Remembering Sharon Balkcom
Sharon Balkcom was 43 years old when she died on September 11, 2001 after American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 am. The plane hit the building between the 93rd and 99th floors, rendering all stairwells and elevators above the 92nd floor impassable. Balkcom worked as an Assistance Vice President of Technology at Marsh & McLennan, an insurance and brokerage firm that occupied eight floors of offices between the 93rd and 100th floors. All 294 employees of Marsh & McLennan present that day, including Sharon Balkcom perished. Read more 
Penne Pesto with Green Beans and Tomatoes
Penne Pasta with Green Beans and Tomatoes is a high protein wholesome meal that takes about 20 minutes to make. Simple and delicious, this main dish contains pasta made with lentils – a legume packed with protein, thin French green beans, sweet tomatoes along with pesto and seasoning to bring all the ingredients together. Although Penne Pesto with Green Beans and Tomatoes is flavorful and nutritious, the dish is also beautiful to look at with the contrasting shades of green and red. Read more
“The Wife of Martin Guerre”
…when hate and love have together exhausted the soul, the body seldom endures for long.
While scouring the shelves described as “classics” in an independent bookstore (Mac’s Backs-Books on Coventry) in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, I discovered The Wife of Martin Guerre by Janet Lewis (a poet and writer who lived from 1899-1998). On the back cover of the book were the words: Read more
Vegan Dining in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio – named after General Moses Cleveland in 1796 – on the southern shore of Lake Erie was a melting pot for immigrants who brought their culinary traditions with them. More than 200 years later, those culinary influences are still evident in the restaurant scene in the Cleveland metropolitan area, and specifically in the vegan dining options (in no particular order) listed below: Read more
Organic, Natural, Veganic or Hydrophonic?
There are hundreds if not thousands of methods of growing food but the four most talked about farming methods and certifications include organic, natural, veganic and hydrophonic. Each of these methods is carefully defined by the processes and products used in the growing and making of our food.
Organic has been the food buzz word for years with many consumers blindly attaching credibility to any product that has the word “organic” stamped on it. For the record, organic farming is Read more
How to Make Muesli
Muesli is a breakfast cereal made up of raw rolled oats, grains, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds that is typically enjoyed with milk (cow, soy, hemp or nut-based) or yogurt (cow, soy, or nut-based). Some people say that muesli is just raw granola but that description doesn’t do the Swiss invention justice. While many of the ingredients are the same, muesli differs from granola in three ways: muesli is not baked, does not contain oil, and typically has no added sweeteners. Read more
Potato Burger Buns (Dairy and Egg-Free)
Finding great tasting whole grain burger buns made without additives, preservatives, dairy, and eggs is a challenge which is why I make my own. Sounds daunting but it isn’t because of two secret ingredients: mashed potatoes, which make bread products moist and delicious, and Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer (a natural leavening agent made from whole soy flour, wheat gluten, corn syrup solids, and algin (from algae)) which helps the dough rise and binds the ingredients together to make a light flavorful bun. Read more
“Ordinary Love and Good Will”
But it is not necessarily the ones you love the most that have the most effect on you.
Jane Smiley, Pulitzer prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres published Ordinary Love & Good Will – two short stories that explore the effects that people’s actions have on their children – in 1989. Although the stories are very different, the reader can’t help but see the long-lasting and indelible effects on the children of adults who don’t think about their behavior and consequences, who think of themselves first, who can’t control their urges, and who are often in denial. Read more
Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar
Keep it simple, have fun, and achieve balance in life through nature, activity, nutrition and community.
When I was a child, Fig Newtons were considered “healthy” cookies but when I grew up and realized these treats are made with not only high fructose corn syrup but also corn syrup, sugar, artificial flavors, and sulfur dioxide (sulfites), they were no longer worthy of shelf space in my pantry. Then, one day my daughter told me about the Fig Bar by Nature’s Bakery: whole grain fig bars with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial colors, dairy, or trans fats. Certified non-GMO, vegan, and kosher, Fig Bars are the healthier choice when the craving for a fig bar hits. Read more
Yumbutter G0
Get some crazy nutritious, mouth-rockin’ delicious energy.
Adrian Reif and Matt D’Amour, co-founders of Yumbutter – world-changing nut butters – have a dream: to nourish the world while running the world’s most responsible food company. To accomplish these goals, they set out to make some of the most delicious and nutritious nut butters – peanut, almond, and sunflower – with wholesome ingredients that nourish on-the-go because eating nut butters out of a jar isn’t easy outside the home. Read more
Paddock Post 