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Lunch on the Go

The key to good eating is organization. Sorry, the first step is a commitment to eating well and eating naturally. The source of that commitment is unique to each and every one of us. Eating from the Earth takes commitment and organization.

This photo is lunch for me yesterday, when I was at a Whole Foods Market, demoing the mothering Mother bags. The salad was made the night before, when I was putting together the dinner salad. The avocado is in a large chunk, with the skin showing, to reduce the nutritional loss until I am ready to cut it up and eat. Tofu is sliced for protein, Gomasio sprinkled on top, the fork ready for action and a delicious dressing with sesame oil and tamari and other goodies will round out the meal. I had enough room for a square or two of dark dark chocolate!

Happy low footprint Earth eating! The best food comes from your hands and your home!

Shanthi

Living Microwave-Free!

Thank You Seventh Grade Science Teacher

Today our seventh grader asked me if I knew that eating red meat contributed to cancer. I said yes, and asked how he heard about this. The science teacher taught this to the students today. She suggested that if you eat beef every day that you cut it down to every other day. She said that eating meat once a week was preferable.

Yay to science! The facts are there, and we are sharing them with the next generation!

To learn more on the meat/cancer connection read about the work of Dr. Colin Campbell, professor and researcher from Cornell University. Click here to link with his home site.

Peanut Butter Powerhouses

These treats offer a selection of nutrients to restore the body following an aerobic workout, and they offer a wholesome replacement for sweets. The peanuts (legumes) and grain in the cereal combine for a complete protein. The honey enhances glycogen restoring following a workout, and the chipits round out the taste experience! ½ cup all natural peanut butter 1 T honey 2 T chipits, lightly chopped ¼ cup crunchy breakfast cereal, lightly crushed * ¼ cup raw peanuts, lightly roasted and chopped Coconut for rolling Combine the ingredients by hand. Once everything is thoroughly mixed together, using a spoon, form into balls. Then roll each ball in the coconut so that it is completely covered. Serve and enjoy! The coconut helps to keep the peanut butter from drying out and reduces the oil on the fingers when eating. The chopping of the chipits, cereal and peanuts reduces the size of these chunks so that the peanut butter is not dropping out while eating. It also give a more even distribution of the flavors and textures. Makes approximately 8 balls Reusable opportunities for this recipe: Peanut Butter and Honey purchased in bulk with a jar from home Chipits, cereal (granola), peanuts and coconut purchased in bulk with a Mini Sealed Bulk mothering Mother Bag * The idea of the cereal is to give the treats some crunch. Any crunchy cereal will work, even homemade granola!

AnyDay Muffins

With only a few ingredients in the kitchen it is easy to fold together a muffin batter from scratch. The hardest part is dealing with the flour on your sweater, and your nose (as in my case!). Here is the muffin of the moment, as inspired by some aging buttermilk, and some boys on the way home from school!

Play with this recipe. Use alternative sweeteners than the ones listed, use alternative liquids than the ones listed (if you use a liquid sweetener such as maple or rice syrup, then adjust the reduce the amount of liquid). For a lighter muffin remember that it is the reaction between baking soda and an acid that gives a light touch. So, if you are not using buttermilk or yoghurt, acidify your milk with a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon. Make it dairy free with alternative milks, and it is already egg free. The grated vegetables gave a little added color and made me feel that some micro nutrients were sneaking their way into this snack!

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
3 T turbinado sugar (heaping)
1 T sucanat
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, chopped lightly
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup grated carrot
2 T grated zucchini
Liquid
1/4 cup safflower oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 T plain yoghurt

Mix together dry ingredients. In a different bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients, stir with a whisk to mix thoroughly and to remove lumps. Adjust consistency with more liquid or more flour if necessary. Spoon into muffin pan, bake at 360F for 18 minutes. Let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and cooling on wire racks. Eat while warm, if desired. Eat with a cup of tea, if desired. Mostly enjoy the beauty of easeful baking!

Makes 9 muffins