My kids are pretty good at eating their veggies. The Cat loves to dip carrots (and sometimes celery) in ranch dressing. While the boys were big “Wonder Pets” fans, they ate celery pretty often. The Cat adores butternut squash and peas. Spliggle is less vegetable-happy, but will eat the plethora of meats the Cat shuns. There are definite holes in each of these kids’ diets, though.

Meanwhile, I like vegetables provided they are prepared well. In restaurants, I eagerly eat them up. But at home, the produce that looks beautiful in the store ends up rotting in my fridge as I run out of time to create something with them or they end up prepared rather blandly. I tend to get grand ideas about cooking something delicious, but then end up ordering pizza instead.

Husband and I have our favorite “fall back” meals, which are fine, but on repeat do not provide the nutritional range our family should have.

“Deceptively Delicious,” by Jessica Seinfeld, is a how-to in kitchen organization, meal planning, and - most famously – sneaking healthful ingredients into yummy food. I received this valuable resource free-for-review via the Parent Bloggers Network.

I’ll admit, I usually make two or perhaps three recipes from any given cookbook before I get bored and move to the next. Sure, recipes catch my eye, but then I forget, or I think it will be too hard, or I get lazy. Amazingly, I’ve made many recipes from Deceptively Delicious. And I know I’ll make more.

When I was younger, my mom taught me the "circle sweep" method of cleaning a room. From her older sister, she provided me a list of "how to be a good guest." It would seem then that I wouldn't need Were You Raised by Wolves by Christie Mellor, but when the Parent Bloggers Network asked if I'd be interested in perusing Ms. Mellor's advice, I was eager.

After all, while I understood the need to keep things clean and to be respectful, I didn't necessarily know the best methods to do so. Time spent perfecting a little whorl on an appetizer may not be the best spent. Also, advice that comes via parental lips isn't as revered as that which comes from your best friend, so I may not have listened to all of the wisdom my mom tried to impart. Thankfully, Mellor can be simultaneously a best friend and a mentor. She may be older than her target audience, but she is still hip enough to not create a stodgy new adult. Her tone is friendly and casual, but she is also direct. She can give advice, but she can also shrug and say, "more martini for me" which is something I would never expect to hear from my mother.

And about those martinis:

Holidays can be tough for Feingold Families. Cousins, friends, and neighbors have appealing-looking artificially-colored cupcakes and tasty-looking hot dogs. Fortunately, there are products out there that provide decent substitutes.

The ol' Fourth of July red-white-and-blue salad with strawberries and blueberries might turn into something a bit more Christmasy when you substitute kiwi for strawberry and forget about those salycilate-containing berries. But kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, and pineapple make a tasty (red, yellow, and green) fruit salad. Add some mango or passionfruit and you've got quite a variety of tastes.

One of my favorite salads is ambrosia, but maraschino-cherries are the epitome of NON-Feingold-safe food. Marshmallows are not out of the question, though, as I will reveal later...

Most Fourth celebrations include a BBQ. Regular meat for hamburgers is fine (I really like turkey-burgers although Husband just made a red meat-onion-garlic burger that is so divine) but the hot-dogs can be tricky with all those nitrate/nitrite containing brands. Similarly, the hamburger buns and hot-dog buns can be a challenge since many breads contain BHA and/or BHT to keep them fresh.

We use Wellshire Farms hot dogs (and are also big fans of their deli-sliced ham; it comes in several types of which the Turkey-Ham is our most frequently-bought.) For buns, we've used both Rudi's and the Whole Foods Market-made brand. Oroweat also has Feingold-safe breads and these are available at traditional grocery stores.

What do most folks put on their dogs or burgers?

Ketchup.

And what is in ketchup?

Tomato. Which is unfortunately a salycilate, and one of the Cat's biggest triggers, at least when he was younger.

Fortunately, Feingold has an "Un-Tomato Sauce" recipe and an associated "Un-Ketchup" recipe. See the end of this entry for both.

What about dessert?

Many holidays have festively-shaped chocolates associated with them. The Fourth is not one of them, but I imagine the summer atmosphere might inspire some s'mores. Either way, I'd like to mention an excellent site that is my source for candy and baking needs: The Squirrel's Nest.

Nancy of the Squirrel's Nest (please read her history; she's the real deal) creates Feingold-safe candies for nearly every holiday. I've gotten some adorable white-chocolate ghosts and dark-chocolate cats for Halloween. I've purchased chocolate Christmas Trees and Stars for Christmas (she also has Hanukkah candy.) The Cat has gobbled up maple-sugar leaves and beautiful sugar-sticks, both from the Squirrel's Nest.

Through the website I've purchased the India Tree sprinkles that are Feingold-safe (not all of them are,) and the Let's Do Organics "Sprinklez" (in chocolate and rainbow colors.) These baking products look just like their artificial counterparts, but they are all-natural. Amazingly, there are candy canes that have RED stripes, yet don't contain that horrid "FDA-approved" red dye found so prevalently in children's food. (The "FA1" on the listing indicates that it is safe for Feingold Stage 1.)

When a classmate has a birthday party, I can easily create a rainbow-sprinkled cupcake for the Cat (although our school district has a wellness policy, so that whole cupcake-notion is hypothetical, though it wasn't in our old district.) For the holidays, I can easily hand the Cat a Feingold-safe candy cane, and nobody can tell the difference. Time and time again, I've created homemade food that "looks store-bought" for the purposes of "blending in." (When the Cat is older and his friends are chewing gum, fear not, I know where to get Feingold-safe gum!)

The Squirrel's Nest also sells Feingold-safe marshmallows (including some chocolate-dipped ones, YUM!) This is so useful. Yes, I have a serious love of marshmallows, but really they are the basis of some great things: homemade fudge, "Rice Krispie" treats (we use EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp Cereal,) and the aforementioned s'mores. Do not underestimate the power of having Feingold-safe mini-marshmallows around the house! (Or pack 'em away to camp where you know the s'more making will be a-plenty!)

Similarly, Sunspire makes a pretty convincing M&M substitute, "Sun Drops." Pull out just the red ones (there are no blue) and you could have at least a red-and-white sundae for the Fourth!

We use Trader Joe's Midnight Moo as our chocolate syrup of choice for sundaes or chocolate-milk-making, although we've also used AH!Laska Organic Chocolate Syrup (which also makes a Feingold-safe hot-chocolate mix: again, a good summer camp staple!)

Last but not least, the Squirrel's Nest also has various food colorings. Since the Cat doesn't really like the "Un-Kechup," I made him "green sauce" which was really green food coloring in mayonnaise. Yes, I know I shouldn't encourage him to eat mayo, but when he was younger we used the "green sauce" to help him try new foods. (Green is his favorite color.) These days, he prefers his food without the "green sauce," though.

Most of the time I use the food colorings for cookies or to color frosting, although with the festive colored organic all-natural sprinkles, it has become less of an issue that the base frosting or cookie is white. I've admittedly gotten lazy about trying different colors there. Also, my favorite food coloring, made by Dancing Deer, is hard to find. Some Whole Foods stores carry it, but apparently the market was not strong enough to keep much in stock. As the food coloring is perishable, this is a tricky proposition. (I had purchased tons awhile ago, but it went bad) Such is the downside of wanting by definition preservative-free foods!

Homemade food-coloring is possible: spinach for green, tumeric for yellow, cabbage for purple, beets for red. Refrigerate the colored frosting overnight to depend the color. Small amounts of these ingredients don't really alter the flavor, but these colors should be used for decorating rather than frosting the entire cake! (White base, colored lettering / designs.)

In sum, there are many products out there, particularly through The Squirrel's Nest, that can create a great holiday treat.

Oh, did I hear you say you wanted some beer?

Sam Adams is Feingold-safe. How do you feel 'bout that?

Anyway, it is possible to have a BBQ and associated festive cupcake on the Feingold Diet!

--

And here are the "Un-Tomato" recipes (which I prefer in recipes like meatloaf rather than as a stand-alone sauce or condiment, but try it out to your taste!) These recipes are from The Feingold Association:

1 1-pound can beets, drained well
2 1-pound cans carrots, drained
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 C. water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp sugar

Puree completely in processor or blender (no chunks of carrot left.) Let sit for several hours in the refrigerator for flavors to blend. Onion, garlic, spices, mushrooms, and cooked hamburger may be added to taste for spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, etc.

For Un-Ketchup:

1 recipe Un-Tomato Sauce
2 sticks celery, diced fine
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 C. onion chopped
1/2 C. Heinz white vinegar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 tsp. sugar

Add all ingredients to pan and boil until reduced and thick. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. This usually takes about one hour. Strain sauce. Freeze whatever will not be used within one week. Makes about 3 cups.

