A Life Less Sweet

News and personal observations on school lunches

2009-12-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm putting December Rewind on hold for a day because a couple of articles that family forwarded to me have school lunches swimming around in my head. This is such an important issue! I've heard the argument that school lunches and vending machines are not the real issue when it comes to teaching kids how to eat healthy - that kids will face temptations all their lives, and they might as well learn to start resisting temptation now. But people, schools are institutions of learning. When you put junk in the schools, you are actively teaching the kids that junk is ok to eat. Those vending machines selling chips and sodas in schools - their very presence implies that eating and drinking junk is fine. Serving kids fast food as a school lunch (Dominoes pizza, anyone?) teaches them that these are good-for-you foods. Kids are paying attention to what they're served and what they have available to them! For some kids, school might be their primary place to learn about eating healthy, but instead they see more chips, more soda, more fast food. Let's stop pimping out our kids to the junk food industry and start serving them real food in schools.

I could go on and on.

Moving on to the news... First, a rather disturbing article from USA Today that asserts that fast food restaurants have higher standards for the meat that they serve than our schools do. So nice to know that our schools serve meat so cheap that McDonalds wouldn't touch it. Read more here.

Next, Miller-McCune talks about recommendations that the Institute of Medicine has for improving school lunches and the difficulty in getting these changes implemented. It's not all black and white - in fact, there's a lot of green (aka money) involved. I hope that the powers in charge at the USDA realize that feeding our kids healthy food and in essence teaching them about healthy food by the foods that schools serve can have potentially dramatic, money-saving consequences down the road. Think of the positive health consequences if we could teach kids early on about how to eat healthy - through example, not just talk. Find the article here.

And now for some personal observations. I posted some of my school lunch fears at the beginning of the school year. I eat lunch with my son at his school once a week, so I've had first-hand experience with his school lunch. My son quite often likes to buy his lunch, and I'm letting him despite my criticisms. Happily, there are quite a few good things to say about the lunches served at his school. The kids have a well-stocked salad bar to choose from at every single lunch. They also have a choice between two different fruits each meal. There is no dessert except on Domino's Pizza day (yes, that's right), which is every Thursday. The teachers and cafeteria workers actively encourage the kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. The school even provides a morning snack of fresh fruit to every child that wants it! Love that!

Amazingly, my son's palate has actually expanded because of his school lunches. He's discovered that he loves celery sticks and Clementines and has tried (and liked) foods that he wouldn't try at a restaurant or at home. Best of all, those new likes spill over to home as he asks for celery sticks with a little ranch dressing for a snack at home or happily eats an entree that he first tried at school.

The bad...well, these are still school lunches. The ingredient quality of the entrees leave much to be desired. The entrees are often bland and mushy and not at all appetizing (at least not to an adult). And did I mention the ingredient quality? Typically, the salad bar is the only vegetable option. That is not necessarily a bad thing as it is full of a variety of fresh vegetables that are good for dipping (and even occasionally cold green peas or cold green beans), but it would be nice to see a well-cooked vegetable offered alongside the entree.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that we're perfect eaters. We're not - far from it. Our food journey is far from over. But, as you know from this blog, we are doing our best to instill healthy eating habits in our children through example. I wish our schools would do the same. I think that things are starting to change for the better. We need to keep the conversation going to keep the positive changes coming!

The scoop on prebiotics

2009-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Another December rewind! This post was originally in response to a question sent in by a reader. I love getting questions! I'm reposting this because prebiotics are popping up in more and more products, and I suspect that most people have no clue what a prebiotic really is.

One great thing about this blog is that through interacting with other people, I am learning so much. A commenter had a question about fructo-oligosaccharides - an ingredient she saw in one of her food products - and frankly I really didn't know anything about them. Hence this post! I love it when a question spurs me on to learn more about something - especially as I am relatively new to thinking about nutrition and what we put into our bodies in a more hardcore way.

What is FOS?
So, what exactly are fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and what are they doing in our food and supplements? Let's start with the big word - oligosaccharides are short to medium chains of sugar molecules. Adding fructo to the word indicates that the chain is composed of several fructose molecules. So FOS is really just a bunch of fructose molecules connected to each other chemically. (Similarly, galacto-oligosaccharides are a bunch of galactose - or milk sugar - molecules strung together.)

Inulin, often used as a dietary fiber, is a longer chain of fructose molecules. Sometimes inulin is referred to as an FOS, but generally FOS are generally shorter chains of fructose, while inulin is a very long chain of fructose. Both FOS and inulin are found naturally in Jerusalem artichoke, burdock, chicory, leeks, onion, aspargus, bananas, wheat, leeks, and tomatoes. FOS can be synthesized by Aspergillus enzmatically acting on sucrose or by the degradation of inulin.

FOS actually behaves quite differently than a solitary fructose molecule. We don't have the right enzymes to digest FOS, so they pass through our stomachs and small intestines intact. The flora in our large intestines and colon, however, are able to feed on FOS. What's more, FOS is preferred by the good bacteria (such as the Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus strains), though bad bacteria (like Klebsiella, Clostridium, and E. coli) are able to digest it on a limited basis. Because FOS serves as food for friendly bacteria (the kind you find in probiotics), it's considered to be a prebiotic. Get it? Prebiotics feed probiotics.

The Good
There are quite a few health benefits associated with FOS. Have you heard that a happy colon equals a happy body? Well, the health and happiness of your colon and intestines is largely dependent on its bacterial population. The human gastrointestinal tract has a complex ecosystem of hundreds of different types of bacteria. These bacteria have enormously important functions, including protection from infection from foreign bacteria and providing nutrients, including B-vitamins and short chain fatty acids.

The good bacteria in our body feed on FOS with a much greater efficiency than the bad bacteria in our body. In that way, FOS acts as a selective food for the good bacteria. The hope with a prebiotic like FOS is that the good bacteria will get the extra nourishment and thrive at the expense of the bad bacteria, and the bacterial population in your gut will then be mostly good bacteria.

FOS consumption has been associated with a lot of positive results. It's been shown to increase calcium and vitamin K absorption in the colon. It also boosts the bacterial populations' ability to synthesize B vitamins (like riboflaven, niacin, and pyridoxine). The level of short chain fatty acids in the colon is also higher with FOS consumption. All good things for colon health.

Because we can't digest FOS, it serves as a low-calorie dietary fiber, and we all know that we need to be consuming more dietary fiber! FOS is sweet - about half as sweet as table sugar - and is finding popularity as a low calorie sweetener, which is one reason why it's popping up in more and more foods.

The Bad
Of course, everything isn't all sunshine and roses with FOS (and inulin). There are concerns surrounding prebiotics. The biggest concern is that FOS also feeds the bad bacteria. If the microflora in a person's gut is out of balance - with more bad bacteria than good bacteria - this could be especially troubling.

Some people who consume FOS have problems with gas formation, bloating, abdominal pain, and (to a lesser extent) diarrhea. These problems have been attributed in part to actions by bad bacteria. While many people tolerate and are benefited by consumption of FOS, others simply cannot tolerate it and experience intestinal havoc when taking FOS or inulin.

Some claim that FOS and inulin can help those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but clinical studies simply do not support this. Not only does FOS not help alleviate IBS symptoms, some IBS sufferers experience a short term worsening of IBS symptoms when taking FOS or inulin.

What's the bottom line?
FOS consumption has a lot of potentially positive outcomes, but its interactions with bacteria in the gut are still not well understood. Each person's body chemistry is so different, and I suspect that the microflora population (good versus bad bacteria) in a person's colon determines to a large extent how effective - or detrimental - FOS is. For a colon in bacterial balance, FOS and inulin are probably beneficial. For a colon where the bad bacteria have an edge, FOS and inulin might not be such a good thing.

