Members don't always welcome constant change at Costco Wholesale

On Tuesday, when I went searching for the Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix I have been buying from Costco Wholesale for years, I found another brand, above and below.

The price, $4.79 for a 1-pound package, was the same, but when I made a salad at home, I didn't find the organic radicchio or arugula I've enjoyed in the Earthbound Farm mixture.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I try to eat a salad after dinner every night, and probably go through more than 50 pounds of Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix a year.

Costco Wholesale always has the best price -- under $5 -- and a 1-pound package lasts me about a week.

On Tuesday, I walked into a cold room at the Teterboro warehouse in search of Earthbound Farm and found another brand, Wholesome Garden.

I enjoyed the salad I made that night, but missed a couple of ingredients I usually find in the Earthbound Farm mixture.

At the fish case, I searched in vain for the long-line caught cod fillets from Iceland that are one of my favorites.

I planned to poach the skinless-and-boneless wild cod in a Mexican-style salsa from Whole Foods Market, but settled for another wild-caught fish from Iceland, flounder, at only $7.99 a pound.

Going, going, gone

I've learned to roll with the punches at Costco Wholesale, which runs out of, moves, stops selling or substitutes another product for a surprisingly large number of items.

I waited years for Costco to sell lactose-free milk, but all of sudden, the product disappeared from the refrigerated case, never to return.

I loved the 16-ounce cartons of Kirkland Signature 100% Egg Whites, but again, they disappeared for many months before returning this year.

The Egg Beaters the warehouse stocked instead were a lot more expensive than Costco's own product.

And where oh where are the Frankly Fresh Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves -- delicious when heated -- that I found at Costco several years ago?

One change for the better was when Costco started selling only cage-free whole and liquid eggs.

At the Teterboro Costco on Tuesday, only three of the fish fillets were wild caught.

The Teterboro Costco has started baking its own baguettes (2 for $4.99) and other specialty loaves every day, above and below. But the retail store at Balthazar Bakery on South Dean Street in Englewood sells a superior baguette for only $2 each.

Last week, my wife got a refund at Costco for a 5-pound bag of Moroccan Clementines, which we didn't like. On Tuesday, I bought a 5-pound bag of small, sweet clementines from Spain for $5.49. Today at the Super H Mart in Ridgefield, a 5-pound box of Bagu Clementines was $6.99.

My son, a dedicated carnivore, couldn't resist a 6-pound package of Seasoned St. Louis Ribs ($2.49 a pound), 5-plus pounds of Coleman Organic Chicken Drumsticks ($1.99 a pound) and a rack of Kirkland Signature Lamb Chops from Australia ($9.99 a pound).

I enjoy sunny side up Kirkland Signature Organic Eggs served over Kirkland Signature Organic Quinoa. Costco now sells 2 dozen cage-free organic brown eggs for a lower price, $5.99, and the house-brand organic quinoa comes in a larger bag (4.5 pounds instead of 4 pounds) for less than the national brand Costco once sold.

Thick Icelandic flounder fillets from Costco poached in under 10 minutes in a covered pan after I brought to a boil a 16-ounce jar of Roasted Chipotle Salsa from Whole Foods Market, a few ounces of chicken broth and fresh lemon juice.

I ate my flounder over leftover organic quinoa, which I prepared in an electric rice cooker with Kirkland Signature Organic Diced Tomatoes, black-eyed peas and olive oil.

Whenever you go food shopping, keep in mind GMOs are a big no-no

Look for this seal on packaging, if you want to avoid GMOs --genetically modified organisms -- in organic and non-organic food.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Millions of words have been written about genetically modified organisms in food, but many consumers still are in the dark about the dangers GMOs pose to them and the environment.

That's why it's important to buy organic or to look for the seal of the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit "committed to building and preserving sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices."

I've learned crops raised with genetically modified seeds involve the heavy use of pesticides and chemicals that are harmful to humans, as well as to farmland and the water supply.

Buying 100% organic, certified organic and USDA organic-labeled products is usually the easiest way to identify and avoid genetically modified ingredients. 

The U.S. and Canadian governments do not allow companies to label products "100%/ certified organic," if they contain genetically modified foods.

Still, the United States is not among the 61 countries that already have mandatory labeling of food with genetically engineered ingredients.

"The GMO Deception" is a book available online that promises to tell you "what you need to know about the food, corporations and government agencies putting our families and our environment at risk."

See the chart from the Non-GMO Project at the end of this post for other information on the battle against genetically modified seed and food.

Described as a GMO film thriller, "Consumed" is available on Netflix.

Dole 100% Pineapple Juice from the Costco Wholesale Business Center in Hackensack is labeled "NON GMO" by the company. The metal cans also are BPA free.

