In today’s world finding simple, healthy, and fresh food can be a challenge. In the age where one fast-food meal could easily exceed the recommended daily calorie intake, and the food that most people eat has been severely processed. Making a healthy meal is now easier than ever.

The newest grocery store in Auburn is Earth Fare. Earth Fare is a healthy supermarket with eight food philosophies that set them apart from other shops; including no high fructose corn syrup, no inhumane treatment of animals, and no artificially sweeteners or colors.

Earth Fare helps you embrace a more carefree healthy life-style. They look at the labels so you never have to. For some the excuse of not being healthier comes from the idea that organic and natural foods cost more. However, Earth Fare offers fruits and vegetables at competitive prices to other local grocery stores organic produce.

When you visit Earth Fare you may be overwhelmed with the options, so now let’s look at a recipe by Earth Fare. This simple chicken and vegetable dinner can be prepped the night before and ready to go.

The ingredients are:
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 cup of onion
2 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 chicken breasts

Combine all of the ingredients in a large zip-top bag, seal it and marinate overnight. Then preheat the oven to 375°. Place the chicken and marinate in a 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Discard bay leaf. Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Next uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to platter. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper to taste.

This dish is simple, delicious and very easy to make. By doing most of the preparation work the night before, the chicken gives a home-cooked meal in about an hour. By shopping at Earth Fare, a guarantee has been made that the chicken will not have hormones or have been fed animal by-products.

Now what about dessert, eating healthier does not mean giving up tasty treats. While a summertime grill is still hot, try this gem of a recipe.

Strawberry S’mores
Take 16 sugar cookies
2 chocolate bars cut into 24 rectangles
8 medium strawberries with the stems removed
8 large marshmallows

Place 8 cookies, bottom side up on the outer edge of the grill, next thread the strawberries on skewers and place them on the grill. Then put the marshmallows on skewers, grill the strawberries until they begin to soften. Meanwhile the marshmallows will began to puff up and turn golden brown. Remove the strawberries and the marshmallows from the grill. Cut the strawberries in half; top the chocolate candy with a strawberry and a marshmallow. Top off with another cookie, and serve.

This is a wonderful twist on a summer time classic. Earth Fare’s food philosophy ensures that all of the ingredients will not contain artificial sweeteners, no bleached flour, and on produce no pesticides. Earth Fare allows the shopping experience to be easier when looking for healthy options. Earth Fare is a impressive force in the Auburn/Opelika grocery store market, and opened on June 23rd.

To get more recipes ideas for fresh and healthy foods visit the EarthFare website.