Frozen Wheatgrass Juice

Check out the new post at Emily's Fresh Kitchen on Frozen Wheatgrass Juice

http://www.emilysfreshkitchen.com/great-products/frozen-wheatgrass-juice/1061/

purely elizabeth ancient grain cookies

Purely Elizabeth is a company that makes wonderful cookie mixes, muffin mixes and granola using ancient whole grains without refined sugar.  Their products are wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan.  I ordered the chocolate chip cookie mix and made it for my family. They were easy to make and a big hit!  The granola is amazing too!  To learn more about purely elizabeth and order their products click here.     

purely elizabeth chocolate chip cookie mix

The directions

Place 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup applesauce and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a medium bowl

Mix well

Take the bag of mix out of the box

Add the mix to the oil and applesauce

Mix well

Roll into 1"balls

Place 2" apart on a lined baking sheet

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes

Enjoy!

The granola

http://www.purelyelizabeth.com/

Grass-Fed Beef from Butternut Woods Farm

Butternut Woods is a family farm in Silver Lake, Minnesota that was homesteaded in 1876. Tom Moore and his sister Amy Haben purchased the family farm from their grand-mother to raise heritage breed Highland cattle.   Originating in Scotland, Highlands are the oldest known breed of cattle.  They have broad horns and long wool-like hair that keeps them warm in harsh climates.  They graze on pasture grasses and wooded plants and exhibit a gentle demeanor.  Tom and Amy are committed to raising these animals humanely and compassionately.  They use rotational grazing practices and do not give the cattle growth hormones or antibiotics.

I had the pleasure of visiting the charming Butternut Woods Farm this past week-end.  As customers who purchased a share of their grass-fed beef, my family was invited out for a tour of the farm when it was ready for pick-up.  After a 50 minute drive west of the cities, we were greeted warmly by a bonfire with a cup of hot apple cider.  Guests were treated to a hayride out into the pastures to visit the cattle.  The family eagerly answered questions about their farm and it's history, sharing a wealth of information.  It was a wonderful experience well worth the drive.

When we got home with our neatly packaged boxes of frozen grass-fed beef, I placed 3 pounds of stew meat in the refrigerator to thaw.  I was anxious to make beef stew and test their home raised product.  A few days later I made the stew and it was wonderful!  The meat was tender and flavorful.  I will post the stew recipe soon.

Why is it important to buy grass-fed pasture raised beef?  Cows are ruminants which means they were created to eat fiber filled grasses, plants and shrubs.  The beef you buy at the grocery store is from cows that were fed corn, soy and animal by-products (unless labeled otherwise).  Their systems were not made to process such starchy foods and as a result some animals become infected with disease so they are given a constant dosing of antibiotics.  These cows are also packed into commercial feed lots with not much room to move and stand in their own waste. Not only is pasture raised beef more natural, humane and eco-friendly, it is healthier for us. Grass-fed beef is lower in overall fat and has more omega 3 fats from the grass.  If you are interested in learning more about how beef and other foods are commercially produced in America, there are some great books and movies that discuss these topics.  A few I would recommend are The Omnivore's Dilemma, Food Inc., and, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  If you are interested in purchasing grass-fed beef from Butternut Woods farm please contact them at butternutwoods@gmail.com.  I know I will be buying another share this spring and visiting the farm again!

We were greeted by the heritage breed Highland Cattle

Arriving at the farm

Tom and Amy

Both male and female Highland Cattle have horns.

Me enjoying the tour.

More cattle

Guarding a calf 

Tom's beautiful home was built using wood from the old barn they tore down.

Amy's husband John takes guests on a hayride through the pastures.

Box 1 of our beef share filled with roasts, steaks, ribs, and other cuts.

Box 2 of our beef share filled with ground beef.

Q Ginger and Q Tonic

I am not a big soda drinker, but when my friend Sue gave me a Q Ginger, I was smitten.  It was crisp and refreshing, not too sweet and had a little kick from coriander, cardamon, capsicum, orange peel and rose oil.  The best part is Q Ginger is sweetened with agave, not refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.  The company also makes Q Tonic which is made from hand-picked Peruvian quinine and sweetened with agave as well.  These charming little bottles are a great addition to your bar for mixers or on their own when entertaining.   The company's website has some unique cocktail and mocktail recipes.  I buy it at Lakewinds and have seen Q tonic, but not Q Ginger at Whole Foods.  It is also available online through Amazon.  Enjoy!

Coconut Bliss Ice Cream

Nothing screams summer like ice-cream.  Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss ice-cream is a wonderful alternative to dairy ice cream.  It is made from all natural organic coconut milk and sweetened with agave.  Coconut milk is made from coconut meat which contains medium-chain-fatty acids.  This fat is actually good for us.  MCFA's have been shown to reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, prevent disease and improve digestion.  Coconut products have gotten a bad rap because of the hydrogenated coconut oil found in processed foods.  That oil actually is bad for us, but the natural oil and natural coconut products are very healthful.  The next time you want a cool creamy treat, try ice-cream made from natural coconut milk and enjoy in good conscience.      

2 of the 14 flavors available, Mint Galactica and Chocolate Peanut Butter

Enjoy!

CSA

Basil, dill, green onions, spinach, leaf lettuce, cabbage, and sweet peas.
Half of one week's crop share.

