Thin Stackers
Thin Stackers are light and crunchy thin rice cakes made out of organic ingredients – brown rice, quinoa, millet, flax seed, popcorn, and red rice – that scream flavor in every bite. It’s not any rice cake that can make this claim because most rice cakes have little or no flavor. But, not Thin Stackers: gluten-free puffed grain cakes whose unusual shape (a square) make for multiple uses. Read more 
Anson Mills Stone Cut Oats
Behold the phenomenon of real fresh oats.
Agricultural products depend on soil, seed, farming practices, preparation and enjoying the final product so it goes beyond saying that not all oats are created equal. In fact, it’s more accurate to say that oats – like many other products (think grocery store tomatoes versus Farmhouse tomatoes) – vary tremendously in flavor and it’s not because some are instant, flakes, or steel-cut but rather if the oat has been bred for flavor (as opposed to yield, visual appeal, shelf life, disease resistance, or transport) and grown in soil that uses crop rotation to maximize the nutrients and thus the flavor of the oat. Healthy, nutrient rich soil makes great tasting food. Read more
Pumpkin Oat Walnut Muffins
Pumpkin is often associated with the Autumn leaves and Thanksgiving but there is no reason we shouldn’t enjoy this tasty and nutritious fruit (yes, pumpkin is a fruit and part of the squash family) all year-round. Shelf-stable puree pumpkin is available in cans and boxes in most supermarkets so keep a few in the pantry to make these moist, delicious, dairy and gluten-free muffins any time of the year. Read more
Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola and Puffs
Purely Elizabeth of granola fame has a new cereal on the market: Ancient Grain Granola + Puffs Cereal. It’s the same award-winning, great tasting, and nutritious granola – Original, Blueberry Hemp, Cranberry Pecan, and Pumpkin Fig – but with nutrient-rich millet puffs added for a cereal that is high in nutrition but lower in sugar, calories and fat. Add fresh fruit – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, blackberries, bananas – for an unbeatable bowl of cereal. Read more
Little Secrets
No artificial ingredients, flavors, or colors. No corn syrup. No diggity. No doubt.
Little Secrets are often described as the healthier version of the M&M. With no artificial anything, Little Secrets are “knock-your-socks-off” delicious bite sized candy coated chocolate bits. Crunch through the bright candy shell and taste what real candy is: rich, sweet, and crunchy all at the same time. Read more
Green Pea Guacamole
I always love a side of guacamole with everything. ~Erin Heatherton
Rich, creamy guacamole made from a perfectly ripe avocado is the perfect topping for a veggie burger or toast, as a sandwich spread, or as a dip with tortilla chips or crackers. But if you want to ramp up the nutrition without compromising on flavor, consider making Green Pea Guacamole – an equally rich, thick, and flavorful side dish that is made with both avocado and fresh green peas. Read more
Gelato Fiasco: Vegan Options
Inspired by Italy. Perfected in Maine.
With summertime around the corner, Italy’s version of ice cream – gelato – is a refreshing alternative on hot summer days. With an emphasis on texture and flavor: gelato has a softer texture (than ice cream) that allows the flavor to come through more strongly. Although most gelato contains milk (as opposed to cream), Gelato Fiasco offers four (4) dairy-free options: Dark Chocolate Noir Sorbetto, Ripe Mango Sorbetto, Raspberry Truffle Sorbetto, and Banana Stracciatella. Read more
The Third Plate
The Third Plate is one of those books that fall into the category of “if I read only one book this year, I need to read this.” Written by Dan Barber, the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill, a restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, also a restaurant located within the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture (a four season farm and education center) in Pocantico Hills, New York, The Third Plate is one of the most comprehensive and interesting books linking chefs to suppliers to farmers and producers to seed breeders. Sounds dry? It isn’t. In fact, the book is a page turner. Think Anthony Boudain:Parts Unknown meets Michael Pollan for a four course meal after absorbing the Farmer’s Almanac and telling everyone else in the restaurant about all the magnificent places they’ve visited, the food they’ve tasted, and how that food was grown. Read more
Where Does $1 to Vita Nova, Inc. Go?
Vita Nova, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in West Palm Beach, Florida that operates three (3) programs to help youths 18-25 years old transition to independence. The three programs include:
- Vita Nova Village: A residential (apartment) program that has a capacity of 29 young adults who age out of foster care yet still need assistance with life skills, education, employment, and counseling.
- Independent Living Services: A program funded by the State of Florida to help young adults (16-25 years old) learn the skills and resources they will need to become independent adults.
- The Oasis Center: Provides a quick connection to work, housing, and healthcare assistance with county providers for young adults who didn’t come out of the foster care system or qualify for the Independent Living Services program.
Chocolate Covered Blood Orange Slices (DIY)
Necessity is the mother of invention.
EHChocolatier of Somerville, Massachusetts made a decadent treat called Blood Orange & Chocolate but ran out just before Valentine’s Day after being named one of the best chocolatiers in the country. Desperate for more of these treats, the only way was to make them myself.
I could have bought blood oranges, sliced and dehydrated the pieces but instead I placed an order with Simple & Crisp – a Seattle, Washington-based company that specializes in dried fruit crisps with a cracker-like texture – for a few boxes of their Blood Orange Dried Fruit Crisps. Read more
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