Where does $1 to Feeding Children Everywhere go?
Feeding Children Everywhere is a Longwood, Florida-based non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that does one thing exceptionally well: they make a wholesome, all-natural meal (with no artificial flavors, colors, or vitamin mix) called the “lentil casserole.” Made of lentils (60%), rice (30%), veggies (8%) and pink Himalayan salt (2%), the lentil casserole is a nutritionally sound meal full of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Read more 
Just Cookie Dough
Just Cookie Dough is better for you and the world – so go ahead and grab a spoon.
Sticking a spoon into a bowl of cookie dough and eating it raw is more than a right of passage from childhood to adulthood. In fact, most of us never outgrow our passion for cookie dough. We claim we’re making cookies for our kids and we eat the dough when no one is looking. We mix cookie dough in ice cream and of course, we scoop spoonfuls onto cookie sheets to make cookies. But, sometimes we don’t have time to make cookie dough from scratch (and we don’t want a commercial cookie dough made with artificial colors, flavors, or even dairy products). So what’s a cookie dough addict to do? Buy a jar of Just Cookie Dough by Hampton Creek at your local Super Target. Read more
How to Spice Up Salad, Rice, and Baked Potatoes
At some point we all get into a rut when it comes to making a side dish, whether it’s the dinner salad, rice, or a baked potato. Let’s start with the salad. Lettuce greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and scallions are placed in a bowl, tossed with dressing and voilá, the salad is ready. If we think ahead, maybe some homemade croutons make an appearance.
For rice, we generally chose water and when feeling adventurous, maybe broth (low sodium if we’re in a nutritious frame of mind). Baked potatoes present another challenge, especially for those on dairy-free diets because butter and sour cream are not options. So, what can we do with these three essential side dishes to generate a bit more excitement at the table? Read more
Paqui Gourmet Tortilla Chips
Some of the most basic simple foods are the hardest to make. Consider tortilla chips which are primarily made of three ingredients: corn, oil, and salt. How hard can it be to make really great tasting crunchy tortilla chips? Well, according to many tasters who have snacked on the mass market commercial offerings, the answer is “pretty hard.”
The secret to great tasting tortilla chips is to use high quality fresh tortillas fried in oil hot enough to cook them to a perfect crisp but not so hot as to darken the chips. If the oil is not hot enough, the chips will be greasy and if the oil is too hot, the chips will be overdone making the corn flavor an afterthought. Read more
Where does a $1 contribution to United Way of Central Iowa Go?
United Way of Central Iowa (UWCI) is just one of 35 United Way chapters in Iowa and one of 1,256 chapters in the United States, but this mid-west chapter office raised more than $29 million last year and distributed $21.9 million (75%) in grants to local organizations that focus on health, education, and income. United Way is – for lack of better words – a way to unite people and organizations – with UWCI focused on the people and organizations in central Iowa. Read more
Introducing Ben and Jerry’s Non-Dairy “Ice Cream”
Be one in a million.
Ben & Jerry’s of Burlington, Vermont recently started making “ice cream” with almond milk instead of dairy products which has shoppers scavenging for pints that give new meaning to the word “ice cream.” Dairy-free, vegan, non-GMO, and Fair Trade certified, Ben & Jerry’s new frozen desserts are disappearing off the freezer shelves as fast as they can be restocked. Read more
Minis: Non-Dairy “Ice Cream” Sandwiches
An ice cream sandwich is the childhood dessert we never outgrow even as we pass through the stages of adulthood. A simple concept – ice cream enveloped between two chocolate wafers – is what makes the ice cream sandwich so timeless because, really who doesn’t like ice cream, chocolate, and wafers?
Being on a dairy-free or plant-based diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy an ice cream sandwich because So Delicious Dairy Free makes a creamy and rich vanilla “ice cream” sandwich with almond milk instead of cow milk. Read more
The Makers Apron
Most people don’t get too excited about aprons but I do because an apron not only protects clothes but also helps keep things – measuring spoons, spatulas, a tissue, or scissors – close at hand.
Years ago I read a cookbook (Vegan Chocolate by Fran Costigan) that gave me some invaluable advice: gather all your ingredients on the countertop before starting a recipe. The second great piece of advice that I had to learn through trial and error was to always use an apron that is functional and fashionable. Although the second aspect is arguably trivial, there’s no doubt a fantastic piece of clothing makes us feel happy and that’s what a Maker’s Apron does. Read more
Where does a donation to Kars4Kids Go?
Kars4Kids, Inc. (Kars4Kids) is a 501 (c) (3) national organization dedicated to the educational, material, emotional, and spiritual needs of Jewish children and their families. Specifically, Kars4Kids appears primarily to be the fundraising entity for another 501 (c) (3) organization called Oorah, Inc., based in Lakewood, New Jersey (with the same business address as Kars4Kids) although they also fund other programs – school placement, tuition assistance, summer camp, holiday food and gift packages, parent education and counseling.
Oorah, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) organization that provides Jewish children and their families with youth and family programming, education and studies, and community outreach. Read more
Panniello Sun Dried Vegetables
The right amount of seasoning can always take a pasta dish from good to great but figuring out the right herbs and spices to give a dish that zing is often perplexing. More oregano? basil? garlic? Instead of trying to figure it out, consider using Panniello sun-dried vegetables to add flavor and complexity to your next pasta dish. These packets of dried vegetables and spices are wholesome and natural with easily recognizable ingredients that make a robust addition to almost any sauce. Read more
Paddock Post 