Among Friends Hand-Crafted Baking Mixes
Walk down the baking aisle of any grocery store and notice there is more shelf space devoted to mixes than raw ingredients which could be good (if whole grains, natural ingredients, and real spices are used) or bad (if the ingredients include white flour, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives), People are busy so boxed mixes have a place – albeit a big place – in our lives but we don’t have to sacrifice nutrition and taste for time if Among Friends Hand-crafted Baking Mixes are chosen because these mixes are “free of all the bad stuff.” Read more 
Engine 2 Plant-Strong Products
There is beauty in simplicity.
School has started, life is busy, and the big question of the day is how to make healthy meals or snacks when time is limited. Rip Esselstyn, author of The Engine 2 Diet and My Beef With Meat combined forces with Whole Foods to create a healthy line of plant-based food products – cereals, milks, burgers, grain medley, tortillas, crackers, and hummus – which means they are made from whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. In other words, there are no animals products, no added oils, minimal added sugar, if at all, less than 25% total calories from fat per serving, and a 1:1 ration of milligrams of sodium to calories per serving. Best of all, the products taste delicious, which is just what you would expect of foods made with wholesome, natural ingredients. Read more
Organic and Natural Sugars
Until recently, I didn’t think there was really that much difference between refined sugar and organic sugar but there is a big difference and one worth knowing about. Bone char (which are primarily pelvic bones from cattle that have been ground, heated, and charred) is often referred to as a natural carbon and is widely used by the industry to filter sugar through an absorption process giving sugar cane that “pure” white color we’re all used to seeing when we open a bag of refined sugar. Not all sugar companies use bone char to process sugar – some use other carbon systems – but many do so the easiest way to avoid bone char is to buy organic and natural sugars. Read more
Amaranth: The Golden Grain
At a food show recently, several vendors were showing amaranth bars which reminded me of the snack bars I would see in Mexico. Nearly white in color, amaranth almost looks like sesame seeds from afar and bits of popcorn up close. Intrigued, I read the label and was impressed with the nutritional information so I ordered a bag of whole seed amaranth and started on a journey to learn about this ancient grain and how to incorporate it into modern recipes. Read more
Food Websites: The A to Z Quick Reference Guide
Many readers have asked for a list of the food websites I rely on so when I found myself e-mailing numerous links, I realized I needed to make a quick reference guide. No pretty pictures or descriptive write-ups, just the links. All of the foods listed below have been written about on this website (and more than likely, photographed also) so if you want detailed information on a specific product, utilize the search function on the cover page or use the category bars, which are also on the cover page of this website to find detailed product information and photographs. Read more
Chukar Cherries
More than 25 years ago, Pam Montgomery bought a 100 acre, 8,000-tree cherry orchard in Washington’s Yakima Valley (in the south-central part of the state). After the first harvest, Pam noticed that many cherries went unpicked which allowed the natural sugars to develop while the fruit dried on the branches. Read more
Chia Seeds: The Super Seeds
For years, the word “chia” was synonymous with the kitsch product known as the “chia pet” – a tabletop figurine in which chia seeds are spread like a paste across the top so that when watered, the seeds sprout and the figurine appears to grow hair. Times are changing as consumers realize this tiny little seed is a nutritional powerhouse with a higher and better use as a food. Packed with Omega 3’s and vitamins, one tablespoon of chia seeds also contains 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber which causes the seed to expand to 9 times its size when combined with a liquid. Chia seeds are also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. Read more
Whole Spice
Grocery store-bought spices were always a staple in my cabinet until I discovered Whole Spice – a California company that offers a wide selection of very fresh, all-natural herbs and spices without artificial colors, flavors or additives. Whole Spice offers more than 400 herbs, spices, seeds, blends, mixes, rubs, nuts, teas, fruits, vegetables, sugars, and seasonings in a variety of ways: whole, ground, powder, seed, granules, flakes, nibs, diced, sliced, granulated, crushed and more. Read more
Artisana Nut Butters
Fresh peanut butter and almond butter have permanent shelf space in our cabinets because we love to spread it on crackers, toast, crisp apples, and even on California dates. With no added sweeteners or salt, these natural butters are delicious on their own and from time to time, we’ve been known to take a spoonful and enjoy the butter au natural. Read more
Spelt Flour
Flour isn’t a product most people get excited about because the threshed or hulled grains are not exactly eye candy but if looks are deceiving, flour is at the top of the list because flour is the staff of life and the key ingredient in so many of the foods we rely on every day for nourishment. Read more
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