Category Archives: Product Review

May 31, 2012 · 8:07 am

The Sitch In The Kitch

I’m always tweaking recipes to make them healthier. I love a challenge like that.

So it seems we’re always talking about healthy ingredients, and that’s great, but what about the health and safety of the the cookware we’re using?

Ah…perhaps you didn’t think of that?

Perhaps you did?

Well, if you’re anything like me, you’ve wondered what’s best to use. And I have asked around and done my research, so now I’m sharing with you my picks for best performance and safest cookware. That’s right. No nasty chemicals getting into your food from plastic or non-stick coating or other suspect materials. No impossible cleanup. And all are extremely affordable. Yeah, no bank breakers here. Can you believe? I hardly can!

Let’s get to it, then!

1. Bialetti Aeternum Cookware

This is one kickass line of cookware, people. I’m not going to lie…I’m a lotta bit in love. This thing cooks in a non-stick way and cleans up like a dream but doesn’t have the chemicals that are in that non-stick coating. It’s eco-friendly and because it’s ceramic, it’s free of PFOA, PTFE, and Cadmium. Those chemicals are bad. But the Aeternum line is so good. I love you, Bialetti. Thank you for this.

2. Stoneware

My awesome study group steered me to unfinished stoneware for all of my baking needs. I love my group and I love baking, and now I love my stoneware, too. Thank you, dear group. Stoneware is amahzing. Yes, it’s so amahzing that I had to put an h in there. Dig it.

3. The Steamer Pot

This is just the best way to make asparagus I can’t even handle it. And if you know me, you know I love asparagus. I don’t love the aftermath of asparagus, but I’m willing to put up with it for a few reasons:
1) asparagus has a fantastic amount of protein for a veggie and I don’t know why people don’t talk about that more
2) asparagus is a great detoxifier (that gets back to the whole aftermath situation I was talking about), as it is an anti-inflammatory food and helps with digestion
3) it’s super quick and easy to make and take on the go or snack at home and if you know me at all, you know I love a quick and easy snack
4) and because it’s a green, it’s low in calories but high in antioxidants and nutrients and basically all the good things you want in a food

The steamer pot is ideal because when you boil veggies you lose a lot of the nutrients in the water. So with this steamer pot and basket, you’re keeping the veg out of the water and the nutrients in the veg. Yeehaw!

4. The Wooden Spoon/Spatula

Toss the plastic, folks. You may recall that I am an anti-BPA crusader. I avoid plastic whenever and wherever possible. So you better believe I avoid it in my kitchen (the husband can attest to that). So thank goodness for the wooden utensil! Wooden spoons and spatulas won’t scratch your pans (you would NOT want to do that to your brand new Bialetti) or contaminate your food with BPA (you would NOT want to do that to your body). Wood and bamboo options are inexpensive, work great, and look great. And contrary to what some might think, wood does not harbor bacteria. Just clean it like anything else and you’re good to go.

5. The Chemex

This is simply my most favorite way to make coffee. No plastic. No contraptions. Just a glass pitcher type thing that looks like something out of a science lab (you’ll need filters and the world’s best kettle, too) that makes a fantastic, clean cup of Barefoot Coffee. Barefoot Coffee? Qu’est-ce que c’est? Only the most delicious coffee around, which also happens to be direct trade (better than fair trade, people!), sustainably grown, and de facto organic. How do I know? Oh, I know things. 😉

So there you have it. I’ve just made your kitchen a whole lot healthier. Now I just have to post some more recipes so you can get cookin’!

Question of the Day:
What’s your favorite dish to cook? Let’s hear it!

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Filed under BPA, Product Review, Products, Tips and Tricks

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May 14, 2012 · 3:08 pm

No Monday Blues Here

Happy Monday, everyone!

As some of you smirk at that, I must tell you what a happy Monday it has been for me. What I assumed would be a routine trip to Whole Foods turned into a Health Coach moment for me and I got to revel in how much I love what I do.

So here’s what happened…

I was shooting up and down the aisles, snatching everything I needed at lightening speed so I could get back to work. (I’m a very speedy machine these days.) Then I sort of got in the way of a woman while I was grabbing for the hemp seeds and I apologized and she just sort of looked at me and then looked up at the hemp seeds on the shelf and then back at me and back at the hemp seeds.

I felt a question coming on so I lingered there for a moment, taking the opportunity to make sure I had all the superfoods I needed. You know, you never want to leave Whole Foods without all your superfoods.

(Superfood = food that is exceptionally good for you.)

