The healthiest way to eat is to remove packaged foods from your diet.  I always tell my son, "If it's in a box, it can't be that healthy for you!"

However, the majority of us in the U.S. buy a large portion of our pantry staples are in cans, boxes, and bags.  This doesn't mean we aren't eating healthy, but it does require some extra sleuthing on our parts, as consumers, to know what we are putting in our bodies.

It is extra important if we are raising children!  I have recently tried to reduce the amount of sugar my family is consuming (and have eliminated it completely from my diet temporarily - YIKES!).  I am constantly scanning pasta sauce labels to see if there is sugar added, and searching for unsweetened applesauce (which is just as sweet as the sugared-up kinds!!!).

But I haven't gotten rid of sugar completely.  In fact, I discovered a tasty cookie that I feel comfortable packing in my son's lunches (in moderation, of course!).  I try to bake from scratch, but time hasn't allowed for much of that the past few weeks, so I grabbed a bag of Barbara's Bakery Snackimals (Chocolate Chip), and fell in love!  Sadly, I ate almost an entire package myself in just two sittings.  The second package, my husband finished off!  (I'm not even sure my son has eaten more than a handful......)

This article was brought to my attention this week from the American Chronicle website.

Some notable points from the article:


"Smithfield Foods, the world´s largest pork producer, says its hog-raising costs have increased more than 20 percent in the past year, largely because of the high cost of feed. Meat-eaters can expect to foot the bill by paying higher pork prices."


"Some of the most versatile vegan foods—including beans, rice, vegetables, soy products and pasta—cost relatively little compared to animal products."


"According to a 2007 MSN MoneyCentral article, the cheapest cuts of beef, such as ground round, average $3 per pound; boneless chicken breasts cost $3.40 a pound; and canned tuna costs around $2 per pound. In comparison, dried beans and lentils cost less than $1 a pound, and rice is cheaper than $1 a pound. Tofu usually costs less than $2 per pound."


Sometimes eating vegan can be more expensive, if you are used to shelling out a buck for a McDonald's double cheeseburger and calling that a "meal".  But a home-cooked, vegetarian meal made from fresh, organic produce is healthier by far, and will save on your medical bills in the long-run! 



One of our favorite meals that is extremely inexpensive is sloppy joes.  We buy the Fantastic Foods brand box mix ($1.99), add oil, water, and tomato paste, and VOILA, you have dinner!  Place on a bun ($.60 at the bread outlet) with a slice of onion or tomato (free from your organic garden, a buck from the store), and you've got dinner for about three or four bucks!  If you're feeling spendy, add a can of baked beans on the side. 

I had to start this post with the photo.  Truly amazing.  Joanna (of Yellow Rose Recipes) posted this recipe for us testers, and it is on my list of "Meals I Will Make Again".

It is so simple, it almost doesn't qualify as a "recipe" - but it made a delicious, light, Spring meal that everyone in my family enjoyed. 

Zucchini are coming in season soon (May to August is the best time to buy them), so be on the look-out at your local Farmer's market!  

I would love to share the recipe, but as this cookbook is still in its testing phase, all recipes are classified.  I will continue to post recipes that my family has tried, and I will keep you updated on when to expect the cookbook in stores!

Making homemade seitan always seemed daunting to me, so I always forked over $8.00/lb for the stuff frozen from the local co-op.  But I heard so many rave reviews of the Seitan O Greatness recipe that is posted on The PPK that I figured I might as well give it a shot.

The results were fabulous, and the process was so quick and easy (my two favorite words in the kitchen!).  You mix a few ingredients together, form it into a log, wrap in aluminum foil, and BAKE! 

I have been asked to be a tester for Joanna Vaught's newest cookbook (as yet unnamed).  She is the creator of the Yellow Rose Recipes cookbook that came out in December. 

I cannot be more excited!  Expect lots of photos in the upcoming months as I show off Joanna's creations. 

We already tried a creamed soup recipe that was tasty, but not something we were completely WOWED by.  It included organic acorn squash, which I love, but the seasonings were a lot spicier than my boys cared for, and we tend to like a chunkier soup.  So, not a bad recipe, just not something we would normally make.

