Hunts Point Produce Market

Healthy Halloween Recipes For Kids and Adults

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Halloween is just a few weeks away and it’s hard to not get carried away with all the candy and sweets. Having sweets during Halloween isn’t bad, but it’s super easy to make those snacks and desserts somewhat healthy. At E. Armata we care about your nutrition and we understand that sometimes it’s hard to stay on track during the holiday season, but with these recipes, we can show you how to still make fun, Halloween treats without completely sacrificing health. Halloween candy is mainly targeted at kids, but adults fall into it too which is why these recipes are great for kids and adults. If you are looking for healthy produce in the Hunts Point Produce Market, learn what our assortment can offer you during this spooky Month!

Check out these recipes:

Veggie Skeleton:

Photo Courtesy Of Everyday Health

Vegetables look more fun and tasty when they’re in fun shapes. This recipe is super easy and diverse. It can also be made out of fruits too, whatever you decide! Essentially, you choose whatever fruits and/or vegetables you want and form them to look like a skeleton. A popular one is using carrots or celery sticks for the bones, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes for torso and feet, ranch dipping sauce cup for the head, and maybe some olives for the eyes. You can find all of these at E.Armata Inc, located at the Hunts Point Produce Market. Kids can be picky but they are more willing to try new things when they look fun and enjoyable.

Pumpkin Dippers:

Photo Courtesy Of Everyday Health

This recipe is super easy and cute to make. Layer the bottom of the serving tray with hummus, plain or choice of flavor. Then cut carrots into circles, chop up small pieces of fresh parsley, and connect them with a toothpick. This makes them look like little “pumpkins” and become more appealing and festive than boring carrots. You can make as many as you need. They are healthy, unmessy and easy to make and eat. Hummus, carrots, and parsley are all good for you so this recipe promotes health without ruining flavor or appeal.

Banana Ghosts:

Photo Courtesy Of Everyday Health
Photo Courtesy Of Everyday Health

This treat is a little sweeter than the previous two and super easy to make. Start by peeling a few bananas and cutting them in half. Then, stick a popsicle stick into the flat part of the banana. For the face, you can use milk or dark chocolate chips and for the mouth use raisins (plain or chocolate covered). They’re quick, easy and your kids will love them! Find fresh bananas every day at E. Armata!

At E. Armata, we are family run and have been in business for over 100 years. Being a 4th generation business, we are one of the largest produce distributors in Hunts Point Produce Market. Our priority is fresh, quality produce for you and your family. We want our customers to live a healthy lifestyle, even during the holidays. We understand that it’s harder to do this during the holiday season and we’re here to guide you. We provide an ongoing list of healthy produce, recipes, and blogs that you can try at home to make your family live a better lifestyle. For more information, give us a call!

 

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Pumpkin Vegetable Curry Stew

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Recipe: Pumpkin Vegetable Curry Stew

From the book “Lucinda’s Authentic Jamaican Kitchen,” by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Wiley). Source: Mad Hungry, February 2011

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 pound pumpkin, peeled and chopped
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 potato, chopped
  • 1 green banana or Irish potato, chopped
  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper (green recommended)

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir until it is a thick, relish-like sauce.
  2. Add the water, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the flavors. Add the pumpkin, carrot, potato, green banana, and Scotch bonnet pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil while gently blending the ingredients together. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring a couple of times, until the vegetables are tender about 20 minutes. Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
Hunts Point Market Jobs

Are Eggplants Good For Losing Weight? – Hunts Point Market

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According to Choose My Plate, you should be consuming 2-3 cups of vegetables a day, and your plate should be half- filled with vegetables at every meal. It is important to make sure your body is receiving enough fruits and vegetables because, without them, your body suffers. At E.Armata located at the Hunts Point Market, we offer a wide variety of delicious and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Eggplants are a great way to lose weight because they are low in calories and carbohydrates but rich in nutrients. They are a healthy vegetable only if they are cooked right; eating Eggplant Parmesan will not help you lose weight because it is fried and topped off with cheese. Boiling or steaming eggplant is a healthier alternative because it only contains 40-50 calories.

Benefits Of Choosing Eggplant

  • Helps digestion– Eggplant is rich in fiber so it helps control your blood sugars and lower the risk of heart disease. Eggplants are often referred to as a natural laxative, helping to relieve constipation.
  • Helps reduce body fat- Eggplant contains saponin which is known for preventing fat absorption.
  • Contains a lot of water- Eggplant contains a lot of water, improving circulation and helping to cleanse the body.
  • It is an anti-inflammatory
  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Eggplants are packed with many beneficial nutrients- Eggplant is rich in sodium, potassium, and iron.
  • Could help fight cancer- Studies have shown that having a fruit and vegetable-filled diet could aid in the prevention of cancer. Fruit and vegetables are linked to the prevention of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer and more.
  • Easy to incorporate into a diet- Eggplant is versatile because of its light taste, allowing it to be added to many different types of food. Eggplant can be sauteed, baked, grilled, steamed, boiled and more. Visit the Hunts Point Market in New York to purchase eggplants of excellent quality. Read more about healthy ways to cook eggplant here.

E.Armata Eggplants

Here at E. Armata, our family-run wholesaler located in the Hunts Point Market provides our customers with the best quality fruits and vegetables possible. We take pride in the quality of our produce and it is seen through the success of our fourth generation business.

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Thomcord Seedless Grapes – Currently Offered At E.Armata

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Thomcord Seedless Grapes

Picture this: a hybrid of Thompson Seedless and Concord grapes — let’s call it the Thomcord. Luckily, in 1983, the two grapes were crossed by U.S. Department of Agriculture grape breeders at Parlier and was finally released to farmers in 2003. At Armata, distributing from the Hunts Point Market, we now offer Thomcord grapes!

