Homemade Sweet Potay'ta Fries

Fries aren't my go to food at a restaurant. Whenever possible I'll switch the fries out for the vegetable of the day or a side salad or something else. I don't even really like mashed potatoes all that much either. Every once in awhile I'll eat either one and then I'm good for some time. But when sweet potatoes are on the table, I just can't help myself. But I got to a point when I couldn't order them anymore. Why? Some of them were barely sweet potatoes but more a holding cell for grease. And some of them were covered in about a pound of sugar and cinnamon. I sat there and dabbed my fries with a napkin or scraped the sugar and cinnamon off with a fork. I just couldn't get the sweet potatoes that I really was looking for. So I made them myself! I went to Earthfare and got two organic sweet potatoes. I washed them really well with a natural veggie wash and brush and was ready to cut them up. I didn't even consider peeling the sweet potato and I was glad I didn't. The skins made a great addition to the finished product. 

This sweet potato looks quite small but it was enough to feed Adam and I. The larger sweet potato I cut in half and we only ate half of it and we're saving the rest for another day!

I cut the fries in long strips. Some people are finicky about their fries whether they like the long and skinny ones or the short and thick ones, the great thing about making your own is that YOU decide what you want! I made mine medium thickness. Just remember the thicker the fry the longer it will need to cook, so that can come into play if you have a short period of time to make dinner. 

I enlarged this picture so you can see the julienne style of cut I did to make my fries. If you notice I used the ends of the potatoes even though they didn't make nice clean cut fries and were stubbier. I kept those ends because...honestly...to keep the beauty of the food. Food nowadays is to "perfect" with no imperfections. People want perfectly rounded tomatoes and plump peppers and potatoes that are the same size and shape. But if you ever frequent a farmer's market you'll notice that all of the fruit and vegetables are unique in their own right. I remember the first time I saw produce from a farmer's market. I was volunteering at CityFresh in Cleveland and I remember thinking to myself in my own ignorance at the time, "Why does the produce look like that?" If you've never been at those types of places or seen that type of produce I encourage you to go and explore it for yourself! I included an example of what I mean. You can see what people would call "imperfections" in the color and shape as well as other features too. But anyway I digress...

The first time I made these I put the fries in a bowl and put some coconut oil in and tossed it with some spices such as garlic powder, black pepper, himalayan salt. Some prefer sugar and cinnamon for more a dessert-style snack. The second time I made it I just sprayed the pan with Pam spray, added the fries and spices and then mixed it around. Then I added another light coat of Pam spray again. Either method depends on the desired crispiness you want to achieve. You may add more oil for a crispier texture or less for a more sweet potato flavor and texture. We prefered to taste the food itself! I set the oven to 350 degrees F but ended up turning it up to 375 degrees F just because I needed it to be done a little quicker for dinner; I was running out of time. Cooking times depend on the amount of potatos as well. I put it in for 20 mins and then checked them. You may need to add more time. I know, I know. Some of you may want to know everything in exact measurements of ingredients and time. But to me cooking is not a science, its an art form. I think that playing around in the kitchen can be therapeutic as well as a creative outlet. If you are one of those people who hate cooking...maybe you've been doing it wrong all these years!? =] 

But in the end this was the finished product! It was lightly salted (DEFINITELY...A...LOT...LESS salty than what you find at any restaurant. That just allowed us to truly enjoy the flavor of the food!) I highly recommend this recipe. Adam does not like sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries, but he enjoyed these. He tried them when I first made them and then asked for them the second time I made them! So again...husband tested and husband approved! 

Phineas the Pup and His Homemade Cookies!

After work you're headed home thinking about what's in the fridge and what you're going to make for dinner. The traffic lights change, time passes, and the dishes are done. You and your family are full and happy now. But then you look down and see those big puppy dog eyes. You want the best food for your family and that includes your pup. Come on, how can you resist that face?

Unfortunately food and treats nowadays are filled with what you might expect...fillers. Working with dogs and feeding them I see a whole range of types of food. This food ranges from all decadent homemade masterpieces to canned-shape,brown-colored glop. Now you're furry best friend has been faithful and loyal throughout the years. So why not give them something great?

Try this great recipe, I promise you you're pup will love you even more for it!

2 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 cup plain oats
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups hot water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then add the peanut butter and water. If the dough is too     sticky you may need to add more flour.
3. Knead the dough well.
4. Roll out the dough into 1/4" thickness.You can use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. I like to use     little dog bone cookie cutters!
5. After putting the cookies on a baking sheet I put an egg wash on them to give them a nice look.

6. Bake them for 40 minutes. I let them cool overnight on wax paper and was able to put them right in     a bag to keep. You can also try freezing them for later.
   (dogtreatskitchen.com)

*Now its important to remember that since these are simple cookies with very few ingredients there are no preservatives in them. So if you keep them for too long they will get moldy so make sure to watch out for that before feeding them to your pup.*

Not only do these make great treats for your own pup, but they make great gifts! Phineas couldn't wait to dig into his present!

It's fun for you to make and fun for them to eat. Phineas would agree, but as you can see...he's pretty busy at the moment!