I plan to make her falafel sandwich recipe this weekend, and expect to enjoy that more than we did the soup.

My son just turned eight years old and what better way to celebrate than with lots of vegan goodies!?!!

I admit I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, as I was busy with preparations, but I snapped a few shots I wanted to share with you.

Last year's party was a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, including a Treasure Chest cake.  I was encouraged to "top" myself this year (I can see this turning into a nightmare by the time he's 12!), so we chose a Star Wars theme. And not just ANY Star Wars, specifically Episode III.

The cake was the biggest feat, although not nearly as complicated as I initially anticipated.  I found the original idea online, so don't let me take any credit for it.  It is from one of the final scenes, on the planet Mustafar, where Anakin and Obi Wan are battling each other.

Trying to get my day started around here is crazy, then when you add in making breakfast and making it healthy....and QUICK on top of that...well, it can be pretty much impossible!  So I've found some ideas that are going to help me and hopefully help you as well!

• Make a shake or smoothie~and to make it EXTRA healthy, be sure to use organic yogurt and/or organic fruits.
• Complex carbs are great, so try to incorporate whole wheat toast or bagels, organic peanut butter, etc.
• Waffles or pancakes can also be really quick. You can either make your own, then freeze individually and pop them in the toaster OR buy the frozen ones from the grocery store. Check for whole wheat ones to make them extra healthy!
• You could make a parfait with organic yogurt, organic fruits, and organic granola.

Also, many of the above ideas can be made by your kids, which would help with the morning craziness!  Have fun, and if you have any ideas to add please leave a comment!

Here's a great recipe from the Food Network for when you are tired of chicken, want something different, but don't have forever to spend in the kitchen.  We had this last night, and it was great!  If you serve it with a salad or steamed veggie, you are set for dinner!


2 large sweet-tart apples, such as Fuji or Braeburn, sliced
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fronds for garnish
1 large red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons cider vinegarPosition racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 475°F.

Toss apples, sliced fennel and onion with 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the lower oven rack, stirring twice, until tender and golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

About 10 minutes after the apple mixture goes into the oven, sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the pork over and transfer the pan to the top oven rack. Roast until just barely pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F, 12 to 14 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Immediately stir vinegar into the pan (be careful, the handle will be hot), scraping up any browned bits, then add to the apple mixture. Thinly slice the pork; serve with the apple mixture and sprinkle with fennel fronds.  Cheers!

So the Weil bars were only so-so, and you are hungry for an afternoon pick-me-up.  My favorite snack bar is the Luna Bar.  These come in some great flavors for every taste.  My favorite is the Chocolate Pecan Pie, but I’ve never met a Luna Bar I didn’t like.  If you crave oatmeal cookies, the Iced Oatmeal Raisin is a great substitute.  The Lemon Zest will do in place of a lemon bar any day.  The bars have 180 calories with 3 grams of fiber and 9-10 grams of protein.

I keep a couple in my car when it’s not super hot outside (don’t like them all gooey), and they are a great option when you hear a candy bar calling your name but want to make a healthier choice.

The Luna Bars have changed their recipes to go all organic, so if you are looking for that feature, these bars are for you.  In contrast to the Weil bars, these bars have substance and great flavor.  You feel like you are eating something yummy, not something healthy.

You can find these at Trader Joe’s, most health food stores, even Target has them now.  Of course Amazon has them as well.  They are well worth trying if you crave something sweet, nutty, chocolate, peanut buttery, or cookie-like.  Enjoy them guilt free.  Cheers!

Andrew Weil, that gray bearded health guru, has teamed up with Nature’s Path, the health food maker, to introduce a line of snack bars.  They come in five flavors:  Banana Manna, Chocolada Walnut, Pistachi-oh!, Goji Moji, and Chia Razz.  All the bars are vegetarian and trans-fat free.  They range in calorie content from 170-190, and they have 4-5 grams of fiber per bar.

They are relatively new, so many health food stores may not yet have them; however, you can order them from Amazon.  A box of 16 bars is a bargain at $25 (with free shipping) from Amazon.  Most other places have them at over $30 plus shipping.