FOS is starting to pop up in a lot of different places. If you buy probiotics (aka good bacteria taken as a supplement), you might see FOS bundled in. Inulin is sold as a dietary fiber (Fiber Choice fiber supplement). And because both are sweet, they're starting to be used as sweeteners in foods too.

In the end, we've decided to be cautious with FOS and inulin. We have irritable bowel syndrome in our family and don't want to risk the detrimental effects that can potentially come along with FOS and inulin consumption. So, for now, we'll stick with natural sources of FOS and avoid FOS as a supplement.

Do you have a question about an ingredient or food issue? Ask! I'd love to try to tackle your question!

Meatless Monday - Frittata

2009-12-07T08:48:00.000-08:00

December rewind continues with another of my go-to Meatless Monday meals. Frittata is so easy to pull together in a pinch with whatever you happen to have in your fridge. You can add meat, of course, but it makes such a wonderful, protein-packed meatless meal, so why even bother with meat? Read on!

One of my quick, go-to meatless meals is a frittata. A frittata - at least the way I make it - is basically just a crustless quiche. I start it on the stove and end in the oven. It's a great meal to use up leftovers in the fridge. Virtually any vegetable is good in a frittata. You could even throw in a little meat if you want - a little bacon is a particularly good addition and sausage would probably also be good.

I am not a big fan of eggs - the taste does not appeal to me - so I like a frittata that has a lot of stuff in it. The egg acts more as a binder than anything, and all of the other flavors temper the egg flavor. My husband and I love this dish (though my husband likes quiche better - he's a crust fan), and it's growing on my kids too.

I like recipes. I like to fiddle with a recipe to make it my own, but I still like to have a base recipe to go by. Frittata is an exception. It's a very forgiving dish, and I usually just wing it. So, I'm going to give you a basic recipe, but don't be afraid to play around with it. Feel free to use less egg or more egg, different seasonings, a different cheese or no cheese at all, and of course whatever vegetables suit your mood. You can even go up or down with the oven temperature - just adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Without further ado, here is the basic recipe for the frittata that I made for our family last week. Enjoy!

Frittata

1 1/2 cups red potato, cubed
1 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, chopped and steamed
1/2 cup Jarlsberg cheese
4 eggs
1 cup skim milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Saute the potato and onion over medium heat in an oven-safe skillet with a little olive oil for about 10 min or until potato is tender. Stir frequently. Add broccoli florets and top with cheese.

Mix eggs, milk, salt, and paprika. Pour into skillet over broccoli/potato/onion mixture. Shake the pan a bit to distribute the ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 min or until the bottom starts to set up while the top is till a bit liquidy.

Move skillet to oven and cook for another 15-20 min or until the frittata has set up. A toothpick inserted about an inch from the center should come out clean.

Being a good guest while eating healthier

2009-12-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

Another oldie but goodie that seems appropriate this time of year. How do you handle holiday parties and dinners with friends when you've made a personal commitment to eat healthier? Here's my take on this dilemma!

I'm going off on a little bit of a tangent here today. I read a quote in a magazine recently that set my mind to wandering and my fingers to typing.

What do you do when you've taken on a healthier diet - say, given up HFCS and trans fat - and are eating food at someone's house? Maybe you're at a playdate and a friend is serving your child bright blue yogurt or maybe a sugary punch drink that you know is filled with HFCS. Do you call them on it? Do you tell them that you don't eat foods like that?

I saw this quote from Michael Pollan, the author of In Defense of Food and Omnivore's Dilemma, in Reader's Digest last week. He says:

I really care where my food comes from, but I also care about being a good guest. So I eat whatever is put in front of me and don't make special requests.

I completely agree with Mr. Pollan. I know that not everyone is on the same food journey that we're on. Some people are not at all concerned about the ingredients in their food, some people are on a very different sort of journey than we're on, and some people are way ahead of us in the foods they eat.

I have had mothers snub snacks that I've served at playdates in the past, and I found it incredibly rude. (I'll note that no food allergies were involved. Food allergies or intolerances completely change the picture.) You can serve me shrimp floating in a pool of HFCS and topped with globs of trans fat, and if it is my only choice that you're serving me as a host, I'll eat it with a smile on my face (or else take a cue from my father and declare that I ate a big lunch and am just not hungry). I'm happy to talk about what we're doing with our diet if it comes up organically, but I'm not going to belittle your way of eating. That just isn't polite and isn't what a good guest should do.

I do think that we should fight for the food that our kids eat. We should fight for better school lunches. We should make it known with our pocketbooks and e-mails and blogs that we won't tolerate trans fat or HFCS or whatever else gives you the heebie-jeebies in our food - especially when that food is marketed to children. We should lead by example and eat a good, healthy diet so that our children have something to model. But we should also remember to be gracious to our hosts.

What do you think? Do you challenge your host if they serve you something that doesn't fit a healthier diet? Or do you eat it what you're given without comment?

Meatless Monday - Sweet Potato Nachos

2009-11-30T05:52:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy this repost of a favorite Meatless Monday recipe!

Who doesn't love nachos? Nachos are a fun finger food for adults and kids alike. A couple of weeks ago I made an unusual one that is sure to become a favorite around here. What's so unusual about it? Sweet potatoes! These nachos are topped with a bean sauce and roasted sweet potatoes.

I think that we have established that I am not a bean fan. I am slowly but surely working bean dishes into our repertoire, though. I find that if a dish is heavily seasoned and the right kind of bean is used, I don't mind beans so much. The flavor of red kidney beans blend in nicely in a well seasoned dish. I use these beans in my turkey chili and in this dish. The bean sauce is really kind of like beans and salsa and is fine even for me.

And the sweet potatoes - divine! My husband said that every time he took a bite with sweet potato in it his mouth got a burst of delicious sweetness. The sweet potatoes are coated with wonderful, aromatic spices - cumin and coriander - that really compliment the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the bean sauce. Plus, sweet potatoes, you'll remember, are really good for you.

At long last, it's recipe time! I adapted this recipe from Linda McCartney's World of Vegetarian Cooking, a cookbook that has provided many delicious recipes to our household. It's a different take on nachos, but one that is definitely worth your time!

Beans and Sweet Potato Nachos

1 1/2 lbs sweet potato, peeled and diced
3 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp paprika
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 14 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups Cheddar cheese
corn tortilla chips

In a large baking dish, mix the sweet potato, 2 TBSP of the oil, and the cumin and coriander. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 50-60 min or until tender.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and paprika. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, about 10 min, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes with their juices and simmer uncovered for 5 min. Stir in the beans.

Place some corn chips on an oven or microwave-proof plate, and top corn chips with the bean mixture, then the sweet potato, and finish with some cheese. Bake for 10 min until nachos are well heated (or microwave for 30 seconds or so to melt the cheese).

Serve with garnish of choice - cilantro, avocado, sour cream, or jalepenos for example.

A few of my favorite things

2009-11-27T10:34:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, Made from Earth is offering a special discount for A Life Less Sweet readers! Zip over to my Reviews blog for details or see the button on the sidebar.

The holiday season is upon us! Life is always busy here, but even more so this time of year. To that end, I'm going to be taking a little break during the month of December. Look for some of my favorite recipes and informative posts through the month of December instead.

But first...I want to share just a few of my favorite products - all HFCS and trans fat free, of course!

Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino Cherries - I have been searching and searching for a HFCS-free maraschino cherry, and I finally found them! Tillen Farms makes a maraschino cherry with all natural ingredients - Cherries, water, sugar, vegetable and fruit concentrate (color), natural flavor. I love these! Because they're colored with vegetable and fruit concentrate (another plus) rather than food dye, they aren't as garishly red as regular maraschino cherries. They are very sweet, of course, but they don't seem as gloppishly, syrupy sweet as regular maraschino cherries to me. In short, these are a winner here! And I love that I can once again make my desserts that call for maraschino cherries without compromising my food values!

