Look at me, I'm Sandra Lee!

When it comes to cooking and cooking shows, I usually give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I started off not liking Rachel Ray (only because she bugged me) but have made a few of her recipes and have come to like the fact that she does not have any formal training, she just loves food. I can identify, (although she bugs me a little bit) I too love food and love to cook and have had no formal training. I am just not making millions of dollars doing it. At any rate, she grew on me. I have my favorites…Alton Brown, Anthony Bourdain, Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and Jamie Oliver have all become faces that I like seeing on the Food Network. Their recipes and stories inspire me and they have real talent. And then there is Sandra Lee.

For those of you who don’t know Sandra Lee, here is a little snapshot: She is what they call a “lifestyle professional” (what is that?), whose show “Semi-homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee” has been on the Food Network for a few years. She combines fresh ingredients with specially selected store-bought items to make meals and desserts, prepared in minutes that taste like they were made from scratch. The result? Foods on your table for your family that are half “processed” and half fresh. YUCK! Yes, the concept sounds nice and easy and wow you can make a gourmet meal in minutes, fool your friends and give them something that they will think you slaved for days over. BUT, what they are really getting are foods laden with fake sweeteners, trans-fats and a list of other preservatives and artificial ingredients that are found in the processed foods that are used in her recipes.

Is it really that hard to cook from scratch? Nope. Is it nice to have time saving recipes? Yes it is. Is it nice to have easy recipes that are wonderful? Yes it is. Should you sacrifice good natural food for products that are bad for you and your family? Nope. So think about it. I don’t want to tell you what to do. You have the facts. Now run with it.

From the Active Mom Recipe File...

Feeding my family a good meal is an important part of my day. But there are times when I either don’t feel like cooking have a crazy schedule or have had a long day…whatever the reason there are times when I must open…The Active Mom Recipe File. These recipes are not cop-outs; in fact they help you to prepare a quick meal for your family and stay away from the fast food lines-that is a good thing. So look at the Active Mom recipes as a way to simplify your busy life.

Favorites from the file:

Two-Step Guacamole:

Directions:
1. Chop two ripe avocados in small pieces
2. Add salsa
3. Add salt
4. Add lime (optional)
5. Mix together until well blended

Ingredients:
• Two ripe organic avocados
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup salsa (any type…chunky works best)
• Juice from ½ a lime (optional)

I love to serve with Guiltless Gourmet Bake Blue Corn Chips. They are awesome and made with Organic Corn.

Thai Peanut (Butter) Chicken and Vegetables

Directions:
1. Using a large skillet sauté chicken in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until cooked through, if using rotisserie chicken sauté chicken for 5 minutes
2. In small saucepan combine peanut butter, soy sauce and garlic. Heat on low until mixture is smooth (you can also microwave for 1 minute)
3. Pour mixture into skillet and mix well. It will be quite thick
4. Add bag of frozen vegetables and mix.
5. Pour in chicken broth. Stir.
6. Simmer for 5 minutes
7. Serve over rice or noodles

Ingredients:
• One rotisserie chicken (all natural) cut or torn into small pieces OR 4 chicken breasts cut into small pieces
• 2 table spoons of all natural, unsweetened peanut butter (organic)
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• One 16oz bag of frozen organic stir fry vegetables or any frozen vegetables you have on hand-My kids love peas and carrots.
• 2 cups organic/free range chicken broth
• Rice or noodles (optional)
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pesticide Levels in Produce-Check it out...

Ever wonder just how much pesticide is on your produce? Or, can you get by with some conventional produce every now and then? Maybe you can't find organic bananas and your kids love them. Should you buy conventional? Would it be that bad? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has put together a list of produce ranking them from 100 to one one the amount of pesticide reside found on produce. One hundred is the worst.

Please check out a great website http://www.foodnews.org/ for the latest news on food from The Environmental Working Group (EWG).