And finally she spoke. “So does that give you a ton of energy or something?”

Well, folks, I wanted to share with you all exactly what I shared with this nice lady at Whole Foods because this really is good information.

“I guess so! It’s a great source of protein,” I said. “It’s actually a perfect plant protein.”

“So it’s not a bad protein?”

“No! Not a bad protein. It’s an excellent protein!” I said. “And it’s great because you can put it on cereal or oatmeal, or sprinkle it on salads. It has a nutty flavor and a slightly chewy texture. It tastes kind of like quinoa but you have to cook quinoa and this you just sprinkle on. Easy!”

Now, for those of you who are wondering, I like the Navitas brand. The hemp seeds are certified organic, raw, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, fair trade, sustainably grown, and tasty. Some of you might only care about that last part. That’s cool.

But hemp seeds are one of the best sources of plant protein, as they have a high protein content and are a complete protein with all the essential amino acids. If you don’t know what that means, all you really have to know is that it’s the healthiest kind of protein.

In addition to protein, hemp is a great source of magnesium and zinc, and also a good source of potassium and iron. Additionally, hemp seeds have omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the ideal ratio. That might also be confusing, but what you really need to know here is that most of us are getting way too much omega-6, and the balance of the two is key.

I then grabbed a bag and handed it to her. She was excited to try it. I love spreading the superfood love!

And that brings me to my final point here on a Monday. This is a reminder to do what you love. There was a time when I dreaded a Monday as much as the next guy. But these days, Mondays are just another day to do what makes me happy.

Question of the day:
What makes YOU happy? Now, I know we all have answers to that so let’s hear from you below!!

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Filed under Gluten-free, Organic, Product Review, Raw, Superfoods, Vegan

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May 8, 2012 · 3:24 pm

“I Think There’s Something To This Whole Organic Thing…”

…my husband said to me at the airport Sunday.

I shot him a funny look. “Yes. There is. Duh.”

Now, I don’t say “duh” to most people, but my husband does like to give me a hard time, so sometimes I have to get sarcastic right back at him. He listens to me talk ALL THE TIME about the merits of eating organic, cutting out the chemicals, the processed food, the genetically modified foods, and the foods that are a bit mysterious (I like to know everything that goes into my food). He’s a patient one.

And he knows I’m right, even if he isn’t as…hmm…shall we say…hardcore? as me. But yesterday he saw, in the itty bitty Tucson airport, quite a bit of organic snacks for sale. And he was surprised. And I was thrilled! Because not only did it give me some snack options for the flight home, but it was support for my argument. What’s my argument? That more and more people are wanting quality food with real ingredients and it should be available to us.

He was about to buy some non-organic cookie until the salesgirl said it was awful, so he put it down and bought this, at my insistence, instead:

And hooray! Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups are amazingly delicious. With the exception of my tiny nibble, the hubby happily polished these off. And while these are still technically candy, they’re far better than any conventional candy you could buy – both in taste and in ingredients. We tried the milk chocolate because that’s what the hubby likes, but they make dark chocolate, as well. And I recommend dark chocolate if you like it, as it is healthier, of course. You can find these online (click on the links above) or in local health food stores.

For me, I chose three less “desserty” selections, two of which were granola bars from the company, 18 Rabbits. One was the Nibblin’ Apricot Granola Bar and the other was the Cherry Apricot Bunny Bar.

These two flavors taste very similar but are different in size, so if you want a smaller snack, go with the Bunny and if you want a heartier snack, go with the full size bar (it’s almost twice the size of the Bunny). Ingredients are great, texture is chewy (my favorite), flavor is oaty, and the apricots lend a nice pop of tartness to both bars. I did not eat both all at once – portion control, people! Look for them at your local health food store or buy online (click on links above). There are other flavors, too, but I only tried these.

Now, for the total fail:

I’ve seen Amande Coconut Almond Yogurt (soy-free and dairy-free) at Whole Foods and almost bought it many times. I figured airport hunger would be the perfect excuse to finally try it, as I wasn’t jazzed by the nutrition facts. Well, it’s official: I’m not a fan. It is way too sweet for me and kind of has a funny taste. I don’t recommend it.

But this just shows you how many organic options there actually were at this wee airport – and we didn’t even buy them all! I’m very happy to see organic products creeping into the most unlikely places. And very glad to be able to do this little product review for you folks. Keep your eye out for organic products where you least expect them.

Question of the Day: What is your favorite organic product?

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Filed under Chocolate, Coconut, Organic, Product Review, Snacks

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