If you have kids, cousins, nephews or neices this is also a great project to do with them to get them in the kitchen playing with recipes and ingredients! 

I know they're dog cookies but don't be afraid to try them! Again, there is only 4 ingredients and its all normal food that you would eat anyway...so go ahead and try one...if you can wrestle it away from pups like Phineas that is! 

"Organic Manifesto" by Maria Rodale

I started reading the book “Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe” by Maria Rodale. Maria Rodale is qualified to write a book on the organic movement. Her grandfather J.I. Rodale found the magazine “Organic Farming and Gardening” in 1942. Her parents, Robert and Ardath Rodale, as well devoted their lives to organic farming and supporting local farmers. Her grandfather and father launched Prevention magazine in 1950. And before her father died in 1990, he began the lonest-running scientific study comparing synthetic chemical versus organic agriculture.  So she grew up in among the organic movement and devoted her life as well to the cause.

  (Maria Rodale)

I read half of the book during the week we were on vacation. It was one of those reads that I couldn’t put down! This book explains, as the title suggests, all about organic farming and how it impacts each one of us and our world. It goes into depth beyond just “buy organic” and really explains the reasoning behind the idea.  People can tell you to buy organic and that’s all good and fine. But why? Who cares? And that is why this book was so interesting to me.

But…I couldn’t believe the reaction I received when I started to share some information with some extended family members. 

Sitting in the sand on the beaches of South Carolina I flipped the pages of this book and highlighted what seemed like every paragraph. Alongside me my family laid out as well soaking in the rays. 

 A soft breeze rustled through my hair and the salt air flooded into my lungs as these thoughts filled my mind. The laughter of children playing in the sand broke the silence of my relaxing family. I brought up a point from the book that I found interesting.  

“Recent studies suggest that behavioral and developmental problems may be linked to childhood pesticide exposure. And that exposure begins at almost the moments of conception. Pesticide residues are routinely detected in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women.”

Instantly a defensive conversation broke out. Now I wasn’t pressuring anyone or forcing my opinions on anyone. I’ve learned that those of you who want to know what I think will ask. That’s the same reason I even created this blog in the first place. I know and respect that everyone has their own decisions to make in life in regards to health, nutrition, and overall wellness. And to each his own as I would also hope to be given the same respect in my own opinions, decision, and lifestyle. I was simply just stating a thought that this book had brought out and I found I was met with only defensive reasoning and forceful opinions. I was astounded, especially as I continued to read the book it explained some of the same things I was then experiencing.  On that beach that afternoon, I heard the usual arguments that each news broadcast spells gloom and doom on a new food item. I also heard that you can’t be so crazy about that “stuff”. And again, the thought that everything must be done in moderation. I sort of chuckled behind my distaste of the whole situation. All of this coming from people who eat pizza 3-4 times a week and fast food the rest of the week. Moderation. That’s a funny thought. Moderation is a sensible thought. I encourage it. But I couldn’t help but think, do I want to be ingesting pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones, and antibiotics in moderation? And my unequivocal answer was NO!

This whole situation is explained simply by these two following quotes.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

-Martin Luther King Jr.

“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.”

-Wayne Dyer

Now I am not the most informed person on all issues. But I am a naturally curious person. And therefore I read, I study, I experiment, I think. But not everyone does. And I know that those who were “attacking’ the cited thoughts are not informed on the issues at hand. Ignorance is dangerous.

How about you? Are you curious about the organic food, farming, and how it impacts our environment and health? This book is a great read! Be someone who is informed, not ignorant. The biggest mistake you can do is to make a decision (really in anything) based on ignorance. And it is ONLY THEN that you should make your own decision about the issue of organic vs conventional (chemical) foods. It is ONLY THEN that you can take a stand on either side and be taken seriously for your opinions. But again to each his own, and opinions should be given and taken respectfully…the complete opposite on how I was met with mine.

**For those of you who want to read this book and don’t want any spoilers stop reading here. But for the others who want samples of some information you can find in the book I took the liberty of including some direct quotes that I found extremely interesting. Of course, there is SO much more that I haven’t included below. But I do recommend this read to those of you who are curious about organic food and what the hype is all about.

The following is some of what you’ll find in this book: (quotes in ITALICS)

Ever wondered what GMO means?

“Most food crops start with a seed. But the seeds today are not like the seeds farmers have used for thousands of years. Instead, farmers are strongly encouraged to choose those that have been genetically modified with the help of a bacterium—perhaps Escherichia coli or salmonella—in order to resist the herbicide they use to keep their fields week-free. (Isn’t it interesting hat those are two of the bacteria that worked?) These bacteria act as a kind of barrier for the DNA being transferred and they create antibiotics in the process (another contributor to our overexposure to antibiotics). Billions of dollars were spent to develop this seed, yet the government required absolutely no health and safety testing before the seeds were planted.”

