Peanut Butter by CB’s Nuts
Twenty-five miles northwest of Seattle, Washington is a small town called Kingston, home of CB’s Nuts, a family owned business that makes the best homemade peanut butter and it’s only $6 a jar. What makes CB’s so great? Fresh peanuts are slow roasted in small batches in old-fashioned (1920’s era refurbished) roasters and then ground to a smooth consistency in a refurbished grinder that has an 18-inch girding wheel before being jarred in-house. Silky smooth with little or no separation, CB’s Peanut Butter has no additives, sweeteners, preservatives, or artificial anything. There is just one ingredient: U.S. grown peanuts. 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
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
NuttZo
Nut and seed butters are gaining in popularity across the country with consumers looking to these spreads as a healthy alternative to both butter and high protein animal based foods. Fresh peanut and almond butter are relatively easy to find these days but most grocery stores and markets don’t offer an abundance of other choices because until recently, there haven’t been many blended nut and seed butters on the market that don’t also contain oils, sugars, and other additives. Enter NuttZo – a delicious blend of nuts and seeds that doesn’t contain sweeteners or additives so all you taste is pure deliciousness. Read more
10 Foods to Pack for an Easy and Healthy Lunch (or Snack)
Packing a healthy lunch for yourself or a child can be challenging at times because it’s hard to provide variety, taste, and wholesomeness day after day. One of the most important tips a friend gave me about packing a lunch is to purchase a lunch or meal transport system that is flexible and made to carry a variety of foods. Laptop lunches (www.laptoplunches.com) or Black and Blum (www.black-blum.com) are two companies that make top-notch lunch boxes and food transport pieces. In addition, I always keep a stock of “jello shot glasses” – small 2 ounce plastic containers (125 for about $10 through www.amazon.com) with a plastic lid that snaps on and stays on. Once you have the proper tools, packing a lunch or a snack on the go is infinitely easier. Read more
Freddy Guys Hazelnut Granola
Freddy Guys is a well-known west coast based family run hazelnut orchard business who sells their raw or freshly roasted hazelnuts in the Portland area Farmer’s Markets and for those who aren’t local, the company’s products can be purchased via the company website: www.freddyguys.com. Famous for their commitment to deliver the most flavorful and freshest hazelnuts, the company handles every aspect of growing and roasting to ensure the consumer receives top quality hazelnuts. From that commitment, the idea to make Hazelnut Granola was born and for those who love hazelnuts, the Hazelnut Granola is a delicious nutty treat. Read more
NaturAlmond Butter
NaturAlmond Butter is an almond butter spread that contains exactly two ingredients: almonds and sea salt. Located in Chamblee, Georgia (just north of Atlanta), the company selects the finest California almonds and slow roasts the nuts in small batches to ensure quality, freshness and flavor. The almonds are then ground to a smooth consistency which releases the essential oils of the nuts. A touch of sea salt is added to enhance the flavor before being packaged in a 12-ounce jar in their peanut-free commercial kitchen. Read more
Freddy Guys Hazelnuts
A hazelnut is also known as a filbert nut and is most often associated with desserts or chocolate (think Nutella or praline). But the hazelnut is also delicious roasted and salted and can be used to make hazelnut butter, an alternative to peanut butter. In Europe, hazelnuts are used to make a paste for pastries or chopped and then sprinkled on the sides of cakes or tortes. Frangelico, a vodka-based liquor is flavored with hazelnuts and hazelnut oil is gaining popularity as a cooking oil. Read more
Paddock Post 