Bragg’s Salad Dressings
Many people believe that a salad is not complete without a tasty salad dressing so the choice becomes whether to make a homemade version, which can be intimidating because there are so many decisions to make regarding the choice of ingredients (type of oil, vinegar, herbs, juices, spices) and determining the right combinations, or buy a pre-made salad dressing, which can be a huge timesaver (especially if empty salad dressing bottles are not in your kitchen inventory). Read more 
Premier Japan Teriyaki
Most cooks use teriyaki sauce to flavor food by marinading, cooking, stir-frying, or grilling with the sauce. The problem is that teriyaki sauces vary greatly which affects the flavor and nutritional value of the dish. Premier Japan makes a classic Asian teriyaki sauce that is organic, gluten-free and intensely flavorful. With no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or hydrogenated fats, Premier Japan Teriyaki Sauce tastes real, tangy and slightly sweet with just a hint of spice that comes from ginger and pepper. Read more
Kitchens of Africa
Some people rely on pre-made sauces while others – like me – are suspicious because many shelf stable sauces contain unwanted ingredients which has led me to always read labels. At the Natural Products Expo this past September, there was a booth with a beautiful woman dressed in native West African clothing giving out samples of African sauces made with natural high quality ingredients. Her name was Jainaba Jeng and she hails from Gambia, went to college in Nova Scotia and then moved in 1997 to Raleigh, North Carolina where she eventually founded Kitchens of Africa, a company dedicated to producing flavorful and authentic African-inspired convenience foods. Read more
Engine 2 Hummus
In the refrigerated section of most grocery stores are rows and rows of prepared hummus – a garbanzo bean spread that has been popular in the Middle East for centuries (if not longer). In recent years, hummus has gained popularity in the US and is used as a dip for an appetizer and even as a spread in wraps.
Although hummus is very simple to make at home with a food processor, sometimes its just easier to pick up a container at the grocery store. Most prepared hummus contains a lot of additives and oils but there are three new hummus products on the market made by Engine 2 and carried by Whole Foods that are low-fat and low in sodium with no added oils. 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
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
Rau Om
Years ago when we were living in Spain, my daughter would often order a cheese platter for dessert and devour the 4 or 5 piece selection, much to my surprise as most kids order cake or ice cream for dessert. She just happened to develop a deep love of cheese (especially goat) at a young age and was an adventurous eater. Now that she is a vegan, life has changed as has her diet.
By definition, a vegan is a person who avoids using or consuming animal products so cheese is no longer on the menu. In its place is a product called Tofu Misozuke – an all natural miso-cured tofu that has been aged for two months. Rich, creamy and slightly tangy, Tofu Misozuke is the centuries old Japanese answer to cheese and a cheese-lovin vegan’s choice when a craving for the forbidden fruit beckons. But, Tofu Misozuke is also a delicious alternative to cheese that non-vegans should consider trying. Read more
Mama Jess Organic Pasta Sauces
There’s a new sauce on the market that warrants attention and is about to turn people’s idea of pasta (and enchilada) sauce in a new healthier direction. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free with no sugar added, no artificial flavors or colors, and no high fructose corn syrup, Mama Jess makes three organic pasta sauces that are delicious and wholesome: Read more
Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter
Muirhead Pumpkin Butter is a delicious jam like spread that can be used on breads and cheeses or to make baked goods including a pumpkin pecan bread. Made by Muirhead Foods of Ringoes, New Jersey (about 20 miles north of Trenton), the pumpkin butter contains five ingredients: pumpkin, sugar, lemon juice, pecans, and spices. Despite the name “butter” in its name, there is no butter or even a trace of fat in this product which always surprises me because the taste is so rich. Read more
Paddock Post 