From my research I’ve noticed, quite obviously, that the food industry runs solely on money instead of ethics. Let’s take a look at India…

“For years the price of cotton was low around the world because there was more cotton than people needed—and most companies buying cotton choose the lowest-priced source. Then US farm subsidies artificially reduced the price of American cotton and suddenly, the cheapest cotton was coming from America, not India. Even though the cost of living in India is a fraction of what it is in the United States, suddenly Indian farmers couldn’t make a living. That was the first blow.

Now you have the follow-up blow. Desperate Indian farmers get calls from companies using Bollywood movie starts and Hindu deities to help sell the farmers on “magic” seeds. Wither literally nothing to lose, Indian farmers borrow money to buy the seeds and the companion chemicals, never realizing that the price will increase each year. After the first year, they find out that it costs much more to maintain their crops due to the ever-increasing prices of seeds and chemicals. Yet they are still plagues by insects and, like all promises of magic, the yields are disappointing at best. Before long, the money lenders are knocking on their doors and there is not enough revenue from the crops to pay the debts.

More than 160,000 Indian cotton farmers have killed themselves in the past decade. The favored method of suicide? Ingesting chemical pesticides.”

People worry about the antibiotics in chicken and other products.

“Believe it or not, arsenic is still used today—even in chicken feed! It’s used to promote growth, kill parasites, and “improve pigmentation of chicken meat,” even though arsenic is strongly linked to many types of cancer and diabetes. In 1999, 318,000 pounds of arsenic were used in California alone.

The US Congress responded to concerns about the food supply by establishing the Federal Trade Commission in 1912 and the Food and Drug Administration in 1927. But then as now, the industry fought standards with lobbying money and lots of advertising. The government usually sided with the groups who were making the most money—industry. Meanwhile, a host of new chemicals hit the market….Methyl bromide, a soil fumigant, was introduced in 1936, and DDT reached the market in 1945 and was widely viewed as a less-toxic substitute for lead arsenate. These are just a few notable examples among thousands. You probably have seen the pictures of trucks with hoses spraying children at play and eating sandwiches to “prove” just how safe DDT really was.

We now know it wasn’t safe at all.”

DDT ended up being banned in the United States in 1972. I actually found some advertisements from the 50s in connection with the use of DDT. It was marketed well to increase trust in the product and to alleviate any concerns.

“But make no mistake, without the farm bill, organic food would cost less than chemical food—far less. Organic foods are already much less than expensive to taxpayers. The funds spent on cleaning up the toxic messes agriculture has made of our soil, water, oceans, and health, as well as the costs of chemical foods, are impossible to calculate.

In Congress efforts to “protect jobs” (mainly at chemical companies) and American farmers, it produced a farm bill that put farmers on an economic treadmill by providing payment incentives to keep growing crops like corn and soybeans chemically and made it almost impossible to switch to  organic or growing other crops…

Myra Goodman, cofounder of Earthbound Farms, has done the math. 

She and her husband sell organic fruits and vegetables grown on 33,000 acres of farmland in California (what the farm bill would call “specialty produce”). They don’t own all of the land themselves. Rather, the group consists of 150 independent, certified organic farmers. They don’t get a single penny from the government. In 2008, these organic farmers kept 10.5 million pounds of chemical fertilizers and 305,000 pounds of chemical pesticides out of the environment and saved 1.7 million gallons of petroleum. The carbon they have sequestered, according to the Rodale Institute’s measurements, is the equivalent of taking 7,500 cars off the road every year.”

These were just some quotes I found interesting and I am only halfway through the book so far. Why not pick up a copy? I got mine on Amazon for a few dollars. I have to admit that it sat on my bookshelf for 2 years before I got around to reading it. I don’t think I was in the right frame of mind then. But now I can’t put it down! 

Lil' bit of Limeade

The sun was warm and it felt nice as we walked along the pathway. Children ran past us laughing all the way to the habitats followed by a mix of awe and fear.  There Adam and I were walking the Toledo Zoo enjoying the company of each other, but it was definitely time for something to eat and drink! We stopped by the café and Adam ordered a lemonade and I ordered an unsweetened iced tea. We sat down at a table and found refreshment from the drinks, rest, and company of each other. I decided to try his lemonade. Now take into consideration that I haven’t had lemonade in quite some time. My taste buds were in for it when I took that sip. I instantly put it down and my face scrunched up like a little kid. I couldn’t take the overwhelming power of the sugar and lemons. I have never had lemonade that strong before. All of this brought me to a new venture. I like lemonade but what is offered in stores and restaurants is too much for me. I wanted to make my own but didn’t have any lemons available. But I did have limes! And so my homemade limeade made its debut! Its husband tested and husband approved! 

My homemade Limeade Recipe:

           4 cups iced water

           3 fresh squeezed limes

           2 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar (I only used 2 Tbsp as a starter amount of sugar. You can add less or more depending on your taste buds but for us 2 Tbsp was definitely enough!) 

            Ice

People have gotten used to the beverages offered today. All of them are loaded with sugar, artificial flavorings and colors, and let's face it...empty calories. Adam described this limeade drink as a great summer drink that was refreshing. 

So if you're a lemonade person or you like tart things why not try this recipe at home? You can even more more and keep it in the fridge or take it to a party for others to enjoy. I haven't tried it with lemons instead of limes but that would taste just as great. 