---

None of the products mentioned here have sent me any free samples, paid me to say anything nice about the product, or otherwise encouraged me to write about their product. Similarly, the majority of other products I mention in the "Feingold Tips" section are simply those which our family happens to use. I share them here just as information to other families interested in the Feingold Diet and all-natural alternatives to "popular" brands.

(And NO, the Feingold Association has not paid me to say great things about them, either; after all, it was Dr. Feingold's Diet that made such a difference in my life so many years ago that really I don't need any official compensation because I've already gained so much... both for my life and for the Cat's.)

I have fond memories of baking with my mom. Especially memorable are those days we ended up covered in flour on purpose. My brother had even more of a cooking-knack and soon started making "no recipe cakes," which initially tasted okay, but some of his more adventurous versions were rather disgusting. Still, we ate them up with glee because he had made them with such pride. He later took cooking classes and is now an excellent chef in addition to his computer-related day job.

Although we've baked Christmas cookies, I don't do much baking with my kids. They enjoy trips to Grandma's for that (Splig recently helped her make lemon-milk sherbet) and beg Daddy to let them help him with his kitchen creations. Yes, Husband logs more cooking time than I do.

Thanks to Mom Central and Kellogg's Snacktivate! Ideas, my kids and I just spent part of the afternoon creating a version of "Sassy Sun-pops." The original recipe calls for almonds, but since the Cat follows Feingold and almonds aren't allowed on Stage One, I created one pan of the cookies with cashews instead. Also, I didn't actually make the cookies "pops" with candy sticks, although perhaps I'll give that a try next time!

The boys had a blast making these cookies. The Cat counted out the 60 mini-wheats necessary for the recipe, and Spliggle enjoyed crushing them. (Surprisingly, mini-wheats do not contain BHA, BHT, or artificial flavors that we avoid on Feingold, although there is BHA in the packaging itself. For those concerned, there are other mini-wheat-like cereals out there that can be used in this recipe.)

Splig helped me measure ingredients, and both boys enjoyed decorating the cookies. The Cat created a smiley-face which Splig then replicated. I gave them each a "big cookie" to decorate in their own style.

These cookies are definitely more healthful than the ordinary cookie. I'd bet they would pass our school district's "wellness policy." Of course because they contain peanut butter and include nuts on the top as decoration, they are not safe for those with nut allergies; however, Snacktivate! has plenty of recipes which do not contain nuts, such as the Butterfly Quesadillas that I hope to try next.

As for the taste of the cookies we made? Well, Splig immediately gave the thumbs up with an enthusiastic "Yummy!" I thought they tasted fantastic and am trying to think of other ways of sneaking in flaxseed to my meals (I didn't realize I actually like the taste!) The Cat, who fears novel things, said "It tastes kind of weird," but then he hid a smile. I think he wants to make sure it isn't too easy to introduce new foods to him.

We had a fun afternoon. The kids enjoyed creating what they later ate, and I didn't worry about them having another cookie since they aren't of the high-caloric, heavy frosting variety. Check out Snacktivate! to find some fun and healthful recipes for your own family.

Starting today through November 14th, Jif is sponsoring their "Seventh Annual Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest" and the "Jif Moms Voice Their Choice Contest."

The prizes for both contests include trips to New York. The former includes scholarship money, and the latter includes a seat at the judges' table at the former's final event! Would you like to be a judge tasting a PB-marshmallow-and-sardine sandwich? Who knows, might be yummy. And if you are the one who made the sardine masterpiece, you could end up with $25,000 to help pay for college.

My kids aren't particularly adventurous: Splig likes his PB sandwich cut into a heart each and every time. The Cat might change how many pieces he wants in his sandwich, but it is always just PB. No bananas (although those are welcome on ice-cream.) No honey: for awhile he liked honey-toast. And I haven't tried marshmallows.

When the Cat turned two, I had chocolate-chip PB sandwiches as part of the spread, but again, I don't think this is creative enough to win the contest, especially based on the list of past winners at the base of the contest page. But at least I've got some ideas!

When I was a kid, any cookies or brownies that had nuts in it was automatically bleeech even though nuts-alone suited me just fine (just don't tell the other kids, 'kay?) I enjoyed making the Sassy Sunpops recipe earlier this summer (which has nuts and flaxseed.) I ate them. The kids ate them. It was great.

Shortly thereafter, the kind folks at Snacktrition sent me a great spread:

Yummy, yummy!

When they contacted me, I specifically asked for cashews, since the Cat is allergic to almonds, but they also have almond varieties of their suped-up nuts (such as the divine-sounding "Calcium Smoked Almonds.") But these nuts aren't suped-up with artificial preservatives, crazy fake flavors, or other additives that would spoil the nut experience. Quite the contrary, the ingredients listed are cashews, inulin, sea salt, black pepper, and canola oil (on the "Fiber Salt & Pepper Cashews" variety.) The "Calcium and Fiber Fruit & Nut Mix" understandably has more ingredients since it has lots of fun things inside, like blueberry and yogurt chips. But the list of ingredients doesn't contain any of that nasty stuff: No BHA. No BHT. No TBHQ. No artificial flavors. No artificial colors.

So what's with this "added fiber?" Well, according to the Snacktrition website, "Some researchers have calculated that if Americans double their intake for fiber, they could cut 100 calories from their daily diet, which could shave 10 pounds off their weight, yearly."

And you may have caught "inulin" on the list above - what is that? Well, apparently, "Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides (several simple sugars linked together) produced by many types of plants. They belong to a class of fibers known as fructans... Most plants which synthesize and store inulin do not store other materials such as starch." And "IInulin contains a third to a quarter of the food energy of sugar or other carbohydrates and a sixth to a ninth of the food energy of fat. It also increases calcium absorption and possibly magnesium absorption, while promoting the growth of intestinal bacteria. Nutritionally, it is considered a form of soluble fiber and is sometimes seen as a prebiotic." Apparently, too much inulin can cause gas, but it is a better alternative than starch, and contains less fat. Truth be told, I don't know anything about inulin other than what I just read, but my experience with eating the nuts hasn't left me bloated, farty, or otherwise ill. Quite the contrary, I've really enjoyed snacking on these tasty nuts!

But what about the Cat and Splig? Well, I received the package while Splig was in preschool and the Cat was over at my parents' house. I ate the entire sample bag of "Fiber Salt & Pepper Cashews." Fortunately, I had another carton available for the boys to try. Not surprisingly, Splig loved them. He enjoys flavorful food. The Cat, meanwhile, declared them "too spicy," but for me (and Splig) spice is the point. The Cat much preferred the "Fiber Sea Salt Cashews."

Honestly, I hadn't heard of Snacktrition until I heard from them. But I am definitely intrigued since I've enjoyed tasting their products. The food is good, and doesn't contain oil or the dreaded preservatives. And then part of their proceeds benefit The Mama Cares Foundation, a group that has worked both internationally and nationally to feed and shelter those in need.

These nuts really are tasty - and they aren't dry, which is what one would expect of nuts that weren't made with heaps of oil. Thank you Snacktrition for introducing me to a yummy snack that I can feel good about enjoying, and that I feel comfortable about giving my kids in their school lunches.

Awhile back, I wrote of a brightly colored fruit snack that Spliggle enjoyed personalizing. The Cat enjoyed personalizing it on the computer, but we wouldn't dare give him the artificial color. While Spliggle happily handed out his "Happy 4th Birthday!" concoctions, I ended up throwing out the extras because the dye affected him, too - not to the extent of the Cat, but enough for me to worry. Plus, do I really want him ingesting those chemicals, anyway? As I said in my review of that product, I recall they had some Feingold-safe varieties in my day. I wish they'd bring them back.

Well, luckily, the fine folks at FruitaBü noticed my struggle: love the concept of fruit snacks, but don't love the artificial stuff.

FruitaBü is organic and additive-free. Whew! No artificial colors. No artificial flavors. No BHA. No BHT. No TBHQ. Rather, the flavor involves concentrates made from the actual fruits and the color is from... the actual fruits.

My boys were excited about both the Flats and the Twirls.

The Flats are rectangle-shaped pieces of flat fruit. They are easy to pack in a lunch, and quick to eat. The Twirls involve a skinny piece of fruit rolled up (with a paper backing for easy removal) like one of those bubble-gum twirls. These are much more fun, but since the fruit is sticky, it isn't a good idea to unroll the whole thing and then try to whip your brother with it. Just sayin'. Seriously, both varieties are great for school lunches (Eeek! Yes it is back to school time!) I think the Flats are probably easier, but now that the Cat has experienced the Twirls I am pretty sure he'll never go back.