About EWG-The mission of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. EWG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 1993 by Ken Cook and Richard Wiles.
In 2002, we founded the EWG Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates on Capitol Hill for health-protective and subsidy-shifting policies.
EWG specializes in providing useful resources (like Skin Deep and the Shoppers' Guide to Pesticides in Produce) to consumers while simultaneously pushing for national policy change.

"There is growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases completely unstudied, shoppers are wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible."-Food News, EWG (http://www.foodnews.org/)

Rank/Produce/Score
1(worst)/Peaches/100 (highest pesticide load)
2/Apples/96
3/Sweet Bell Peppers/86
4/Celery/85
5/Nectarines/84
6/Strawberries /83
7/Cherries/75
8/Lettuce/69
9/Grapes-imported/68
10/Pears/65
11/Spinach/60
12/Potatoes/58
13/Carrots/57
14/Green Beans/55
15/Hot Peppers/53
16/Cucumbers/52
17/Raspberries /47
18/Plums/46
19/Oranges/46
20/Cauliflower/39
22/Tangerine/38
23/Mushrooms/37
24/Cantaloupe/34
25/Lemon/31
26/Honeydew/31
27/Grapefruit/31
28/Winter Squash/31
29/Tomatoes/30
30/Sweet Potatoes/30
31/Watermelon/25
32/Blueberries /24
33/Papaya/21
34/Eggplant/19
35/Broccoli/18
36/Cabbage/17
37/Bananas/16
38/Kiwi/14
39/Asparagus/11
40/Sweet Peas-Frozen /11
41/Mango/9
42/Pineapples/7
43/Sweet Corn-Frozen/2
44/Avocado/1
45 (best)/Onions/1 (lowest pesticide in food)

More than Macaroni and Cheese for your Kids

Children are typically picky eaters. I know mine are. So often parents get stuck in a groove in preparing dishes that their children are guaranteed to eat; hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, chicken fingers, hamburgers, and PB&J are popular standbys. I have been guilty of this in the past, when it tends to be more important to me that they are full before bed and I don’t have to have a battle at the dinner table. I make what they like, they eat and we are all happy.

However, there are some foods that your children may like that surprise you. Why not try to incorporate some of your favorite dishes into your children’s diet. What they like may surprise you and give you a few meals that you can eat together. Although, children’s palates most likely will not enjoy a 5-alarm chili, they may enjoy a milder version with fun toppings.

Here are a few dishes that I have tried with success. They are not your typical “kids” foods, but have satisfied some young finicky eaters.

• Lemon Caper Chicken with Rice-the tangy sweetness of the chicken and the saltiness of the capers are a great combo for little mouths. Plus, capers look like peas, so they aren’t weary of them. This recipe can be found at http://www.simplyfoodonline.com/entrees.htm
  


• Thai Peanut Chicken Satays-There are many Thai peanut sauces that aren’t too spicy and children LOVE. You can also make your own with virtually no spice at all. Skewer pieces of chicken grill and serve with the Thai peanut sauce on the side for dipping. Thai peanut sauce tastes so much like peanut butter that your kids will love it. You can also sauté the chicken with the sauce and veggies that your children like and serve over noodles or rice
  


• Sushi-Kids can make their own rolls, feel involved and will then eat their products. My 3 year old is picky with his food, but if you let him fill a roll with avocado, cucumber and tuna, he will eat it up, YUM.
  


• Antipasto Salad-Kids love to eat the ham and salami out of this salad as well as the cheese and olives. Mix it with a natural Italian dressing and toss with some nutritious greens (use spinach instead of lettuce) and it is a nutritious meal.

Morning Glory Cafe' at The Farm-Fantastic Eating Experience!

It has been almost a week since I posted. I was in Phoenix Arizona for a few days. While I was there I had breakfast at wonderful restaurant called, The Morning Glory Café at The Farm, nestled in the South Mountain in Phoenix Arizona. It was one of the best eating experiences that I have ever had. All seating for the restaurant was outside. They had wonderful coffees, teas and other beverages that you were able to serve yourself while waiting for your server/hostess. The staff there was very laid back and made you feel very comfortable in your surroundings.