Health Benefits of Limes: 

Limes, of course, are part of the citrus family. They are often used in culinary feats to enhance the flavor of other foods. Limes are rich in sources of phytochemicals. Anytime that the word "chemical" comes into play people tend to back off. But phytochemicals are chemicals made naturally from plants and are not harmful. Actually the limes are rich in flavonoids that have powerful antioxidant and antibiotic effects. Limes can aid in digestion because it helps breakdown food molecules and will also help stimulate the secretion of digestion juices. The Vitamin C content of one lime is equal to 30% RDA and has the most potent antioxidants available. Vitamin C helps iron to be absorbed in the blody and improves blood circulation as well as most people attribute Vitamin C to...immunity. One medium sized lime contains 22 mg of calcium and that high calcium can contribute to strong teeth and bones. (www.fitday.com)

So not only is this beverage refreshing, light, and tart it gives you additional health benefits!

Homemade Granola Bars

People today are so busy and all of us have skipped meals or grabbed unhealthy food items on the go. I like to stock my locker at work or at home with granola bars in order to have something healthier to snack on instead of the usual chips or candy bars. I have scanned the grocery aisles looking for the most nutritious granola bars and always come across the same conclusion. Each one of these products has something in them that steers me away from them whether its preservatives or artificial flavors or other items. I just wanted to bring granola bars on our trip to Myrtle Beach so we had some snacks in the car. Why is this so hard? Irritated, because to me food should just be food, I decided to go another route. A day before we left on vacation I found a recipe for granola bars and decided to try them. And man, was I happily surprised at the outcome. Even Adam said that those granola bars were the best granola bars he had ever had. And they contain ingredients you can pronounce without the preservatives or artifical flavors or several types of sugar hidden under the names of different ingredients. As a matter of fact, these granola bars only contain 5...yes, I said it...5 ingredients! And these ingredients may be ones that you already have at home. It took me about 15 minutes to make these granola bars from start to finish and it definately made my family happy.


Recipe:


1 cup dates, pitted (The BASE of the granola bar...you can find these at any grocery store located near the rainsin and plums)

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (I used honey I think the thicker consistency holds the granola bars together better)
1/4 cup peanut butter (I used salt and sugar free peanut butter from Giant Eagle. It tastes great!)
1 cup almonds, chopped (I used chopped unsalted peanuts because I don't like almonds, but you can choose any type of peanuts or none at all)

1 1/2 cups oats

Instructions:

1. Process dates in food processor to create a "dough-like" consistency

(these are the dates prior to processing. I used my VitaMix, but you can use any food processing machine.)

2. Toast oats in oven 350 degress F for 15 minutes (This is optional, but it does give the bars an added taste factor)
3. Combine oats, almonds, and dates in bowl (I washed my hands and went to town using my hands as the spoon. The force from your hands helps mix the mixture easier than a spoon.)
4. Warm honey and peanut butter in sauce pan over low heat. Stir and pour over date mixture and mix well. (Make sure to watch it so as to not burn the ingredients. Slight stirring is important, and the smell is amazing!)

5. Transfer to pan and smash mixture down to form granola bar. (You can use parchment paper under the mixture to get them up easier, but I did not have any issues getting the bars back out of the pan. In this stage you can make the granola bars as thick or thin as you want. I used an 8x13 glass pan but only filled up half of the pan in order to make thicker granola bars. Then I drizzled some extra peanut butter on top for just an extra touch. )

6. Set in fridge to harden 15-20 minutes (I put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Before I put them in the freezer I used a pizza cutter to cut the bars in advance because they are hard to cut after freezing. And in this stage you can cut them to look thinner and longer or in a square shape. Have fun with it! Freezing them just solidifies the bars. After I freeze them I kept them in an airtight container in the refrigerator as storage.)

I did make some alterations to this already easy recipe just to humor my own intentions. And the second time I made this granola bar recipe I did play with some of the ingredients just to make something different. Feel free to play with it yourself to make differing variations. You can feel free to add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, any type of fruit, or anything else you can think of or want. Obviously the more you add in then the calories, sugar, salt, and fat will go up.

Health Benefits of Dates: 

Dates resemble large raisins and are one of the sweetest fruits around. But they have so many health benefits that are often overlooked when people do not include them in their diet. Dates are high in fiber. They contain 6.7 grams of fiber in 100g of dates which is 27% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The high level of fiber, of course, helps relieve constipation and reduces risks of colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids.  They also contain 696 mg of potassium per 100g which is 20% of the RDA. Potassium is important in a diet as it counteracts the effects of sodium. Because of this dates helps regulate blood pressure and the high level of potassium can help decrease high blood pressure. Dates boost heart health and they also ask an an anti-inflammatory due to the levels of magnesium they contain. Studies have also shown a reduction in stroke risk by 9% for every 100 mg of meagnesium a person consumes a day. A date contains 54 mg of magnesium per 100 g which is 14% RDA. For those of you trying for a baby or already pregnant dates have been discovered to impact labor and delivery outcomes. A study was done in 69 women that found that "the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labor significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labor, and produced a more favorable, but non-significant, delivery outcome." (NaturalSociety.com "Health Benefits of Dates - Promoting Heart, Brain, and Digestive Health" by Mike Barrett)

