Roasted Kale with Sea Salt
Say the word “kale” and watch people’s reactions: a raised eyebrow, a snicker, or maybe a smile and acknowledgement that he or she is in on the news: Kale is a superfood rich in nutrients (Vitamins A,K,C, E, the B vitamins, and manganese) and minerals (iron, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus) that not only nourishes our bodies but is also a flavorful vegetable that can be used as a side dish or a snack food.
A rich dark-colored curly leaf cabbage, kale has many varieties known for a bitter and earthy flavor although Lacinato Kale (which is also known as Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale) enjoys favored status because the leaves are a bit sweeter with a lighter, softer texture than other curly leaf kale varieties. Read more 
Core Granola
Most granola contains added oil and sweeteners so it’s really important to read the label to know what’s in the food you’re eating. At the top of the list of ingredients to avoid are refined sugars and oils with saturated fat (note: there are two types of fat: saturated and unsaturated and within unsaturated there are two subgroups: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). Unsaturated fats – both poly (i.e. sunflower oil, safflower oil, nuts and seeds) and mono (i.e. olive oil, walnut oil, canola oil, peanut butter) – are a better choice in moderation than saturated fats (i.e. butter, palm oil). Read more
John Kelly Dark Chocolate Bars
Our solid chocolate bars are a testament to our belief that the best chocolate can only be achieved with a dedication to artisanal techniques and attention to detail.That’s why each bar is packaged in a beautifully designed box. And each bar is made with fair trade chocolate and all-natural ingredients. They are all non-GMO, soy free and gluten-free.
John Kelly Chocolates of fudge bar fame has branched out into some seriously good dark chocolate bars in four dairy-free varieties: Read more
FIKA Hazelnut Spread
FIKA Hazelnut Spread is the ultimate sweetened hazelnut chocolate spread made with six ingredients: hazelnuts, hazelnut oil, confectionary sugar, Tahitian vanilla, cocoa powder, and salt. Unlike Nutella (made with sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), lecithin an emulsifier (soy), and vanillin: an artificial flavor), FIKA Hazelnut Spread primarily relies on hazelnuts for the rich, nutty flavor of this specialty nut butter. Read more
Lagusta’s Luscious Heathen Toffee
People who follow a plant-based diet may be considered heathens – people who do not follow or belong to a widely held belief or faith – of a different sort because they don’t subscribe to the standard American diet (SAD) – a diet with a heavy emphasis on animal products and highly processed foods.
But being plant-based doesn’t mean you have to give up favorite treats because there are some incredible alternatives out there. Take toffee – a crunchy, rich candy typically made with butter, sugar, almonds, chocolate, and salt – a holiday favorite (although I used to eat toffee all year long). Without butter, how could toffee possibly be toffee? Read more
How to Make Date Rolls
Dates really are nature’s candy with a super sweet flavor and a soft, creamy texture that given the chance, will become a family favorite because whatever dates lack in looks, they more than make up in flavor. Enjoy is as or simply pit, blend, and roll in chopped nuts to make a delicious date roll.
During the holiday season, when dates are readily available, date rolls can be purchased in most grocery stores or on-line but the best date rolls are the ones made at home with moist, chewy dates and crunchy toasted chopped nuts. Using toasted nuts as opposed to raw nuts gives more flavor and texture to the date roll (and the nuts are crunchier because they have not been sitting ton the date roll absorbing moisture for weeks). Read more
Almond Milk Rice Pudding
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. ~Miguel de Cervantes
Rice pudding is often thought of as a throwback dessert with a 1950’s aura when many a grandmother used to stand over the stove making her prized recipe for the church social. Back then having her recipe printed in the local cookbook was a badge of honor but since then rice pudding has fallen out of fashion and been replaced with brownies, cakes, pies, and cookies. Everyone loves a comeback and that is exactly what rice pudding is doing especially among plant-based devotees who’ve realized that creamy nut milk and rice makes an unbeatable comfort food. Read more
Raisinets v. Woodstock Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins
Back in 1971, a commercial for Goobers (chocolate covered peanuts) and Raisinets (chocolate covered raisins) came out with the jingle
Goobers and Raisinets, Goobers and Raisinets, the chocolate covered candies that pour..
that still pops into my head whenever I see a box of Raisinets. As iconic as that jingle is, I can’t bring myself to ever buy or eat Raisinets because of the ingredients, which include dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, nonfat milk, lactose, artificial & natural flavors), raisins, sugar, tapioca dextrin, confectioner’s glaze (lac-resin), and alkalized cocoa. Read more
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
Shiloh Farms Datelet Nut Rolls
Don’t eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. ~Michael Pollan
Craving something sweet without added sugar or sweeteners? Shiloh Farms Datelet Nut Rolls – non-GMO all natural ground Deglet Noor dates rolled in shredded unsweetened coconut and then topped with a single California almond – are the answer.
A trio of flavors and textures that complement each other and make for one delicious snack, Shiloh Farms Datelet Nut Rolls are sweet, chewy, and crunchy which makes them one satisfying treat. No added sugar, flavors, or preservatives; just 3 natural ingredients that your great-great grandmother would recognize: dates, coconut, and almonds. Read more
Paddock Post 