How to Make Muesli
Muesli is a breakfast cereal made up of raw rolled oats, grains, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds that is typically enjoyed with milk (cow, soy, hemp or nut-based) or yogurt (cow, soy, or nut-based). Some people say that muesli is just raw granola but that description doesn’t do the Swiss invention justice. While many of the ingredients are the same, muesli differs from granola in three ways: muesli is not baked, does not contain oil, and typically has no added sweeteners. Read more 
Potato Burger Buns (Dairy and Egg-Free)
Finding great tasting whole grain burger buns made without additives, preservatives, dairy, and eggs is a challenge which is why I make my own. Sounds daunting but it isn’t because of two secret ingredients: mashed potatoes, which make bread products moist and delicious, and Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer (a natural leavening agent made from whole soy flour, wheat gluten, corn syrup solids, and algin (from algae)) which helps the dough rise and binds the ingredients together to make a light flavorful bun. Read more
“Ordinary Love and Good Will”
But it is not necessarily the ones you love the most that have the most effect on you.
Jane Smiley, Pulitzer prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres published Ordinary Love & Good Will – two short stories that explore the effects that people’s actions have on their children – in 1989. Although the stories are very different, the reader can’t help but see the long-lasting and indelible effects on the children of adults who don’t think about their behavior and consequences, who think of themselves first, who can’t control their urges, and who are often in denial. Read more
Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar
Keep it simple, have fun, and achieve balance in life through nature, activity, nutrition and community.
When I was a child, Fig Newtons were considered “healthy” cookies but when I grew up and realized these treats are made with not only high fructose corn syrup but also corn syrup, sugar, artificial flavors, and sulfur dioxide (sulfites), they were no longer worthy of shelf space in my pantry. Then, one day my daughter told me about the Fig Bar by Nature’s Bakery: whole grain fig bars with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial colors, dairy, or trans fats. Certified non-GMO, vegan, and kosher, Fig Bars are the healthier choice when the craving for a fig bar hits. Read more
Yumbutter G0
Get some crazy nutritious, mouth-rockin’ delicious energy.
Adrian Reif and Matt D’Amour, co-founders of Yumbutter – world-changing nut butters – have a dream: to nourish the world while running the world’s most responsible food company. To accomplish these goals, they set out to make some of the most delicious and nutritious nut butters – peanut, almond, and sunflower – with wholesome ingredients that nourish on-the-go because eating nut butters out of a jar isn’t easy outside the home. Read more
McDonald’s and the Mercy Medical Center
From the start, we’ve been committed to doing the right thing. And we’ve got the policies, programs and practices in place that allow us to use our size and scope to help make a difference. Because what’s good for us, is good for us all. ~McDonald’s
Mercy. Excellence every day in every way. ~Mercy Medical Center
Have you ever wondered why a McDonald’s would ever be located within a medical center or hospital? I have and can only guess that the answer must be related to money, job security, or incompetence. Why else would a facility dedicated to health and saving lives ever allow a fast food chain known for the Big Mac (540 calories, 28 grams of fat, 970 grams of sodium), French Fries* (510 calories, 24 grams of fat, 290 grams of sodium), and Coca Cola* (280 calories, 76 grams of sugar) – which coincidently is also known as the “Extra Value Meal” – on their premises? Read more
Noah’s Raw Chocolate
The Raw Chocolate Man (aka Noah Nicolas Loin) hails from Fairfield, Iowa – a small city in southeast Iowa known for innovation. Surrounded by farms growing corn and soybeans along with cattle and hog operations, Fairfield is not a city where most people expect to find an abundance of start-ups, including software and development companies, an international center for TM (Transcendental Meditation), and Noah’s Raw Chocolate – a company committed to making raw chocolate desserts that also happen to be non-GMO, dairy free, gluten-free, organic, and delicious. Read more
“Relish”
Graphic novels are not traditional literature, but that does not mean they are second-rate. Images are a way of writing. When you have the talent to be able to write and to draw, it seems a shame to choose one. I think it’s better to do both. ~Marjane Satrapi
Several months ago, my daughter told me she was reading a graphic novel and I’m ashamed to admit I thought she was reading a book with a triple “X” rating attached to it. Always trying to be open-minded, I asked a few questions and realized a graphic novel is simply a novel in comic strip format. Totally embarrassed by my ignorance, I made a note to self: stay better informed of current trends in young adult culture. Read more
Tolerant Foods Organic Pastas
Looking for a great source of organic and gluten-free plant-based protein? Consider pasta made by Tolerant Foods, a company crazy about the health benefits and taste of legumes (beans, lentils, peas, and garbanzos). With three different types of pasta – penne, rotini, and mini fettucine – made from either organic black beans or organic red lentils, there is a noodle for everyone. Read more
Jeff’s Naturals: Olives
Delicious shelf-stable olives from small family farms in Sicily, Greece, and Spain are now available through Jeff’s Naturals – a California-based company specializing in jarred Mediterranean products free of preservatives, stabilizers, artificial colors, flavors and sulfites. With seven types of jarred olives in the company’s product line, Jeff’s Naturals appeals to a wide variety of those who love their olives plain, stuffed, or sliced. Read more
Paddock Post 