I appreciated the fact that dates can help with bone health and strength. The mixture of selenium, magnanese, copper, and magnesium are integral to healthy bone development and strength. My grandma has osteoporosis and my mom has osteopenia so of course, bone strength is something that I have been aware of for some time. Also the impressive levels of iron can help those who have anemia because the iron will balance out the lack of iron that anemia suffers have. This will help increase energy and strength, and decrease the feelings of fatigue and sluggishness. (www.organicfacts.net)

I highly recommend this recipe to anyone. If you have cranky kids, hungry husbands, or need a little pick-me-up yourself try them out! I promise you wont be disappointed. Its a husband tested and husband approved recipe!

Egg-ception vs. Egg-ceptional

You just need a loaf of bread, or a gallon of milk. But it's not that easy is it? Upon entering the grocery store you'll find dozens if not hundreds of products available in the category you are looking for. Bread is not just bread anymore, and milk is not just milk. And the same thing applies to eggs. An egg is an egg. Or at least that is what I used to think when I was a child. But now we have countless products when all we really want is just an egg. And so it comes to this...what's with all the fuss about eggs and egg substitutes? Does it make a difference which one you select, why care about it? 

Let's first look at the nutritional information between an egg substitute like Egg Beaters and a normal egg. As you can see, yes, the egg beater has less calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, with the same amount of protein.

From this information I would definitely choose the egg beater over the egg. That is definitely the top choice as of yet. But you have to take a closer look! It's not just about the nutritional information anymore these days. You can obviously see that an egg is just an egg, but the Egg Beaters is held in a carton which means only one thing. Processing. The food has been processed, it is not in its natural form anymore. So the thought changes from what the Egg Beaters don't have, to thinking about what it does have now because of the processing. Let's now look at the ingredient list to see which one comes out on top. 

Ingredient List for an Egg: Eggs contain 1 ingredient:

        Egg

Ingredient List for Egg Beaters: Egg beaters contain 20 ingredients:

Egg Whites, Less than 1%: Natural Flavor, Color (Includes Beta Carotene),Spices, Salt, Onion Powder, Vegetable Gums (Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum),Maltodextrin. Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Sulfate, Iron (Ferric Phosphate), Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D3

From a quick glance these ingredients don't look bad. They include egg whites, natural flavors, vitamins/minerals, and spices. But you have to look even closer. 

First of all, the natural flavors are anything but natural. According to the Natural Health News & Scientific Discoveries website, "There are also plenty of "food products" on the shelves that read "all natural" on the label, but they still contain large amounts of synthetic, laboratory-concocted food agents, many of which cause diseases and disorders." I have even read that this natural flavoring can contain MSG. This website also describes that "Monosodium Glutamate is a neurotoxin that can be legally hidden from you and/or be labeled "natural flavors" in the ingredients list. MSG is not a natural flavor - in fact, it can cause brain lesions, neuro-endocrine disorders, and neurodegenerative disease in humans...The FDA does not require that any source of MSG be identified... Yet in hundreds of studies around the world, scientists are creating obese mice using MSG because it triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and perhaps humans) to become obese. This is what the FDA calls natural. There's even a name for the fat rodents that eat this "Natural Flavor" additive: they're called "MSG-Treated Rats." Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive substance. Since its introduction into the American food supply 50 years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to processed meals, soups, chips, and fast foods. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food." Makes you think right? 

Now what about the vitamins/minerals? Some of you may not realize that vitamins and minerals may need help 

to be absorbed and used properly  in order to work. For example, Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. Fat-

soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are better absorbed with a meal higher in fat. And calcium needs to be 

combined with Vitamin D. Fooducate explains the problem with Egg Beaters. It says that "There are a whole bunch of added vitamins and minerals that try to mimic what was lost with the removal of the egg yolk. For example a single egg yolk contains 13% of the DV for vitamin A. Egg beaters throws in 15%. The problem with this nutrient specific approach is that science has yet to identify hundreds of other nutrients and their interaction amongst each other when naturally present in a food. Selecting a few nutrients and focusing on them instead of on a whole food is part of a larger problem in the US food food system today." 

Xantham Gum is another one that sounds really scary, but this very popular food ingredient has not been known to cause serious issues as of yet. It mostly is known to cause bloating or an upset stomach. What is it? According to Fooducate, "Xanthan gum is made by fermenting corn sugar with bacteria..It is the same bacterial that creates black spots on broccoli and cauliflower. The result is a slimy goo that is then dried up and ground into a fine white powder." It is used an emulsifier or an ingredient that blends different ingredients and helps them stay blended while it sits on a shelf waiting for you to purchase it. Think of mayonnaise. The reason all the ingredients stay blended is due to an emulsifier. Xanthan Gum also acts as a thickener. In a normal egg, the egg yolk acts as a truly natural thickener, but Egg Beaters takes out the egg yolk in order to reduce the calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. All of these lower numbers makes the public turn to these products instead because the product is "healthy". 

