Blueberry Pie
Ever since I saw the musical “Waitress,” I can’t stop thinking about pie. I find myself singing the lyrics (pie, pie, pie, me o my, I love pie..) and then, of course, I start thinking about making a fresh pie but one that doesn’t have a lot of added fat or sugar. There are those who claim it’s nearly impossible to make a good pie without butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, and cream but I’m here to tell you, a delicious fruit pie with a flaky crust is totally doable if you follow some advice. Read more 
Simple Kneads™
Simple Kneads™ is a Burlington, North Carolina-based company that makes gluten-free artisan bread that is unlike any gluten-free bread you’ve tasted. The loaves are rounder, denser, and have more substance than other gluten-free breads because Simple Kneads™ uses a variety of flours (millet, sorghum, buckwheat, teff, and quinoa) along with whole food ingredients (flax meal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, raisin juice concentrate, sunflower seeds, expeller pressed sunflower seed oil, brown sesame seeds, salt, and cultured dextrose) to make the artisan loaves. Read more
Kale Beet Salad
Kale is one of those greens that I am always struggling to get more of because this dark green leafy nutrient-dense vegetable is just so good for our bodies. So, when I received my box from the Purple Carrot this week, I zeroed in on the recipe for “Cajun Roasted Broccoli Bowls.”
After quickly scanning the recipe (I am never one to follow a recipe), I decided to make a variation (from a bowl to a salad) by eliminating the added oils, the Cajun blackened seasoning and a few other ingredients while adding avocado, pumpkin seeds, and a seasoning called Salad Sprinkle by Frontier Co-op – a blend of sesame seeds, bell pepper, black pepper, lemon peel, green onion, celery flakes, and chervil, but you can use any seasoning (salt, pepper, fresh herbs, chopped parsley). Just make sure to add some type of seasoning to enhance the flavor of the vegetables. Read more
Nothing But The Fruit™ Real Fruit Bites
Nothing But The Fruit™ Real Fruit Bites are a new snack option for kids and adults who want something sweet and tangy without added sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
Made of fruit that has been picked, puréed, and pressed into bite-sized pieces, Nothing But The Fruit™ Real Fruit Bites are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. There are no added preservatives, refined sweeteners, waxes, or colors, and yes, the little squares taste great…chewy, sweet, and delicious. Read more
When in NY, Go To Divya’s Kitchen
New York is a culinary destination for everyone including the plant-based devotee whose toughest decision may very well be where to eat (this hasn’t always been the case for vegans). There’s fast food (By Chloe, Beyond Sushi, Plantmade, Peacefood, Cinnamon Snail at the Pennsy, Superiority Burger), fancy food (Dovetail, abcV), pizza (Double Zero), really good food (Candle Cafe, Candle 79, Candle West, Dirt Candy, Blossom, Franchia, Bodhi, The Organic Grill, Nix, Avant Garden, Urban Vegan Kitchen, Arata) and then there is Divya’s Kitchen – an East Village restaurant that is technically vegetarian although most of the selections are deliriously delicious plant-based.
Divya’s Kitchen is well-known for its culinary creations, but there is also the ambiance, and a special something for which there isn’t a word – casual and comfortable but also elegant in a Provence type of way – that makes Divya’s Kitchen my favorite place to eat in New York. Read more
Best Bagels in NY: Tompkins Square Bagels
Everyone in New York and beyond has an opinion about bagels so I’m just going to put my two cents out there. Tompkins Square Bagels makes the best bagels, period. A great bagel has to be big and round, golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside – and that’s what Thompkins Square Bagels are.
With two locations (the original location at 165 Avenue A by Tompkins Square Park and 184 2nd Avenue between 11th and 12th Street) in the East Village, Tompkins Square Bagels is a neighborhood bagel shop but also a destination spot for many New Yorkers who know a good bagel when they taste one. Read more
Himalania Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Chia Seeds
Rich in Omega 3’s, fiber, and magnesium, organic and fair-trade Himalania chia seeds are grown in Peru. A popular seed used in cereals, chia seeds are also used as an egg replacement because the seeds when moistened expand into a gel-like texture that helps bind and elevate foods together. But beyond using chia seeds as a nutritional boost, leavening agent, or binder for cereals, puddings and baked goods, chia seeds are also a great tasting snack food, especially when they are covered in rich, dark chocolate. Read more
The Rainbow Spinach Salad
Rainbows are in short supply in the wintertime so instead of looking outside turn to the kitchen for an updated version of the spinach salad. I call this salad a Rainbow Spinach Salad because of the array of colors: red, yellow, light green, orange dark green, and deep purplish black. Although beautiful to look at, the Rainbow Spinach Salad is a feast to savor with only one caveat: you must like fresh beets because there are two types (both yellow and red) and they are a substantial part of this easy-to-make salad. Read more
Vegetable Bean Soup Revisited
Making soup is super easy, especially if you start with Frontier Minnesota Heartland 11-Bean Soup Mix: a blend of dried beans, peas, and lentils along with parsley and a spice packet that contains no added salt, preservatives, or MSG. The mix provides a great foundation for a thick, hearty soup filled with legumes, lots of vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, onion, and spinach), herbs and spices to add flavor, and pasta to make the soup more substantial.
Consider making this soup on a cold afternoon when the wind is blowing and the temperatures are low. Somehow a big bowl of steaming, hot soup is the perfect answer.
Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberries
With the holidays behind us, we all strive to make healthier choices in the new year although our cravings don’t just magically go away when the calendar flips from December to January.
We still want sweet, delicious, crunchy snacks but instead of eating that whole bag of kettlecorn that keeps staring at you from the pantry, consider Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberries by Homegrown Organic Farms (HGO) – part of a family of companies representing 80 different organic growers farming more than 4,000 acres in California. Read more
Paddock Post 