In 1848, Ephraim Wales Bull, of Concord, Massachusetts, planted 22,000 seeds of wild grapes in hopes of finding “the perfect grape.” After going through the vines, he settled on the variety we know today as Concord — a selection of the native wild grape of the eastern part of North America. Thompson Seedless is a hybrid of Vitis vinifera — “seedless” is, in fact, misleading. California’s seedless grapes contain rudimentary seeds which have been bred to prevent pollination. Since the seeds stay small and unfertilized, they’re unnoticeable.

The Thomcord looks almost identical to a cluster of Concord with a hint of Labrusca’s heady grapiness in its flavor, making it superior among most seedless grapes; it’s sweet but not cloying.

When you bite into a Thomcord, you’ll notice the occasional tiny, crunchy bits in the berries — those being the rudimentary seeds which have developed just a little more than in the Thompson Seedless. Concord has also contributed to the hybrid with a little of the buzzy bite in the back of the throat that characterizes the wild grapes of the East.

At E. Armata, we are a family-run fruit and produce wholesaler now taking the name of one of the largest wholesalers operating in the Hunts Point Market. We pride ourselves on having a family tradition of loyalty to our customers and good partnerships with farmers and growers that span over generations. We work with the most recognizable fresh produce brands while offering our own E. Armata label to bring you the best of this industry.

Below is an interesting alternative to an ordinary fruit tart — the seedless grape tarte. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. 

Seedless Grape Tart | Serving size: 8

For the pastry cream:

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the assembled tart:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup rolled oatmeal
  • 2 cups pastry cream
  • 3½ cups green and red grapes, halved

Directions

  • For the pastry cream: In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until it becomes thick. Beat in the flour and cornstarch.
  • In a saucepan, bring milk just to a boil; gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling the eggs.
  • Return mixture to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the mixture is thick and pulling away from sides of pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
  • Using a rubber spatula, press mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap, and cool to room temperature in refrigerator.
  • For the assembled tarte: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Using a food processor or blender, mix the flour, sugar, and salt together. Add the butter and mix until it resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and blend until the mixture just comes together when squeezed. Add more water if necessary. Add the oats and blend to combine.
  • Press the dough onto the bottom and one inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. On a middle rack, bake for about 25 minutes watching carefully to ensure the dough doesn’t burn. Let the crust cool before taking it out of the pan.
  • When the crust is cool, remove the pan and place the crust on a serving plate. Whisk the cooled pastry cream until light and smooth. Spread a half inch or so even on the floor of the crust. Arrange the grapes cut side down on the pastry cream and press them in. Refrigerate until cold. Just before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar.

Recipe Courtesy Of Press Democrat

Want to learn more about our grape selection? Contact E.Armata located at the Hunts Point Market today!

Hunts Point Produce Market

Why Do Onions Make Me Cry? – Hunts Point Produce Market

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Onions come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and flavors. Onions can be spicy and pungent or sweet and juicy and are full of vitamins and antioxidants. At E.Armata, a produce distributor at Hunts Point Produce Market, we carry a wide variety of onions from all across the world ranging in color, size, and taste. Although the characteristics of onions may vary, one thing they all have in common is the reaction they cause when you chop, cut, crush, or smash them. Within a few moments of opening up an onion, the aromatic scent wafts up to your nose, and your eyes begin to water. What exactly causes this reaction and can it be prevented?

Why Onions Make You Cry?

When the skin of an onion is broken and the onion’s cells break down, two normally separated substances combine. Damaging an onion causes its defenses to kick in and as cells break, the chemical reaction is released. Lachrymatory-factor synthase enzymes are released and react with the sulfoxides, converting them into sulfenic acids. When combined with the air, the sulfenic acid becomes a compound called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. When this compound meets our eyes, nerve endings in the cornea register the sensation of the syn-propanethial-S-oxide as a substance that could harm our eyes, thus causing them to tear.

How To Avoid Crying While Chopping

Scientists in Japan are working on engineering a tearless onion but until they make it to our grocery stores, here are a few tips you can try to avoid crying while chopping.

  • Chop the onion underwater.
  • Turn on a fan or open a window to scatter the sulfur compounds.
  • Chill or cook an onion before chopping it.
  • Wear goggles or glasses to protect your eyes.

Handling onions may be a hassle, but they are worth the struggle for the health benefits they offer. Apart from being high in vitamins and antioxidants, some studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like onions decreases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Now that you know about the benefits of onions and how to avoid crying while preparing them, all you need now is some onions! At E. Armata, located at the Hunts Point Produce Market, we sell only the best quality and freshest onions available. We are your family-run produce and fruit wholesaler in the Hunts Point area as well as one of the largest wholesalers in the Hunts Point Produce Market. Call us at 718-991-5600 for any questions or to place an order.

RECIPE COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK KITCHEN

Honey-Mustard Chicken and Apples

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Recipe Courtesy Of The Food Network Kitchen

Photo Courtesy Of Food Network Magazine

Total Time – 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
  • 2 cooking apples (such as Cortland), cut into chunks
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons honey mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In the meantime, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes, then transfer to a plate. Leave two tablespoons of pan juices on the skillet for step 2.
  2. Add the apples and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, for about four minutes. Mix the broth with the mustard, then add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, in the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Mix the flour and butter to form a paste. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken, onion, and apples to plates. Bring the pan juices to a simmer, whisk in about half of the butter-flour mixture and boil to thicken for about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, adding more of the butter-flour mixture as needed to make a slightly thick gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.