So in my eyes, the EGG WINS!

But my thought on it all is this. Why would you eat a product that was created in a science lab when you could eat a product that was created perfectly? Smile frequently, laugh often, and eat real food! So choose the egg-ceptional, not the egg-ception. 

Troubadour Coffee Roasters - Rethink Coffee

Yesterday my mom and I hit the gym, perused the local antique shops, and then happened upon a new coffee shop I've never been to before. Shh, don' tell the barista at Starbucks!

Troubadour Coffee Roasters

We parked in the back and walked back to the front of the store. Now my first impression of the shop? "This is sort of dumpy...and empty". I wasn't expecting much at all from it. The barista behind the counter welcomed us warmly and asked if we had ever been to there before. Upon acknowledgement of being first timers he explained the difference between his shop which has been open about a year and half and the chain coffee shops like Starbucks. Upon looking at his website I found some information I would like to share straight from their website.

"We are passionate about our coffee. We source our beans through three importers direct from the farms and cooperatives, we roast them on-site, and we make each beverage to order. We do not offer flavors, syrups, smoothies, frappes, meal-type foods or most typical coffee shop drinks, but for good reason. We are very focused on the quality aspect of our coffees and want you to experience coffee for the passion, craft and art of it.  Coffee is the seed of a fruit and if its grown, processed, roasted and brewed properly,  the results will be amazing and not bitter or burnt.  Why cover up the good?  Pure and simple and without attitudes or snobbery we challenge you to Rethink Your Coffee."

I must admit I was the first one to be skeptical. I've had so many bitter coffees before that's why I always add Almond Milk. So he explained that coffee should not be bitter and that if it is the coffee is bad. So I figured, "Hey, its worth a try!" I ordered a latte and let me tell you...it was the best latte I have ever had.

You could taste the coffee and it was a little sweet due to the caramelization of the milk,but not from added sugars, syrups, or flavorings. I was so impressed especially since a few days prior I had ordered a latte from Starbucks and could barely drink it due to the high amount of sugar. It just tasted fake and was sickening. This was so different. Sweet, yet not overwhelming at all. And the coffee tasted great! Now granted I've only had one latte there, but I cannot wait to go and get something else. They even have a shelf of coffees that you can choose from that they will fresh brew if you ask them. And the service was exceptional!

So I guess you cannot judge a book from its cover or a coffee shop from your first observation. There just might be a nice surprise waiting for you if you would just give it a chance.

What a great place for those passionate about their coffee!

Checkout51.com

In this day and age people are looking to save money anywhere. They stick to a tight budget, make sacrifices, clip and carry around coupons, and skimp on the gouda. (And yes, that WAS a HIMYR reference!) Recently I found a new website that is definitely worth checking out!

Checkout51.com

What's the concept of this website? It's actually quite simple. Each week you can check the website and see what offers are listed for that week. The week's offers change on Wednesday at 11:59pm. For example, some of the offers this past week include bread, eggs, tomatoes, apples, and avocados. But there are also cleaning products, canned products, and some snacks also offered. Next to the offer you will see a price listed. So if you purchase these items you will receive that amount back from your purchase!

Well this all sounds nice and good, but how do you go about getting that money? Simple! Simply take a picture of your receipt from the grocery store with those products on the receipt. But make sure when you take a picture that the receipt is clear and the date MUST be visible. Remember that the offers change every week, so something you bought two weeks ago would not be valid anymore. And if your receipt is too long you can add more than one picture in order to get all of the items included. 

After taking a picture upload it into the website and select the items that you are requesting the money for. For example, this week I bought eggs, apples, and avocados. After sending in my receipt I selected those items. It takes up to, although its never been that long for me, 48 hours for your receipt to be approved! You can see below that I don't have any receipts waiting for approval and that's because I went grocery shopping Monday and they got approved on Tuesday! So I am done for the week. But this is where you would see the amount of receipts waiting for approval. 

I've only had up to two receipts so far because I went to two different stores. The great thing is that you don't have to shop at any specific store. Choose your weapon...is it Costco, Wal*Mart, Giant Eagle, Heinens, Aldi's, Target? Or it is all of them? Doesn't matter, upload as many receipts as you want for that week. I always try to go grocery shopping then jump on the computer right away so that I don't forget and its done and out of the way. And the best news of all, it only takes a few minutes to complete! 

As you can see I've only been doing this for two weeks and have already racked up $3.50. It's not much, but for not doing very much work I know it'll add up quickly. So now I have my electronic money, how do I get my cold hard cash?? They've got a button for that!

After you rack up as least $20 you can cash out and get a check sent to you. Or you could keep racking up your money until you have even more available. Is this something you might want to explore? Why not try it? If you have some skills on the computer, even just a few, then you'll be absolutely fine with this website and endeavor.