Lundberg Organic Brown Long Grain Rice carries the seal of the Non-GMO Project. The California-grown rice is available on Amazon.com.

Organic baby spinach and organic spring mix, above and below, are sold at Costco Wholesale.

Luigi Vitelli-brand Organic Whole Wheat Fusilli or spirals and other shapes are available at ShopRite in Paramus.

Two dozen organic eggs from Costco Wholesale in Teterboro are only $6.99.

Editors from Bon Appetit can't teach you anything about cooking eggs

Chopped fresh herbs and Aleppo pepper are two way to elevate an egg-white omelet, which you can stuff with grated cheese, smoked wild salmon, Mexican-style salsa, pesto or a dried thyme mixture called za'atar -- or all of them at once.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I didn't learn anything from a Leonard Lopate Show podcast on cooking eggs with two editors from Bon Appetit magazine.

The WNYC-FM segment sounded like it was aimed at people who have never prepared their own breakfast, and still scramble eggs.

Why ruin organic brown eggs -- like the ones I buy at Costco Wholesale in Teterboro (2 dozen for $6.99) --by scrambling them?

In the Aug. 5 segment, the magazine editors, Christina Chaey and Rick Martinez, didn't even mention egg-white omelets or frittatas. 

I prepare eggs almost every morning, and often pair them with such bread substitutes as organic quinoa or organic whole-wheat pasta.

A big breakfast usually allows me to skip lunch or get by on a snack bar, and helps me to control my weight.

Forget butter

I use olive oil, the only fat that's both good for your heart and non-GMO, and I favor a blend of pure and extra-virgin olive oils from Costco.

We use that same blend for frying whole fish and antibiotic-free chicken.

I use non-stick pans, and medium heat for both omelets and eggs sunny side up. I've found that even with a non-stick pan, eggs will stick at higher heat.

For a stuffed omelet, I pour a little olive oil and then liquid egg whites to cover the bottom of a 10-inch pan, and when the eggs turn white and set, add smoked salmon, pesto, za'atar or other ingredients.

I then use a thin spatula to fold the omelet in half, and accent it with fresh herbs or ground red pepper.

See: How to make a sweet-potato frittata

I usually enjoy a pair of organic brown eggs, sunny side up, once a week and prepare egg-white omelets the rest of the time. Here, I accented the eggs with chopped fresh basil and mint from my garden, and served them over leftover organic quinoa with organic tomatoes and beans, and whole garlic cloves prepared in an electric cooker.

Store-bought Korean-style stewed tofu, top, and homemade shredded cabbage are just two of the side dishes you can serve with a stuffed egg-white omelet.

A stuffed-egg white omelet with sauteed fresh spinach and a store-bought sushi roll with cooked shrimp.

Two organic eggs served over organic whole-wheat pasta in a red sauce with canned sardines and anchovies -- left over from our dinner the night before.

Home cooking: Icelandic Golden Redfish and other good things to eat

I brought home Icelandic Golden Redfish in a California Orange Marinade from The Fish Dock at 219A Closter Dock Road in Closter; added pitted olives, Campari Tomatoes, lime juice and chopped fresh mint, and popped the takeout tray into a preheated 400-degree oven.

About 15 minutes later, dinner was served. The marinade, imported from Germany, includes canola oil, salt, orange granules and peel, and lemon-juice powder. It's gluten free and non-GMO, according to The Fish Dock, which is owned and operated by Icelanders (201-564-7939).

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

This seafood lover has a new mantra:

When in Closter, stop at The Fish Dock and check out the selection of fresh fish flown in from Iceland.

On Thursday, I found fillets of wild-caught Golden Redfish with and without a marinade ($12.99 a pound and $14.99 a pound, respectively).

I chose the marinated fish, and when I got home, added olives, tomatoes and a couple other things before putting the takeout container into a preheated 400-degree oven for 15 minutes.

I plated the moist, flaky fish, poured a glass of red wine and finished with a big salad of red-and green-leaf lettuce from our garden, dressed simply with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Two fillets weighing about 1.2 pounds fed three people.

When cooked, Golden Redfish breaks into large, meaty flakes.

Ling, Wolffish, Icelandic Salmon and other fillets were available when I dropped into The Fish Dock on Thursday afternoon.

A 10-inch pesto and sweet-potato frittata I made early in the week kept on giving. Here, I enjoyed a wedge with leftover falafel and hummus, a small sweet potato and sauteed spinach.

An organic egg with shredded cheese, Aleppo pepper and chopped fresh mint is wonderful eaten over organic whole-wheat fusilli prepared in a red sauce with sardines, especially when you break the yoke over the pasta.

