and the Prairie Girl in me is really feeling the clouds, rain and lack of sunshine – this is as close as I'm going to get for another couple of weeks, according to the weatherman:
Sunshine in a Bottle
Top 10 Reasons Scientists Tell Us to Take Vitamin D Everyday
- Combats depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder)
- Helps prevents colds and flu
- Increases immunity & decreases autoimmune disease
- Normalizes insulin secretion
- Regulates blood pressure
- Prevents osteoporosis and strengthens bone
- Relieves muscle weakness & pain
- Prevents degenerative diseases
- Supports normal functioning of the nervous system
- Promotes healthy hormone function
Posted by: Christina -- 11-Jan-10
"Edible, adj.: Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm. " ~Ambrose Bierce
Posted by: Christina -- 15-Dec-09
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire………
These lovely rich nuts are known as "the grain that grows on a tree" because they are similar in nutritional composition to brown rice -- they are low in fat and are high in complete carbohydrate. They are sweet, versatile and very flavourful. The peak season for these nuts is RIGHT NOW, hence the song. They are actually picked in August, but need to dry out and cure before they reach their peak flavour and texture.
They need no recipe -- only roasting -- to be enjoyed as a sweet, warm snack, or to be used in stuffing or other recipes. Roast the nuts by making a slit in the shell and baking them at 375 degrees for about 1/2 an hour. Let them cool just enough to handle and peel immediately. They have both an outer shell and a brown inner coating that can only be removed easily if they are still warm. Eat. Mmmmmmmm…….
Posted by: Christina -- 8-Dec-09
'Tis the season where we eat from our roots, from our family traditions. This quote from Michael Pollan really brings the point home - "We forget that, historically, people have eaten for a great many reasons other than biological necessity. Food is also about pleasure, about community, about family and spirituality, about our relationship to the natural world, and about expressing our identity. As long as humans have been taking meals together, eating has been as much about culture as it has been about biology." Hmmmmm…… I love to eat around the holidays……..
Posted by: Christina -- 24-Nov-09
"Eating with the fullest pleasure - pleasure that is, that does not depend on ignorance - is perhaps the most profound enactment of our connection with the world. In this pleasure we experience and celebrate our dependence and our gratitude, for we are all living from mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers that we cannot comprehend." -Wendell Berry
Posted by: Christina -- 18-Nov-09
Winter squash is a great cold weather comfort food. My new favorite is Delicata – a small heirloom squash some people call 'sweet potato' squash (that will give you an idea of the yummy sweet flavour). They're oblong, pale yellow with green stripes, and their flesh is orange, sweet and smooth. I found this recipe for lime butter topping, but a blend of maple syrup and butter is really good, too. The squash aren't very big, so plan half a squash per person.
Ingredients- 2 delicata squash, halved and seeded
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest (optional)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the squash cut side down into a baking dish. Pour water into the dish to about 1/4 inch deep. Bake until the squash pierces easily with a fork, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, blend the butter with the lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl. Mix in the lime zest. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the butter mixture into the cooked squash, and serve immediately.
Posted by: Christina -- 3-Nov-09
Cold weather, big storms….must have warm tea. My wonderful big brother generously offered to share his secret Chai Tea recipe. You can store the homemade syrup in the fridge so that you can have a tea anytime just by heating up some water and milk.
Fill medium sized pot with about 3 cups of water and heat to a boil. Add 3 bags of black tea and simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally
Add:
1 tsp ground cinnamon,
1/4 tsp ground cloves,
1/2 tsp ground ginger,
1/2 tsp ground cardamom, (optional, but smells SO good)
1/2 tsp fresh finely ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
Honey to taste (around 5 Tbsp makes a fairly sweet drink)Stir with a wooden spoon constantly for 20-30 minutes, until syrupy... you may want a book or a friend to chat with. Turn off heat and remove tea bags and bay leaf Add 3 Tbsp Vanilla (yes, it sounds like a lot, but it isn't... and the SMELL!). Transfer to a glass bottle with a top and let cool. Store in Fridge.