Now technically, we avoid apple and grape for the Cat, so trying these "Stage II" foods together was a treat. (To clarify: Feingold eliminates all those extra petroleum-based additives like BHA, but also initially limits foods with particular salycilate qualities. Those foods can slowly be added back in "Stage II" since they are healthful foods, but some kids may not be able to tolerate them.) We've found that the Cat is particularly salycilate-sensitive, so have tried the "Stage II" foods sparingly.

We allowed the Cat to try the Smooshed Grape Fruit Twirls and Flats. He didn't have a reaction. Whew! And he loved them. Double-whew! The Grape variety includes apple, as many fruit snacks and products do. It also includes soy lethicin. Since we avoid too much soy for the Cat, I don't think the Twirls will be an every day snack in his lunch, but we can certainly use them as a once-a-week treat.

Meanwhile, Spliggle is not salycilate-sensitive to our knowledge. The FruitaBü Flats and Twirls are a perfect lunchtime snack for him. Ever since we've gotten FruitaBü in our house, he's stopped asking for those birthday roll-ups.

Truth be told, the FruitaBü website drives me a little nuts because it is so interactive and flash-heavy. But for those of you looking for an adventure, click away. Otherwise, look for FruitaBü in your grocery store. It absolutely beats the artificial stuff. I feel much better giving my kids these organic, additive-free varieties. They are still tasty. They are still fun. But they aren't artificial. Whew, no "Boo!"

For the last few days, the Cat has requested pancakes for breakfast. I've complied. After all, the first week of school is important. It is that time when routines seem to work well (later abandoned as the hectic-ness of life takes over.)

But breakfast will remain important, even if I don't have the time to make pancakes. And besides, a diet involving pancakes every single day is probably not a good idea.

One of my favorite things to eat is granola. Sometimes I eat it with milk, sometimes with yogurt. I have several favorite brands, one of which is all-natural, baked from whole ingredients Bear Naked. (I especially like the Banana Nut - it is like eating banana bread for breakfast.) I was very lucky, and received some free samples of their two new flavors, so new that they don't appear on their website: "yumberry gogi currant" and "mango agave almond," both are from the new Bear Naked Native line.

The "yumberry" is definitely "yum," so much so that Spliggle ate a good part of the package as well. I am a big almond fan. I am a big mango fan. Putting these together in the "mango agave almond" created quite an enjoyable combination of flavors. The mango bits were gumdrop-like in taste and consistency, but not too sweet for breakfast. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite: both were tasty for different reasons. The "yumberry gogi currant" is more of a light fruity taste, while the "mango agave almond" is more complex: part earthy, part candy.

Another quick breakfast option that I enjoy is the cereal bar. I've been a Kashi fan for a long time: from the basic rice cereal to their TLC (tasty little cracker) cracker line. I've tasted their rice bars, but was thrilled to receive two of their new cereal bars. TLC now also stands for tasty little cereal-bar.

Usually it takes my stomach a minute to "warm up" to the idea of food, so on those days when I don't have the luxury of sitting around for awhile, grabbing a bar to take with me in the car is a preferable option to realizing halfway through my errands that I am devastatingly hungry.

First I ate up the "blackberry graham." I intended to let Husband try, since he loves blueberries. And blackberries are almost blueberries, right? But I loved the bars so much that I ate them all up myself. It was easy to just grab on my way to the Cat's early morning soccer practice.

Spliggle is a fan of the "baked apple spice." It is the first cereal bar he has finished. Usually, he gets excited about the idea of a particular bar, but after a couple bites leaves it on the counter. Not the case with the Kashi "baked apple spice" bars - he gobbles up the whole thing, and usually wants another. I think next I'll have him try the "ripe strawberry" since he loves strawberry-flavored things. But remember, these aren't artificially flavored with things like blackberry and strawberry; these are the real-deal. No artificial additives here.

In September, I'll be hosting a giveaway where you could win some of these great breakfast products. Yummy, yummy!

Typically I talk about all the things out of the house that we're doing, from soccer to gymnastics. More and more, families are scattered about after-school. The reasons are "good:" the kids are attending religious youth group organizations, taking music lessons, or participating in team-building, obesity-fighting sports. But so much research has said that a strong family unit is the key to success, and that sitting down at the table as a family is a must.

I admit this is very difficult. Usually Husband has meetings, so I know that at the least I should sit down with my kids to eat. But we end up grabbing something on the way home from gymnastics, or on the way to soccer. I end up snowed-under in work and fail to make dinner, so tell the kids to go grab a Balance bar (which is a fabulous snack) or I quickly make pasta (yes, I use the Bertolli pasta sauce I received when I met Rocco.)

All too often, Husband comes home to a hungry family and will end up either bringing us takeout or cooking us something (yes, he's the chef in our house.) But by then, we're so tired and otherwise occupied that we might be in the same room, but aren't really "eating together."

Via Mom Central, I received some Libby's canned vegetables and information about their Get Back to the Table resources. Check out their "CANvenient" Recipe Section, with gems such as "$10 Meals in 10 Minutes."

I need meals that are:
- quick
- inexpensive
- healthful

Fortunately, Libby's recipes and products deliver on all three. Of course, the Cat has some dietary concerns in that we follow the Feingold Diet, so that is always a concern with recipes, but we can alter where necessary. For example, the tasty "Kicked Up Mac & Cheese" doesn't specify the brand of Mac N' Cheese, so I can easily insert in some of the organic non-artificial stuff like 365 or Annie's. And Ian's makes great panko bread crumbs. I can omit the pimentos for the Cat since he is allergic, but can add-in later for other family members if they are interested. Meanwhile, the Libby's corn and peas remain the same. Since canned veggies have such a fantastic shelf-life without those petroleum-based preservatives to which the Cat is allergic, it is a great option for "stocking up" the panty and then grabbing when needed to make dinner in a flash.

Some people have a negative association to canned products. But the truth is that different recipes do better with canned, fresh, or frozen. The different consistencies of these vegetables can aid in various recipes. So while I admit that I like to buy fresh, the truth is that it often wilts on the counter or rots in the fridge, whereas if I have some frozen or canned vegetables around, they'll be handy for when I finally try out whatever recipe I've been meaning to prepare. (And those canned and frozen veggies end up having more nutritional value than old soggy "fresh" ones.) Meanwhile, although the Cat is very picky about food in general, "mixed vegetables" is an amazing fall-back for him. Having cans of mixed vegetables in the pantry or bags in the freezer is imperative for us.

Convenience foods need-not be unhealthy. Using canned vegetables, such as Libby's, along with other easily-stored things like pasta and canned chicken broth, can be very easy and economical. Many recipes can also incorporate fresh ingredients and allow flexibility for personal preference.

Check out Libby's Get Back to the Table tips, and print out a coupon for 50 cents off a can of Libby's!

This is not a cooking blog. But for today, humor me.

Friday October 10th is World Egg Day, and in honor of this, I will share with you one of my favorite egg recipes.

For the sake of completeness, I have posted a Flickr set of our adventures, plus have created little videos throughout the process. (Husband remarked “What’s with the multi-media extravaganza?”)

Usually folks only consider omelets, quiche, deviled eggs, and other very “eggy” tasting dishes to be made from eggs. But there are plenty of other dishes that have eggs as a major component. Egg sushi, for example, is super-yummy, and not necessarily what one considers first when thinking about egg dishes, especially if you up your wasabi factor.

Well as much as I love sushi, today I will make Norwegian pancakes.

Most people think of flour, and probably sugar, when they consider pancakes. But my favorite pancakes are primarily egg. Sure, the flour is there, as is milk, but the only sugar is whatever you put on top or inside, like syrup. And so, today I share with you my grandmother’s recipe for Norwegian Pancakes. This pancake is not quite a crepe, but is thin and versatile. Using a variety of fillings or toppings, this recipe can take on many forms.

First we had to go to the store because we realized we didn’t have enough milk:

The Cat told me he was happy to play video games instead of helping me and Splig cook the pancakes:

Before we made the actual pancakes, I prepared the fillings. One such filling/topping was (surprise!) eggs! I hard-boiled them to use later:

Our science-lesson break: how to tell the difference between the fresh-out-of-the-fridge eggs that I’d need for the pancakes proper versus the hardboiled eggs we’ll use as a filling?

Splig helped me slice the hard-boiled ones nice n’ purdy:

And then we were off to make the actual pancakes:

The three basic ingredients are eggs (6 of them!) milk (2 ¾ cups) and four (1 ½ cups.) Even these primary ingredients can be altered to taste, such as using gluten-free flour. Or you may want to use soy or rice milk to avoid casein. If you like chocolate, use chocolate milk. I wonder if using coconut milk would create a fun variation of this recipe, especially with chocolate chips as a filling?

