Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Mix is Delicious!

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix is easy to make, and it actually tastes delicious. It's important to follow the directions carefully, e.g. room temperature eggs, greasing the pan, etc.

Ingredients
Sugar, potato starch, tapioca flour, whole grain sorghum flour, baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, bicarbonate of soda, cornstarch), sea salt, xanthan gum, natural vanilla powder (sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract).

I was concerned when the cake mix had a rubbery consistency that it would not rise upon baking. Even though it did not rise as much as a standard cake, the gluten-free cake did turn out light and fluffy. I made a beet juice colored butter frosting topped with blackberries. It was delicious!
Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

First Time in 10 Years: US Restaurants Decline as People Eat at Home

For the first time in a decade, the number of restaurants in the US has declined. A sure sign of the recessive economy, people are saving their money and dining more at home. UPI explains:

California accounted for nearly a third of the overall decrease, with the number of restaurants down 1,500 from a year earlier, NPD found. Full-service restaurants with staff waiting tables suffered the biggest hit.

"Most restaurateurs are just living on the edge," said Jot Condie, the California Restaurant Association president.

Continued unemployment and increasing food prices threaten an industry recovery, Condie said.

This bad news for restaurant owners certainly has positive effects for our health, and hopefully Americans are cooking more with whole foods, as this is a cheaper alternative to frozen family dinners. Even healthy restaurant food usually contains more calories and fat than home-cooked meals.

Image:  Some rights reserved by pixeljones

Really Natural Cookbooks: Green & Black's Chocolate Recipes

From the makers of my favorite chocolate, comes an incredible cookbook! Green & Black's Chocolate Recipes, Revised Edition is the kind of cookbook that makes you drool. Not only is it filled with incredible organic chocolate recipes, it also gives you an education into cocoa (e.g. growers' associations, education, cultural information).

This is the ultimate chocolate cookbook. It contains 100 recipes to tempt, tease & torment lovers of this food of the gods. Chocolate is one of the most luxurious and satisfying foods, full of texture and flavor, and it is also a versatile cooking ingredient, not only for rich, dark desserts but also a perfect partner for savory and spicy dishes.

Above all, chocolate can be molded to suit every occasion and so the chapters within the book include Abracadabra (quick & easy recipes) and Wicked (irresistible concoctions). Woven into the book are stories about the Maya in Belize who cultivate organic cocoa for use in our chocolate bars as well as tips on cooking techniques and handling chocolate.

Of course, all great chocolate recipes start with fair trade, organic chocolate

Really Natural Cookbooks: The Homesteader's Kitchen Recipes From Farm to Table

Every once in awhile I come across a cookbook that I get really excited about. Homesteader's Kitchen, The: Recipes from Farm to Table is full of delicious, whole food recipes, as well as incredible photographs. It is motivating to me as a gardener to inspire new creations in the kitchen from what I have grown. From Miso Vegetable Soup to Brown Rice Cream with Dates, Cinnamon, and Vanilla, your palate will not be disappointed.

In The Homesteader's Kitchen, author Robin Burnside presents wholesome recipes and motherly advice for preparing nourishing meals, tasty embellishments, and luscious desserts. Her focus is on using fruits and vegetables from the family garden or the nearby farmers market. She teaches how to turn these local, organic foods into snacks, meals, and treats that nourish the soul as well as the body. From Multigrain Blueberry Pancakes in the morning, a Creamy Mango-Coconut Smoothie for a snack, a crisp Asian Cabbage Salad for lunch, an evening meal of Grilled Wild Salmon Fillet with Thai Cilantro Pesto, to a dessert of Spicy Pear Pie, Burnside offers mouthwatering recipes that are fun to prepare and a joy to eat.

My only criticism is with the title. The recipes do include some exotic items, like pineapple, so if the audience is intended to be North America, which is my assumption, than the ingredients truly aren't from your own homestead garden or local farmer's market. These ingredients are an exception in the cookbook that mostly favors items you can find seasonally grown in your local community.

