Organic Bean Pastas
What is it with guys and protein? If my husband sees or hears “25 mg of protein” his face lights up. And, it seems that whenever I have a discussion with someone about being a vegetarian who doesn’t eat dairy products, the topic of conversation immediately turns to an inquiry of where I get my protein – because people have been brainwashed to think the best source of protein is from animals when in fact, plant-based foods are an excellent source of protein. Read more 
The Servus Northerner Series Boot
Whether you wear boots to walk in the rain, work in a garden or to simply protect your feet from the cold and muddy elements, there’s one boot that does it all: the Servus Northerner Series Boot. Never heard of it? Neither did I until a few years ago when I bought a pair in a vet’s office in a small town in central Iowa.
Back then, I needed a pair of durable boots to navigate the fields and muddy roads of a farm and didn’t want a pair of boots that looked like they came from the children’s shoe department at Target. What I found was a boot that turned out to be great looking, comfortable, and durable….. and yet outside of the midwest farming community, many people haven’t heard of them. Read more
The French Mint: Les Anis de Flavigny
Sharing a candy with an aniseed in its heart is a demonstration of love.
More than 400 years ago (1591) in an Abbey in the Burgundy region of eastern France, a group of Benedictine Monks started making a hard candy from the anise seed, which comes from the plant called Pimpinella Asisum – a sprawling green herb plant with an aromatic scent, strong feathery stems, green leaves and tiny white flowers that produce anise fruits or what others called anise seeds. Known for their distinctive flavor, anise seeds proved to be the foundation for one of the world’s oldest hard candies: Anis. Read more
5 Burger Buns Worth Buying
It’s burger bun time! Until recently, trying to find a great-tasting bun made of wholesome ingredients was nearly impossible. The buns in the bread aisle or bakery section of the grocery stores tend to be white, contain unheard of things, and taste like a big, dry, chewy nothing. But, recently bread makers have taken notice and jumped in to fill the void by offering delicious and nutritious burger buns.
Among the offerings are buns made with sprouted whole grain (grains that have been allowed to sprout and are then dried and milled or turned into a mush) and simply whole grain (where all the parts of the grain have been milled), both of which offer a nutritious and tasty alternative to the white processed buns that have dominated the market. Read more
Sunfood Super Foods: Nut and Trail Mix
I wonder if the person who invented trail mix actually thought of it as they were cleaning out their car and moved their kid’s car seat? ~TheRat
Trail mix has come a long way in the past decade. No longer is the choice between a monster sized container filled with peanuts, raisins and chocolate candy or just plain GORP (good ol’ raisins and peanuts). Today, the selection is vast with some of the best options offered by Sunfood Super Foods – a San Diego based company dedicated to providing nutrient-dense, non-GMO, raw, organic super foods to consumers, including two incredibly wholesome and natural trail mixes that also happen to be delicious. Read more
The Matt and Nat Hemlock Handbag (Vegan)
Live beautifully.
Matt and Nat (short for Mat(t)erial and Nature) is a Montreal-based company formed in 1995 to make products with recycled materials – plastic, nylon, cardboard, rubber, cork, and bicycle tires. Sounds strange? Maybe, but the products – handbags, wallets, backpacks, messenger bags, laptop and i-pad sleeves, briefcases, diaper bags, and more – are stunning, remarkably strong, extraordinarily useful, and very economical. Read more
Lilly Handmade Chocolates
Has your mouth danced today?
Walk through the Tremont area of Cleveland, Ohio and visitors will quickly learn the historic neighborhood is home to 29 churches, 31 bars, and 1 amazing chocolate shop known as Lilly Handmade Chocolates. Situated among historic homes (Tremont is one of the oldest parts of Cleveland and once housed a large German and Ukrainian population that has since expanded to include young families, empty nesters, hipsters, and visitors who come for the shops, galleries, restaurants, and cafes) at 761 Starkweather Avenue, Lilly Handmade Chocolates is a destination point for those who appreciate chocolate, fine wine, and craft beers. Read more
Top Picks at Trader Joe’s
With more than 430 stores across the United States, Trader Joe’s offers a shopping experience that keeps customers loyal: great products at competitive prices. Most of the retailer’s packaged products are under their own private label although some well-known manufacturers (i.e. the French chocolatier Valrhona) are also available.
Smaller than the average grocery store (12,500 square feet compared to 50,000), Trader Joe’s has a limited selection but one that brings shoppers back time after time. Some of the best products available at Trader Joe’s include: Read more
The Green Veggie Burrito
A Green Veggie Burrito is comfort food at its best: broccoli, zucchini and onions all bound together by sweet mashed potatoes within a sprouted grain tortilla. The Japanese Sweet Potato – a large potato with dark pink skin and a white exterior that turns a pale shade of green when cooked – is the key ingredient in this recipe. Sweet and creamy, the Japanese Sweet Potato is available at most Whole Foods Markets or large farmer’s markets this time of year. Read more
Inside Smarts Wash Bags
Long live your laundry! ~Billy Mays
We’re talking laundry today. Yes, that boring task that grows exponentially daily. Many things annoy me about laundry but the number one irritation is how to properly care for clothes because it’s not a matter of filling up the machine, pouring the detergent in, and turning the dial (were it that easy, no one would have designed men’s white underwear with a red waistband, shirts made with different fabrics, or work out clothes with lycra and mesh).If you’ve ever opened up the washing machine to see bra straps tied tightly around a favorite white shirt or the laces in the waist of your husband’s gym shorts shriveled into a tight ball, read on. Read more
Paddock Post 