Sunspire Coconut Bars
Sunspire is one of the few companies with a reputation for making rich and delicious chocolate products that contain no refined sugars or artificial additives of any kind. A collection of chocolate confections – chips, powders, chocolate covered fruit and nuts, and bars – are organic, free-trade certified, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and/or vegan. Two of my favorite products are the Coconut Bar and the Coconut Almond Bar – the health conscious consumer’s answer to the Mounds and Almond Joy bars – only better. Read more 
Can You Imagine?
More than 40 years ago, John Lennon released a song entitled Imagine which asked the listener to imagine a world of peace without borders, religions and nationalities that divide us. Imagine offered us an ideal but one which most of us would find unobtainable. Still, the song can be recited word for word by many generations who loved and admired the message Lennon was trying to convey to his listeners. But, what if we took a few steps backwards and tried to imagine small changes in the world in which we live. Can you imagine…… Read more
Kinky Boots
Years ago I remember hearing the difference between a man and a woman is best exemplified by looking at Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Both extraordinary dancers but Ginger did everything he did backwards and in high heels. So, when a new Broadway show – Kinky Boots – features seven men who dance in high heels as if they were born with stillettos on their man-sized feet, people take notice. But, Kinky Boots which recently opened on Broadway (April 4, 2013) is more than a dance performance; it’s a true story with spectacular music by Cyndi Lauper and a message for all of us about individual discovery, the love between a father and a son, and universal acceptance.
“Felicia’s Journey”
Each time he hoped that a friendship would last for ever, that two people could be of help to one another, that strangers seeing them together would say they belonged like that.
Felicia’s Journey was written by William Trevor and awarded a Whitbread Book Award (now known as the Costa Book Award) – a literary prize given to a book (by an author in Great Britain or Ireland) that is both enjoyable to read and appeals to a wide audience. Published in 1994, Felicia’s Journey is the story of a young pregnant girl who runs away from a stifling household in a small village in Ireland to find the boyfriend who left her in a difficult situation. Read more
Sprouted Adzuki Bean and Rice Salad
Sprouted Adzuki Bean and Rice Salad is a hearty dish full of vegetables, beans, and a trio of rice: wild and germinated red and brown rice. The nutty flavor of the rice combined with the slightly sweet red Adzuki beans and the earthy vegetables – mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, and zucchini – and fresh chopped cilantro along with Zatar (a popular middle eastern spice) – makes for a flavorful salad that is both filling and nutritious. Easy and quick to make, the Sprouted Adzuki Bean and Rice Salad is a terrific alternative to traditional rice or bean salad. Read more
Purely Elizabeth Granola
This past week while grocery shopping, my vegan daughter convinced me to try a new brand of granola made by a company called Purely Elizabeth. She didn’t have to twist my arm even though we have at least a half-dozen bags of granola in our cereal cabinet, each one lovely in its own special way.
In our house, granola has a special importance and is given the status of both diamonds and water. Valued for its clarity in ingredients and adaptability (almost everything tastes better with granola just as diamonds look great with nearly anything), granola is the one food that tastes heavenly in its many variations and is a source of sustenance, just like water. Read more
“Appointment in Samarra”
The road was his. He wanted to drive on the left side and zigzag like an army transport and idle along at four miles an hour. But one time when he thought the road was his he had done all these things, finally to be arrested for drunken driving by a highway patrolman who had been following him all the while. “You’d think you owned the road,” the patrolman had said; and Julian could not answer that was exactly what he had been thinking. Read more
The Give
Last year, through a Facebook friend who has a child with a serious health issue, I learned about a woman named Donatella Botolino, a mother of four young children in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Donatella lost her 11-year old son, Denali to pancreatic cancer on June 11, 2012 after a two-year battle. She chronicled her son’s and her family’s struggle on a Facebook page called Please Pray for Denali Botolino which has over 7,500 followers. The story is heartbreaking and will bring most readers to tears. Read more
Rainbow Quinoa and English Pea Salad
For decades, my husband has been bringing me home recipes (from Outdoor Alpha Male, Men’s Protein World or some similar sounding magazine) that invariably include quinoa which was hard to find years ago. Back then, I could only find quinoa in a health food store or on-line but with its recent surge in popularity – due in part to its high protein and iron content – nearly every supermarket now carries various types of quinoa. My family prefers the Rainbow Quinoa which contains three types of quinoa: white, royal red, and royal black because they enjoy the slight difference in flavors and the various colors certainly make a dish look appetizing. Read more
Pulse: Organic Roasted Chickpeas
Pulse is a new brand of organic roasted chickpeas that are low in fat, gluten-free and high in fiber, protein, and flavor. Super crunchy and flavorful, Pulse Organic Roasted Chickpeas make a great snack and are particularly delicious in a salad (instead of croutons). Made by Pulse Foods out of the Bronx in New York City, Pulse Organic Roasted Chick Peas come in four flavors: Read more
Paddock Post 