My local grocery store carries these cherries,

but you can also buy them from the Tillen Farms site or Amazon

Crofters Superfruit Spread - I was lucky enough to win some Crofters Superfruit Spread from Fat Fighter TV a few months ago. I love these spreads! They're chunky and packed full of flavor with a very simple ingredient list. The Superspreads come in four geographical flavors - Asia, Europe, North America, and South America - each with it's own special antioxidant-packed fruit in addition to the Morello cherries and red grape base. Asia (with raspberries and yumberries) is my favorite by a hair, but I must say that I think that all of the flavors taste very much alike. The main flavor by far is the Morello cherries and red grape base, and it's a great flavor. These are spreads, so they're chunky and a bit loose (unlike a jelly, which is firm). My kids love these spreads on PB&J sandwiches. I like to eat the spread in a way that really lets the jelly flavor shine through - like on a cracker or a simple piece of toast.

Amy's Low-Sodium Cream of Tomato Soup - One of my comfort foods has always been tomato soup - Campbells Condensed Tomato Soup, to be exact. I grudgingly gave up this soup when we went HFCS free. Recently, we had a string of illnesses hit our house, and I craved my tomato soup comfort food. Amy's to the rescue! Amy's Low-Sodium Cream of Tomato Soup was love at first bite. It's got a nice ingredient list and a good tomato flavor and consistency. And while it still has more sodium than I would like, for a canned soup it's sodium content isn't too bad. You could, of course, make homemade tomato soup, but when you're feeling down and out, it really is nice to just pull a can out of the pantry and heat it up.

Julies Organic Ice Cream Sandwiches - Another pre-packaged luxury that was lost to us when we gave up trans fat. Seems like almost every ice cream sandwich on the market has either HFCS or partially hydrogenated oil - or both. These ice cream sandwiches are great! Nice size, good flavor, nice ingredients. And, once again, we get to enjoy the occasional treat of an ice cream sandwich!

Ghirardelli chips - Ghirardelli has two types of chips that have found their way into my pantry. First, their 60% Cocoa Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. I love these chips so much that I sneak a few when I need a chocolate fix. They have a good dark chocolate flavor and no trans fat. I just wish that Ghirardelli would make these chips in a mini-version!

Next, Ghirardelli's white chocolate chips. It's hard to find white chocolate chips that don't have partially-hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list, so I was thrilled to find Ghirardelli's White Chocolate Chips. Trans fat free! Perfect for holiday baking!

Happy Holidays to you all! Enjoy all of your favorite things!

Meatless Monday - Fun and yummy things to do with applesauce

2009-11-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

Musselman's recently sent me a couple of different types of HFCS-free applesauce to try and review. Applesauce is one of those products that is surprisingly hard to find without HFCS, so I was thrilled to try their products - one new and one old. I have to admit, my family is not a big fan of applesauce. It's a wonderful product (well, as long as it's free of added sugar), but we're just not likely to turn to applesauce as a snack. So, I decided to find other ways to use this applesauce. There are so many wonderful uses for applesauce! I'm going to share just a few that we've tried, but do a little search on recipes using applesauce and you'll be inundated.

Let me start by introducing the applesauces that I used for these recipes. First up, Musselman's Natural Applesauce. This applesauce has no sugar added - just apples, water, and a little vitamin C for freshness. This applesauce is a good, basic applesauce with a strong fresh-apple flavor. It's a good one to keep on hand for baking and snacking.

Next, a new variety from Musselman's. Musselman's Healthy Picks applesauce comes in three varieties - Raspberry Acai, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Key Lime Cupuaco. As with the natural applesauce, the Healthy Picks applesauce has no added sugar - a requirement if I'm buying applesauce. These applesauces boast that they contain antioxidant-rich superfruits as well as extra fiber, calcium, and vitamin C. To be sure, apple is the predominant flavor in these applesauces with the other flavors a very subtle undernote. They're good applesauces, but don't buy them expecting to be hit with a strong raspberry or blueberry flavor. Despite that, my son was totally enthralled with the idea of the flavors and actually ate more than one of these - a rarity!

On to a few uses for applesauce...
First up, as an oil substitute in baking. Yes, you can substitute some or all of the fat in your baked goods with applesauce! Fit Sugar has some tips for using applesauce as a fat substitute in baked goods - such as only replacing half of the fat with applesauce. Fats actually have a pretty important role in baked goods, so replacing half with applesauce will give you much better results than ditching all of the fat. The end product won't be quite the same as the full-fat version, but chances are that unless you're serving them side by side, you won't really notice the difference!

Make a slushy treat. Freeze a serving size of applesauce (spooned into a container or just use one of the small containers that some applesauces come in) for about an hour - just long enough for the applesauce to become slushy but not a frozen block. Serve it to your kids as a treat. They might not even realize that it's applesauce!

Use it to make french toast. I came across a great recipe to make french toast using applesauce - Apple Cinnamon French Toast. It's a hit in our house! It's the kind of breakfast you can throw together in 10 min - a breakfast even this morning grump doesn't mind making. The result was a piece of french toast with a slight apple flavor and a nice final texture. I'll keep applesauce around just to make this french toast on the fly!

Top Apple Cinnamon French Toast with a little maple syrup or sauteed apples with brown sugar and cinnamon for a wonderfully tasty breakfast!

Make some fun and wonderful smelling Christmas ornaments. My kids and I did this applesauce ornament craft last year. Applesauce plus a lot of cinnamon (I mean A LOT) and some cookie cutters equals Christmas ornaments that will actually hold their smell for a couple of years (though they're most pungent the first year). We'll make these ornaments again this year!

Last, I'll just mention that there are a ton of recipes out there that make use of applesauce - like Apple Quesadilla and Apple Pasta Salad. Or you can serve it on the side as a treat all by itself or served with latkes or other dishes. Whether you're using your applesauce in baked goods, in a craft, or in a unique dish, read those ingredients! Surprising ingredients lurk everywhere - even in applesauce. Applesauce is sweet enough on it's own that added sugar just isn't necessary - especially if you're baking with it!

What do you like to do with applesauce? I'd love to hear your favorite uses!

Meatless Monday - Savory Apple Pizza

2009-11-16T08:57:00.000-08:00

Good news! Wheat Thins is well on its way to being completely HFCS free! Read more about it at A Life Less Sweet Reviews and enter my giveaway to win free Wheat Thins!

I have a thing for pizza. It's so easy and so good. And while pizza can be a greasy, unhealthy mess, it doesn't have to be! Start with a nice crust - whole wheat, preferably - add a good sauce, toppings of choice, and a little cheese (not too much!), and you've got yourself the makings of a tasty and healthy meal. Pizza is also an easy way to enjoy a meatless meal - a meatless meal your kids won't complain about at that!

It should come as no surprise that I like unusual pizzas (see my past pizza incarnations - Pizza with White Sauce and Peach Pizza). Pizza doesn't always have to be tomato sauce, pepperoni, and cheese! This week I happen to have a couple of boxes of organic Utah Fuji apples sitting in my kitchen, so I experimented with apple on pizza.

Fruit on a savory pizza? Why not! The thinly sliced apple added a hint of sweetness, and the apple flavor was an afterthought - not nearly as prominent as I thought it would be. My husband and I both liked this pizza. I made a simple goat cheese sauce, but you could use a white sauce, a tomato sauce (though that doesn't sound very appealing with apple to me), or no sauce at all! I used fontina cheese as the topping, but I think that next time I will use feta cheese instead for a little more zip. I also think that I'll add some roasted garlic (like on my Pizza with White Sauce), but I'm a garlic fiend.

I should note that when I make my unconventional pizzas, the kids get a plain ole cheese pizza. We use this tomato sauce recipe with a few minor changes. I like to add some oregano to give it more of a pizza sauce flavor. I also halve the red wine, and double the water. Sometimes I use broth instead of water. It makes a very good pizza sauce that freezes well to boot.