So how do they taste?  I haven’t been able to get my hands on all the flavors yet; however, I did buy the Chocolada Walnut type.  I was a little disappointed in the size (45 grams), especially with the 190 calorie count.  If you are looking for a really chocolate flavor, this is not the one.  It has a stronger vanilla flavor, but I have to say that it was tasty.  I’d eat them again sometime, but at that price, both financial and caloric, I wouldn’t seek them out.  So that’s the scoop on this newest health food.  Cheers!

My birthday was last week and I wanted CAKE.  But my family is small and we can never finish an entire cake, so I opted for cupcakes instead. 

I am one of the many devout worshipers of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  I have all of their cookbooks and have tried countless recipes from each.  However, I am considerably behind in testing Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  So this is the holy grail to which I turned in preparation for my special day.

I made the Chai Latte Cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting.  They were definitely tasty!  They had a spice to them that was reminiscent of carrot cake.  I don't think they tasted enough like tea, but that might have been a problem with the cook....  Next time I might put an extra tea bag or two in the mix.


My birthday was Thursday, and by Saturday the cupcakes were GONE.  We had company over, so I just HAD to make more cupcakes.  I made the Isa and Terry's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with a cinnamon icing - very tasty, but more like a sweet muffin than a cupcake.  Our omni guests were pleased with the dessert, thankfully.  (They had brought over a cheesecake - oops!  Very considerate, but not something I wanted to partake in - super-glad I made cupcakes!!!  I ate five of them before they left.....)  I did not photograph those, as they were eaten before it crossed my mind...  That just gives me an excuse to bake them again. 

If you like pasta as much as we do, you will likely fall in love with Vegan Italiano - a great cookbook that is full of recipes that are naturally vegan, and not adapted to be vegan (you won't need tofu or soy milk or other "mock" foods items to enjoy these recipes).

Last week, we experimented with a recipe from Vegan Italiano:

Linguine with Artichoke-Marinara Sauce

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups marinara sauce
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
12 oz linguine, cooked according to pkg directions (we used bionaturae organic linguine)




* In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until very lightly browned, 1 - 2 minutes.

* Stir in the marinara sauce, water, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

* Stir in artichokes and simmer, covered, 2 minutes.  Serve hot, over linguine.




While I definitely feel this should be on everyone's list of healthy, easy to make family dinners, I was a bit overwhelmed by the artichokes.  The next time we make this dish, I will use half the can of artichoke hearts and save the other half for a spinach dip. 

* What is your favorite recipe from Vegan Italiano?  Or favorite way to use up a leftover half-can of artichoke hearts?

Many people have no idea what to buy when they need to get a nice bottle of wine.  There are some great wines out there that won’t break the bank.  If you are a box wine kind of person, you won’t probably think these are a great buy, but if you like good wine but don’t have $100 to spend on a bottle, I have found some great wines that you can try.

If you like white wine, your best bets are Ridge Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Cruz Mountain Estate 2005 for about $35 per bottle.  Wine Spectator rated this one #2 on last year’s top 100 list!  If that’s still too rich for your blood, Mount Eden Chardonnay, Edna Valley Wolff Vineyard 2004 is a great find at only $17 per bottle.  It ranked #29 last year.

I’m a red wine fan, and if you are too, Schild Shiraz Barossa 2005 at $25 per bottle is a good option, ranked #16.  If you can spring for more money, my favorite off of last year’s list is Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Signature 2004 for about $46 per bottle.  While Wine Spectator ranked this #27, I think for the price, you’ll be astounded. If both of those are too pricey for you, try Navarro Zinfandel Mendocino 2004 for only $19 per bottle.  It’s ranked #37, but it’s a great value.
Cheers!

I have finally found a snack that gives me the sweet chocolate and slightly salty mix of flavors I sometimes crave.  It’s a healthy trail mix snack for only two Weight Watchers points that has a whopping five grams of fiber!  Add to that the fact that the product contains soy, and it’s a darn near perfect snack.  The Crum Creek Soy Nut Mix is packed with flavor, and comes packaged in one ounce pouches so you can avoid the temptation to eat an entire pound of trail mix at one sitting.  Yes, it’s a relatively small amount, but if you take your time and savor the flavors, it does a good job of sticking with you since it has nine grams of protein. 