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA is where a group of individuals pledge support  to a local farm.  Typically a member or "share holder" in the CSA pays a specified amount of money to cover  farming operations and the farmer's salary.  In return they receive part of the farm's bounty called a crop share during the growing season.  Members also share in the risks of poor harvests due to bad weather or pests.  My mother and I have been part of an organic CSA for a few years now.  We split one share and it is always more than enough.  The fun thing about participating in a CSA is that you don't know from week to week what you will get.  You receive whatever was ready to be harvested.  I enjoy trying to come up with new recipes for the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables we receive each week.  The first share I got this year is pictured above.  It looks like there will be a lot of salads, bruschetta, and some type of slaw at my house this week.


To find a CSA near you visit
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Shelton's Turkey Sausage

My sister Liz introduced me to Shelton's turkey sausage.  It is a healthier alternative to pork sausage and is just as delicious.   In fact, turkey is listed as one of the fourteen superfoods in Dr. Pratt's famous book "Superfoods".  It is a great source of lean protein and also contains niacin, selenium, B6, B12 and zinc.  These nutrients are heart-healthy and are also valuable in helping to lower the risk for cancer.  Shelton's uses free-roaming turkeys and they don't add any artificial ingredients or fillers to their products.  This sausage is wonderful alone or served as a side with pancakes and eggs.  When I want a bigger breakfast to get me through a long day, I make a sandwich with it.  I toast an Eziekiel sprouted grain english muffin or toast, and top it with a turkey sausage patty, avocado and pink finishing salt.

You can find these in the freezer section with other great Shelton's turkey products
I buy mine at Lakewinds in Minnetonka
For a store that carries them near you check out their website:

http://www.sheltons.com/cgi-bin/sheltons/store_locator.html?id=jCSJpyRN

Ezekeil brand sprouted english muffins
I chose cinnamon raisin this time

My delicious breakfast sandwich

Goodbyn Lunchbox

Goodbyn is an American company located in the midwest.  They make fantastic lunchboxes and bynto boxes!  The lunchboxes have 6 compartments to put food in so you don't need to use any plastic bags.  The smaller bynto boxes have 3 compartments.  The containers come with an 8 oz. drink bottle that can be used for a beverage or a salad dressing.  An adorable sticker set is included for optional decorating.  They are BPA free and dishwasher safe.  These are great for school lunches, work lunches and picnics.  Fill them with healthy food and throw them in a cooler for the drive to the cabin and avoid the drive-thru!  Pita chips and hummus, veggies and dip, chips and salsa, salads, leftovers, fresh cut fruit, the options are endless!  Check out their online store http://store.goodbyn.com

Abby's lunch
PB&J, carrots and dip, pineapple, tortilla chips and water

Fun stickers!

Bynto Box

Finishing Salt

 A few years ago my good friend Deb gave me this wonderful black finishing salt for my birthday.  I enjoyed using it so much that it has since become a staple in my pantry.  Finishing salt is really sea salt that is unrefined and derived directly from a living ocean or sea.  It is harvested by funneling ocean water into large clay trays and allowing the sun and wind to evaporate it naturally.  Since it hasn't been processed it still contains natural traces of valuable minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and iodine.  These salts come a in a variety of colors including white, grey, pink, green, brown and black.  One of my favorite ways to use my black finishing salt is on grilled vegetables.  I cut up whatever vegetables I plan to grill and toss them with a little olive oil.  I  grill them in a grill basket over medium-high heat and then sprinkle with the salt before serving.  My daughters love it!  It is fantastic on fresh pineapple and watermelon too.  Specialty food stores and some grocery stores carry finishing salts.  The kind I have is from Williams Sonoma.

black sea salt

vegetables tossed with olive oil

ready to cook on the grill

grilled vegetables with black finishing salt

The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15 App

The dirty dozen and the clean 15 is a list put out by the Environmental Working Group listing fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticides.  It is designed to help us decide which items to buy organic and which ones are ok if conventionally grown.  It would be ideal to buy all organic but sometimes that just isn't possible due to availability or budget.  I have read this list many times and have several books that site it, but I often forget what it says when I am at the grocery store.  The other day I was navigating the produce department and thought I really should carry this list with me.  Then it dawned on me, there must be an app for that, and sure enough there is.  Now I have it on my iphone and can refer to it when making my produce purchasing decisions.   You can find it in the app store on your phone or click on the link below.  It is free!




Download the Guide| Environmental Working Group

Trader Joe's Frozen Organic Brown Rice

Trader Joe's Frozen Organic Brown Rice is a staple at my house.  I try to always keep some in the freezer.  It is so quick and easy to prepare.  I recommend taking the rice out of the little plastic pouches and putting it in a microwave safe bowl with a plate on top of it when microwaving.  Studies show that cooking foods in plastics can release harmful cancer-causing toxins.

I use this rice as a quick side dish with fish or poultry at dinner.  Sometimes I will warm some up and add chopped avocado and tomato, olive oil, a little lemon juice and salt for a quick lunch.  You can also add any fresh herbs you have on hand like cilantro or basil.  Add a can of black beans and salsa and wrap in a whole-grain tortilla for a quick burrito.  Warm it up with the milk of your choice and a little cinnamon and honey for a great alternative to oatmeal in the morning.  Stir in some fruit and nuts for a complete breakfast.  The possibilities are endless with this convenient product!