Broccoli Salad
When cole slaw doesn’t create as much excitement around the dinner table halfway through the summer as it did over July 4th, its time to mix things up a bit and serve fresh Broccoli Salad, a colorful and refreshing alternative to the traditional summer salads. Choosing flavors and textures that complement each other in both taste and presentation is the key here while keeping it simple with four ingredients. Think earthy, sweet, crunchy, and tangy. Read more 
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
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
Raw Crunch Bars
Just when I think there couldn’t be a better tasting, nutritionally sound bar on the market, along comes one that blows me away. That would be the Raw Crunch Bar: a handmade, unprocessed, uncooked energy bar made with a core of four types of organic seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax), three types of organic nuts (cashews, pecans, macadamia), raw honey, and Celtic sea salt. Read more
Asparagus and Mushrooms with Teriyaki Tofu
Spring is the perfect time to enjoy fresh asparagus (although available year-round, the largest asparagus crop is harvested from late February to June). Stem thickness indicates the age of the plant with the young, thin stalks the most desirable and tasty. The thicker stems indicate the plant is older and can be tough and woody although a peeler can eliminate the rough outer skin. The tips are the most tender and flavorful so look for firm stalks with dry tips. Read more
Raincoast Flats
Raincoast Flats are the newest creation by Canadian extraordinaire food maker Lesley Stowe Fine Foods. Well known for their Raincoast Crisps that redefined the cracker market by using dried fruits, seeds, nuts,and spices in their recipes, Lesley Stowe Fine Foods continued that same idea to come up with a flatbread that is flavorful, crunchy, and just plain delicious. Read more
The Ultimate Oxford Shirt
The Oxford shirt has been around for decades – maybe longer – and is one of those wardrobe pieces that never goes out of style but finding a well made, stylish, and great fitting Oxford shirt made of 100% cotton at a reasonable price is a challenge. If you happen to be a woman with a long torso and arms, then the search is even tougher.
My husband swears by Brooks Brothers but he’s a guy shopping for men’s shirts (and the company’s women’s shirts are too short in the torso for long-waisted women). I’m a gal looking for women’s shirts and swear by Abercrombie & Fitch and specifically, the men’s Oxford Shirt with the Muscle Fit (as opposed to the Classic Fit) meaning the shirt is cut slimmer and fits closer to the body. Meant for a man, but fitting for a woman (sounds like that 1970’s commercial for Secret deodorant that went something like “strong enough for a man but made for a woman.” Read more
Theo Coconut Bites
Theo Chocolate of Seattle, Washington recently introduced Coconut Bites: three distinct types of sweet and chewy coconut bars that seem to be the Pacific northwest’s answer to the sibling duo (Almond Joy and Mounds bars by Hershey) that originated in the northeast.
Talk about taking something from good to great. That’s Theo Chocolate. Last year the organic fair-trade certified company did it with the rollout of peanut butter cups made with CB’s Nuts Peanut Butter and their own homemade chocolate and this year the Seattle chocolate maker combined coconut and chocolate to create Coconut Bites. Read more
Paddock Post 