To make Chai on a chilly stormy evening:
Shake bottle VERY well to get glop off the bottom and use:
1/3 Syrup
1/3 Hot Water
1/3 Soy Milk (or favourite cow extract)Heat on stove or in microwave and enjoy.... very yummy stuff...
Thanks Rob!
Posted by: Christina -- 3-Nov-09
We carry a lovely Levain bread from La Boulange Bakery in Qualicum. It comes in several varieties (Spelt-Kamut, Sesame French, Rye, 7 Grain Flax, or Raisin Nut). It’s slightly different than a regular sourdough and requires a little explanation, so for fellow foodies:
What is Levain? According to the Bread Bakers Forum (yes, there really is such a thing), levain is a French word for a natural leaven mixed to a dough-like consistency. A levain is made by adding flour and water or just flour to a "chef". This process is referred to as "building" or "elaborating" the next stage of the leaven. A levain/levain bread dough is generally fermented at cool temperatures. This firmer consistency and cool temperature fermentation promotes the development of lactic rather than acidic acids, and a bread leavened with a levain (Pain au Levain) has a rich, complex flavor and is generally not sour. This means it’s really, really good :)
Posted by: Christina -- 27-Oct-09
The colder temperatures are upon us and we've noticed a real increase in customers buying ingredients for baking…..mmmmm….warm and comforting. Here is a tip for an easy way to have freshly baked, warm muffins first thing in the morning: Separately mix the wet and dry ingredients from your recipe the night before. Cover the dry ingredients and keep them at room temperature. Cover the wet ingredients and refrigerate. Prepare your muffin tin and leave it out on the counter. Before hopping into the shower, simply pre-heat the oven, combine wet and dry ingredients, fill the muffin tins and pop them into the oven. By the time you finish showering and toweling off, the house is filled with the yummy smell of warm baked muffins.
Posted by: Christina -- 20-Oct-09
Did you know? The New Oxford Dictionary's lexicographers chose "locavore" (someone who eats foods grown or produced locally) as its Word of the Year in 2007. "Upcycling" (the transformation of waste materials into something more useful or valuable) was runner up. Sounds like some positive trends going on to me……..
Posted by: Christina -- 14-Oct-09
"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."
- Harriet Van Horne
Posted by: Christina -- 13-Oct-09
We've recently had a customer bring in this 'no-fail' pie crust recipe. After several kudos from other customers who've now tried it, we thought it might be worth posting (since pie season is upon us).
'Pat-In' Pastry
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1-1/2 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 Tbsp cold milk
Sift dry ingredients directly into pie pan. Combine oil and milk; beat with fork until creamy. Pour all at once over dry stuff. Mix in pie plate with fork until flour mixture is completely dampened. Pat dough with fingers to line sides and bottom of pie plate. Flute edges and fill with filling. If you are making a baked shell to fill later, prick entire surface and bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until golden.
Posted by: Christina -- 7-Oct-09
We wanted to share our favourite bits of food advice from Michael Pollan’s book, “In Defense of Food”:
- Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food
- Avoid food products containing ingredients that are:
- a) unfamiliar,
- b) unpronounceable,
- c) more than five in number, or that include
- d) high-fructose corn syrup
- Pay more, eat less
- Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does
- Consult your gut
- Eat mostly plants, especially leaves
- You are what you eat eats too
- Eat well-grown foods from healthy soils
- And my personal favourite: Have a glass of wine with dinner
Posted by: Christina -- 30-Sep-09
Did you know that the name pumpkin originated from pepon - the Greek word for "large melon."?
Pumpkins were also once recommended for curing snake bites. We're hoping you don't need one for that, but they are on sale at Seeds during the month of October for 29 cents / lb. Plus if you can name the pumpkin capital of the world, you can enter to win a free pumpkin - we'll be giving them away all month long.
