How ’bout a Date?
Several years ago while living in Switzerland, a friend gave my family a tray of dried fruits – figs, dates, and apricots – from the Middle-East where he often traveled. The jumbo sized dates formed my idea of what a date should be: sweet, moist, creamy and delicious. Unfortunately, the standard date available at grocery stores (and even Whole Foods) does not live up to the dates from lands far away, which led me to look for for a high quality date in the US. My search led me to a Indio, California which is about 23 miles southeast of Palm Springs, where Shields Date Garden is a major draw for locals and tourists alike. Read more 
Dave’s Killer Bread: What the East Coast Needs
Every time I travel to the west coast, I make a point of buying Dave’s Killer Bread, painstakingly packing the loaves in my suitcase and bringing them back to the east coast to enjoy. Made in Milwaukie, Oregon, Dave’s Killer Bread is available in nearly 4,000 grocery stores in 17 western and central states (and Guam, if you can imagine)…but not on the east coast (hint, hint Dave…we want your bread on the east coast). Read more
Quin Candy
Located in downtown Portland is Quin – a candy shoppe featuring handmade gumdrops, lollipops, caramels, sours, and marshmallows by the foot. Owner and chief candy maker, Jami Curl never outgrew her passion for sweets which drove her to use high quality locally sourced ingredients to create traditional types of candy without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Made in small batches by hand, Quin relies on sugar, fruit purée, gelatin, butter, heavy cream, vanilla beans, natural flavors and extracts, lemon zest, and more to make a delicious modern interpretation of old world favorites:
Bragg Organic Sprinkle
While shopping at a food coop in Middlebury, Vermont last month, I picked up a jar of Bragg 24 Organic Herbs and Spice Seasonings – a blend of all natural herbs and spices which adds flavor without sodium to soups, salads, pizza, vegetables, rice, beans, potatoes, marinades, and more. Formulated by Paul Bragg (a health crusader before his time and quite a colorful character) more than 80 years ago, Bragg Organic 24 Herbs and Spice Seasoning was aptly named because 24 herbs and spices go into making this flavorful seasoning. Read more
It’s Time to Freekeh
Every time I cook up a packet of Organic Freekeh – all natural roasted green wheat – I think of the 1978 hit song by Chic – Le Freak because that’s exactly what I do – freak out . Yes, I really do sing that song changing “freak out” to “freekeh” in my head – Ahh, Freekeh, Freekeh, c’est chic!...(out loud if no one is home) and then freak out over the flavor (nutty and smokey) and texture (firm and chewy) of a big bowl of Freekeh, especially when mixed with steamed broccoli florets and stems or fresh sautéed asparagus. Read more
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts
When most people think of hemp, they think of marijuana and although the association is understandable, there is a big difference between hulled hemp seeds (which are also called hemp hearts) and marijuana. They both come from the cannabis plant but hulled hemp seeds or hemp hearts have .001% (one thousandth) of THC (the mind altering agent) whereas marijuana has 3-22%, with an average of 9%. So although hemp has gotten a bad rap from its distant recreational drugee cousin, hemp in reality is a very nutritious seed that provides a complete protein and is easily digestible. Read more
Quinoa, Sea Bean, and Tofu Salad
The secret to the flavorful Quinoa, Sea Bean and Tofu Salad lies with a tiny green plant called the Sea Bean. Sea Beans are salt tolerant plants that look like skinny little asparagus sprouts, Grown close to salt water: in marshes, on beaches, or in mangroves, these green plants have a salty flavor which can be toned down if soaked overnight in a bowl of cold water and then rinsed. Read more
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
Healthier Halloween Options
For Halloween, it’s all about the candy and that means Trick or Treaters will have bags of sweets that will haunt every parent for about a month. Most candy has sugar or high fructose corn syrup and often artificial colors, flavors sweeteners, and preservatives. Although sugar is hard to avoid, there are alternative candy choices that are certified organic and flavored with 100% natural flavorings from fruits, vegetables and roots. Sound to good to be true? It’s not. YumEarth Organics makes a variety of treats with all these attributes and more – free of dairy, peanuts, gluten, tree nuts, and soy – and they taste scrumptious, the way candy is supposed to taste.
Engine 2 Crispbreads and Tortillas
Nearly everyone loves crackers and Engine 2 offers two varieties: Organic Original Crispbread and Organic Triple Seed Crispbread. Made with whole grains and seeds with no added oils or dairy products, these great tasting super crunchy crackers are delicious with hummus, vegetable spreads, and nut butters. And, for those who prefer a softer vehicle, Engine 2 makes two types of tortillas: Sprouted Ancient Grain and Brown Rice which are ideal to make soft tacos, wraps, and burritos. Read more
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