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Posts by Anne Paddock

6
Oct

Nature Addicts Fruit Sticks

Fruit Rollups have a special place in our hearts because back in the 1980’s when these sweet, chewy “fruit” treats hit supermarket shelves, there was nothing else like them. The only problem was that most of these “fruity snacks” contained very little fruit and a lot of undesirable ingredients including corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, and additives with long names like acetylated monoglycerides (an emulsifier).

Flash forward a few decades and we now have healthier choices made with non-GMO fruit, fruit, and more fruit by Nature Addicts, a company that began in Belgium and whose products are now offered throughout Europe and North America. Read more »

4
Oct

Asparagus Carrot Masala with Quinoa

The Purple Carrot meal kit service continues to inspire me with the weekly delivery of ingredients and recipe cards to make delicious plant-based meals with three noteworthy changes:  I use less oil than the recipes call for, omit the jalapeño or hot peppers, and add more vegetables which generally turns a meal meant for two persons into four servings, or as a side dish for 6-8. The meals rely heavily on spices which add flavor to the dishes (which is why I leave out the jalapeño or hot peppers) and is a great way to introduce plant-based dishes to carnivores and vegetarians as a side dish. Read more »

2
Oct

10 Things to Know about Potatoes

What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a really decent sort of fellow.                ~A. A. Milne

The author of Winnie the Pooh certainly knew how to write a classic story but he also had an appreciation of the potato.  A century ago, it was not uncommon for people in England to sit down to a meal of potatoes but in recent times, potatoes have gotten a bad rap for all the wrong reasons. If you think potatoes are one of those starchy foods to avoid, then think again because this stem vegetable – of which there are many varieties – is totally underrated in terms of nutritional benefits. Read more »

30
Sep

Antidote Dark Chocolate Bars

Seeing red? Feeling blue?  There’s an Antidote for that.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of incredible chocolate bars on the market but Antidote Dark Chocolate Bars are in a league of their own. Created by Red Thalhammer who was born, raised, and educated in Austria before moving to New York City, Antidote Dark Chocolate Bars differ from other bean-to-bar chocolate makers in that she uses half raw and half roasted cacao to make bars that are comparatively low in sugar (0-8 grams per 1.1 ounce serving) but off the charts in flavor. Read more »

28
Sep

THE NIH and Nutrition

When people hear the letters “NIH” they often think of the National Institutes of Health which is not one center but 28 separate institutes and centers responsible for biomedical and health-related research. The Office of the Director oversees the 27 institutes/centers, sets policies, and coordinates activities. Nestled within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (the cabinet level department at the federal level whose motto is “Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America”), NIH is the primary agency for health related issues in this country: Read more »

26
Sep

When Breath Becomes Air

When there’s no place for the scalpel, words are the surgeon’s only tool.

Paul Kalanithi graduated from Stanford with a BA and an MA in English Literature and a BA in Biology. He also earned a MPhil in history and philosophy of science and medicine from Cambridge before attending and graduating from the Yale School of Medicine. He returned to Stanford to do an 8-year residency in neurosurgery and a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroscience.  In his seventh year of residency in May, 2013, 36-year old Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer – an illness that rarely strikes young men (he notes that only 0.0012 percent of 36-year olds get lung cancer). Read more »

24
Sep

Bean and Vegetable Chowder for a Crowd

This “meal in a pot” is easy, healthy (low in sodium and fat but high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber), and colorful with a hearty texture and delicious flavor.

When the weather starts turning cold, a big bowl of  chowder – just another word for a thick soup – is just the dish to serve along with a salad for lunch or dinner. Using a bag of Frontier Soups Minnesota Heartland Eleven Bean Soup Mix (which contains dried beans, peas, lentils, and a bouquet garni of herbs and NO added salt), along with a few pantry staples (onion, carrot, celery, chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, and pasta) makes for one satisfying bowl of chowder to feed a crowd of 10-12 (or a smaller group with leftovers). Read more »

22
Sep

Needed: Single Serving Non-Dairy Milks With No Added Sugar

All I want is a single serving container of unsweetened non-dairy milk…..

Whenever I travel, I take along alternatives to dairy milk which generally includes a quart of unsweetened almond, cashew, hemp, soy or oat milk so that I can enjoy my coffee or a bowl of muesli or granola in the morning. It’s not that I oppose eating breakfast at a hotel; I would gladly eat what most people consider the most important meal of the day in a sun-filled dining room if these breakfasts included fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and unsweetened non-dairy milks. I would add legumes and vegetables to that list but for most Americans, these items are an acquired taste before noon. Read more »

20
Sep

Gotham Dark Chocolate Bars

Gotham Bar and Grill (Gotham) in Greenwich Village is considered one of the best restaurants in New York City but what many people don’t know is that Gotham also makes some of the most delicious dark chocolate bars in the Big Apple. Made in three delicious varieties, the dairy-free dark chocolate bars are made from cacao beans grown in Bolivia and Ecuador. Read more »

18
Sep

Where does $1 to NutritionFacts.org go?

The reason we don’t see ads on TV for broccoli is the same reason groundbreaking research on the power of foods and eating patterns to affect our health and longevity gets lost and buried in the medical literature–there’s no profit motive. It may not make anyone money, but what if our lives would profit?

Those are the words often spoken by Dr. Michael Greger, M.D., a physician, author (How Not To Die), and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues. In 2003, the non-profit NutritionFactsOrg. Inc (Nutrition Facts) was established as a 501 (c) 3 to educate the public on preventing and reversing disease based on nutrition with seed money from the Jesse and Julie Rasch Foundation. Nutrition Facts is now supported by individual donors to keep the organization going. Read more »