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

People Who Read Food Labels Eat Healthier

Much as you would suspect, a new study has found that people who read food labels consume a healthier diet. Published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, two studies found label reading creates "nutritional awareness". Natural News reports:

Based on a sampling of American adults in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers observed a significant difference in mean intake of calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, fiber and sugars, between those who pay attention to nutrition labels and those who do not.

"If the food label is to have a greater public health impact, rates of use will likely need to be increased among U.S. adults," explained Professor Ollberding, one of the study authors. "Low rates of label use also suggest that national campaigns or modification of the food label may be needed to reduce the proportion of the population not using this information."

I imagine cookbook readers also have healthier diets too!

Image: The Holistic Kitchen on Flickr

Pros and Cons of San Pellegrino All Natural Sparkling Lemon Beverage

I've gotten into the habit of drinking San Pellegrino Limonata Sparking Beverage. I first tried this refreshing beverage at an upscale restaurant, and then discovered our local CostCo carried cases of it. I feel good about drinking this all natural beverage, but I do have some reservations.
Pros:

• All natural


• No high fructose corn syrup


• Great in cocktails

Cons:

• Product of Italy (heavy carbon footprint shipping to USA)


• Owned by Nestle (responsible for much bottled water degradation)


• Not organic

I'll probably continue to enjoy San Pellegrino Limonata Sparking Beverage on occasion, but it is best to drink organic sodas.

All Natural Chocolate Peanut Butter Handmade Treats by Jer's

Jer's All Natural Handmade Chocolates makes delicious combination peanut butter and chocolate treats.

Jer's products, which have won six International Taste Awards to date, combine crunchy rice crisps, salty pretzels, buttery toffee, or gooey homemade caramel with all-natural, premium, dark, milk and white chocolates and all-natural peanut butter (made from locally-grown Valencia peanuts, the most nutritious, peanut-sweet and protein-rich available).

We tried out several varieties of Jer's handmade chocolates:

• Cara Mella All Natural Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars


• Original IncrediBar All Natural Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars


• Toffee Break All Natural Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars


• Pretzo Change-O All Natural Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars


• Brittle Bites Pretzo Change-O - Milk Chocolate


• Brittle Bites - Yippee Cayenne - Milk Chocolate


• Brittle Bites - Coco Nutty - Dark Chocolate


• Brittle Bites - Toffee Break - Dark Chocolate

If you like peanut butter with chocolate, then you will like Jer's products. Personally, I prefer organic to simply all-natural, so I will stick to Newman's Own Organic Peanut Butter Cups with Milk Chocolate for my fix!

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

Hint Premium Essence Water: 0 Calorie, 0 Preservatives, 0 Sweeteners

Sometimes water is just not enough to quench your thirst, or you would like a little flavor without all that sugar or high fructose corn syrup common to beverages.
Hint Premium Essence Water offers a healthy alternative.

The idea behind Hint is simple: pure water, nature's original refreshment, accented with a hint of natural flavor. No sugar, no artificial sweeteners no preservatives! Hint is a refreshing alternative to sodas, juice and other sweetened drinks and it tastes great.

I like the subtle flavor of Hint, but if you are used to sugary liquids, it may take some adjustment of your tastebuds. Since I am a mostly water drinker, Hint tasted full of flavor.  Their motto is "drink water, not sugar".

Hint does come in plastic containers (#1), and the label reads "Coming soon 15% less plastic".

Hint Water is also good in cocktails!  

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

Bear Naked Cranberry Raisin Cereal: 100% Pure & Natural and Partnered with Terracycle

Bear Naked Pure and Natural Cereal is delicious and of the same standards of naturalness you would expect from Bear Naked.

Ever since our very first batches of granola, we've been searching for ways to un-invent food and celebrate the variety Mother Nature provides...So as we thought about cereals, we felt they should be more than just hearty flakes. We wanted a mouthful of bearly processed goodies we could actually pronounce. And that's what you hold in your hands...A thoughtfully crafted blend of nature's boldest flavors, richest textures, mouthwatering aromas and REAL nutrition that makes your body smile.
In our camp, we believe every sunrise reveals a new adventure, and this cereal is for those of you who want to wake up and experience a pure and natural breakfas

At first glance, I was concerned this product did not contain organic ingredients, as there is no USDA label. Upon closer inspection, there are many organic ingredients, and I appreciate Bear Naked does not overstate this fact since the product is not 100% organic.