The ingredients:

2 ¾ cups milk

Once the ingredients are all set, it is time to actually create the batter. The method is pretty simple: add the eggs and flour together, and then slowly pour the milk in the mix. Don’t stir too quickly or the batter will have too much air in it and won’t cook well. Certainly my grandma and those before her used a wooden spoon and a bowl for the mixing, but we use an electric mixer at its lowest speed. (Don’t forget to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula!)

Splig shows the process:

(Yes, I said “6 cups eggs” but really I meant “six eggs.”)

Once the batter is ready, fry up the pancakes! I use an electric frying pan set to a click under 350 degrees. Husband mocks me for my electric frying pan, but I’ve never been able to make Norwegian pancakes properly without it.

Set to a hair under 350 degrees, butter it up (yes, I use actual butter) and pour in the batter. As soon as the pancakes are solid enough to flip (they switch from shiny to matte,) flip ‘em. Less than a minute on the second side will do.

Here’s my how-to:

The next part is the creative part: either slap it on a plate or roll it up with or without fillings. Growing up I had my mom create a little roll with syrup inside. My kids love chocolate chips and marshmallows the best. I line up the toppings in a little line, and then roll the pancake around it. Of course it melts into a gooey yumminess. No syrup necessary for pancakes that are already filled with sugar!

The fillings need not be candy: fruit will do too, or more savory tastes like onion, peppers, or bacon. This pancake can act as a crepe or as an omelet. Ham, cream-cheese, and more eggs would be tasty. (I think the eggs as a garnish is great.) Add some caviar if you so desire. There are plenty of possibilities.

(Embarrassingly I say “sour cream” when I meant to say “cream cheese.” Indeed, sour cream would also be a great filling/topping, as would something like whipped cream, ricotta cheese, marzipan… whatever taste you are after.)

Here is the pictorial process involved in the green onion – cream cheese – egg variety:

- put the cooked pancake flat on a plate
- lay the toppings in a line
- fold over one side
- fold over the other side : now you have a roll!
- garnish if desired
- eat it up

And here is the finished product of the chocolate-chip-filled ones:

Do the kids like ‘em? Well sure:

But then Splig wanted to let me know that my version (onion, cream cheese, and extra eggs) wasn’t his cup of tea:

So there you have it. If anything, you’ve learned that Splig has a very unusual fashion sense and likes to be a complete goofball. You’ve also learned that Kari’s Kitchen is not ready for prime-time. But I also hope you can take my Norwegian Pancake recipe and modify it to your family’s tastes and needs. Happy World Egg Day (on the 10th!)

Thank you to the Egg Board and the Parent Bloggers Network for letting me know about this excellent holiday.

Sigh.

It seems that something entitled the "Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act" will go into effect in two months.

I learned of this unfortunate piece of news via Cool Mom Picks' announcement of the issue. I look towards Cool Mom Picks for fun and unique toys and gift ideas. As they note in their post about the CPSIA, most of these cool finds are from smaller shops or parent-run businesses which simply won't be able to afford the licensing required under the new guidelines.

The gist of it is that in an effort to prevent unsafe chemicals (ie, lead, psychotropic drugs, and other things) that have been in the news as being unwanted components of [mass-marketed, cheap-o, usually imported] toys, the CPSIA will require thorough testing of products before they are allowed on the shelf. While the idea behind it is "good," the result is that only the large manufacturers will be able to comply with the law.

Ironic, since it is large manufacturers cutting corners that have created the unsafe environment in the first place. It is the independent and smaller businesses that take the time to use natural methods and high-quality components -- check out CMP's Safer Toy Guide to see some of those excellent companies that we may find missing in a couple months.

Will this cause a domino effect: small local businesses must shut doors, so communities lose sales tax revenue, so money that could have gone towards road safety, schools, and other community-bettering facilities will be less? My town doesn't have a Walmart. And I sure don't want us to have one!

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions to get fit in 2009? We're ten days in, and I imagine that already there are folks crashing on their sofa instead of pounding the treadmill. It isn't too late to get back on the bike. And it isn't too late to resolve to do better this year than last.

Last year, I reviewed the Ultimate Tea Diet. I lost some weight on it - both from eating less because my tummy felt nice and full and warm with the tea, and because I was making a conscious choice to try to eat better, so was also more consistent in my exercise routine. Alas, the whole situation didn't "stick," and once the Cat had his annual regression (which I'm hoping doesn't happen this year,) things slid downhill. I can point to several different stress points in 2008, and embarrassed to say I couldn't recover from them, so gained instead of lost.

I was one of the lucky folks who preordered a Wii Fit, so received mine immediately after they were released in May. I took to it immediately. Yes, the Wii Fit called me "overweight," and it was humbling to see my Mii balloon up, but from May to the end of June, I worked out every single day. (I only stopped at the end of June because our family took a trip, and I couldn't see bringing the Wii.)

I was enthusiastic about Wii Fit, and figured I'd review it... I just wanted to lose weight so I could declare it a success... which didn't happen that summer.

A few weeks ago, I entered a sweepstakes at Cookie magazine. I don't remember what the prize will be (and I probably won't win, although I did win a fancy black lacy bra-panty set from Glamour some years ago.) The online entry included the standard little boxes that are by default checked: ...news from Cookie! and ...offers from hand-picked sponsors, and so forth.

Usually I uncheck all the boxes. I'm on enough mailing lists as it is. but the "Recipe of the Week" option caught my eye. Why not? I thought, and promptly forgot about it.

Last Thursday, I was thinking about the ground turkey in the back of the refrigerator. What was I going to do with it? Originally I was going to do turkey burgers, but then the night I bought it, Husband ended up bringing home some yummy food. As I thought about what I needed to get at the store for burgers, or whether to do tacos, or something else with that turkey, an email from Cookie popped up: "What's For Dinner Tonight: Turkey Meatballs."

Yowza! The answer fell in my lap.

I read the recipe to discover that it wasn't just a boring meatball recipe. It wasn't difficult. It didn't involve exotic food preparation methods or hard-to-find ingredients.

Cookie's version is a "throw all ingredients into the food processor" method. I couldn't be happier. Sure, my fingers got a little sticky from rolling the meatballs, but it was well worth it. They were tasty - better than generic meatballs, and more healthful too (they include spinach!)

Husband requested the meatballs again at the start of this week. Yes! A recipe worth doing more than once in a single week. And so I made meatballs again on Tuesday.

Today, the email from Cookie is "Lamb Chops with Bulgur Pilaf" - sounds delicious, and includes some interesting variations (such as using dried cherries or cranberries in the pilaf instead of raisins, or including mint with the lamb.) Garnish ideas include pomegranate seeds, almonds, or salted pistachios.

Sounds yummy -- and doesn't look difficult. We'll see what next week brings!

--

Cookie didn't contact me, pay me, etc -- I just entered their contest and decided to subscribe to their weekly recipe newsletter - and was excited enough about the turkey meatballs that I wished to mention the success

I am a big fan of Preserve products. My first brush with this eco-friendly company was at my local Whole Foods. I picked up their lime green plastic tableware. I needed some "disposable" utensils for the Cat's lunch. He likes eating things like yogurt and melon, and he loves the color green. I just thought they were pretty. And strong. And I liked that they came from recycled materials. We haven't "disposed" of any of the utensils - they are strong, and so I wash and rewash. They don't break, and the Cat loves them, so doesn't forget his fork at school.

Not long after, I had the opportunity to check out the Preserve Toothbrushes, and learned that there is much more to this company than I had previously thought. (And we still use Preserve toothbrushes.)

Now - right now! - January 2009, Preserve has launched a Kitchenware line, available at Target stores nationwide.

Included in this line are large and small cutting boards, colanders, measuring cups, mixing bowls, and food storage containers. All products are made from 100% post-consumer recyled paper or recycled #5 plastic. (And you can then recycle those products!) All products are BPA-free, made in the U.S.A. and are dishwasher-safe.

I received a bright blue cutting board. Husband was impressed the moment the package hit our doorstep, "We need one of these!" he exclaimed. And indeed, we do. We only have a couple flimsy cutting boards, and until this bright blue one showed up, had only one solid one. Now we have two.

The Preserve cutting board has a curved side, which makes it easy to funnel cut bits into a bowl. It is very thick - so I know I am not damaging my countertops. It is solid, so is an appropriate surface against to cut. I didn't see any little flakes of plastic come off as the knife hit the board.

My one concern is that it is a bit slick on the bottom. The board plus my granite countertops equaled a slippery situation. Husband solved this by placing a towel underneath it. With the towel there, the cutting board works perfectly: it doesn't slip-and-slide, and it is large and sturdy enough to prepare food on easily. The knife doesn't slide at all on top, so the slickness is only on the bottom as paired with my already-slippery countertops.