For a hearty breakfast, a simple egg-white omelet joins sauteed spinach, sweet potato and coarse brown bulgur wheat. I added Mexican-style salsa to the bulgur and sweet potato before reheating them.

Good buys on organic eggs, fresh whole fish, sweet potatoes, olives

PESTO AND EGGS: Two dozen Kirkland Signature Organic Eggs are a good deal at the regular price of $6.99, but at the Costco Wholesale in the Teterboro Landing shopping center, an instant coupon dropped that to $4.99. Here, I poached two eggs in marinara sauce, served them over organic brown rice and added pesto for the Italian colors: Green, white and red.

PASTA AND EGGS: Two organic eggs served over whole-wheat Garofalo Pappardelle -- a wide ribbon pasta from Italy -- with anchovies and sardines in marinara or what I like to call a seafood bolognese.

BIG EYES: Fresh wild-caught Ocean Perch look like Red Snapper, but at $2.99 a pound costs less than half the price. I bought these at H Mart, 260 Bergen Turnpike, Little Ferry, and poached them in a light sauce of organic chicken stock, sake, miso and minced garlic.

SWEET ON POTATOES: Three pounds of Organic Sweet Potatoes in a net bag are $4.49 at Trader Joe's, 404 Route 17 north, Paramus. Here, I drained steaming skin-on pieces with peeled garlic cloves I had boiled for about an hour, and mashed them with extra-virgin olive oil and seasonings, including curry powder, cinnamon, red-pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper, below.

SKIP THE BREAD: Mashed sweet potatoes, here with roughly chopped fresh mint, are a great bread substitute in a breakfast of eggs, fish and sauteed spinach. 

SWEET-POTATO FRITTATA: Organic sweet potato slices, Campari Tomato halves and Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto from Costco Wholesale top a 10-inch frittata of whole eggs and whites, and two kinds of grated cheese, below.

FOUR CUPS: You'll need about 4 cups of whole eggs and whites for a 10-inch frittata. Set the crust of the frittata over a medium flame on the stove, finish under the broiler and add the pesto after you remove the pan from the oven.

PASTA WITH OLIVES: Cans of ShopRite Pitted Black Olives were on sale for 88 cents each at the Paramus store, compared to the regular price of $1.19. A 1-pound package of Luigi Vitelli-brand Organic Whole Wheat Fusilli was $1.29. Here, I prepared the fusilli and olives in a combination of marinara and vodka sauces, with three cans of Moroccan sardines. Two bunches of fresh spinach sauteed in olive oil and sake -- on sale for 99 cents at the Super H Mart, 321 Broad Ave., Ridgefield -- made a great side dish.

-- VICTOR E. SASSON

Here are several eggselent ideas for breakfast or any other meal

EGGS IN RED SAUCE: Two organic eggs will poach in preheated bottled marinara sauce in minutes, as long as you cover the pan. I plated these with organic brown rice, prepared in an electric cooker with organic chicken stock, organic diced tomatoes, a can of black beans and olive oil. Most of the ingredients in this and the following dishes are from Costco Wholesale in Teterboro.

CHOLESTEROL FREE: Liquid egg whites have no cholesterol. This omelet is stuffed with reduced-fat cheese and organic Mexican-style salsa and accented with chopped fresh cilantro.

MIXING IT UP: Mixed organic vegetables and sauteed fresh baby spinach are the side dished for another egg-white omelet, this one stuffed with smoked wild salmon, grated cheese and salsa.

PASTA TWO WAYS: Organic whole-wheat pasta shells from Whole Foods Market, front, with marinara sauce, sardines, anchovies and chopped black olives. Whole-wheat spaghetti in a lemon, olive oil and minced garlic sauce brings up the rear.

SUNNY SIDE UP: On a gloomy morning filled with rain clouds, two organic eggs over pasta are a bright idea for a delicious, filling breakfast.

SHELLS WITH SARDINES: The Victoria-brand marinara for this seafood pasta is good right out of the bottle, but can be improved with a can of drained and rinsed anchovies, chopped black olives, a couple of ounces of red wine, a little extra-virgin olive oil, red-pepper flakes and other seasonings.

DINNER SALAD: Organic spring mix with hothouse cucumbers and tomatoes served on a bed of warm organic brown rice with black beans and diced tomatoes, all in a dressing of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

WARMING UP TO QUINOA WITH GARLIC: Fluffy organic quinoa, prepared in an electric rice cooker with organic diced tomatoes and whole peeled garlic cloves, is another tasty foundation for a dinner salad, above and below. The garlic cloves retain their shape, but turn creamy.

-- VICTOR E. SASSON