Savory Apple Pizza

Use crust of your choice. If you have a breadmaker, my pizza dough recipe is at the bottom.

Goat cheese sauce:
1/4 cup soft goat cheese
1/2 cup low-fat evaporated milk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp ground thyme (or herb of your choice)
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir while heating over medium heat until the cheese melts and the liquid simmers. Cook for about 10 min or until sauce is the desired consistency.

Toppings:
1 small apple, thinly sliced (leave peel on)
1-2 onions, caramelized
1/2 TBSP fresh thyme leaves (or herb of your choice), optional
roasted garlic cloves (optional)
cheese - fontina, feta, or whatever suits you

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spread a thin layer of goat cheese sauce over pizza crust. Top with caramelized onions, a single layer of apple, thyme, garlic cloves, and cheese. Bake at 425 F for 15 min or until crust is browned.

A note on the crust - I like to prebake my pizza crust for about 5 min before adding the toppings. I end up with a crispier crust that way.

Breadmaker Pizza Dough
For a 1 lb batch of dough

3/4 cup warm water
1 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 1/4 cups flour - can be completely all-purpose or a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour (I usually do about 1/2 white whole wheat)
1 tsp yeast

Combine water, oil, sugar and salt in breadmaker pan. Add in flour, and pour yeast on top of the flour. Put in breadmaker on "Pizza Dough" setting or consult your breadmaker's manual for the best setting.

Peter Rabbit Organics fruit pouch review and giveaway!

2009-11-08T17:17:00.000-08:00

I am really excited about the product of the day. Why? I just think it's so refreshing to find a fruit puree made of something other than apples. Not that applesauce is a bad thing, but my family is just not that crazy about it as a snack.

Read the rest of the review and enter the giveaway!

News, links, and recipes from me to you!

2009-11-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

A Life Less Sweet is now on Facebook! Become a fan for even more info, links, random musings, and a unique opportunity to provide input.

A Life Less Sweet has been included in the 100 Best Blogs for Healthy Parents! Lots of great blogs in this list, and more that I'm looking forward to discovering!

Next, a great blog that I came across recently - Fix Me A Snack. This blog's tagline - "A healthier approach to family friendly snacks." Scroll through this blog whether you have kids or not. There are lots of great looking snacks! Like Cheesy Sweet Potato Balls (on my to do list for today!), or Pizza Muffins, or Apple Crisp "C ookies." We're always on the search for tasty snacks that happen to be healthy too, so this blog is like a dream for me!
Last, I want to tell you about a great new site for kids that will be going live soon. PBS Kids Go is launching Fizzy's Lunch Lab, a site for elementary kids to explore food and nutrition in a fun way. Kids will join Professor Fizzy and friends as they "prepare tasty snacks, investigate the difference between good and bad food, and learn what happens once the food you eat goes into your body."

I love this concept! It sounds like Fizzy's Lunch Lab is a very comprehensive look at the foods we eat. I love that they're tying in what happens to food after it's eaten. I think that this site has great potential and can not wait until it's fully ready for my kids to explore.

You can preview Fizzy's Lunch Lab now, and then go back on November 16 when it launches. The preview has an introductory video and a yummy looking recipe (click on the "Print this recipe!" tab for the recipe - Apple Banana Chillers).

In the meantime, here are some recipes from Fizzy's Lunch Lab - a taste of things to come! All of their preview recipes are healthy, loaded with fruits and veggies, and are recipes that you can get your child to help with. The two recipes that I'm sharing (compliments of PBS Kids Go!) are two that looked especially good to me. Check out all of the Fizzy's Lunch Lab preview recipes at the PBS Parents Nutrition site.

(Click on each card to see recipe bigger.)

Added Fructose - Trick or Treat?

2009-10-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treat? You get a little of both with fructose. Fructose from natural sources - treat! Fruits and vegetables rarely have much fructose and that fructose is bundled along with vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and good stuff we're only beginning to learn about. Fructose is present in much higher quantities in honey and maple syrup (closer to a 50/50 mix of fructose and glucose), but it also comes bundled with good stuff.

In small amounts, fructose may actually be good for you. In large amounts, the opposite is true. Too much fructose is implicated in many health issues such as high triglyceride levels and type 2 diabetes. Our bodies just aren't equipped to handle large amounts of fructose.

Obviously, we've given up HFCS (for more reasons than just free fructose these days), but what about added fructose? I wrote a post way back in the beginning that talked about how we were also avoiding products with fructose as an ingredient. If I'm concerned about the free fructose in HFCS, why would I not also be concerned about free crystalline fructose used as an ingredient? Recently I found out a bit about this ingredient.

Crystalline fructose is often marketed toward diabetics because of the low blood sugar response of fructose compared with glucose. Your liver is doing other things with fructose, however, that might negate any benefits from the blood sugar response.

What is crystalline fructose? Crystalline fructose (often simply listed as fructose on an ingredient list) is simply fructose in a pure, crystalline form. Crystalline fructose is a relatively new ingredient that has only been available since the late 1980s. Lovely images of fruit juice being concentrated and the fructose (aka fruit sugar) crystallizing out of solution pop into one's head with this ingredient, but that coudn't be farther from the truth. In America, crystalline fructose is almost always produced from...corn! Yes, crystalline fructose is a derivative of our friend high fructose corn syrup.

According to the Sugar Association, crystalline fructose is produced "by allowing the fructose to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup." The separated crystals are 98% fructose and 2% water and other trace impurities.

So...in case you missed it the first time, I'll say it again. Crystalline fructose is produced from high fructose corn syrup (aka HFCS)!

To be fair, in other countries where corn is not king, crystalline fructose may be produced from sugar. In Brazil, for example, where cane sugar rules the roost, I would expect that crystalline fructose would be produced from sugar. Being produced from sugar, however, does not make it a better ingredient.

Where is crystalline fructose found? So many places! I find fructose listed as an ingredient in lots of "health" foods that know HFCS as an ingredient would turn people away. Foods that wouldn't dare use HFCS will use crystalline fructose and then proudly declare themselves "all natural!" Hmm. That "all natural" designation really is slick marketing with no real meaning behind it.

Trick or Treat? Well, from where I sit, fructose as an ingredient is definitely a trick to be avoided. Worse yet, it's a trick that is touted as being an "all natural" treat.

Just as with HFCS, I've found that it hasn't been a big deal to rid our lives of added fructose. We avoid a lot of junk "natural" processed foods as a result. All you have to do is flip that package over and peruse the ingredient list for the ingredient "fructose" or "crystalline fructose."

Meatless Monday - Empanadas de choclo y queso (corn and cheese empanadas)

2009-10-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to Meatless Monday for featuring my pumpkin muffin recipe this week! They've got a day's worth of pumpkin recipes for you to try this week in honor of Halloween. Using their recipes, you can have pumpkin for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! I plan to put a little twist on my pumpkin muffins and turn them into pumpkin cupcakes for my son's class Halloween party by adding some vanilla frosting and a few decorations. I think that they'll love them!

I love going to our local Farmer's Market. It's always such a short-lived treat - good live music, delicious fresh produce, and fantastic food. This year there was a wonderful addition to the Farmer's Market scene - a group of Latina women serving "Authentic Latin Food." (If you're in the Jackson, WY area, they cater under the name A Fuego Lento.) I'm drooling a bit just thinking about their food - tortas, tamales (and we're usually not fans of tamales, but these were yummy), salsas, some dishes I can't quite remember, and empanadas...always empanadas. My kids and I struck up a love affair with their empanadas and bought some to munch on every week.

Our favorite empanada had a corn and cheese filling. Simple, but so good. A couple of weeks ago my stomach was growling for some of these delicious little hand pies, and I discovered thanks to Google and Google Translator that Empanadas with Corn and Cheese are actually a very traditional dish in the Latin community. And, even better, they're easy to make!