We'll absolutely purchase another Preserve cutting board -- in the Cat's favorite color of green, likely. We need another colander, too, and I'd much prefer to purchase a recycled, recyclable product like Preserve than one of those flimsy ones.

Their website is worth a peek: find out about Preserve products - how they are made, and how they are recycled.

--

I received a I received a Preserve Cutting Board free-for-review. But I intend to purchase other Preserve products, and have done so in the past.

With today's economy, fewer and fewer of us will be eating out, at least not in the most healthful ways. (No! Step away from the fast food! It may be cheap, but you'll pay for it in the end!) While I love someone-else-cooks, from my convenience food all the way up to the more high-dining experiences, both budget and waistline mean that it is a better deal to cook at home.

Perhaps you don't have all the tools to cook -- or, if you're like me -- perhaps you'll be so tired after making dinner that the "cleaning up dinner" part takes a little longer than it should, so the next day the pans aren't available. And then there are the kid-reasons that pans might not be clean, sparkling, and ready for kitchen duty - they are spaceships, soccer goals, and barf-baskets.

Essentially, everyone needs new pans. With that in mind, I am promoting this dandy giveaway -- Foodservice Warehouse is giving away a Lincoln Wear-Ever® cookware set worth $1000. If you win, be sure to tell them you found out about the contest from moi, since then I'd get a smaller set of pans (hopefully not dollhouse-small.)

Ice-cream unplugged. Sounds kind of dangerous, doesn't it? But that is the tagline for Haagen-Dazs' new five-ingredient ice-cream, titled five.

When Mom Central told me about five, I seriously could not contain my excitement. You see, Haagen-Dazs and I go way back...

As many loyal readers know, I was on the Feingold Diet when I was younger. It helped with impulse-control. Since my oldest son has similar impulse-control problems with hyperactivity, we put him on Feingold and have seen success.

Haagen-Dazs is one of the few widely-available ice-cream brands that is Feingold-safe. Certainly people can make their own, but the convenience of being able to pop over to the local grocery store is truly priceless. Haagen-Dazs is at the corner market, not only sold in high-end specialty stores. Their product, however, tastes as though it would be in only exclusive upscale markets.

One of the number one concerns people admit when they question me about hyperactivity elimination diets is the worry that with the "elimination" all the convenience and fun will be taken out of eating. Fortunately, there are plenty of all-natural brands that are completely fine. Haagen-Dazs is one of these brands, and with the addition of the five line, the number of acceptable ice-creams has gotten larger.

Let's face it: the "creative" ice-cream flavors typically aren't the ones that are all-natural. To obtain those exotic flavors, most companies use artificial flavoring (along with artificial coloring.)

five is plenty creative, but maintains its purity.

The concept behind Haggen-Dazs five, is that it has only five ingredients: milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and then one "hero" ingredient. These flavors are: vanilla bean, milk chocolate, mint, ginger, coffee, passion fruit, and brown sugar.

My first motivation for trying five was that it is all-natural, as I was eager to give my son some additional dessert options. But I soon learned that using just five pure and simple ingredients naturally lends itself to an ice cream with one-third less fat. Less fat is certainly something I can get behind. And then the flavors themselves are not common. I would have thought "strawberry" would be a shoo-in, but instead the five fruit is passion fruit. Flavors like brown sugar and ginger are quite unique, and exceptionally tasty.

I was very excited when the package arrived = dry ice!

I was even more excited when my boys and I got to sit down to taste the ice-cream contained within. I am not a food blogger, so forgive the clumsy language, but here are my impressions of the four flavors I received:

Passion Fruit: This reminds me of a dragonfruit soda that I really enjoy. It is definitely a unique flavor, both spicy and fruity at the same time. It is smooth, as all of the five flavors are, and the passion fruit is subtle enough so that it doesn't overwhelm. This sort of exotic flavor is great to entice kids to try new foods. Haagen-Dazs recommends serving this flavor with pieces of tropical fruit on top - yum! [clicking link downloads a PDF]

Ginger: Of course this reminded me of Chinese food, so no doubt this ice-cream would be great paired with a fortune cookie or other vanilla-orange type cookie or cake. Ginger typically is associated with heat, but this ice-cream is refreshing. It is spicy and soothing all in one.

Mint: Most people think "mint chocolate chip" when they hear "mint ice-cream" and of course most people picture that neon green color. Haagen-Dazs is definitely not green: instead it is a natural white. The texture is completely smooth without chunks of chocolate. Although chocolate is certainly a great pair for mint (so this ice-cream would be fabulous over a rich chocolate cake) the mint on its own is so pure and subtly sweet that it doesn't need a companion. This is a sweet mint, not the biting mint of a mojito. Haagen-Dazs recommends pairing the ginger ice-cream with cardamom-honey roasted peaches. [clicking link downloads a PDF] I think pear would also work well.

Brown Sugar: My sons love milkshakes. Traditionally they have vanilla or mint chocolate-chip, but they have since had several brown sugar shakes. This flavor was absolutely my favorite. It calls to mind gingerbread men and a cozy gathering. I suppose now we can have our holiday memories during the summer, thanks to this spicy-yet-cool ice-cream. Recipe: Häagen-Dazs Five™ Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Warm Apple Cinnamon Blossoms [downloads a PDF]

I will definitely be purchasing five for my family in the future - tastes good, less fat, all natural. It is truly a fantastic five.

Fittingly, I have FIVE coupons for free ice-cream to give away to you loyal readers. Simply post a comment telling me what flavor five you are most interested in trying. (Check out the Haagen-Dazs five website to find all the five flavors - and yes, there are more than 5 flavors...) I'll give you until April 30th to enter. Good Luck! If you don't win, consider picking up five at your local store: you won't regret it.

--

Wooo! You all won! Send me your mailing address to karianna at this domain name (see my header) and I'll get the coupons out to you!

You readers notice I have a "Feingold" category in the sidebar. I don't talk about it much, per se, but on occasion I like to do a little shout-out.

In short, the Feingold Program is an elimination diet I tried at age 5. I went from having "F"s in behavior (with my name on the board day after day) to getting "A"s. No joke. I was a hyper kid who settled down markedly after going on Feingold. Since it worked for me, we put my oldest son on the diet once it was clear he is also a "live wire." It has made a big difference for him, although he is definitely still a high-energy, quirky kid.

I know elimination diets and other "alternative" treatments for autism, hyperactivity, ADD, and the like are considered "controversial" but I'd implore you to consider how dietary changes in Celiac disease and diabetes are considered completely "acceptable." Likewise, there are various food allergies that cause physical problems (hives, anaphylactic shock) why not behavioral problems?

And so, every so often I like to plead my case while also insisting that I don't claim this is a "cure all" situation.

With that in mind, I just learned of two things that I really want to share:

1) Feingold has a little intro (split into two parts) on YouTube. For those of you who don't like wading through the written word (such as on the Feingold website) you might appreciate the videos I embedded below. Just listen in the background if you like. (I find this progression into YouTube funny because in my shed I have a bunch of old-time cassette tapes bound together with multiple rubber bands: these are the old Feingold materials from the 70's that my mom got from the Association back when she tried the diet with me.)

2) A Feingold Cookbook: People making dietary changes worry that cooking will be hard or that they'll have to make everything from scratch. They are worried that the process of eliminating various foods from their diet will be "too difficult."

Well, the Feingold Association list tells you which foods are safe for "Stage One" and "Stage Two." These companies fill out an ingredient list for the Association so that they can be included as being "safe." There are definitely convenience foods that are both kid-friendly and Feingold-safe: hot dogs, oreo-like cookies, and string cheese, to name a few. There is even a fast food list that includes items like McDonalds hamburgers and Noah's bagels. (Of course, I am not advocating fast food all the time, but it is nice to know there are all-natural convenience food options out there.)

With membership, subscribers are given a little recipe list with things like tomato-less ketchup and other things that can be used as substitutions in recipes. Well - now there is a whole cookbook. "Feingold Family Favorites" is a collection of the best recipes from members, family and friends of the Feingold Association. Apparently it contains 300 recipes including appetizers, main dishes, desserts and more. Each recipe is marked Stage One or Stage Two.

I'm ordering mine right now (and perhaps will report on it later) but I thought I'd pass on the news now in case some of you are interested. Just go to the Feingold shopping page, select your country, and scroll down for the cookbook. While you're at it, purchasing the membership materials won't hurt if you are curious - information is power.

As I watched these videos, here are the thoughts that come to mind:

- The "foodless foods" concept is similar to what Jillian Michaels (and probably many other fitness experts and physicians) discusses in Master Your Metabolism (You DID read my review of Master Your Metabolism on the Shredheads site, right?)