It’s easy to order on-line and has the advantage of being small enough to easily fit in a purse or to keep in a desk drawer for when that snack time craving comes along.  It’s as close as I’ve found to a candy bar type snack that doesn’t break the bank on points.  Crum Creek makes other snacks, but this is definitely the best.  Cheers!

I have been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times magazine for a little over a year now.  I enjoy reading through the articles and browsing the recipes, but overall it is only mediocre, in my humble opinion.

The magazine is geared toward vegetarians of all kinds, which means that only some of the recipes are vegan-friendly.  The articles cover a range of topics beyond just food (environmental issues, for example). 

But the main reason I subscribed originally was for the recipes.  I enjoy trying new recipes on a regular basis, so I am always searching for ideas.

This month, a section on tofu caught my eye, with a vegan recipe for Grilled Sesame-Tofu Skewers With Ginger Peanut Sauce.

This recipe was photographed and looked pretty darn scrumptious, so I was eager to try it.  My first issue was with finding SMOKED TOFU.  I tried traditional grocers as well as my local co-op, with no luck.  I assume an Asian market might carry this, but I did not have time to find out.  Plain tofu was substituted.

I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand except for orange juice (for the marinade), so I was extra excited (I am cheap, by nature, so I hate trying recipes that call for a dozen ingredients I do not have). 

To go with this, we decided to make fried rice.  (Fried rice is a favorite of my son!)  I prepared the marinade ahead of time and let the tofu cubes soak in it.  I also steamed the rice ahead of time.  This made it much easier for my husband to throw dinner together last night while I was at school. 

It took him about 15 minutes to assemble and prepare the tofu skewers and fried rice, and here was the end result:


Unfortunately, none of us were impressed with the flavor of the tofu or the dipping sauce.  Granted, I didn't use smoked tofu, so who knows if that would have made much difference.  It was just OK in our estimation, so none of it went to waste, but it certainly isn't something I plan to make again.

I will probably keep my subscription to Vegetarian Times, but to be honest, I rarely make use of the recipes in it.

* Your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated!  Be sure to read ChaCha's other food blogs (link available on right side of page) for great recipes and suggestions for healthy, organic cooking! 

Now that I proclaimed myself a carnivore, I want to share this quick lunch idea. A Veggie Wrap. This is filled with fresh veggies, packed with vitamins and nutrients. I love these. My weakness though is the dressing. My favorite is Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch, very full of calories and flavor. Yummy! To be more healthy, however, this salad is best served with a low calorie dressing. I will go low fat but not fat free. Fat free makes my teeth squeak. (I know, I'm weird.)

Veggie Wrap Recipe:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Red peppers
• Green peppers
• Cucumbers
• Shredded carrots
• Romaine
• Red onion (to taste)
• Dressing of your choice
• Wraps (Can be found in the refrigerated isle of your grocery store.)

I chop all the vegetables small, so it's easy to chew. Place some romaine on the wrap. Add all the veggies and sprinkle with a little dressing and wrap. Slice in the middle and serve. Super simple and delicious. A salad "to go". Enjoy!

Want a Valentine’s Day dessert that is heart-healthy?  Most desserts have butter or oil or other cholesterol increasing ingredients.  Others that are healthy have no real flavor.  I’ve found some recipes that taste great but are time consuming.  So this Valentine’s Day, here’s the easiest fat-free dessert you’ll ever make:  pineapple angel food cake. 

It has only two ingredients.  Buy a plain boxed angel food cake mix.  The brand doesn’t really matter.  You’ll also need a 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple in its own juice (no syrup!).  Dump both ingredients, including the pineapple juice, in a bowl and mix.  Do not add anything else.  I do not use a special cake pan.  I use two regular sized loaf pans (sprayed with non-stick spray).  Bake as directed on the cake mix box.  Voila!  You will have a dessert that is a little different from an ordinary angel food cake, but is still fat-free and heart-friendly.  It also freezes well, so you can have your cake and eat it too! 