There are lots of different recipes for Empanadas de Choclo y Queso, but it seems that most have these basic components - white sauce, sweet corn (fresh preferably, but canned or frozen work in a pinch), cheese, and empanada shells. I bought my empanada shells (Goya brand in the freezer section), but the dough looks easy enough to make (see a couple of different recipes here and here). Empanadas are traditionally deep fried, but I opted to bake mine instead.

We all loved my homemade Empanades with Corn and Cheese. My son actually packed two for his school lunch today. I added some green chiles to a third of the batter for the adults, and it was a good addition, but not necessary. We served our empanadas with Mexican rice and black beans. Empanadas come in every flavor under the sun - meat filled, spinach and cheese filled, etc. - so, as always, take this recipe and make it your own!

Empanadas de Choclo y Queso (Corn and Cheese Empanadas)

packaged frozen empanada shells (find in the freezer section)
2 TBSP butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
Lowfat evaporated milk (about 1/2 a can)
2 oz Monterey Jack cheese or cheese of choice
1 green onion, finely chopped
corn - 4-6 ears fresh or 1 can or 1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen (I used a bag of fresh corn that I froze last summer)
1 small can green chiles (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

White Sauce - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk until your sauce is the desired consistency. Cook for a couple of minutes adding more evaporated milk if necessary. (My sauce at this point was very thick but pourable.)

Add in cheese, green onions, and corn as well as any other optional ingredients. Stir to combine well.

The filling (without green chiles)

Place a tablespoon or two of corn and cheese filling in the center of an empanada shell. Wet the outer edge of the shell with a little water and press edges together to make a sealed pouch. Place empanada on an oiled baking sheet. Continue until all of your filling and/or empanada shells are used.

Bake at 400 F for 10-15 min or until empanada bottoms are browned. (You can also brush an egg wash over the top of the uncooked shells to brown the tops as well.)

My recipe doesn't quite match that of A Fuego Lento, but I'm very happy with it and will definitely make it again. Next time, I might add a little more evaporated milk to make the final filling creamier, and I might also add a little queso fresco as well. A little cilantro would be a good addition. Or...I might just make it the same again.

A new POM Wonderul juice to try and more

2009-10-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

But not here...head on over to A Life Less Sweet Reviews! to read my thoughts on the new POM Wonderful juice flavors. Definitely worth a try!

And then run on over to Fake Food Free to read my guest post where I wax poetically about why we gave up HFCS and what it has meant for our diet.

Meatless Monday - Homemade toasted ravioli

2009-10-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

For lots more info on Meatless Mondays - news, tons of great recipes, information and links galore - don't forget about the official Meatless Monday site! It's a great resource!

This week's Meatless Monday recipe gets BIG thumbs up from my kids - toasted ravioli! I got the idea from Clean Eating magazine, but this is a recipe that is so easy to make your own. Pair the ravioli with the sauce of your choice and have fun dipping!

I used a very simple goat cheese and roasted red pepper filling for my ravioli. I'm a huge goat cheese fan, so these were right up my alley. The goat cheese is rich, so I think that next time I might try cutting it with a little pureed sweet potato or (if I want to stick with a cheese ravioli) some ricotta cheese. We paired our ravioli with a simple marinara sauce from a jar. The kids had a lot of fun picking up and dipping their ravioli - another plus to the recipe.

Take this recipe and make it your own! Simply replace my filling with whatever suits you (though, I must say, my filling is pretty darn good) - Pureed vegetables, your favorite cheese, whatever! You could even do a Mexican twist by filling your ravioli with Mexican cheeses, onion, and and a little cumin and dipping in salsa or guacamole. You're only limited by your own imagination!

Toasted Ravioli with Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Filling

1 package wonton wrappers
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 TBSP fresh basil, minced
chopped jarred roasted red pepper, water packed
grated parmesan cheese
Marinara sauce (we used Newman's Own Marinara)

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl, mix the goat cheese, green onion, and basil together.

Spoon about a teaspoonful of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. Add roasted red pepper to taste. I added just a little as the flavor of the peppers is intense. (If your wonton wrappers are too big to make a nice size ravioli, cut them to the size that works best for you.)

Dip your fingers into a little water and wet the edge of the wonton. Fold the wonton in half and seal the edges together. Place wonton ravioli on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with oil.

Spray tops of ravioli with a little oil (use a light hand with the oil) and top with grated parmesan cheese.

Bake for 8-10 min or until the ravioli are golden brown. Serve with a small bowl of marinara sauce for dipping.

And for those nights when you just don't have the time or inclination to make your own ravioli, you can also buy ravioli and serve the cooked ravioli with a dipping sauce. My kids loved picking up the ravioli to dip! Be careful when buying premade fresh pastas, though. Many have hidden trans fat (in the form of partially hydrogenated oils). We've bought and enjoyed Cucina Fresca brand pasta - trans fat free!

Meatless Monday - Chewy granola bars

2009-10-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Flu, cold (both weather and head), and company - all in the same week! Because of that, I'm whipping out an old favorite for Meatless Monday today - Chewy Granola Bars.

This recipe is a favorite in my house. Better yet, I've had several friends make this recipe, and everyone has loved it! I started making these bars after discovering HFCS in my son's favorite granola bars. Lots of premade granola bars also have partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient. You know what that means? Trans fat! These bars are super easy to make and just as tasty as store-bought bars, in my opinion. (A caveat, though...don't expect these to taste quite like store-bought granola bars! They aren't as sweet and stick as most store-bought bars.)

I like that I can control the ingredients that go into the bars. I like to add just enough chocolate chips to make it appealing to my son. You could always skip the chocolate and add dried blueberries or raisins or your favorite dried fruit - or add some dried fruit in addition to the chocolate chips. And I often add a little wheat germ in place of flax meal. Both are great additions that boost the nutritional value of the bars a bit without appreciably changing the taste or texture.

Give these bars a try! Easy and delicious!

Chewy Granola Bars

3 cups rolled oats (I used quick oats for a finer texture, but coarser oats would be fine too)
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup and 3 TBSP butter, softened
1/3 cup honey
3 TBSP and 1 and 3/4 tsp packed brown sugar
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (or more if you'd like)
3 TBSP (or more! I think that it could handle more.) flaxseed meal or wheat germ (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9"x13" pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter, honey, and brown sugar (and flaxseed meal or wheat germ if using). Stir in the chocolate chips and any other additions.

Firmly press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 F for 20 min or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 min and then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving. On hot summer days, might want to store in the fridge so that they're not as crumbly and the chocolate doesn't melt.

Meatless Monday - Delicious, sophisticated nachos

2009-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

For all of you with kids who might be afraid of taking on the challenge of eating a meatless meal once a week, today is a reminder that there are so many ordinary, kid-friendly foods out there that easily lend themselves to being meatless. Pizza, pasta, soups, and - today's subject - nachos, just to name a few. Heck, this is probably a good reminder for some of you kidless adults out there too. Don't let the meatless moniker scare you off! There are plenty of easy, comforting foods that are absolutely meat free.

We made nachos last week. I've got a couple of great nacho recipes. The one I made last week is an adaptation of a nachos recipe from Cuisine at Home magazine. (See another wonderful nacho recipe here.) This homemade salsa is fantastic, and the tomatillo sauce is a nice foil for the salsa. Top with your favorite nacho toppings - green onions, sour cream, guacamole, cheese - and maybe add a few beans, and you've got a fantastic and easy meatless meal!

A disclaimer - I think that these nachos are very kid friendly. My kids, however, would disagree. What can I say? They're picky creatures. So, my husband and I dig into our more sophisticated nachos, and I make very basic nachos for my kids - often just beans, cheese, and chips, though they do have to try a bit of the salsa and tomatillo sauce by the rules of the table. If your child isn't quite as picky as mine are, let them try the whole shebang. It's so good!