- Additives may save money upfront, but cost much more down the line both economically and psychologically: gym memberships, medications, tutors, time spent disciplining, and so forth. (This is assuming both weight and behavior issues from these sorts of food.)

- Obesity is increasing and behavioral problems are increasing in the United States. Similarly, consumption of these cheap "non-foods" is on the rise. Coincidence?

Just like with the vaccine issue, I don't claim that food additives "cause" autism. Rather, if a child is sensitive to such things (be it petroleum, salycilates, other substances) then exposure to those things in increasing numbers can create problems.

Many kids have had astonishing behavioral transformations once they've eliminated the foods on Feingold. Other kids have found success with gluten-free/casein-free diets (particularly those who have celiac in addition to an autistic spectrum disorder; the existence of both together is common - coincidence?)

Please listen to or watch the below videos. One thing that is great is that Feingold Association National Director Jane Hersey does a direct comparison of foods not acceptable on Feingold with those that are, but she uses the exact same brands. For example, Duncan Hines' "Devil's Food" cake mix is not Feingold-safe, but Duncan Hines' "Dark Chocolate Fudge" cake mix is Feingold-safe. Kraft's regular "Mac N' Cheese" is artificial, but their "Premium White Cheddar" is not. Even Cheetos has a Feingold-safe option! (Pretty-please do a natural option, Crystal Light?)

Behold, the videos:

Disclaimer: The Feingold Association did not pay me to write about their program. They didn't send me the information about the videos or the cookbook because they thought I was going to publicize it. Rather, I received the email from them because I am a Feingold Member. My mom learned about the diet from Kaiser - ironically enough, since they are now such a poor advocate for autism treatment aside from "just medicate them into oblivion. (If Kaiser would again recommend trying dietary change, they might save a lot of money down the road in regards treatment relating to both behavioral and obesity related conditions.) I blog about Feingold from time to time because it is something that helped me, and now my son. I will be happy to answer any questions about our particular experience - my email address is in my header.

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Ragu

--

When I learned that the BlogHer Reviewers would be trying out some Ragu sauces, I laughed because I had just bought several Ragu sauces to have in my pantry for those OMG-what-is-for-dinner emergencies.

Which is every day.

In fact, the three recipes I tried specifically for BlogHer Reviews I made on nights that I otherwise would have dialed the pizza parlor or gone through a drive-thru. Every. Single. Day. was one that I felt I had absolutely no time to create anything, and yet I did because I wanted to complete an honest review.

And honestly, I'm impressed.

I had heard of Pop Art Toaster before, but was curious when I learned of the Pop Art 5-in-1 Tasty Baker, another product from the Pop Art Toaster team. They provided me a "media sample" of the Tasty Baker in the hopes that I might have some insight into how their product might benefit those on the autistic spectrum.

I must admit that it took awhile to get my head around the concept that a baking product could also be therapeutic. But, I can see how non-verbal or pre-verbal children (whether autistic or not) might benefit from having cakes or brownies in recognizable shapes, therefore reinforcing the various objects. The fun shapes can also be a way to entice a picky eater to try an unfamiliar food.

Tasty Baker is similar to a waffle-maker, but it can be used for breads, cakes, and brownies (or any other baked good, like muffins) I used it for a variety of different things - vanilla cake, chocolate cake, brownies, and banana bread. I must admit that it takes some trial and error to discover both the right baking time and the correct amount to put in the mold, but let's back up a second to talk about the appeal of the product:

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and DiGiorno.

Jokes aside, portion control is a big deal. We all know the "secret" to losing weight is "eat less, exercise more," but that is easier said than done. Some "experts" recommend using smaller dishes to create the psychological satisfaction of filling up one's plate without truly packing in the calories. The plates that we typically use for a regular meal are several inches bigger than they were in leaner times. (That's "leaner" both financially and physically.) And portion control isn't just about losing weight; it is about maintaining a healthy weight as well.

"Yeah, that's great, Kari," you say, "You can do that plate-trick when making meals at home, but I'm super-duper busy and can't always take the time to cook from scratch." Yeah, I hear you.

Convenience food is typically one of those categories for which portion control is a challenge. Back when "fast food" originated, a hamburger and fries were the size of what is now considered the smallest of meals. Now, such a meal looks puny. Bottled drinks have 2.5 servings-worth of liquid packed inside. And "personalized size" pizza typically has at least three-servings worth of calories.

But not anymore.

During the Silicon Valley Moms Group Holiday Party, I was giddy when I saw a Tassimo in action. I had never heard of such a product, nor seen one before. I was thrilled to observe how this individual-cup coffee maker uses "T-disks" instead of ground coffee. I was intrigued that these disks could also contain tea or hot chocolate. I watched in awe as the machine read the bar code on the disk, therefore heating the water to the proper temperature for that particular beverage, and then dispensing the proper amount of water.

I walked away from the demo with a delicious hot chocolate beverage, but also a plan: I would get my husband a Tassimo for a gift!

You see, my husband and I both have an "off and on" relationship. No, not with each other: with coffee.

Three years ago we moved from a big house with a little yard to a little house with a big yard. I had excited ambitions for planning my own garden, but my plans fell flat. Embarrassingly, the gardening work the previous owners had done was wasted when my purple thumb came along. In the midst of my farming failure out in our back yard, I noticed that the containers I planted in our front yard actually did well. A lime tree gave us limes for our beer, and an initially small rosemary plant is now enormous and can provide seasoning to whatever I happen to be cooking. (Okay, I don't cook much, but I have big plans for that, too!)

I hope to plant other easy-to-grow herbs in containers in an attempt to incorporate more fresh seasoning into my (future) cooking, and to essentially take "baby steps" towards having a more sustainable experience. Maybe I'll cook more if I know I already have basil, sage, and rosemary growing right there?

It was with a hope that I can make this a reality that I happily accepted Mom Central's opportunity to review Triscuit's Home Gardening Program. Triscuit has placed plantable herb cards in four million boxes of Triscuit crackers. I was fortunate to receive one of those boxes in exchange for spreading the word about their program.

My youngest son - like most red, white, and blue blooded young American kids - can't get enough of that beige vehicle for cheese, occasionally red sauce, and definitely meatballs. I'd be willing to bet that most parents will nod in agreement that "pasta" is on their children's preferred menu. Many picky kids will at least eat pasta.

There is definitely concern over the "just pasta" diet, I know. And so it was with glee that I agreed to try out Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta through Mom Central. I'll admit, I pass over many food reviews because they are for products that I don't really think are healthful. But Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta is enriched with vitamin D, calcium, and fiber.

My pasta-loving son tried and loved Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta. He had high compliments for it, even choosing to eat it plain because it tastes so good!

As part of Ronzoni's campaign, they asked the review bloggers to submit a photo to their Ronzoni Smart Taste Photo Contest, depicting how our kids enjoyed the pasta.

My entry is below:

While Splig had some more "photogenic" shots, this one caught my eye because the pasta is suspended in mid-air, dancing towards his mouth. Indeed, he was shoveling it in, and the pasta seemed pretty happy to join the party in his tummy.

So, if the pasta moves you, please vote for Splig. You might win a $25 gift card for your vote! (And I could win some pasta - yum!)

--
Disclaimer: I wrote a review and submitted this photo while participating in a campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni. I received products necessary to facilitate my candid review and photo contest entry. In addition, I will receive a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate. Neither Mom Central nor Ronzoni previewed this piece prior to publication; the words are my own. Both Mom Central and Ronzoni previewed my photo prior to publication on the photo contest website to ensure my pic was family-friendly and so forth; they did not edit my photo in any way.

For the past three years, one of my favorite parts of the BlogHer conference is the CheeseburgHer party. What started out as a stuff-the-suite-with-cheeseburgers event turned into a full-fledged ballroom filled with hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and McDonalds new Angus Snack Wraps. Of course there was a large cheeseburger bed in there, too. And sure, the photo booth was a great touch for my friends and I to show just how delectable we found the food.

I was intrigued by the new Angus Snack Wraps. I love the Chipotle BBQ grilled chicken wrap, so was definitely in favor of new wraps. The Angus Snack wraps come in three flavors: deluxe, mushroom & swiss, and bacon & cheese.

I tried the mushroom & swiss.

I have tried to be a good mom when it comes to feeding my family healthful food, but something always gets in the way. Either it is a time-crunch situation, so I order pizza; or, I compose everything beautifully, but the kids won't try it. Of course over at Grandma's house, they'll eat whatever she gives them. And their friends can get them to try new foods, too.

The times we've cooked together, my kids have been more likely to try at least a spoonful of their creation. With this in mind, I was extremely excited to learn about Disney family.com's Muppet Kitchen with Cat Cora. In specific, I was excited I was invited with my children to the Professional Culinary Institute to try out some recipes from the site. Free food and cooking instruction with my kids? Sign me up!