There we were, sitting at our table in the middle of a farm nestled in a mountain, surrounded by vegetables that could be found in the dishes on the menu and a little further away chicken that provided the eggs that made our omelets. It was amazing. Our server, was very warm and welcoming and offered fresh muffins that were still steaming. These could have easily been the best muffins I have ever had in my life. We passed a few different muffins around so we could all taste the different flavors. Next we ordered breakfast. I ordered the South Mountain omelet, comprised of seasonal local grown vegetables, Swiss chard, and Black Mesa Ranch Goat Cheese, served with Rosemary potatoes. It was fantastic. After breakfast we toured the farm, which includes an artist studio and retreat. There are two other restaurants on site, The Farm Kitchen and Quiesessence, a restaurant and wine bar.

PLEASE check out their website and if you are ever in the Phoenix area, check out this restaurant. You will not be disappointed!

http://www.thefarmatsouthmountain.com/

Yummy Yellow Cake

For Christmas, my son received his own apron and spatula. I received a baking pan in the form of cars from William Sonoma. What a perfect combination for mother and son who like to fool around in the kitchen. We were all set to bake, all we needed was the perfect cake recipe. I couldn’t find one that I liked; the recipes that I found either had too many ingredients or were very high in sugar. This recipe is a combination of a few different recipes and a change in the type of ingredient used to make the cake sweet. I used organic agave nectar.

Agave nectar is a sweetener commercially produced in Mexico, from several species of agave, including Agave tequila (also called Blue Agave or Tequila Agave), and the Salmiana, Green, Grey, Thorny, and Rainbow varieties. Agave syrup is sweeter than honey, though less viscous. Organic agave nectar consists primarily of fructose and glucose. As a sweetener, Agave syrup is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than most if not all other natural sweeteners on the market. Agave syrup may be substituted for sugar in recipes. Use 1/3 cup of agave syrup for every 1 cup of sugar in the original recipe. The quantity of liquids in the original recipe must be reduced due to the moisture included in the syrup.
The cake came out better than expected! It was moist, deliciously sweet and fluffy! The vanilla batter flavor was dead on. If you like a sweeter cake, add a little more agave nectar, if you wish.
For more information on agave nectar, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_syrup

Yummy Yellow Cake

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Grease and lightly flour two 9 ½ inch or 8x1 ½ inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan
3. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature
4. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
5. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
6. Gradually add agave nectar beating on medium speed until well combined and scraping the bowl.
7. Add eggs and vanilla while beating
8. Alternately add flour mixture and milk
9. Add butter
10. Beat on low speed after all ingredients are incorporated for 2 minutes
11. Spread batter into prepared pan
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes clean
13. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes
14. Remove cake layers from pans and cool thoroughly on wire racks

Ingredients:
½ cup organic butter, softened
3 eggs-cage free
2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup agave nectar
1 ½ teaspoons organic vanilla
1 ¼ cup organic milk

January Foodie Holidays

Need an excuse to eat your favorite foods? Check out the National Food Holidays in January. I am personally excited about the 8th and the 27th! YUM!

1 National Bloody Mary Day
2 National Oatmeal Day
3 National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
4 National Spaghetti Day
5 National Whipped Cream Day
6 National Shortbread Day
7 National Tempura Day
8 National English Toffee Day
9 National Apricot Day
10 National Bittersweet Chocolate
11 National Hot Toddy Day
12 National Marzipan Day
13 National Peach Melba Day
14 National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
15 National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
16 National Hot Spicy Food International Day
17 National Hot Buttered Rum Day
19 National Popcorn Day
22 National Blonde Brownie Day
23 National Rhubarb Pie Month
24 National Peanut Brittle Day
25 National Irish Coffee Day
26 National Peanut Brittle Day
27 National Chocolate Cake Day
28 National Blueberry Pancake Day
30 National Croissant Day