Another concern I have is with packaging. You only get 12.5 ounces per bag, which doesn't last long around my household, and the packaging is not recyclable. Bear Naked has teamed with Terracycle to address this issue.

Every year millions of non-recyclable bags and wrappers end up in landfills. TerraCycle and Bear Naked are committed to finding new uses for old bags and wrappers. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle will develop unique new products made from used bags and wrappers and upcycle them into shower curtains, tote bags and so much more

.
Although upcycling is probably better than recycling, the chances of these bags making it to Terracycle by the average consumer are slim compared to the recycling bin.

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

Natural Licorice: No High Fructose Corn Syrup

The American Licorice Company has just released an all-natural licorice. This tasty product comes in two flavors:

• Natural Vines Black Licorice


• Natural Vines Strawberry Licorice

This confection is made in the USA by a family-owned company.

-all natural ingredients
-no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
-no high fructose corn syrup
-low in fat, cholesterol and sodium
-vegetarian, vegan, and kosher

I liked both flavors, but I did prefer the strawberry. Licorice makes a great snack, but I wish the ingredients were organically-grown. There are organic licorices available; however, I have never tried them. 

Science Barge: Urban Farming in NYC

Urban Farming: Hydroponics in the City from Dawn Productions on Vimeo.

Honest Tea Organic Half Tea & Half Lemonade

Honest Tea Half Tea & Half Lemonade is a delicious thirst quenching beverage. I like how Honest Tea is now available in most gas station convenience stores, which is handy on road trips, but that accessibility came at a cost. Coca-Cola owns 40 percent of the company. 

The Half Tea & Half Lemonade is the same quality and taste I have come to expect from Honest Tea.

• Half Tea & Half Lemonade


• Fair Trade Certified


• USDA Organic


• Organic Twist on an old fashioned classic

One annoyance I have with the products I was sent was they came packaged with styrofoam peanuts. Not only does the Coca-Cola stock acquisition cause me to question the integrity of the company, but the packaging causes concern too.

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

Indoor Gardening: Grow Your Own Shitake Mushrooms

One challenge for urban dwellers is space for gardening. One easy and fun solution is a Shiitake Mushroom Kit. 

Grow your own fancy mushrooms with our all inclusive kit! A mushroom treasured by many, our Shiitake Patch (Lentinula edodes) is composed of a unique blend of sterlized, enriched sawdust fully colonized with a select Chinese strain. Esteemed for both is health stimulating properties and its culinary value, our Shittake kit out-produces by far that of any known competitor. Shiitake mushrooms can be harvested at two week intervals up to 16 weeks. A 50-80 degree Fahrenheit environment is ideal. Each kit comes with illustrated instructions and is guarantee to produce.

Unfortunately, our kit has never produced as abundantly as pictured above. We have had several mushrooms at a time, but I have been disappointed with the results, even after contacting the company for special instructions. I don't know what we are doing wrong, as I have friends who have had great results with mushroom kits.

Vegan Garden Recipes: Organic Kale Chip

As summer time temperatures are heating up, I am searching for ways to use up the kale in my garden before it starts to bolt. One super easy recipe that kids love is kale chips. This snack is healthy and a good replacement for potato chips.

Organic Kale Chips

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a cookies sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut or tear kale into bite size pieces and lay out on cookie sheet. 
• Spritz kale with olive oil and Bragg's Liquid Aminos or soy sauce. 
• Sprinkle lightly salt and nutritional yeast over kale. 
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the oven.

You may want to experiment with different spices to flavor your kale chips. They should turn out crunchy and sort of melt in your mouth. Of course, you can buy kale chips, but it is much more fun and easy to make your own.

Image: daveeza