If you cut this into 12 servings, each piece will have 3 Weight Watchers points, so you can really enjoy the fat-free dessert without hurting your careful food planning.  Cheers!

If your sweet tooth is acting up and you need a dose of something creamy and really dessert like, here's a great, tasty and yet high fiber dessert option.  Each serving has (1/8 of the pie): 180 calories, 10g fat, 180mg sodium, 24g carbs, 7g fiber, 7g sugars, 5g protein.  That's four Weight Watchers points!  Cheers!

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cups Fiber One® original bran cereal
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
4 oz (half 8-oz package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Light Thick & Creamy Key Lime Pie yogurt
1/2 cup thawed reduced-fat whipped topping
2 teaspoons grated lime peel

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and finely crush with rolling pin or meat mallet until cereal looks like graham cracker crumbs (or finely crush in food processor).

2. In medium bowl, mix crust ingredients until blended. Press crust mixture evenly and firmly in bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until firm. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. In 1-quart saucepan, mix water and lime juice. Sprinkle gelatin on lime juice mixture; let stand 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved. Cool slightly, about 2 minutes.

4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add yogurt and lime juice mixture; beat on low speed until well blended. Fold in whipped topping and lime peel. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

I used to live on the east coast, and I really miss bagels.  I’m not talking about that fake, round rubbery thing we usually see at the grocery.  I mean a bagel that has all kinds of onion and poppy seeds, and good stuff!  I was figuring, heck, it’s a bagel, how bad can it be for you?  Yikes!  The typical bagel from places like Panera or Einstein’s run around 7 Weight Watchers points with some (like that evil cinnamon sugar one) up to 12 points!  So what’s a person to do when she wants a bagel that won’t cost her half her daily points?  Is there a healthy bagel option? 

The answer is yes!  A woman who lost 212 (!) pounds on Weight Watchers had the same issue, so she opened  her own bagel bakery.  She sells Kim’s Light Bagels.  Now if you are lucky enough to live on the east coast, many grocers there carry her brand.  If not, you, like me, can order them and use Paypal to pay for them.  What could be better?  She only has six flavors, but her bagels are high in fiber with four grams per bagel and only 110 calories (read 2 points!).  She even sells an “everything” bagel.  If you like your fruity bagels, you’ll be happy to know she also has blueberry bagels.  Of course she has plain and wheat if you like to decorate yours with something like lox that really won’t go with blueberry or cinnamon. 

She ships to you, and her bagels will freeze just fine, so order in quantity to make the shipping worth your time.  Here’s to a return to a real bagel that happens to be a healthy food option.  Cheers!

Weekends are a great chance to relax and catch up on errands and household chores.  Sometimes that means grabbing a bite to eat at a local restaurant.  Although I live in a large city, there are no vegetarian or vegan restaurants currently, so we do not eat out much. 

Fortunately, when we do get the urge for someone else to cook our meal for us, a trip to Flat Top Grill is perfect.  You choose exactly which ingredients go into your stir fry, and they offer several mock-meat options, as well as tofu upon request. 

If you have never been, I encourage you to find one near you and go tonight!  You start off with rice or noodles.  Then you pile on the veggies of your choice.  I like spinach, broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, edamame, and mushrooms.   This is also where you will find the mock-meats (seitan, veat, tempeh, etc.). 

Add a few spoonfuls of a sauce (Vegan options are clearly labeled).  Lastly, add garlic, cilantro, chopped peanuts, or other extras to your bowl.  Add a special stick for tofu, or roti prata bread, and a white (vegetarian/allergy) stick as well to have your dish cooked on a separate grill surface (to avoid cross-contamination from other people's stir fries). 

A few minutes later, your stir fry is brought to your table, piping hot and exactly as you wanted it!  (With no hidden ingredients.)

* As you can see, I didn't do much cooking this weekend (veggie burgers on Friday, and bean burritos on Sunday...).  We are planning to try a new dish or two this week, if life allows me the time to get to the grocery store!