Nachos

Roasted Salsa
2 lb Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
up to 1/4 cup jalapenos, seeded and diced, optional (I leave these out as I don't want the heat!)

Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine tomatoes through salt in a 13x9" Pyrex baking dish. Roast for 45 min. Coarsely mash the roasted vegetables using a potato masher. Add cilantro and remaining ingredients. Cool to room temperature.

The finished roasted salsa. Yum! Keep going for the tomatillo sauce...

Tomatillo Sauce
1 - 16 oz jar of salsa verde (I use Herdez Salsa Verde)
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux; cook 2 min, stirring often. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly to prevent sticking. Cook until think, about 10 min. Stir salsa verde into the sauce. Simmer to heat through.

Layer corn tortilla chips with tomatillo sauce, roasted salsa, and whatever toppings you enjoy. Serve with a side of beans (or beans on top!) for extra protein.

This recipe makes a lot of salsa and tomatillo sauce. Unless you halve the recipe, you WILL have leftovers! For us, that's a good thing as all of the components reheat beautifully.

For more on Meatless Mondays, check out the For Your Family article at Kiwi Magazine's Moms Meet website featuring...me! I'm looking forward to finding more kid-friendly meatless meals in their recipes section.

Meatless Monday - Easy Manicotti

2009-09-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

We have a Christmas tradition in our house - manicotti! (Don't worry...this post really has nothing to do with Christmas. Just throwing that little tidbit out there for no apparent reason.) I'm not really sure how it got started, but it's stuck. It's good, filling, and easy. Manicotti is not just for Christmas though, of course. It's a favorite year round with us.

Today I want to share my recipe for manicotti with you. The original recipe came from a magazine - Southern Living, I think - but I've changed it up a bit to suit my tastes. I use jarred marinara for my sauce - Newman's Own Marinara, to be exact - but feel free to use your favorite sauce, jarred or homemade. I also use a bit more sauce than the recipe below calls for. I like my pasta saucy! So, feel free to use more or less sauce depending on your tastes.

This dish is a real kid pleaser, and it's a great one to hide veggies in. I like to add sweet potato puree to the spaghetti sauce, but you could also add other veggies. Maybe saute some mushrooms and add to the spaghetti sauce, or cauliflower puree in the cheese sauce, or carrot puree in the spaghetti sauce, or shredded zucchini in the spaghetti sauce. You get the idea. The sauce and cheese flavors are strong enough that added veggies would add only a subtle flavor.

Easy, Cheesy Manicotti

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups lowfat cottage cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 large egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 cup sweet potato puree (optional)
12 manicotti shells, cooked per box instructions
1 large jar spaghetti sauce (more or less to taste)

Combine 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and the next 5 ingredients (cheese through egg).

Stuff each shell with about a 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture. Arrange in a 13x9x2" baking dish.

Mix spaghetti sauce and sweet potato puree. Pour sauce over shells.

Cover and back at 375 for 25 min or until thoroughly heated. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

A tip for working with the manicotti - if your manicotti tears, don't worry about it! Just put a little filling in the center of the pasta strip and fold the pasta around the filling. Put in the baking dish so that it stays folded in a cylindrical shape. No one will ever know the difference!

Links I have loved - and would love you to read!

2009-09-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Run over and enter my giveaway for a free bottle of POMx Tea PLUS a free bottle of POM Wonderful juice if you haven't already!

I've got some great links to share with you this week! First, a couple of wonderful resources for parents.

Healthy Child, Healthy World has a wonderful site loaded with information. Their Eat Healthy section has great articles, advice from well respected nutritionists, recipes, tips, links and more. Spend some time looking around this site!

Another resource that I have just started to explore is Nourish Interactive. The site is dedicated to helping kids and families learn about nutrition in a fun way. They have a kids' section with nutrition games and more information aimed at kids, a parents' section with tips, tools and more, and an educators' section with handouts, tools, lesson plans, etc. I'm looking forward to exploring this site.

Next, snacks and recipes! What do you snack on when you travel? It can be hard to eat healthy while on the road, but with a little forethought, eating healthy while traveling can be done! Check out these road trip snack ideas from Guideposts.com. (Pssst...these snacks would also be great to pack in a lunch box!)

Do you have some fresh vegetables from your garden or farmers market lying around? Eat. Drink. Better. has a great looking meatless recipe for Classic English Bubble and Squeak with Farm Fresh Vegetables. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks so good! And with a name like "bubble and squeak," how can my kids refuse?

A while back, Kid Appea l was on an oatmeal kick. Check out her delicious recipe for Peaches N Oatmeal. YUM! What a great way to use late season peaches!

Last, a great site chocked full of fun and cheap learning activities for kids. What Do We Do All Day? consistently has creative activities for kids that help them learn about the world around them using household materials and their powers of observation. A recent favorite of mine (might be a project for this weekend here) is making an old fashioned whirligig. If you're looking for a project to do with your child or just want to pick up some good ideas, check this blog out!

Have a great weekend!

Head on over for a POM drink giveaway!

2009-09-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Do you like POM pomegranate juice? Want to read more about POMx Tea? Then head on over to A Life Less Sweet Reviews to find out more about POMx Tea and for a chance to win a coupon for a free bottle of POMx Tea and POM Wonderful juice!

Meatless Monday - Tortellini Soup

2009-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's a double post Monday! If you haven't already, take a tour of my town, and then head on over to Mahem & Moxie to tour the rest of the West. Check back with them every day this week to complete your virtual road trip across the U.S.

And now...a little Meatless Monday goodness! It's fall here already complete with falling leaves and cooler temperatures. What's better to warm a body on a cold ay than soup? Last year I made a tortellini soup that my kids loved. Cheese stuffed noodles floating in a tomato soup and topped with more cheese...what's not to love? Best of all, it's super easy to make.

After that big lead in, I have a confession. My kids did not like this soup the second time around! Darn fickle kids. I left the soup chunky this time (a mistake and kind of my husband's request). Next time, I'll puree the soup before adding the beans and tortellini and hope that they like it more. For the record, the adults of the house thought that this soup was fantastic.

Tomato Bean Tortellini Soup

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 - 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth (I actually used homemade stock instead, but you could also use vegetable broth for a truly meatless meal)
1 - 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 lb fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 can white kidney beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
about 2 1/2 cups cheese tortellini
1/3 cup shredded parmesan or asiago cheese

In a stockpot, saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil until tender. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 min.

Leave chunky or if you prefer a smooth soup, insert an immersion blender to puree. (You could also pour the soup in a blender to puree it and then transfer back to the stock pot.)

Add the tortellini and beans to the soup. Bring to a boil until tortellini is cooked, about 3 min or until the tortellini starts to float.

Top with cheese and enjoy!

No picture today. I realized that I should have taken one after we demolished our pot of soup. So good!

Around the Blogosphere in Wyoming

2009-09-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Three Bay B Chicks from Moxie Media. They wanted to take a virtual road trip across the U.S. and visit bloggers in each of our 50 states. Sounded like fun to me! They sent their mascot - Moxie Mona - to take a tour of my fair valley. So, today, sit back and learn a little about this wonderful place that I call home!

I am fortunate enough to live in beautiful Jackson, WY. Jackson is a small town (population of about 10,000 permanent year round residents) at the south end of the valley of Jackson Hole. Jackson Hole, with about 20,000 year round residents, is about 80 miles long and 15 miles wide. We're bordered on the north by Yellowstone, hemmed in on the east and west by the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges and taper to a canyon at the southern end. Grand Teton National Park consumes a good portion of the valley.