Why does this website appeal to me? I do what any good wife does. I look through the coupon books and clip them nicely and organize them. I have them available while grocery shopping then eventually get tired of holding them or irritated as I drop them all over the place so they almost always end up in my pocket. And yes, you've guess it. I scan and pay for my items and walk right out of the store without using any of them despite all of my best efforts to save a little money here or there.  

Yes, I suppose you could use both the clipped coupons AND this website as well. But for those of us who are worthless coupon cutters at least we are getting something back for these purchases. I wanted to spend a few weeks using the system before I recommended it, but so far I am more than happy with it. Why not give it a try? 

Edamame Ed-ventures!

Now I'm a little ashamed to admit this, especially since I've been a vegetarian for 5 years now coming up in September. (Wow, I can't believe I've gone that long without bacon!) But I have never had edamame in the immature form. Sure I've had tofu and soy milk. But edamame is immature soybeans instead of mature, hard, and dry soybeans that are used to make soy milk and tofu. Walking through Costco I saw a large bag of organic edamame calling my name. So I bought the bag, brought it home, and opened it up not sure what exactly to expect. I boiled the edamame and drained them and found them looking quite similar to sugar snap peas. Now again remembering that I've never had them before I bit into one edamame pod and found it hard and fuzzy and gross. It was not until I reread the package that I found out I need to take the beans out of the pod.

After boiling the edamame pods I found that the beans slipped out very easily into my colander. So I spent a few minutes "de-beaning" the pods. Now I tried the edamame and found it quite delicious as I ate it as it was meant to be eaten! The beans looked awfully similar to lima beans, but have a harder texture than lima beans. They are just absolutely beautiful and look great in stir-frys, noodle-dishes, or just as a snack.

Now the real question comes into play...are they husband approved..?! 

Frozen, Yet Fresh

Wandering the grocery store aisles and you can find some interesting items. One of these items is Dorot, frozen herbs ready to use for cooking. I thought that this was one of the coolest ideas. I've also found herbs in a squeezable bottle which sort of grossed me out and I called into question the freshness of the product.

I wanted to try this but at the time I didnt want to spend the money on it. But recently I was able to come across some fresh parsley. I knew that there was no way that I would be able to eat all of the parsley by myself in the time before it went bad. So I decided to be a little creative in my own right. So I started by taking off the leaves and rinsing the parsley with a good fruit and veggie wash from Trader Joe's. After washing the fresh leaves I chopped them up as finely as I could with the knives I had available. I also chopped up fresh garlic and added some other herbs and coconut oil. You can see below what it looked like after I was done with it.

After I was done mixing it all together I got a clean ice cube tray and filled the spaces with the herb mixture to freeze it. I put it in the freezer to harden so that I could not only save it for later, but also maintain the nutritional quality of the herbs. Parsley is actually related to celery. It is high in Vitamin A, C, K, and Folate (which is imporant for a healthy pregnancy). The flavonoids in parsley also act as antioxidants. Antioxidant help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells. 

I left the herbs in the freezer there for about 20 hours until it was solid and was easily removed. This is how they turned out! Nice little cubes that I am easily able to add to spaghetti or anything else in order to spice it up a little. Why not try to add a little spice to your life? Even if you don't have or can't have fresh herbs with your living situation, don't fret. You can definately take the fresh herbs from the store and do this so that they don't go bad.  I know that we have had plenty of herbs go bad sitting in our fridge. So save your money, time, and health with fresh herbs! 

CONTAINS SULFITES

Cheddar...
Mozzarella...
Gouda...
Fontina...

Sliced so delicately and arranged so beautifully, who of us can resist a good cheese plate? Choose your favorite and enjoy it as it melts away in your mouth. Couple this with good friends, laughter, and fine wine and you're set for a great Saturday night!

People look for many things when searching for wine...type, region, and vintage. But most people see and roll over the little adage on the back of the bottle..."CONTAINS SULFITES". I know that I never used to think about it or honestly, even know what it really even meant. But in among my thirst for knowledge I did some research on what sulfites really are.

According to the USDA National Organic Program, sulfites are a synthetic food additive.  Sulfites do occur naturally in the wine making process, but this post specifically deals with the addition of SYNTHETIC sulfites. Synthetic sulfites are added to wine during the wine making process. It is used as a mild antioxidant preservative and stabilizer. They are added to wine in the form of sulfur salts, S02 gas or sulfur dioxide solutions. Once added to wine these sulfites bind to other substances in the wine and then cannot be smelled or tasted. The sulfites that end up not binding with other substances in the wine are considered free and these can be smelled and tasted and can react with sinus tissues causing a reaction. There is some debate between whether this causes headaches, allergic reactions, or asthma issues. Either way some people have a bad reaction when drinking wine.

Sulfites are measured by parts per million or ppm. Organc wine contains under 10 ppm, "Made with Organic Grapes" contains about 150 ppm, and regular wine contains about 350 ppm. So you can see that the sulfite levels are drastically reduced in organic wine. The small amount of sulfites in organic wine are the ones that occur naturally and are therefore, not synthetic materials.