My younger son was particularly excited about this excursion because he adores reality-show-style cooking programs. He loves to get on his apron and expects to be a contestant when he is old enough. My older son, on the other hand, was skeptical, but I could tell he was a bit intrigued too: Muppets?

I conducted an interview with a prospective student to Brown today. That seems totally unrelated to the title of this post, but there it is. You see, while discussing the intricacies of what it is like to be a freshman in college, I mentioned how my roommate (from Long Island) mocked me - the California Girl - because I was just a tad worried about whether I'd be able to find frozen yogurt ("fro-yo") in Rhode Island. At that point, the only "chocolate yogurt" I considered was of the frozen variety.

Jump ahead [ahem] years, and now I have a different favorite chocolate yogurt.

Jump back a few weeks ago, and I didn't know said chocolate yogurt existed.

I was invited to a Stonyfield Organic PR event, but was unable to attend. I was genuinely disappointed, because I definitely enjoy yogurt, and was intrigued by the idea of incorporating yogurt into every-day recipes.

My youngest son loves tofu. He has a favorite marinated style that he frequently brings as a snack to school, which drew questioning glances from his preschool classmates, but now elicits some satisfied smiles from his fellow first-graders who became accustomed to his tastes in kindergarten.

And I adore tofu. I am not a vegan nor a vegetarian, but I'll frequently order a vegetarian dish during conferences or at restaurants, primarily because they end up tasting great, and I've lacked confidence in making my own - so prefer to order from "real chefs." I recall one amazing roasted red pepper risotto that I wish I could replicate. And one of my favorite restaurants when we lived in New York served a fabulous peanut tofu stir fry. More than once a month, you can find me at the burrito place ordering a thai-world-burrito, always with marinated tofu. And my favorite sandwich at our local grocery store is... yes, marinated tofu.

It was therefore with tremendous pleasure that I accepted an invitation to learn more about Nasoya Tofu's "Tofu U" at San Francisco's amazing Plant Cafe Organic. I was particularly intrigued to go to this event because "Skinny Bitch / Healthy Bitch" (who is nowhere near a "bitch") Kim Barnouin would provide instruction on how to cook with tofu firsthand. (I was thrilled that we received a copy of Kim's new book Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.)

One of my favorite race-bag additions is popchips. I'm fortunate that reps from popchips are often handing out free bags in the post-race area after some of the trail runs from my favored organized running company. Just as I crave a little salt, the popchips are right there. And yet, I'm not completely sabotaging my diet by partaking. You see, popchips aren't fried. In fact, they aren't even baked. They are popped!

I know what you are picturing - rice cakes, anyone? - seriously, this is much different.

Popchips have actual flavor. It is amazing to me that a single-serve bag is only 100 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. The ingredients are natural - I can pronounce every word on the bag. This isn't a chemically-laden snack food. They start with real potatoes, and POP! them. They then add seasoning using the actual ingredients they want the chip to taste like. Remember, no manufactured flavors out of chemicals!

I've always loved the original potato and barbecue potato flavors, but when popchips sent me a whole variety of flavors, I found a new favorite: cheddar potato!

My oldest son adores donuts. His super-thin frame doesn't give away that on occasion he can eat about four donuts in fewer than that many hours. Fortunately for our figures, we don't do a donut run on a daily basis, but for June 3rd's National Donut Day, we definitely will.

While we still have a month left to go before the big event, from today until June 3rd, Entenmann's will donate $1 (up to $10,000) to the Salvation Army for every Facebook "like" they receive. As if that weren't enough, they will be giving away many daily prizes, as well as 10 iPads. (Mmm, iPads are just yummy enough to gobble up, too!)

Why the Salvation Army? Well, apparently Salvation Army volunteers served donuts to troops in WWI, so the organization is credited with popularizing the donut in the U.S. This year in honor of National Donut Day, Entenmann's wishes to honor this service, which likely brought comfort to those young men far away from home.

--
Disclaimer: For publicizing their Donut Day donation to the Salvation Army, I will receive an Entenmann's Donut Day "prize pack" which will help fund my son's sugar habit. No further compensation or commission will occur as a result of this post.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a fabulous Stonyfield Organic event, featuring Robyn O'Brien of AllergyKids, author of The Unhealthy Truth. During that event, I met some other pioneers in the organic and eco-friendly food movements, such as Coco from Opera Girl Cooks (whose site I've now bookmarked since so many of her recipes make my mouth water), Michelle Stern (I just bought a bunch of ingredients to try out some recipes from her new book The Whole Family Cookbook), and Dina of Be Food Smart, which is a super-useful food additive database that I am sure I'll refer to frequently.

A big portion of yesterday's luncheon was to talk about the challenges of eating well, from the economics to the convenience. From health care to behavior to environmental concerns, food's role is huge. Treatment of animals, livelihood of farmers, and the well-being of those closest to us are all at stake. It is such a complex balance of factors, but it is reassuring to be part of a group of people who are making an effort to improve our eating situation. I am surely not perfect, but being with people who have made a difference fuels my own enthusiasm for eating well.

Of course it is refreshing to hear that Stonyfield Organic is ahead of the curve in terms of healthful eating, but I already knew that. In fact, you already knew that, because last autumn I sang the praises of their chocolate Greek yogurt, plus other terrific yummy varieties of their product.

If you happen to be in the San Francisco area tomorrow and/or Sunday, consider attending the North Beach Festival for the Stonyfield Organic Family Love Fest. Come to Vallejo Street between Grant and Columbus between 10am-6pm on 6/18 and 6/19 for FREE organic yogurt, cooking demos, and more. I won't be able to make it because I'm putting on a bridal shower for my brother's fiancee, so that's a different type of love. But, I look forward to looking through Stonyfield's Yogurt Cookbook to see how I might add a bit of their yogurt to my cooking. But eating it just straight suits me fine, too.

(If you aren't in San Francisco, don't fret. Check out Stonyfield Organic's community events to see if they will be near you.)

--
Disclaimer: I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you purchase something through one of those links, I'll get a few cents. Yesterday Stonyfield paid for my delicious lunch and gave me some free product, plus a cookbook and a rubber spatula. I was a Stonyfield customer long ago, so my enthusiasm for their product came before they gave me any free stuff.

Some time ago I was running a giveaway here. I posted it on Prizey, and while I was over there, figured I'd check out the other giveaways going on. One in particular caught my eye - for some bars from Core Foods. As a super-busy person who is always in my van chauffeuring someone to something, or at my computer with deadlines that don't involve the oven timer, I was attracted to the idea of 100% organic, raw, whole food to-go. Often convenience bars are filled with bleech, but these sounded good. And so I entered to win a case. Why not? I figured.

Well, I didn't win. But, Core Foods emailed me promoting a deal from this company called blissmo. For a deep discount I could get a sample set of all the Core Food bars, plus a voucher for an entire case of my favorite flavor.

I don't go to the BlogHer Conference for the Expo. (In fact the first couple conferences didn't have an expo.) My main focus is to hang out with friends I've met through blogging, meet new folks, and do a few sessions that might teach me something new. But I still go to the Expo. I use products on a regular basis that I originally learned about through my blogging activities.

This year's Expo was pretty food-heavy. In particular, it was pretty convenience-food happy. This is fine - because after all I'm a busy person - but I'm typically pretty wary about whether such things have too many additives, or too many calories.

I was pleased to see Skinny Cow represented since I love their ice cream. I happily snacked on some of their dreamy clusters during a writing session, and then took home their heavenly crisp bar in the milk chocolate flavor, which my son proclaimed the absolute yummiest bar ever. I already knew from the tasty ice-cream that Skinny Cow doesn't lose flavor just because they are lower in calories than the traditional desserts, but the clusters and bars brought home that point. After all, who can say their 10 year old son approves of the taste of "diet food?" Well, my son is begging me to buy more.

Whenever I tweet a status update that indicates that I'm enjoying Coco-Swirl, I inevitably have friends who chuckle about how that is the perfect drag queen name. Nonetheless, I am a huge fan of this nonfat treat.

My very first "real" job (aside from babysitting and cleaning neighbors' homes) was working at our local frozen yogurt joint (which is sadly now a Subway. I love Subway, but I love frozen yogurt more.) The place was called "Naturally Yogurt," and it carried all-natural varieties of frozen yogurt that I could actually eat (on the Feingold diet) unlike the rainbow flavored/colored stuff in the more traditional franchises around town. Eventually the place was renamed "Scoops," but I definitely preferred the "Naturally Yogurt" moniker.

While an employee, I learned how to clean the yogurt machines (a task that is much cooler than it sounds) and of course I got to eat some free yogurt. Shhh, don't tell anyone, but we used to trade employees of the hamburger restaurant next door fries for yogurt. I dipped my fries in vanilla yogurt. And I also dipped carrots and celery in vanilla yogurt. (It is better than it sounds, seriously.)