Looking down on Jackson from atop Snow King earlier in the summer

Jackson has four distinct seasons - Summer, Fall, Winter, and Mud. Summers are short but divine. Winters are long and can be brutally cold here, but with two ski resorts (the well known Jackson Hole Mo untain Res ort and the lesser known town ski hill Snow King), who cares! Bring it on! And if you don't downhill ski, you can always snowshoe, cross country ski, snowmobile, or just hunker down by a nice, warm fire. Mud season (otherwise known as spring in the rest of the country) is when residents do their best to leave this beautiful valley to get a warm, green fix elsewhere.

We did our best to show Moxie Mona (aka Supergirl to my daughter) a few of the sights in my small town. First stop, a view of the Tetons!

A tourist hub in Jackson is the town square. There's an antler arch at each corner of the square. Don't worry - no animals were harmed to get these antlers. Elk, deer, and moose naturally shed their antlers each year. Like every good tourist to Jackson Hole, Moxie Mona needed a picture in front of one of the famous arches.

She's there - really - at the very bottom of the arch on the inside left hand side.

While the locals tend to avoid the square in general (can you say tourist central? Though there are some good stores aimed as much at locals as tourists - and great restaurants - on and surrounding the square.), the local farmer's market draws us to the square every Saturday. It's not easy to grow stuff in our high mountain valley, so local fare can come as far away as Washington. It's fall here already, so we took Mona to the last farmer's market of the season - whimper!

Going on at the same time, the Fall Arts Festival. One of the highlights of the festival is the Quick Draw. Selected artists set up on the square with a blank canvas and have two and a half hours to complete a work of art all while a gaggle of people watch. It's fascinating to watch the works of art unfold.

You can kind of see the start of a painting of a bear in the background.

Alas, our time with Moxie Mona has come to an end. Wish we had time to show you more of the wonderful things this valley has to offer, but life is busy and Moxie has more places to visit. Hope she - and you! - had fun learning a little about our home in northern Wyoming!

Head to Mahem & Moxie to check out the other blogs involved in the Around the Blogosphere event. Take a virtual tour of the nation with Moxie Mona!

Meatless Mondays - Peach pizza

2009-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love peaches. I love peaches so much that I bought two boxes of organic Colorado peaches in late August. We've been eating these peaches in everything imaginable as well as putting some away for the winter. Recently we experimented with using these wonderful peaches on a pizza. Weird? Maybe, but it worked! I must admit, the idea was not my own. I saw a description for a peach pizza with a balsamic sauce on the menu of a local restaurant and was intrigued. I didn't get a chance to try the restaurant's peach pizza, but the idea of making one myself stuck in my head. Then I saw this post for a Paprika and Peach Pizza from Bon Appetite and was absolutely sold on the idea of making a peach pizza.

My pizza has a kind of balsamic BBQ sauce base, and I've topped it with some of my favorite pizza toppings - roasted garlic, caramelized onions, and fresh basil. I thought that the sweetness of the peaches really paired well with the balsamic sauce. And, as weird as this pizza may sound, it works flavorwise.

A note on the sauce - this sauce has a strong flavor, and a little goes a long way. The sauce ingredient measurements are as I made it, but it makes a lot - way more than you'll need for this pizza. You could make a quarter of the sauce and have plenty for your pizza. So, feel free to half or quarter the recipe if you would rather not have leftover sauce!

Peach Pizza with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Sauce:

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste

Cook for 30 min to thicken and reduce.

Pizza dough:
Use your favorite pizza dough or go here to get my breadmaker pizza dough recipe.

Toppings:
caramelized onions
several cloves of roasted garlic
fresh basil, chopped - to taste
1-2 peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
Asiago cheese, grated

Spread a thin layer of the sauce over the dough. Add the toppings evenly over the pizza. Bake at 425 for 15 min or until crust is done. Enjoy!

While my husband and I liked our peach pizza, the kids won't touch it. They're pizza purists and just want their plain jane cheese pizza. I recently made the pizza sauce from Eating Well Anywhere, and the kids loved it! My son claims it's his favorite sauce ever. My only change was to add a little oregano in to make it taste more pizza saucy. The sauce freezes well.

Freezing summer

2009-09-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

Summer is way too short in my neck of the woods. Though winter is still a little ways off, the trees are already starting to change color, and we've had a few frosts already. I've been wiling away my time trying to preserve a little of the summer goodness that we have been enjoying by freezing just a few of our favorite summer foods.

Freezing foods can be time consuming, but the results are so worth it. There's nothing better than pulling out a bag of properly frozen peaches in the dead of winter to enjoy in a recipe or just eat straight. It's a little bit of summer in the dead of winter. I don't freeze all of the summer goodies that come our way for various reasons - I don't like the end result of frozen green beans, for example - but there are a few that I find well worth freezing. So...I'm going to lay out a little primer of what I do with these favorites - corn, raspberries, peaches, and sweet potatoes (not really a summer food, but I happened to have a ton of sweet potatoes at my disposal this summer).

Corn Corn is so easy to freeze. This year I bought 3 dozen ears of really good, sweet, fresh corn from my local vegetable stand to freeze for winter. It's easy to properly freeze corn. Simply shuck and silk the corn, and then boil the corn (blanch it) for a few minutes (I did them in 3 min batches this year). After boiling, quickly cool in a bucket of ice water. Then cut the kernels off of the corn. Be sure to scrape your knife across the cob after cutting the kernels to get all of the leftover milk and juicy bits! Put in a bag, and freeze. Easy-peasy.

The resulting corn is quite a bit different than the corn you will find in the freezer section of your grocery store. It seems in texture more like a creamed corn (without all of the added sugar, though). When I'm ready to use my frozen corn, I just stick it in a pan with just a little bit of water and add salt and onion powder (my own thing - you can always leave that out) to taste. YUM!Raspberries This is my first year to freeze raspberries. We were fortunate to inherit a big bunch of raspberry canes when we bought our house. The raspberries from our canes are impossibly tender - definitely not like the raspberries you find in the grocery store - and so sweet and juicy. Usually we just eat them out of hand as we pick them, but we always have more than we can eat, so this year I decided to freeze the extra raspberries.

To freeze the raspberries, I simply laid the washed and dried raspberries in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer. Once the berries were frozen, I transferred them to a ziploc bag and back into the freezer. This winter I'll pull them out to use in pies, put into yogurt and smoothies, or maybe make these divine looking dark chocolate raspberry bars from Fake Food Free.

Peaches This is my second year to freeze peaches. I was so happy with the results of last year's frozen peaches. Such a treat in the middle of winter! It's a little time consuming, but I promise well worth the effort. I froze my peaches three ways this year. First, last year I made these frozen peach crisps in a jar from Eating Well Anywhere. Delicious! Well worth making.

Second, I used Alton Brown's method of freezing peaches. This method works well. The peaches retain their color and flavor and much of their texture all through the winter in the sugar/vitamin C solution. I should note, however, that I left out the Hungarian paprika his recipe calls for. I just want my peaches plain. Last year I used Fruit Fresh instead of crushed vitamin C (which is essentially what Fruit Fresh is), and the results were equally satisfying. I'll pop open a bag of these peaches in the middle of winter to make some peach bread, some peach BBQ sauce, or whatever peachy dish tickles my fancy.

Last, I froze my peaches whole. Kitchen Scoop peaked my interest with this article about freezing whole peaches. I did things just slightly different, though. I cut my peaches in half to remove the pit, but left the peel on. I'm really curious how these peaches will turn out. This is by far the easiest way to freeze peaches, but I'm a bit worried that they will be a mushy mess - that without the sugar pack they'll lose their texture - when they thaw. But, even peaches that are a mushy mess will be delish in a smoothie! I'll let you know next Spring what I think of this freezing method.
Sweet Potatoes Ah, sweet potatoes! A favorite among the adults around here. I was fortunate enough to be gifted two boxes of sweet potatoes this summer - that's 80 lbs of delicious orange tubers! Sweet potatoes keep in a cool, dry place for a long time, so we used them fresh as long as we could (my kids groaned when they saw sweet potato fries coming their way by the end of the summer), and then I got busy freezing.