The price of Organic wine does not differ very much from regular wine. The bottles I have seen started at $10/bottle. Why not make the switch and see if it makes a difference in your life?

www.freywine.com

Vegetable Gardens

I live in an apartment. Most people understand the irritations that come from apartment living...nosy neighbors, cigarette smoke drifting into the doorway, and trying to find a place to wash your car. I could deal with all of these things if it wasn't for the worse of it all; the inability to have my own vegetable garden. Most young girls think of how they'll decorate their new house. What is the color scheme? What type of dishes should I buy to match the decor in the kitchen? How should I arrange the furniture? But not me. 

I don't remember much from my childhood. But one of my best childhood memories grew in a vegetable garden. I was young and innocent. It was a warm and sunny day; a great day to be outside away from the noise of the world on the television. I found myself lost in among the rows and rows of various vegetables and fruits. This was one of the largest gardens I've ever been in. It was Apa's garden. Apa is grandfather in Hungarian. He was a strong man at that time; different than today, stricken by the difficulties of age. Dark, thick hair hung in his face as the sweat beaded on his forehead from the hard work. He was always a strong man to me and ate like he was in the old country once again. With one fare swoop he could pick us up and we always felt safe. 

You could tell he was working hard as he dug into the ground further on in the garden. I knelt down by the rows of strawberries. My little knees left imprints in the dirt and I didn't mind because I was so enthralled by the strawberries. They were amazing in color; bright red and shining in the sunlight. Apa taught me how to pick them properly. He explained which ones were just right to harvest. It was my job to pick them and he moved on to other garden duties leaving me there. I was set on doing a good job because I knew all too well that homemade strawberry shortcake was imminent. My basket was only half full and even if I wanted to carry it back to the house I wouldn't be able. It was too heavy for me to carry, but I didn't worry I knew Apa would come to my rescue. To this day I've never seen strawberries such as those. They were as big as my fist and tasted sweeter than any dessert could. Now I know I was little at the time, but even for my parents and grandparents that sat around the table later that evening the size of the strawberries was still immense. I saw the intricate nature of the strawberry plant as I picked. It was hard work but I loved every minute of it. 

I wasn't sure what time it was or how long we'd been out there but I knew we were done when Apa turned around, wiped the sweat from his brow, and started heading toward me. He grabbed the basket and we headed toward the house. I ran all the way there to meet my grandma who was waiting for us. What was to follow was the best homemade strawberry shortcake you'd ever had. I remember my whole family was there. I didn't say much, but everyone else did. I was focused on the fruits of my labor formed in a decadent but delicate dessert. Despite that I also noticed the tomatoes in a round colorful bowl next to me. Apa had been working on the tomatoes that afternoon. I picked one up and held it in my hands. It took both hands to hold the tomato and even then it was larger and spilled over the sides of my fingers. These were tomatoes you only needed one slice for on a sandwich. I noticed the aroma of the tomato was strong and unmatched as I put it back in the bowl. That large bowl still only held about three or four tomatoes at a time. I don't know what his secrets were, but he must have brought them from the old country. He knew his way around a vegetable garden.

Nowadays the garden is overgrown and lost in among the weeds. Apa is too old now to work in the garden, but every time I drive down the driveway I see the garden in the distance and remember fondly the time spent there. And so...my love of vegetable gardens was planted and nurtured right there. I want to create my own memories but apartment living isn't conducive to a vegetable garden...at least not the one I have already planted in my mind..

Youbar: Fresh, Customized Nutrition Bars

I do a lot of thinking and I realized that I have spent countless hours in the granola bar aisle trying to choose the best option available. I can't get this one because of the HFCS, I can't get that one because of the preservatives, and that one won't work because of the lack of fiber or protein or whatnot. To most, granola bars are an item you may just grab off of the shelf and move on. But due to my education and need to know the products available out there I have studied them all. I was thrilled to find a website that some of you may have heard about...youbars.com. 

YouBar is a website where you can literally customized and create your own nutrition bars from scratch. 

Choose the base, protein powder, nuts & seeds, dried fruits and berries, sweeteners, seasonings like chocolate, grains & cereals, and infusions. I couldn't help but play on the webiste adding this and taking out that. 

The nutrition label conveniently placed on the side of the website changes as you add or take things away from your own bar. Besides adding ingredients you can determine the amount included in the bar from fewer, average, or extra of an ingredient. My bars shipped on Monday and just arrived today! I busted one open and had at it. It was so good! Soft, chewy, sweet, and healthy. What did I include in my bar? 

My bar included the following:

• Organic Dates (base)
• Whey Protein
• Dark Chocolate Chips
• Organic Quinoa
• Organic Agave Nectar
• Organic Coconut
• Blueberries
• Organic Chia Seeds
• Greens blend of green tea, spirulina, and chlorella
• That's it!!!

I have the option to reorder the same bars or try something different next time. And the best part? I can create the name of my granola bar. What did I name it? "A Taste for Change". I thought about it long and hard and I came up with this name quite simply. Nothing will change unless you take a chance, take a risk, take a taste. Changes are easier to make when they are small. So take a taste of healthy living, good nutrition, and overall well-being to make a difference in your life. Well, it made sense to me! So why not check them out to see if it's something you would want to try.