And so now that I've lost all credibility thanks to my potato-and-veggie-combined-with-dessert meals I enjoyed as a teenager, lemme tell you about Coco-Swirl!

It is yummy! The End.

My kids love to go to Coco-Swirl as a treat. I love to go because I'll take my beloved frozen yogurt and then add toppings like mochi and tiny cheesecake squares. We didn't have sophisticated toppings like that back in my Naturally Yogurt days.

When I moved back east for college, I was freaked out that maybe frozen yogurt was only a California thing. Thankfully, that wasn't true, but back home Scoops did close. Although many chains ended up closing for about a decade, I am so grateful that places like Coco-Swirl are now around to feed my obsession.

--
Disclaimer: I love frozen yogurt. I could live on it - and maybe also sushi - forever. Coco-Swirl did not ask me to post about them, nor will I receive compensation for this post.

I'm not a super-big iced tea drinker, although I'll have it on occasion. And lemonade is tasty and refreshing, but is often a bit too sweet for my tastes. Imagine my forehead-slapping surprise when I came across a solution to a problem I didn't know I had. Amongst my latest blissmo box of yummy treats was a single bottle of purity.Organic iced tea + lemonade.

Yes! People put all kinds of sweeter and lemon in their iced-tea, why not lemonade?

I tried the drink with a little skepticism, but also excitement. Verdict = yum! It is refreshing, not too sweet, and not too bitter. It is the perfect mix of flavors. It is satisfying without being heavy.

This stuff is half organic lemonade and half fair-trade black tea. It isn't from concentrate, and does't pack as high a caloric punch as many sweetened drinks. Each 2-serving bottle is 80 calories per serving, for a total of 160 calories per bottle.

purity.Organic iced tea + lemonade is sweetened with cane sugar, not any of that crazy HFCS. And there are no unpronounceable ingredients. The bottle is made of PET rather than glass because the company says it is lighter (takes less energy to produce and ship) and because it can be recycled to make many new products.

I'm definitely excited by this lemonade-iced-tea blend and will be looking for it at my local grocer.

--
Disclaimer: I just happened upon this drink in my blissmobox and thought it was innovative and delicious enough to share here. I will not receive commission or compensation if you buy from purity.Organic; however, if you sign up for blissmo emails I'll get a tiny kick-back if you purchase one of their deals.

I love nuts. (I already admitted I am a nutcase!) Give me almonds, cashews, macadamias, pistachios, pecans, and walnuts. I love peanut butter, but am not a big fan of peanuts on their own. And while I like a handful of nuts, I don't really like them stuffed in deserts, unless done just so.

Most of the times I just eat nuts plain. I prefer unsalted for health concerns, although smokehouse almonds with their super dose of sodium is pretty delicious! But then I came across these chai nuts from Olomomo Nut Company in my blissmo box, and I'm smitten.

Hey, I love chai tea! It is a neat flavor that makes me think of relaxing. So what about it on nuts?

I thought these almonds were pretty tasty. It was definitely a different experience than salted or cayenne-peppered nuts. Although, I see that Olomomo Nut Company has a mango-chipotle variety that I would like to try They also have cherry-vanilla and cinnamon-cayenne, both with no sodium. Oh, yum!

Like other products I receive through blissmo, the Olomomo Nut Company is eco-conscious and socially-responsible. When products that are healthful and made by good people are also super-tasty, it is a winning situation!

--
Disclaimer: I just happened upon these nuts in my blissmobox and thought it was innovative and delicious enough to share here. I will not receive commission or compensation if you buy from Olomomo Nut Company; however, if you sign up for blissmo emails I'll get a tiny kick-back if you purchase one of their deals.

I'm a big fan of the cool "tasting" or "sampler" box subscriptions that have popped up recently. What better way to try new products and learn about companies with which I'm not yet familiar? I'm especially impressed when these services focus on small businesses and eco-conscious ventures.

I was thrilled to learn about Conscious Box, a monthly taste (or feel) for pure, sustainable products from planet-friendly businesses. This isn't a greenwashed situation; Conscious Box states that it actively seeks out organizations that provide fair wages and ethical business practices as well as a quality product. They strive to be zero-waste, creating their encouraged-to-be-upcycled boxes from recycled materials and soy-based inks.

I was fortunate enough to receive a November box from them. Included in this month's shipment are: a full-sized Kind bar (one of my favorites!), Honest Kids' Appley-Ever-After juice, Mary's Gone Crackers double-chocolate wheat-free gluen-free vegan cookies, Funky Monkey pink pineapple freeze-dried fruit, CocoaWell "true energy" capsules, tiny packs of Glee gum (both mint and lemon-lime,) samples of two products from Pharmacopia (verbena body lotion and body wash,) samples of two 100% Pure products (vanilla bean body cream and green apple body cream,) and a small pack of Living Nutz vegan bodacious banana bread walnuts. What a stash!

It used to be tricky to find all-natural food or cosmetics without artificial chemical additives. I am thankful for companies like Conscious Box who are finding such products to introduce to people like me. Although I can browse the aisles of my local grocery store to buy things without requiring the postage to my doorstep, I like knowing that someone has done the research to know whether an "all-natural" product truly is "natural" or if a company behind an excellent-looking product isn't actually as wonderful behind-the-scenes. I'm glad Conscious Box is on the lookout for the real deal.

Thank you Conscious Box for sending me the November box to test. I'm definitely enthusiastic about your service and look forward to learning more about the trusted products and companies.

--
Conscious Box sent me their November box for free. I will receive no other compensation. The words and opinions above are my own.

UPDATE: The Conscious Box folks were kind enough to send me their December Conscious Box, too!

The FedEx dude came to my house Friday to deliver some items I had bought using 2-day shipping since I must have this one particular item for a gift exchange happening tonight. Well, all items arrived except the one for the gift exchange. So I am sad.

But then on our front porch was another package - big and heavy! This made me happy!

I opened it up to discover delicious treasure inside:

The first thing that I saw was the chocolate truffles. And then I saw the vanilla maple syrup and nearly had a heart-attack with joy. Vanilla! Maple! Syrup! I'm a big cranberry fan, so the nut & cranberry squares sound delish, and I can always use a bottle of wine! And then I had another happy heart-attack when I saw the pumpkin bread mix. My son and I are both of the mind that pumpkin added to just about anything makes it divine.

This wonderful stash came from Fresh & Easy, along with a festive reusable grocery bag.

I'm going to hang my head in shame to say I've never been to a Fresh & Easy store, although my friends rave about it. At first I thought there were none near my place - and since we have 5 grocery stores in less than a mile or so from our home, I seldom venture farther - but en route to a birthday party I discovered the location of our closest Fresh & Easy!

The friends who live close to the Fresh & Easy confess that they pick up a lot of their meals from there because the food is fresh and the effort required to prepare is easy. (You saw that coming, didn't you?)

But Fresh & Easy is much more than just convenience. I checked out thier snazzy Who We Are video and learned that they create an economically-friendly experience while still providing foods with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no added trans-fats. Their stores are designed to save energy, money, and time.

So I'm thrilled to report that I've discovered three Fresh & Easy stores in shopping centers I pass nearly daily. Hooray!

I'm eager to try out the goodies I received in my care package, but I'm now pretty excited about giving the actual store a try, too!

--
Disclaimer: Fresh & Easy sent me some products for free! I was happy to receive this unexpected gift, so wanted to give them a shout-out.

I have a cookbook from my youth that contains various muffin recipes. I know I loved these treats as a kid, but when I make them now, my changed palate can't handle the oily taste of using copious amounts of vegetable oil. When I got the excellent gift bundle from Fresh & Easy, I was eager to try their pumpkin bread mix. My heart sank for a moment when I saw it was an "add vegetable oil" type mix, but then I got an idea...

I saw a sale on Open Sky for coconut oil. Although I had heard about such a product in passing, I was drawn to the description on the site about how it is a healthful alternative to other oils. I'm an EVOO gal, but was intrigued by the idea of trying coconut oil. I ordered a jar of Kelapo from Open Sky. (Okay, I ordered two jars, since I was convinced I'd love it.) Meanwhile, I received a sample size of Artisana raw coconut oil in one of my Blissmo boxes.

I used the coconut oil just as I would have ordinarily used vegetable oil or Crisco. Coconut oil can be used either as a liquid or a solid, which makes things pretty easy. We used to have Crisco in our pantry, but then they started adding artificial preservatives. I'd much prefer a 100% organic, fair-trade product that is rich in antioxidants and lauric acid (also contained in breast milk) like Kelapo coconut oil.