I froze my sweet potatoes two ways. First, I froze them as a puree. I like to keep sweet potato puree on hand to throw into my dishes. It's great mixed into taco meat, spaghetti (adds a little natural sweetness), pizza sauce, soups...anything I can think to throw it in. This is a great way to get a little extra goodness into picky kids (as long as you also offer the unhidden deal often to give their taste buds a chance to accept the whole vegetable or whatever you're hiding), and my husband and I have found that we actually like the taste of the foods that we add sweet potato puree better. The puree doesn't add an overwhelming sweet potato taste to most dishes, just a little sweetness.

To make the puree, I roast my sweet potatoes for an hour at 425 F. You could also boil, steam, or microwave the potatoes. Once they're cool enough to handle, I remove the peel and put the sweet potatoes (cut into large chunks) in my food processor. Process until a nice, smooth puree. I like to then freeze my puree in ice cube trays. Once frozen, I can put the cubes in a ziploc bag, stick them back into the freezer, and have nice cubes of pureed sweet potato ready to use when I need it.

The second way I froze sweet potatoes this year was whole. I took my roasted sweet potatoes, wrapped them in aluminum foil, and put them in the freezer. I've never done this before, but I think that it will turn out ok, and it's a great way to bulk freeze sweet potatoes. How will I use these? We'll see! It depends on what the texture is like. I hope that the texture holds up enough that I can use these to make sweet potato hash or other dishes with cubes of cooked sweet potatoes. If not, they'll always be good eaten as a plain old baked sweet potato!

There you have it. Maybe next year I'll add more to my repertoire, but this little bit makes me happy for now!

Do you preserve summer's bounty? Tell me what you do in the comments!

Time for Lunch! Let's get REAL FOOD in schools!

2009-09-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

What's for lunch at your child's school? Are you happy with it? My son, a kindergartner, will likely eat lunch that his school serves most days. He's completely enthralled with the idea of buying his school lunch and likes the food. I just can't take that away from him. I would so much rather pack his lunch for him every day so that I know he's eating good, healthy foods that will help his body and brain grow.

What do I have against school lunches? The school lunch menu at my son's school isn't as awful as I had feared, but it still feels like my son is going out to eat at a fast-food restaurant every day for lunch now. Some days the lunches are better than others, of course. My fears weren't eased when I found out that every Thursday is Dominoes Pizza day in the cafeteria. For real. The indoctrination into junk and fast food starts early - even in the schools.

To be fair, it isn't all bad. Some sort of fruit or vegetable is served along with lunch in his school every day. His class has a "fresh fruit grant" that will provide his entire class with a healthy snack of fresh fruit each day. Gotta applause moves like that! And his school doesn't have vending machines peddling sodas and junk food in convenient snack packs like so many schools do - at least not at the lower grade levels. And to be fair, it isn't like I am against my son having Dominoes or food such as that on occasion...or that I always serve a completely nutritious lunch at home. My kids have their share of boxed macaroni and cheese, I am not proud to admit.

But, I have a problem with schools condoning junk food and striking deals with fast food franchises (and yes, I most definitely lump Dominoes in that group). Our schools should be teaching our kids about eating healthy through example and through what they serve. It's easy to forget that how we eat - and how that food affects our bodies - can be an important factor in how we learn. If schools want to raise their test scores, they should remember that how their kids are eating and how much activity they are allowed during the day can have a big impact on how much information they retain.

Fast food, like Dominoes, used to be a treat in my home - something bought strictly as a treat or (more typically) out of necessity when we travel. Now it will become a weekly occurrence sanctioned by his school. I don't know about your child, but my young child equates something sanctioned by the school as being good and good for you. That's a big a hurdle for me to overcome.

Why do schools serve the food that they do? Money, money, money, and maybe a little lack of creativity. They serve what they can afford to serve and what they know kids will eat. On the second reason, unfortunately, they seem to serve to the lowest common denominator of kids' taste buds without even trying to challenge them to eat better food - or without realizing that good, healthy food can still taste delicious and be appealing to children. There are ways to take old favorites - taco salad, for example - and make them healthier for our kids.

On what they can afford to serve, well, that's a trickier nut to crack. But some schools are finding ways to serve good food within their limited budget. I imagine that it takes a lot of creativity and drive to produce a really great school lunch menu within the given budget instead of resorting to the tried and true (and outside company funded) school lunches. A school official in my district went on record saying (paraphrasing - it's been a while since I read his quote) that he would love to serve all healthy foods but that they can't afford to cut out high fructose corn syrup and other problematic ingredients. In other words, they're going to keep serving the junk because it's cheap, and they've got enough issues to worry about.

How can we change our school's lunches? One small thing you can do is coming up. Time for Lunch (part of Slow Food USA) is having a national "eat in." On Labor Day, there will be a "National Day of Action to get real food into schools" at various locations around the country. The purpose? To send a message to congress and our local schools that we think its time that our schools serve real, healthy food to our children. You can read more about the Time for Lunch platform here.

Why now? The National School Lunch Lunch Program, which sets the standard for what kids eat every day at school, is set to be reauthorized this month and will be the standard that schools look to when planning school lunches for the next 5 years.

To find out if there is an "eat in" near you, go to the Time for Lunch website. You can also sign a petition telling Congress that you support the Time for Lunch platform and want to see changes in the school lunch program. And of course, you can always take action into your own hands and talk directly to your congress men and women and school officials.

I'm curious...how are the lunches in your child's school? Whether you have kids or not, what do you think of this issue?

Other sites with school lunch information and resources that you might find interesting:

Respected nutritionist Marion Nestle weighs in on school lunches
School Lunch Talk is a cornucopia of information on school lunches and policy
Better School Food supports parents, educators, and health professionals in their quest for better school lunches. Loads of information here.
Farm to School programs are increasingly available through the U.S. connecting schools with local farms. What a great idea!

Let them eat trans fat free cake!

2009-09-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

We've had a couple of birthday to celebrate in the last month, and with birthdays comes birthday cake. Now, I know that I could actually make a cake from scratch, but I'm happy to admit that I like the convenience of a boxed cake mix. I especially like a boxed cake mix when I'm preparing for a party and don't really want to have to think about baking. I just want to dump, mix, and bake and know that it's going to come out consistently good.

So, perhaps you can imagine my dismay when I started scanning the ingredients on cake mix boxes early last month only to find that every single one (save one - more on that in a minute) had partially hydrogenated oil (in other words, contains some amount of trans fat) in it! Really, I was disgusted. Duncan Hines...Betty Crocker...you let me down!

I did find what I was looking for on the organic aisle. A single, unassuming box of Dr. Oetker Organic Vanilla Cake Mix saved the day. No partially hydrogenated oils on the Dr. Oetker ingredient list. In fact, the ingredient list for the Dr. Oetker cake mix was a lot simpler and pretty much consisted of ingredients that I can find in my pantry - unlike that box of Betty Crocker cake mix I had just looked at.

How did it taste? Not bad! The final cake from a Dr. Oetker mix is different from a cake produced from a Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines mix. For one thing, it's smaller. Really, there just wasn't quite as much batter produced by the Dr. Oetker mix, and it didn't rise quite as much during baking as a Better Crocker mix would. The crumb was a little different too. The Dr. Oetker cake wasn't quite as tender as a Betty Crocker cake. Nonetheless, we were all completely satisfied with the end result. The cake was moist and tasty. And best of all, I still have my boxed mix that I can just dump and bake.

Dr. Oetker's mix is the only wheat flour containing cake mix that I could find that was truly trans fat free in my grocery store, but there are others out there. I would guess that all of the gluten free cake mixes are trans fat free (and I can attest that they taste better than you might think!), and Barfoot Contessa also has a line of trans fat free cake mixes. And, of course, you could always make your own cake from scratch.